Table of contents for January 2023 in Practical Caravan

MAJOR NEW RESEARCH commissioned by The Camping and Caravanning Club and undertaken by a team of academics at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and Sheffield Hallam University has revealed how camping in the great outdoors improves people’s wellbeing and mental health. The Outjoyment Report surveyed a cohort of almost 11,000 people, assessing attitudes to all types of camping from caravanning to glamping. You’d be forgiven for saying, “Of course, camping makes you happy!” and you’d be right. But having credible, independent, scientific data proving the benefits of camping and being outdoors will be hugely useful in future lobbying for pro-camping legislation and policy across a spectrum of areas of influence - everything from health to the natural environment. As Club Head of Communications Simon McGrath said at the report’s launch,…

Under £10 Hinshark 18-in-1 multi-tool You’ll never be caught out with this festive multi-tool! Made from stainless steel, the pocket-sized tool is equipped with 18 functions, including an allen key, a box cutter and a bottle opener. With five sizes of alien wrenches and seven hexes, it’s perfect for quick repairs and maintenance when you’re out and about. You can even pop it onto your keychain, so you’ll always be prepared. Price £9.99 Web amazon.co.uk Forclaz foam seat pad Say goodbye to soggy bottoms with this ultra-light and compact seating pad! At 29 × 9.5cm when folded, it will make the perfect companion for a rainy-day hike. The robust quilted design is made from coated foam, making it waterproof and insulated. Laid out flat, the pad measures 39 × 29cm,…

WHAT TO DO when you want to go away exploring in the dark days of November? For us, the default is to throw on an extra layer, waterproofs and a scarf, and just get out there for a pleasurable spot of puddle jumping and mud splashing. You really can’t beat the fresh smell of the earth following a rain shower, or the sparkling scenery on a frosty morning. But this time, we wanted to mix things up and do something a little different. So with thinking cap firmly in position, I pondered our options. The freedom to do some more leisurely, relaxed Christmas gift shopping, rather than the usual Saturday afternoon dash, seemed like a good idea, combined with an excellent opportunity for some towny sightseeing and exploring. Christmas market…

Edinburgh Hogmanay 30 December 2022 to 1 January 2023 Ring in the New Year at Scotland’s biggest Hogmanay celebration in Edinburgh. This splendid three-day event is full of food, drink, live music and fireworks. Dance the night away at Street Party, with DJs, food, drinks and a funfair, and fireworks above Edinburgh Castle. Don’t miss the Pet Shop Boys, who will be at the Concert in the Gardens. edinburghshogmanay.com Stay at Edinburgh CAMC Campsite caravanclub.co.uk Stonehaven Fireballs 31 December 2022 Scotland has a historical affinity with fire, hosting midwinter fire festivals that date back to the Vikings and the Celts. Stonehaven’s Fireballs festival, a unique way to welcome the New Year, has been celebrated for more than too years. A procession of locals makes its way through the town at midnight,…

Thousands flock to the NEC show MORE THAN 104,000 visitors came to see the Motorhome and Caravan Show during six days in October, event organiser NCC has revealed. Final visitor figures show that 104,521 people came through the doors of the show, the first time it has been held at the NEC at that time of year since 2019. NCC Events director Terry Dullaghan said, “We are over the moon to be back with the biggest audience the show has ever seen. We’ve seen a huge influx of people who have a brand-new appreciation for the outdoors and exploring what’s right on their doorstep.” Several manufacturers at the event, including Swift Group and Vantage Motorhomes, also claimed to have achieved record-breaking sales at the October show. Swift, which did not…

FIRST LOOK SHOWROOM Price £28,795 Berths 2 MiRO 1308kg MTPLM 1435kg SWIFT HAS BEEN BUSY revamping its Elegance, Conqueror and Challenger ranges. It was time for the Challenger to receive an overhaul, and the brand’s designers have clearly given it a good shake-up. There are four models in the range. Three have fixed beds, while the fourth, which we’re reviewing here, is the 480 SE, with a two-berth end-washroom layout. The ‘SE’ tag means you get extra spec at a special price. This traditional layout for couples on tour remains hugely popular, and the new model looks like a promising addition to the market. Pitch and set-up The Challenger’s profile has been totally overhauled, and it looks superb, with its GRP front and moulded rear panels. It comes with four…

