Indholdsfortegnelse for August 2017 i Practical Caravan

‘We were due to pitch up at Ranua Zoo – fortunately, the only polar bears we spotted were confined to a bag of minty sweets’Niall Hampton page 22 Where are we? Ivalo Test World, Finland What’s going on? Bailey performs accelerated-life testing of its caravans at Bedfordshire’s Millbrook Proving Ground. Millbrook also happens to own Ivalo Test World in Finland. So what better way of undertaking a real-life endurance test of the new Bailey Pursuit range than towing two tourers between both sites, then subjecting both outfits to a demanding deceleration test on snow and ice, some 200km inside the Arctic Circle? Turn to page 22 for a full report on this epic, 4830-mile round trip Which outfit? Volvo XC90 D5 PowerPulse AWD 235PS, towing a Bailey Pursuit 530-4…

Here are George, Bailey and Poppy – our Cavalier King Charles spaniels – surveying the site at Gorse Farm in the New Forest. Duncan Wright STAR PHOTO Duncan Wright wins a pair of Milenco Grand Aero towing mirrors A very happy George the dog going on his holidays! Denise Johnson It’s a hard life being a puppy on holiday. Here’s Bella the springer spaniel at Peter Tavy, Dartmoor. Sue Horton Taken great pics on your travels? let us see them! EMAIL letters@practicalcaravan.com  or HASHTAG us on social media #practicalcaravan…

The tourers towed to Finland were standard production versions – the only modifications were the addition of Gaslow’s refillable gas bottle system and the fitting of winter tyres. Space and water heating came courtesy of Truma’s dual-fuel Combi 4 system, while the Grade 3 insulation of the caravan bodyshells did a fine job of retaining warmth in extreme temperatures. This tour really emphasised the importance of a van’s structural integrity and insulation qualities. In 2010, Bailey initiated the current wave of branded bodyshell construction methods with the introduction of its pioneering Alu-Tech system. This comprises sandwich panels that are held together in an interlocking aluminium framework, with no external fixing points. Based on data from accelerated life testing at Millbrook Proving Ground, Bailey offers a six-year body integrity warranty as…

Ranua Zoo Camping There’s plenty for families to do here. As well as the usual showers and so on in the washblock, there is a sauna. Address Rovaniementie 29, 97700 Ranua, Finland Tel 0035 84 0517 7436 Web http://po.st/kw7iai Ivalo River Camping This riverside site has space and electricity points for 15 units. There’s a bar/restaurant and a gift shop. Address Kerttuojantie 1, 99800 Inari, Finland Tel 0035 84 0039 5046 Web www.ivalorivercamping.com…

This 22-acre site is situated about a mile from the town of Portpatrick, in an elevated position. The pitches are a mixture of grass and hardstanding, and all have electric hook-up, while the washroom facilities are modern and spotless, with a separate dishwashing area and launderette. The grounds are well-maintained, and the views of the Irish Sea that form the backdrop to the site are truly magnificent. A coastal path leads you down to the village, or if you prefer to stay on site there’s a play area and games room to keep the kids happy. Across the road from the park is ‘The Galloway’ restaurant/bar in a converted barn that has recently been refurbished. It offers a varied choice of good-value meals, with a takeaway service available if you’d…

CARAVAN AND MOTORHOME CLUB SITES Berwick Seaview From the Club’s most northern site in England, members and non-members can enjoy superb scenery and cross the border to Scotland. The site is close to the A1, overlooks the estuary and is a 30-minute walk from Berwick. It’s a great location from which to discover castles and miles of clean, safe beaches such as Spittal Sands. Also close by is Goswick Golf Club – one of the best links courses in the north. Address Billendean Road, Spittal, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland TD15 1QU Tel 01289 305 198 Open 17 March-6 November Pitches 93 (86 hardstanding) Pitch+2+hook-up £15-26.30 Old Hartley Perched on a grassy cliff-top overlooking the lighthouse on St Mary’s Island, the members-only Old Hartley offers fantastic views and is convenient for walking, plus…

