Going to Glastonbury? Top tips for festival caravan and motorhome hire

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by Holly Tribe

Festival season is nearly upon us, and dreams of sun drenched weekends filled with music and revelry are soon to be realised. But the spectres of knee-deep mud, dubious toilet blocks, or soggy sleeping bags are enough to dampen even the most hardened festival goers’ spirit.

Glastonbury is widely accepted as the biggest UK festival; 175,000 people attend every year to catch some of the biggest headliners in the world; Paul McCartney, Jay-Z and U2 to name but a few. And with tens of thousands of outfits expected on site during the week long event, it also qualifies as one of the largest caravan and motorhome meets in the UK.

So, if you don’t fancy joining the great unwashed, help is at hand! Showers, flushing toilets and even hot water are available if you come armed with a caravan, motorhome or campervan. There are two fields dedicated to touring vehicles which open on the Tuesday; one to the east and one to the west of the festival site.

Rent-a-rig

If you don’t have a caravan, or don’t fancy hauling your own rig half way across the country, there are a number of caravan and motorhome hire companies that offer a rental service. Customers have the choice of picking up a caravan direct from a retail outlet, or to have the vehicle delivered directly to the site ahead of time. Rental contractors can organise access with the off-site manager to come and set up the rig before your arrival.

Tilshead Caravans in Salisbury has a range of motorhomes and caravans available for hire. Each model comes fully equipped with all the cooking and washroom mod cons, and customers can choose a number of accessories to enhance their stay, including a picnic table and chairs or colour TV. The base rate for a two berth caravan for a week’s rental is £345, or £450 for a six berth.


If you want to get into the festival spirit in a lovingly restored vintage caravan, then Hazy Days Caravan Hire have two fabulous rigs available to rent – a 1967 three berth Pearman Briggs Safari or a 1972 two berth Carlight Casalette. Both vans are available for the entirety of the festival for £700. The company will deliver and pick up to the campervan field, and they also have representatives on site should you need any caravan-related help during the festival.

DIY caravanning

If you’ve decided to dodge the mud and take your own rig, there are a couple of things to be aware of. Facilities on site include fresh water, and waste water collection points along with further toilet facilities. The fields are surrounded by steel shield fencing and patrolled by security staff to keep your belongings safe and sound.

Glass bottles are prohibited, so don’t forget to decant any liquids into plastic alternatives before you arrive. Campervan and caravan passes cost £75 per vehicle on top of your festival pass, but vehicles longer than seven metres are required to purchase two campervan tickets to cover the extra space required. For more information about taking a caravan or campervan to the festival and find out how to purchase tickets, click here.

Power up

Glastonbury, and indeed the majority of festivals with provision for touring vehicles, don’t allow generators or provide electric hook up in the camping fields, so you’ll need to provide your own power supply to last throughout the festival. Solar panels can help keep your leisure batteries topped up, via trickle battery chargers, and it’s a good idea to come armed with a spare gas canister as back up in case you run out. There’s nothing more frustrating that having all the trappings of an full English with nothing to cook it on!

Hyundai i40: new tow car contender for under £19k

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by Chris Jefferies

Caravan owners may be tempted to trade in their old tow car after seeing the Hyundai i40, as this family estate boasts sleek styling as well as great functionality.

With prices starting at under £19,000, it’s certainly affordable for a spacious family car, and it should be very cheap to run – the i40 qualifies for insurance group 12, while Hyundai claims careful drivers can get 65 mpg.

Tow car drivers can choose from a 1.6 or a 2.0-litre petrol engine, while the 1.7-litre diesel option can deliver up to 134 bhp.

As standard you will get 16-inch alloy wheels, steering-wheel mounted controls, and an electric parking brake with automatic hold for added safety.

Optional extras include leather seats, cruise control, rear-view parking cameras and parking sensors.

Furthermore, all i40s come with five-years of roadside assistance, vehicle health checks and warranty cover.

The estate version will go on sale in September, while the saloon version should be along later in the year.

Former footballers set off on caravan charity cycle ride

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by Chris Jefferies

Two retired Portsmouth footballers have set off on a 192-mile cycle ride with the aim of raising thousands of pounds f
or a caravan charity.

Alan McLoughlin and Guy Butters both played for Portsmouth FC in the 1990s, and today (27th May) they set off on their bikes in a 26-strong line-up of fundraisers, who will pedal from Exmouth to Pagham, the Portsmouth News reports.