USED VANS SHOWROOM USED VAN BUYER WHEN BAILEY LAUNCHED the Unicorn 12 years ago, the new range soon found favour, with many customers switching from the brand’s Pegasus to the upmarket Unicorn line-up. Over the years, the range grew and by 2017, comprised 10 layouts, from the two-berth Seville to the big Cordoba. The excellent spec included Aide heating, barbecue and exterior mains sockets, Status TV aerial and other goodies, such as an alarm and ATC. The Series 4 Seville also saw a fresh layout, swapping the end washroom for an L-shaped kitchen, corner washroom and front dinette arrangement. Model history The Seville was included in the range from the start, although it was dropped for a time, before rejoining the line-up in 2018. That means good examples of this very…

AS TOWING VEHICLES, pick-ups have some clear pros and cons. On the one hand, they’re heavy and usually have very high legal towing limits. Go for a double-cab and you have two rows of seats, making your truck a viable alternative to a family car. On the other, however, pick-ups typically have tough but fairly crude rear suspension, which can’t provide the firm control and stability that you will find in the best SUVs, for towing or solo driving. You have fewer pick-ups to choose from than there were a few years back, with Fiat, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Volkswagen having recently left the market in the UK. But there are still several new pick-ups available, and a broad choice if you are shopping for a used truck. FORD RANGER 2.0…

CUT OUT AND KEEP GUIDE! THE AWNING LIGHT on my parents’ ageing Abbey still worked, even though it was all of 17 years old, but it was now shining a rather dull yellow, rather than its original bright white. We had cleaned its cover several times, but the plastic had discoloured with age. Not only that, it still had the original type of bulbs, rather than energy-saving LEDs. So it was time for a change. We could have replaced like for like, but we thought it might be handy to have a unit with a photocell, to switch the light on when it was dark outside. If you use well-lit full-facility sites, an awning light isn’t a necessity, but on CLs/CSs, it can be invaluable. What better way to help…

Featuring models on UK sale for 2023! FIND THE PERFECT FLOORPLAN FOR YOUR NEEDS Please check model details with the manufacturer or dealer before travelling to view or buy There are a wide range of caravan layouts to choose from (pictured below), all with their own pros and cons. When you’re trying to settle on the arrangement that will suit you, there are some points to think about that can help you decide. Here, we take a look at a few of the most popular floorplans out there, and what they can offer you. B TRANSVERSE ISLAND BED, REAR WASHROOM Island beds are a surprisingly recent addition to caravans, and were really introduced from the world of motorhomes. Caravans are usually a bit wider than motorhomes, though, so it is…

THE BIG SHOT WINCHESTER Where are we? Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire Why tour here? Historic Winchester was considered the most important city in the Kingdom of Wessex, and the building of mighty Winchester Cathedral reflects that pre-eminence. It was founded in 1079 and contains several architectural styles, from the massive vaults of the early Norman crypt to the perpendicular Gothic nave. Read more about touring Winchester on p26. Don’t miss… The nave - the longest of all England’s medieval cathedrals. Photograph Chris Dorney, Getty Images ‘Winchester’s bustling Christmas market contains more than 100 stalls, many set in charming chalets’ (p26)…

GETAWAY TRAVEL A COUPLE OF years ago, Barnard Castle, in Co Durham, attracted public attention for all the wrong reasons… although many people had probably never heard of the place before, let alone visited there. Barnard Castle, or Barney as it’s known locally, is a thriving (and ancient) market town, a charming place, and it does indeed have a castle. The upside of the publicity is that business is booming. The downside is also that business is booming! Let me explain. For many years, Kay and I had rented a cottage in nearby Baldersdale for a short break, but when we tried to book this year, the owner said that bookings had “gone bonkers since you know when”. Luckily, both of the major touring Clubs have campsites near the town, and…

THE AUTUMN MAY be fading as winter approaches, but there is still loads of fun to be had and great things to do, so don’t pack your caravan away just yet! Colder nights and frosty mornings mean much more than defrosting the car and icy pavements - they also mean watching your spiralling breath on a countryside walk and spotting a delicate spider’s web outlined in sparkling frost, having a snowball fight and perhaps even dancing in the rain. Avoid the heat and crowds of summer, swap the sunglasses for a woolly hat and step out into a winter wonderland. Never did hot chocolate (or hot toddy?) taste so good! And don’t forget all of those low-season special offers and bargains to be had at campsites across the country. A…