Price ................................... £20,699 Berths .............................................. 4 MiRO ...................................... 1314kg Payload ................................... 181kg MTPLM .................................. 1495kg Awning size .................... 1040cm THE ARRIVAL OF the Lexon 590 means that Lunar’s popular mid-market range is the latest to benefit from a layout that is the height of fashion: one with an in-line island bed and a tranverse washroom amidships, featuring a central washbasin on the wall separating it from the bedroom and sliding doors to either side of the bed. In fact, the Lexon may have one over on rival models that feature this layout because it also features an internally and externally accessed storage locker that goes right across the back of the van beneath said bed. Storing bulky items there shouldn’t necessarily affect balance on the road too much, because most…

Price £18,885 Berths 4 MiRO 1257kg Payload 150kg MTPLM 1407kg Awning 960cm Contact Swift Group, Dunswell Road, Cottingham, East Yorkshire HU16 4JX Tel 01482 847 332 Web www.swiftgroup.co.uk Measurements A Interior length 5.23m B Shipping length 6.94m C Overall width 2.23m D Front double bed 2.02m x 1.49m E Rear double bed 1.98m x 1.30m Or try these alternatives Swift Challenger 510 Price £18,885 Like the idea of the Sterling, but not the looks? Perhaps you’ll prefer its twin, the same in all but decals and interior finish. Bailey Pegasus Modena Price £17,849 Lighter (1275kg) and shorter (6.49m), but full-width washroom eats into lounge space. Ideal if you have a small tow car. Lunar Quasar 544 Price £18,149 Larger, at 7.2m long, yet still lighter than the Eccles at 1360kg…

Price .................................... £27,775 Berths .............................................. 4 MiRO ..................................... 1510kg Payload ................................... 151kg MTPLM ................................... 1661kg Awning size ....................... 954cm THERE’S BEEN A trend among caravan manufacturers to offer extra luxury on top of what was already a fairly luxurious product. Lunar did it last year in bringing out a new brand, the Alaria, which goes just that little bit further than the top-notch Lunar Delta range. Coachman has its twin-axle Laser, and the Explorer Group its Buccaneer. Swift’s take has been a little different. The Elegance closely resembles the Conqueror (a name you would have thought already signalled something absolute and supreme). Both are built using high-precision Smart HT construction, something that the firm has spent many years developing and that leaves you with a timberless bodyshell and a five-layer…

Price £17,849 Berths 2 MiRO 1136kg Payload 129kg MTPLM 1265kg Awning 931cm Contact Bailey of Bristol, South Liberty Lane, Bristol BS3 2SS Tel 01179 665 967 Web www.baileyofbristol.co.uk Measurements A Shipping length 6.32m B Internal length 4.78m C Overall width 2.23m D Front double bed 1.90m x 1.60m E Front nearside single bed 1.92m x 0.66m F Front offside single bed 1.89m x 0.66m Or try these alternatives Coachman Vision 450 Price £17,305 The heavier Vision has a similar payload to the Bailey, but is cheaper. You don’t, however, get the large front window. Elddis Avanté 482 Price £16,749 The Elddis is pretty much identical to the Bailey in length and weight, and you get a big panoramic sunroof, too. Compass Capiro 482 Price £19,399 The Bailey’s price brings you…

Jaguar XF 2.0 i4 180PS RWD Portfolio Auto Price £39,260 Target price £35,696 Kerbweight 1595kg 85% match 1356kg Max towing weight 2000kg Towball limit 100kg WE WERE SMITTEN by the XF last year, and the Jag has won this class again in 2017, fending off some strong contenders. First and foremost, the Jaguar makes a stable tow car. We test at up to 70mph, and more than one of our judges felt that they could have gone faster in still air. The XF continued to impress when the wind picked up, with just slight movement at 70mph. The four-cylinder unit might not have the silky punch of the six-pot, but it’s strong enough to pull a caravan loaded to 85% of its kerbweight from 30-60mph in 11.7 seconds. That pace…

