Alan Rogers offers cheaper caravan holidays in France

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by Gemma Roskell

The new 2011 brochure from Alan Rogers includes more than 100 French and Spanish family campsites, with pitches for touring caravans.

Locations in the brochure include beachside sites and large family holiday parks, with restaurants, outdoor swimming pools and slides.

Many European campsites charge a £25 booking fee, but when you book through Alan Rogers, the flat fee of £45 covers an unlimited number of sites, making it cheaper to string together a multi-site holiday.

Prices for a May half-term break at Camping Bretignolles in the Vendee Region of France start at £330 per family, based on four sharing a car and caravan.

Alternatively, you can book a seven-night break in a mobile home for just £510 per family of four, and all Alan Rogers prices include return Dover-Dunkirk ferry crossings.

Alan Rogers offers a range of six hobby-specific camping guides from £6.99 each, and the free 2011 brochure can be ordered online now from www.alanrogers.com.

Lightweight Caravans Week: Ariva & Clubman SB models from Lunar Caravans

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by Holly Tribe

This year the threat of rising fuel prices has been ever-present, driving up the cost of living for many. And here at Caravan Times we’ve heard from readers who are concerned that high fuel prices will put them off taking caravan holidays.

With this in mind we launched Lightweight Caravans Week, where we’ve been exploring those compact caravans currently on sale which save fuel and are easy to tow. And ‘lightweight luxury’ champions Lunar Caravans offer examples of where light weight doesn’t have to mean small interior space or less equipment.

Well known in the industry for building class leading layouts at competitive prices, below we take a closer look at two of Lunar’s key lightweight models.

Ariva and Clubman series

From a portfolio of 23 caravans the Lunar Ariva is the smallest and lightest of the bunch. The front twin berth and roomy rear end washroom makes it a joy for couples, and with an MRO of just 886kg it’s unlikely you’d have to switch up to a larger towcar. It also has the narrowest body in Lunar’s catalogue – so if you’re looking for a tourer that’s easy to manoeuvre and store, it’s an excellent option.

Moving up the scale, we get to Lunar’s mid level offering, the Clubman series. Since its release last year the Clubman SB has taken centre stage for Lunar. According to the firm, its ‘two-bedroom style’ layout has proved popular with customers and it is by far the lightest offering on the market with this unique floorplan.

The Crusader Supercyclone from Elddis Caravans and the 2011 Swift Challenger 565 have similar layouts, but are both in excess of 100kgs heavier. If you value lighter towing weights over extensive kit lists the Clubman SB could well join your shopping list.

Lunar Ariva

  • Berth: 2
  • Overall length: 5.18m
  • Overall width: 2.02m
  • Overall height: 2.6m
  • MTPLM: 999kg
  • MRO: 886kg

Lunar Clubman SB

  • Berth: 4
  • Overall length: 5.79m
  • Overall width: 2.28m
  • Overall height: 2.65m
  • MTPLM: 1,485kg
  • MRO: 1,330kg

VIDEO: Eastenders star Shaun Williamson talks about his caravanning experiences

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by Marcus Dubois

Best known for playing hapless car dealer Barry Evans in Eastenders, actor Shaun Williamson is also an accomplished singer and comedian. Last year he toured the UK in the theatre adaptation of classic TV comedy Porridge, and regularly appears on stage singing classic material.

And at Boat and Caravan 2011 he performed as a guest of the Caravan Club, entertaining a packed audience with his wry anecdotes and singing. A keen caravanner and member of the Caravan Club, Marcus Dubois caught up with Shaun to talk about his touring experiences.

Hear about Shaun’s favourite caravan sites in the UK, and how some people still find it hard to separate the actor from the character. And find out whether he thinks dogs should be allowed on caravan sites…

Camping and Caravanning Club offers 44-day holiday adventure tour through Argentina

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by Gemma Roskell

The Camping and Caravanning Club has launched a new tour of Argentina, which takes in the capital city of Buenos Aires and includes a hotel stay by the Iguazu Falls.

This 44-day trip will depart from the UK on September 15th, and includes extensive travel in the Northern Argentinean countryside, which boasts flocks of flamingos and scenic sugar cane fields.

The climax of the tour is a flight to the Iguazu Falls on the border with Brazil and Paraguay.

Guests will then be treated to three nights’ hotel accommodation, giving plenty of time to explore the 275 waterfalls in this region.

Furthermore, the tour starts and finishes in the vibrant capital city of Buenos Aires, home of the Tango.

The total cost of this six-week tour is £5,950 per person, inclusive of return flights, basic motorhome hire, hotel accommodation at Iguazu Falls, campsite fees and several excursions. Motorhome upgrades can be arranged at an extra cost.