48 HOURS IN… TRAVEL ‘Brimming with bars and restaurants, Liverpool is beloved for its brilliant music scene” BIRTHPLACE of the Merseybeat in the 60s and European Capital of Culture in 2008, the maritime city of Liverpool has plenty to be proud of. For starters, it has the bigge collection of museums outside London and a wealth of listed buildings. Brimming with bars and restaurants, beloved for its brilliant music scene and nightlife, the city is as lively as it is historic. HOUR BY HOUR DAY 1 10am On the docks Start your visit at Liverpool’s Royal Albert Dock, a vibrant hub of culture, local business and community events. Grab a coffee from one of the cafés along the waterfront and take your pick from the numerous exciting museums. Learn about the…

The front kitchen returns After an absence of a good decade or so, front-kitchen caravans were on display once again at the NEC. Adria has added to its upmarket Alpina line-up with the Rio Grande (pictured below left). Based on the Astella from years gone by, this includes just such a front kitchen. You also get a central lounge with an L-shaped settee ideal for TV viewing. This converts into a bed to provide extra sleeping spaces, and there’s a transverse island bed in front of the rear washroom, which feels very much like an en suite. The other front-kitchen caravan on display, which was actually launched last year but appeared in the UK for the first time at the NEC, was the Hobby Maxia 660WQM (pictured above), part of…

KNOW-HOW // CARAVAN DIY CUT OUT AND KEEP GUIDE! SOLAR PANELS ARE being fitted to more and more new caravans as standard kit, and they’re certainly useful, especially if you store your van or go off-grid - even on the dullest days, it will help to keep your battery topped up. Fitting one might sound a bit daunting, but it’s actually pretty straightforward, as we discovered when we installed a Truma 65 Wp SolarSet kit (three other sizes are also available from Truma). You will need to do a bit of planning, and decide where you’re going to mount the panel, bearing in mind that you have to drill a hole in the roof to pass a fairly thick cable. That cable then needs to end up being connected to…

KNOW-HOW // CARAVAN DIY CUT OUT AND KEEP GUIDE! I SUSPECT MANY of you, like me, have completed a journey towing the caravan that was accompanied by groaning sounds emanating from the rear of the car every time you turned a corner, especially when travelling at slow speed. No, I’m not talking about the “Are we there yet?” from the children! In the vast majority of cases, the unwelcome noise will be coming from the stabiliser, and is generally a result of contamination of the friction pads by dirt, which causes them to glaze over. There are four friction pads; one on either side, which grip the towball when the handle is pressed down, and one up front and another to the rear, neither of which is designed to move.…

Getting started… Caravan step You’ll be needing one of these, and they come in various shapes and sizes. This basic plastic step by Crusader is durable and lightweight, with a non-slip design. It costs just £10.99. More elaborate double steps and steps with handrails for support are also available. camperlands.co.uk Containers for water and grey water The Aquaroll is an iconic caravanning accessory, its rolling design empowering you to transport 40 litres of water (that’s 40kg) right across the campsite, without putting your back out. The design has also inspired others, such as the 51.5-litre Waterhog. You can expect to pay from £39 to £55 for the original water carrier online. gooutdoors.co.uk Your sink, basin and shower all drain down to a grey-water outlet, where you can catch them in…

Bournemouth Christmas Tree Wonderland To 2 January 2023 Follow the fabulous Christmas Tree Wonderland Trail from Bournemouth seafront to enjoy festive lights and giant baubles, before making your way to the Victorian Lower Gardens, where you will find yourself stepping into a fairytale world of shimmering trees decorated with lights. Free entry. www.christmastreewonderland.co.uk Stay at Longfield Touring Caravan Park longfieldcaravanpark.co.uk Carmarthen Winter Wonderland To 5 January 2023 Ice skating, a family funfair and plenty of delicious festive food are just some of the things you can enjoy at this gorgeous wonderland. There’s also the only ice bar in Wales, a visit to Santa’s grotto and a huge selection of Christmas craft stalls to browse. Various prices. carmarthenwinterwonderland.co.uk Stay at Woodland Rise Camping and Caravan Park woodland-rise.com Hyde Park Winter Wonderland…

