Parks Given Safety Consultancy On Hidden Storm Damages

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By William Coleman

2020 has started with quite a lot of storms that have left a lot of homes and businesses in a terrible state. We now seem to have put that extreme weather in our rearview mirror but have they left some unseen issues that will come to light throughout the year?

Over the past 3 months storms Ciara and Dennis wreaked havoc all over the UK, they even took the roof off of my house and flooded almost every room. During these rising water levels and high winds a lot of parks have taken a bit of a beating that may see some long lasting hidden damage which owners maybe, innocently, totally unaware of.

With these hidden dangers comes risks to the safety of both employees and holiday makers, warned safety consultants. Along with property damages comes the potential for guests to raise negligence claims should these concealed issues cause harm.

AD Safety Solutions Ltd, which is now an accredited associate member of the British Holiday & Home Parks Association, have raised this as a concern for parks across the UK, especially those most affected by recent adverse weather conditions.

Director Alaric Little said his company had already found evidence of damage on clients’ parks which is consistent with the effects of extreme weather.

Unless remedied, he said, a business could be accused of ignoring its “duty of care” under the Occupiers Liability Act – even though the park owner was entirely innocent of knowingly putting employees and visitors at risk:

“Many parks may have breathed a sigh of relief that their property escaped any real fall-out from the storms which lashed the UK this year,” he said.

“But we have found impacts such as damage to trees, lighting, paving, roofs, drainage systems and roads which are not immediately apparent to the naked eye.

“Even a tree branch which has been bent down by the gales and now hangs less than 17.5 feet above a road could be the basis for an action under Highway Law.”

“That’s why we are urging all holiday and residential parks to prioritise a professional inspection of their grounds as soon as possible,” said Alaric.

His Somerset-based business works with parks and other leisure business across the country, and provides expert identification and analysis of all types of risk.

AD Safety Solutions Ltd also helps clients draw-up and implement inspection policies and regimes that will help protect businesses from possibly financially damaging third-party claims.

Alaric himself draws upon 16 years of providing safety guidance within local government highways departments as well as industry service providers and contractors.

Other members of the company’s team also have experience in helping businesses remain compliant with the ever-evolving regulations and laws governing their premises.

The company’s expertise, says Alaric, can be tailored to the needs of both smaller owner-managed parks and larger park operations with multiple facilities.

The Clubs Motorhome And Campervan Awards 2020

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By William Coleman

The Caravan and Motorhome Club held their annual Motorhome Design Awards in February but this time round the awards had a little twist as judges took the the many dealer and manufacturer stands of the NEC to judge and record breaking amount of leisure vehicles.

This year’s motorhome awards had to share the spotlight with another type of recreational van that has seen a resurgence over the past couple of years. This year the Club added Campervans to the awards title to show recognition of just how popular the camper has become.

If you look at today’s market the campervan has calved out its own sector within the industry with a hugely diverse customer base. It would not shock me to see the campervan sales number catch up with motorhomes with 2 years.

The 2020 awards have 17 different categories and a total of 95 different campervans and motorhomes were entered for judging.

The judging panel, one of which was our very own Dan Cartwright, spent a tremendous amount of time both on the floor of the NEC and the back corridors assessing and handing in their score sheets so the final results can be ready for the Friday evening awards show.

And The Winners Are…

Any Campervan or Van Conversion Dealer Special Award- Vehicles 4 Leisure Elddis Peugeot Prestige CV20

Over Four Berth Coachbuilt Dealer Special Award- Lowdhams Leisureworld Swift Kon-Tiki Sport Grand Prix 596

Three-Four Berth Coachbuilt Dealer Special Award- Lowdhams Leisureworld Swift Kon-Tiki Sport Grand Prix 599L

Two Berth Coachbuilt Dealer Special Award- Vehicles 4 Leisure Elddis Peugeot Prestige 120

