Using leisure vehicles in the winter

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Dan Cartwright has over 12 years of experience in the caravan and motorhome industry. He is a judge for a number of prestigious leisure vehicle awards and regularly heads off in his motorhome with his family. Every week, Dan shares his insights with the community. Here’s what he has to say this week.

Instead of retiring your leisure vehicle for the winter, continuing to use it during the colder months actually makes sense. If you’ve never done it before, but want to join the legion of caravan and motorhome fans who love winter touring, Dan shares his advice.

Reasons to use your leisure vehicle in winter

A lot of modern leisure vehicles are extremely well insulated, some even more so than people’s homes. They also have very good heating systems and are often quick to heat due to their relative size, making a trip away in winter more than feasible.

There’s a lot better site availability at this time of year, the attractions you’re likely to want to visit will be less crowded and there are plenty of deals to take advantage of. A crisp winter’s morning can be an amazing thing to enjoy during a few days away.

Leisure vehicles benefit from being used, as it allows you to see any issues that might be present and get air circulating around the interior. A lot of people do use their caravans and motorhomes 12 months a year, especially if they enjoy skiing, and if that’s you, then you’ve probably got systems in place that work for you. In which case, skip ahead to the next article, otherwise, read on.

Make sure your vehicle is road worthy

Conducting thorough checks to make sure your leisure vehicle is road worthy is crucial for winter trips. These checks should begin with your lights, as in the summer months it’s really easy not to notice if a bulb is out. Then move on to winter tyres, as it only costs about £10 to get your tyres swapped for more extreme conditions and you can keep them for use again next year.

If you haven’t used your leisure vehicle for a month or so, test the vehicle itself before you’re all loaded up and ready to set off. Finding problems on the road or on a cold pitch when it’s dark can make them harder to fix, so be sure everything’s in good working order before setting off.

Keep lots of back-up items on board

Be sure to fully charge your battery prior to any trip, but also pack a solar trickle charger or an OptiMate to help you out if you need it while you’re away. It’s the same with the gas, where you’ll need a level check device, as everyone thinks they can tell how much gas is left in a bottle, but they can’t. You don’t want to be caught short in winter without gas or lighting and not being able to top up for whatever reason.

Make sure you know where your spare tyre is and your towing eye. Hopefully you won’t need them, but it’s a good idea to be able to locate them quickly when required, as this can help minimise the stress of potentially difficult situations.

Plan in advance

Statistically, there are more accidents and delays on the roads in winter, so allow yourself plenty of time to get to your campsite. There’s often complications, like wind blowing over lorries, or an increase in traffic at this time of year. It can be unpleasant setting up in the dark, especially when it’s wet and windy, so try to plan carefully to arrive in the daylight. 

Pack a changing robe

The almost floor-length changing robes, designed with waterproof material on the outside and a cosy inside, are great for trips to the toilet block in the middle of the night. You can put them on without having to add lots of layers underneath.

Leave the heating on low

It’s important to leave the heating running in your caravan or motorhome when you go out for the day during colder months, otherwise it can become a problem for your water system. It takes very little energy to heat your leisure vehicle to 12 or 13 degrees, but you need to make sure the interior doesn’t get down to four degrees, at which point onboard systems will dump all of their water out.

Consider your pitch

Most caravanners and motorhomers will think about the ground beneath their leisure vehicle, but for those with a smaller set-up, it can be easy to overlook the implications of a pitch in winter. If it’s cold and frozen over when you arrive, but gets warmer during your stay, it can be very difficult to get your leisure vehicle out.

Use a smaller, inflatable awning

I find an awning more important in winter than in summer, because you’re invariably coming back to your leisure vehicle with wet kit and even soggy dogs. Muddy boots, drenched coats and dirty dog leads can all be left in the awning, instead of bringing them into the motorhome. They’ll be protected from the weather and make your indoor experience a little bit nicer.

An inflatable awning won’t be damaged in the wind and will simply spring back up after whatever weather event winter throws at it. This makes it a more practical option than the traditional awnings used during the summer months. A blow up awning is also quicker to put up, so it’s a win-win from me.