 THE FACT THAT the new Land Rover Discovery is our overall champion will come as a surprise to nobody – Land Rover’s track record in these awards is second to none. However, this was no foregone conclusion. ‘Even against such strong competition, the Land Rover Discovery fully deserves its title. As an all-rounder, it sets a new benchmark’ This has been a vintage year for new tow cars, with models finishing second or third in their classes that might have been overall winners in a weaker year. The strength in depth has been remarkable. Of the other four main class winners, it’s the Jaguar F-Pace that pushed the new Discovery closest. It won the 1700-1899kg class by a street, and handled this year’s gusty conditions superbly. But even against such…

Aerodynamic profile conceals innovative construction that’s engineered to be as strong and moisture-resistant as possible An Al-Ko AKS3004 hitch stabiliser is standard on all Swift Group models bar the Basecamp and entry-level Sprites A built-in reversing camera (standard on the Elegance and Continental) shows how Swift is making drivers’ lives easier Ultra-bright LEDs and a high-level brake light on all Swift Group models brings extra safety on the open road Shock absorbers (standard on the Challenger/Eccles and above) ensure the smoothest towing experience Stylish ‘Scorpion’ alloy wheels are wrapped in branded tyres with a higher load rating for an extra safety margin Al-Ko’s benchmark ATC trailer stability control is standard on flagship models, and optional across the rest of the range The Tow Car Awards programme is the most rigorous…

 AS A FAMILY, we frequently face weight and space constraints when going away on tour. We also sometimes like to use basic campsites that don’t have full washing and shower facilities, because this maximises our choice of location. This is particularly true on some sites in the New Forest. It’s essential for us to have a fast, reliable water heater for these trips, so when Whale offered me a trial of its space-saving, lightweight Expanse water heater, I jumped at the opportunity to give it a thorough test. ‘We’ve had no issues with the water temperature or heat times, even after several showers in quick succession’ Background The Expanse underfloor water heater is the first of its kind in the caravan industry, receiving Highly Commended in Practical Caravan’s Tourer of…

Tv on tour know the rules! IN CASE ONE of us is at home when we’re on tour, I wanted to be sure that we’d be able to use the television in our caravan at the same time – and because I’d heard that the rules had changed last year, I thought I would find out about TV licences. I was amazed by the difference in what people told me – and not many of them were right! So I emailed TV Licensing, who came back explaining the law on use of televisions in touring caravans. Here are the key points: • ‘A TV Licence covers anyone living at an address to watch or record live TV programmes on any channel, or download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer. This…

When I was asked to take part in Bailey’s Arctic Adventure, I had to pinch myself, many times! In early March, we departed from Millbrook, bound for Ivalo. I was allocated a Volvo XC90 Momentum to tow a Bailey Pursuit 530-4 tourer, both equipped with winter tyres. There were some very long drives (shared of course), but apart from a lot of road noise and several electrical ‘glitches’, the Volvo made an excellent tow car. It was both peppy and stable in all conditions. I can’t fault the caravan, either; the heating system coping admirably with the sub-zero temperatures. The only ‘moment’ that I experienced was on the Lithuanian/ Latvian border. The road was raised above the open fields on each side, and there was a strong crosswind blowing from…

TOP EVENTS... Alice’s Day Celebrate all things Alice in Wonderland in the home town of its brilliant author, CS Lewis. Oxford’s Story Museum puts on a day of fun and games to capture the imagination of readers young and old. Date 1 July Web www.storymuseum.org.uk Eynsham Carnival Join the parade in Eynsham at this celebration of village life. There will be jaw-dropping arena acts, costumes galore, a traditional tug-of-war and elaborate floats. Date 1 July Web www.eynshamcarnival.com The Big Feastival This extravaganza has it all; scrumptious food, great music, a festival buzz, a vintage funfair and entertainment for the whole family. Join top chefs and performers for a weekend of gastronomy and laughter. Date 25-27 August Web www.thebigfeastival.com St Giles’ Fair Dating all the way back to…

