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Caravan November 2023 (Digital)

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28 Articles

Here at Caravan, the team is buzzing with anticipation for the NEC show and the annoucement of the winners of the Caravan of the Year Awards, which are held in association with Creation Personal Finance. Inside, there’s a show guide to help you plan your show visit. Speaking of trips, our travel features will whisk you away to enchanting Andalusia for some delightful winter sun and invite you to explore the Christmas markets of Bruges and Ghent. But that’s not all; we’ve also curated some fantastic ideas for weekend getaways right here in the UK. If all this has your wanderlust stirred, why not seize the opportunity to subscribe? You can bag the next five issues for just £5 by heading to W caravan.ma/bestchoice or calling 01778 392017 quoting cara/bestchoice.…

Coasts, piers and empty skies

My mind was racing at breakneck speed – Donna Nook, Gibraltar Point, Holkham Hall, Sandringham Estate, the Norfolk Broads… I’ve always had an appetite for planning more than it’s practically possible to achieve on my trips. This inevitably leads to a little disappointment for a while, until I try to remind myself that it’s quality not quantity that matters every time. At one stage I had compiled a list with three headings: ‘must do’, ‘if possible’ and ‘maybe’. I’d rewritten it countless times over, before I finally decided to put both the list and my procrastinations aside and just get on with it. What would be would be. The first thing on my ‘must do’ list was visiting Rosedale Abbey on the North Yorkshire Moors, so I had a two-night…

Coasts, piers and empty skies

A long weekend in London

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford”. So said writer, Samuel Johnson, back in 1777 and it still rings true for my husband and me. One particular campsite in south London holds a special place in our hearts. If we hadn’t discovered it, we’d never have bought the house we now live in and love! At the time we were living in east London. It frequently took an hour or two just to drive out of the capital, which was particularly frustrating on short breaks. So, one weekend, we decided to go on holiday in London instead. An online search flagged up the C&MC Crystal Palace site, south of the River Thames, and we promptly…

A long weekend in London

Weekend Adventures

Sometimes, when you set off in your caravan, you are heading to places you’ve never been to before, and sometimes the surroundings are more familiar. Having spent nine of my formative years living near Winchester, it is probably safe to say that it falls in the latter category. However, as a subsequent long-time resident of East Sussex, revisiting former haunts for a three-night stay at the recently updated and beautifully appointed Winchester Morn Hill Caravan and Motorhome Club site, proved very enjoyable. Winchester is a gracious, historic city, perhaps best known for its cathedral, its statue of King Alfred and the Great Hall with its famous round table. Yet move beyond the obvious attractions and there is much more to discover. Catching the very convenient number 64 bus from outside…

Weekend Adventures

Magical Manilva

There’s nothing more delightful on a cold, damp wintry day than to hitch up the caravan and head off to sunnier climes. And, that is exactly what we planned and did. We booked a lovely week exploring Spain and, after 24 hours on the ferry from Portsmouth to Santander we set off on the drive down through Spain to the south coast of Andalusia. We stopped in the beautiful town of Salamanca to break up the nine-hour drive and enjoy a little brunch. The roads are much cleaner and clearer - that is one thing that struck me on our first drive through Spain. Roads can be empty and that is mainly if you choose to use the toll roads; the Spanish rarely use them, so you can get a…

Magical Manilva

Christmas markets and chocolate heaven

Just because the nights have drawn in and Jack Frost is nipping at your nose and toes, that doesn’t mean you have to hang up your walking boots and put your caravan in mothballs until the spring – hang up your Christmas stocking instead and head for a delightful winter campsite. There are many, both in this country and abroad, which make braving the elements well worth the effort. Our destination was Bruges, a fairytale town full of chocolate, joy, sparkle, tinsel, lights, mulled wine and chocolate – I have mentioned chocolate haven’t I? It’s Christmas cheer all tied up in one pretty parcel, just waiting to be unwrapped and savoured. We live in north Devon so the 270-mile trek to Dover is not an easy one as it includes…

Christmas markets and chocolate heaven

Reading through an article in which the beautiful language of Wales was questioned as having been ‘invented by a lunatic’, I thought it would be useful for visitors to our beautiful country to have an insight into its equally beautiful language. I was not upset by that description and, to an extent, I understand how it could seem so. However, the truth is that the Welsh language is glorious. Cards on the table, I am Welsh, born and resident. I have sung in a choir for nearly 40 years, but I am not a fluent Welsh speaker. I have written this from the stance of an English monoglot who has been immersed and surrounded by Welsh all my life. This guide is intended to help visitors gain even more from…

