Caravan holidays beyond the summer months

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Summer is traditionally the time for caravan holidays in the UK, but the sheer demand for taking breaks in Britain in 2009 has led to one organisation making a significant change.

The Caravan Club has responded to member’s wishes to make the most of their caravan or motorhome in all seasons of the year. This coming autumn and winter more sites will be open for longer, with a total of 80 sites open in the New Year and over 50 of those remaining open all year round.

The all-new ‘Autumn and Winter Touring’ brochure by the popular UK club is designed to tempt members out to enjoy the great outdoors at ‘unusual’ times of the year. The booklet will also contain details of attractions at some of the UK’s finest cities and heritage sites.

Sites which are new to the Caravan Club’s winter network include:

Riverside Touring Park, Betws-y-Coed, North Wales – ideal for exploring Snowdonia National Park

Harbury Fields Touring Park, near Leamington Spa in the heart of Shakespeare Country

Silverbank, Banchory, Aberdeenshire is in the Grampian Highlands. A perfect base for wildlife watching, pony trekking, fishing and golf (open until 4 January)

Littlehampton is handy for seaside and South Downs walks as well as historic Arundel.

As it happens the Caravan Club has a significant number of sites across the UK – over 6,000 hardstandings per night are available. The announcement of the winter programme has led to 1,600 more Certified Locations staying open this winter, which will provide an additional 8,100 pitches per night.

The good news is that for those unfamiliar with the rigours of winter caravanning, the Club’s guide provides the answer to any questions. Head of Sites Marketing Catherine Ford explained ‘It has some great ideas for getting out and about, as well as practical tips for problem-free winter caravanning’.

The guide is free to Caravan Club members and will be distributed to all members with the September issue of the Magazine. Non members can obtain it on request however by calling 01342 318813.

An update for the iconic Volkswagen camper

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Think campervans and the iconic Volkswagen Type 2 will immediately spring to mind as the father of the genre. Beginning life as a van in 1950 it evolved into the ‘Microbus’ popular with hippies and those following the 1960s counter-culture. From surfers and musicians to adventurous families, the first ever minivan quickly gained cult status. Most recently TV chef Jamie Oliver toured southern Europe in a 1959 Volkswagen Samba with 23 windows and a Porsche engine.

With such a rich heritage in campervans in mind, Volkswagen have made updates to the modern equivalent of the Type 2 named the California.

The world debut of the new California will be at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, but Caravan Times has obtained the first pictures ahead of the launch.

Just as the Type 2 began life as a van before evolving into an iconic camping vehicle, the California is also based on a commercial vehicle. Identical in shape and design to the seven-seater T5 multivan it builds on this platform through offering a battery of equipment for campers.

At first glance the external changes to the California are subtle, more evolution than revolution. New rear light clusters and an entirely new front use the latest Volkswagen design language seen recently in the new Polo and Golf. Sleeker door mirrors and a lashing of chrome trim dress the package. Otherwise it’s business as usual for the California.

The main changes however are under the bodywork. An all-new ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Program) is standard, alongside a very useful hill-start assist. Safety is emphasised in the new range: an emergency brake light system is introduced, along with a tyre monitor display to alert driver to any loss in pressure.

A welcome addition is Volkswagen’s Side Assist lane change system first seen in the Touareg off-roader. This warns the driver of anything in the vehicle’s blind spot.

The interior has been updated to reflect the new style of the passenger car range. In comes three-spoke steering wheels, shiny new instruments and a nifty ‘recommended gear shift’ display for slick shifting.

Touchscreen satellite navigation is also available, with a USB media-interface on offer for integration with external sources.

Last but not least Volkswagen will be offering for the first time their 4MOTION all-wheel drive system (featuring fourth generation Haldex coupling). Also introduced will be the seven-speed DSG automatic transmission which will be married to a new range of cleaner, more efficient engines. All are 2.0 litre TDI diesels with four options from 84PS to a powerful 180PS.

At this stage in time Caravan Times was unable to obtain prices and full specifications for the new California range. However we were told new models will arrive in selected Volkswagen Van Centres from January 2010.

Meet the new Land Rover Discovery 4. Is it the ultimate towcar?

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The brand ‘Discovery’ in motoring terms has become synonymous with versatility. Ever since Land Rover introduced the range in 1989 the concept was to produce a car that could transport a large family in safety, while keeping with the tradition of excellence off-road that the marque is famous for.