Price £20,699 Berths 4 MiRO 1314kg Payload 181kg MTPLM 1495kg Awning 1040cm Contact Lunar Caravans, Sherdley Road, Lostock Hall, Preston, Lancashire PR5 5JF Tel 01772 337 628 Web www.lunarcaravans.com Measurements A Shipping length 7.32m B Interior length 5.77m C Overall width 2.33m D Front double bed 2.10m x 1.53m E Rear island bed 1.83m x 1.34m Or try these alternatives Elddis Affinity 550 Price £20,899 An extra £200 gets you a van with Alde heating but no rear locker and a slightly smaller payload on a similar MTPLM. Coachman Vision 545 Price £19,140 Has the same Truma 6 heating as the Lunar, is slightly heavier, has no rear locker, but comes in at £1500 cheaper. Swift Challenger 560 Price £20,220 A similar specification to the Lunar in a slightly heavier…

Price ................................... £26,299 Berths .............................................. 4 MIRO ...................................... 1641kg Payload .................................. 159kg MTPLM ................................. 1800kg Awning size ..................... 1080cm WHEN THE Compass range was redesigned last year, names such as Rallye and Corona disappeared to make way for Casita, Capiro and Camino. It was a bold move, and it paid off: one of these new-look models, the upmarket Camino 660, was named our Tourer of the Year. But this particular model didn’t just appear as a Compass. Although the layout – with a transverse island bed and a central washroom you can close off – was new to the Explorer Group, Compass was revamped so that the three ranges would more closely resemble the lines of its sister brand Elddis. The equivalent, then, to the 660 within Elddis is the…

Price £27,775 Berths 4 MiRO 1510kg Payload 151kg MTPLM 1661kg Awning size 954cm Contact Swift Group, Dunswell Road, Cottingham, East Yorkshire HU16 4JX Tel 01482 847 332 Web www.swiftgroup.co.uk Measurements A Shipping length 7.01m B Interior length 5.45m C Overall width 2.26m D Front double bed 1.98m x 1.78m E Front nearside single bed 1.78m x 0.78m F Front offside single bed 1.88m x 0.67m G Side single bed 1.80m x 0.69m H Side bunk bed 1.76m x 0.59m Or try these alternatives Coachman Laser 620 Price £27,825 For the same money as the Elegance you get the ultimate luxury here: space! Heavier, but a superb layout. Sterling Continental 530 Price £27,775 Find the Elegance a bit too traditional? This Sterling version has a more modern interior, but is otherwise…

WHEN NISSAN LAUNCHED the Qashqai back in 1997, it did far more than just release a new model – it established a new category of car. The urban crossover was born, and as the popularity of the class has grown hugely, so have the Qashqai’s sales figures, to the extent that it’s now regularly in the top five new cars sold in the UK. The second-generation Qashqai was launched at the end of 2013 with a formidable task ahead – to take all that was good about the original car and enhance it with the ability to satisfy buyers who want more luxury, more safety and more technology as standard. The Qashqai Mk2 matched all those needs and more, to the extent that sales are as strong or stronger than…

Škoda Octavia Estate 2.0 TDI 150PS SE L DSG Price £25,815 Target price £24,189 Kerbweight 1374kg 85% match 1168kg Max towing weight 1600kg Towball limit 75kg FOLLOWING SEVERAL YEARS as our favourite small tow car, the Octavia was beaten last year by the Honda HR-V. This year the Škoda is back, with new looks and an upgraded interior. Of course, split headlights and a flashy touchscreen make no difference to how the Octavia tows. What made the difference was that the test car was in full health, without the suspension alignment fault that marred the performance of last year’s car. Judged purely on towing ability, most of our drivers had the Octavia neck-and-neck with the Golf. In our most aggressive test, the lane-change manoeuvre, the VW had an edge, but…

