2012 Kia Sorento: Leading towcar gets stronger chassis and improved mpg

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by Tom Lowenstein

Buying a new towcar can be a complicated business and is not a decision to be rushed, but if you’re putting together a list of possible options then the Kia Sorento should definitely feature towards the top.

In the autumn Kia will launch its new Sorento in the UK, featuring a host of upgrades that could tip the balance in its favour.

With a new chassis leading the line-up of upgrades, the sports utility vehicle is now even better suited to a life towing a caravan, while a whole host of other changes have improved its drive performance, fuel economy and looks too.

As well as new energy-saving LED lights, lower CO2 emissions and chunky 19-inch alloy wheels, it also has a re-engineered bodyshell and augmented powertrains that have made it best in its class for fuel economy – something that is always important when towing your tourer down the motorway.

It is literally packed with features and, as well as fitting a maximum of seven seats in the cabin, comes with a high-tech new 7″ LED console as well as a panoramic sun roof, among several other big draws.

The Sorento was already popular before the upgrade, with over 620,000 sold globally since its launch in 2009, but the latest model should cement its position as a leader in the affordable SUV category.

“We have given very careful attention to owners’ feedback and the upgraded Sorento is not just a cosmetic exercise but a major step forward for our popular SUV,” explained Thomas Oh, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the international business division at Kia.

Growing reputation

Now, you may be thinking that you’d prefer a tow car by a carmaker with a big reputation, but Kia has done a lot recently to legitimately be up there with the big boys like Land Rover, Toyota and Ford.

So much so in fact that consumer watchdog Which? has just named it Best Car Manufacturer 2012 in its annual awards.

The organisation praised it for customer satisfaction and reliability across its whole range of vehicles and made special mention of its industry-beating seven year warranty.

All of Kia’s vehicles received the thumbs up from Which? after extensive lab tests, with the watchdog describing it as “the most improved car brand around” compared to five years ago.

As Which? chief executive Peter Vicary-Smith said when he presented the award: “This is the first time Kia has made the short-list and to walk off with the title is a significant achievement.”

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UPDATE: Exciting changes on the way as CaravanTimes hits 10,000 members

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by Chris Jefferies
Over the last couple of years, CaravanTimes has grown from being a simple blog to a massive community of caravanners.
And now, we’re very proud to announce that we have recently passed a major milestone, with 10,000 members now signed up to our site.
To put that into context, if all of us were to meet up in London we could fill the Hammersmith Apollo theatre twice over.
Whether you’re a brand-new member or a long-term forum contributor, we’d like to say thank you for your support, for reading the news, watching our videos and sharing your fantastic holiday stories and photos with us – this site wouldn’t be what it is today without all of you.
To celebrate this milestone, we are planning to roll out a series of exciting changes to your site over the next few weeks:

  • We are currently converting all our videos to be compatible with mobile devices such as iPads and iPhones
  • Searching CaravanTimes is also becoming much easier, with the introduction of a new search bar, which will help you browse through stories with ease
  • We’re also launching a new service called the Caravan Layout Finder, which allows you to track down your ideal layout by answering a few simple questions
  • And finally, following popular demand, we’re working on a special CaravanTimes car window sticker that will be free upon request for all members to proudly show off on their next camping holiday

More details will follow over the coming weeks, but for now we’d just like to say thanks again for sticking by us over the years and thanks for all your suggestions to help make this site even better.

Environment Agency warns campers of flooding threat in North West

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by Chris Jefferies
The Environment Agency has issued a flood warning to campers and caravanners this weekend (June 23rd and 24th), targetting those in the North West in particular.
Following recent floods in Wales and ongoing problems during the Isle of Wight music festival, the Agency is urging the public to remain vigilant and be prepared to take action in the event of rising water levels.
This news comes after the Met Office issued an amber weather warning for heavy rain across parts of the North West, which is expected to see one month’s rainfall in just 24 hours.
Teams have been dispatched to check and operate flood defences in the area, while other preventative measures, such as clearing river blockages, are also being undertaken.
The Agency added that camping and caravanning sites in the North West were particularly at risk, and their words echo those of Defra, the Government department, which warned earlier this year that 28% of the UK’s caravan parks are vulnerable to flooding.
Meanwhile, campers and campervan owners heading to the Isle of Wight festival have faced severe delays, due to flooded car parks, the BBC reports.
In some cases festival-goers took up to 12 hours to take the trip from the ferry port to the festival entrance – a journey which would normally take 20 minutes.

