Caravan owners warned about skilled thieves

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by Chris Malone

With Britain enjoying a late burst of warm sunshine last week, caravanners may have been tempted to let their guard down when it comes to protecting their tourer.

However, Tracker has warned that thieves are capable of overcoming even the most secure anti-theft devices if they are determined to relieve you of your mobile holiday home.

Police liaison officer for the firm Stuart Chapman explained that criminals find it easy to make good their escape when stealing a caravan at this time of year as they can blend in with the countless other tourers on the roads.

“This is the time of year that caravan thefts start to reach their peak and worryingly we are seeing examples where single-minded thieves are removing industry recognised anti-theft locks from caravans,” he said.

The firm gave an example of a caravan reported stolen in Newcastle at 13:00 BST earlier this week, which was later recovered by police 300 miles away in Essex the following morning at 04:00.

According to BBC Weather, the remainder of October could be a mixed bag, with some rain and a fair amount of wind perhaps meaning it is time to start thinking about bringing the caravan home for winter.

Stealth Concordia: Inside the luxury range’s three new layouts

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by Chris Jefferies
Launched last month, the Concordia range from Stealth Caravans promises to shake up the luxury touring market, with very competitive prices and premium features, such as the Alde wet heating system.
Stealth claims that these ‘vans will provide serious competition for the Bailey Unicorn and Swift Conqueror, but the Bedford-based manufacturer is hoping to do so with a carefully selected range of three layouts.

Each configuration has been given a name instead of a number, so potential buyers can choose whether they are looking for Harmony, Serenity or Tranquility.
Three’s company
First up, the Harmony layout (pictured below) is the first two-berth caravan that Stealth has ever made. This popular configuration features a convertible double bed in the front living area, an offside kitchenette and a spacious rear-end bathroom.

Caravan connoisseurs will instantly recognise this layout from the likes of the Bailey Unicorn Seville and the Swift Conqueror 480.
However, Stealth have gone for extra space in the front, resulting in a large shelf area and a seating area that can either be used as two singles or convert into a 7″ by 6’3″ super king-size bed.
What’s more, the rear-end bathroom comes with convection heating, rather than simply a heated towel rail, to make for a more cosy touring experience.
Further up the range and…
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Yorkshire caravan site to run off solar power

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by Chris Malone

Environmentally savvy farmer and entrepreneur Ken Proudley could appeal to the green minded holidaymakers out there after he kitted his caravan park out with solar panels.

The South Carolina Farm owner has installed the 27kW solar panels on one of his storage sheds to help power the site and his farmhouse, the York Press reported.

It is thought that the move will help provide up to half of the energy used by the 15 touring pitches and Mr Proudley’s home.

The businessman claimed that the savings from generating his own electricity, combined with the money he makes selling some of it, will help make a huge difference to the site’s bottom line.

“I investigated solar power mainly because I wanted to reduce the amount I was paying for electricity to supply the caravan park, where each site has an electrical hook-up,” he said.

“The free electricity is an extra bonus and we have been able to cut the farm’s carbon emissions and do our bit to further protect the environment.”

Seventy per cent of the solar panels are owned by Mr Proudley, while the remainder are owned by Nationwide Solar, which shares the feed in tariff.

South Carolina Caravan Park is located on Alne Road in Easingwold, with the pitches situated around a lake.

COMPETITION: Motorhome and Caravan Show ticket winners revealed

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by Chris Jefferies

With just over a week to go until the big event, things are really starting to gear up for next week’s NCC Motorhome and Caravan Show.

As we announced earlier this month, we have 25 pairs of tickets to give away as part of our biggest ever prize draw and the response has been phenomenal.

To enter, we asked you to name the venue where this caravan extravaganza was taking place and perhaps unsurprisingly you all correctly answered, that it’ll be at the Birmingham NEC.

Without further ado, the full list of the prize winners is as follows:

Brian Smith, Mel Bishop, Geoff Yates, Mark Fitter, Sally Luke, Kim Coate, Maureen Washington, Andrea Ellis, Matt Foreman, Chris Beeching, Philip Hennessey, Carol Jones, Eddie Irvine, Alfie Tucker, David Archer, Donna Tyson, Sandy Mallen, LV Whitaker, Neil Chick, Alan Jones, Roger Smith, Mark Wood, Richard Chaplow, Tom Owen and David Hayes.

We will be in touch with each of you directly by e-mail to get your address and the tickets will be sent out in the post.

For those of you who missed out, don’t forget that you can still book your tickets online for the bargain price of £8 per adult or £7 for over-60s (including free parking). Don’t forget, kids go free and group tickets are available for large parties.

