Innehållsförteckning för May 2023 från Practical Caravan

Who are you? John Kilby, Chairman of the Lunar Owners Club. I live in Portsmouth with my wife, Lesley, and we own a 2016 Lunar Clubman SI. What's the Lunar Owners Club? It's a social club for owners of Lunar caravans and motorhomes. Being a member allows attendance at any of our regular rallies (usually limited to a maximum of 20 units) in the UK, together with an annual rally (in June) somewhere in Europe, which we are really looking forward to. We also have a rally and Annual General Meeting in September. Who can join? Anyone who is currently an owner of a Lunar caravan or motorhome. Where do you go? Last year, we held club rallies at Harrogate and Herne Bay, and in Somerset for the Carnival Parades.…

Emergency breakdown kit A complete arsenal of breakdown accessories, this kit has everything you need in a sticky situation. The compact case includes jump cables, an LED torch, reflective vest and more. Price £39.99 Web amazon.co.uk Solar-powered generator The Solar Green Tech 1500W Solar has a 120W solar panel, an all-terrain body and wheels – and it's waterproof, too! Price £2499 Web solargreentech.co.uk Remote-controlled lights Brighten your lounge or awning with these remote-controlled lights. The 150cm string, Velcro-backed for easy fitting, holds 45 LEDs. Price £36.99 Web caravanstuff4u.co.uk Caravan Spirit Level Keyring These caravan-shaped wooden keyrings (by Woodsman Gifts on Etsy) are ideal for attaching to your fob – they feature a handy spirit level. Price From £7.15 Web etsy.co.uk PICK OF THE MONTH WEBER GO-ANYWHERE GAS BARBECUE Weber is…

The Camping and Caravanning Club has launched eight offers on holidays across its UK Club Sites this summer. Among the available deals are discounts offering up to 35% off stays during July and August at 15 scenic locations. Campers pitching up at sites including Adgestone on the Isle of Wight, Tavistock in Devon and Nairn, near the Moray Firth in Scotland, can book now to bag a bargain. A grass pitch can be booked from as little as £8.45 per adult per night under the offer. And for family holidays, Club sites at Drayton Manor and Alton, The Star, in the heart of Staffordshire, are included in the promotion and both within easy reach of the popular theme parks. Visit campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/offers to see the full list of special deals…

Wander around the charming shops and cafés in Grassington HAVING ORDERED breakfast croissants from the campsite's Coffee & Bread Shed, along with a baguette for some lunchtime sandwiches, we enjoyed a quick game of boules and then strolled down a footpath to the water's edge. Day was fading to twilight and the sky from blue to orange, with the setting sun reflected in the rippling water. You'd be forgiven for thinking we were on the Mediterranean coast, until I add the trees silhouetted against the sky, and the hills I could just make out beyond. So then, the Loire or the Dordogne? Understandable assumption, but no. We were actually about 30 miles north of Leeds, in a pretty, tiny village (definitely a ‘blink and you miss it’ kind of place)…

TRAVEL 48 HOURS IN… ‘It's a magnet for visitors who come to enjoy the region's arts and culture, and the natural beauty’ KNOWN AS THE capital of the New Forest, Lyndhurst is the largest of the many pretty Hampshire villages sprinkled throughout the national park. The village dates back to the time of the Domesday Book, when it formed part of the New Forest lands established by William the Conqueror. Today, it's a magnet for the many visitors who come to enjoy the region's arts and culture, as well as the natural beauty of the forest. With trains from London taking only 90 minutes to nearby Brockenhurst, it's an extremely popular holiday destination, particularly at half-term, when large numbers of visitors from across the country head there to enjoy a…