The gruelling challenge is all in aid of the Oakley Waterman Caravan Foundation, which was set up in 2005 after former Pompey footballer Dave Waterman’s son died at the age of six from a rare form of cancer.

Money raised will go towards funding the Foundation’s work, which involves taking children with life-threatening illnesses on free caravan holidays.

So far £15,000 has been pledged by sponsors, but the team of fundraisers is hoping to raise even more money for this worthy cause.

Waterman, who will also be cycling the distance himself, said: “Everyone is excited and a bit nervous as well. It’s going to be a bit of a trek – but a big achievement.”

New 2012 Range Rover Evoque: light on weight, lighter on your conscience

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by Marcus Dubois

Many motoring journalists will be familiar with that sinking feeling. When an exciting, dynamic concept car is well received by public and press alike – and then goes past the committee and safety tests to emerge tamed and compromised. Yet what’s remarkable about the hotly anticipated Range Rover Evoque is the resemblance to the Land Rover LRX concept of 2008. The extreme raked roofline, the peeled back slim headlights, and the coupe-like stance have all made it to the production Evoque.

The beauty of the Evoque is more than skin-deep however, and extends to an argument that could define the very future of Land Rover. With the length of a family car and the emissions of a supermini the new vehicle is an attempt to tackle the gas-guzzling reputation of Land Rover head-on. Recent directives from Europe have meant car companies have been forced to reduce emissions in their fleet, so the Evoque should be the closest you’ll get to guilt-free 4×4 motoring.

Coupe looks, 4×4 stance

Approaching the Evoque for the first time is an event. This car is the Audi TT for off-road vehicles, with an instantly recognisable and striking profile. Available in both three-door and five door options, each model sports a tapering roofline and slim headlights for an aggressive purposeful look. With pricing starting at £24,000, the range is offered in three trim levels with top-of-the-line Dynamic models hitting £44,000.

Step inside the Evoque, and it becomes clear the designers aimed for a modern take on the luxury of the Range Rover. The soft-touch plastics and flush switchgear comes straight from its bigger brother, while the leather is commensurate with the forty-year old name it carries. The driving position is similar to the Range Rover Sport, with a high centre console wrapped around the driver like a sports coupe. Everything is close at hand, with superb information screen for sat-nav, phone and audio.

Four wheels driven or two?

Die-hard Land Rover fans may want to look away now. The Evoque departs from the typical “go-anywhere” Land Rover brief with a two-wheel drive version. The firm explains it cuts 75kg from the kerbweight while adding stop-start technology for greater economy. Yet some purists will refuse to accept what is seen as brand dilution.

If the move to two wheels is a step too far, then fear not: most versions of the Evoque come with all wheels driven. Land Rover claims it used the Volkswagen Scirocco and Audi TT as benchmarks for handling, and although the baby Range is no coupe to drive, in all formats the steering is crisp and weighted. All Evoque models come with the five-seating Terrain Response dial, which changes the chassis and dampener settings according to driving conditions. The result is an extremely capable car which strongly echoes its older sibling the Range Rover.

Sipping petrol

Four engines are on offer at launch, with the quick 240bhp turbocharged petrol claiming impressive acceleration figures. However the best seller will undoubtedly be from the three diesel ranges, with both more suitable for our purpose.

Three variants of the 2.2 diesel cover everything from economy to performance. The eD4 uses a 150bhp version married to front-wheel drive, and emits less than 130g/km of CO2. Land Rover is claiming a staggering 58mpg on the combined cycle for this model.

Our pick of the bunch however is the 2.2 litre turbodiesel which offers impressive torque output for towing and decent returns at the pumps. The 190hp SD4 four-wheel drive version will undoubtedly prove the bestseller on UK roads.

Since the final design was announced 5,000 UK buyers have parted with a deposit of £2,000 without so much as driving the Evoque. And there is no doubt Land Rover has a potential sales smash on its hand. It is to their credit that the firm did not abuse this goodwill and cut corners, but worked hard to create a genuine “baby” Range Rover with commensurate levels of luxury. The only question remains, can they build them fast enough?

Planned footpath near caravan park labelled as dangerous

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by Chris Jefferies

A proposed footpath next to a Norfolk caravan park has been described by the site’s director as a “potential safety risk” for children.

John Roser, director of Snettisham Caravan Park, told Lynn News that the plans, currently being considered by Norfolk County Council, would not be “desirable”.

“The owners come down here because it is a safe area and they don’t want a public right of way through the park,” he added.

