Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2024 i Practical Caravan

Between us, the team at Practical Caravan have decades of caravanning experience under our collective belt - but that’s not to say we don’t get things wrong every now and again. You learn from your mistakes, they say - which is why this issue, we’ve had fun rounding up 83 errors that we’ve made over the years, so that you don’t have to! Whether it’s forgetting your can opener, driving off with the hook-up lead still attached or walking over someone else’s pitch, you can find our list of faux pas never to make on p18. And let us know if you think we’ve missed any - we’d love to hear from you! You can email us via letters@practicalcaravan.com. Also this issue, and to help avoid mistakes on the road,…

We asked how you light your van at night - are you a fiery fiend or do you prefer a good old camping lantern? 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@PRACTICAL CARAVAN.COM NEXT MONTH’S THEME… FRIENDS & FAMILY! Send us your best touring shots from 2024 for a chance to win an Awesome Map…

Price rises stabilise at last I had only just got used to the idea of a £40,000 caravan a couple of years ago, when a £50,000 model came into view. So it is good to see that price increases going into the next season appear to be returning to something that could be considered a bit more normal. Sadly, it doesn’t look as though this has been enough to stem the flow of dealership collapses we have seen in recent months. But it’s good to see at least one of those who stopped selling caravans this month will not be gone for good - Barnsdale Leisure’s service operations are continuing (see right). PETER peter.baber@futurenet.com Reviews editor PETER BABER is a hugely experienced caravanner who enjoys touring whenever he can HOW…

Storage, batteries and DIY updates If you store your caravan away from home, particularly if it’s in a rural location, don’t miss Dave Newell’s essential advice this month (right) - if not, you might find yourself with rodent or other problems! Also this month, Nigel Hutson visits Fiamma in Italy (p102), and we look at vehicle-battery charging (p101). Meanwhile, former editor Nigel Donnelly continues work on his project caravan, Penny - read the latest instalment on P98. And if you’ve been inspired to upgrade your van, we’d love to hear from you! Simply email us with details via letters@practicalcaravan.com. practicalcaravan@futurenet.com OUR TECH EXPERTS include (left to right) John Sootheran, former editor Nigel Donnelly and Nigel Hutson AT SKILLS SCHOOL THIS ISSUE… Caravan genius 98 The Penny Project Nigel Donnelly reports…

SKILLS SCHOOL BATTERIE PC GUIDE TO AT SOME POINT in your caravanning life, you’re very likely to have a flat battery and be unable to start your tow car. The most common cause of a flat battery is human error. Most cars don’t allow you to leave the headlights on, but it’s all too easy to leave the sidelights or the interior light on. Modern vehicles are also more likely to suffer from a flat battery than older ones: the touchscreen dash, the many gauges, the alarm, the immobiliser and all of those electronic sensors dotted about the vehicle all connect to the ECU. All of these draw tiny amounts of power, adding up to a small but regular current drain. Fixing a flat battery So what can you do if…

Petromax Stove Cup This cleverly designed stackable, portable 2-in-1 cup-stove has a 750ml capacity and is perfect for brewing up hot drinks or cooking small meals. Price £39.95 Web whitbyandco.co.uk Frontier Ultralight Collapsible Kettle Cook Set Space-saving and stylish, this nesting set includes a 1.1-litre kettle/cooking pot and two cups, all made from food-grade silicone with anodised aluminium bases. Price £90 Web seatosummit.co.uk Cotopaxi Bag Designed with versatility and smart storage in mind, this water-resistant polyester bag is as sturdy as it is cheerful and features two rugged wheels and a selection of handy interior pockets. Price £330 Web uk.cotopaxi.com Palm Scrub Washing-up Brush This robust washing-up brush has an integrated detergent tank and button for releasing soap, and comes with its own handy storage stand. Price £12 Web josephjoseph.com…

