Park Holidays UK joins forces with guide site

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by Craig Kemp

Caravan enthusiasts planning a trip to one of the UK’s thousands of sites this year may be interested to hear that Park Holidays UK has partnered with a popular guide website.

WhereCanWeGo.com is the UK’s guide to what is on in certain areas and has joined forces with the caravan park operator to help keep its customers informed of what sort of activities are available to them while on vacation.

Customers using the Park Holidays UK website need simply click the “what’s on” tab in each specific park page to see the forthcoming events in the area.

“The aim of WhereCanWeGo.com is to inform everyone of the wealth of possibilities in their local area,” the website explained.

It includes details on festivals, fetes, music, theatre talks, walks, sporting events, markets, courses and all sorts of other activities.

An example of one of the more than 240,000 events listed on the online resource is the Shark Week, which is taking place at the Blue Reef Aquarium in Hastings from May 29th to June 6th.

In other news, Park Holidays recently announced that it has launched a link-up bingo game, allowing its guests to play against people at other parks for big prizes.

Park Holidays UK: Caravan trip ideal for new mums

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A British caravan site operator has suggested that a break at one of its 23 holiday parks could be just the thing a new mum and baby needs.

Park Holidays UK explained that while some mothers may feel that a trip away with their newborn could end up being a hassle, visiting its sites should be trouble-free for parents and kids.

Taking a vacation in a British caravan site allows holidaymakers to cut out the worries over getting to the airport, flight delays, arranging new passports and foreign health concerns.

According to Park Holidays UK, staying at one of its sites means that new parents have all their home comforts close at hand.

The firm also promised an enjoyable family atmosphere and a high chance of meeting other holidaymakers in the same boat to swap stories with.

As well as entertainment for adults, the kids are fully catered for and even have the company’s mascot Loopy to keep them busy.

The lovable rabbit recently paid a visit to Great Ormond Street children’s hospital, where he cheered up the residents.

Park Holidays UK: Caravan parks good bases for outdoor activities

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With this summer set to be a scorcher, Park Holidays UK has suggested that Brits make the most of the outdoors.

The firm has 25 caravan sites situated around the south coast, which it claims are ideal bases for taking part in adventurous activities.

Those who prefer a relaxing break where they can become one with nature could take part in a hike along one of the UK’s many walking trails.

Meanwhile, many of the parks feature or are close to golf courses, which will allow holidaymakers to hone their skills while they soak up the sun.

Park Resorts UK recently drew attention to a number of quality courses close to its sites, including the Warren Golf Club, near Dawlish Warren.

The more energetic could enjoy the boating and watersports activities offered in coastal areas, while fishing might provide a relaxing day out and a tasty supper.

Holidaymakers who feel really adventurous could try out a mountain biking route, while those who love two wheels but like to take it easy might wish to cycle along coastal and countryside roads.

Park Holidays UK: Ex-pats should buy a British holiday home

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by Chris Malone

Buying a caravan or holiday home could be the ideal solution to many common ex-pat problems, it has been claimed.

According to Park Holidays UK, such a move has numerous benefits for those looking for a second home in the UK.

It explained that its sites are located close to a number of southern UK airports and offer great rail links.

Most parks have a swimming pool, great shopping close by and some are even open all year round.

Onsite facilities and free wifi make them the ideal base for a trip back to the UK to see friends and family and to conduct business.

Having a holiday home in England will allow ex-pats to visit Britain without being a burden to their relations or spending their time maintaining their UK property.

It noted that having a caravan home in the UK can also be much cheaper than owning a conventional property, costing from just £9,995 per year.

Meanwhile, the recent volcanic ash cloud problems which have grounded UK flights could lead to more people holidaying in caravan sites this summer.

Nissan reveals Juke prices

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Caravan enthusiasts often need a solid vehicle to act as a towcar and the new Nissan Juke compact crossover could provide just what they require.

The manufacturer recently released price figures for its latest venture, with the new model available from £12,795.

Those seeking higher performance could opt for the 190PS turbo version, which is priced from £15,695.

Customers will be able to opt for two and four-wheel drive models, depending on their needs, with the company having combined the space and practicality of an SUV with the power and styling of a sports car.

However, caravannners hoping to have one in time for the summer camping season may be disappointed to hear that the motor will not be released until September.

Nissan UK managing director Paul Willcox explained that the firm is committed to offering customers choice in the compact crossover market.

“Now we have Juke crossover which offers something innovative and exciting for the same price as a bland five-door hatchback,” he said.

Meanwhile, owners of the Toyota Hilux 4×4 can now make it even more powerful by adding a new chip.

Caravanners should expect hot summer

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A UK-based caravan holiday park operator is encouraging Brits to make the most of what is predicted to be the hottest summer in history by taking a staycation.

According to Parkdean, the forecast from Positive Weather Solutions is a bright one and people should book up for a break at one of its seaside resorts to enjoy some sun, sea and sand at home.

Temperatures are expected to reach 38.5 degrees C (101 degrees F) and the company claimed that chilling on the beach is the best place to be when the heat is on.