A Class over £90,000- Frankia Mercedes-Benz i8400 Plus Platin

A Class under £90,000- Mobilvetta Tekno K Yacht 79

Coachbuilts over £75,000- Swift Kon-Tiki 675

Coachbuilts £60,000-£75,000- Auto-Sleeper Peugeot Nuevo EK

Coachbuilts £55,000-£60,000- Bailey Autograph 69-2

Coachbuilts £50,000-£55,000- Bailey Alliance Silver Edition 66-2

Coachbuilts under £50,000- Swift Edge 412

Van Conversions £55,000- £65,000- Moto-Trek Leisure Treka EB

Van Conversions over £65,000- RP Motorhomes Mercedes-Benz Rebel Slide Twin 4×4

Van Conversions £50,000-£55,000- WildAx Citroën Relay Pulsar

Van Conversions under £50,000- Elddis Autoquest CV20

Campervans over £47,000- Vision Tech Automotive Volkswagen VTA 20/20 Vision

Campervans under £47,000- Ventura Campervans Peugeot Boxer Ventura VR200

Caravan Park Network Adds Super Speed WiFi

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By William Coleman

The wireless internet speeds have been given a supercharged upgrade on this entire site networks so all your streaming needs can be handled with absolute ease.

It seems the need for a speedy internet connection has become a vital part for a lot of people’s holidays, especially if you have kids or grand kids.

Some will say that sitting on the internet sort of goes against the whole idea of a caravan holiday, but of an evening it is nice to be able to sit and relax in front of a film or have the kids settle with their favourite show. And let’s be honest, Netflix has hundreds of titles and you’re not going to pack that many DVDs so why not take advantage of super speed WiFi.

Guests at Park Holidays UK this year will be among the best connected families in Britain – thanks to a new high-speed WiFi service available from everybody’s armchair.

From now on, says the group, leaving home will no longer mean a bye-bye to freeze-free FaceTime chats with friends, or smoothly streamed box sets from Netflix.

In fact, they say, with speeds of up to 36mb being beamed into holiday caravans and lodges, guests’ WiFi may even outpace their domestic broadband.

The cost over a week’s stay will be about the same as a daily cup of cappuccino – just £15.00 – and up to ten devices can connect with no cap on anyone’s usage.

High-speed streaming is available across all of the company’s 31 coastal holiday parks in Southern England – and Park Holidays UK says the facility is already clicking with customers:

“We always listen carefully to what guests say will improve their experience, and many have said they would happily pay a few pounds a day to access a truly fast service,” said director Tony Clish.

“When free WiFi is offered elsewhere, many customers feel it’s very rarely adequate – so we took the decision to make a big investment in a truly top-end broadband facility.

“It means that our guests will not have to put up with second best when it comes to what is a very important part of people’s lives today.

“Judging by the number of photos of our parks and the surrounding area which customers post on holiday, we feel they deserve an equally impressive WiFi to match!” added Tony.

Among the many attractions which guests enjoy for free are professional entertainment, swimming pools and other leisure facilities, plus a raft of children’s activities.

The holidays themselves are highly unlikely to break the bank either, and current deals include short breaks from £89.00 for up to six people.

Holiday bookings for spring and summer this year are extremely buoyant, says Park Holidays UK, and look likely to smash the record set for visitors in 2019.

This month, it was also announced that the company had been presented with a top platinum award by independent reviews website Feefo for the number of glowing reviews posted by guests.

More information about the group’s parks, and details of holiday offers now available, can be found on Park Holidays UK’s website at www.ParkHolidays.com

Preparing For The Bailey #SaharaChallenge

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By William Coleman

The Bailey Of Bristol Sahara Challenge is just 3 days away and the prep work for myself and the rest of the CaravanTimes team is well under way. But how does one pack and prepare for a tour that will cover multiple continents?

Over the 20 days of the upcoming Bailey adventure several different members of the CaravanTimes will be joining and leaving the tour and covering many different aspects of the trip. We will be sending 3 of our media creative team who will be documenting the trip and myself who will be covering the trip from a media and journalistic angle.

CaravanTimes are no stranger to the Bailey tours as this is the third trip we have documented for the Nation’s Favourite caravan and motorhome manufacturer. You can see the Arctic Adventure and the Bristanbul Part 1 and part 2 which we took part in.

So, by now we should be pretty efficient at getting fully prepped for this tour and would be able to pack with our eyes closed, right? This is not the case!

