Going Solo

Travel writer, dog lover, Eriba owner - this month Lottie finds that a broken tow car tests her resolve

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I'M PROUD TO say that I can do almost anything I need to with or in my caravan on my own.

I tow it, park it, push it and pull it around all by myself - who needs a gym when you've got a 750kg metal box to contend with? I can even hitch-up without the assistance of a rear-view camera on the car these days - I had to learn that one quickly when my car broke down in Aberdeen this summer and I was given a janky old pickup as my tow car for the onward journey.

Self-sufficient

I’m not ashamed to admit that all of this makes me feel quite accomplished. It’s a serious boost for my self-confidence to be so self-sufficient in my caravan. I'll never tire of throwing my weight around with the Eriba to manoeuvre it into the perfect position as other campers watch on, no doubt entertained by my completely inelegant huffing and puffing.

For my final trip of summer 2025, I did just that at the Winchcombe Camping and Caravanning Club Site. My pitch was right beside their small fishing lake, with its own pontoon and a small family of chatty ducks waddling about. While most caravanners had their vans pitched with the rear to the lake, I was able to swing my towbar around and sit horizontally across it, with my door and living room window looking right out across the water. Afternoon beers by the caravan have never felt so good.

Canopy coping