 

 

Photo credit: Pexels/Thirdman

5 tips for driving safely in the dark

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Now that the clocks have gone back, the days are shorter and the nights longer, it’s important to think carefully about driving your motorhome or towcar in the dark.

There are a number of simple precautions to take to make sure you get to your campsite safely and Graham Conway, managing director at Select Car Leasing, has shared them with us.

Use lights appropriately

Check both your front and rear lights are in full working order before setting off, as it’s dangerous and illegal to drive without your lights working properly.

Turn on your dipped headlights around an hour before sunset and keep them on up until an hour after sunrise to ensure you’re always clearly visible to other road users.

You should use your full beams on unlit country roads to help you see more clearly, but if you encounter another vehicle, switch back to dipped beams immediately so that you don’t dazzle them.

Don’t look directly at the lights of oncoming vehicles

Never look directly at the lights of cars coming in the other direction, as you could be dazzled and the glare temporarily impair your vision.

Always look to the left-hand side of the road and follow the line marking the edge, so you can keep track of your position on the road.

If the glare is so bad that you can’t see anything, slow down but avoid stopping abruptly so any vehicles behind don’t run into the back of you.

Be aware of pedestrians, cyclists and animals

Take extra care when driving around residential areas so you have enough time to react if someone does happen to step out in front of you.

Cyclists become more difficult to spot after dark, too, especially if they’re not wearing reflective clothing or haven’t fitted lights to their bikes.

Watching out for animals darting in front of your motorhome or towcar becomes crucial at this time of year, particularly on country roads where nocturnal creatures are active.

Keep your speed down and always be on your guard for any unexpected movements so you can react to the situation easily at any given time.

Keep your windows clean

Condensation on the inside of your windows and dirt on the outside can impair visibility and become dangerous, so it’s important to take time to clean them before setting off.

Windscreens are particularly susceptible to steaming up with the contrast between warm air inside and cold outside.

Vehicle heaters are a necessity in the winter, but can blow dirty air at the glass, causing a hazy film to build up, which increases glare from oncoming headlights.

Don’t drive tired

Driving tired makes you a danger to yourself and others, and can even be as dangerous as drink driving, so schedule in lots of breaks.

If you’re heading off on a long journey that involves driving through the night, make sure you stop at least every couple of hours and grab a caffeinated drink to keep yourself alert.

It’s tempting to go a long way in your caravan or motorhome, but in the winter it can be sensible to stay closer to home and try to arrive before it gets dark.



 

Photo credit: Pexels/Josh Hild

Top motorhome and campervan modifications

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Whether you buy a motorhome from a dealer or embark on your very own van conversion, everyone knows that owning a leisure vehicle means making it your own.

After all, it’s your home away from home on long and short trips, and it’s not until you’ve taken it on a few adventures that you realise there’s a few modifications that will make it work better for you.

With this in mind, the experts at Motorhome Protect have conducted some research into the changes that are most popular within the leisure vehicle industry.

According to the broker’s proprietary data for the UK from the past year, the top modifications are as follows:

Replacing steel wheels with alloys

Some 21 per cent of motorhome and campervan owners have made the decision to swap out conventional steel wheels with alloys.

The smart set-up is sanctioned by most insurers, as long as the alloys are fitted with locking wheel nuts to protect against theft.

Addition of a towbar

There are a number of reasons why you might want to add a towbar to your motorhome, from pulling a small vehicle to taking your bikes or motorbike on your trip.

For 18 per cent of leisure vehicle aficionados, it’s a must and makes their motorhome or campervan even more adaptable for their needs.

Making improvements to the suspension

Poor suspension can make handling corners in your leisure vehicle difficult and even lead to a bumpy ride on your way to your campsite.

That’s why improving this element is the third most popular modification to make on a motorhome or campervan, with 12 per cent of people opting to add rubber spring assisters and shock absorbers.

Upgrading engines

Six per cent of owners said they have made engine upgrades, which are likely to change the cover required and potentially increase insurance premiums.

Reasons for switching out an engine on a motorhome include increased horsepower and torque; improved fuel efficiency; and enhanced drivability and handling.