FIRST LOOK SHOWROOM Price £39,899 Berths 6 MiRO 1701kg MTPLM 1880kg WHEN BUCCANEER TOOK on a new profile last season, it was inevitable that the revamp would follow through to the other Erwin Hymer Group UK brands. And this is indeed what has happened, with Compass and Elddis receiving the new shell in the luxury Crusader and Camino. This also means that the one-time 7ft 6in Crusader has stretched to 8ft wide, which might not appeal to all tastes. As for the Tempest model itself: some years ago, Elddis launched the big twin-axle family tourer in its Crusader line-up. Offering a superb spec for all-year touring, it was in production for more than seven years. For 2023, it is back, although not in its original layout. The latest version offers…

SHOWROOM TOW CAR TEST Price £52,100 Kerbweight 2117kg Towing limit 1000kg TOW CAR TEST What’s new? The ID.5 is a new member of Volkswagen’s ID family of electric vehicles. It’s based on the ID.4, but with a coupé-like body to trade some practicality for good looks. The electric powertrain is available with three different power outputs. Here, we’re testing the mid-spec motor with 204hp. In ‘Style’ trim, the ID.5 is well equipped but quite pricey, costing more than £52,000. That puts the VW in direct competition with our current favourite electric tow car, the Kia EV6. What are we looking for? We’ve had mixed experiences towing with electric cars. As a rule, they’re stable, but their short range and the vexed question of recharging mid-journey can make life complicated for…

USED TOW CAR SHOWROOM USED TOW CAR WHEN JAGUAR LAUNCHED its first-ever SUV in 2016, much wailing and gnashing of teeth ensued. How could a company with “grace, space and pace” as its ethos possibly make a success of an off-roader? Then people drove the car, and found that it was actually rather good. It was (and still is) a good tow car, too. Emboldened, Jaguar decided to further strengthen its SUV position by making a smaller one, called the E-Pace. It certainly appeared with some fanfare, but once the furore had died down, did good things come in small(er) packages? And was it much cop as a tow car? Well, as we’ll see, yes… and no. What’s it like inside? When you get behind the wheel of a Jaguar…

What is a battery? In the simplest terms, a battery is just a plastic box full of electricity. All caravans will have at least one battery, but some have two or more. When you are using your van, the main way your leisure battery will be charged is if you are on site and plugged into a hook-up, when it will be topped up by the mains charger fitted as standard in all modern tourers. But to keep your batteries in optimal condition, you really need high-quality charging. Install a solar panel Adding a solar panel (p68) is a no-brainer if your caravan is stored outside. A quality solar panel will keep your battery topped up. They are not cheap, but when the sun is out, your battery will get…

Think about the automotive technologies offering particular benefit in towing a caravan, and you’ll have quite a long list. Prejudice and personal taste can skew the priorities, as well as environmental factors. But being purely subjective, we should look at the diesel engine, or more specifically, the recent diesel engine - its advantages have grown and its pollution levels plummeted. Diesel’s inherent advantages over petrol are numerous. For a start, it burns a given amount of fuel more efficiently for the outputs achieved, and hence its superior mpg. It is inherently ‘lean burn’, resulting in lower Co2, and its higher cylinder compression ratio gives it better low-rpm torque characteristics. Reducing emissions The big downside, of course, is the question of particulate emissions, but ever-tightening regulations mean this is now greatly…

I’LL WAGER YOU’VE never really given the graphics that adorn your caravan a second thought, apart from possibly musing, “That looks nice,” or something similar. And what about the various warning markers, such as those on the gas lockers and so on, or VIN numbers, which these days are printed, rather than being stamped metal plates? In the past, manufacturers have tried to get away from the conventional ‘white box’ image of the caravan by using a range of coloured sides, but badges were usually metal castings, and graphics were limited to small name badges in basic fonts. I recently met up with Lee Robinson, Engineering Manager at CGI (the firm responsible for most caravan and motorhome graphics in the UK and Europe) at the Coachman factory. Lee gave me…