Boat & Caravan Show sees 4% increase in visitors

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by Gemma Roskell

The caravan industry appears to be booming in 2011, as the 50th annual National Boat & Caravan Show has reported a four per cent increase in visitors.

A total of 86,988 outdoor enthusiasts visited the Birmingham NEC for this year’s event, which took place last week.

Furthermore, 25 per cent of show exhibitors have already rebooked for the 2012 event, reflecting a broad confidence in the industry’s future.

Last week also saw the launch of the Outdoor Leisure Show, which ran alongside the Boat & Caravan Show and attracted 35,240 visitors.

Event director Andy Gibb said: “These visitor figures are a major boost for all those within the industry including manufacturers, dealers, retailers and leading associations.”

This recent boom in the caravan industry appears to have coincided with the end of the recession, as the latest figures from the National Caravan Council show that this type of holiday was 24 per cent more popular in 2009 than in 2008.

Lunar Caravans records £3.2m sales at Boat & Caravan Show

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by Gemma Roskell

Last week’s Boat & Caravan Show was particularly profitable for Lunar Caravans, with the retailer posting total sales of £3.2million from the six-day show at the Birmingham NEC.

With 26 models on display, there was plenty to lure in caravan enthusiasts, although the Quasar 464 and Lexon 550, both new for 2011, attracted particular attention.

The Clubman SB model was the biggest seller, while the Quasar range accounted for 42 per cent of Lunar’s total sales.

Martin Henderson, sales and marketing director for Lunar, said that the company was anticipating a difficult week, but the results have outstripped expectations.

“In anticipation to what we believed would be a challenging February show, the Lunar team and our retailers have worked extremely hard. We are incredibly encouraged as we head towards Easter.”

Lunar Caravan’s sales will have certainly been helped by the high turn-out at the 50th annual Boat & Caravan Show, which welcomed four per cent more punters than last year’s event.

Lightweight Caravans Week: New and used Sprite Caravans offer compact comfort

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by Holly Tribe

Throughout the week we’ve been celebrating some of the great lightweight ranges currently on the market. We’ve visited quirky T@b caravans, Italian pop-up specialists Trigano with their 2011 Silver collection, and today we take a look at lightweight old-timer Sprite caravans.

The Sprite style has always been low weight and low cost; the first Sprite Caravans were created by Sam Alper in 1947 using old army surplus materials. Due to post war austerity measures, equipment and money were pretty thin on the ground and Mr Alper wanted to create a compact, rugged caravan that could be purchased for under £200.

Even though weights and prices across the industry have crept up over the years the Sprite range still offers a great lightweight alternative for the entry level market. The range now features a twin axle six berth model albeit with a fairly respectable MRO of 1,340 kg, but it’s the smaller models that really pack a fearsome featherweight punch.

The compact Finesse 2 is the smallest of the bunch. Standing at 3.66m in length with an MRO of 935kg – it is light enough to be matched with a VW Golf or Vauxhall Corsa towcar.


If you’re after a used vintage model, there’s still plenty around. A recent Caravan Times member,Phil Esgate, purchased his 1987 Sprite Musketeer as a retirement project and is in the process of bringing it back to its former glory (pictured).

Over the years, the Sprite brand has proved a survivor despite coming under the ownership of numerous different companies. It currently comes under the Swift Caravans umbrella and remains one of its best selling ranges. Made up of seven keenly priced layouts, here’s a selection from this best selling range below.

Sprite Finesse 2
The baby of the bunch, the Finesse 2 features Swift’s solid construction build in a compact yet comfortable layout.

    Berth: 2

    Overall length: 5.35m

    Overall width: 2.23m

    Overall height: 2.61m

    MTPLM: 1,084kg

Sprite Alpine 2
With it’s spacious rear end washroom and galley kitchen, the Alpine 2 is a great option for couples who want a bit of extra space.

    Berth: 2

    Overall length: 6.04m

    Overall width: 2.23m

    Overall height: 2.61m

    MTPLM: 1,156kg

Sprite Alpine 4

It may be heaviest caravan in our lightweight round up, but it is the only tourer to feature a fixed double bed, and with an MRO of just 1,029kg it still fits well within the lightweight bracket.

    Berth: 4

    Overall length: 6.45m

    Overall width: 2.23m

    Overall height: 2.61m

    MTPLM: 1,209kg

Relief for caravan towcar owners after Government drops scheduled 1p rise in petrol prices

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by Marcus Dubois

The Government has revealed it will scrap plans to increase fuel duty by a penny after the threat of protests from motorists. The rise in fuel tax had previously been announced by Labour in its final budget. Yet uncertainty in the Middle East and the rapidly escalating price of petrol has made any changes untenable, forcing the Coalition to backtrack.