Eco-friendly improvements

Solar panels and liquid petroleum gas conversions are also popular modifications with six per cent and three per cent of owners respectively, because of their environmentally-friendly credentials.

Adding solar panels will increase the value of your leisure vehicle and therefore impact your coverage, but won’t be included automatically by insurers.

Mark Sheppard, senior manager at Motorhome Protect, said: “Owners will need to make insurers aware of any non-standard feature of a vehicle – the worst case scenario is that not advising of any change could invalidate policyholders’ cover.”



 

Photo courtesy of photoschmidt via Getty Images

The argument for caravans as trend towards motorhomes and campervans continues

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Dan Cartwright has over 12 years of experience in the caravan and motorhome industry. He is a judge for a number of prestigious leisure vehicle awards and regularly heads off in his motorhome with his family. Every week, Dan shares his insights with the community. Here’s what he has to say this week.

Having just returned from the Motorhome & Caravan Show, where he judged the Caravan Design Awards 2025, Dan has noticed a startling trend in the leisure vehicle industry. Caravans, which have been a firm favourite with families for decades, are falling out of favour to be replaced in people’s ideas of living the perfect vanlife with motorhomes and campervans.

Here, he speaks exclusively to CaravanTimes about why potential buyers should consider the trusty caravan when deciding on a leisure vehicle to purchase.

The trend towards motorhomes and campervans

When I’m at the show I like to talk to the customers in attendance and I’ve found that quite a lot of people entering the leisure vehicle world are purchasing motorhomes or campervans. These consumers are split into two groups – the younger ones who are purchasing van conversions and campervans; and retirees or older couples who are buying more expensive motorhomes.

Whilst caravans still remain the biggest seller in terms of volume, their popularity is decreasing and this is particularly the case with buyers who are newly entering the market. A lot of the people that I spoke to at the NEC show were first-timers looking to purchase a leisure vehicle or who had just bought one.

Most of these consumers had gone directly into buying an option with its own engine and ability to drive. This is probably the way that the industry is moving, but leisure vehicles to me are like puppies – you may have a favourite, but you like them all! There’s always compromise, but despite their individual quirks, they’re all great.

Don’t overlook caravans completely

My opinion is that a lot of people going into the market might actually find a caravan more appropriate for their needs if they looked into it in more detail. Motorhomes and campervans have become inspirational products, which are tied into the idea of what users want to do with them.

Retirees see themselves touring Europe for months on end and the younger campervanners imagine parking up on a beach in Cornwall and living a typical vanlife of enjoying the great outdoors. I worry that level of inspiration means they haven’t looked at the practicality of a caravan.

The Formula One test

Imagine you’ve been driving for a few hundred miles and you’ve arrived at your campsite in time to watch the Formula One. That’s two to three hours of TV viewing in your leisure vehicle. Most people think that when you pull up in a motorhome, everything is all set up ready to use, but this isn’t the case.

In reality, if your pitch isn’t entirely level, it’s harder to fix this problem in a motorhome than a caravan. Anyone who’s slept in a leisure vehicle at a slight incline or decline that’s barely noticeable during the day will tell you how awful it is during the night. Despite popular belief, pitching a caravan can be quicker than a motorhome in these circumstances.

The amenities are also not ready to use, as things like the water tank should be emptied before you drive. This is partly down to the payload, as a lot of motorhomes will be at capacity with your luggage and camping equipment on board, before you’ve added a full tank of water. This means you’ll have to fill up your caravan or motorhome on site, regardless of the type of leisure vehicle you’ve chosen.

Once inside, the comfort level of a caravan is higher than that of a motorhome. The seating area is nicer and you won’t be sitting watching three hours of motorsport in the exact chair that you were driving in for five hours. In motorhomes, the driver’s and passenger’s seats are simply moved to face in a different direction.

Driving around once you’re pitched up

After the initial set-up, caravans can be left at your campsite pitch while you take the towcar to the local shop or for a day out. Motorhomes, on the other hand, need to be battened down, with all of your possessions secured before you can drive off. Then you’re faced with the challenge of finding somewhere with appropriate motorhome parking.

