Havoc on roads likely after severe weather warnings

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Caravan owners planning on taking a trip this week may wish to reconsider after the Met Office issued severe weather warnings for almost all areas.

A heavy snowfall has caused havoc across the UK, with the south of England particularly affected.

The rest of the week is set to be slightly less blizzard-like, but snow is likely to remain a problem, with ice on the roads a possibility.

The east of the country has been warned to be aware as there is a high chance of more snowfall in these areas.

Flash warnings of severe or extreme weather are issued when the Met Office has 80 per cent or greater confidence that events will occur within the next few hours.

Several have been issued today, with London and the south-east being told to expect up to 20cm of snow to fall tonight (January 5th).

Meanwhile, a woman has been left sleeping in a friend’s caravan in Scotland for 17 days after heavy snow blocked her route home from a pre-Christmas shopping trip.

Woman spends white Christmas in caravan

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A Scottish woman was forced to spend Christmas and New Year in a friend’s caravan after her route home from a festive shopping trip was blocked by snow for more than two weeks.

Kay Ure, who lives at the Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage at Cape Wrath on the north-western tip of the UK, was unable to return home after a shopping trip two days before Christmas.

The 54-year-old shares the cottage with her husband and together they run a cafe in the remote location.

However, her return on December 23rd was impeded by heavy snow, which meant that husband John was unable to drive the 11 miles from their home to the jetty where they keep their boat.

As such, Mrs Ure was left stranded in a friend’s mobile home in Durness for the entirety of the festive period and has yet to return home.

Mr Ure explained that the couple are used to being snowed in but admitted it is the first time they have been separated since moving from Glasgow to the remote part of Scotland several years ago.

The UK has been hit by snowy conditions over the past few weeks and the Met Office has warned residents in the Highlands to expect more snow and icy roads today (January 4th).

Saffron Walden caravan fire mystery

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Police and fire officials in Saffron Walden are investigating after a caravan parked in a lay-by caught fire.

The mobile home was situated on the B1383 when flames took hold of it on New Year’s Day at around 14:30, Saffron Walden Weekly News reported.

Local police officer Paul Curtis told the newspaper that it was unclear why the caravan had caught fire, but that it appeared to have been in a well-kept condition.

He revealed that the blaze was well underway when fire crews arrived on the scene but “fortunately there were no cylinders involved and the incident was dealt with in just over an hour”.

Caravan enthusiasts heading to the area could stay at Home Farm Fishery in Little Walden, which ukcampsite.co.uk describes as “simply outstanding” for those with a passion for fishing.

Its five pitches allow visitors to camp next to the two lakes and enjoy angling either as beginners or for sport.

Dutch artist creates garden caravan

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Caravan enthusiasts may soon be able to get their hands on a unique model created by a Dutch artist.

Kevin Van Braak, originally from Amsterdam, has transformed an old 1976 Contructam Caravan into a mobile garden, complete with synthetic animals and trees, the Daily Mail reported.

The design saw the mobile home stripped of its interior and cut down the middle to allow it to fold out almost flat.

It is capable of seating up to 15 people and the grass and trees are made of silk, while the artificial animals on show are stuffed.

The 33-year-old explained that he plans to sell the piece and suggested that many people actually prefer his “garden” to the real thing.

“I find that these days people go camping wanting to be closer to nature but in the end the experience is artificial,” he told the newspaper.

However, according to figures from VisitEngland, UK tourism experienced a strong year in 2009, with a 15 per cent year-on-year rise in August.

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Conwy Valley caravan site sees numbers rise

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The Riverside Touring Park in Betws-y-Coed, Conwy Valley, which offers caravan spaces, has reported a rise in numbers for 2009.

Conwy Valley in north Wales has seen a surge in tourism across the board, with hoteliers and holiday park owners alike benefiting from the growth in the number of people holidaying in the UK, the North Wales Weekly News reported.

Riverside managing director Edward Goddard told the paper: “Riverside Touring Park, which reopened in 2008 after a £3 million redevelopment project, has recorded a 20 per cent increase in visitors this year as staycationers have flocked to Snowdonia for holidays and short breaks.”

The park, a short walk from the centre of Betws-y-Coed, is a Caravan Club affiliate and offers 60 pitches for touring caravans.

The recession has prompted many holidaymakers to stay closer to home and explore what the great British countryside has to offer.

In the past year the number of visits by UK residents to Europe decreased by 14 percentage points from 55 million to 47.3 million, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Caravanners are a boon to local economies, figures show

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Caravan Club members contributed £400 million to rural tourism economies across Britain last year.

The figures were based on shopping, eating out, buying local produce and visiting local attractions.

Around £322 million was spent in England, £40 million in Wales, £36.5 million and Scotland and £1.5 million in Northern Ireland.

Nick Lomas, director of marketing for the Caravan Club, said: “With over 1.5 million caravanners, motor caravanners and trailer tenters in the UK, in 2009 all the talk was of the resurgence of the Great British holiday with value for money playing a major role in the family decision-making process.

“The 2009 local economy figures prove exactly how popular and cool caravanning and the great outdoors really is. All the signs are that rural economies are set to benefit even further in 2010,” he added.

