Indholdsfortegnelse for October 2021 i Practical Caravan

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ADRIA Slovenian manufacturer Adria updates its three main caravan ranges on a rotating basis. So while last season, it was the turn of the mid-ranking Adora models to have a revamp, this year, that honour has passed to the top-range Alpinas. For 2022, they include a feature that was first introduced on the Adoras last season: a wind diffuser on each front corner. But there are other changes to the outside, too, including a new design for the gas bottle locker door, and a more automotive-style rear panel, with an LED light cluster running right the way across the caravan, and a black bumper below. There is also LED lighting along the awning rail. New profile Inside, the corner headrests on the front lounge seating are now height-adjustable, and come…

ONE THING YOU must bear in mind when towing is that the speed limits for those with a caravan or trailer on the back are different from those that apply for solo cars – on certain roads. It’s therefore crucial that you consider the speed limits you must abide by before you travel, no matter what kind of car and caravan you have – after all, there are no specific signs on the road to tell you what the towing limits are. Towing on a motorway If there are no temporary restrictions (such as from roadworks or alternative speed limits on smart motorways), then the speed limit for cars that aren’t towing a caravan or trailer is 70mph. But you will need to travel more slowly when you are towing…

THERE WILL BE many keen caravanners who are in the same situation as my wife and me. We have been touring for years, yet the only thing that Kay has ever towed is the Aquaroll, to and from the campsite taps. That’s not for any bad reason, because she is a very competent driver, but I always end up in the driving seat. Possibly, the fact that I’m not the most relaxed of passengers doesn’t help? However, there’s always the chance that for some reason, I might be unable to drive, and Kay would find herself behind the wheel. We’ve often spoken about it, and I’ve seen the fear in her eyes when we have. I’m sure there are plenty of people who really love the idea of caravanning, but…

1 Special edition 2014 Elddis Wisp 18/3 The Elddis Xplore is a great range, and better still in dealer special format, such as this Wisp. Lightweight and easy to tow, the Wisp includes some valuable extras and at £13,495, proved tempting for buyers. Not surprisingly, it had a sold sticker on it after its first viewing! › www.spinney.co.uk 2 Back to base 2021 Swift Basecamp 2 This tourer had come in because it didn’t suit the original buyer, but it was now a used van that looked new. The £21,495 price included a mover and an awning. A real head-turner, this one won’t remain long on the forecourt, especially with the extras adding more appeal. › www.spinney.co.uk 3 Sterling work 2013 Sterling 524 The window price on this Eccles was…

THROUGHOUT THE AGES, everyone has known what Volvos are like. They’re safe, comfortable, good at carrying out the more mundane things in life. But the times they are a-changin’, and Volvos are now far more than just practical and safe – they’re also cool. No longer will you feel the need to wear tweed with leather elbow pads just to get inside the Volvo showroom. But in appealing to the younger market, has Volvo forgotten everything it stood for in the past? What’s it like inside? The interior is the epitome of Scandinavian chic, with clean lines, beautiful materials and subtle yet effective technology. The two people up front have plenty of space, so they won’t feel hemmed in on long trips, and there’s good headroom, even if the car…

CARAVANNERS WHO ALWAYS head to campsites that provide you with hook-up don’t necessarily need to purchase a specialist 12V touring TV set, because a standard 240V domestic model will do the job just as well – and will probably work out cheaper, too. If you are planning to buy a TV for touring, you could try Richer Sounds; John Lewis also offers free extended warranties. Off-grid viewing However, if you prefer to head off-grid, or can’t always rely on hook-up, a specialist 12V set is the way to go. These used to be pretty basic affairs, but in the era of the flat screen, you can buy a stylish, feature-packed TV, measuring 16in to 32in, from Avtex or Cello, among other brands. One of the key features in modern caravan…

Groove-e portable wireless charger If there aren’t enough USBs in your caravan, this device offers USB, USB Type C and wireless charging, with 8000mAH capacity. Price £24.99 Web www.amazon.co.uk Vango Homestead sleeping bag Stay cosy with this three-season single/XXL or two-season double sleeping bag. Price £19.99 (single), £29.99 (XXL), £49.99 (double) Web outdoorworlddirect.co.uk Keela Puddlebug suit This award-winning baby suit has an outer waterproof shell and a zipin fleece. Ideal if you’re touring with a toddler this autumn. Price £84.95 Web www.keelaoutdoors.com Nexar Beam GPS dash cam This neat dash cam, fitting behind your rear view mirror, has a 135-degree field of view and lets you upload video to cloud storage. Price £99.95 Web www.nexar.com Arlo Essential Indoor Camera Make sure all’s well at home with this clever security camera,…