FIRST LOOK SHOWROOM Price £23,495 Berths 2/3 MiRO 520kg MTPLM 750kg IF THE MINK Highlander looks familiar, that's because the 2.0 Sports Camper, on which it's broadly based, was reviewed by us around 18 months ago (issue 441). Of the Icelandic micro caravan, we said: “The Mink is considerably more stylish than many mini-caravans we have seen, and feels better built, too.” Now there's a new kid on the block, in the form of the Mink Highlander: a regular Mink with a fresh, beefier appearance. We took a look at the Highlander at the NEC show: would it still impress our testers? Pitch and set-up The Mink's diminutive proportions mean it should be very easy to set up on site; there are no corner steadies to worry about, so it should…

USED TOW CAR SHOWROOM THE SAME, BUT DIFFERENT. That would be a fair description of the Seat Tarraco. After all, it's pretty much the same vehicle underneath as the Škoda Kodiaq or the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace. But actually, it is a bit different, with a certain Spanish flair that's missing from the so-practical Škoda or the upwardly mobile VW. However, while flair is all well and good, when it comes to tow cars, this can also translate as ‘pain in the neck’. Most people who buy tow cars want something that will happily cope with a caravan and make their lives easier when it isn't hitched up. So can the Tarraco handle the humdrum side of life, and make you feel good while doing so? What's it like inside? Well, for…

SKILLS SCHOOL SUMMER PREP MY GRANNY ALWAYS used to say: “Anticipation is half the pleasure,” and as I've got older, I've realised she was, as usual, quite right. This adage is never more true than when you are looking forward to another fine season of touring, and all of the great experiences and enjoyment it will bring. And for many of us, what really enhances that sense of anticipation and excitement is the planning and preparation. Do this early (at your leisure) and you can avoid lots of last-minute stress, and even save yourself some money. Now read on to discover our top 10 tips for perfect planning! 1 Clean your caravan's exterior Your van might be looking just a little down at heel after a winter in storage, so why…

CARAVANNING IS ALL about enjoying the great outdoors. There's nothing better than relaxing by your van in the evening with a gin and tonic, watching the sun set while mulling over the day. But when the sun does go down, campsites can become very dark places indeed. Some are well lit, but most are not – which of course, is a great part of their charm. Lighting up Whatever the case, the ability to find your way about the site after dark, whether you are off to the shower block or walking the dog, will involve a torch. Now most of us possess some kind of torch, usually ranging from the light on our phone to an ancient device that grandad used during the war. Chances are, you have always…

Featuring models on UK sale for 2023! FIND THE PERFECT FLOORPLAN FOR YOUR NEEDS Please check model details with the manufacturer or dealer before travelling to view or buy There are a wide range of caravan layouts to choose from (pictured below), all with their own pros and cons. When you're trying to settle on the arrangement that will suit you, there are some points to think about that can help you decide. Here, we take a look at a few of the most popular floorplans out there, and what they can offer you. B TRANSVERSE ISLAND BED, REAR WASHROOM Island beds are a surprisingly recent addition to caravans, and were really introduced from the world of motorhomes. Caravans are usually a bit wider than motorhomes, though, so it is…

TALK CONNECT We'd love to hear from you – here are just some of the ways you can contribute SEND US YOUR LETTERS We want to hear your thoughts about the magazine and your own experiences of caravanning. Star Letter wins a pair of Grand Aero towing mirrors SHARE YOUR PHOTOS Family fun, pets on site, touring landmarks, your caravan – we'd love to see your photos! Star Photo wins an Awesome Map WRITE A LOCAL AUTHORITY Share your local knowledge by writing about the places you know best. We pay for every one we publish. Email your suggested destination and if we'd like to include it, we'll let you know what's next. We pay £100 per article SEND IN A FEATURE Got a story you'd like to share? Send…

The Caravan and Motorhome Club has announced the addition of 19 new campsites across France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Portugal and Italy to its portfolio of more than 300 sites in 14 countries. Prices start from £14 a night and members who book now can take advantage of early bird booking offers and the Club's lowest price guarantee on campsites, Eurotunnel and ferry crossings. Members can save up to 20% on bookings. Here's our pick of just some of the new campsites: FRANCE Camping Le Picard, Tournières, France This small rural site in beautiful Calvados offers an easy reach to the splendid Normandy beaches and visits to the historic town of Bayeux. With an onsite pool, fishing lake, play area and snack bar, Camping Le Picard offers an ideal holiday…

