Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2016 i Practical Caravan

The contributors of our Star Letter and Star Photo each win a pair of Milenco Grand Aero towing mirrors, worth £50. They’re designed to fit all wing mirrors and offer an outstanding view. If you have a top tip, send it in for a chance to win four Milenco Stacka corner feet, worth £14. For further details and a list of retailers, visit www.milenco.com WRITE TO Letters, Practical Caravan, 69 London Road, Twickenham TW1 3SP EMAIL US AT letters@practicalcaravan.com JOIN OUR COMMUNITY AT practicalcaravan.com/forum facebook.com/  practicalcaravan twitter.com/  pcaravan instagram.com/  practicalcaravan…

29 October A lady in waiting Chillingham Castle hosts ghost tours all year round, but don’t miss its Halloween event. The castle is unchanged since Henry VII’s time, and Lady Mary’s ghost is rumoured to walk the halls. Stay at River Beamish CC Site Web www.caravanclub.co.uk 21-31 October Going underground Halloween Fest, by Dusk Till Dawn Events, brings lots of opportunities to visit haunted venues across the UK, including Drakelow Tunnels, an abandoned BMW factory turned WWII nuclear bunker. Stay at Wolverley C&CC Site Web www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk 27-29 October Night at a museum Many locations across the UK will open their doors after hours as part of Museums at Night. It’s a new way to see fascinating objects; venues include Osterley House, reputedly home to ‘the lady in white’. Stay at…

KEITH AND BARBARA Kendry have plenty of training in the art of dancing around each other in a tiny home: they both used to live on narrowboats. In fact, that’s how they met – on the Sharpness Canal. But what happened when they moved into a house? The wanderlust didn’t dull, but the projects started. “We compensated for not living on a boat by doing up a Mazda Bongo,” says Barbara. “Once we’d finished, we decided that it was too small for us to holiday in, so we sold it on. But it wasn’t long before we started looking for something else to restore.” A chance discovery Just under two years ago, they came across a dilapidated and unloved caravan sitting in a field, and being used by children as…

New Forest Set amid beautiful countryside, and only three miles from Bransgore, this site is the ideal base for exploring the beautiful scenery and attractions of the New Forest. Tel 01425 673 638. Southland Just three miles from the sandy beach at Sandown, Southland is the perfect spot for a seaside holiday. The countryside location offers plenty of opportunities for walking. Tel 01983 865 385. Rookesbury Park This site is ideally located for enjoying the shopping and sights of Portsmouth, yet also perfectly placed to relax in the peace and tranquillity of the Forest of Bere. Tel 01329 834 085.…

1 Dobble This observational card game is suitable for all the family, has simple rules, doesn’t take long to play and can get quite loud! Price Around £9.99 2 Monopoly Teach your children a lesson in the value of money by buying up cheap properties, charging them rent every time they visit and ultimately bankrupting them to win the game. Price Classic version from £15.99 3 Hasbro Yahtzee The classic dice game involves trying to get the highest score by throwing a sequence of numbers, or as many of a number as you can in your turn. It’s straightforward but fun. Price Around £15.99 4 Trivial Pursuit The Family Edition has question cards for both old ’uns and young ’uns – although it can take a little while to play.…

No substitute for experience One of the show’s major experiential attractions returns to Birmingham next month. The Camping and Caravanning Club, in association with tow car sponsor Jeep, will offer free one-to-one caravan-towing courses. Sessions can be booked at the Club stand at the show; a limited number of advance sessions can be booked online beforehand, so those eager to participate will need to get in quickly. To take part, you must be aged over 25 and will need to produce a valid driving licence plus another form of photographic ID. Buy tickets to see the launches first-hand Reprising a popular feature from last season, major manufacturers will hold specific launches over selected show days. This gives visitors an in-depth preview of a new product, and offers them a chance…

The Older Drivers Task Force has called for a raft of changes to make the roads safer for senior drivers. In its report, ‘Supporting Safe Driving into Old Age’, the Task Force recommends increasing the age at which drivers must renew their licence from 70 to 75, but only if an eyesight test is made compulsory. The report’s authors believe that this would reduce the administrative burden of licence renewals, while also improving road-safety issues. Better road design also has a part to play. The number of accidents that occur at T-junctions is a particular concern, with 30% of all fatal crashes in Britain for drivers aged over 75 occurring at such places. That’s double the percentage for drivers aged under 65. The Task Force’s analysis shows that far fewer…

