The Irish summer-van Instagram is a lie of omission. The same coast looks very different on a wet, dark afternoon in February, with the wind shaking the van and the wipers struggling. That's not a complaint — we love winter van life here. But it's a different sport from July, and the kit and habits that work in summer don't translate.
What Irish winter actually looks like
- Temperature: coldest months are January / February. Average lows around 2–5°C, occasional dips to -3 to -5°C inland on clear nights. Coastal frosts are rarer.
- Rain: almost daily October through March. Three or four full-rain days in a row is not unusual, especially on the west coast.
- Daylight: 8 hours in mid-December, sunrise around 8:40, sunset around 4:15.
- Wind: the season-defining factor. West-coast Atlantic gales are real; storms named regularly. Sleeping side-on to a gale is unpleasant; you don't.
- Humidity: high. Even when it's not raining, the air is wet. This is what kills lazy conversions.
The four systems that have to work
1. Heating
A diesel air heater is the only realistic answer for full-time winter van life in Ireland. Propane / butane runs out at the worst moments and you end up driving 40 minutes to find a Calor exchange in the rain. Diesel pulls fuel from the main tank, runs on 12V (~1A nominal), and is dramatic in how completely it changes the van's liveability.
Recommended sizing: a 5 kW unit for any van longer than 5.5 m or with thin insulation; a 2 kW unit is fine for compact, well-insulated builds. The Chinese clones (sold under Vevor and similar brands) at €160–€220 are now reliable enough to recommend over a Webasto unless you've got fleet requirements; we run one and have never regretted it. See the gear page for specifics.
2. Ventilation
The trap that catches every new van builder: assuming a sealed warm van is the goal. It isn't. A sealed van produces 2–3 litres of water vapour per night from breathing, cooking, even just being warm. With nowhere for the moisture to go, it condenses on cold surfaces (windows, walls) and in 4–6 weeks you've got mould.
The fix: a roof fan running on speed 1 continuously, plus a small permanent inlet at the opposite end of the van. A Maxxair Maxxfan with the rain shield is the standard kit; speed 1 costs about 1A, trivial. In wet weeks a small 12V mini-compressor dehumidifier (~€90–€180) earns its keep.
3. Insulation that actually performs
Closed-cell PIR foam (Recticel, Kingspan) at 25 mm walls / 50 mm ceiling / 25 mm floor. Sheep's wool absorbs moisture and rots. Spray foam works but is messy. Reflective bubble-wrap insulation on its own is basically pointless; it can be a useful layer over PIR but not a substitute. The conversion guide covers this in more detail.
4. Sleeping warm
What works:
- A 4-season sleeping bag rated to comfort -5°C, OR a duvet rated tog 13.5+.
- A wool or sheepskin underlay between the mattress and the bed-base — cold gets in from underneath, not from above.
- A hot-water bottle. Genuinely transformative.
- Layered clothing: base layer (merino), mid layer (fleece), warm hat. Sleep in clothes if it's properly cold; you'll be glad in the morning.
Sites that actually open through winter
Most Irish caravan parks close November to March. The ones that stay open year-round:
- Dublin / east coast: Camac Valley (Dublin), River Valley Holiday Park (Wicklow).
- Cork: Blarney Caravan and Camping Park.
- Kerry: Wave Crest (Caherdaniel) closes Nov-Feb; Killarney Holiday Park stays open year-round.
- Galway: Salthill Caravan Park is one of the few west-coast sites with a real winter offer.
- North coast / Antrim: Ballyness Caravan Park (Bushmills).
Off-peak winter rates are typically €15–€25/night including EHU — cheaper than people expect. The hot shower and the dryer alone justify it once a week.
Wild camping in winter
Many of the spots that are jammed in July are completely empty in February. Coastal car parks, harbour spots, lay-bys with views — you can have them to yourself. The trade-offs:
- Mud. Soft ground after rain becomes a serious problem. Always have a recovery tactic (basic 4x4 traction-mat under each wheel, or willingness to walk for help).
- Storm exposure. Don't park side-on to the wind on the west coast. A van that's bouncing all night is a van you don't sleep in.
- Limited daylight. Plan to arrive at your spot before 4 pm; the last hour of daylight is your safety margin for finding alternatives.
- Reduced access to facilities. Toilet blocks at off-season car parks may be locked. Plan dump-station access in advance.
Why people do it
Winter van life in Ireland is a genuinely different experience from summer. Quieter beaches. Empty mountain passes. The kind of pubs where the locals talk to you because you're the only stranger. Fewer Americans on the WAW; more locals on a Saturday night. The light, when it comes, is the most dramatic in Ireland — low-angle, gold-on-grey, never the same hour to hour.
It's also harder, dark earlier, and the things that go wrong are bigger problems. Both are true. If you've got a properly winterised van and the right gear, the season pays you back in the kind of days that don't happen in July.