Weighing up the cost

Campervans start in the high £50,000s when purchased new and motorhomes are between £60,000 and £100,000 at the lower mid-level. That’s a big investment if you’ve never experienced the lifestyle before or understand the compromises involved.

When you then go to sell a motorhome, it looks like the depreciation is low, but they’re difficult to market privately and get what they make on dealer forecourts. Typically, sellers must take a dealer’s margin into consideration, meaning they lose a fair amount of value when offloading motorhomes.

A reasonable caravan of the same spec, on the other hand, can be bought for around £25,000 to £30,000 and represents a much lower level of percentage loss when you come to sell it. Yes, you need a towcar, but there are many capable towcars out there and you probably have one sitting in your driveway.

I’m not saying don’t go and buy a motorhome if that’s your dream. My advice is to think about the practicalities of a motorhome compared to a caravan before you splurge £100,000 on a leisure vehicle. While a caravan is not seen as inspirational, it can offer a lower-risk alternative and a better overall experience.

 

Photo credit: Unsplash/Trevor McKinnon

Camplify gets McDreamy with Grey’s Anatomy-inspired Airstream

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It’s one of the most iconic leisure vehicles on TV and now you can spend a night in an Airstream trailer just like Dr Derek Shepherd’s in Grey’s Anatomy.

To coincide with new episodes of the medical drama hitting our screens, Camplify has made The Silver Whales Airstream available to rent on its platform.

Ready to be hired from its home in Whitstable, the vehicle sleeps four and is advertised as pet friendly for anyone looking to take their pooch on holiday with them.

In Grey’s Anatomy, Dr Shepherd, or McDreamy as he was affectionately known, lived in the trailer up until the fifth season.

Even after the fictional surgeon moved out of the Airstream, it continued to appear in the series, as several other characters lived in it at various times.

The Silver Whales Airstream comes complete with a fixed king-sized bed and pull-out double, a fully-equipped kitchen, an inside wet room and an outside shower.

Other amenities include a BBQ, solar panels, outside furniture, heating, plates and cutlery. Linen is also provided.

Rental is priced at £225 a night, with a minimum period of two days and delivery anywhere within 200 miles of Whitstable.

It’s a genuine vintage Airstream model having been built in 1974 and therefore celebrating its 50th birthday this year.

Over the years, Airstreams have become iconic within American culture, with the likes of Tom Hanks, Matthew McConaughey and Brad Pitt all fans of the silver-hued vehicles.

After growing accustomed to filming inside the trailer on the Grey’s Anatomy set, Patrick Dempsey, who played Dr Shepherd, had one installed at his Malibu mansion.

Flavia Robles Lorente, country marketing manager at Camplify UK, said: “We love helping holidaymakers experience some of the most exciting and unique accommodation, and the Silver Whales Airstream is no different.

“Fans of Grey’s Anatomy will recognise it instantly, and those not familiar will soon fall in love with the experience it offers.”

Camplify is one of the biggest campervan and motorhome sharing communities in the world, having started in Australia in 2015 and since expanded to other locations.

Its ambition is to make vanlife accessible to all and is a great way to give first timers a taste of the lifestyle before committing to buy their own leisure vehicle.

Camplify has helped van lovers across the UK enjoy more than 100,000 nights away from home and over 2,000 owners list their vehicles on the platform.



Walks to enjoy on a late season break

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As the nights draw in, it used to be the case that most caravan and motorhome enthusiasts packed up their leisure vehicles and put them into storage for the winter.

Now, more than ever, people are continuing to make use of their home-away-from-homes and keep touring throughout the colder months.

There are many advantages to taking a late season break – from cheaper pitch fees and quieter attractions to more opportunities to spot some of the UK’s most elusive wildlife.

Andy Torbet, actor, TV presenter and camping enthusiast, said: “Autumn can be the perfect time to visit a woodland site as the leaves morph from the spectrum of greens to the reds, yellows, browns, coppers, golds and purples.

“What’s more, the wildlife can be more visible as it becomes bolder in the face of feeding up before the winter.”