Last year the Discovery 3 made its mark at the Camping and Caravan Club Towcar Awards, taking the award for ‘Best Towcar over 1900 kgs.’ With the Discovery 4 comprising more of an update and revision than a major departure in design, this Land Rover looks set to dominate for a while yet.

Evolution rather than revolution is the nature of the changes to the Discovery range. Upon first glance it appears little has changed from the futuristic all-new design from 2004 . A sleek two-bar silver grille and LED headlights are revisions aimed at creating a tauter, low-slung design for what is a sizeable two and a half tonne car.

The real changes can be found in the structure, interior and engines. Land Rover claim to have used over 1,500 new parts in this extensive re-design – and the key part is the new engine. The previous model carried a 2.7 litre diesel engine which occasionally struggled for performance when overtaking.

Such fears may be banished with the new 3.0-litre V6 diesel which proved popular in the new Jaguar XF and has been sourced for the Discovery 4. Impressive economy blended with strong performance was the praise levelled at the Jaguar, and similar is promised for the Land Rover. A claimed 30mpg and CO2 emissions of 244g/km will make ownership that much easier.

An upgraded suspension and less kerb weight will aid with towing even the mightiest of caravans, while the feted Terrain Response system from the previous model has had a software update. The device alters the set-up of the car’s suspension depending on the surface, a valuable aid for those hoping to pull another vehicle smoothly.

It is the interior which will turn most heads however. There are plenty of new gadgets beginning with a touch-screen multimedia setup similar to those found in Jaguars. Crucially for caravanners, this screen can display video footage from five seperate cameras on the vehicle. This gives a panoramic view around the large car and makes it that much easier to see the position of the caravan, especially when parking.

The Discovery 4 starts from £31,995. More information can be found at www.landrover.co.uk

LED lighting makes for greener Swifts

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The future is bright and the future is LEDs. That’s according to Mayor of London Boris Johnson, who spoke eagerly in August of plans to install energy-saving LEDs at 3,500 traffic lights across London.

‘I’ve seen the future and it comprises these tip-top, energy-busting lights’ enthused Johnson, while he noted ‘installing these eco-bulbs will cut climate change emissions’ while also ‘save money from energy bills’.

With LED bulbs lasting around 10 times longer than standard bulbs, not only are they environmentally friendly but they happen to be good for the pocket in a recession.

This is good news for those thinking of purchasing a Swift motorhome. The Yorkshire-based caravan makers have taken the E600 series into the 21st century with technological upgrades. The Voyager and Bessacar E600 Series will be sporting LED lighting in the latest ranges to be launched at the International Caravan and Motorhome Show 2009.

Most of the lighting will be high output soft LED which gives a 70% reduction in power consumption. Battery life is therefore prolonged and it could now be realistic to power the system from a solar panel.

The changes are not only on the inside. The Voyager range sports new grey exterior trim to blend with the “sporty” metallic side walls. Meanwhile new graphics for the Bessacarr distinguish the updated model from the rest of the family.

Both ranges now sport refreshed kitchens with new stainless steel appliances including a frameless door fridge. The Voyager also comes with a microwave oven now fitted as standard.

For those who are curious to see more, the new model will be available for inspection at the International Caravan and Motorhome Show 2009. Click here for more information of how to obtain tickets for the NEC between 13-18 October.

The problem of caravan storage

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At this time of year caravan sales often increase due to the clement weather. Caravan holidays are on the up in 2009 and there are more owners being registered than ever before.

Yet once the summer months have gone, arranging storage for the caravan over the winter months can prove to be more difficult than expected.

If you’re fortunate enough to have a driveway on your property, the standard for some time has been to park the caravan at your home. The benefits are obvious – your vehicle remains in plain sight while proximity to the house will deter thieves.

However it can also have a reverse effect when those holidays are taken. When the caravan leaves the drive, it can alert potential burglars that the house is empty. In addition, when left on the property there is the risk of annoying neighbours or breaking any rules which apply to the house.

The ideal solution for owners in the past has been to place the caravan on a secure storage site. This is not to say the idea is without its problems, mainly with regard to the issue of insurance.

The Caravan Storage Site Owner’s Association provide the gold standard for caravan storage and advise on safety and security. Their seal is recognised by a large number of insurers, who will sometimes not offer insurance for unapproved sites. However not every owner either desires or is able to store their caravans on one of these areas.