How much? £3750-£18,000 OK, we’ll admit that we couldn’t actually find a 2.0i for sale, just a couple of 2.5i models in decent low-mileage nick for around £7000-£8000. The low end of our price range will get you a dCi, but with over 155k on the clock; there’s a large jump to £6500+ for one with anything like average mileage. The full and fruity Tekna 2.0 dCi picked out as our Top tug starts at £8750-ish, or closer to £10k for a five-year-old one with average miles: the price we saw for a fully loaded one-owner car with 64k on it. What will it tow? Kerbweight .......................... 1615kg85% match ...........................1373kgTowing limit .......................2200kgNoseweight limit ................100kg(Figures for 2010 X-Trail 2.0 dCi Tekna 173PS) How much is a towball? Witter flange towbar .....…

Layout finder B Transverse-island-bed tourers are the height of luxurious touring, given their large end washrooms, and his-and-hers wardrobes. However, the double beds are not necessarily 'fixed'. They must often be retracted during the day to permit unhindered access to the washroom. Some caravanners consider this too much trouble. These can sometimes be twin-axle tourers. Pros This layout is close to that you'd find in a domestic bedroom. It's now available at a variety of prices. Cons The lounge may be smaller. The island bed sometimes requires setting up. A Spacious washroom has all the features and storage you need B It should be relatively easy to access either side of the bed C Kitchen space can be compromised to allow for the bed D The lounge can be turned…

ON THE LOOKOUT for a new tourer? If so, we can help! Just like our travel stories, expert reviews and advice, we think that our classifieds are the best in the business. So now you can read our review of your chosen caravan, watch the video, then find it online, making www.practical caravan.com the one-stop shop for all your touring needs. We know that 50% of you access our website via mobile devices, so our classifieds are fully responsive — they will work just as well on your tablet or smartphone as they do on your home computer. We’ve worked hard to make these classifieds as easy to use as possible, with filters to help you narrow your search by location, price, brand, year, weight and number of axles or berths.…

MY FAMILY AND I have just returned from a two-week summer tour, and we discovered our perfect caravan layout. Well, almost perfect, and it’s a little ironic because our floorplan of choice includes a fast-departing former favourite: the fixed nearside double bed, a feature that has been either cut back or dropped entirely from most of the UK manufacturers’ 2017 ranges. It was a timely reminder of why there are so many different options available, and why there is no such thing as a ‘bad’ layout – what may seem a disaster to you could be exactly what your on-site neighbour is looking for. And as dedicated followers of caravanning fashion will tell you, the market is cyclical: buyers are currently obsessed by island beds and central washrooms, but the…

Following one family’s year-long tour LAST MONTH I mentioned that the Camping and Caravanning Club had teamed up with Treasure Houses of England; this month it’s sent one lucky family out on a year-long tour of the UK to complete the Great Family Treasure Hunt challenge. The Graystons have been given a Compass Casita and a Peugeot 508 SW tow car for their trip, which will take in all 20 of the Treasure Houses and lots of C&CC and Camping in the Forest sites. At each the Graystons will be given a challenge; they’ll be reporting back on their progress via an online scrapbook. Dad Gav Grayston is founder of Get Out With the Kids, a website packed with ideas on keeping children entertained while camping. You’ll find updates at…

When to go The Isle of Wight is delightful all year round. You’ll need to book your pitch in advance if visiting during the school holidays — it gets very busy. Way to go Ferries cross from Portsmouth, Lymington and Southampton, and dock at Ryde, Yarmouth and Cowes respectively. Once on the island, nothing is more than about 45 minutes away. Beware of taking your caravan through Godshill, though, because it is narrow and winding. Check whether your site offers joint ferry and pitch deals before booking. Food and drink • The New Inn, Shalfleet The food is excellent, and the supply of reading glasses at the bar for those struggling to read the menu is a thoughtful, and amusing, addition. Address Main Road, Shalfleet PO30 4NS Tel 01983 531…

WINNIE-THE-POOH East Sussex Ninety years after Winnie-the-Pooh was first published, AA Milne’s tales about a teddy bear and his friend Christopher Robin continue to endure. It’s a little corner of East Sussex that’s your destination for The House at Pooh Corner, recently voted the all-time favourite children’s book. The stories of Pooh Bear are based on (Milne’s son) Christopher Robin’s play in the woods and countryside around Cotchford Farmhouse near Hartfield, the boy’s childhood home. Ashdown Forest, and in particular Posingford Wood, is where you’ll find Pooh Country. Head to Poohsticks Bridge to drop a stick in the river, or take a trip to Galleon’s Lap, Roo’s Sandy Pit and the 100-Acre Wood. Visit Pooh Corner in Hartfield – where Christopher Robin used to buy sweets – for Pooh-related products,…

Seat House Farm is a CL in Eshton, North Yorkshire, open to Caravan Club members only. Set across two acres, most of its pitches are hardstanding, all with electric hook-up. Dogs are permitted and the site is open all year round. It is very popular, though, so you will need to book ahead. Adress Eshton, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 3QL Tel 01729 830 217 Web http://bit.ly/2aFo0mO Open All year Touring pitches 5 Prices (pitch+2+hook-up) £14…

