My advice to anyone wanting to experience the delights of camping, is to hire a camper first. Why? because buying a camper or motorhome is a serious investment in both time and money.

You want to be sure that this life-style is for you. A wet windy weekend parked in a field isn’t everyone’s idea of fun. Sadly this can be the reality. So spending a little time enjoying the outdoor life is essential.

Hiring will also give you an idea of what is important and what you like and don’t like – it will give you a clear idea of what your camper needs and what you can live without.

You’ve hired a camper for the weekend. The idea of buying a camper is still upper most in your mind, so where do you start?

Start by understanding how and where you intend to use your new camper. Will it be used for weekends away, a cup of tea on a day trip or weeks touring?

Understand the budget you have available. Determine if you plan to use your camper as your main vehicle, or will it only be used for holidays. This will help you understand what you have to spend on your purchase, but also, ongoing maintenance and servicing.

An older classic is cheap on insurance, potentially tax exempt for those pre 1972 iconic Volkswagens but lack proper heating, prone to bodywork and rust issues, not to mention, reliability.

Having one set of costs however can have its advantages. Modern campers such as the Volkswagen T5 will drive more like a normal car, be relatively cheap on insurance and have the modern creature comforts.

Insuring a camper and using it for commuting is seen less as an issue with today’s insurance companies. Many realising that people do not want the expense of two vehicles, one for daily use and another for leisure.

New or old, the most popular camper of all time is of course the Volkswagen. It’s not just a vehicle, but comes with a huge family of followers and it’s said to be a way of life.

The quintessential Volkswagen camper is a dream car for many people and has gained popularity over the last 10 years. Not a day goes by without one appearing in an advert or tv show. This has increased values and getting a good, solid base van is increasingly difficult.

Once you have decided on the age of your camper and budget you have available, it’s now time to research what’s out there and the variety of layouts these campers have to offer.