Adrian Flux insurance services are familiar with this conundrum. “We’ve had lots of enquiries from customers who want to store their caravans on unapproved sites because they are more conveniently located or more competitively priced than approved sites,” observed Julie Carter from the insurers. “Some of them are having problems getting quotes” she added.

It’s not all doom and gloom however. With the advent of technology such as Google Earth and Google Streetmap, it has never been so easy to assess risk in advance. Gone are the days when a cautious owner’s only option was to drive to the area and get a ‘feel’ for the place. Insurance brokers Adrian Flux have used the technology themselves to expand their cover to unapproved sites, where previously they could have declined to quote from lack of knowledge.

The best advice for owners forced to store their vehicle at an unapproved site remains simple. The use of extra security devices remains an effective deterrant to opportunist thieves. Wheel clamps, modern locking devices, and vehicle trackers are all proven to help thieves move on, and as such are also useful in reducing those insurance premiums.

Caravan holidays: Newquay

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Think of Newquay and the first thing that often comes to mind is surfing. The Cornish resort is often called ‘The Surfing Capital of Britain’ and with ten sandy beaches on offer it’s no wonder tourists flock there come the summer months.
A little known fact however is that Newquay also contains an abundance of quality camping sites. Those looking for a relaxed holiday in the south west can take a caravan and experience top-class facilities.

The AA and English Tourism Council have officially graded 220 parks in Cornwall. 27 are five star, and incredibly Newquay can boast to owning a third of them.

Those on a budget will find that the quality does not significantly drop. Of the 37 parks that Newquay offers, half of them are four star accommodation or above.

According to Visit Cornwall, research from two years ago showed one in ten visitors were going to Cornwall on a camping or caravan holiday. The number is likely to have increased as reports suggest more people than ever are taking caravan holidays to counter the effects of the recession.

Tourism Newquay’s Business Development Manager is Richad Wilcox, who was delighted that the work put into improving facilities over the last few years has paid off.

‘Newquay’s accomodation offer has improved greatly over the past few years and it’s fantastic to see that we can boast a third of the South West’s top rated parks.’

If you’re curious, you can find the eight Parks with five star ratings on the official Tourism Newquay website www.visitnewquay.org.

The sites are listed below:

– Hendra Holiday Park

– Trevella

– Newperran

– Treworgans

– Sun Haven Valley

– Mawgan Porth Park

– Whiteacres

– Trevornick

New caravan site opens at Littlehampton

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A new caravan site has been opened at Littlehampton ahead of schedule and in time for the summer.

The site has been opened by the Caravan Club and contains 117 pitches. There is easy access to the town centre and beach, as well as to the scenic walks along the river Arun to historic Arundel and the South Downs beyond.

The touring organisation for European caravanners put forward around £2million for acquisition and development of the site. The new caravan park is said ‘to meet the Caravan Club’s exacting quality standards’.

The site comes as a welcome addition for those who have previously enjoyed Littlehampton’s beautiful natural harbour, but struggled for lack of accommodation for their caravan.

Other attractions nearby include plenty of waterside restaurants (the East and West Beach Cafes have won awards) along with the Harbour Park amusement park for the kids.

Swift updates to popular caravan range

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Award winning Yorkshire caravan makers Swift have announced updates to all three of their caravan ranges.

The Charisma, Challenger and Conqueror lines of caravans come with re-styled kitchens and updated mechanicals in response to user demands.

Loyal customers of the Charisma range had suggested updated such as high security entrance locks, thicker washroom doors and fully lined showers. All have been delivered along with improved shock absorbers in an updated model for 2009.

Those re-styled kitchens aren’t for show, and contain all new appliances across the three caravan ranges. The look is contemporary and sleek – stainless steel effect fridges compliment the granite look of the sink area. Even the control panels are all-electrical and futuristic.

Meanwhile the Challenger and Conqueror ranges sport new graphics and shiny ‘Storm’ alloy wheels to differentiate the models from the previous incarnation. Yet it’s not all show: AL-KO secure wheel locks and a AL-KO side mountable jack ensure the new purchase won’t wander too far from where it’s pitched.

£12,360 gets you the entry-level Charisma 220 with 2 berths and a length of just over 12¿, while £19,735 takes you up to the range-topping Conqueror 645 and 4 berths.