Jaguar F-Pace 3.0D S Price £52,665 Target price £52,407 Kerbweight 1884kg 85% match 1601kg Max towing weight 2400kg Towball limit 100kg IF WE COULD award the F-Pace six out of five for towing, we probably would. It really is an exceptionally able tow car. All of our drivers had the Jag at the top of this weight category, some by a large margin. Most importantly, the F-Pace is very stable. Even at 10mph over the legal limit the Jaguar was firmly in control, and felt comfortable in crosswinds that had lesser tow cars wandering. When slowing from speed, the van’s Al-Ko ATC sensors can sometimes detect slight movements that are barely noticeable to the driver, but there was no sign of sway when backing off the throttle in the Jaguar…

 YOU KNOW THE situation well. You’re halfway through a shower and the water runs out. That always seems to happen to me, too. With many sites now offering fully serviced pitches, where you can hook up to a water tap (with suitable caravan adapter, of course), or by making sure you’ve got a full Aquaroll before you shower (we find the latter is more than adequate for us both to have a shower) that shouldn’t happen. ‘Glycol is pumped through the system, rather than being fed by gravity. This means there’s less chance of air pockets forming’ However, over the years, it’s not simply been a case of the water running out completely, but more the hot water in particular – especially over the colder winter months. For the two…

IF YOU’RE LOOKING at a Continental tourer on a British dealer forecourt, it’s a fairly safe bet that it’s a caravan from the Adria stable. The Slovenian firm’s ranges have been available in the UK since 1971, making it the longest-serving imported brand on the British market. The Adora is Adria’s mid-market line, a step up from the value-for-money Altea. Launched in 2004, it quickly proved a success, offering mainly four-berth layouts – though a two-berth was introduced to a lukewarm reception for 2015. By 2010, the Adora range had matured into a line-up of four layouts, all featuring fixed beds. The Adora also sported a decent specification, with Al-Ko chassis and tough body construction using a polyester exterior finish. So do these Adoras live up to their reputation of…

CHASING THE GRAPE ACROSS THE CHANNEL Last month it was cream teas, next month it’s wine! Practical Caravan’s culinary connoisseur, Claudia Dowell, heads for the vineyards of the Loire Valley as part of our French touring special, while Caroline Mills samples the fizz in Champagne. STARTER COACHMAN? It’s the cheapest route into one of the UK’s most desirable brands, but what’s the Vision 450 Plus like to live with? LUXURY TOURING TRIO First looks at the new Swift Elegance 650, Adria’s Alpina Missouri and the opulent Alaria RI from Lunar. A BETTER VIEW DIY mechanic Nigel Hutson shows you how to boost the looks of your van by replacing the windows. DIGITAL MAG bit.ly/pcaravan  & bit.ly/practicalcaravanapp TV Sky 212 and Freesat 161 youtube.com/  practicalcaravan…

WE MET UP with Garry Partridge and Jess Griffiths in the Cotswolds, at Moreton-in-Marsh Caravan and Motorhome Club Site. They were staying in their classic 1976 Swift tourer, and we couldn’t resist checking out their beloved Corniche. Back in 2014, Garry and Jess went to look at a caravan that was being used as a garden shed by a family in Gloucester. By the time the couple arrived it was nightfall, and they did their best to inspect the Swift with a torch. “We wanted to renovate an old caravan to our own interior design,” said Jess, “and of course to use it!” The Corniche was bought and towed back home to be restored. The interior was old and tired, and it was decided that the Swift would be totally…