The Camping and Caravanning Club has shared a list of walks to enjoy from its sites this autumn to make the most of the season.

Castle Ring Fort walk, Cannock Chase

This route will take you along the tracks, paths and sections of The Heart of England Way, climbing up to Castle Ring Fort.

From the ancient iron age fortress, which sits atop the highest point on the Chase, you’ll be afforded great views of the south Staffordshire countryside.

Be on the lookout for the annual rut of the Chase’s ancient herd of fallow deer, which takes place in October.

Park up at Cannock Chase Club site, where pitches cost from £11.80 per night.

Old Pale walk, Delamere Forest

The Old Pale walk leads ramblers up to the summit and viewpoint of Old Pale and Pale Heights, where you’ll be rewarded with views across seven counties.

Dropping back down to the forest level, tracks and paths meander through the trees until you reach the Blakemere Moss lake.

Native species that can often be seen on the walk include the greater spotted woodpecker and the green woodpecker.

The nearest Club site is Delamere Forest, where you can pitch up from £11.80 per night.

Haughmond Hill walk, Shropshire

Descending to the ruins of Haughmond Abbey, which dates back to the 12th century, this walk is a woodland circuit of the flanks of Haughmond Hill.

It then offers a climb to the summit through deciduous and coniferous trees to a view out to the south Shropshire and Welsh hills.

Be on the lookout for migrating birds not normally seen in the UK, which are flying between their breeding grounds in the north to overwintering locations further south.

Ebury Hill is the most convenient Club site, where you can stay from £7.20 a night.

Sallochy Bay walk, Loch Lomond

The three-hour Sallochy Bay linear walk along the eastern shores of Loch Lomond from Milarrochy Bay Club Site follows the West Highland Way path.

Glimpses of the epic loch, which seems to go on forever, are offset by the low wooded hills between the water and the road.

Watch out for wildlife including osprey and the geese migrating from Greenland and Iceland at this time of year.

Starting from £10.15 per pitch per night, you can park up at the Milarrochy Bay Club site.

How the Caravan Design Awards 2025 winners were decided

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Dan Cartwright has over 12 years of experience in the caravan and motorhome industry. He is a judge for a number of prestigious leisure vehicle awards and regularly heads off in his motorhome with his family. Every week, Dan shares his insights with the community. Here’s what he has to say this week.

The Caravan Design Awards 2025 has just revealed its winners and our very own Dan Cartwright is among the judges. He has given CaravanTimes exclusive insight into the process of deciding the models that will be triumphant and explained why the awards are a great resource for anyone looking to purchase a leisure vehicle.

How are the awards judged?

There’s a panel of six independent judges, plus one technical specialist from The Caravan and Motorhome Club, who are given the entry lists around three weeks before the Motorhome & Caravan Show. We all get assigned a particular area of interest on the caravans – mine was interior living and technology – as well as its overall specifications.

We then do what a consumer would do to research a caravan. We go onto the websites and look at the brochures, downloading information about their features, to carry out an online judging. This means rating and ranking each model, as well as looking for answers to our most pressing questions.

This is an important part of the process, because people won’t be able to look at ten or 12 caravans at the show and in an extreme amount of detail. So, we replicate the potential customer process of doing research online and one of the judges ranks the models for the availability of information.

Before the show starts, but once the halls have been set up, the judges then go and spend three days visiting each and every caravan entered for the awards. This is to ratify or change the results of our previous research in the flesh. We’re trying to emulate the process a buyer would go through when they’re looking to purchase a caravan, just in a lot more detail.

What’s the role of the technical judge?

The technical judge makes sure that all of the caravans featured meet British standard design specifications and that all of the safety features are present. Some of these are elements that can be hard to find out as a consumer, as the scrutiny for the awards goes into great detail.

 

A selection of this year's winners

Who are the awards for?

It’s the manufacturers that enter their models into different categories – size, weight, berths or family layouts – and some of them will be rewarded with awards. The real reason to go through the process, however, is to support the Club members and anybody who’s interested in buying a caravan.