Keep checking back with Caravan Times as we will be running more great giveaways over the coming months.

Dallas star speaks of motorhome love before NEC show appearance

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by Chris Jefferies

Down the years many celebrities have outed themselves as secret caravan lovers, from Brad Pitt and Tom Hanks to Pamela Anderson and Sandra Bullock, but few sound so down-to-earth about their touring experiences as Patrick Duffy.

Fans of 1980s TV will surely remember Patrick as Bobby Ewing in the smash-hit series Dallas, but his latest role is representing the Caravan Club at next week’s NCC Motorhome and Caravan Show.

Far from the flashy lifestyles of the Ewing family, Patrick admits that he is more of a “nester” and prefers the cosy comforts of his motorhome, he told the Daily Express.

Whilst most celebrities opt for an opulent Airstream or even a colossal RV, Patrick lived in a six foot by eight foot motorhome throughout the 13 years that Dallas was filmed.

Furthermore, the entire cast got in the spirit of things, with Larry Hagman (who played oil magnate JR Ewing) also living in a motorhome while they were making the show.

“He always had a small refrigerator filled with champagne. We had wild parties in our motorhomes in the old days,” Patrick told the national newspaper.

Since the show finished in 1991, the veteran actors have become much more relaxed and easy-living, but the caravans and motorhomes are still a large part of their lifestyle – Larry has since bought an Airstream and Patrick retains a fondness for getting back to nature.

“My most vivid memories of my childhood are those days out in the wilds with the family,” the 62-year-old recalls. “My dad would throw the family in the truck and we would head up to the mountains.”

“Caravanning perpetuates that concept. You are not distracted by television or the internal instruments you have at home. All you have to entertain yourself with are the tools of nature.”

Patrick Duffy will be appearing at next week’s NCC Motorhome and Caravan Show, as a Caravan Club ambassador. The show runs from Tuesday 11th to Sunday 16th October and tickets cost £7 each for adults.

Bailey to offer twin single bed option with Pegasus Rimini layout

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by Chris Jefferies

Bailey Caravans has opted to expand its best-selling Pegasus range, with a fixed twin bed layout that should appeal to families with older children.

Indeed this configuration appears to be in vogue at the moment, with Elddis Caravans only last week announcing that they will be offering a similar layout in the Elddis Avante 574.

The Bailey Pegasus is more of an up-market option however, with Al-Ko ATC stability control and shock absorbers fitted as standard.

As regards the single-axle Rimini layout, buyers can benefit from a spacious end-washroom with a Belfast-style sink and a Thetford Casette toilet.

What’s more, the wardrobe has been relocated to fit into the bathroom, thus freeing up more space in the middle of the ‘van.

Finally, for added peace of mind, the Bailey Pegasus II Rimini comes with a market-leading 10-Year fully comprehensive and fully transferable body shell integrity guarantee.

Prices and weights are yet to be confirmed, but if the rest of the Bailey Pegasus range is anything to go by, you can expect to pay around £17,000 for a tourer that weighs roughly 1,500kg.

Prospective buyers hoping to kick the tyres on this brand new layout will be able to see the Pegasus Rimini next week at the NCC Motorhome and Caravan Show, which runs from October 11th to 16th at the Birmingham NEC.

Indian summer heatwave prompts surge in bookings, says Friendly Club

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by Chris Jefferies

After the mildest summer since 1993, Britain is finally enjoying some warm, sunny weather, and caravanners have been quick to take advantage of this, with bookings through the Camping and Caravanning Club seeing a late boost.

One of the main benefits of caravan ownership is the ability to take a holiday at the drop of a hat, and clearly many have been taking advantage of this, during the warmest start to October since records began.

The Friendly Club reports that its bookings for last weekend were up by 29 per cent, when compared with the same weekend late year.

In particular, Wales is proving to be a highly popular destination with reservations up by a massive 70 per cent in the region. Also benefitting from the boom is the South East of England, where bookings were up by 40 per cent.

Bob Hill, sites director at the Camping and Caravanning Club, said: “The promise of some extended warm weather [is] the perfect opportunity to camp with the Club – whether you’re a new or an experienced camper, we aim to provide affordable holiday options for everyone.”

The Camping and Caravanning Club operates 109 sites across the UK and membership is available for just £39 per year.

In The Field: Have we found the best caravan site in the UK?

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by Chris Jefferies

Over the next few months, Caravan Times will be visiting various sites across the UK to bring you news, views and opinions from site owners, wardens and caravanners themselves. In the first of our new series, we look at the impressive facilities on offer at one of the Caravan Club’s biggest sites.