PLEASE NOTE All event details were correct as we went to press, but you should double-check the information before making any journey SEPTEMBER 10-19 September › Take a trip to Regency Bath to enjoy a 10-day celebration of all things Austen at the Jane Austen Festival. The programme includes a costumed promenade, several tours of the city and a Jane Austen Ball. Come on, you know it makes sense (and sensibility!). Events are priced individually. To find out more, go to www.janeaustenfestivalbath.co.uk/festival-programme. To 11 September › Running until the middle of September, there’s a whole series of promenade concerts to enjoy at the Royal Albert Hall, from 20th-century film music to ABBAphonic. The big one, though, is the Last Night of the Proms, when promenaders don their tuxedos and gowns,…

VINDOLANDA This enormous site contains both a modern world-class museum, using the latest interpretation techniques and displays to tell a venerable and intriguing Roman story, and ancient forts that are regarded as some of Europe’s most significant and richest historical resources. An ongoing archaeological site, Vindolanda has been surrendering its thousand-year-old secrets on a daily basis for the past 40 years. No other Roman location in Britain is as opulent in its findings, and you’ll see that everything on display here was unearthed just yards away. Such unique collections afford a very special insight into the everyday lives of our predecessors. FARNE ISLANDS A scattering of tiny isles just off the rugged coastline of Northumberland, the Farne Islands are famous for their plentiful birdlife – especially much-loved puffins – and…

EYE KETTLEBY LAKES Overall winner in our Top 100 Sites Guide 2021, this site is packed with fantastic facilities, but it is the prospect of nine coarse fishing lakes that remains its star attraction. These include two specimen carp lakes, six mixed coarse fishing lakes and a private lake for lodge residents only. Day tickets and tuition are both available. Type of fishing Coarse › www.eyekettlebylakes.com HORAM MANOR COUNTRY PARK South-East England Regional Winner in our Top 100 Sites Guide, Horam Manor is a beautiful rural retreat surrounded by fishing lakes and nature trails. Coarse fishing is available at Horam Manor Fishery, where you’ll find waters packed with species such as carp, crucian carp, tench, perch, bream, roach, rudd, golden rudd, and even eels. Type of fishing Coarse › www.horammanorfishery.com…

Price £31,405 Berths 4 MiRO 1544kg MTPLM 1700kg CORNER-BED LAYOUTS seem to come and go. Some seasons they are everywhere, the next they are gone. However, they are clearly back in favour now: Coachman has chosen such a floorplan for the first 8ft-wide caravan in its mid-market VIP range. The VIP 540 Xtra is one of a number of new models produced by the Hull-based manufacturer this season that carry the ‘Xtra’ moniker. This has been introduced because although they are all eight-footers, so would previously have been called Xcel, they do not carry the same level of spec as the separate Laser Xcel range. Coachman thought (rightly) that calling caravans Xcel when they weren’t Laser Xcel could be confusing. Pitch and set-up Don’t let that width put you off…

This is the third time that we’ve run our brilliant Van Live! event – no matter what you want from your virtual show, you’ll find it at Van Live! This year, Van Live! will run from 18-25 October 2021, on our website – you’ll find the event at practicalcaravan.com/van-live. And it’s not just about caravans: there’s loads of news and information about campsites, accessories, interviews, expert advice and much more. You can even get your own virtual goodie bag! Check out the next issue of Practical Caravan (issue 445) to read all of the highlights, but for now, here’s a taster of what you can expect... Visit Van Live! from 18-25 October 2021 at WWW.PRACTICALCARAVAN.COM/VAN-LIVE – we look forward to seeing you there! Hall 1 British-made vans Get all the latest news…

