Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2019 i Practical Caravan

WRITE TO Letters, Practical Caravan, 1-10 Praed Mews, London W2 1QY EMAIL US AT letters@practicalcaravan.com JOIN OUR COMMUNITY AT practicalcaravan.com/forum 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 facebook.com/practicalcaravan twitter.com/pcaravan instagram.com/practicalcaravan…

Lac d’Annecy – so much to see and do, with really fantastic scenery. Joyce Darvill Le Bois Coudrais in Brittany is the nicest place we have been to in France. Simon Cliff-Reid Loire and Dordogne. Claire Darlington Vias, south of France, for sun and beaches. We have stayed at many sites in the village and all offer great value, for all budgets. Paul Protheroe Château de Chanteloup, near Le Mans. Paradise. This will be our 37th year! Owners Dominique and Jean-William are amazing. Cynthia McKay Camping La Garangeoire, in the Vendée (www.camping-la-garangeoire.com/en). Have used the site many times over a 20-year period. It’s an excellent family-run place with large, well-maintained pitches, and suitable for all ages. Chris Cardell Everywhere – there’s such a huge variety! We love the sunshine in…

Huttopia La Plage Blanche Set in a peaceful riverside location with spacious pitches and good facilities, this campsite is perfect for a family holiday, and makes a great base for exploring the surrounding area. Address 3 Rue de la Plage, 39380 Ounans Web https://europe.huttopia.com Open April-September Charges 22-41 euros per night in high season Huttopia Le Moulin In the pretty village of Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche, at the gateway to the gorges, this site will suit any outdoor adventurer. Great for families, too. Address Quartier du Moulin, 07700 Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche Web https://europe.huttopia.com Open April-October Charges 31.30-38.50 euros per night in high season…

Sarah Wakely, editor I absolutely love touring in France – there’s just so much diversity in the the landscape, and the autoroutes are generally quiet and easy to drive on, even if you’re not used to driving on the right. Where to pitch The quality of sites in France can vary tremendously, so be sure to do a bit of research before you visit. An ACSI card is well worth having: it offers discounts in low season, but you can sometimes (depending on the park’s own rules) use it during the summer months, too, saving you lots of cash. The ACSI handbook or app gives full details of when it can be used at individual sites. What to eat It’s well worth stocking up at a supermarket or hypermarket on…

WHEN TO GO We travelled in early spring, so we expected the weather to be a bit changeable – and it was! But as long as you pack wet-weather gear, you can still enjoy the great outdoors in this beautiful part of the country. FIND OUT MORE ■ Belton House High Road, Belton NG32 2LW Web www.belton@nationaltrust.org.uk ■ The Stag Church Street, Barkston NG32 2NB Web www.thestagbarkston.co.uk ■ Yorkshire Wensleydale Creamery Gayle Lane, Hawes DL8 3RN Web www.wensleydale.co.uk ■ Outhwaite Ropemakers Hawes DL8 3NT Web www.ropemakers.com ■ Dales Countryside Museum Station Yard, Hawes DL8 3NT Web dalescountrysidemuseum.org.uk ■ Ingleton Waterfalls Trail  Web ingletonwaterfallstrail.co.uk ■ Malhamdale  Web www.malhamdale.com ■ Malham Tarn Estate Pennine Way, Settle BD24 9PT Web www.nationaltrust.org.uk ■ White Scar Cave  Web www.whitescarcave.co.uk ■ Aysgarth Falls National Park Centre…

Awnings and accessories supplier Kampa has been bought by Swedish firm Dometic for £50m. Dometic – the company that probably made the fridge and possibly also the toilet in your caravan – says the acquisition of the Essex-based firm will strengthen its presence in retail and the aftermarket across Europe. Kampa outsources manufacturing of its awnings, but has a large distribution centre in the Netherlands. It is known for selling only through ‘bricks and mortar’ retailers. Juan Vargues, Dometic’s president and chief executive, said: “Kampa complements our product portfolio and strengthens our global offer to make Dometic even more relevant to current and future customers.” The £50m acquisition is more than seven times Kampa’s latest annual profit. The all-cash purchase will certainly be good news for Myles Salmon and Mark…