‘Prior to my rendezvous with the team in Oulu, northern Finland, it had been on the road for six days, crossing Belgium, Germany, Poland,Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia‘ A few minutes into towing the caravan on the ice road, the thought strikes us that this might not be such a good idea after all. An outfit weighing at least 3550kg is tackling the frozen expanse of the Gulf of Bothnia en route to the island of Hailuoto. Between us and the sea below is a thick sheet of ice; approaching us as we drive gingerly at 30mph are what look like cracks in its surface, occurring as randomly as veins running through a slab of Stilton Blue. It’s a substantial six miles in each direction and, having travelled at least…

WHEN TO GO The C&MC site is open from 17 March-6 November, although the nearby Ord House Country Park (http://bit.ly/2qnvP8S) is open all year round. WAY TO GO The A1 is the quickest route to take from the south. FIND OUT MORE Berwick-upon-Tweed Tourist Information Centre 106 Marygate, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland TD15 1BN Tel 01670 622 155 Whitley Bay Tourist Information Centre York Road, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear NE26 1AB Tel 0191 643 5395 Bamburgh Castle www.bamburghcastle.com RNLI Lifeboat Station www.seahouseslifeboat.org.uk Billy Shiel’s Boat Trips www.farne-islands.com Alnwick Castle www.alnwickcastle.com National Trust For (among many others) Lindifarne Castle, Cragside Estate, Seaton Delaval Hall, Wallington, and Belton Garden. Web www.nationaltrust.org.uk OUR OUTFIT As ever, we towed ‘Eddie’, our 2013 Eriba Troll, with our faithful 2007 Škoda Roomster Scout.…

Wold Farm offers 54 grass pitches – 25 of them with electric hook-up – and is open from April to November. There is an amenities block on site with toilets, showers (the meter takes £1 coins) and a washing-up area. The site’s cliff-top location affords views out to sea and of the Flamborough lighthouses. The site boasts its own private path to the cliff tops, with the sea birds only a short walk away from the pitches. It can get busy so booking is advisable. Address Bempton Lane, Flamborough, East Riding of Yorkshire YO15 1AT Tel 01262 850 536 Web www.woldfarmcampsite.com Open 1 April-30 November Pitches 54 (25 with hook-up) Pitch+2+hook-up £18-£19…

IF YOU’RE A couple who does a lot of touring, there is little doubt that the most significant upgrade you can make to your caravanning comfort is to switch to a fixed bed. It means no more making up the bed every evening, and no need to take it down each morning before you can sit down to breakfast – plus it usually brings with it a proper sprung bed base and mattress to give a restful night’s sleep. However, it also brings compromises, most notably in the internal space, which is often squeezed, and in size and weight, which tend to go up – not ideal if you have only a relatively compact tow car, and don’t want to buy a new one. If that’s the case for you,…

Price £26,299 Berths 4 MiRO 1641kg Payload 159kg MTPLM 1800kg Awning size 1080cm Contact The Explorer Group, Delves Lane, Consett, County Durham DH8 7PE Tel 03719 642 113 Web www.elddis.co.uk/elddis Measurements A Shipping length 7.96m B Interior length 6.34m C Overall width 2.30m D Front double bed 2.00m x 1.43m E Front single beds 1.80m x 0.70m F Rear double 1.90m x 1.35m Or try these alternatives Lunar Delta RI Price £26,799 Same length and payload as the Elddis, but slightly lighter and sleeker looking, and with sprung mattresses, though £500 more. Bailey Unicorn Pamplona Price £24,949 Lighter than the Elddis and with a similar payload, but over £1000 cheaper. It’s a shame the rear bed is so short. Coachman Laser 650 Price £27,490 You’ll pay a premium for the…