The perfect caravan site will mean different things to many people, with some valuing a secluded location and others willing to travel overseas for brilliant weather. But in terms of facilities on offer, few can come close to matching Hillhead Caravan Club Site in South Devon.

This 220-pitch site features an on-site complex with an outdoor swimming pool, a cash machine, a fully-licensed bar, a convenient shop, and even a restaurant, which offers a Sunday carvery.

So self-contained is the site, that Caravan Club Warden Kevin Satchwell claims that many visitors don’t see any reason to leave at any time during their stay.

“This site is always busy, especially with the bar, the pool, and the restaurant on site; it’s growing every year,” he said, adding that Hillhead is the “the pinnacle of the Club”.

Kevin should know too, after ten years’ service as a Caravan Club warden, including stints at various sites across the UK.
Those looking to keep the kids entertained are very well catered for, as the site boasts a football pitch and an indoor game room with air hockey, arcade games and a pool table.

For younger kids there’s a playground, while older kids can bring their skateboard or scooter to show off their tricks on the site’s skate ramp.

Different strokes

Determining the UK’s best caravan site can only be a matter of opinion, but Hillhead does a great job of balancing the facilities of a large site with the privacy of a small site, due to the numerous hedge-lined pitches.

Furthermore, with the site open 44 weeks per year, the Club has invested in many hard-standing pitches, which are very popular in the winter months, Kevin adds.


Click the image to see our gallery from Hillhead Caravan Site

Naturally the summer is the most popular time to visit, and in particular the August Bank Holiday is a particularly busy weekend for the Hillhead team, with the Dartmouth Regatta taking place just a few minutes down the road.

This annual sailing extravaganza regularly features a series of yacht and dinghy racing events, as well as a special appearance from the RAF Red Arrows.

Other convenient aspects that make Hillhead so appealing include two massive toilet and shower blocks, complete with laundry and recycling facilities, as well as a dedicated dog walking area.

Of course it’s impossible to decide on the UK’s best caravan site until you’ve seen them all, but this immaculately-kept site will take quite some beating.

2012 Coachman range: Prices, weights and new dealers announced

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by Chris Jefferies

Coachman Caravans has announced the prices and weights for its new 2012 range, as well as confirming that two new dealers will be joining their nationwide network.

Entry-level buyers may be tempted by the great value Amara range, with prices starting at just £14,765 for the 380/2 layout (which is £280 lower than last year) and weights coming down by three per cent or 47.5kg on average.

It’s also worth noting that elsewhere Coachman has actually bucked the industry trend and increased its MTPLMs on six of their larger ‘vans in the Pastiche, VIP and Laser ranges.

Prices have also gone up across these three ranges by around six per cent. This is down to all the interior and exterior improvements that the manufacturer has introduced.

Each 2012 Coachman Pastiche, VIP and Laser will come fitted with a panoramic sunroof as standard, while Alde heaters have been added to the Laser range and Al-Ko ATC stability control systems will be fitted to all the Laser and VIP ‘vans.

Coachman owners will also benefit from a stronger dealer network in 2012, with M&M Leisure in Haverhill and Tilshead Caravans in Salisbury both due to stock all the new models.

Graham Bashford from M&M Leisure said: “We chose Coachman to give our customers more choice, and to provide a selection of luxury caravans from a manufacturer with a proven track record of providing quality products to the market.”

It seems that all these changes will pay off as the Hull-based manufacturer has already seen a 12 per cent increase in demand for their brochure.

To see these new caravans for yourself, head along to the Birmingham NEC from Tuesday October 11th to Sunday October 16th for the NCC Motorhome & Caravan Show.

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Cooking up a treat in a converted Carlight caravan

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by Chris Jefferies

From Aistreams to Sprites, classic caravans have often been made into stylish catering vehicles, but this particular project has had an extra helping of vintage class.

The Flying Ducks was the impulsive idea of catering manager Ruth Tidd, after she stumbled across a 1964 Carlight Casetta while browsing eBay with her sister-in-law Susan last year.

For the bargain price of £400, the ladies snapped up this retro ‘van and Ruth even sold her house to finance the 12-month restoration project, which was carried out by St Georges Garage in Camberley.

A labour of love

After getting in touch with Carlight, Ruth immediately became aware of the venerable legacy that her caravan was part of, so she was eager to do the job properly.

“Despite the age of it, the chassis and floors were really sturdy,” she said. “We carefully removed the interior parts and sold them on eBay for as much as the original caravan cost me.”