The reason that we cannot just pack and go is that each Bailey tour is so different from the last that you need to basically start from scratch. A great example of this is the kind of camera equipment we will be taking, not to mention a variety of different clothing and accessories.

Adapting Camera Kit To Different Climates And Countries

Our camera team has to do a heck of a lot or work when it comes to preparing for a normal shoot on a caravan site or inside a motorhome, so now consider how much needs to be checked when we will be crossing several different countries for a 20 day documentary shoot.

When we went on the Arctic Adventure with Bailey the kit had to be weather tested to see how it would handle extreme sub zero temperatures. In some cases the kit just does not hold up in such harsh conditions that a lot of extras are needed to ensure they survive the trip.

This time round we are facing the polar opposite of weather. We will be trading snow for sand, which presents it’s own list of challenges.

As any traveller knows, sand will find its way into every nook and cranny imaginable so we need to make them “sand tight”, not a technical term.

One very important aspect that the camera crew needed to consider, having learnt from past experience, is to look at the style of travel and locations we will be driving to. This trip is going to be heavily focusing on outdoor living and the nomadic lifestyle of areas like Marrakesh and the Sahara. This means that the kit needs to be slim lined to make mobility a lot easier.

During the trip there will also be a lot of outdoor activities taking places that require video documenting so bringing several large camera cases, battery packs and tripods will make the whole process quite difficult, not to mention time consuming. So a lot of time has been spent splitting the kit into a mobile set up and a static set up.

Different Countries Different Clothing

The trip will start, as always, at Bailey’s HQ on Sunday 8th of March and will end Bilbao, Spain, so as you can imagine between Bristol and the Sahara there will be quite a lot of different temperatures and environments.

With a multitude of changing environments comes the need for a good variation in clothing. In keeping with the true nature of nomadic living there will be times where some of the crew will be sleeping in tents, especially when we get to Marrakesh and the Sahara.

Once the sun sets in the desert the temperatures plummet and your nighttime garments need to be able to keep you warm, but then when you wake up you need to ensure your shorts and t-shirts are ready to go.

For this trip I will be having a mixture of shorts, jeans, boots and loose fitting t-shirts that can get me through several hours of driving without getting uncomfortable.

Permits, Passports & Paperwork

Anyone who is an international tourer knows the sheer importance of having your paperwork in order. On the previous tour we had an issue with electronic forms of paperwork when entering non EU countries that lead to quite a few hours spent just sitting on the border of countries. These occasions where border control staff took their time getting their heads around what they were looking at added many hours to what we’re supposed to be short driving days.

If you are thinking about following the footsteps of this tour or any before it be sure to pop to a post office and get an International Driving Permit, or IDP for short. Different countries fall under different permits so always mention to the person behind the counter where you are travelling to and to look at the lists of different permits. Each permit is £5.50 so for the sake of £11 you know you will be totally covered.

As always, make sure you keep all your car’s paperwork, passports and driving documents all together in the glove box. I have been in situations where I thought it would be ok to not stick to this and ended up throwing away my car’s registration document out with a hand full of empty fast food wrappers. Easily done but has a huge impact on the rest of your trip, especially if you are crossing border checks or are topped by local authorities.

Off Road Driving And Towing Expectations

One thing you can only prepare for mentally is what you think you may encounter, which I guess is always worth doing as thinking ahead is the whole basis of pre-planning.

I for one foresee some very tricky roads, especially in the Atlas mountains, where there is a chance the convoy of two caravans and one motorhome may have to slow to a crawl. Ahead of this all you can do is mentally prepare and use Google maps to try and see as many of these paths as possible before driving them.

When it comes to normal day to day or weekend towing I feel confident and comfortable getting from spot to spot. Now throw in mountain roads, in parts of the world which are not known for their road safety, and you’ll end up with a possible bead or two on your brow when towing.

It is the driving side of the trip that we do need to be most aware of when it comes to the tow cars and caravans. We will be driving very well made Ssangyong tow cars and we know how durable Bailey’s motorhomes and caravans are, but this does not mean that the uncharted territory we will be driving will not throw some curve balls at us.

