Arriving on Site – The Calm Order of Things

Intro

The moment you arrive on a pitch is often where caravanning nerves peak.

The towing’s finished, the car’s still warm, and suddenly it feels like everyone nearby is watching while you decide what to do first. Levelling ramps come out too early, hook-up cables get dragged across the pitch, and before you know it you’re doing things out of order just to feel like you’re “getting on”.

This page is about slowing that moment down.

There is a sensible order to arriving on site — not a strict rulebook, but a calm sequence that gives you options instead of pressure. Once you understand that order, arrival stops feeling like a performance and starts feeling like the beginning of your stay.

First Things First: Stop, Look, Breathe

Before anything comes out of the car, give yourself a minute.

Look at the pitch properly. Check the slope, the surface, and where the hook-up point actually is — not where you assumed it would be. Think about which way you want the door, the awning side, and whether you’ve got enough room to adjust if needed.

This pause is important because once ramps are down and steadies are out, moving the caravan again becomes a hassle. Most arrival stress comes from committing too early and then realising you’d rather be a foot further forward or angled slightly differently.

There’s no rush at this stage. Even on busy sites, taking a minute to assess saves time overall.

Positioning the Caravan Before You Commit

Getting the caravan roughly where you want it is more important than getting it level straight away.

Aim to place the caravan so that:

  • The door opens comfortably

  • The awning side has usable space

  • You’re not stretching cables or hoses unnecessarily

You don’t need millimetre precision. You just want to be confident that once you start setting up, you won’t immediately wish you’d moved it again.

If you’re unsure, it’s far easier to adjust now — even if it means a second attempt — than after levelling ramps are in place.

Levelling Comes Before Everything Else

Once you’re happy with the position, levelling is the next logical step.

This is where many people feel pressured to rush, 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, don’t worry about steadies, cables or water. Levelling affects almost everything that follows, so it’s worth getting it comfortable rather than perfect.

Steadies: Support, Not Structure

Corner steadies often get misunderstood.

They’re not there to lift or fine-tune levelling — they’re simply to stabilise the caravan once it’s already sitting properly. Dropping them after levelling helps the caravan feel solid underfoot and reduces movement inside.

Doing steadies too early can trick you into thinking the caravan is level when it isn’t, which is why they work best after ramps and positioning are sorted.

Electric Hook-Up: When It Makes Sense

Electric hook-up doesn’t need to be the very first thing you do.

Many caravanners find it easier to connect electric once the caravan is level and steady, especially if the bollard is some distance away. That way the cable runs naturally, without being stretched or repositioned later.

Connecting electric at this point also means lighting and heating are available as you continue setting up — which can make everything feel calmer, particularly in poor weather or low light.

Water & Waste: No Need to Rush

Water and waste can wait.

Unless you arrive knowing you’ll need water immediately, many people leave these connections until they’re otherwise settled. This avoids dragging containers around while you’re still moving things, and it keeps the pitch clearer during setup.

There’s no penalty for leaving water until later — and on cold or wet arrivals, delaying it can make the whole process feel far less rushed.

A Simple Arrival Order (When You Need One)

If your brain freezes on arrival, this gentle sequence works well for most situations:

  • Position the caravan and pause

  • Level side-to-side

  • Drop 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 Reduces Stress

Arriving on site feels stressful when decisions stack up too quickly.

By separating positioning, levelling, and connections into distinct steps, you give yourself space to think. Each action has a purpose, and nothing needs undoing straight away.

Once you’ve arrived calmly a few times using this approach, it becomes second nature — and that sense of being watched or rushed quietly disappears.

Where to Go Next

Once you’re settled on the pitch, the next questions usually are:

  • “Is it level enough?”

  • “Have I connected everything safely?”

  • “Why does the first night always feel odd?”

Those are exactly what the rest of the Setup & Site Life hub covers.

And if arriving on site still feels tense because of manoeuvring or hitching, it links naturally back to Towing Without the Panic, where the journey side of things lives.

Arrival isn’t a test.
It’s just the start of being there.