Construction Al-Ko galvanised chassis, ‘i-design’ ABS front and rear walls, scratch- and damage-resistant polyester side walls with ABS spoilers, hail-resistant polyester roof, sandwich floor construction with Styropor insulation, two-part door with moulded liner, fully double glazed opening windows and sunroof, unique UK-only decals. External equipment Reinforced corner steadies, wheel box insulation, larger wheel trims, mud protection, LED third brake light, exterior-access battery box with hook-up and aerial socket, awning light. Heating Truma 3004 heater, Trumastore gas and electric boiler, Truma Ultraheat electric heating, Trumavent hot-air distribution, presentation for air conditioning. Lounge/bedroom Noce Cognac furniture woodgrain and contrasting mouldings, Silverstone soft furnishings, four scatter cushions, spotlights, mains sockets, 12V sockets, TV sockets, loudspeakers with preinstasllation for Bluetooth transmitter. Kitchen Three-burner gas hob, 90-litre fridge, Thetford Duplex combined oven and grill. Washroom…

CARAVANNERS MIGHT NOT be familiar with the name Moto-Trek, but if you have friends with a motorhome, they might have heard of it. More likely still, if you have friends who keep horses, they will almost certainly have heard of Equi-Trek horse boxes. It was the success of these that caused the South Yorkshire company to branch out into Moto-Trek motorhomes earlier this decade. Now it’s having a go with touring caravans, too. The Trek-Away, as the new caravan is called, is very much geared to the kind of people who already buy Equi-Trek horse boxes – who use such a vehicle as somewhere to sleep when they are eventing. But some of its characteristics should appeal to those who go touring as well. We took a look at the…

Price £550 Web www.outwell.com Weight 13.8kg Dimensions 340 x 250cm Fixing height 240-255cm Pack size 89 x 40 x 40cm Access Two side doors, central front door Selling points Single-point inflation, tinted windows, storm straps, removable front wall, side-door rain shield, PVC draught skirt, rear ventilation system Optional extras Roof lining (£41.99), footprint (£32.99), Sailshade (£149.99/£169.99), carpet (£105.99), verandah pole (£40), height adjustment discs (£19.99), seal blocks (£19.99)…

DJI Mavic Air Folds down to a compact package; captures smooth, pro-level 4K HDR footage from its gimbal-mounted camera. The Mavic Air records to on-board storage, or live streams to the DJI app. It flies itself and everything. Price £769 Web dji.com LifeStraw Go Fill it up from any clean-ish natural source and its two-stage filtration means you’ll sip only healthy water through the straw. No power required, and no iodine or similar chemicals that can leave a weird taste or discoloration. Price £32 Web lifestraw.com Handpresso Auto Capsule Powered from your car’s charger port, just pop in some water and a Nespresso capsule for a lovely fresh espresso. Perfect for preparing yourself before heading out on a long walk. Price £171 Web hand presso.co.uk Land Rover Explore…

How much? £11,000-£38,000 The earliest third-generation Sorentos are only 3.5 years old, so still command a five-figure price, albeit only just. So, for your £11,000 you’ll get a car that has spent a lot of time trawling the motorways of the UK, and the odometer will reflect that. Up the budget by only £6000 and you’ll get a well-looked-after 2015/16 car with fewer than 60,000 miles. If you can stretch beyond £20,000 you’ll net a low-mileage, high-spec example with full dealer history, which has been very lightly used. And remember, that warranty applies to all examples of this model of Sorento, so you really can rest easy. What will it tow? Kerbweight........................... 1953kg 85% match ...........................1660kg Towing limit....................... 2000kg Noseweight limit..................100kg How much is a towball? Witter flange towbar.......£171.94 Witter…

Try the partition in place to check the fit before fixing it in place with screws HEAVY TABLES ARE more easily accessed from floor-level storage spaces, but mine was stored inside the wardrobe above the fridge. It was also tucked in behind a fixed, vertical part of the wall at the front right-hand side of the wardrobe, making it even more awkward to handle. I planned to form a separate table compartment in the same place, but to remove this piece of board to create the narrow compartment door. To make the new wardrobe/ table compartment partition, I needed some matching board. After trying to find a piece in the same wood finish, I decided that, as it was inside the wardrobe, a 1220mm x 606mm piece of 5.5mm hardwood…

Vital statistics Price £19,499 Internal length 6.27m Overall length 7.98m Overall width 2.23m MiRO 1495kg Payload 160kg MTPLM 1695kg Kit list ■ Galvanised chassis ■ ATC ■ Spare wheel ■ Dual-fuel hob ■ Oven ■ Fridge/freezer ■ TV aerial ■ Electric-flush toilet ■ Alde heating ■ Solar panel ■ CD/Radio ■ TV aerial ■ Alarm…