Harbury Fields Farm Campsite is good and makes a great base for Warwick. Rob Peddie Site essentials This peaceful site is in the middle of a 225-acre farm, with plenty of animals to make friends with. There are sheep, a sheepdog called Sweep, hens, horses Bugs and Fran and two cats, Kitty and Sox. Join this friendly bunch on one of the spacious, hardstanding pitches for a relaxing break in the heart of the countryside. Pick your pitch to have the best view. Facilities include toilets and showers, a disabled shower room, dishwashing areas and a launderette across three different buildings. There is a log-cabin reception area with tourist information and free Wi-Fi, and a circular dog walk through the surrounding farmland. Located a few miles from Warwick and Royal…

‘CHECK YOUR CARAVAN tyres regularly and stay safe when you’re touring.’ Yes, it’s a message that you’re sure to have heard before, but it bears repeating – and safety organisation TyreSafe has now made it easier for you to do so, by producing a quick and easy-to-use online tyre-pressure guide. Checking what pressure your tyres should be pumped to has been a murky area in the past, particularly for older tourers, but TyreSafe’s new online Tyre Pressure Calculator (www.tyresafe.org/check-your-pressures/caravan-pressure-calculator/) should now make it relatively easy. All you need to do is key in your caravan’s Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass (MTPLM) – something that you should find in your owners’ manual or on your van’s chassis plate – as well how many road wheels your vehicle has: in other words,…

Layout finder AA Nearside fixed-bed tourers with an end washroom are the choice of couples who only occasionally tour with children. They’re glad to avoid making up a double bed each night and appreciate having a separate shower. Often, the kitchen and lounge are roomy, but single-axle models may reduce their size, or make washrooms narrow in order to accommodate a shorter bodyshell. Pros You’ll sleep well on a proper mattress, while a full end washroom adds more luxury. Cons Space-hungry end washrooms and fixed beds will eat away at lounge lengths and kitchen worktops. A Lounge may be compact to fit in the bed and washroom B Storage space under the sofas should prove handy C If the kitchen worktop is small, use the dresser’s surface D Tall people…

Practical Caravan’s James Dixon has spent many a happy hour in Reigate’s wide selection of hostelries, but also enjoys getting out and about in the beautiful local countryside. 1 Stay here Horsley Camping and Caravanning Club Site is a beautiful, quiet site located just north of the Surrey Hills, making it a fantastic base for those who enjoy walking or even relaxing with a fishing rod. The site offers modern facilities and dogs are welcome. 2 Eat here La Barbe is a simple, elegant establishment serving French cuisine, with seasonal menus and special lunch, dinner and weekend deals. A two-course meal will set you back from £21.95 per person. 3 Walk here The Surrey Hills is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that covers a quarter of the county…

‘Leaving for this year’s big summer trip, the animals were loaded first and there was no room for the kids’ THINGS HAVE TIPPED over the edge. A point has been reached. A line has been crossed. The situation is no longer tenable... Houston, we have a problem. H-E-L-P! It all started so innocently. We began to take the dogs away with us on our caravan holidays: two golden retrievers, Bagel and Mylo. No need for kennels or dog-sitters. No kennel cough. No guilt trips. No sad faces as the car pulled away. And a very nice time was had by all. Then the kids grew older and, as they did, they wanted what all kids want – more pets. And so the menagerie grew. Two guinea pigs joined the throng…

To stave off boredom and keep the children enthused for the holiday, we just talk. We discuss all sorts – if we are chatting we are all alert, all awake and the time simply flies by. Dan Trudgian When the children were very small I made bags with colouring books and pencils, snacks and drinks, and they’d work their way through those. Now that they’re older they make up their own games. Catherine Davies I bought my grandchildren a couple of the DVD players that fit onto the headrests. My daughter said that the journey was bliss! Deb Birch We play the ABC game. We think of a theme, and the first person to go has to think of an item on that theme starting with the letter A. Once…

Living just outside York means that we have some of the most beautiful places in the country right on our doorstep, yet we can go for months without visiting them. Earlier in the year we had been tempted by the dark side, and had flown to Cyprus for a week. It was raining when we arrived and even when it brightened up the conversation was about how we couldn’t wait to go away in the caravan. So at the first opportunity we were off to Seat House near Skipton in North Yorkshire; it was the first outing for our new tow car, a 2008 Honda CR-V that we have called Wanda. Seat House is a CL site with two fields. Both are equally beautiful, and your name is posted on…