Membership figures for the club in 2009 exceeded all previous records and were a 24 per cent increase on 2008’s figures.

Satnav voted most significant motoring moment of the decade

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The introduction of widely available satellite navigation systems has been heralded as the motoring moment of the decade by website Carsite.co.uk.

Caravanners whose holidays were blighted by missed turns and dodgy maps were handed a reprieve at the turn of the century when satnav devices entered the market.

Comprised of a small computer and a global positioning system, the gadgets ended over-reliance on maps and potentially reduced the number of arguments regarding directions.

Carsite’s Alistair Jeff said: “Despite occasionally hearing of satnav devices sending drivers in completely the wrong direction, in most cases they’re entirely accurate and a fantastic gadget that has totally changed the way we get around.

“You realise how significant an invention is when you can’t imagine making a complicated journey without one,” he added.

The satnav has become so commonplace that even some mobile telephones have the technology. The TomTom UK & Ireland application – intended for use on Apple iPhones – is the second-highest grossing application in Apple’s iTunes app store.

Caravan site Parkdean offers New Year’s resolutions

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Holiday park operator Parkdean has constructed a list of suggestions for caravanners to use as their New Year’s resolutions.

The firm suggested that 2010 would offer holidaymakers a chance for a fresh start and that it is a time to look to the future.

One of the first things on the list was to get fit, which the company claimed is a good way of making yourself feel better.

This ties in with losing weight and stopping smoking – both of which can be beneficial to your health.

It may also be a great time to change your outlook and Parkdean hopes its customers will try to enjoy life more in 2010.

“The saying goes ‘we only live once’ so why not make the most of it. Spend some quality time with your friends and family or enjoy a nice family holiday,” the site operator advised.

Meanwhile, the firm recently noted that the Scottish Highland town of Nairn was rated second in Tripadvisor’s list of top destinations for 2010.

AA: ‘Christmas accident rate falling’

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The AA has revealed that the number of accident insurance claims has fallen in the past week as the warmer weather approaches the south.

Just 529 claims were registered yesterday (December 23rd) compared to 644 on Monday December 21st when the icy weather began in earnest.

Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance, said: “The worst of the weather seems to be receding in many parts of England, reducing the risk of a collision due to icy conditions – although Scotland is still in a tight wintry grip.

“Caution is vital – it’s far better to delay your journey and arrive late, but safe,” he added.

Black ice was identified as a “hidden enemy” and all caravan drivers should take caution when making journeys in this weather.

Earlier this week transport minister Sadiq Khan criticised the apparent lack of gritting on British roads.

Brits to give up luxuries for breaks

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Regardless of whether Brits spend a week in a caravan in the UK or head off in search of some foreign sun, holidays are considered by many to be “one of the main highlights of the year”, it has been claimed.

According to travelsupermarket.com, people are willing to sacrifice a lot to ensure they can take a break from their everyday lives.

Travel expert with the online resource Bob Atkinson said: “Brits will give up all sorts of things in order to save up and spend on a trip or a series of trips as a reward for working hard during the year.”

He added that value for money is important, especially if they have had to do without things throughout the year.

The comments follow a Travelzoo poll which showed that 42 per cent of respondents intend to travel more next year than they did in 2009.

A further 52 per cent said that they would sacrifice luxuries in their day-to-day lives to be able to afford their trips.

Sedgemoor to host caravan awareness day

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Sedgemoor District Council is to host an awareness day for caravan and holiday park owners at Brean Leisure Park.

The event, set to take place on March 2nd 2010, is being held to highlight significant health and safety issues and help managers stay on the right side of the law, the Somerset Guardian reported.

As well as information on asbestos and legionnaires disease, the day will be used to boost knowledge of risk assessments, as well as gas, fire and electricity safety.

Further options include swimming pool management, play area equipment safety, crime prevention and how to market your business.

It is a free event organised in partnership with Sedgemoor District Council, the Health and Safety Executive, South West Tourism and the Environmental Health Department.

Meanwhile, Saga has revealed that a third of caravan owners will use their mobile homes to house guests over Christmas, with 41 per cent using their units for winter holidays.

Caravan family move into new home

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A family who have spent the past four Christmases in a caravan in their garden will be able to enjoy a festive meal in their own home this year thanks to the kindness of others.

Joe James and his four children were left living in the mobile home after a series of unfortunate events which saw the single dad lose hearing in one ear, his mother and his business all within a short space of time.

Furthermore, his partner of 14 years left him, meaning Mr James was unable to finish much-needed work on the family home, the Holyhead and Anglesey Mail reported.

The family have been spared another year in the caravan though after Mr James’ former employers wrote to DIY SOS.

The TV show made a special episode highlighting the plight of kids across the UK living in inadequate housing.

It invited dozens of local tradesmen to help revamp and repair the existing building and complete a large extension in less than a week.

“I thought if they were able to get the building up, and possibly have the lounge and Kerry’s bedroom finished, that would have been more than enough, because it was such a big job,” Mr James told the newspaper.

He added that the work done in the week would have taken him a decade to complete.

Meanwhile, the Burton Mail has revealed how a local crook who was given a curfew order has had to apply to have it changed after it emerged his wife had thrown him out and he is now living in a caravan.