Parkdean operates 24 sites, including eight on the Cornish coast, which it claims are ideal for family breaks packed with adventure, great scenery and activities.

Holywell Bay has an outdoor pool with 300ft waterslide, while Newquay Holiday Park has two outdoor pools and a 200ft slide.

Meanwhile, Parkdean recently reported on the amazing story of a meerkat who has survived after being abandoned by her mother at Exmoor Zoo when she weighed just 18g.

Caravan fans should pack a brolly this Bank Holiday

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Caravan enthusiasts looking forward to the May bank holiday weekend might want to pack a brolly in their suitcase.

The forecast from the Met Office is not as positive as some would have hoped, with April showers set to overstay their welcome.

According to the experts, today’s (April 30th) weather will be a good mark of things to come.

It will begin dry and bright in most places, but clouds from the north and west will ruin the fun by bringing rain.

A similar theme will continue into Saturday, with a promising start giving way to heavy and prolonged downpours

Sunday is set to be cold, wet, windy and generally miserable, so caravanners might wish to have a day out to somewhere sheltered, such as a museum or the cinema.

Those holidaying in Scotland might have slightly better luck, with the country experiencing dryer and brighter weather, despite the low temperatures.

Monday should also bring dry and bright weather, although temperatures are set to drop, meaning it might be best to layer up before going outside.

Those not put off by the weather could head to outdoor attractions such as Alton Towers or Blackpool’s Pleasure Beach.

Destination Viaduc: restoring a classic Volkswagen campervan (Part One)

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When VW enthusiast Simon Thompson sat down with his wife and planned a summer camping holiday in France, there was only one problem. He had just four months to transform the empty interior shell of a 1967 Volkswagen split screen into their dream camper. What followed was an epic journey in its own right as petrolhead Simon designed, cut and built a brand new interior from scratch. Over the next four weeks Caravan Times will relive his story. For more images take a look at his video diary
(below).

Words and pictures by Simon Thompson
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This isn’t the tale of how I came to own my precious 67′ split screen camper back in 95′. Neither is it the story of the years spent transforming the body and chassis into something solid that I’m proud of today.
It’s about planning a summer camping holiday abroad in early 2008 with my wife Louise. And being blasé about the fact that I would finish the interior in time for the big trip: a 2021 mile round trip camping in France for ten nights, which included an un-missable visit to the magnificent Viaduc de Millau.

Admittedly I made my grand plans when the interior didn’t actually exist. Everything was pulled out ahead of a complete re-build and spray job back in August 2003, and was never looked at again since! And so the challenge was set…

‘Destination Viaduc’: Setting the Goal

It was February 2008 when my wife and I agreed on taking the last week of August and the first week of September for a holiday abroad. That was the easy bit. We had recently watched a television programme about how the French built the Viaduc De Millau, commissioning our own Sir Norman Foster as the architect, and had to go and look at it for ourselves. Situated just north of Montpellier in the south of France, I wanted shots of our pride and joy next to something modern, magnificent, beautiful and many miles away.

And so the holiday was named ‘Destination Viaduc’ and the preparation began by booking the time off from our day jobs to put a stake in the ground and give us something to work towards. But boy did I have some work to do. This would be the first trip abroad since we have owned the vehicle…

The key word when designing the interior was “simple”. I wanted it to be clean, unique, and to have all the amenities of a modern caravan. This meant that I needed to build it myself. Thank goodness for the Internet, as this helped me research options throughout the project. It also came in handy for planning the route for our camping trip as Louise harnessed the power of Google to detail our proposed journey.

Fourteen hour days

So I bought all the tools I thought were needed – new saws, welder, safety specs, you name it. The list was long and cost over £500 in total. I knew that if I had any chance of success, preparation here would be crucial. I decided on keeping things as light as possible and bought a mix of aluminium tubing for the framework, various thickness wood ply sheets for everything else and started from the ground up. I had all the plans in my head and could see the end vision.

I took a week off work at the end of April and worked pretty much 14 hours days, every day. Making major inroads early on proved to be crucial in getting the ball rolling to meet our deadline, and I loved it! Work then continued throughout May before and after my day job; any spare hour regardless of time of day was spent building the interior.

By the end of May the bare bones of the interior were complete and I was ready to start installing all the electrics, heater, sink and cooking facilities, which was no small task in itself. It was in the middle of this whirlwind that we received the wonderful news that we were to have a baby, due in early January 09.

Time flew by and before I knew it we were in the middle of June, with only two months left. Urgent work started on a less
glamorous yet crucial part for the trip: the new roof lining. Alongside this we both started the upholstery. The process consisted of covering the bare wood with a leatherette vinyl, and then painting any other exposed surfaces for some additional protection.

Test runs

The maiden voyage of our VW splitscreen was our first weekend away with the refurbished vehicle – and a great excuse to go to Bug Jam 22 in July. With no curtains and lots of loose ends and unfinished bits, we still enjoyed a sunny weekend away, but best of all it gave us a chance to thrash it out and refine any points. The major test was ensuring that the split charger worked. In the end it coped with running a fridge all weekend and lots of LED lighting, and still managed to start the engine on Sunday! Relief hit us after the weekend went perfectly and was a major success.