To ensure we do not get stranded in the desert Bailey have support staff from their factory on the trip who can carry out repairs should any damage occur and we also have a support vehicles following the convoy to ensure everything runs smoothly.

As aspect that the whole team have been made aware of prior to leaving is the crowds in central Morocco and rural Sahara. Seeing as we will be in a convoy with heavily sign printed caravans and motorhomes we may stand out a tiny bit. It is here where you would need to be able to deal with crowds flocking to the van, both while driving and parked up.

By now I can safely say that both myself and the rest of the team are fully prepared to embark on yet another epic adventure with Bailey. All I need to do now is pack enough socks and pants for my time abroad and then off we go!

Travelworld Add Aircon Service To Stafford Site

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By William Colean

The one stop shop for all things motorhoming has now added yet another asset to their already impressive and ever expanding services list at their state of the art location is Stafford.

The UK has one exclusive HYMER motorhome dealer, the Erwin Hymer Centre Travelworld, who have just celebrated their first birthday since being rebranded and given Erwin Hymer status, are celebrating a new cool announcement. This dealership is not just state of the art but is also one of the best service centres in the UK for all things motorhomes.

Following their first birthday Travelworld has announced it has become a regional air-conditioning machine service and repair centre for automotive air conditioning leaders, WAECO.

As part of its bid to offer customers a more comprehensive choice of air conditioning repairs and service needs, the company has invested in two new WAECO machines.

EHCT factory-trained staff can now service, repair and regenerate the air conditioning gasses of customer motorhome vehicles, be that chassis, roof mounted or industrial refrigeration units. F Gas certified technicians can retrieve any residual air-con gas from the system, refresh the gas or install brand new gas, so air-con systems can work correctly and efficiently.

Erik Baxendale, EHCT Operations manager says: “Legislation changes in recent years mean we presently have two types of air-con gas in use for motor vehicles, either R134a or R1234, the former has been used for around 20 years and the latter was introduced only recently as a more environmentally friendly refrigerant. The way in which the machines extract, recycle and reinstall the gasses are different and it was important that we cover all eventualities for customers.”

Air-con re-gassing can also be performed on cars, vans and lorries, and rooftop air-conditioning re-gassing can be carried out on Dometic; Truma; Telair air-conditioning units, once the unit is outside its normal warranty period.

In line with chassis manufacturers’ recommendations for air-con servicing, EHCT is offering customers the opportunity to have their chassis air-con serviced every two years and roof mounted air-con units serviced every three years.

The centre points out that air-conditioning gas degenerates if not used for at least five minutes per month, including the winter months, therefore reducing both efficiency and output. They also advise that it is illegal to release air-conditioning gasses into the atmosphere.

Erik added: “WAECO machines are the air-con units favoured by most motorcar manufacturers, who insist on using the brand exclusively in their workshops. As we are a Centre of Excellence for Dometic Group, a global market leader in branded solutions for mobile living, and of which WAECO forms part of, it means we can go one step further in helping our customers take premium care of their motorhomes and accessories.”

Part VW Beetle Part Motorhome

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By William Coleman

We have stumbled across a rather impressive hybrid/bespoke/tailor made motorhome that has been mounted on the back of the classic VW Beetle. This just shows how diverse the world touring vehicles can be when someone creative puts their mind to it.

Over the years we have seen some weird and wonderful caravan and motorhome creations but I can safely say this is the first time I have ever seen a mobile living space physically attached to the back of a small day to day car.

The initial idea for this wacky and wonderful motorhome started way back in 1970’s California and has been aptly named the “Super Bugger”. The company who came up with the idea for the unique conversion thought that using an iconic car like the VW Beetle would have such a stand out look that it would take the world by storm and thus created the Super Bugger.

The specific VW refurb in this article has been very carefully curated and put together over the past 10 years or so. Over the decade almost every part of the VW has been added to or restored from the paint and body work all the way to the body work to prepare it for its new life as a mobile dwelling.

Not wanting to move too far away from its original set up most of the VW’s parts have been kept with updates and changes being made where necessary.

Adding such a motorhome style shell to the chassis is not really what Vaulxwagen had in mind when they first put together their Beetle range so the retrofitting had to be done by a mechanical professional to ensure it is road worthy.

