http://www.cleverscampcamp.com/camping-tv-aerials/
Watching the World Cup whilst away with your caravan
A weekend away with the caravan needn’t keep you from watching any matches – provided you make the right preparations before hitting the road with your caravan, trailer tent or folding camper.
The first thing to think about is whether you want to watch the match in a venue provided by the park, with other like minded fans and maybe even a cold beer on tap, or if you’d prefer the comfort of your own caravan and a fridge full of snacks and refreshments.
If you like the atmosphere of watching the match with a few other fans then you need to find out if the site you’re visiting will be showing the match. This may be in the club house or onsite pub if there is one, or even a venue that’s been organised especially for the World Cup.
In a bid to avoid losing business on weekend matches many sites have made special arrangements, such as temporary marquees or converted spaces for showing all weekend England matches. Checking the parks website is always a good starting point but a quick phone call is probably the best course of action as the parks preparations may be last minute.
On the other hand, if you’d prefer to watch the match without leaving the comfort of your home-away-from-home, there are a few things that need to be sorted out to make sure the Football is the only thing stressing you out.
All England matches are going to be shown on either BBC or ITV so there are no subscriptions you need to worry about, but it might be worth looking into which channels get good reception on site through a terrestrial aerial or digital receiver. Some parks will even have aerial sockets next to the electric hook-up, so it’s worth calling to find out what facilities are on offer and what TV reception is like in the area.
Another option is a portable satellite system, these can be picked up for under £100 online and often include an outdoor tripod system with a small satellite dish that connects to a Freesat set top box. Because the signal is beamed straight from an orbiting satellite to your portable dish, you should get crystal clear reception in most locations – provided you aren’t under a canopy of trees or in a very steep valley.
If your park isn’t showing the football, and you haven’t got the equipment to watch the match in your caravan, a quick chat with the site operator will normally result in the recommendation of pub nearby – and with many sites within walking distance of villages or towns you’ll still be able to have a drink to calm your nerves.
In and amongst all the excitement, don’t forget to organise insurance for your caravan and all the caravanning equipment you’ll be using during your World Cup camping. That way you can sit back, relax and enjoy the game – until we get penalties.
About the Author
Neil Walker of Caravan Guard which specialises in insuring caravans. To sign up for our free e-magazine with model reviews and places to visit see our webite http://www.caravanguard.co.uk
Yosemite National Park – Spring 2009