Upon return I started the work of finishing and cosmetic upgrades. For the seating, I took on the work myself of cutting out all the foam to size. The rest was left in the hands of a local upholsterer (www.surreycarinteriors.co.uk) who covered the foam seating in real leather. Can you believe that two whole cow hides went into the seating and bedding area? Indeed it cost a fortune, but the end result was the icing on the cake. We bought the ready-made curtains from www.vwcurtains.com which finished off the project. Thankfully the curtains arrived on the Monday before we left for France, giving me just enough time to install them.

From the ribs of bare metal to the plush finish of the final restoration took the whole four months. Crucially however we made it in time for the trip. Join us next time as we set out from Guildford for our VW campervan’s ultimate test.

Simon Thompson.

You can click here to read Part Two of Simon’s journey as they head for France.

If you’re a fan or owner of VW campervans you can join our Volkswagen Enthusiasts group here.

Icelandic volcano causes rise in Park Holidays UK bookings

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Caravan holidays in the UK were on the up in the days following the volcanic ash cloud situation.

Tony Clish, the director of Park Holidays UK, has noted that bookings at his company’s parks had grown by 15 per cent as flights were kept grounded because of the eruption of the Icelandic volcano.

Meanwhile, doubts about whether some airline staff will take part in industrial action is highlighted as another possible reason for a rise in the number of families wanting to holiday in the UK.

Mr Clish said: “People just aren’t prepared to gamble on their main leisure event of the year, and as a result we are seeing some summer weeks nearing capacity on our parks.

“For many families a UK holiday booked now is likely to be the least stressful way of spending the next few months before their break.”

Furthermore, Mr Clish feels that families would be best served to book their caravan holidays early in order to ensure they have the widest range of possible locations to select from.

Those wanting to enjoy a number of outdoor activities may find that a UK caravan holiday could prove enjoyable, Park Holidays UK has previously stated.

VIDEO: Bailey Caravans explains Alu-Tech construction (Part One)

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Over the last six months there has been a buzz at caravan shows around the country after leading manufacturer Bailey Caravans unveiled an all-new line up: the Pegasus and Olympus. In the autumn of 2009 the Pegasus made its debut and became an overnight sales success, in no small part due to being the first range built on a pioneering technology called Alu-Tech.

Developed by Bailey in Bristol after an intensive research and development period, it incorporates a system whereby the individual body shell components contribute to the overall strength (rather than traditionally relying on the floor and chassis). Furthermore the other main benefit is to reduce the opportunity for water to enter the structure.

Caravan Times spoke to Bailey’s marketing director Simon Howard to find out more about what makes Alu-Tech caravans different.

If you’re a Bailey owner or a fan of their caravans, you can now join our Bailey Caravans Group by clicking here.

You can also click here to share your thoughts and experiences of Bailey’s new Alu-Tech construction.

Bailey Caravans add new family layout to Pegasus

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Bailey Caravans has strengthened the line up of its ground-breaking Pegasus range with the introduction of the new Pegasus 646.

The largest of the Pegasus line-up, it boasts a twin axle six berth layout with a full length parallel bed front saloon. From first appearances it is clear just how much the living quarters have been arranged with the family in mind. A separate end bedroom offers triple fixed single bunks as well as an L-shaped dinette. Completing the versatile interior is a central kitchen and separate shower washroom.

As with all Pegasus models the 646 is built in the award-winning Alu-Tech body shell. A new construction method developed by Bailey after comprehensive design and testing, Alu-Tech caravans consist of a five part system (rather than the more usual nine-part) bound together with an aluminium framework for additional strength. The new system and its reduction in component parts is said to offer greater protection against the age-old problem of water ingress in caravans.

Bailey are confident enough in this system to offer a market-leading 10-Year integrity guarantee with all Pegasus Caravans including the new 646. Other features include the latest safety and security equipment from AL-KO including its Secure wheel lock.

For those hoping to try out the new layout, the company have announced that display models are arriving at retailer depots this week. In addition you can visit the Bailey microsite for more information on the Pegasus 646

Look out this week for our video interview with Simon Howard of Bailey who explains the science and testing behind the Alu-Tech platform, the new construction method to be found in Bailey’s best-selling caravans.

Caravan parks could be screened off

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Caravan parks could have large screens erected around them to help cut their visual impact, it has been suggested.

A study into the coastline of north Wales suggested the idea as part of measures to improve the area between Denbighshire and Conwy.

The Turning the Tide report said that tourism along the coastline is generally seasonal and low value.

“It has shown significant decline over the years and although the decline has probably bottomed out, it is still fragile,” it explained.

However, a number of suggestions were made to help reinvigorate the industry in north Wales, including the landscaping and screening of caravan parks to make the area more aesthetically pleasing.

The study asserted that towns such as Rhyl need sprucing up as they are seen as “shabby [and] depressing with little to do”.

It added that changing the perception of the 15 miles of coastline would only be achieved by major action.