The Super Bugger features a four speed manual gearbox, for all you speedsters out there, which is paired with a 1.6 liter four-cylinder engine in the rear, which will get you about 60bhp.

Considering the tiny size on board the refurb team really has made a very comfortable space to live in, I know some modern vans that can’t say this. The 2 berth motorhome features a two burner stove, sink and a dinette table. It will have to be the bushes for the toilet if you go off grid.

To view a gallery of this cute little wonder Click here.

How To Keep A Good Van Weight For The New Season

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By William Coleman

The new official caravan and motorhome, oh and campervan, season is almost upon us. The mornings are lighter and the sunsets are later which means more time in the vans and sunshine. With all this new excitement it is time to have a look how we can keep the van weight down and not sacrifice anything we want to take away with us.

You can feel the excitement in the air, despite it still being a bit chilly. Although spring is still around 3 weeks away we caravan folk are almost, if not fully in some cases, ready to head into spring with a van full of kit, but can we overload the van due to pre season excitement?

Over packing is very much a real thing in my household. Last week myself and the other half flew to New York, we got an extremely cheap last minute deal, and as always we one of packed enough clothing to last a month. It was a 5 day trip!

Now, when it comes to overloading the van I am very much the guilty party, I do love to over prepare. So in the interest of keeping things at the correct weight let’s have a look at a few ways we can lighten the load and keep the clutter out of the van.

Make A List Then Shorten It

Each time I go away I have a list for different aspects of the van/trip. I break it down into day time living, night time, bathroom, kitchen and entertainment.

The list for each section is usually quite long as I get carried away in my head creating scenarios where I may need 3 separate spatulas and 4 different pans of the same size. A situation that can be resolved with some washing up liquid and a bit of elbow grease.

Once the list, or lists, are complete sit down and take a hard look at what will you actually use, chances are you’ll use even less than that.

Do not be afraid to remove items thinking you are having to compromise, I promise you, you’ll not need it.

Change Up Your Kitchen Tools

With a lot of new blood entering the caravan world there are a lot of lessons being learnt on the first few trips taken, some learnt the hard way.

One thing I always suggest to people is stay clear of heavyweight kitchen utensils, especially if you are worried about the weight you are towing. It may sound silly but all these small changes added together makes one big difference.

Lightweight plastic utensils, plastic cups, bowls and plates and anything collapsible. These minor changes will take a good few kilos off of the end weight of your set up.

Change Up From Factory Standard

Pretty much every factory standard folding table that comes with a camper, motorhomes or caravan does the job, but it doesn’t mean you cannot have a change up.

Are you really spending that much time inside the van during spring and summer? If you are a campervan user I imagine you will spend very little time so why not get a very lightweight plastic folding table? Same size half the weight.

Decide What Key Items You Need

This goes back to making the list and then shortening it as you go. When it comes to going away you think you need to bring the world with you. One of my family members was always of the mind that you would need to pack everything you’d use at home over the weekend into the van. Once the parmesan cheese grater and the blender came out I had to walk away.

And always remember that leaving things are home is not a compromise, it’s a sensible choice.

Award For Family Helping Put Dumfries On Tourist Map

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By William Coleman

The family who helped pioneer camping and caravan holidays in Dumfries and Galloway have been given a special “thank you” by their trade association.

Auchenlarie Holiday Park in Gatehouse of Fleet has received a prestigious gold award from the British Holiday & Home Parks Association for its enterprise and loyalty.

The association is marking its 70th anniversary this year, and is celebrating its longest-serving members who have helped popularise outdoor holidays in Britain.

Park owners Marshall and Helen Swalwell first joined BH&HPA 25 years ago, and are assisted today in the running of the business by their sons Paul, Neil and Bob.

The couple bought the park in 1986, attracted by its picture-perfect location overlooked by the Galloway Hills, and its access to a secluded beach.

Since then, the family has invested much time and effort into creating an idyllic holiday destination for families visiting Southern Scotland.

Their reward has been to see guest numbers rise every year, and a raft of awards including a top five-star rating from VisitScotland and the maximum five pennants from the AA.