Layout finder R This is an ideal layout if you usually tour as a couple, with only very occasionally a third (or possibly fourth) visitor. When they are not with you, if you want to, you can leave the double bed at the front in place and use the side dinette for mealtimes. This layout also often comes with a huge washroom in the rear, while there is plenty of space on the nearside for a good kitchen. Pros A flexible layout that still offers you plenty of cooking and washing space Cons The side dinette can feel redundant when there are just two of you A The front lounge in this layout can sometimes be L-shaped B The side dinette can include an optional bunk C The end washroom…

Enjoy the perfect cuppa Price £89.95 Web www.ember.com Tea drinkers across the country will be vying for the Ember Ceramic Mug, to enjoy their perfect cuppa. But this is not just any mug – it wirelessly connects with an app on your phone, so you can regulate the heat of your tea, coffee or hot chocolate and keep it at the perfect temperature for sipping. Set your preferred temperature between 50C and 62.5C on the app, and when you pour in your drink, the mug will wake up and maintain your chosen temperature for up to an hour. It can even regulate the temperature all day if used with the included charging coaster. The mug, made from ceramic-coated stainless steel, weighs just 340g. Perfect for enjoying your favourite hot drink!…

GROWING UP, I was always rather in awe of my father, who was incredibly talented at canoeing. From a young age, I remember him taking my twin sister and me along when he competed in races, where we’d camp by the river and support him. I have very fond memories of camping at Ross-on-Wye and cheering my father on as he tackled enormous rapids that looked the size of a house (I was quite small!). Sadly, none of his four children followed in his footsteps, even though he tried hard to teach us his skills. I developed a fear of the rapids, so I was never going to be a canoeist or surfer. The nearest family member to show an interest was my son, Daniel, who demonstrated great promise at…

You’ll need to take various items when touring in France – here’s the current list, but do check before you travel, at https://bit.ly/2BcPAGU ■ A full, valid driving licence (plus IDP in the event of a no-deal Brexit) ■ Proof of insurance (you might also require a Green Card in the event of a no-deal Brexit) ■ Passport ■ Vehicle registration document (V5C) ■ GB sticker (if you do not have an EU flag/GB numberplate) ■ High-vis jacket for each occupant ■ Warning triangle ■ Spare bulbs ■ Headlight-beam deflectors ■ Breathalysers ■ Snow chains if you will be travelling in colder conditions Get a FREE Continental-touring kit, with a selection of the basics you’ll need, when you subscribe! See p80…

TOP EVENTS... Discover Lincolnshire Weekend Get a taste for the county with free entry to many of the best attractions for one weekend only, including free guided tours of Lincoln Castle, free open-top bus tours and free entry to the cathedral, plus guided tours about the city’s industrial, Jewish, medieval and Roman history. Date 30-31 March Web www.visitlincoln.com/Discover Lincolnshire Wolds Walking Festival Take to the trails with the 15th annual Lincolnshire Wolds Walking Festival. There are routes for all abilities, and last year there were 104 to choose from. There will also be family activities, including treasure trails, bushcraft and shelter building. Date 18 May-2 June Web www.woldswalkingfestival.co.uk Asylum Steampunk Festival Lincoln’s cobbled streets are transformed when the Asylum Steampunk Festival arrives; dress up and join in, or…

Expanding camper French start-up Tipoon has launched the Travel Machine: a trailer that is only 4.5m long, 1.7m wide and 1.7m high, but has two slide-outs and a raising roof to create a vehicle 3.2m wide and 2.5m high (with 1.9m of internal headroom). Sleeping up to four, it includes a 50-litre fridge, toilet and shower. Tipoon says it is “working on” when the vehicle might be available in the UK. Ranger’s 20-van tow No, it’s not a giant freight train in the US – this outfit of one car towing 20 caravans, at Milbrook Proving Ground in the UK, stars in a film by Ford showing the power of its new Ranger pick-up. In the film, the Ranger’s driver waves to an irate driver behind the outfit to encourage…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH CaSSOA Adria Altea 472 DS Eden Tested by Peter Baber Price £16,985 Berths 5 MiRO 1205kg Payload 165kg MTPLM 1370kg Awning size 925cm IN A NUTSHELL Light and bright inside, and featuring a flexible layout WE COLLECTED OUR new long-termer just before Christmas. It’s a family van, with front and rear lounges, both of which can be turned into double beds, and a bunk that folds up on top of the double at the rear. Basically, it compromises a little on bed flexibility to give you a caravan that takes up less than 7m of driveway. It certainly proved an easy tow with our Volvo XC40, on our cross-country route from Adria to Camberley. It survived very cold weather fairly well. Unlocking the door on our first…

