Table of contents for Summer 2025 in Practical Caravan

We like to think we put more ‘practical’ into your caravanning, so I’m pleased to reveal that we have some extra exciting features in this month’s issue. For starters, we take a look at caravan cookers. Ovens and hobs are the kind of item that it’s easy to forget about until they go wrong – with our advice, though, you can get the most from your cooker and keep it working better, for longer (p72)! Then we’ve a fascinating article on former editor Nigel Donnelly’s 1998 project caravan – this month he’s fitting a stabiliser (p82) for safer towing. There are also tips on making your bed more comfortable (p86), going off-grid (p76) and staying cool in the summer (p71). Finally, if you’re thinking about towing with an EV, don’t…

We asked for your favourite touring spots so far this year! WIN ME! Star photo Our winning entry receives one of these beautifully illustrated maps from Awesome Maps – check out the amazing range at www.awesome-maps.com STAR PHOTO TAG US #PRACTICAL CARAVAN OR EMAIL LETTERS@PRACTICALCARAVAN.COM NEXT MONTH’S THEME… OUT IN THE SUMMER SUN! Send us your best touring shots from 2025 for a chance to win an Awesome Map…

Sarah Wakely Editor sarah@practicalcaravan.com Paul Critcher Deputy editor paul.critcher@futurenet.com Peter Baber Reviews editor peter.baber@futurenet.com David Motton Tow car editor motty@practicalcaravan.com John Sootheran Consulting editor practical.caravan@futurenet.com Andrew Jenkinson Used-van contributor practical.caravan@futurenet.com Peter Byrne Content editor peter.byrne@futurenet.com Q CAN I CHARGE MY EV WHILE TOWING? I recently bought a pre-owned Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV to tow my Bailey Orion. Could you please clarify how I should go about charging the battery while towing the caravan? Ed Turner David Motton replies… One of the advantages of towing with a plug-in hybrid rather than a fully electric car is that there’s no need to recharge while you are on a long journey. My inclination would be to fully charge the vehicle before starting your trip. The Outlander will run primarily on petrol once the battery…

Polstead Country Park Holt Road, Bower House Tye, Polstead CO6 5BZ Tel 01787 211 969 ❱ sellersleisure.com/our-parks/polstead Open All year Pitches 60 Charges (pitch+2+hook-up) From £35 per night W3W ///trams.squashes.yoga This adults-only site is neat and tidy, with hedge screening on gravel hardstanding pitches, well-kept washrooms, and friendly hosts. There’s a small shop for basics in reception, the usual waste facilities and some recycling. Dogs are welcome. The site is quiet and peaceful. There is an accessible shower/wet room.…

WHAT’S ON 2-3 August 2025 Hebden Bridge Vintage Weekend Following the demise of the Bonfire Night festivities, this is probably the biggest event in Hebden’s calendar, when dozens of vintage cars converge on Calder Holmes Park. Saturday for classics; Sunday for veteran and vintage models. ❱ hebdenbridge-vintageweekend.org.uk 4-6 July and 5-7 December 2025 Hebden Bridge Open Studios A special weekend when dozens of artists from the Hebden and Mytholmroyd area open their studios to the public. ❱ hebdenbridgeopenstudios.org PLACES TO STAY Hebden Bridge Caravan and Motorhome Club Site Thanks to the steep valley, this site, based in Cragg Vale, is really the only proper caravan park in the area, although even so, it does not have toilet facilities. It has a very pretty location, however, and just up the hill…

Family-sized vans get snapped up When I asked how business was going, one dealer told me: “We don’t have much used stock around at the moment.” Two other dealerships I visited said they were busy, with quite a few first-time buyers showing keen interest. But talk to customers browsing on the forecourts, and they are all wondering where the family-sized tourers have gone. Several dealers said that family models were indeed thin on the ground at present, and most were selling within days of coming in. practical.caravan@futurenet.com ANDY’S PICKS OF THE MONTH 1 Special style 2014 Swift Freestyle 2 SE We love a good used dealer special – they all come with great kit compared to the standard model. This Freestyle, based on the popular Sprite Alpine 2, was on for…