Facilities include an indoor pool, aromatherapy massage room, professional nightly entertainment in season, and plenty of activities for children to enjoy.

There is also a popular restaurant for freshly prepared meals, plus bars and takeaway facilities.

Guests can bring their own touring caravan, motorhome or tent, or rent or buy one of the park’s luxury holiday lodges or caravans, some of which have their own private hot-tubs.

Paul Swalwell says that Auchenlarie has always appealed to people seeking a high quality stay in one of Dumfries and Galloway’s most beautiful regions:

“Our family is immensely proud to be able to live and work in this glorious area, and from the outset we have always tried to run Auchenlarie on sustainable lines,” he said.

“There’s an abundance of animal and bird life here, and over the years we have planted many native trees and shrubs to provide additional habitats and feeding resources.

“We are also in the process of replacing the park’s five-strong housekeeping fleet with electric vehicles which are both quieter and non-polluting, and more vehicles will follow.

“We have always worked closely with BH&HPA and appreciate the help it gives to smaller businesses like ours, so it’s great to have them saying thanks to us in this way,” added Paul.

Auchenlarie is also a member of the Best of British group, a consortium of independent parks providing some of the highest quality standards and levels of hospitality in the UK.

There is more information about Auchenlarie, and its nearby smaller sister park, on the family’s website at www.swalwellholidaygroup.co.uk

York Caravan Park Owners Buys Second Site

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Seeing the fun and fortune a caravan park can provide the the owner of York Caravan Park has purchased a second site on the outskirts of the city for an undisclosed sum, with work already underway to transform the 30-acre plot.

It is a prosperous time to be financially involved in the caravan/leisure world. Sales seem to be going up, camper van sales are coming on leaps and bounds and site bookings for the new season are already at capacity.

Andrew Wilson is modernising York Naburn Lock holiday park by upgrading the pitches, landscaping and electrics, whilst also submitting a planning application to construct new state-of-the-art washing and toilet facilities.

Currently the site boasts 115 pitches, with Andrew’s vision being to one day create a new glamping area that capitalises on the growing demand for the outdoor holiday trend.

Situated just four miles from York, Naburn Lock adds to Andrew’s first campsite venture, York Caravan Park, which has been in operation since 2007 and is situated within the city ring road. The affluent five-star, adult only campsite comprises 55 pitches.

York Caravan Park was first established on land at Andrew’s family farm and has continued to expand over the last decade to reach its current seven-acre footprint. To-date, it has welcomed more than 50,000 visitors.

Andrew said: “Acquiring Naburn Lock is the culmination of a three-year search for the right holiday site with an abundance of potential. Demand for quality campsite accommodation continues to grow each year across all generations, and after already establishing a strong foothold within the adult only space, it was a clear focus of mine to eventually enter the family market and deliver more accommodation within the beautiful city of York.

“Not one for resting on my laurels, I have big ambitions for the site to one-day create a new glamping area that taps into its rising popularity and brings a new outdoor holiday accommodation offer that drives a diverse mix of visitors and further growth to the local economy.”

Supporting Andrew in his acquisition was Haworths Chartered Accountants, with its expert team providing advice and guidance to raise the necessary funding.

Andrew said: “Haworths acted as a true partner at each stage of the acquisition, having answers to every question and helping to produce the necessary financial forecasts and cash flows that were mandated by the bank.

“We’ve been a client of theirs for a number of years and really value the fact that whenever I call, I get to speak with the right people immediately.”

Mark Schofield, director at Haworths Chartered Accountants, said: “With more than a decade of experience in the outdoor holiday sector, Andrew is a great example of a successful entrepreneur that has recognised and capitalised on the sustained growth of UK staycations.

“We’ve supported Andrew and his family since the inception of York Caravan Park. It’s been fantastic to play a role in enabling their ambitions to become a reality and we’re proud to continue to support them in this exciting new chapter.”

Haworths Chartered Accountants has offices in Accrington, Bentham and Settle, which serve a diverse mix of clients across the North of England and beyond.

A Third of Brits Stressed By Bad Weather On Road Trips

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Over 34% of Brits cite bad weather as the most stressful part of driving to UK holiday destinations, research suggests. And as you know the touring community put a lot of miles in to get to those caravan hot spots.