VIDEO: After-sales support for Aspire in Elddis’ dedicated workshop

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by Chris Jefferies
Buying a caravan or motorhome requires careful consideration, but when it comes to living with your tourer you need to be sure that it can be repaired quickly and easily if anything happens to it.
With this in mind, Elddis has recently overhauled its after-sales support system to allow warranty and repairs work to take place more quickly.
In this video we speak to Angela Robson from Elddis, who explains that with a dedicated workshop the company can deal with after-sales issues completely separately to the main production line.
We also talk about the challenge of providing replacement parts; something which Elddis claim takes them less than two working days for most purchase parts.
Prices in this luxury motorhome range start from £43,899 for the two-berth Elddis Aspire 215, rising to £49,999 for the four-berth Elddis Aspire 265

Low Park Wood: Discovering The Caravan Club’s gateway to the Lake District

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by Chris Jefferies
There are some caravan parks that once visited, simply have to be revisited time and time again – and Low Park Wood definitely falls into this category.
Nestled in the Cumbrian forest of Oxenholme and within striking distance of Britain’s biggest stretch of water at Windermere, this 141-pitch rural idyll is at once remote and conveniently sited.
The coast at Morecombe Bay is just ten minutes drive from the site, while the challenging mountain walks of Patterdale are around 45 minutes by car, not that you’d know it from the serene surroundings of this former National Trust woodland site.

After meeting the site’s wardens, Phil and Maureen Varty, it’s clear that there are an abundance of local attractions to occupy any taste, and they certainly aren’t short of suggestions.
Leading directly off the site are four woodland walks, taking in Sizergh Castle, the Lancaster Canal, the local farm shop and the popular Levens Hall, with its deer and Bagot goats.
Looking further afield and you have the lake steamers of Ullswater, the motor museum at Haverthwaite and even the North Yorkshire Moors all within an easy day’s drive.
On the other hand, it’s just as tempting to spend an entire week at Low Park Wood without even leaving the site.
If you go down to the wood…
Situated on the grounds of a Victorian gunpowder mill, the 20-acre site is certainly unique, offering a real glimpse into the local history of the area.
Built in 1764, the Sedgwick mill was a very dangerous place to work in its day – but don’t worry, it’s perfectly safe now, as the mill closed nearly 100 years ago!
In terms of pitches, there is everything you could possibly ask for, from secluded woodland groves to extra-large pitches for mammoth twin-axle tourers.

There are four especially reserved pitches next to the toilet block, which are set aside for disabled visitors, but the highlight of the site has to be pitch 21, which Maureen calls “the Honeymoon Suite”.
Surrounded by grassy banks on three sides, this pitch is ideal for couples, and Maureen tells us that they have had a fair few honeymooners come to stay over the years.
Plentiful provisions
The facilities on site also make it easy to stay at Low Park Wood for days without needing to venture too far from your pitch.
The reception lodge boasts a good selection of handy provisions, drinks and ice-creams, as well as freshly baked loaves, rolls and scones, delivered each morning from the nearby Grange Bakery.
Wi-Fi internet access was rolled out last year, and Phil tells us that it has been a “fantastic success”. Visitors can buy credit from reception, and a network of around a dozen discreetly hidden transmitters ensures you can always get online without any hassle.
What’s more, the TV aerial boosters offer good reception for picking up Freeview digital TV on every pitch.
On a more prosaic note, the site even offers laundry facilities (£3 for a wash, 70p for a dry), which, as Maureen tells us, is particularly popular among hardcore caravanners who want to clean their delicates during a particularly long break away from home.
Flora and fauna
The woodland feel of this site isn’t just down to its remote location – the wildlife is plentiful, with a wide variety of birds often spotted, from buzzards to dippers.
If you’re lucky you might even spot some deer gambolling past, or you can seek out sea trout and salmon on a relaxing day of fly fishing.
Another big draw, particularly among families, is the nearby farm, which regularly opens its doors to visitors who can ride the ponies or even milk the cows.

