It was winter 2018 when my whole world felt like it was crushing me. My mental health was bad; so bad I was considering ending my life. Of course not many people would have realised that as from the outside I was my happy bubbly self that people had come to expect of me; working hard, achieving a lot and cramming anything and everyone into my life to ensure I never let anyone down. But looks can often be deceiving and after dropping far too deep in to that big black hole of depression I was offered a rope.
After many conversations with an amazing counselor and my fantastic family; I decided to leave my job and put my lovely cottage on the market. Soon I was living in a wee caravan at a friend’s farm in search of a van to convert…
Roll forward to April 2019 and a VW LWB Crafter was mine! Buttercup was an ex DHL delivery van with 80k miles on the clock and a few scuffs and bruises but otherwise in good condition. After getting locked inside the van due to the slam locks (!); I ripped out the bulkhead and started pulling out the old plywood walls and floor ready to insulate and floor.
I enjoyed some trips with just a mattress and camping stove around Devon, Cornwall and Dorset. Just being out and about with my little house on wheels was amazing. It really made me realise that you don’t need much to be happy. I had my dogs, a bed, a way to make coffee, cook food, a little coolbox, my bike and walking stuff… what more do you really need in life?
This was a great period as I really started to understand how I wanted to use my van and what was important to me to live comfortably in the small space.
A few months later she was insulated, boarded out, had electrics, a bed and a tiny kitchen area. I had scrapped my plans for a bathroom for the time being and had just popped a little sofa in to use as a chillax space… I was free to live my life on the road.
My first big trip with a fixed bed, as opposed to just a mattress on the floor, was to the Lake District. The Lakes is one of my favourite places in the UK; the sweeping valleys, the crystal clear rivers, deep mysterious lakes and towering mountains, provide the opportunity to fully embrace the outdoors, and regardless of whether you want to hike, mountain bike, climb, paddle or just sit with a coffee admiring the view, it offers you all of those and more.
This trip was a great test for Buttercup and me, and everything worked really well, the dogs had lots of space in the van, my bed was super comfy, I realised that a bathroom wasn’t important but a loo was, and my little sofa caused plenty of curious glances and questions from passersby!
Next up were a few road trips with some amazing folk, who also had vans; we went to Cornwall enjoying some ‘wild camping’ overlooking the stunning wild coast, Christmas and New Year in Welsh Wales at a wonderful off grid campsite in the Valleys, and meet ups closer to home in North Devon. Vanlife was helping me to grow my social life and I was lucky to meet some amazing people from all walks of life. I was also growing in confidence finding park ups and just spending as much time in nature as possible. My mental health was thriving and I finally felt happy and at peace.
Spring led me to Cornwall to explore Bodmin, a place I’ve never really been to before despite it being 20 minutes away. So many places to park, enjoy great walks, mountain bike rides, wild swims and a coffee or two!
A year of living in a van had passed and it was time for Buttercup’s MOT and she had to undergo a few mechanical tweaks; a new prop shaft, gear box, clutch and handbrake. This was an eye opener as I just hadn’t been budgeting for major repairs on her… but lesson learnt and a new fund was instigated.
But then we were ready to hit the road again…
Covid hit and the World was turned upside down.
New words entered our vocabulary, like ‘furlough’, ‘lockdown’, ‘Zoom’. We were confined to our homes; but how would that work? I lived in my house on wheels, my address was wherever I was parked. Could I stay on the road or did I need to find a basecamp? How would I cope not being out in nature and free to roam as I desired?
Thankfully this period worked well for me; I was able to park at the farm and Farmer Nick let me move Buttercup around to different spots every week for a new view. I even had one spot with a fire pit! I was extremely lucky, unlike some of my other van dwelling friends, who were confined to carparks, industrial estates or random laybys. I was able to get out everyday and walk the green fields, swim in the river, and remain rooted in nature to ensure my mental health didn’t take a turn downhill again. I did Pilates and Barre by the silage bales, created a little skills course for my mountain bike, and set up my office outside the van on those gorgeous balmy days; although sometimes the tractors got a little close for comfort! The dogs and I even had a few camping trips in the tent to different spots on the farm; it was actually a great period of time for me just living mindfully and peacefully in the countryside.