Mr Roser also said that many of his site’s regulars fear that the path would breach their privacy, be a potential safety risk for children and potentially lower the value of their holiday retreats.

Snettisham Caravan Park has been used as a children’s play area since the 1960s, he added, as well as housing up to 30 caravans at a time.

However, Eric Langford, chairman of the local parish council, said that the footpath is on public land and has always been used to access the nearby beach.

Pensioner lucky to survive after caravan fire

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by Chris Jefferies

Police said a 72-year-old woman was lucky to survive after an arson attack on a caravan led to two flats being wrecked in the Leyland region of Lancashire.

The unnamed pensioner managed to get out of her home in time, as the fire, which was started in the early hours of Saturday (May 28th), destroyed most of her possessions, the Lancashire Evening Post reports.

Firefighters were called to the scene after neighbours reported the fire at the two-storey building, which had a caravan parked next to it.

Detective Sargeant John Cass, of South Ribble CID, said: “What is clear is [the fire] has been started deliberately in the caravan, which is right next to the house.”

He added that she was lucky to wake up in time otherwise she might have perished in the blaze.

The motive behind the fire, which will serve as a stark warning to anyone think of cutting corners on their caravan insurance, is not yet known, the police officer said.

Used Caravan of the Week: BIOD 420T

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by Holly Tribe

Our search for an out of the ordinary ‘Used Caravan’ appeared to have been blighted by a chronic case of ‘boring white caravan’ syndrome this week; that is until this little number cropped up.

Not being particularly well versed in obscure European caravan brands, the BIOD 420T practically leapt off the classified pages and came as a very pleasant surprise next to all the usual ABI, Bailey and Fleetwood suspects.

Click here to see more photos of the BIOD 420T

Hailing from the Netherlands, BIOD caravans are constructed using a ‘seamless’ reinforced fibreglass polyester build method. This gives each model a tough, durable outershell with a unique rounded profile which is unlike anything currently available on the British second hand market.

In fact the only thing that comes close is March’s Used Caravan pick – the Voyager Vector, of which only three were ever made.

Simple cooking and washing facilities make this a functional, inexpensive option, but be warned, this Dutch-built tourer has the entrance door located on the opposite side to British ‘vans which is something to consider when unhitching at UK caravan parks.

History

This particular model was built in 1998 in the Netherlands, and was imported into the UK by its current owner in 2002. The interior is not dissimilar to British built caravans – twin dinettes provide ample living space – with the larger dining area located towards the front with a secondary living space at the rear. But it’s the rounded exterior lines that guarantee a turned head or two once you’re on site.

The ‘van is listed in a “clean and fresh” condition, with two previous owners, and comes with the original registration documents and receipt of purchase (in Dutch).

Kit and Caboodle

There’s plenty of storage provided by a full sized wardrobe located next to the bathroom along with ten decent sized overhead lockers around the perimeter of the living areas.

The kitchen features a three gas ring propane burner, a mixer tap over the sink and an Electrolux fridge. On colder days the cabin can be heated by a Trumatic S3002 gas heater.

Ventilation is provided via a single roof vent and five Bonoplex windows which come dressed with either blinds, curtains, or nets.

There’s an awning included in the selling price along with two gas cylinders, which can be stored in the front external gas lockers.

  • Price: £1,021.00 (reserve not yet met)
  • MTPLM: 1,150kg
  • Length: 4.65m
  • Berth: 4
  • Axle: Single

Click here to view more details of the BIOD 420T for sale


Find more photos like this on CaravanTimes

Caravan owners heading overseas urged to check breakdown cover

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by Chris Jefferies

Caravan owners thinking of taking their touring holiday overseas this summer have been advised to check their insurance policy to make sure it includes breakdown cover for every country they want to visit.

Insurance broker Footman James has reminded caravanners than many popular European destinations, such as Switzerland and Norway, are not covered as standard by European breakdown policies.

Paul Matthews, managing director at the company, said: “With all the excitement and the lure of the open road, we realise that the last thing people might be thinking of is whether their insurance policy includes breakdown cover as standard.”

He added that it is “crucial” to check where you are and are not covered, as you may have to be towed to a garage, which can incur extra costs, as well as repair work.

Footman James’ car insurance extends to ‘Territorial Limit B’ countries, which includes all EU countries, plus the Czech Republic, Hungary, Norway, Slovakia and Switzerland, and can cover trips of up to 35 days.