The finding was revealed in a survey conducted by boot liner manufacturer The Hatchbag Company, which asked the UK public: “What is the most stressful thing about driving around the UK on holiday?”

Another issue raised was space management, something every caravan or motorhome owner is all too aware of. One in five admitted that they find packing and unpacking the car frustrating. This was particularly true among 25 to 44-year-olds – the demographic most likely to be holidaying with children.
Cramped conditions and the mess created by mud and sand brought into a vehicle were cited by 17.9% of respondents as a point of stress.

Claudia Finamore, commercial manager at The Hatchbag Company, said: “Unfortunately the car journeys to and from British holiday destinations can be stressful, particularly for young families who are likely to fill every bit of space in the car with holiday necessities.

“One way to help make car journeys more pleasant-particularly in wet conditions- is to fit a wipe-clean, protective boot liner into the car. Aside from reducing the amount of mess that is brought into the car, they also help to simplify packing and unpacking luggage and equipment.”

One in 20 survey participants admitted the car journey would put them off holidaying in the UK entirely, but a bit of planning can vastly help to reduce stress when travelling.

Tips to help make road trips in the UK less stressful, including carrying paper maps as a precaution in case GPS signal is lost and what to pack in case of an emergency, are featured in a useful road trip checklist released by The Hatchbag Company.

Further advice includes:

  • Researching guest houses and hostels along the route in case plans have to change
  • Investing in in-car entertainment if travelling with children
  • Hiring a car if you are at all unsure about the condition, size or fuel consumption of your vehicle
  • Packing to maximise comfort, including blankets and snacks, especially when travelling in poor weather conditions

Claudia concludes: “Road trips are as much about enjoying how you get there as the destination itself, so in-car comfort is paramount. A little bit of pre-planning will ensure that all members of the party are comfortable and happy, enabling the holiday to start the second the key turns in the ignition.”

9 Top Holiday Parks in the UK for Families with Kids

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By William Coleman

In this article, we are going to be showing you some of the most popular family holiday parks from fantastic locations across the UK, including Cornwall, Wales & Scotland.

Let’s dive straight in..

1. Stanwix Park – Cumbria

This holiday park is one of those where you get the best of both worlds, an enviable location in the heart of the Lake District whilst enjoying a variety of activities and attractions. For kids, you are in for a treat as you have two large swimming pools, ten pin bowling, tennis, bike hire, soft play area, video games and adventure play park.

If you want to head offsite with your children, the Lake District National Park, Roman Wall & Gretna Green are all within easy reach and provide superb days out.

2. Loch Lomond Holiday Park – Scotland

Now this fantastic resort in Scotland is for anyone who loves spending time outdoors and exploring. It provides a luxury escape whilst allowing you to experience fun filled activities such as kayaking, paddle boarding, jet skiing, fishing and hill walking.

With its rural location you can enjoy a truly tranquil break, however, Glasgow is still only an hour away by car. There are a number of local restaurants and shops all within a 10-mile radius of the caravan park.

3. Cardigan Bay Holiday Park – Wales

A private owned park situated in a secluded valley just 300 yards from the award winning Poppit Sands Beach and with great facilities onsite, you can enjoy a memorable welsh break here. The Pembrokeshire Coastal Path is on your doorstep meaning you can walk for miles exploring the majestic coastline.

If you are looking to stay onsite, then relax in the indoor heated tropical pool with a retractable roof for when that great British weather kicks in! Let your children run around in the adventure playground or spend a couple of hours in the amusements!

4. Cofton Holidays – Devon

An award-winning park located in 80 acres of lush woods and meadows boasting it’s own private fishing lakes and just a mile from the glorious Devonshire coast. This park has luxury running throughout providing a relaxing stay with plenty to do and see. Some of these include coarse fishing, sauna, steam room, two swimming pools, family entertainment and woodland walking & cycling trails.

Further afield, you have the idyllic Jurassic Coastline which is a must see when in the South West of England. The historic city of Exeter is also within driving distance if you want to spend the day shopping.