FINDING THE RIGHT tow car won’t necessarily make your caravan holiday, but the wrong one could quite easily break it. A vehicle that’s stable, reliable and practical means every trip should start and finish without stress. But choose a car that’s sluggish, unstable or unreliable, and every towing journey will be something to grin and bear with. With that in mind, here are our expert tips to help you buy a tow car to be proud of. 1 Start with the caravan Whatever the age of car you plan to buy, the first question to ask yourself is: “Will it safely and legally tow my caravan?” To find the answer to that question, you need to begin by knowing the weight of your tourer. Don’t match by the Mass in…

ALARIA WAS A name first used years ago by Lunar, and in 2017, when the manufacturer wanted to launch a luxury line-up, the idea was to keep the new vans separate from the main Lunar brand, rather like Elddis had done with Buccaneer. So the Alaria was launched, with three models based on the Delta layouts. The new range came with an excellent spec, including a solar panel, self-levelling steadies and mood lighting, plus a smart separate stool with storage, in an L-shaped lounge. The big difference was very much in the interiors; wow factor came into it as the wood finish found in Lunar vans was replaced by chic grey tones. The result was a modern interior with instant appeal. They were not cheap, at over £33,000, but the…

Price £23,800 Kerbweight 1309kg Towing limit 1200kg 85% match 1113kg SMALL CROSSOVER BUYERS are spoilt for choice. There’s the nimble Ford Puma, the fashionable Nissan Juke and the practical Škoda Kamiq. Now we can add the Renault Captur to that list. To our eyes, its good looks are the standout feature, but there’s more to it than that. The Captur has a healthy-sized boot and a split-level floor that fits flush with the tailgate or drops down to leave one big space. The rear seats are a bit tight for adults, but there’s plenty of room for children, and the front of the car has enough head- and legroom for tall adults to make themselves comfortable. As a small and light car, the Captur is bound to be limited in…

What is off-gridding? Off-grid caravanning is simply camping without using electric hook-up, that one little ‘essential’ that ties us to formal sites, often in developed locations. In most cases, the small campsites associated with off-grid camping do not offer facilities such as toilets, showers, shops or cafés. You really need to be self-sufficient, using your caravan’s excellent washroom and kitchen, and stocking up enough to avoid regular visits to shops, which will probably be some distance away. Going off-grid, however, should not be confused with wild camping, when you pitch your van wherever you like – anywhere from a lay-by or rural roadside to a farmer’s gateway – which in the UK is very likely to be illegal. People often conflate these two activities, but they are different, and off-gridding…

★ Star letter ★ My husband, Graham, and I love caravanning and try to get away every other weekend. Before Covid-19, we toured abroad, too. Graham recently turned 50 and we thought that a caravan birthday cake was very fitting! Our parrot joins us on our weekend trips and he just loves it – we all relax. We do get a lot of double-takes when people see him running along the cushions saying hello to passers-by. Cathy Schofield MILENCO The contributor of our Star letter wins a pair of Milenco Grand Aero towing mirrors, worth £50. They’re designed to fit all wing mirrors and offer an outstanding view. For further details and a list of retailers of Milenco products, visit www.milenco.com The truth is out there... UFO hotspots Fans of…

‘Bundoran’s seaweed is a very precious commodity, prized by locals and visitors alike’ Until we actually reached Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, on its captivating west coast, neither my husband nor I had ever given much thought to the health benefits of seaweed. But arriving in Bundoran, southern Donegal, on the second leg of a summer caravanning holiday across the Irish Sea before the pandemic, it quickly became clear that this was a very precious commodity, highly prized by locals and visitors alike. Harvested from the Atlantic Ocean, bladderwrack is the main ingredient in the relaxing bath, steam and shower treatment at Bundoran Seaweed Baths, overlooking its handsome beach and headland. It’s said to relieve muscle pain, arthritis, fatigue, tension and stress, as well as soothing and smoothing tired and damaged…

Dethleffs cross Alps without recharging German manufacturer hails landmark achievement for its new electrically driven concept caravan DETHLEFFS HAS REACHED a milestone in the development of its electrically driven e.home concept caravan, by demonstrating that it can be driven 240 miles across the Alps by an electric car in just one charge. The Erwin Hymer Group subsidiary says it believes the caravan – which has its own electric drive and was unveiled in 2018 – is now ready for the market, after it was towed by a fully electric SUV from Dethleffs’ headquarters in Isny-im-Allgäu, southern Germany, through Austria and on to Lake Garda in Italy. Part of the route is a very popular one for caravanners on the Continent, but has proved a problem for electric tow cars in…