Selsey, where the dramatic dance of sea and stone unfolds. This coastal haven is renowned for its treacherous underwater rock formations, named Owers Rocks and Mixon Rocks, shrouded in maritime legend and intrigue. As the waves sing their lullaby, the Lifeboat Station watches over the shore, a guardian of safety and hope. Dive into the rich maritime history at the RNLI Lifeboat Museum, where tales of courage and rescue come to life. Selsey’s culinary heritage is equally captivating. Delight in the bounty of the sea with the freshest catches of fish and local crab, a true gastronomic treasure. Indulge in the delectable flavors that define our coastal cuisine, making every visit a savory adventure. Come, explore Selsey, where history, seafood, and the ever-present sea breeze combine to create an unforgettable…

THE CHEQUERS CARAVAN SITE Canterbury Road, Selsted, Dover, Kent CT15 7HJ T 07785 782474 W chequerscaravan.site OPEN All year Built on the orders of Henry VIII, Kent’s Walmer Castle was originally designed to be a defensive fortress. From 1 December this year until 1 January, Christmas at the castle will see a seasonal light trail brought to the now country house retreat, on the coast just outside of Deal. Immerse yourself in a trail of spectacular illuminations and installations, transforming the grounds into a winter wonderland. Adding to the festivities will be a choice of food and warm beverages. A 30-minute drive away is The Chequers. Situated on the main road between Folkestone and Canterbury, access for exploring is easy. There are grass and hardstanding pitches with electric hook-up. While…

pitchside VIEWS

Our main site for our summer holiday in 2023 was close to a small town called Fouesnant in Britanny – Camping De La Piscine. This large site has many pitches for touring caravans and tents as well as lodges for hire, glamping tents with a range of facilities and some limited entertainment. This year we visited before the height of summer and we were not really concerned about it being too busy – this was a mistake. The pitch we were given was really too small for our needs, even though they knew the size of our caravan (Swift Elegance Grande 845). Once we’d put up an awning, our car didn’t fit on the pitch, either. Luckily everyone was very understanding. We were told that during our stay nearby fields…

pitchside VIEWS

Bailey Phoenix+ 642

Earlier this year a team from Bailey of Bristol embarked on a ‘Sahara Challenge’, a 2,735-mile trek that took them from southwest Portugal, across the Strait of Gibraltar, into Morocco, and over the Atlas Mountains to the edge of the Sahara Desert. This harsh-terrain endurance test was designed to demonstrate the durability of Bailey products. The caravans in the convoy were two Phoenix+ 642s. Extreme caravanning, one might say… The 642s were chosen for their versatile layout. Phoenix+ 642s have twin single beds – plus two full-length sofas that make two more single beds, so ideal for accommodating four members of the challenge team. These models are also extremely light in weight for their length. Little wonder, then, that this layout is a component of the new Phoenix range, created…

Bailey Phoenix+ 642

Buccaneer Barracuda

The super-luxury Buccaneer range of five twin-axle caravans includes two with L-shaped lounges; these are the Bermuda and the Barracuda. They are the same price, and the MTPLM figures are very similar. And they both have bedrooms at the rear. The differences between the two are the orientation of the bed and the lounge. The Bermuda’s bed is aligned across the caravan; the Barracuda’s bedhead is against the rear wall. And, in the Bermuda, the television wall is on the nearside, with the sofas on the offside and across the front. In the Barracuda, the lounge is reversed, with the television wall on the offside. Which to choose? It’s a close call, as we discovered at Preston Caravans and Motorhomes. Buccaneers are generally regarded as trendsetters. The brand was among…

Buccaneer Barracuda

Buying a caravan?

How much you have to spend on a caravan may depend on the way you finance it. Just like buying a car, there are lots of options available. You could arrange a loan through your bank or through a caravan dealer. But there are also many other options out there. BUYING ON FINANCE Black Horse is the market leader in providing finance for caravan purchases, offering a range of options including spreading the payments over a period of between one and 10 years. Most caravan retailers have dedicated finance managers who will give detailed advice and submit your loan application for you. Buying on finance means you decide how much you’re comfortable spending each month and then tailor the length of the agreement to that figure. So, if you can…

Buying a caravan?