Moving from fauna to flora and there is an abundance of bluebells and subtly pungent wild garlic (see right) that blooms in season. All in all, there’s plenty to inspire any keen wildlife photographer.
So it comes as no surprise, when Phil tells us that 60 per cent of the people who stop in at Low Park Wood have come to stay at least once before.
With so much to see and do both on site and beyond, this charming site definitely has to go down on the list for a repeat visit.
Site Fact File:

  • 141 pitches in total (all hardstanding and 9 serviced)
  • Pitches available from just £6.20 per night (excluding per capita charges)
  • Open to non-members, with a £10/night surcharge
  • Town centre within a ten-minute drive
  • Open this year from 23rd March to 5th November

*For more details see the Caravan Club website.


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Head of Park Holidays slams damaging weather forecasters

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by Tom Lowenstein

A Sussex caravan boss has slammed UK weather forecasters for their “increasingly alarmist” predictions, which he believes are putting people off booking their summer caravan holidays.

Park Holidays UK director Tony Clish told the BBC that weather forecasts are becoming “increasingly alarmist” – and it is having an impact on bookings in the caravan industry.

“We all plan in advance and some people decide not to do things and end up missing a nice day because of the weather forecast,” said Mr Clish, whose firm operates sites throughout Devon, Dorset, Kent and Sussex.

“It’s a very late booking pattern and people wait to see what forecasters say on the TV and radio.”

BBC weatherman Tomasz Schafernaker said he could understand Mr Clish’s sentiments as there was sometimes a tendency “to emphasise on the negative”, but he denied that weather forecasters are not “deliberately pessimistic”.

Earlier this month, 150 caravanners at a site in Wales had to be rescued by after flash flooding left them stranded amid rapidly-rising waters.

Camping & Caravanning Club member on his marks for Olympic Torch relay

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by Tom Lowenstein

A Camping and Caravanning Club member is counting down the days until he picks up the Olympic Flame on its way to London for the opening ceremony of London 2012.

Russell Winfield was chosen to be an official Torchbearer by the London 2012 Organising Committee and will take up his duty on June 27th as part of the relay team carrying the Flame through the town of Boston in Lincolnshire.

He will be one of the 8,000 inspirational people who will take part in the relay after being nominated by someone they know – though in Russell’s case it came as a complete surprise after an anonymous member of his table tennis club put his name forward.

“It’s just marvellous! It’s such an honour to be a part of the Games – even if it is only a tiny part,” he said.

“It really is going to be a moment to remember and it’s definitely something I look forward to telling my grandchildren about someday.”

The torch will eventually arrive at the Olympic Stadium in London to launch the games on July 27th, after passing by several of the Club’s award-winning caravan sites.

To help fans looking to attend events at the games, the Club has put together its ‘Summer of 2012 Event Campsites’ which are all located close to the action. For full details of those sites, click here.

Simple Caravan Insurance finds a new pitch with Direct Group buyout

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by Chris Jefferies

Simple Caravan Insurance has reacted to its multi-million pound buyout by Direct Group, claiming that “exciting times lie ahead”.

The deal sees Direct Group take ownership of all the Simple Insurance brands, which also includes the Simple Landlords Insurance. With the backing of its new owner, Simple expects to spend the next few months significantly increasing its customer base.

Caravan owners already insured with Simple have been told that their current insurance cover remains unaffected by the buyout process.

The takeover took place last month and Simple is in the process of writing to its customers about the change in parent company, informing them that it will be business as usual at the company.

In a statement, the company said: “Simple Caravan Insurance is now owned and administered by Millennium Insurance Brokers who are part of Direct Group.

“As a customer there is no action you need to take at all, you’ll still get the same friendly service from our UK based team and great levels of cover, as your policy is still underwritten by Ageas Insurance Limited.”

Simple Caravan Insurance is one of the UK’s leading insurance providers, covering thousands of touring and static caravan owners. They pride themselves on having a plain-talking, jargon-free approach.

Insider Media reports that Direct Group’s buyout deal was completed as part of a £15m refinancing facility from Lloyds Bank.

Rob Walton, Customer Manager for Simple Caravan Insurance, said: “These are really exciting times for Simple Caravan Insurance as we look to further develop our expanding presence within the caravanning community.