5. Sandymouth Holiday Resort – Cornwall

With a multi-million-pound renovation, this park has been transformed into a truly unbelievable destination for a family holiday. Just 15 minutes’ drive from Bude and set in 24 acres of stunning meadowland, it’s easy to see why this resort is so popular.

On your doorstep you have rock pools, surf schools, bodyboarding, kayaking and sailing all available locally. If you want to stay at the resort, activities such as archery, fencing, fishing and football can be enjoyed.

6. Searles Leisure Resort – Norfolk

With great access to the Norfolk coast and world-famous Broads, you are in a prime location at this holiday park. If your kids need hours of endless fun then there sure to have it here with fishing, two swimming pools, a splash pad, crazy golf, tennis, golf, soft play area and an adventure playground. What more could you ask for!

There are plenty of quaint villages, shops, restaurants and the sea life centre close by for you to explore. Sandringham House & Holkham Hall are both just a short drive away.

7. Thornwick Bay – Yorkshire

Thornwick Bay is one of those holiday parks that just impresses you every time you visit due to the constant improvements they make and new facilities they are opening. From Aqua Inflatables & Water Slides to Archery & Football Coaching, these are just a handful of the many activities they have available for children.

Due to the park being located on the Yorkshire coast, you get to enjoy a variety of walks and bird watching opportunities. There is also a golf course within driving distance and the popular resort of Scarborough is only a 30-minute drive.

8. Golden Sands Holiday Park – Northumberland

Just 200 meters from the beach, this luxury holiday park has it’s clubhouse refurbished with an adult only bar and family room, children’s play area, games room, 5 a side football pitch and skatepark. There is also a small gym and a golf practice area for anyone looking to improve their game.

Locally there’s plenty to do including the UK’s largest water park, horse riding, leisure centres and a range of high-end golf courses.

9. Orchard’s Holiday Park – Isle of Wight

Located in an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the western side of the island, you can enjoy an indoor and outdoor heated swimming pool with a shop, supermarket and take away all available onsite.

You are also just a 10-minute drive from Colwell Bay & Compton, with glorious sandy beaches and the idyllic harbour town of Great Yarmouth.

For other great information on caravan parks throughout the UK, visit Holiday Park Ace.

CaravanTimes Join The Bailey Sahara Challenge

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By William Coleman

Just over two year ago I was asked to be part of the Bailey Britanbul tour where we would cover 21 counties in 21 days. As we approach the 2 year anniversary of that trip we find out that we are going away once more with the team, but this time to somewhere very different.

This trip marks the third time CaravanTimes have been on the globe trotting Bailey of Bristol tours. The first trip was the voyage to the Arctic Circle, the second was the Bristanbul trip and for the third we will be driving all the way from Bristol to the Sahara and back. I wonder how easy towing across sand dunes will be..

The trip will start in March at Bailey’s HQ on South Liberty Lane where the team will travel to Spain and Portugal across the Strait of Gibraltar into Morocco over the Atlas Mountains and as far south as the edge of the Sahara Desert before returning home. These locations in Morocco are birth places of the first caravans. They just used camels instead of tow vehicles.

We will be using 2 touring caravans, a pair of Discovery D4-4 models which will be pulled by SsangYong vehicles, an Alliance SE 76-4T. Across the 20 days we are on the road we are expecting some very varied, dare I say challenging, road surface and ever changing weather conditions and I am excited to see just how hot some of the countries are. Will the caravan be able to take on the Sahara heat?

I have no doubt that this tour will be very different to the Bristanbul tour as the locations we are visiting offer some extremes in both weather and driving conditions. Roads in France, Italy and Spain are as good as you’d expect, where as some of the trails we are taking are, well..desert passes. And yes, I will be installed a very strict so sandy shoes policy for whatever caravan I end up in.

Where before we were driving around parts of Europe that have very well maintained roads it is clear that some destinations on the Sahara Challenge will not be quite as smooth. Crossing the Atlas Mountains is the part I am most excited about, even if I am a bit unclear as to just how good the roads will be.

Regular updates on the team’s progress will be posted on the Bailey of Bristol website as well as on the company’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds (#SaharaChallenge). Updates will also appear on all Caravan and Motorhome Club social platforms and not to mention the CaravanTimes Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.