OUR EXPERT TEAM TECHNICAL ERRORS Let’s start with the basics, and some common problems to watch out for… 1 EMPTYING YOUR LOO IN THE WRONG PLACE It’s not always easy to find the chemical-disposal point on site, or perhaps you forgot to empty your cassette before you left to drive home - but it’s crucial to empty it at a dedicated facility. Never empty a cassette anywhere else: it’s unhygienic, bad for the environment and really antisocial, too. SW 2 OVERLOADING YOUR HOOK-UP I was guilty of this one on a wonderful tour to Italy a few years ago accidentally using the water heater on electric and a hairdryer at the same time tripped the hook-up bollard, which I then couldn’t open to reset. The result was an embarrassing walk to reception……

When we went Spring 2024 Why we went To take in the glorious Peak District scenery outside the main tourist season and finally tick Mam Tor off our bucket list (although the summit will have to wait for another visit). Food and drink The Rambler Inn Just a short walk along the main road from Newfold Farm, the inn is very welcoming to walkers and their dogs. It also has a beer garden. › theramblerinn.co.uk Yorkshire Bridge Inn Around a 20-minute drive from Newfold Farm, and a short stroll from Lady bower Reservoir. › yorkshirebridgeinn.co.uk The Old Nags Head Next door to Newfold Farm, and popular with walkers. It has a separate dining room which they only open when busy, and a beer garden. › the-old-nags-head.co.uk Find out more Peveril…

Parc Gwynus Gwynus, Pistyll, Pwllheli LL53 6LY › parcgwynus.com › 01758 750 557 Open 1 March to 31 October Touring pitches 55 Price (two people, with hook-up) From £24 The site is up a long, winding track that might not be suitable for larger outfits, but it is on a working farm, near a prehistoric settlement, and has views of the sea in both directions. Tyddyn Isaf Camping & Caravan Park Lligwy Bay, Du I as, Anglesey LL70 9PG › tyddynisaf.co.uk › 01248 410 203 Open 1 March to 31 October Touring pitches 50 Price (two people, with hook-up) From £31 With a beach close by, views of Snowdon and 50 pitches including some fully serviced, this site often appears in our Top 100 Sites Guide. It keeps improving, too,…

Prices stay within inflation Increases for new season focus on competitive pricing PRICES FOR NEW British-made caravans seem to be rising in line with, or just below, the current rate of inflation. Research by PC on models continuing for 2025 suggests manufacturers are much more focused on staying competitive this year. The big price hikes seen in recent years - which saw the £40,000 and the £50,000 barrier broken in quick succession - do not appear to be being repeated. Rises for next year seem to be between 2% and 3%. The CPI annual rate of inflation for July was 3.1%. With Elddis’s Avanté, new continuing models are 4.35% to 498% higher than last year, but the range has undergone a substantial redesign. New Buccaneer models, produced by the same…

Price £38,485 What Car? Target Price £37,353 Value after three years 52% Kerbweight 1449kg 85% of kerbweight 1232 kg Gross vehicle weight 1930kg Max towing limit 1600kg Gross train weight 3530kg Towball limit 90kg Towball and electrics £810 Boot size 510-1604 litres Payload 481kg Test conditions Dry Engine size 1498cc Power (hp) 150 @ 5000-6000rpm Torque (lb ft) 184 @ 1500-4000rpm Official combined economy 40.4-44.2mpg Towing economy 27.2mpg CO2 emissions 153g/km First year car tax £680 Second year car tax £190 Insurance group 18E Euro NCAP rating (2016, for Seat Ateca)…

Hyundai Kona (2017-) The Hyundai Kona offers two petrol engines or one 1.6-litre diesel that comes with 113bhp or 134bhp. But for four-wheel drive, you’ll need the 173bhp 1.6-litre petrol. SE spec is the best for tow car buyers, as it comes with rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. The cabin space might be a bit cramped for passengers, and the boot isn’t huge, either. Škoda Kamiq (2019-) The Škoda Kamiq feels extremely well made and has more interior space than most of its direct rivals. There’s a range of petrol and diesel engines, although you’ll want the most powerful petrol or the diesel if you plan to tow regularly. SE models get the standard kit you’d expect, such as air-con, auto lights and wipers, and rear parking sensors.…