Technical clothing can make your mountain trek safer and easier. Mercifully, the team made sure I was outfitted for my challenge. First up, the Salomon X Ultra Trek GTX hiking boots (£160, salomon.co.uk) are lightweight, have a supportive high ankle and are waterproof. The Arc’Teryx Beta AR Jacket (£430, snowandrock.com) is equally waterproof, and windproof, thanks to Gore-Tex Pro. Patagonia’s Stormfront Pack 30L Backpack (£230, patagonia.com) kept my gear dry and made the weight comfortable. The Cool-Lite Mira Pullover Hoody (£140, icebreaker.com) gave me a merino wool base layer of warmth (and as a bonus, was as comfortable as anything).…

Price £37,460 What Car? Target Price £33,983 Retained value after three years 42% Kerbweight 1729kg 85% of kerbweight 1470kg Gross vehicle weight 2230kg Max towing limit 1800kg Gross train weight 4030kg Towball limit 100kg Price of towball and electrics £1075 Boot size min/max 529/1441 litres Payload 501kg Test conditions Damp Engine size 1969cc Power (bhp/rpm) 148@3750rpm Torque (lb ft/rpm) 236@1750-3000rpm Official combined economy 45.6-51.4mpg (WLTP) Towing economy 27.5mpg CO2 emissions 123g/km First year car tax £205 Second year car tax £140 Insurance group 24E Euro NCAP overall protection rating…

Model tested 2.5 GT Sport Nav+ Automatic Price £31,695 What Car? Target Price £31,384 Retained value after three years 42% Kerbweight 1610kg 85% of kerbweight 1369kg Gross vehicle weight 2113kg Max towing limit 1500kg Gross train weight 3613kg Towball limit 75kg Payload 503kg Boot size min/max 522/1664 litres Test conditions Damp Engine size 2488cc Power (bhp/rpm) 191@6000rpm Torque (lb ft/rpm) 190@4000rpm Official combined economy 37.2mpg (WLTP) Towing economy 23.6mpg CO2 emissions 156g/km First year car tax £515 Second year car tax £140 Insurance group 29A Euro NCAP overall protection rating…

If you like to get on your bike when you’re touring, don’t miss Sammy Faircloth’s report on securing them for safe travel. Meanwhile, I show you a simple way to upgrade the lighting in your van’s kitchen (p98) MANY CARAVANNERS ENJOY cycling on and around the sites they visit. Thanks to Sustrans and other providers, there has been a pleasing development of special routes, often using former railway tracks, so you don’t have to worry about cars or their fumes. These networks offer a safe way for families to enjoy this popular pastime. With the growing interest in competitive cycling events such as the Tour de France and indoor track cycling, more and more of us are developing a renewed passion for cycling. My husband enjoys competing in triathlons, but…

Chris Talbot of Leisure Sales says: “The dealership has a large forecourt, on which we offer plenty of choice in both new and used tourers. Our showroom can house several models and we have a massive accessory shop. We also offer our own Sprite-based special, which proves as popular as ever. Selling top brands, Leisure Sales also offers a full range of servicing. We pride ourselves on having been established for over 40 years!” Address Holmes Chapel Road, Brereton Green, Sandbach CW11 1SD Tel 01477 535 264 Web www.leisuresales.co.uk…

Caravan and Motorhome Club Tel 01342 326 944 Web thecaravanclub.co.uk Camping and Caravanning Club Tel 024 7647 5448 Web thefriendlyclub.co.uk CRiS Tel 020 3282 1000 Web www.cris.co.uk Approved Workshop Scheme Web www.approvedworkshops.co.uk Caravan Storage Site Owners’ Association (CaSSOA) Tel 0843 216 5802 Web www.cassoa.co.uk Towsafe Web www.towsafe.co.uk DVLA Tel 0300 790 6801 Web www.dft.gov.uk/dvla Mobile Caravan Engineers Association (MCEA) Tel 01249 651 036 Web www.mobilecaravanengineers.co.uk…