Driver assist features I reckon that something has changed when manufacturers demonstrate new cars to the media. The first thing that used to happen when getting behind the wheel was journalists asking how to set the sat nav. Now they appear to be asking how to turn off the driver aids. It seems strange to want to switch off tech that exists to keep us safer, but it’s a sign of how irritating these features can be. The beeps and bongs, the invisible hand tugging at the wheel and the wagging finger of disapproval from the electronic back-seat driver can sometimes hinder, not help, especially while towing. I believe assistance features are crucial, but ideally they should be less intrusive. motty@practicalcaravan.com FIRST LOOK OMODA 9 SHS Price £44,990 Kerbweight 2195kg…

TECH SPEC What will it tow? 1.0T EcoBoost Kerbweight 1451kg Towing limit 1500kg Noseweight limit 90kg 85% match 1233kg Running costs Insurance group 16 Annual VED £195 Average economy 50.4mpg Full service £137 Servicing price supplied by Servicing Stop, 0844 324 5262, servicingstop.co.uk Trouble spots Around 5300 early cars were recalled because a brake pedal hinge bolt did not meet specification. Then 66,497 cars were recalled because the clutch pressure plate could break. An engine wiring loom that could chafe on the transmission housing caused a recall of 2664 cars. And 1729 cars went back to dealers because the rear doors could open when the windows were lowered. A full list of recalls can be found at check-vehiclerecalls.service.gov.uk. EVER SINCE IT first appeared in 1998, the Ford Focus has been…

I’M SURE THAT I am not alone in usually taking many of the systems in our caravans pretty much for granted. We arrive on site, flick a few switches and press a button or two, and everything kicks into life. Obviously, familiarity with these things makes us more proficient in their use, but I’m often asked about using the Alde heating system and sometimes these can be the most basic questions, such as, “Can I have hot water without the heating?” or vice versa. So, with that in mind, here’s a guide to some of the basic operations of the Alde 3030 system (the previous generation 3020 will have the same functions, but different graphics on the control panel), which hopefully will help both inexperienced and experienced users to make…

Choosing a layout People’s needs differ, and your van layout choice will depend on your companions and how you want to use your caravan. To understand which layouts are available, spend a day at one of the big shows in Birmingham or Glasgow, where dealerships and manufacturers show their latest models. A dealership is also a good place to start, but can be affiliated with a limited number of manufacturers. A chat with a dealer, though, could raise issues or offer ideas that you had not considered. Think about your needs: will you want to carry bikes, sports kit, barbecues or outdoor furniture? Perhaps creature comforts are a bit higher on your list. You might want a separate sleeping area, a lounge with parallel sofas and TV points, and an…

Where are we? Rochdale Canal, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire Why tour here? There’s a gritty northern charm to this beautiful market town in West Yorkshire, which was known for its water-powered weaving mills and is a gateway to the Pennine Way. Today, the town is a magnet for TV production companies looking for the type of authentic Yorkshire locations seen in hugely popular programmes such as Happy Valley. Don’t miss… Take a boat trip or walk alongside the Rochdale Canal to see a traditional mill and weavers’ cottages. Read more about how to spend a weekend in Hebden Bridge on p36. Photograph Andrew Smith/Alamy Stock Photo ‘This former mill town in West Yorkshire is an unspoiled corner of the country waiting for you to discover’ (p36)…

Basecamp Dog Bowl Mat The Basecamp mat keeps pet mealtimes tidy with a non-slip base, spill-resistant walls and room for two bowls – perfect for your dog’s food and water. Price £34.95 Web ruffwear.co.uk Ocoopa HeatCube Stay cosy on cool mornings with this pocket-sized handwarmer and powerbank, with rapid dual-sided heat, built-in safety alarm, LED light and ultra-soft, skin-friendly design. Price £22.95 Web berryuseful.co.uk Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Misting Fan FA050UK This light, portable, quiet corded/cordless fan cools with ultra-fine mist from its 150ml tank, for up to 12 hours at a time. Price £129.99 Web sharkclean.co.uk Picnic Mat Brighten up any al fresco lunch with this summery picnic blanket, which folds up, with a water-resistant PVC backing and hardwearing acrylic upper. Price £17.99 Web mountainwarehouse.com PICK OF THE MONTH MICRO…

DISCOVER THE VERY BEST THE UK HAS TO OFFER! JERSEY, Channel Islands WHY GO? Wonderful coves and beaches, pretty villages and sports such as surfing, cycling, hiking and golf are just some of the reasons to visit the largest of the Channel Islands. Only 14 miles from France, a famous zoo (durrell.org/visit-jersey-zoo), a great TV detective and many historical attractions make this a superb destination. HOW TO GET THERE Condor Ferries has Poole to Jersey trips via Guernsey (4.5 hours). Alternatively, there are ferry sailings from Portsmouth (10 hours). ❱ condorferries.co.uk For more on taking a caravan to Jersey, including restrictions, see www.gov.je WHERE TO STAY ■ The Palms Campsite & Oasis Café/Bar This well-maintained park has an onsite pool and licensed café, and is only a short walk from…