Post Covid I was excited to get on the road again, and so back to the Lakes I went to meet up with the gang, before I returned to Devon and spent the next year living in work’s carpark, with weekend adventures to the beaches and moors of Devon and Cornwall. It was lovely to meet other vanlifers, and new people for swims, hikes and bike trips – god bless social media!
Finally, my first ‘proper’ road trip came in 2021 when I took a sabbatical from work, and the dogs and I mooched north… The Lakes, Northumberland, Yorkshire and Scotland were my home for 6 months, and none of them disappointed. I fell in love with Scotland and the ease in which you could park up on a white sandy beach and watch the sun set over the turquoise waters, overlook a tranquil Loch and swim in it’s cool dark depths, or hide amongst the towering pine forests, watching for squirrels, pine martens and deer.
I returned back to Devon excited for my next trip to Norway and books surrounded me as I planned and prepped for this big adventure…
Spike took ill, meningitis the vet thought, and with a very heavy heart I had to say goodbye to one of my fluffy travelling companions. I was heartbroken. Oliver and I returned to work and carried on our weekend mini adventures, until a month later he decided he too was going to leave me. He had a ruptured tumor of the spleen; there were no signs and one lunchtime he was gone.
I felt lost and unsure what to do next. I had planned to help run a campsite for the summer up on the east coast for a change of scenery and pace, so started preparing for that. However, a few days later on a short drive to Torquay, Buttercup decided she too had had enough and the engine died. For months I lived in the garage carpark in my shell of a home, but thanked God that I had somewhere to stay, work were happy to take me back, and I was trapped in a gorgeous part of the world. It could have been far worst, and to be honest, being trapped made me slow down and make the most of the beautiful landscape around me.
Eventually after a few setbacks, an £8k bill (yikes), and a lot of tears, Buttercup and I were back on the road. We had lost the campsite job and I just needed to get away after a pretty crummy year to date; so I decided to go to France to escape…
I’d been to France plenty of times before but never in a van and never solo with no plans. It was awesome; parking was so easy with the Aires and great wild parking spots. There were epic views, cute towns, delicious bakeries, stunning swim spots, glorious hikes, wonderful wildlife. lovely people and so much cheese! I loved it. It was the adventure I’d been craving and the reset I needed.
After France I was offered a new job role with my previous employer, where I could work remotely – this was the dream; the ultimate vanlife way of life, living and remote working in a van, being able to travel and earn on the road. I was so excited; where to go though… Thoughts of Europe, Morocco, Norway, Bali, entered my mind, yet off to Scotland I went once more and where I’ve returned time and time again since! I’ve still not made it to Norway or further afield, but I feel like Buttercup and I have definitely had some amazing adventures together, and I’m sure there are many still to come…
Vanlife 5 years on - What have I learnt?
Van repairs are very expensive; save every penny you can for the unknown
Stuck in one spot can actually be a good thing; it forces you to slow down and appreciate what’s around you
Don’t plan too much; go with the flow and you’ll experience so much more
Chat to people; you never know who you may meet
Moving every day is exhausting; look for somewhere to use as a base for a few days
Use Park4Night and chat to locals; these are the best ways to find somewhere to stay
Get a separating loo; it’s so much easier to deal with
Carry a shovel, jump leads and rescue pads; you never now when you or a fellow traveler will need them
You don't need a shower; just use a Karcher or the river
Starlink and an inverter are your friend; a remote worker's dream
Your gearbox, wee and water will freeze in Scottish winters; do not panic!
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this little fly by account of my vanlife journey so far. If you have any questions, please do get in touch.
Keep enjoying the adventures and stay safe.
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