GETAWAY TRAVEL WE ARE FORTUNATE enough to have glorious Chatsworth House only half an hour or so from home. But while Kay and I are often in the area, visiting relatives in nearby Baslow and a bit farther afield in Hope Valley, I'm sorry to admit that we rather take Chatsworth for granted when we are passing by. The CAMC has a campsite in the grounds of Chatsworth Park, and quite splendid it is, too. It's been a few years since we stayed there, but to blow away the January blues, we decided to book in for a few days. We arrived in the afternoon and were soon set up – and a good thing too, because shortly afterwards the heavens opened and the winds picked up. The forecast for the…

PENDLE HILL, LANCASHIRE visitlancashire.com/explore/pendle-hill Once notoriously lawless, Lancashire is now best known for its peaceful hills – and infamous witch trials. Over 400 years ago, Pendle Hill was home to religious dissenters, traditional healers and self-confessed witches, 12 of whom fell victim to the trials – 10 were hanged. Climb Pendle Hill and if you don't get home before dark, you might come across a wandering ghost or two! Stay at Clitheroe Camping and Caravanning Club Site campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk MOTHER SHIPTON'S CAVE, NORTH YORKSHIRE mothershipton.co.uk In ancient woodland by the River Nidd is England's oldest visitor attraction – Mother Shipton's Cave and the Petrifying Well. Born in the cave in 1488, Mother Shipton went on to be a famous prophet, foretelling the Great Fire of London and the Spanish Armada's defeat.…

The Caravan and Motorhome Club said the results of a random spot check survey of trailers, published this month by the DVSA, show caravanners were “far and away not the greatest concern” among all trailer users – although there was no room for complacency, they added. Some 12% of the 730 caravans checked by the DVSA Advanced Analytics Division between 2019 and 2021 were found to have a prohibitable defect. In comparison, half of the 3083 trailers tested had defects. The DVSA warned that data recording was slightly compromised by the onset of the lockdown in the second half of the survey. It is currently running further spot checks on 2000 vehicles. Martin Spencer, technical manager of the Caravan and Motorhome Club, welcomed the report, which he said was “good…

YOU'RE SURE TO KNOW about Marquis Leisure – the UK's biggest leisure vehicle dealer has 13 branches across the UK and a wealth of experience in finding models that the British buyer will love. But you're less likely to be familiar with La Mancelle. It's owned by French giant Trigano – as is Marquis – and was born in 1960, in the historic city of Le Mans. Over the past 63 years, La Mancelle has fine-tuned its caravan manufacturing and these days, continues to pride itself on producing beautifully built leisure vehicles that are elegantly fitted out in high-quality materials. The fixtures in La Mancelle's caravans look and feel solid and refined. ‘La Mancelle prides itself on producing beautifully built leisure vehicles’ Late last year, Marquis took the decision to…

All 2023 La Mancelle Liberty and Fantaisy models brought to the UK by Marquis will feature a high level of kit as standard. This includes: European Whole Vehicle Type Approval On-board water tank Dometic extractor hood with light and digital clock display Two-piece Hartal door with flyscreen Al-Ko AKS 3004 stabiliser Fully lined shower cubicle with built-in contrast panel, storage and shelves Seven-year water ingress warranty Alloy wheels Marquis exclusive ‘Plaisance’ graphics Exterior gas barbecue point 230V external mains socket External satellite and aerial connection Truma Aventa air conditioning (Liberty models) 100% low-energy LED lighting throughout Al-Ko heavy-duty corner steadies…