Given our level of interaction with the leisure vehicles before we even start judging and the fact that we’re familiar with the makes and models of the caravans, we’re well-placed to assess them. This whole process, which takes weeks, is not practical from a consumer point of view, so we do it instead.

Even if you’ve narrowed it down to one or two categories or layouts prior to the show, a buyer wouldn’t be able to go into as much detail as we do during the event. The other thing is that dealers don’t stock every model, so anyone not visiting the show would have to travel the length and breadth of the country to see them all.

We’re not saying that you should always buy the winner of a category. After all, the specific needs of one consumer will be different to those of another purchaser, but we’re saying that the winners provide a good benchmark within the decision-making process.

Are the awards useful for people buying in the secondhand market?

What many people don’t realise is that there are hundreds of makes, models and layouts of caravans available in the secondhand market every year in the UK. With so many different variations on offer, it’s important that the information from the awards remains on the website for years to inform such choices.

Being able to see what the judges believed to be a good caravan five years ago in your layout is a good starting point for what to look for secondhand today. It really is a year-on-year resource that’s been building up for people wanting to purchase new or older models.



Motorhome enthusiasts approaching 70 reminded of little-known rule

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A lesser-known rule concerning driving motorhomes and minibuses over the age of 70 has hit the headlines in recent days.

Local media and some tabloid newspapers have published articles suggesting over-70s could be banned from driving their leisure vehicles upon reaching the milestone birthday.

While there is some truth behind the alarming headlines, those approaching the age of 70 can sit a simple test to ensure they are still fit to drive their beloved motorhome and keep everyone safe on the road.

When renewing a driving licence at around 70, specific freedoms no longer automatically apply, meaning individuals must seek permission if they want to drive larger vehicles.

The C1, which allows the driving of medium-sized vehicles between 3,500kg and 7,500kg, will be removed from licences, as well as the D1 minibus category.

Motorhome owners over the age of 70 who want to keep these privileges in place will need to take a medical examination to prove they are fit and healthy to drive such vehicles.

So, as long as you’re safe to drive there should be no problem in passing the test and retaining the right to drive your motorhome.

The only issue is that many people approaching 70 aren’t aware of the legislation and could be caught out when their licence expires.

If you have staycation or holiday plans in your motorhome, it’s a good idea to ensure you’ve contacted the DVLA and got your test booked in.

The Older Drivers Forum told the Express: “When you renew your licence at 70, many of the other entitlements to drive vehicles of other categories will be lost unless you apply for them.

“If you use the standard D1 or online renewal procedure your C1 entitlement will be suspended and you will no longer be able to drive motorhomes between 3,500kg and 7,500kg until you have passed a medical.”

There are a number of smaller motorhomes on the market that come in at under the 3,500kg weight limit, however, which could appeal to older drivers.

Swift, for example, offers various motorhomes in the category, including its popular Voyager, which can sleep four people.

Bailey’s Adamo model also comes in at below 3,500kg and is a spacious option, with five distinct layouts to choose from.

Hymer’s lightweight motorhomes include the Free Campus and Grand Canyon S, which have compact and easy-to-drive designs.

 

 

 

Photo credit: Pixabay/planet_fox

The best pumpkin patches to visit this autumn

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During the darker days and nights of autumn, there are some flashes of colour, with the distinctive orange hue of pumpkins representing the brightest and most traditional for this time of year.

Carving a pumpkin is a great activity to enjoy on your next caravan or motorhome trip, but you’ll want to head to a pumpkin patch to get the best selection in terms of size and shape to choose from.

With this in mind, the houseplant experts at Beards & Daisies and writers at CaravanTimes have put together a list of the patches worth visiting on your next touring adventure.

Cotswold Farm Park, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

Offering everything from full pumpkin day experiences to a UV nighttime pumpkin trail, Cotswold Farm Park will quickly get you in the mood for autumn.

A corn maze, spooky face painting and a chance to meet rare breed animals means there’s enough excitement to keep the whole family, including your dog, entertained for hours.

Tulleys Farm, Crawley, West Sussex

While Tulleys Farm is a fun pumpkin patch by day, it really ramps up the atmosphere in the evenings, where you’ll find twinkling lights and live entertainment.