Awnings Porch Kampa Fiesta 250 Air awning, pump, bag, carpet, wheel cover, skirt, all very good condition, for sale due to change of caravan. View on Kampa website. £275. Mr Reddish, Kingsbridge (01548 532886) Apache Madrid awning, 2.50m by 2.75m, acrylic/polyester, green/blue/beige, poles, curtains, pegs, bags, easy erect, good condition, genuine reason for sale, £190. Mr Williams, Wilts/Gloucester (01793 762117 or 07860 683205) Quest Windsor Elite porch awning, £50, Fiamma Caravanstore 3m, £25. Mr Tozer, Cannock, Staffs (01543 571362) Kampa Fiesta Air Pro 420, 2016, hand pump, carrybag, hardly used, good condition, £295 ono. Mr Sumner, Reading (07887 595312) Kampa Pro Air Ace 300, 2018, carpet, curtains, manual pump, electric pump, side poles, hanging rail, storm strap, limpets, wheel arch cover, storage pocket, £650. Mrs Hewitt, Leics (01530 450387) Awnings…

FRANCE IS ONE of my favourite countries in which to tour, but there’s no denying that the thought of towing abroad can be a bit nerve-racking. As well as driving on the right, there’s also the small matter of making sure that you’ve got all of the necessary kit on board – from high-vis vests to spare headlamp bulbs, you’ll need to be certain that you have everything you need before driving off from the ferry (or Eurotunnel, of course). That’s where we can help: this month we’ve asked our team and readers – all of whom are experienced at touring on the Continent – to pass on their advice on what you need to know. We’ve also got a couple of fantastic travel features to inspire you to your…

1 Treasures of East Anglia Let East Anglian Game & Country Fair’s kitchen workshops and demonstrations get your tastebuds tingling, then browse the food hall full of local goodies. Date 27-28 April Web www.ukgamefair.co.uk Stay at Hall Farm Camping & Caravan Site Web www.hallfarmwordwell.co.uk 2 Pride of the Marches See more than 60 food producers from the Welsh Marches at Ludlow Spring Festival, where there’ll be plenty of tasty treats and tipples, especially in the Festival Pub. Date 11-12 May Web www.foodfestival.co.uk Stay at Whitcliffe Camp Site Web www.northfarmludlow.co.uk 3 A harbour full of food Cornish treats abound as Porthleven Food Festival takes over the harbour, with stalls, street food, music and entertainment, and chef’s theatres. Date 26-28 April Web porthleven foodfestival.com Stay at Caravan & Camping Porthleven Web caravanandcampingporthleven.com 4 Food and…

As we went to press, questions still remained over the likelihood of any Brexit deal. Here, we take a look at what might happen to your travel documents after 29 March EHIC and pet passport While the wrangle over the deal with Europe continues, some of you might be wondering what will happen with regard to healthcare cover and pet passports after Brexit. Apparently, agreement has been reached in principle regarding European health cover – all relevant EU laws apply to UK travellers until 31 December 2020, meaning you will be able to use a valid EHIC card until that date. If a deal with Europe is eventually struck, pets can continue to travel to the EU with a pet passport. In the event of a no-deal exit, you should…

WHEN TO GO The Jura varies in temperature, from a cooler climate in the mountains to the more temperate valleys. It’s also the wettest region in France. In summer the Ardèche averages 23°C, with July/August the warmest, but winter can be very cold, at 5°C. WAY TO GO Crossing the Channel takes about 35 minutes with Eurotunnel (www.eurotunnel.co.uk) from Folkestone to Calais, or 1.5 hours by ferry from Dover to Calais (we used P&O Ferries: www.poferries.com). From Calais, we followed the A26 down the east side of France. This more direct route passes beautiful towns such as Troyes and Dijon. The Jura region can be reached in a (long) day’s drive. FOOD & DRINK Huttopia’s campsite restaurants serve a range of meals, from pizza to grills. We particularly liked ordering…