What do I need to know to safely match a car and caravan? In terms of your tow car, you should check its kerbweight, the maximum download on the towball (which is sometimes also referred to as the maximum noseweight), and the car’s legal towing limit. Moving onto the caravan, you need its Mass in Running Order (MiRO) and Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass (MTPLM). Some motor manufacturers refer to the kerbweight as the unladen weight or the MiRO. Whichever term is used, you’re looking to find out what the vehicle weighs according to European Directive 95/48/EC, which includes all of the fluids necessary for the car to run and a 90%-full tank of fuel. Sometimes the figure provided includes a nominal 75kg for the driver, sometimes it does not.…

EVEN THOSE WHO have been towing for some time can find reversing a caravan quite tricky – many people avoid the task whenever possible. Motor movers make the job a lot easier, but this is a really important skill to learn – one day you might need to reverse some way up a narrow lane. So it’s a great idea to practise the moves as much as you can, until they become second nature to you. It’s a cliché, but true: the more you do it, the better you will become at it, and the less nervous you’ll be on the road. Reversing along a straight line No matter where you might be reversing, it’s crucial to have a good view of your surroundings. Ensure your towing mirrors are correctly…

IN 50 YEARS I’ve seen nothing quite like this. Dealerships are having to hunt for used stock, while many buyers are getting desperate. As one dealer told me: “I can sell anything!” Canny customers can still track down a bargain, although it’s more important than ever to do your homework. Nobody wants to end up with a duff tourer that needs endless work, or a model they will find hard to sell in future. And that’s where this guide comes in – 10 top tips to help you avoid the potential pitfalls of buying pre-owned. 1 With stock levels so low at the dealers, browsing the forecourts at the moment is not going to see you feeling spoilt for choice. Before you head off to the showrooms, take a good…

What’s new? Seat has added some extra tech to certain versions of the Tarraco SUV, but essentially there have been no major changes to the car. However, this is our first chance to tow with one of the front-wheel-drive petrol versions. These cars are cheaper to buy than their diesel 4x4 counterparts, and in the case of the 1.5 TSI tested here, the towing limit of 1800kg is still healthy. What are we looking for? Will we miss the extra pull of a diesel, and the traction advantages of four-wheel drive? Towing ability★★★☆☆ The Tarraco may be a seven-seat SUV, but it’s surprisingly light if you decide on the front-wheel-drive petrol version. Our 1.5 TSI FR Sport DSG’s kerbweight of 1656kg gives an 85% match figure of 1408kg, well below…

Ashleigh Lakes 45 Broadgate, Whaplode Drove, Spalding, Lincolnshire PE12 0TN › 01406 330 666 › ashleighlakes.co.uk Prices From £15 per night Balloch O’ Dee Kirkcowan, Newton Stewart DG8 0ET › 01671 830 708 › ballochodee.com Prices £20 per night Bladon Chains C&MC Site Bladon Road, Woodstock, Oxfordshire OX20 1PT › 01993 812 390 › camc.com Prices From £12.30 per night Brora C&MC Site Dalchalm, Brora, Highlands KW9 6LP › 01408 621 479 › camc.com Prices From £11.20 per night Bush Farm Wild Camping Hatt, Saltash, Cornwall PL12 6QY › 07875 557 160 › bushfarmcampsite.co.uk Prices (two adults) £20 per night Cannamore Camping Cannamore, Avonwick, South Brent, Devon TQ10 9HA › 07814 540 308 › cannamore-camping.business.site Prices £20 per night Gill Head Farm Troutbeck, Penrith, Cumbria CA11 0ST › 01768 779…

Featuring all the latest 2021 models! YOUR VAN BUYING QUESTIONS ANSWERED Please check model details with the manufacturer or dealer before travelling to view or buy WILL YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR CAR? Q First and foremost – and especially if you are new to towing a caravan – you should follow the 85% guideline. This states that when fully laden, the caravan should not weigh more than 85% of the tow car’s kerbweight – so you’ll need to find out the latter figure before you can start to consider which caravan you might want to buy. If you find a caravan that complies with the 85% guideline with your existing vehicle, then all you will need to do is have a towbar fitted (if it doesn’t have one already).…