GETTING AROUND... Things to do 1 Warwick Castle 2 Shakespeare’s Stratford 3 Ryton Organic Gardens 4 British Motor Museum 5 Charlecote Park 6 Coventry Canal 7 The MAD Museum 8 Herbert Art Gallery & Museum 9 Kenilworth Castle 10 Lunt Roman Fort Where to stay 1 Somers Wood Caravan Park 2 Dodwell Touring Park 3 Riverside Caravan Park 4 Island Meadow Caravan Park 5 Mousley House Farm Campsite 6 Warwick Racecourse Caravan Club Site 7 Stratford Touring Park 8 Lakeview Camping Park TOP EVENTS... A Dreaming of chocolate 16–18 October Visiting Cadbury World is extra-special this weekend, as the various Cadbury characters show up. Don’t forget to have your photo taken with them! Web www.cadburyworld.co.uk B Woodland treasures 24 October Join experts for a Fungus Foray at Bubbenhall Wood,…

Exclusive launches for autumn NEC show THE MOTORHOME & CARAVAN Show returns to the NEC from 11-16 October, and organiser NCC Events will be hoping for another record-breaking year. At this time of year, it’s tempting to say there’s never been a better time to buy a new tourer, but given what we’ve seen over the past couple of months – with exciting new layouts and compelling specification upgrades across the board – it’s probably true, especially if manufacturers are offering discounts that only run for the duration of the show. In our last issue we showcased the latest offerings from the UK’s Big Five, plus the leading imported brand Adria. If you missed them, go online to access our handy hub page at www.practicalcaravan.com/previews. Here’s where to find the…

First drive Mercedes-Benz E 220 d Saloon Price From £35,935 Kerbweight 1680kg Towing limit 2100kg 85% match 1428kg Towball limit 84kg MERCEDES-BENZ’S NEW E-Class is about as close as you can get to a self-driving car that’s on sale now. Choose the Driving Assistance Plus package (£1695) and the E-Class comes with a number of high-tech aids, including Drive Pilot. It uses adaptive cruise control to monitor the distance to the car in front, and sensors to detect road markings. If the little grey steering wheel on the dashboard turns green, the E-Class will then drive itself. It’s an uncanny feeling to watch the steering wheel being moved by an invisible copilot. The handbook advises drivers to keep their hands on the wheel even when the car is in semi-autonomous…

X-Trail 2.0 dCi auto (147bhp) The X-Trail pulls our Lunar without problems – even once up a very steep, snowy field. None of the other cars there could get started on the slope, even those with four-wheel drive. Not cheap but worth every penny if you want a capable 4x4. There have been no problems mechanically over the three years we have had it. We’re about to trade it in for a new one, so they must be good! Susan Connelly X-Trail 2.0 dCi (147bhp) Fantastic performance, tows like a dream. Never a problem and it will tow anywhere: up hills without effort, and high winds are no problem. I usually get 30mpg-plus with the caravan on as long as I use the cruise control in fifth gear, and very…

IMPORTANT! Disconnect any mains supply and the 12V battery before you start. ALMOST ALL NEW caravans come with a form of ambient lighting, and in some cases it’s dimmable, too. I was recently looking around my parents’ aging Abbey GTS with my son, James, and realised that there isn’t a single LED light in it: all of the illumination is either via mains bulbs, or power-hungry 12V halogen units. We wound things back from James’s suggestion of multi-coloured disco-style lights, but decided that an upgrade to LEDs wouldn’t be a bad idea. In the first instance, though, we decided not to simply replace the 12V bulbs with LED types, but to add another dimension to the lighting system that’s quite easy and cost-effective to do. Preparation is key Next,…

Layout finder J This is a compact layout that you’ll usually find in the shortest vans on the market; the double bed is made up from the pair of sofas at the front. You’ll sometimes find that the sofas aren’t long enough to be used as single beds, so be sure to check this if it’s important to you. The washroom is located in the corner, and as a result is often narrow. Pros No inch of space is wasted here: you’ll have everything you need in a small space. Cons The washroom is unlikely to have a separate shower, and can be narrow. The kitchen may have limited work surface, and storage is likely to be at a premium. A Check that the lounge area and the sofas…

Focus on… Fifth Wheel Company Fifth-wheel caravans (huge tourers that attach to the flatbed of a pick-up truck, rather than a towball) have been around for a long time now — but only in the US. The Fifth Wheel Company, based in the Denbighshire region of Wales, is rather younger — it was founded in 2002 — and is very much a family affair. Fifth Wheel Company is the brainchild of Mervyn and Jenny Parry-Jones, together with their son Adrian and daughter Ceri; it came about following their successful management of a Massey-Ferguson tractor dealership. The family imported a fifth-wheeler from the US to live in at tractor shows and events, and it attracted such a positive reaction that Mervyn spotted a gap in the market for a UK equivalent.…