“We’re looking to draw on the expert resources within Direct Group to further enhance our service to the thousands of UK caravan owners choosing to protect their caravans with Simple each year, both in terms of the experience we offer to our customers and the cover available to choose from.”

Bailey Unicorn passes gruelling Australian outback challenge

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by Tom Lowenstein

Bailey Caravans pride themselves on putting their caravans through the toughest of endurance tests to make sure they fit the bill, but the Unicorn Pamplona’s recent visit to the Australian Outback took this process to a new extreme.

A recent trip to Al-Ko’s test track in Germany saw the Bailey Unicorn Cabrera complete 1,000 punishing laps of the circuit, but how would the Pamplona survive the notoriously harsh conditions of the outback?

Pretty well, as it turns out – travelling nearly the entire length of Australia between Melbourne and Perth over a three-week period, the Pamplona covered 3,500 miles in temperatures of up to 35 degrees Celsius.

Despite the extreme heat, the tourer successfully completed the gruelling challenge; just as the Bailey Pegasus overcame a similar Alpine Challenge in 2009 during which temperatures went as low as -15 degree Celsius.

In a statement, the company said: “[This] highlights the versatility of the Alu-Tech construction system and its ability to provide greater protection against the elements keeping you comfortable safe and secure no matter how tough the conditions.”

Ricky Tomlinson ‘gutted’ after gang steal his Hobby caravan

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by Tom Lowenstein

Actor Ricky Tomlinson has admitted he is “gutted” after thieves made off with his caravan, even though it had no wheels and was propped up on railway sleepers and breeze blocks in a picturesque Cheshire meadow.

The 72-year-old Royle Family star was staying in the £12,000 tourer while filming a nature programme, but had raised it off the ground because it was parked on a flood plain.

Pleading for the return of his treasured 27ft Hobby 635, the 72-year-old said he “can’t believe it happened”.

“It must have been a well-organised gang of thieves because it is a big, six-berth caravan which was not even on wheels,” he told the Daily Mail.

The vehicle was parked at the end of a mile-long country lane in the middle of a meadow and the thieves had to remove a gate from its hinges to make their getaway.

“I am gutted because I was in the process of letting one of my mates use it for a little outing for his two kids,” he added.

Figures from Club Care Insurance show that there is an annual spike in caravan thefts between May and August, with only three per cent of those stolen recovered.

Devon caravan site welcomes nesting tawny owls

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by Tom Lowenstein

A picturesque caravan site in Devon welcomed some new visitors recently, when a pair of tawny owls nesting in one of its bird boxes hatched a pair of owlets.

It has been five years since the RSPB put up bird boxes at Lydford Caravan & Camping Park, but now that the owls have finally moved in they have quickly settled and owlets have hatched recently.

As the parents spent the coming days working hard to keep their offspring fed, one of the babies fell from the nest and had to be taken in by wardens at the park.

Nicknamed Olly, the owlet resisted initial attempts to put him back in the purpose-built owl box so, with the assistance of RSPCA experts, wardens made a nest for him in the office overnight.

After enjoying a night indoors, Olly was returned to his worried parents, and the family have since taken flight and are enjoying the freedom of the Devon countryside – though their hoots can still be heard from around the park.

Birdwatchers visiting this David Bellamy Gold Conservation Award-winning site are certainly in for a treat!

Police appeal after caravan thieves steal dog show prizes

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by Tom Lowenstein

Police are on the hunt after caravan thieves in Lincolnshire stole a tourer that contained its owners prized dog show awards.

The authorities have now appealed for help tracking down the criminals who stole the 2004 Elddis Avante 475 from Broadgate in Sutton St James on early Friday morning.

It is thought that the white caravan, which had dog stickers decorating its rear window, was stolen between midnight and 4am.

“The offenders used a jack to lift one side up and have then used an unknown instrument to remove the locking nuts before breaking off the hitch lock,” police said.

In addition to the dog stickers, which the thieves may have now removed, the caravan also had a smashed outer panel on its front window and has maroon writing on its side.

Anyone who may know anything is asked to call PCSO Ben Harrington at Lincolnshire Police on 101 or through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.