We Are Caravan Travel Family
A family of four from the Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire border, sharing our honest adventures on the road.
Our Story
We are parents who grew up in the 80s and 90s and caravanned with our own families. Now we have our own family who discovered camping and then caravanning, and never looked back. What started as a single trip to a Sherwood Pines camping site in Nottinghamshire turned into a way of life — weekends away, school holiday adventures, and a growing list of sites, regions, and days out that we want to share with every family thinking about making the same leap.
This website is our honest record of everything we have learned, everywhere we have been, and everything we wish someone had told us before we started. From choosing your first caravan to finding the best pitch at Clumber Park, from cooking paella on the Cadac to cycling the Camel Trail with children — it is all here.
The Family
Grant – Dada
Grant has always been hands-on and entrepreneurial. He started out in home renovations and flooring, running his own business from the ground up. In 2020, what began as a hobby — sourcing and restoring vintage industrial lighting and clocks from old factories and steelworks — grew into Industrial Glow, a business that now supplies beautifully restored antique pieces to homes and commercial spaces across the UK and beyond.
Industrial Glow has supplied pieces to high-profile projects including BrewDog Manchester, and Grant’s eye for quality and craftsmanship runs through everything he does — including fitting the Thule Omnistor awning rail to our caravan himself. His ability to work remotely means that on longer trips, he can work on the road, which is one of the reasons we are able to spend six weeks away in the summer.
Amie – Mama
Amie spent 15 years as a primary school teacher. After returning to work following maternity leave with River, she faced health challenges that made it clear something needed to change. She stepped back from teaching and began working with Grant on social media for Industrial Glow — and discovered that she loved it.
From there, Caravan Travel Family grew organically. What started as sharing family trips on Instagram became a full content creation project: honest reviews, practical guides, and a genuine community of families who caravan with neurodivergent children. Amie is diagnosed ASD and ADHD, and that lived experience shapes everything she writes.
Bodhi Honey – born 2018
Bodhi is our eldest and our adventurer. She has an Autism PDA profile, is a sensory seeker, and has an infectious enthusiasm for everything the outdoors has to offer. She loves being on her bike, exploring forests, and meeting animals. Sherwood Pines is her favourite place in the world — we have celebrated her birthday there every year since she turned four.
River Ace – born 2021
River is our youngest and our fearless one. He is on the assessment pathway for ASD and ADHD, and the caravan has given him a sense of freedom and routine that works brilliantly for him. He loves the Cadac paella, cycling, and anything involving water. He was four years old when he confidently tackled the water slides at Splashdown Quaywest.
Our Setup
The Caravan — Coachman Acadia 830
We bought our Coachman Acadia 830 in 2022, and it has been our home from home ever since. It is an 8ft-wide, 5-berth twin-axle caravan with a layout specifically designed for families — fixed bunk beds at the rear for the children, a side dinette opposite the kitchen, an L-shaped front lounge, and a full end washroom with separate shower cubicle.
The 8ft Xcel bodyshell gives significantly more floor space than a standard caravan, which makes an enormous difference for a neurodivergent family. There is room to move, room to decompress, and room for everyone to have their own space when they need it. The Alde wet central heating system keeps everyone comfortable on autumn and winter trips, and the tall fridge-freezer is essential for a week’s worth of family food.
We are planning to transition the bunk beds to single beds as Bodhi grows — she is a tall 8-year-old and is starting to outgrow the top bunk.
The Tow Vehicle — VW Amarok
We tow with the VW Amarok, which handles the Acadia 830 with ease. The combination of the Amarok’s towing capacity and the twin-axle stability of the Acadia makes for a very confident tow, even on longer motorway runs.
Awning Setup — Thule Omnistor + Isabella
Our awning setup varies depending on how long we are away for, and we have found a system that works brilliantly for us.
For weekends and trips of up to two weeks, we use the Thule Omnistor fixed to the caravan wall, with Isabella Buddy sides attached. The Thule rolls out quickly and the Buddy sides clip on in minutes, giving us a covered outdoor living space without the commitment of a full awning. It is perfect for variable British weather — you can have it up in ten minutes and down just as fast.
For our six-week summer trip, we use the Isabella Commodore Carbon Fibre Pole Awning with the left annex attached. This is a full, freestanding awning that creates a proper additional room — we use the annex as a sleeping area or a dedicated kids’ space. The carbon fibre poles make it lighter and easier to pitch than traditional steel-pole awnings, and the quality is exceptional. Isabella awnings are built to last, and ours has been through several summers without any issues.
Grant fitted the Thule Omnistor rail to the caravan himself — a testament to his hands-on approach and the reason we trust the setup completely.
Our Timeline
2020 — Industrial Glow is Born
Grant discovers a passion for vintage industrial lighting and clocks. What starts as a hobby sourcing pieces from old factories and steelworks grows into Industrial Glow, supplying beautifully restored antique pieces to homes and commercial spaces across the UK.
2022 — We Buy the Coachman Acadia 830
After years of camping, we take the leap into caravanning. We choose the Coachman Acadia 830 for its family-specific layout and 8ft-wide bodyshell. Our first trip is to Sherwood Pines — and we are immediately hooked.
2022 — Bodhi’s Birthday Tradition Begins
We celebrate Bodhi’s 4th birthday at Sherwood Pines. Friends and family join us for a walk and picnic in the forest. Four years later, it is still an annual tradition — and still one of our favourite days of the year.
2023 — Caravan Travel Family Launches
Amie steps back from teaching and begins creating content about family caravanning. What starts as sharing trips on Instagram grows into a full website, blog, and community.
2024 — Six Weeks on the Road
Our longest trip to date — six weeks away in the summer with the full Isabella Commodore awning. Cornwall, Devon, Yorkshire, and beyond.
Follow Our Adventures
Instagram: @caravantravelfamily — instagram.com/caravantravelfamily
TikTok: @caravantravelfamily — tiktok.com/@caravantravelfamily
YouTube: @caravantravelfamily — youtube.com/@caravantravelfamily
Facebook: Caravan Travel Family — facebook.com/caravantravelfamily