If your leisure vehicle is safely parked up, then you can indulge in seasonal cocktails and an array of street food specialities.

Garsons Farm, Esher, Surrey

The expansive pumpkin patch at Garsons Farm is a pick-your-own paradise, where you can get your hands on a huge gourd for carving or mini pumpkins to decorate your caravan.

Themed displays made from pumpkins grown on the farm add to the experience and are sure to capture the kids’ imaginations.

Pumpkin Picking Village, Chelmsford, Essex

Pulling out all the stops is the Pumpkin Picking Village, where you’re sure to find the perfect specimen this October.

Expect hay bales, farm animals and pumpkin-themed games, as well as fields and fields of pumpkins just waiting to be picked.

Brockbushes Farm, Stocksfield, Northumberland

Growing 90,000 pumpkins every year, Brockbushes Farm has every variety you could imagine, from the large white polar bear to the Hoargarth with its warty skin.

Pimp your pumpkin, get a spooky tattoo or toast marshmallows at the farm during your visit, as you try to decide which type of pumpkin to take home with you.

Balgone Estate, East Lothian, Scotland

Scotland’s biggest pumpkin patch can be found on the Balgone Estate, where they grow 70,000 gourds a year in 27 different varieties.

Pick your pumpkin, walk the haunted trail and visit the crooked cauldron for some Halloween surprises.

 

Photo credit: Pexels/Inna Heasley



Redline Campers to debut new model at NEC show

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Redline Campers, which specialises in van conversions, is set to debut a new model based on the Ford Transit Custom at the Motorhome & Caravan Show.

Visitors to the event at the NEC in Birmingham from November 15th to 20th will be able to stop by Stand 40 in Hall 11 to see what the company has on offer.

With a starting price of £58,995, the new Redline GT will be based on the new Ford Transit Custom and orders can be placed immediately.

Key features of the new camper include:

  • Thermo-Shield construction with 8mm foil back foam and lightweight 25mm Dacron insulation.
  • Redline’s exclusive glass reinforced plastic twin-polycarbonate elevating roof with aerodynamic, noise-reducing front roof spoiler.
  • Premium roof tent with twin mesh ventilation windows and a large front window.
  • Lightweight furniture made using precision computer numerical control machine technology.
  • RIB Altair 112 ISOFIX seating and bedding system with an M1 certified fitting kit.
  • Pull-down upholstered double roof bed with a memory foam mattress and a safety net.
  • Dometic 12V fridge with space-maximising design and removable freezer compartment.
  • Dometic two-burner gas hob with a glass lid.
  • 45-litre onboard water tank with external filling point.
  • Bespoke power management system and wiring loom compliant with BS EN1648.
  • 110Ah AGM leisure battery.

The base vehicle options are:

New Ford Transit Custom Titanium 150ps 6-Speed Manual

  • SWB: From £58,995
  • LWB: From £60,845

New Ford Transit Custom Titanium 170ps 8-Speed Automatic

  • SWB: From £62,995
  • LWB: From £64,845

The new model will be available to view for the duration of the show, with Redline staff on hand to answer any questions prospective buyers may have.

Caravan shows are a great opportunity for anyone looking to purchase a leisure vehicle to actually see what’s available and refine their search.

With so many options available for caravans, motorhomes and campervans, it can be difficult to know what will suit your needs without having a look in person.

Redline Campers was born in 2017 as the dedicated campervan conversion brand from the award-winning leisure vehicle retailer, Venture Caravans & Motorhomes, which was established in 1971.

If you can’t make it along to the Motorhome & Caravan Show, you can register your interest in the Redline GT on the converter’s website.

How to spot blue green algae on your next caravan trip

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Spending time in, on and around lakes, reservoirs, canals and rivers is a lovely way to enjoy being out and about in your caravan, but these locations can be hotspots for blue green algae.

It’s important to be able to identify blue green algae, as it’s a type of bacteria, known as cyanobacteria, that can produce chemicals that are toxic to people, birds and animals.

If you like to combine caravanning with swimming or other watersports, knowing when it’s not safe to go in is crucial to staying healthy.

