about me (& dougal)
I have been caravanning since I was knee-high to a jockey wheel, originally in a 1969 Thomson Glenmore. Nowadays you’ll find me with Dougal, my trusty dog, living the dream in an Airstream Travel Trailer. We tour the length and breadth of the UK on a year-round basis, but the emphasis is very much on Scotland and the beautiful Western Isles. I love the Outer Hebrides so much, I even learned to speak the Gaelic—or a’ Ghàidhlig.
A keen kitesurfer and motorcyclist, I document my travels (including those overseas) on my YouTube channel. During 2017, the number of subscribers to my channel rocketed from under 2,000 to over 12,000.
In all that I do, from making videos to writing copy, I aim to inspire, entertain, and inform. Nothing is disingenuous and the content is real. More and more companies are realising the value in real content over sugar-coated marketing as it is far more engaging and credible.
Engaging with the audience is crucial. This has led me to adopt a gentle, inspirational, and encouraging style. My authority comes from experience, and the message is simple: If I can do it, you probably can, too. The feedback I have received over the years has been humbling. From a GP wanting to prescribe my videos to patients with depression, to nervous solo travellers taking the plunge and setting off with a caravan on their first touring adventure—it never ceases to astonish me how one man and his dog can have such a profound effect on some people. It is something I will never take for granted.
In 2002 I took a year out and travelled the world, doing most of it in a caravan or motorhome. Since then, I have never settled in a house and have pretty much permanently lived on the road, reaping the rewards and facing the challenges that such an itinerant lifestyle brings.
Minimalism, Living Simply, and Living with Intention are facets of life that I strive to embrace and promote. What I bring to the party is to show that Living Simply need not mean going without comforts and luxuries. While I salute those who travel the world surviving from the contents of one rucksack, that is not me. Sofa-surfing and shared accommodation is not for me. I prefer the security and comfort of home. It’s just that my home has wheels.
I hope you enjoy watching the videos and reading the blog posts. You’ll quickly get a feel of what life is like for me and for Dougal.
thanks for tuning in!
forthcoming events…
You can catch up with me at the following events and Live Stream broadcasts.
Please check back as new dates and events are frequently added.
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June 2018
17th: LIVE BROADCAST on at youtube.com/andrewjditton at 8pm UK time
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August 2018
25th-28th: Düsseldorf, Germany: Caravan Salon
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October 2018
16th-20th: Birmingham, England: Motorhome & Caravan Show at the NEC
brands we work with…
Adria’s loan of an Adora Caravan in 2017 proved to be a commercial success. So much so that in January 2018, we worked again with Adria to provide written, photographic, and video content; promote social media channels; and build brand awareness of its Sun Living brand while embarking on a month-long tour of Scotland in a Sun Living camper van.
Airstream UK relaunched the brand in the UK in the autumn of 2017. Having been widely recognised as an enthusiastic and active ‘Airstreamer’ for almost 10 years, I was commissioned to produce written and video content for their new website and for social media channels.
My relationship with one of the UK’s largest touring organisations goes back almost 20 years. I produce mainly written and photographic content for the Club’s Magazine, in addition to bringing my judging services, product knowledge, and comprehensive on-site experience to its three major competitions: Towcar of the Year, Caravan Design, and Motor Caravan Design.
Another long-standing working relationship, I enjoy working with The Friendly Club on written and photographic content in relation to caravanning and tent camping, with or without a motorcycle.
One of the largest caravan and motorhome brands in Europe, the Erwin Hymer Group trusted us to produce content for their UK-centric Social Media Sites when introducing the Carado brand to the UK market. Our involvement introduced the brand to our many thousands of engaged subscribers in a very short space of time. To facilitate this, the ‘Go with the Vlow’ project involved taking a Carado Vlow camper van on an incredible tour of Austria, Slovenia, and Croatia. The content and the level of engagement delighted everybody involved.