WHEN TO GO We visited in the spring, but there are many museums and heritage sites here, so you don’t need to go during the warmer months. If you’re touring in the low season, check the opening dates of places you want to visit. WAY TO GO We took the M25 to J8, then the A12, passing Colchester, taking a left turn towards Higham at Stratford St Mary. At Higham, we turned left onto the B1068, then stayed on that road until the left turn to Polstead. We drove through the village and turned right onto Holt Road, which after two miles, brought us to the campsite entrance. OUR OUTFIT Peugeot 207 (2010) with a Freedom Jetstream (2007) FOOD AND DRINK We self-catered in the caravan, but if you prefer…

Swift has posted a pre-tax loss in its latest full-year results, saying that it sees little prospect of improvement in caravan sales this year – although its motorhome sales have surged. The Hull firm said that the £4.08m pre-tax loss for the year to the end of August 2024 was due to the end of the post-pandemic surge in sales, economic uncertainty and customers putting off purchases until after the election. The loss compares with a £13.18m pre-tax profit reported in the same period the year before.…

TECH SPEC Price £52,085 What Car? Target Price £49,648 Retained value after three years N/A Kerbweight 2150kg 85% of kerbweight Above max tow Gross vehicle weight 2600kg Max towing limit 1800kg Gross train weight 4400kg Towball limit 100kg Price of towball £946 Boot size 490-1300 litres Payload 450kg Test conditions Dry Battery size 84kWh Power (bhp/rpm) 320/4600-9200 Torque (lb ft) 446/0-4400 Official combined range 339 miles Towing range (approx) 143 miles CO2 emissions 0g/km First year car tax £10 Second year car tax £620 Insurance group 40 Euro NCAP rating What’s new? The Kia EV6 is one of our favourite electric tow cars. For 2025, Kia has updated it, with tweaks to the styling and the interior. More importantly, it has a larger battery for longer range, and 200kg has…

TOW CAR ADVICE Electric vehicles now account for one in five new cars sold in the UK. Believe it or not, that’s around four times as many EVs as diesels. These strong sales figures are largely driven by the company car market, with attractive tax incentives to encourage business drivers to switch to electric cars. Since the demise of the Plug-in Car Grant in 2022, there have been no such incentives to encourage private buyers to go electric. Caravanners have even more reason to think twice. Towing long distances with an electric car is more complicated and time-consuming than making lengthy journeys in an EV without a caravan. If you are determined to switch to electric power, it can be done. You might have to change your approach to towing…

1 In 1996, gas cut-outs became a compulsory addition to caravan cookers. Test yours by igniting each burner one at a time, running it for about 10 seconds, then turning it off. If you hear a click within a minute, you can be reassured that the cut-out is stopping the gas flow. During an approved service, the technician will test all of your automatic hob cut-offs. 2 The triangular kink in the outer bar of the oven shelf should face downwards, because this prevents the shelf from pulling all the way out when you’re trying to retrieve a dish from inside. Likewise, the raised bar at the back of the shelf will prevent dishes from being pushed off the back of the shelf when it’s pulled out. 3 Always ensure…

Caravan and Motorhome Club › 01342 326 944 › caravanclub.co.uk Camping and Caravanning Club › 024 7647 5448 › campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk CRis › 020 3282 1000 › www.cris.co.uk Approved Workshop Scheme › www.approvedworkshops.co.uk NCC (National Caravan Council) › thencc.org.uk Caravan Storage Site Owners’ Association (CaSSOA) › 0843 216 5802 › www.cassoa.co.uk Towsafe › towsafe.co.uk DVLA › 0300 790 6801 › www.gov.uk/dvla Mobile Caravan Engineers › 01249 651 036 › mobilecaravanengineers.co.uk › For the very latest reviews and brilliant buying guides, visit Practical Caravan at www.practicalcaravan.com…