The updated ranges were shown to acclaim from customers at The Caravan Extravaganza show this September at The Lawns, Cottingham.

‘Stealth’ caravan to debut at NEC in October

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Many of you will have made a note in your calendars of the International Caravan and Motor Home Show 2009, to be held at the NEC in Birmingham, 13-18 October.

At this show British caravan makers Dunster House are to launch a brand new make of caravan called the Stealth Caravans.

Competing against mainstream brands on show, the new ‘Stealth’ forms part of a range of medium to large caravans with eye-opening new layouts, interior finishes and exterior designs.

But why the name ‘Stealth’? The caravan sports a unique nose-cone, from which the Stealth name derives. The picture is a front-on view which shows off the one-piece nosecone design. Whist it sheds light on the name ‘Stealth’ with design cues from the military fighter, there are practical reasons for the oblique shape. Managing director of Dunster House Alex Murphy explained further.

“We designed this as a way of solving the problem of water ingress” he explained. “The one-piece nosecone comes up over the roof which means water naturally flows away from the caravan. On conventional designs this is not the case”.

In fact, the whole idea of the Stealth came from Murphy’s love of design combining with a new-found obsession. His company Dunster House are well known for building high-end log cabins and outdoor office spaces. So why caravans?

‘I bought a caravan a year ago and became a complete caravan nerd. I was thinking “could I design one better?” and so I wrote off to caravan brands offering free design services. I got nothing back but I come from a design background as it is so we went ahead using a caravan specialist here’.

He observed ‘I love coming up with new answers for the same old questions’.

And when the question of reliability was raised considering the youth of the Stealth brand, Murphy was quick to counter the notion. ‘I’m aware caravan design isn’t perfect, but in essence we’ve thought about things we could improve. For example, the combi-boiler is a hidden- heating system. Normally in caravans your convector heater is stuck on the wall in an open set-up. Here it’s been tucked away as part of the design’.

Furthermore design isn’t limited to the exterior. ‘We’ve produced very high-gloss, high-end finishes rather like modern kitchens. Our island bed is a first as well – no one offers it with an end washroom and twin dressing tables. Access around the bed is easier as your feet can actually go under it’.

For more information you can visit our Stealth Caravans page.

The Stealth caravan will be available to view at the International Caravan and Motorhome Show 2009 at the NEC. To book your place or tickets please visit the organisers website

Caravan theft on the rise as Britain takes to camping

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An uptake in ownership in 2009 has led to a rise in caravan thefts. Marcus Dubois investigates.

The caravan industry received a boost this year when British holidaymakers decided to stay at home and weather the recession. Caravans have quickly become the in-vogue form of transport for those seeking ‘staycations’ in the UK.

Advance bookings for camping and caravan sites were up 40% in January from last year, prompting Nick Lomas of the Caravan Club to label 2009 as ‘the return of the great British holiday’.

Yet with all this publicity translating into 5 million more holidays, the downside is a surge in interest from opportunistic criminals. Many caravans are stolen to order, with an estimated 1,600 taken every year.

The good news is the number of vehicles stolen has fallen according to the National Caravan Council (NCC). However with more caravans on the roads this summer, the likelihood is thefts will increase.

With this in mind the NCC have released some security advice to combat caravan crime. The Deputy Director of the industry trade association, Alicia Dunne, explained ‘When on holiday in your touring caravan, don’t assume that all villains are on holiday
too! When you are relaxed it is easy to let your guard down, yet it is not difficult to make it hard for thieves. ‘

Motorway service stations are where holidaymakers may drop their guard, and the association advises ‘immobilise your caravan, even when you stop briefly’. It recommends using ‘hitchcocks, locking-wheelnuts and a good quality clamp’ even for short periods.

Criminals revel in the opportunities offered by open doors, windows and rooflights. It is recommended these should be closed even if momentarily away from the vehicle. Furthermore, leaving mobile phones, laptops or even spare change in sight only attracts felons.

If you’re unlucky enough to have taken these measures and still suffered a loss of your vehicle, help may still be at hand. The
NCC advises owners to register their vehicle with the Caravan Registration and Identification Scheme (CRiS). Since 1992, approved manufacturers have stamped the 17-digit vehicle identification number on the chassis and windows.

The NCC’s Alicia Dunne asks owners to ‘consider marking your chassis number or postcode inside cupboards and in other places inside your caravan with a permanent marker pen and keep a note of these places.”