IAM calls for higher UK motorway speed limit

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by Chris Jefferies

A major motoring organisation has found that 70 per cent of drivers would be in favour of raising the speed limit on UK motorways to 80mph.

According to the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), 60 per cent of road users said they would be more likely to stick to the limit if it was raised by 10mph.

Whilst caravan owners rarely get up to such speeds, it is thought that the higher limit would lead to reduced congestion and shorter journey times for all road users.

Neil Greig, director of policy and research at the IAM, said: “Shortening journey times for people travelling at quieter times, as transport secretary Philip Hammond suggests, is a good idea, providing it doesn’t have a negative effect on safety.”

His comments come after a recent Department for Transport study found that 52 per cent of cars exceed the 70mph speed limit in free-flowing motorway traffic, while 16 per cent travel at 80mph or more.

Campers and caravanners come together for Big Pitch

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by Chris Jefferies

Caravan owners and campers alike will be celebrating the benefits of their hobby next month as part of the Camping and Caravanning Club’s Big Pitch camp out.

Coming as the climax of National Camping and Caravanning Week 2011 (May 30th to June 5th), the Big Pitch aims to celebrate the way camping provides family togetherness, life balance, a sense of community and freedom.

Robert Louden, the Club’s director general, said that his organisation is currently emphasising the emotional benefits of outdoor holidays, following on from their Real Richness survey, which last month proved that camping makes you feel happier.

“The Big Pitch camp out is the perfect opportunity to get together with friends and family to enjoy a night under the stars – why not test our theory and see if camping really does make you feel emotionally richer?” he said.

Camping and caravanning are currently experiencing a surge in popularity, the Club claims, with advanced bookings up by 17 per cent compared with this time last year.

Glasgow Jazz festival to tempt caravanners north

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by Chris Jefferies

Music lovers may be tempted to take their caravan north of the border this summer, as the Scottish city of Glasgow is hosting its 25th annual jazz festival. More than 250 artists and performers will be playing in the city across 16 venues during the five-day event, which runs from June 29th to July 3rd.

Glasgow has a rich jazz music heritage, with previous performers including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson and Ray Charles, leading to the city being named as a UNESCO City of Music in 2008.

This year’s line-up includes acts such as Cleo Laine, Leon Russell, Oscar winning composer Michael Legrand and Ramsey Lewis, who will be performing his classic 1970s album Sun Goddess.

Caravan owners looking to stay near Glasgow can choose from a range of parks in South West Scotland, including Blair Drummond and Craigie Gardens, both of which are certified Caravan Club sites.

What are your experiences of caravanning abroad?

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by Marcus Dubois

Freedom. It’s the one word most used when caravanners are asked why they first took up the hobby. The freedom to hitch up, hit the road and roam to previously unexplored places – all while taking the comforts of home with you. And while much of the joy of caravanning is discovering new places in Britain, there are plenty who take advantage of a short hop to Europe to see what’s on offer.

If you’ve previously balked at the idea of taking the ‘van abroad, then you may be reassured that others regularly make the trip across the Channel. Both major caravan clubs offer services which help book recommended pitches in Europe, alongside ferry bookings and insurance.

Club together for the best deals

The Caravan Club hosts a useful “Overseas trips” section on its website where you can find information and book holidays. The Club also boasts an offering of over 200 caravan sites in its Continental Caravanning network for ease of mind. Recently the organisation also published a two-volume Caravan Europe guide which gives details of 8,000 campsites.

Carefree is the dedicated travel service from the Camping and Caravanning Club which looks after overseas trips for members. An online booking system exclusive to Club members takes care of the logistics, while there are regular offers on ferry crossings and attractions. And the service is truly worldwide, with fly-drive holidays to places as far-flung as South Africa and New Zealand.

Prepare for adventure

If you’ve not taken the caravan abroad before, it helps to draw up a checklist of things to prepare to cover any eventualities. For example, many countries on the Continent legally require motorists to carry certain equipment such as warning triangles, reflective waistcoats and fire extinguishers. A number of countries also require motorists to keep their headlights on at all times, and you may also need to adjust your headlights to comply with regulations on dipped beams.

Thankfully both Clubs provide plenty of information to get you started, and we believe there’s nothing more valuable than sharing experiences and tips to help others on their way.

So this week we’re asking readers what are your experiences of caravanning abroad? Have you experienced any pitfalls in booking, getting there, or falling foul of obscure laws?

Click here to share your thoughts in our forum topic