Arriving on Site – The Calm Order of Things
Part of the Setup & Site Life – Without the Stress hub
Intro
For many caravanners, arriving on site is the most tense part of the trip.
The towing is over, the destination is reached — and suddenly it feels like things need to happen quickly. Other people are around, the pitch might not be quite what you expected, and there’s a quiet pressure to start setting up now, even if you’re not quite sure where to begin.
This page exists to slow that moment down.
There isn’t a strict rulebook for arriving on site, but there is a sensible order that removes most of the stress. Once you understand that order, arrival stops feeling like a performance and starts feeling like the beginning of your stay.
Before Anything Else: Pause and Look
The most important part of arriving on site happens before any equipment comes out of the car.
Take a minute to look at the pitch properly. Notice the slope, the surface, and where the hook-up point actually is — not where you assumed it would be. Think about door access, awning space, and whether you might want to adjust your position once you’re on the pitch.
This pause matters because once you start committing — ramps down, steadies out — moving the caravan again becomes more work than it needs to be. Many setup problems start simply because things were done in the wrong order, not because anything was done wrong.
Get the Position Right Before You Commit
Positioning the caravan is about practicality, not precision.
You’re aiming for a spot where:
The door opens comfortably
The awning side has usable space
You’re not stretching cables or hoses later
This doesn’t require millimetre accuracy. It just requires confidence that once you begin setting up, you won’t immediately wish you’d stopped a foot earlier or angled slightly differently.
If you’re unsure, adjusting now — even if it takes a second attempt — is far easier than undoing things later.
Levelling Comes Next (But Don’t Rush It)
Once the caravan is where you want it, levelling naturally comes next.
This is where many people feel they should hurry, but levelling works best when it’s done calmly and early. Side-to-side levelling is usually the priority, using ramps if needed, followed by settling the caravan into position.
At this stage, you’re not aiming for perfection. You’re aiming for comfortable. Chasing tiny adjustments often adds stress without improving how the caravan feels to live in.
Levelling is important enough to deserve its own explanation, which is why it’s covered in detail on the next page in this hub.
Steadies Are for Stability, Not Setup
Corner steadies come after levelling, not before.
Their job is simply to stabilise the caravan once it’s already sitting correctly. They’re not designed to lift corners or fine-tune height, and using them that way often introduces twist rather than comfort.
Lower them gently until they make firm contact with the ground. That’s usually enough.
When to Connect the Electric Hook-Up
Electric hook-up doesn’t need to be the first thing you do.
Many caravanners find it easier to connect electric once the caravan is level and steady. This allows the cable to run naturally without being stretched or repositioned later, and it means lighting and heating are available as you continue setting up.
Connecting electric at this point often makes everything else feel calmer, especially if you’ve arrived late in the day or in poor weather.
Water and Waste Can Wait
Water and waste don’t need to happen immediately.
Unless you know you’ll need water straight away, there’s no harm in leaving these connections until you’re otherwise settled. This keeps the pitch clearer during setup and avoids dragging containers around while you’re still moving things.
On cold, wet, or busy arrivals, delaying water and waste often removes a surprising amount of pressure.
A Calm Arrival Order (When Your Mind Goes Blank)
If you ever arrive and feel unsure what to do next, this gentle sequence works well for most situations:
Position the caravan and pause
Level side-to-side
Drop the steadies
Connect electric
Settle inside
Deal with water and waste when ready
This isn’t a rule — it’s a fallback. A way to stop everything happening at once.
Why This Order Works
Arrival feels stressful when decisions stack up too quickly.
By separating positioning, levelling, and connections into distinct stages, you give yourself breathing space. Each step has a purpose, and nothing needs undoing straight away.
After a few trips using this approach, arrival becomes routine — and that sense of being rushed or watched quietly disappears.
Where This Leads Next
Once you’re parked and settled, the next questions are usually about comfort rather than logistics.
That’s why the next page in this hub is:
👉 Levelling a Caravan – What Matters, What Doesn’t
It builds directly on this arrival order and explains why levelling doesn’t need to be as precise — or stressful — as it’s often made out to be.
Arriving on site isn’t a test.
It’s just the start of being there.