Summer is on its way and many will be thinking about where to go on holiday. With flight prices on the rise, taking to the UK’s roads this season for a staycation or perhaps a road trip across Europe.
Spending on domestic tourism is rising year-on-year, and in the 2024 Great Britain Tourism Survey 2024, 5.8 million camping trips were taken.
While in the EU, over 413 million nights were spent in camping and caravan parks in 2025. If your preference is for camping rather than cottages, you might want to consider a domestic car trailer.
What are the advantages of a trailer for camping trips?
Extra space
Camping requires a great deal more kit than a hotel or resort holiday. Everything needs to come with you, from tents and sleeping bags to cooking facilities and even a washing-up bowl.
Having extra space means you don’t have to leave anything behind or play 3D Tetris when packing the car. There will also be more space for passengers, making the ride far more comfortable.
Adventure and activity equipment
With a trailer, there will be room to bring the bikes, the volleyball net and the surfboards, or any outdoor gear, without the need to strap anything to the roof. Top boxes and equipment on roof racks create drag and increase fuel consumption on motorways.
Expanding families
Extra people mean extra luggage, food and equipment needed for your trip. If your family is growing, a trailer can free up some extra seats in the back of the car so all the kids can come camping.
Storage
Once you have arrived at your destination, when the tent is up and the barbecue is on, you can use your trailer for storing equipment and other items so they don’t clutter your living space.
What type of trailer should you choose?
Trailers for domestic use are usually compact and lightweight. Perfectly-sized for camping trips, they are usually up to 750kg, although larger Ifor Williams domestic trailers are available.
Open
An open trailer has no sides and is essentially a flat platform on a frame. This may not be the best option for carrying luggage and camping gear, but it can be useful for loading up motorbikes and equipment such as kayaks.
Closed
These are trailers with panelled or mesh sides that can be dropped down for access. They can be protected from the weather with a trailer tarpaulin or cover. The tarp can also prevent wind drag and loss of any contents while driving.
Box
These trailers have sides and a closed roof, usually with access to the rear or side of the trailer. The contents are more secure when travelling, although the trailers themselves weigh more than open-platform trailers.
They are also useful if you have equipment you want to keep dry and secure once you have pitched your tent.
What do you need to know about towing capacity?
The towing capacity is the amount of weight your car can safely tow. This usually depends on how big and heavy the car is and how powerful the engine is.
You can find out how much your car can tow by checking the VIN plate under the bonnet, checking your car’s handbook or V5C logbook.
On the VIN plate, there are usually two numbers: the maximum allowable mass (MAM) and the maximum train mass, which is the maximum combined weight given by the manufacturer of the vehicle and what it is towing.
A little simple maths will give you the weight your car can tow when fully laden.
However, advice for beginners to towing is to start with a lower weight trailer that is 85 per cent of the kerbweight of the car (found on your V5C under Mass In Service). This makes it easier to drive and safer to manoeuvre on the road and when parking.
What kind of driver’s licence do you need to tow a trailer?
When you passed your driver’s test will determine what you are allowed to tow. You’ll need to have passed your full driving licence, but currently, there are no additional mandatory tests for towing trailers. However, you can do safe towing courses to learn how to pull a trailer.
If you got your licence before 1 January 1997, then you are automatically able to drive a car towing a trailer with a combined weight of up to 8,250kg. This is the MAM when the vehicle and the trailer are fully loaded.
For those who got their licence after 1 January 1997, you will need a Category BE valid on your licence to tow anything over a 750kg trailer and tow up to a 3,500kg MAM, with a combined weight of up to 7,000kg.
Should you choose to spend your summer holiday under canvas, a small domestic trailer could make your travels easier and your getaway unforgettable.