Swimming in, or drinking, water contaminated by an algal bloom can cause skin rashes, vomiting, liver and kidney damage, and could even be fatal, for humans and dogs.

Blue green algae – there’s an app for that

The UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology is asking members of the public, particularly people who use lakes, reservoirs and canals recreationally, to report sightings of blue green algae.

This can be done easily by downloading the Bloomin’ Algae app to your phone and submitting any pictures of suspected algal blooms, which will be checked by scientists.

A photo guide included on the app can also help you assess if it’s blue green algae yourself, while you can also opt in to receive notifications about confirmed blooms in areas where you’re holidaying.

Crowdsourcing information

The app has been downloaded more than 10,000 times and around 300 to 400 sightings are logged each year, but more people need to be involved if scientists are to get an accurate idea of the scale of the problem.

At present, the majority of the cases reported are in Scotland and Northern Ireland, but it’s a problem nationwide.

The Bloomin’ Algae app has a wide network of users across the UK, Netherlands, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg, France and Lichtenstein.

There are also plans to roll it out in Kenya and Chile, so you can log sightings on trips overseas with your caravan or motorhome.

Dr Linda May, freshwater ecologist at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, said: “Climate change is making algal blooms more common. So, it’s really important for us to be able to track when and where these blooms are occurring.

“The more data we collect through the app, the more this helps our research into algal blooms, including ways that we can control them and reduce health risks to people and animals.”

 

 

Photo credit: Pexels/Tom Fisk



3 tips to make your caravan more environmentally friendly

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Getting out and about in your caravan is a great way to enjoy nature and if there are ways we can help preserve it while using our leisure vehicles, then that’s even better.

The benefits of making your caravan as eco as possible extend to saving money and being more comfortable, so it’s a win-win situation.

With this in mind, the experts at Towergate Insurance have put together their three top tips for minimising your caravan’s impact on the environment.

Keep on top of maintenance

Maintaining your leisure vehicle well has a number of advantages for the environment, including:

Prolonged vehicle life

Keeping on top of small repairs helps to extend the life of your leisure vehicle and prevent the need to buy a new one.

The manufacturing process for new models involves metals, plastics, energy and water, so cutting down on the frequency of replacing your caravan can be very eco-friendly.

Of course, discarded caravans also need to be scrapped, which can mean waste going into landfill and hazardous materials like batteries and oil needing to be dealt with.

Fuel efficiency

Caravans don’t make it to their destinations on their own and the towing vehicle you choose can have a big impact on the environment too.

No matter what type of towcar you own, you can make the engine more fuel-efficient with regular care and frequent oil changes.

Maintaining the outside of your caravan by removing moss and any unnecessary weight can improve its aerodynamics and cut down on fuel consumption too.

Minimise fluid leaks

Checking for leaks and making necessary repairs immediately can prevent substances like oil, coolant and brake fluid from escaping into the environment.

Contaminated soil or water sources can damage local ecosystems and disrupt the balance of natural habitats.

All chemical toilet waste from caravans should also be disposed of properly to prevent spillage into the countryside.

Find alternative power sources

There are ways to reduce the amount of energy you use while caravanning, but it’s also worth considering where the power for your appliances is coming from.

Solar panels attached to your leisure vehicle’s roof are an effective way to power items like the kettle, fridge and toaster, as well as LED light bulbs and to charge phones.

Installing solar panels can mean an initial expense, but most arrays have a 30-year lifespan, making them a good investment.

Upgrade your windows

Single-paned plastic windows, which are often found in older caravans, can result in heat loss and drafts, as well as condensation.

Upgrade your windows to use less energy or put up heavy-duty curtains to prevent the warmth from escaping.

Make sure the seals around the windows are doing their job too, since replacing these can make a big difference as the autumn and winter months approach.

Gary Turner, head of caravan and equine insurance at Towergate, said: “These three helpful tips are great for caravanners who are trying to be more mindful of their impact on the environment. 

“These maintenance tips and caravan additions or upgrades could also help the insurance industry, as a whole, to price future premiums.”



 

Photo credit: Unsplash/Mitchell Orr