SKILLS SCHOOL THE PENNY PROJECT CARAVANS DATING FROM the nineties are often a little murky inside, thanks to flickery fluorescent lights, rather small windows and opaque roof vents. Penny’s windows are getting a drop of Autoglym on a soft doth, but the lighting and roof vent are both improvable. Let’s go shopping A chance find on Facebook Marketplace prompted the roof vent upgrade. Penny was reasonably well equipped in 1998, and one of several nice items was a kitchen extractor roof vent. But Penny’s had definitely seen better days. It was filthy, having extracted a lot over the years. Cleaning is not a big issue, but more problematic was the state of the support legs. Two were broken, so the vent could be opened, but it just flopped about. There…

FOR MANY YEARS Kay and I took a fall awning on our main holidays, although we found that where it was hot (on the Continent), we ended up taking out the side and end panels as we only needed a sunshade. Then in 2004, I came across the Fiamma Caravanstore, a canopy in a bag that attaches to the van’s awning rail. It simply unzips and is rolled out of the bag, and the integral legs and arms slide out of the central aluminium roll. Within minutes, it’s up, and it’s just as quick to pack away, too. We bought a new one in 2019, longer than the original (our caravan had grown in length!), but even after 20 years, the old one still gives sterling service over a patio…

HOW TO BUY NEW Choosing a layout People’s needs differ, and your 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 dealers 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 you hadn’t 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…

AUGUST 2010 Family business Happy families was the theme for this summer issue, which featured Bailey’s Olympus 504. We also revealed 2010’s top tow car, and picked out some super getaways acrosss the country. Plus, tips for the most important caravanning skills! Are you covered? Expert caravanner John Parsons took us through the steps required to get the breakdown cover that best suited you and yours. From size and weight exclusions to excess charges, we had it all covered Wye don’t you? The beautiful Wye Valley provided Alyson Warnock with a much-needed rural getaway and the chance to explore pretty market towns such as Hay and Ross-on-Wye On your trolley? Fans of trolleybuses and trams would have been thrilled with our streetcar feature, which highlighted top spots across the UK…

Q IS AN AIR AWNING THE BETTER CHOICE? We used to own a caravan back in the 1990s, and now that we have retired, we’re tempted to buy another. When at a show recently, we noticed how many air awnings are now on the market, compared with when we originally owned a tourer. Presumably they’re quicker to put up, but what else should we consider before buying? PKaren Barnes Peter Baber replies… Air or inflatable awnings arrived on the touring scene about two decades ago. They caught on very quickly, because they are generally lighter to carry and as you mention, quicker to put up. You don’t have to worry about working out which pole goes where, or tightening them up. You just have to use a pump, preferably an…

National treasures We return to prime touring country this month with a trip to one of the UK’s most popular National Parks, the Lake District. Reviews editor Peter Baber’s report on touring in Ullswater is on P34. I think it’s fair to say the National Parks scheme has been a huge success, providing access and protection for some of the UK’s most spectacular countryside. It will be interesting to see if any new parks will be created in the coming years. There are lots of contenders out there, with areas of the Chilterns, the Cotswolds and Dorset having been suggested as possibilities. Let us know your views. Would you like to see more National Parks created and, if so, where? And if not, why not? Email your views to letters@practicalcaravan.com.…

Find out more Visit the Lake District › visitlakedistrict.com Lowther Castle › lowthercastle.org Ullswater Steamers › ullswater-steamers.co.uk Brougham Castle › english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/brougham-castle/ Brougham Hall › broughamhall.co.uk Where we stayed Lowther Holiday Park Eamont Bridge, Penrith, Cumbria CA10 2JB › lowther-holidaypark.co.uk › 01524 917 311 Open 1 March to 30 November 2024 Pitches 100 Prices (pitch+2+hook-up) From £25 Although it is largely given over to holiday homes and statics, Lowther Holiday Park has some touring pitches, along with a number of super-pitches providing electric hook-up and a fresh-water connection. The park is by a forest, so expect to see plenty of rabbits and hares, and the occasional Muntjac deer. There’s a spotless toilet block near this section, with lovely warm showers and even a bath. Further afield on the site, you will find a very popular…