Verglas • Black ice Tomber en panne • To break down Le parking • Car park Impasse • Dead end/No through road Déviation • Diversion Bande d’arrêt d’urgence • Emergency lane Fin de chantier • End of roadworks Le carburant • Fuel Sens interdit • No entry Sens unique • One way Dépasser • To overtake Stationnement • Parking Horodateurs • Parking meters Le carambolage • Pile-up Priorité à droite • Priority to the right Rappel • Reminder Ralentissez • Slow down Ralentir travaux • Slow down, roadworks Radar de vitesse • Speed camera La circulation • Traffic Le bouchon, l’embouteillage • Traffic jam/queue Le feu de signalisation •…

Where tested Chertsey Camping and Caravanning Club site Tel 024 7647 5426 Web www.campingandcarvanningclub.co.uk IT MAY HAVE been a case of, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, but there were very few changes to Adria’s caravan models for 2019. There was one new Adora – the Sava, reviewed in our September 2018 issue – and one model axed from the Altea line-up. The Alteas themselves also had a slight refresh inside with new fabrics on the bulkhead and a couple of additional goodies. But otherwise, it was more or less the same as before. Still, Adria itself has gone through a fairly big change in the past year, becoming part of the mighty French Trigano Group after more than 50 years of being probably the most famous brand…

First drive Renault Kadjar TCe 160 CAN YOU TELL the Renault Kadjar has been facelifted? If so, well done: you have earned your Renault spotter’s badge. The fundamental shape of the car might be unchanged, but the differences between the old and new versions of this handsome crossover are more extensive than they might appear at first sight. Inside, there are subtle but worthwhile updates, with improved storage and some higher-quality plastics. More important changes have taken place under the skin, with a new engine line-up promising better performance and lower emissions. Renault expects 70% of UK customers to choose petrol power. There are two turbocharged 1.3-litre engines, one offering 140PS (138bhp), the other 160PS (158bhp). For day-to-day driving, we’d be more than happy with the less powerful one, which…

IT’S AMAZING HOW much caravan lighting has improved over the past few years, and in the main, that’s thanks to LEDs. It’s not so long ago that vans were lit by power-hungry halogen bulbs and fluorescent striplights; although some of us remember when all you had were a couple of gas lights, and the advent of 12V lights was miraculous! Not only were halogen bulbs power-hungry, however – they also got very hot, which at times could make sitting underneath one quite uncomfortable. Over the years, we have upgraded the lighting in our son’s 1999 Abbey caravan, swapping halogen bulbs for LEDs, as well as installing LED ambient lighting in the lounge (Practical Caravan, October 2016). However, we’ve never changed the fluorescent striplight in the kitchen. Bearing in mind that…

LUNAR’S CLUBMAN MARKS its 44th birthday this year, having been launched for the 1975 season. This long-running range has become something of an icon in its market sector, providing high quality with light weight. The Clubman offers lots of kit, and in the pre-owned market these tourers make a great buy. We decided to look at the 2014 line-up, a model year in which Lunar used its then-new Core wallboard. This provided great weight savings, averaging 55kg. We found a ‘just arrived on the forecourt’ Clubman CK that had been traded in at North Western Caravans in Cheshire. The CK was clean and in good condition, and would be a tempting buy for couples. The 2014 line-up came with great spec, including Alde heating, CD/radio, dual-fuel hob and full oven,…

Meet the dealers Sharman Caravans Ipswich-based Sharman Caravans has been running since 1974, when Barry Sharman returned to take over and rename a former dealership on the same site. Barry’s son Paul took over in 1994, and in 2007 the firm became an exclusive Lunar dealership, offering the full range – Venus, Alaria and Lunar itself. As well as sales, the site includes a three-bay workshop and an accessory shop. “We haven’t got the biggest of yards, at just half an acre,” says Paul – although they do find room to display about 25 used and 15 new caravans at any one time. He prides himself on the service that a smaller dealership can give. “We like to look after our customers,” he says. The firm has only sold caravans…

IN ONE OF those rather laughable twists of logic, my financial justification for owning a caravan has just gone west. I’m not saying the opportunity to enjoy cost-effective and brilliant family holidays was our number one reason for upgrading our van last year, but it was certainly in the top 10, along with the sense of freedom and closeness to the outdoors. Well, last month’s experience with green slime (if you remember, my van developed a thick layer of algae and lichen after being left out in the open over winter) prompted me to consider other options for winterising the van in future. A quick reverse up to my garage confirmed my fears – there is no way my van will fit inside a normal covered parking enclosure. My solution?…