PERSONAL CONTRACT PURCHASE (PCP)

Personal contract purchase offers flexibility in a number of ways. There are three elements to these personal contract purchase offers: deposit, payments and final repayment. Within those three elements there are a number of choices. You can choose how much deposit you want to pay. You can choose the number of years (one to five) over which you’d like to spread payments. At the end of the agreement, you can buy the caravan, part-exchange it (subject to the settlement of your finance agreement) for another caravan, or return the caravan and avoid the final repayment. If the caravan is in good condition, you will have nothing more to pay. PCP is currently available on new caravans only. When you buy a model on PCP there are a few rules: you…

BUYING ON A CREDIT CARD

It is possible to pay for a caravan on a credit card (provided your credit limit is appropriate to cover the cost), although it’s only sensible to do this if you are taking advantage of interest-free periods. These can range from between 18 and 36 months. Be aware that some caravan retailers may charge a fee for using a credit card to purchase a caravan. Buying this way can provide added protection that buying with cash does not give you so check what these added protections provide. This could be especially useful if the dealer you’re buying from goes out of business after you’ve paid a deposit but before you take delivery. The key if buying on a credit card is to ensure that you repay the full amount before…

BUYING ON A CREDIT CARD

Caravan secure storage

When you’re out and about in your caravan, you don’t need to give much thought to where it’s stored – it stays on the pitch. But, it’s important to consider where you will keep your caravan when you’re not using it. Do you have the capacity to keep it at home, or do you need another plan? Keeping your caravan at home is certainly convenient, but these days more owners are preferring to put their’vans into storage instead of the driveway. Caravans are getting bigger – especially with the rise in popularity of eight-foot-wide models – and parking space on new-build properties is often limited, plus some houses might not have driveways at all. All things considered, paying a relatively modest fee to store a caravan safely is a sensible…

Caravan secure storage

FINDING A SECURE STORAGE SITE

How do you find a secure storage site and how do you know if it’s truly secure? The first step is to visit the website of CaSSOA (W cassoa.co.uk). This is the Caravan Storage Site Owners’ Association and its aim is ‘to reduce caravan theft by promoting the highest levels of security on caravan storage sites’. The organisation oversees several hundred secure storage sites across the UK. All CaSSOA sites have to meet certain minimum levels of security and are classified according to the level of protection they provide. Bronze accreditation is the entry-level award and calls for perimeter protection and lockable gates. Silver must include additional features such as CCTV and monitored entry and exit of the site. Gold has features including electronic access systems, number plate recognition and…

Storage site checklist

✔ LOCATION Proximity to your home is not the only aspect of the site’s location you should consider. The best sites are situated discreetly ‘out of the way’, avoiding main roads and passing traffic. If your caravan isn’t visible, the chances are potential thieves won’t even know it’s there. ✔ SECURE FENCING Shabby or damaged fencing around a caravan storage site should be a concern. Tall (2.4m high), metal palisade fencing is the preferred option. ✔ CHECK FOR TREES SURROUNDING THE FENCE Tall trees near the perimeter fence offer a potential opportunity for thieves, who can use them to climb over any fencing. The lack of potential access points can help to reduce the risk of theft. ✔ CHECK SPACING BETWEEN THE FENCE AND CARAVAN Caravans backed right up to…

Storage site checklist

QUESTIONS & answers

Caravan servicing Q Is there a good time in the season to have my caravan serviced? A friend said the damp readings may vary depending on the time of year. A This largely depends if the caravan needs to be serviced within a particular date range to maintain a warranty. This window is often a few weeks either side of the purchase date. If the warranty period has expired, this may give you a broader date range, which may tie in with quieter periods for caravan workshops. As for damp readings, yes, they can vary with the time of year, and it is usual to see slightly higher readings in January than in July. However, certain damp thresholds exist to indicate if there is a possible problem, and these apply…

QUESTIONS & answers

Keela Smirr Poncho Ponchos have a bit of a bad reputation – most people automatically think of disposable plastic macs from the 70s. The Smirr from Keela is here to change your view. It packs away small in its own bag, so you can keep it in a backpack or bag and simply throw it on when the heavens open. It also takes up much less space than a standard waterproof. The neck has press stud-type buttons to make donning it easier and it’s a really good length. For cyclists, there are also internal straps to secure to handlebars, meaning it’s less likely to blow up when pedalling. One issue we found is that the hood isn’t elasticated, so to stop it falling down in the wind, you need to…

C&MC announces Towcar of the Year 2024

The Caravan and Motorhome Club announced the winner of its Towcar of the Year earlier this month. With a panel of judges raring to go over the two days, there were 28 entrants spread across the different weight categories and the overall winner was also the winner of the Caravan Weight over 1700kg category. The plug-in hybrid Porsche Cayenne triumphed as it impressed the judges with its performance, stability, load capacity and pure driving pleasure. Nick Lomas, Director General of the C&MC said, “The Caravan and Motorhome Club Towcar of the Year 2024 competition saw nine of the 28 vehicles tested purely powered by electricity and three were hybrids. It demonstrates just how seriously car makers are taking the world of towing with an electric vehicle. As well as seeing…