Newfold Farm Grindsbrook Booth, Edale, Hope Valley S33 7ZD › 01433 670 401 › newfoldfarmedale.com what3words › crate.sculpting.radar Open All year Pitches 135 Charges From £35 with hook-up This friendly campsite is a little basic, but has everything you need for a few days in the countryside. New owners have plans to develop the site further. It is attached to a little farm shop and a lovely cafe, which also serves alcohol later in the day. The start of the Pennine Way runs down the side of the site. Note that the (narrow) approach road is signposted as a dead end, which can cause confusion.…

When to go We went in the autumn and it was showery. Fortunately, there are plenty of indoor attractions! Way to go We took the M4 south and the A33 at J11, then the B3011 and B3349 south, and the M3, M27, A3024 and B3397 to Hamble. Food and drink The marina near the site has a selection of restaurants and bars Find out more Visit Hampshire › visit-hampshire.co.uk Netley Abbey › english-heritage.org.uk Royal Victoria Country Park › hampshireattractions.co.uk Sea City Museum › seacitymuseum.co.uk Visit Winchester › visitwinchester.co.uk Hinton Ampner › nationaltrust.org.uk Marweii Zoo › marwell.org.uk Uppark House and Garden › nationaltrust.org.uk Solent Sky Museum › solentsky.org Little Woodham Village › littlewoodham.org.uk…

Price cuts signal buyers’ boomtime When it comes to current market conditions, my trusted dealer friend summed it up succinctly to me the other day: used sales are booming and new sales dropping off. On some models and layouts used prices have been really sliced, encouraging buyers to make a purchase. Looking through dealers’ stock I am seeing £2k knocked off some less popular used models. Price isn’t everything, though; try and buy local so that if problems crop up later you haven’t got miles to trek back to the dealership. And keep an eye out for models with extra items thrown in - you could land a bargain. Good hunting! ANDY practical.caravan@futurenet.com ANDY JENKINSON is a caravan expert and historian - he loves pre-owned and classic tourers! ANDY’S PICKS…

Motorway services: could do better Tow a caravan for more than a few hours, and the chances are you’ll be visiting a motorway service station. A good experience will have you refreshed and ready for the rest of your journey. A bad one can add to the stress and strain of spending a day at the wheel. In my opinion, more services get things wrong than right. There are often too few spaces, frequently shared with lorries. The spaces you do find maybe taken up by vehicles that should be parked elsewhere. Once you go inside, the cost of food is sky high, and when you set off again, the price of fuel is the same. Don’t we deserve better? MOTTY motty@practicalcaravan.com Tow car editor DAVID MOTION is a former…

Working on the roof of your caravan is not much fun, but we find it better to use a ladder up against the van, rather than trying to reach off a step ladder. Caravans are actually quite delicate, however, and you can’t risk damaging the sidewall or awning rails by leaning ladders against them without protection. As we knew we were going to be working on the roof a lot, we grabbed our extending ladder and where we needed to lay it across the awning rails, we wrapped the ladder uprights in pipe lagging. To prevent it from popping off, we put a cable tie around the lagging, which allowed us to slide it up and down to the perfect position to protect the van. Not a new idea, but…

OUR TOP BUYING TIPS When buying your first caravan you’ll also need to factor in the cost of items such as towing mirrors and Aquarolls, unless your dealer throws some of them in as part of the deal › MTPLM (Maximum technically permissible laden mass) The maximum weight that the caravan chassis can take, as stated by the chassis manufacturer. On pre-1998 caravans, it is referred to as ‘maximum gross weight’ (MGW) › Noseweight The weight applied to the car’s towball by the caravan. A car also has a towball limit, which is the maximum weight that can be applied to the towball. The lower of the two figures is the maximum you are permitted. Legally, it needs to be 4% or more of the weight of the trailer, or…

OUR TOP BUYING TIPS Your needs - and your party size - might change over the years. Remember that when you consider the size and number of beds that you need in your caravan USEFUL INFO Caravan and Motorhome Club › 01342 326 944 › caravanclub.co.uk The 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 Association (MCEA) › 01249 651 036 › mobilecaravanengineers.co.uk › For the very latest reviews and brilliant buying guides, visit the Practical Caravan website - you’ll find us at www.practicalcaravan.com…