Earlier this week Caravan Times asked whether rising fuel prices are changing the way we drive. A number of caravanners revealed they have been forced to cut back on trips after the increase in fuel costs. And online campaign group Fair Fuel UK amassed over 120,000 signatures in a petition against the increase.

David Cameron has now promised to look closer at ways of countering the rise in fuel prices. The Prime Minister sympathised with motorists who he felt are going through a “tough” time.

At Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday Mr Cameron said “I know how tough it is for motorists, particularly for small businesses and families, when they are filling up at the pumps and it’s over £1.30 a litre.

“We will look at the fact that extra revenue comes to the Treasury when there’s a higher oil price, and see if we can share some of that benefit with the motorist.”

Fuel prices are currently at £1.30 a litre, with fuel duty costing just under 59 pence for every litre sold. This year caravanners have already been forced to absorb the impact of the rise in VAT from 17.5% to 20%.

Have you been forced to take fewer caravan holidays as a result of the rise in fuel prices? Click here to have your say in our forum topic

Camping and Caravanning Club publishes new technical data sheets for 2011

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by Gemma Roskell

Caravanners who’ve relied on the Camping and Caravanning Club’s data sheets to choose a motor home or find out how to service their tow car may be pleased to hear that a new set of updated sheets have been published.

The new versions were released to members and non-members earlier this month, covering a wide range of camping and caravanning topics and offering a host of tips and advice to help families make the most of their leisure time.

Among the revised data sheets, which are all written by technical experts, are subjects such as matching your car and caravan, winter care for your caravan, gas for caravans and motor homes and stabilisers and trailer control systems.

There are also three brand new sheets covering solar power for campers and caravanners, camping for the disabled and choosing a motor mover for your caravan.

Simon McGrath, editor of Camping and Caravanning magazine, said: “The club has 110 years of experience helping its members get the most out of the great outdoors and these data sheets are an excellent way of passing on some of the technical knowledge we have gained over the years.”

Good news for caravan owners as government pledges £100m for winter pothole repairs

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by Gemma Roskell

Potholes are a menace for any driver, but for caravanners they are especially hazardous. Motor home owners may therefore be pleased to hear that the government is spending more money on repairing them this year.

The Department for Transport said it would be giving councils an extra £100 million for pothole maintenance following the severe winter weather, which wreaked havoc on the country’s roads.

Potholes are created when water seeps into cracks in the road surface, expanding when it freezes and causing these cracks to widen.

As well as causing motorists to swerve in some cases, potholes can also cause damage to vehicle suspension.

Transport secretary Philip Hammond said: “Millions of motorists across the country have their daily drives ruined by potholes. And the awful winter weather we had this year is only going to make that problem worse.

“That is why, despite the tough financial position we are in, we are going to give councils over £100 million extra to help carry out much needed repairs to England’s roads.”

Towcar owners warned of ‘coolant calamities’

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by Gemma Roskell

Caravanners should perhaps check the label on their coolant when topping up their tow car, as a new survey suggests many motorists confuse it with screen wash.

According to research by Kwik Fit, six in ten drivers don’t know the difference between screen wash and engine coolant, while a fifth have confused the two in the past.

Putting screen wash in a car’s engine, or coolant in the screen wash area, could have disastrous consequences for the engine and the vehicle’s bodywork.

Even those who know their coolant from their screen wash admit to ignoring the mixing instructions on the coolant label, often adding it undiluted to their engine and risking internal corrosion.

Ian Fraser, chief executive at Kwik Fit, said: “It’s easy to mix these two fluids up, particularly as they often look similar in consistency and colour.

“Similarly, motorists can quickly come to grief by adding the wrong type of coolant or failing to dilute it.

“What’s worrying is the lack of awareness amongst motorists of how doing so can inflict serious damage to their cars.”

Reasons to caravan on home soil

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by Gemma Roskell

The beauty of caravanning is that you can go wherever you like, including abroad. But why head overseas when there is so much to see and do on your own doorstep?

In an article for the Telegraph newspaper, travel writer Sophie Butler lists her reasons why families should holiday on home soil this year.

She said that in Britain, families can visit historic properties, spend time in the countryside, head to the beach or get active with pursuits such as kayaking, mountain biking and hiking.

“Our history is as interesting, our landscape as varied and beautiful, our art and architecture as inspiring as that of any other European country,” she insisted.

“True, accommodation and eating out are relatively expensive, but a little research will keep costs down.”

Of course for caravanners, accomodation can be cheap, with just the cost of fuel and fees for touring pitches to take into account.

And if families don’t fancy eating out every night, they can save money by cooking their own meals in their caravan’s kitchen.