This was by no means a cheap restoration job though; as Ruth estimates that the whole project cost her around £40,000 in total.

Since its completion, the Flying Ducks has gone down a storm, with Ruth and Susan taking it on a breathless tour of the UK this summer, including stop-offs at Hampton Court, London’s Southbank and Jimmy’s Harvest Festival in Suffolk, where it was short-listed for the British Street Food Awards.

Upcoming events for the girls include The Lord Mayor’s Show in London and Broadstairs Food Festival this weekend, while many organisers are already asking them to come back next year.

In at the deep end

Despite the fact that her business relies on caravanning, Ruth admits that she had precious little experience before this year, with only a few family caravan holidays under her belt.

Since the beginning of the year, she has taken to towing with gusto, trading in her Toyota Yaris for a Hyundai SantaFe. “I’d never towed before, but I’m an expert now – I can even reverse,” she said.

Such a gutsy towcar was called for as the heavy-duty cooking equipment has quite considerably upped the Carlight’s MTPLM.

Inside the Flying Ducks, Ruth and Susan can call on a six-burner Calor gas oven and a super-size fridge to help with their tasty creations.

On the menu, punters can enjoy a range of gourmet treats, from fillet steak ciabatta, to handmade pies, and from hearty soups to their famous fish finger sandwiches with homemade tartare sauce.

Those partial to a tipple may be interesting in trying their Stumble Crumble, which includes rhubarb soaked in gin, or a glamorous cocktail.

Everything is served up on authentic 1950s china, and the ladies even dress up in period outfits to complete the retro look.

A baby duck on the way

Enthused by the success of her first ‘van, Ruth told Caravan Times that she has already set her sights on expanding, with a second tourer purchased and earmarked for renovation.

“I’ve just a second little caravan, only six foot long, and it will be serving teas, coffees and cakes. I don’t know the make or model, but it’s a classic that needs some work. It was being used by a farmer as somewhere for his cat to sleep, so I offered to swap him a cat bed for a caravan, and he agreed” she said.

The only problem now is reigning in the desire to convert vintage caravans, as Ruth admits that before long there may not be any left for everyone else.

“It’s ideal for the job, there’s no engine to worry about and they really grab people’s attention. I’ve had so many caravanners come up to me and ask about the ‘van. It’s just been snowballing, and by the looks of things, my feet won’t touch the ground next year!”


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Don’t neglect caravan insurance in winter, says NCC

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by Chris Malone

While the recent warm spell might have allowed caravanners to squeeze an extra weekend or two out of their tourer this year, don’t forget winter is just around the corner.

Many will be bringing their caravan back to their property or leaving it in storage for the colder months, it is important to maintain the insurance on the vehicle.

According to the National Caravan Council (NCC), it is unwise to let the cover lapse during winter, even though the tourer might not be in use.

“The Caravan Safety and Security Group, which is a joint venture between the National Caravan Council, the Caravan Club and the Camping and Caravanning Club, recommends year-round insurance for touring caravans – even if the vehicle is not in use,” a spokesman for the NCC said.

“Then if your caravan is stolen or damaged, you will still have cover.”

He added that insurers will often look favourably on those who put their tourer in storage and tend to give “generous discounts” on premiums as a reward.

BBC explores the world of Welsh caravanning in new TV show

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by Chris Jefferies

The Welsh people and their love affair with caravans is the subject of BBC Wales’ newest Friday night programme, which starts tomorrow at 7.30pm.

Fronted by Welsh comedian Chris Corcoran, Wales on Wheels is a four-part series that will take a look at the weird and wonderful things that people west of the border get up to in their caravans.

Tomorrow night’s episode is all about the Royal Welsh Show, an annual agricultural event that brings almost 200,000 caravanners to Builth Wells.

A champion sheep shearer, a horse shampoo salesman and a group of party-loving teenage girls are all featured in the light-hearted programme, which gives a great insight into what makes this vibrant and varied show so popular.

In particular the girls, who call themselves The Frizzballs, are a real delight; respraying their caravan in funky colourful stripes and struggling to put up their awning.

Caravan lovers will also enjoy spotting the range of tourers that are included – from Adria and Ace to Bailey, and there’s even a luxury Hobby model to feast your eyes on.

Wales on Wheels starts on BBC One Wales tomorrow night (September 30th) at 7.30pm and runs for four weeks, with upcoming episodes looking at year-round touring and various prize-winning sites.

Update: The first episode of Wales on Wheels can now be seen on iPlayer.