Isle be seeing you! As the UK is an island nation, we are used to the idea of crossing water to visit touring destinations further afield. Many of you will have made the hop over the Channel to France and beyond. There’s a certain something about boarding a ship and experiencing the sensation of the ocean swell beneath you that makes travelling over water feel even more of an adventure. But as we explore in our special feature (p21), you don’t have to leave the UK to enjoy some very special island encounters. We’ve picked some real crackers from across the UK, with a focus on the jewels found off Western Scotland – why not give one a go? They truly are special places. Talking of Scotland, I’m sure some…

If you get the opportunity to visit The National Gallery in London, you will be treated to a feast for the eyes, with hundreds of wonderful paintings on display from across the centuries. One of the most popular and celebrated works is John Constable’s ‘The Hay Wain’, a view of the tranquil millpond at Flatford, on the River Stour in Suffolk. This delightful painting, of a wooden wagon making its way through shallow water to a meadow on the other side, is a huge favourite with visitors. But who needs John Constable and The National Gallery, when you can see the real thing for yourself? Here we were near the Stour in Suffolk, looking at the very same scene – some of the vegetation was a bit thicker, but there…

Celebrating 60 years of Adria It’s been great to see Slovenian brand Adria pull out all the stops to mark its 60th anniversary (see opposite). It’s been one of caravanning’s true success stories: from its first appearance at a show in Sweden through to a popularity that now stretches across Europe, it’s wonderful to see how it’s grown over the years. There’s also good news this month from the National Caravan Council, which has launched an initiative to raise awareness of towing safety. It’s backed by numerous bodies across the industry – you can find out more on the right. peter.baber@futurenet.com HOW WE TEST VANS Our review types explained In-depth test In our most detailed test, we spend at least one day (usually more) in the van, to bring you…

SCOTS SHOW RETURNS The Scottish Caravan, Motorhome & Holiday Home Show is returning to the SEC Glasgow from 5-8 February 2026. The show will cover 600 halls and includes over 200 exhibitors. Early bird discount tickets are already available from the website, caravanshowscotland.com, where you can also enter a draw for a chance to win VIP tickets to the Edge Fest in Jedburgh, in August. ADRIA CELEBRATES 60 GLORIOUS YEARS Adria Mobil celebrated its 60th birthday in May, holding a special event in Slovenia (above right), which marked 60 years since what was then called IMW produced its first caravan, the Adria 375. This was enthusiastically taken up by a Swedish dealer and made its first appearance at an industry show held in Stockholm. The Adria brand was then born.…

It’s much more than just a bit of shade or extra storage space: once you are pitched up, your caravan awning is the heart of your outdoor set-up, a place to relax, eat or escape the sun. But after a few holiday outings, especially involving unpredictable weather or dusty pitches, awnings can start to look a bit tired. Being stocked up with a good cleaner can keep your kit looking its very best. In this guide, we’ll walk you through some of the top brands of caravan awning cleaners now available on the market, and reveal a few of our expert tips for getting your awning looking great again. SAFE ON FABRICS CAMCO 41024 PRO-STRENGTH AWNING CLEANER Price £31.86 (amazon.co.uk) ↑ Pros Safe for vinyl, acrylic, nylon and fabric ↓…

Make the most of your cooker One of the many benefits of owning a caravan is having everything you need on board with you – and of course, that includes the ability to cook your own meals whenever (and wherever) you like. But are you making the most of your cooker and its functions? Fear not – our Consulting editor John Sootheran is here to help, and you’ll find his handy guide to all caravanning things culinary on p72. Elsewhere, former editor Nigel Donnelly fits a useful addition to his 1998 project van – a stabiliser (p82). We’ve also got expert hints and tips on using Alde’s 3030 system (p78). practical.caravan@futurenet.com OUR TECH EXPERTS include (left to right) John Sootheran, Nigel Donnelly and Nigel Hutson PC’S TOP TIPS HOW TO…

◆ Kerbweight As defined by EU Directive 95/48/EC (which still applies), the car or other vehicle’s weight with a 90% full fuel tank, all necessary fluids, 68kg for the driver and 7kg of luggage. This is the figure that is used to calculate a tow car match ◆ GTW (Gross train weight) The maximum allowable combined weight of the towing vehicle and the caravan, as specified by the maker of the towing vehicle ◆ Hook-up Cable connection to the mains electrical supply at a campsite. Provides power to mains sockets and appliances ◆ Maximum towing limit The greatest weight that a car can legally tow, as specified by the manufacturer of the towing vehicle ◆ MiRO (Mass in running order) The van’s weight, with all factory-fitted equipment, when it leaves…