BAILEY USED THE Pegasus range to launch its pioneering Alu-Tech construction system eight years ago, and it remains one of the firm’s main selling points. It is designed to provide a much more robust and weatherproof bodyshell by, for example, reducing the number of external joints by 90%. It’s been well received, if you look at Bailey’s sales, but how is the design holding up nearly a decade on? We thought we would see by checking out the 2017 version of the baby of the range, the Genoa. Pitch and set-up The major difference between the Pegasus and its main mid-market competitors is immediately apparent: the huge central window. The front panel is also much more vertical than you might be used to. If you are concerned about the difference…

Price £26,495 Price as tested £26,495 Berths 4 MiRO 1778kg Payload 122kg MTPLM 1900kg Awning size 1078cm Contact Adria Concessionaires Address Drury Drive, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 1WH Tel 01787 888 980 Web www.adria.co.uk A Body length 6.76m B Interior length 6.14m C Overall width 2.46m D Interior width 2.31m E Front double bed 2.26 x 1.76m F Rear single nearside bed 1.99cm x 0.79m G Rear offside single bed 1.85m x 0.79m Useful info Perfect partner For an 85% match, you need a towcar with a kerbweight of Shipping length 8.25m Tyres 215 R14 C 108 Interior height 1.95m Overall height 2.60m Thermal insulation Grade 3…

Škoda Superb 2.0 TDI 150PS SE L Executive Price £26,550 Target price £24,397 Kerbweight 1485kg 85% match 1262kg Max towing weight 2000kg Towball limit 90kg IT’S TWO YEARS in a row for the Superb, backing up last year’s overall win with a second victory in the 1400-1549kg class. Its biggest challenge this year wasn’t from a rival car, but the weather. Stronger winds than we experienced in 2016 made the testing more difficult, and there was some movement from the caravan when towing above the UK motorway limit. Gusting also made the lane-change test tough, but at sensible speeds the Škoda showed excellent stability, and it recovered quickly from any short, sharp steering inputs. If you need to stop in a hurry, the Superb comes to a halt quickly and…

Land Rover Discovery 3.0 Td6 HSE* Price £58,795 Target price £58,795 Kerbweight 2298kg 85% match 1953kg Max towing weight 3500kg Towball limit 195kg THE NEW DISCO has a tough task. Its predecessors have won the heavyweight class every year but one since the Tow Car Awards started in 2007. We have had a few initial fears. Would shaving hundreds of kilos from the kerbweight make the Landie a less able tow car? Is this slicker, more modern version still a true Discovery? We needn’t have worried. Today’s Disco maintains the old model’s strengths while also attending to its weaknesses. Most importantly, it’s superb to tow with. Yes, it’s lighter, but still weighs in at almost 2.3 tonnes. The Discovery is imperious in still air; even in a strong crosswind the…

The 85% guideline Test cars were matched to a caravan weighing 85% of their kerbweight, unless the legal towing limit or the maximum laden weight of the van was below 85% of the kerbweight. Kerbweight figures include 68kg for the driver and 7kg for luggage, as allowed under European Directive 95/48/EC. This figure may differ from the kerbweights listed or published by any or all manufacturers. Cars with 85% match figures or legal towing limits below 1100kg were matched to a trailer or a Swift Basecamp weighted to that 85%-match figure, and were eligible to be considered for the Best Ultralight Tow Car award. Legal limits and gross weights Legal towing limits quoted are those given by manufacturers for towing a braked trailer on a 12% gradient. The gross weights…

THERE’S PLENTY OF choice out there if you’re after a pre-owned couple’s tourer. Most dealerships we visit always have a good supply of end-washroon two-berths, and Sherwood Oaks Leisure, near Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, is no exception. With nearly four years of trading firmly under its belt, the company has a large display ground with a great selection of tourers. We were looking for two caravans with a maximum budget of £10k for each. The contenders Hymer Nova SL 470 The Hymer is a distinctive tourer, both outside and in; it’s not the prettiest thing, but it’s stylish inside. The Nova SL 470 comes with a moulded roof section, one-piece side panels and moulded front and rear panels for a sturdy build. It uses an Al-Ko chassis and gets alloy wheels,…