As with all registration methods there are no guarantees. Whilst the CRiS currently holds details of over 10,000 outstanding
caravan theft reports, only as few as one in four of these caravans are recovered.

Finally, we may be a nation famous for our reserve, but the best advice is to get to know your neighbours while on holiday. Owners should ‘keep an eye on each other’s caravans and get to know who belongs on the site’

Record attendance of 25,000 at caravan show

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The caravan industry continues to ride the crest of a wave with record attendance at one of the UK’s biggest events

Britain may well be in the grip of a recession but try telling that to the caravan industry. 2009 has been its annus mirabilis with soaring numbers of holidaymakers taking up the ‘staycation’ and choosing the trailer.

And the trend continued this weekend at The Caravan Extravaganza at The Lawns in Cottingham where 25,000 people are believed to have been in attendance.

The figure was a staggering 10,000 more than the previous year and broke the record for the highest ever attendance by 2,000.

The organisers were the Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire Caravan Manufacturers Association (HERCMA) who exhibited 300 models from 5-6 September. touring variety, motorhomes, and static caravans.

The event offered buyers a chance to see some of the 2010 models for the first time along with the latest accessories for the modern traveller. 110 different models of touring caravans were on display alongside motorhomes and some static models.

Also on display were some fully-fledged homes from home – static caravans featuring dishwashers, hot tubs and central heating. Many of the static models available showed price tags north of £200,000.

David Ritchie is the organiser of the Caravan Extravaganza, and he spoke to Caravan Times about the success of the weekend. “Last year the Saturday was exceptionally wet and windy and muddy and so people were less inclined to get involved. This weekend business was booming, especially among the tourer manufacturers. Many of them recorded better than expected sales, and in some cases their best sales ever!”

When questioned about the rise in sales of new caravans during the deep recession he pointed to the issue of stock (as reported in Caravan Times here). ‘I think people want to go caravanning in this country regardless of what’s going on. It’s very difficult to buy used caravans at the present time becuase they are mostly sold out at dealerships. So people are then prepared to make that investment and buy new ones’.

David Ritchie also believes that an an upturn in financial conditions has contributed to the sales boom. ‘Credit has freed up in the last couple of months, whereas this time last year it was much harder that normal to borrow money to buy a caravan. And manufacturers were finding it hard to borrow money from the banks to fund the building of them. That all seems to have eased up, and you even have new firms starting up on the back of this.’

‘The whole industry is looking a lot brighter’ he chuckled as he looked ahead to his next event, the Southern Caravan Trade Show. Held in Beaulieu, a town famous for its motor museum, it takes place from 24-27 September. Click here for more details.

A different Klass of traveller

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TV personality Myleene Klass will be taking to the road in a camper van to promote the new Marks and Spencer clothing collection

She’s an English media personality, singer, model, concert pianist and actress who has the uncanny knack of seeming able to be in two places at once. And with her latest run of media appearances she appears to have found help from an unusual source.

Myleene Klass is today’s recognised face of Marks and Spencer and is helping launch their latest clothing venture, the Indigo Collection. And the vehicle which will transport her between six venues around the UK? A classic motor camper.

The white and blue Volkswagen T2 is widely considered to be the most iconic camper van of all time. Launched in 1968 as the second generation of the Type 2 Microbus, production lasted a decade in Europe. Today used examples are coveted by collectors and enthusiasts, and the design is still in production in Brazil.

Yesterday Myleene Klass literally stopped traffic as the tour began at the flagship Marks and Spencers in Oxford Street. The 31-year old accidentally pulled into the wrong lane and struggled with parallel parking the van-like vehicle.

She told The Sun newspaper ‘I’ve never been so nervous. Crossing Oxford Street in a van I’ve never driven before, with everyone watching.’

It’s a welcome return to the headlines for the classic Volkswagen camper. Last time it was another TV personality who was at the helm. ‘Naked Chef’ Jamie Oliver custom-fitted a 1959 Type 1 Microbus with Cath Kidson curtains, a Sony Playstation, satellite navigation and TV monitors that drop down from the roof. And most crucially a Porsche 914 engine with a special watercooling system.

If all this talk of classic V-Dubs is starting an outbreak of envy then fear not. Surfer clothing label Fat Face are offering a competition here to win a restored classic VW splitscreen. Entry is free by filling in the online form and if you recommend a friend, that’s three more entries for you.