C&MC announces Towcar of the Year 2024

New Adria Action to be launched at the NEC

European manufacturer, Adria, will be launching a new four-berth compact and quirky model into its Action range at the NEC show. The Action 391 PT has a new and nifty feature of the additional bed space in the form of a pull-out that sits above the standard bed, effectively making a bunk. Built for those looking for a lightweight and sporty-looking ‘caravan, the Action range features a number of configurations to suit. These lightweight models are ideal for two or more people and, due to the low MTPLM, can be towed by many vehicles.…

New Adria Action to be launched at the NEC

C&MC extends 10% deposit offer

The Caravan and Motorhome Club has now extended its 10% fully refundable deposit offer until 31 December. This is half the usual 20% deposit required and can be applied to any stay at nearly 160 of the Club’s directly managed UK campsites in 2023 and 2024. Any bookings also have the guarantee of free cancellations or amendments up to 21 days before arrival. Harvey Alexander, Director of Marketing and Membership Services at the Caravan and Motorhome Club, said, “This offer has proved incredibly popular; by extending it we can ensure that those wanting to book their 2024 trips early will be able to secure exactly what campsite they want at 2023 prices. At the Club we are committed to ensuring that as many people as possible get the chance to…

Bailey expands dealer network

Bailey of Bristol has appointed 10 new dealers, four of which will sell its caravan ranges. These new dealers are spread across the UK, from Gloucestershire to North Yorkshire. The dealers who will be selling Bailey caravans are Pearman Briggs (Gloucestershire), Newport Caravans (Monmouthshire), Steve Mann Caravans (North Yorkshire) and Wandahome Knottingley (West Yorkshire). Approved Bailey retailers are the only outlets authorised to sell new Bailey leisure vehicles and are also the best place to view a selection of quality pre-owned Bailey caravans or motorhomes.…

Status Quo’s Caravan Man

John ‘Rhino’ Edwards, bassist of legendary rock band Status Quo has penned a song titled Caravan Man based on his love of the caravan lifestyle. We had a quick chat about it. When did you start caravanning? My first caravan experiences were as a child. We used to go to Lancing in West Sussex and really loved everything about being on site. I guess my love started back then and grew with me. It has been the same for my family, too; they loved caravanning. This lifestyle makes for an idyllic childhood. Now when I am not touring, I enjoy relaxing in the caravan with my wife, Kathy, and dog, Walter. What inspired you to write the song? Funnily enough I was sitting in the caravan and started to write.…

Status Quo’s Caravan Man

Win a trip of a lifetime to Canada

Have you ever dreamed of cruising across Canada, taking in breathtaking scenery whilst exploring the great outdoors and experiencing amazing wildlife in their natural habitats? For tourers looking to explore Canada, the Caravan and Motorhome Club is offering up the chance to win the trip of a lifetime worth £12,998. From ice-capped peaks of the Canadian Rockies and blue alpine lakes to the hot springs of Radium, there is much to discover on the wanderlust tour. The adventure begins on 3 September, 2024, as the lucky winners embark on a remarkable 26-day journey. Their voyage commences in Calgary, leading them through the awe-inspiring alpine landscapes of Banff and onwards through national parks. The road unfolds toward the famed ski resort of Whistler, then meanders to explore Vancouver and far beyond,…

Win a trip of a lifetime to Canada

Caravan cookery

IN ASSOCIATION WITH YOUR SAY What is your favourite meal once the weather turns cold? Beef stew and dumplings is my go-to, with a large glass of red Karen Collins I like something with a bit of a kick, like a hot curry or spicy chilli Tia Harrison After a walk there is nothing better than tomato soup and a crusty roll Kirk Robinson To discover more recipes that are perfect when you are cooking on your caravan tours, and to enter monthly competitions with great prizes, make sure that you follow Campingaz on Instagram. @campingaz_uk To see the full range, visit campingaz.co.uk LAMB CHOPS WITH CARROT MASH AND AN ORANGE AND REDCURRANT GRAVY INGREDIENTS 4 large carrots, roughly chopped4 spears of broccoli4 lamb chops50ml double creamZest of half an…

Caravan cookery

sudoku If you are looking for a way to exercise your mind, sudoku is great and will certainly get the cogs turning! just for fun Find the 19 places to eat crossword ACROSS 1 ‘Blue’ or ‘White’ river (4) 3 Advantage given to a competitor to equalise chances of winning (8) 9 Range of columns (7) 10 Second-largest country of the EU in area (5) 11 They often arrange for one to go to 10 (6,6) 13 Hello or goodbye to Jerusalem? (6) 15 Open to or concerning the people as a whole (6) 17 Oscar (7,5) 20 Farewell (5) 21 Dim, lame? (anag) (7) 22 Fragrant garden flower from the Mediterranean (5,3) 23 In a little while (4) DOWN 1 Favouritism shown to relatives or close friends by those…

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