SHOWROOM TOW TEST TOW CAR TEST Price £42,865 Kerbweight 1660kg Towing limit 1600kg What's new? The BMW 320i Touring has had a facelift. That brings some exterior styling tweaks, but the major differences are inside, where you'll find a pair of high-resolution screens borrowed from the i4 and iX electric cars, taking the place of dials and buttons. What are we looking for? For years, diesel has been the preferred option for BMW's 3 Series vehicles, but with advances in petrol engines, does the new model offer diesel-esque running costs, especially with current differences in fuel prices? And how easy is that new hi-tech interior to live with? Towing ability A kerbweight of 1660kg doesn't put the 3 Series into the heavyweight class, but it's still healthy enough to give…

Kia Sorento (2015-2020) There's only one engine (a 2.2-litre diesel), so it's just as well it's strong and smooth. It's worth seeking out an example fitted with the optional auto gearbox if you tow on a regular basis. All models have plenty of kit – even entry-level cars have air-con and reversing sensors – but KX-2 trim is best value, because it also adds a reversing camera. Peugeot 5008 The 5008 is more spacious than it looks, housing up to seven people. And the boot is massive, too. The 2.0-litre diesels offer a great blend of punch and economy, but be aware the 5008 is front-wheel drive, with no four-wheel-drive option available. It's also light, with a kerbweight of 1565kg. And make sure you can live with the slightly unusual…

WHETHER YOUR CARAVAN is new off the production line or has a few miles under its belt, it makes sense to protect such a valuable asset the best way you can against the constant attack of road film, tree sap, dead bugs, acid rain, road salt and exhaust particulates. An effective way to do this is to apply one of the latest ceramic paint-protectant solutions on the exterior panels – oh, and to guard interior furnishings against spills and stains with a spray-on protector. These safeguarding solutions provide an invisible shield for your van's surfaces, resisting dirt, grime and staining, and protecting against fade and discoloration. Protectants have been around for a long time. Originally, they were wax based, then super-slippery PTFE (often branded as Teflon); but these days, the…

IT'S GREAT TO SEE the publication of our Top 100 Sites Guide 2023. It always feels like the very start of the season when the guide comes out, providing ideas and inspiration for the forthcoming year of touring. And it looks as though it will be another busy year for campsites – the cost of living crisis is sure to have an impact on travel plans, with many people choosing to holiday in the UK this year. They will be spoiled for choice – as this year's guide reveals, there are some fantastic sites, but do book early to avoid disappointment. You can see this year's full results in our Top 100 Sites Guide 2023, produced in association with Raleigh, and you'll find your copy of the guide with this…

Whether you're on tour or at home, relax with a cup of tea and some brain-teasers to ponder! SUDOKU To solve the puzzle, each row, column and 3x3 box must contain the numbers 1 to 9. No single digit can appear twice in any one row, column or 3x3 box WORDWISE You have 15 minutes to find as many words as possible using the letters in the grid. Each word must contain four or more letters, one of which must be the central square. No proper nouns, plurals or foreign words are allowed. There is one nine-letter word in the grid, for which the clue is: disinfects 15 = Average More than 35 = Well done HALF & HALF Lake Van in Turkey, Lonar Lake in India and Lake Natron…

Holidaymakers looking for an award-winning campsite in Europe this summer should head for the banks of the River L'Homme in Belgium, or stay poolside near Alicante, Spain. Camping Parc La Clusure in Belgium, and Alannia Costa Blanca, in Spain, have been recognised as overall winners of the prestigious Caravan and Motorhome Club and Alan Rogers Annual Campsite Awards for 2023. Winners were selected from a shortlist compiled by the Club's experienced campsite teams, members in the camping and caravanning industry, and feedback from members over the past year, including consistency of sites’ popularity and comments from campsite assessors. The awards comprised a total of 11 different categories, including three new awards this year which recognised sites’ exceptional service and facilities, accessibility, and the most attractive campsite. For further details of…

With our Top 100 Sites Guide 2023 accompanying this issue of the magazine, what better to go with it than a round-up of activities and destinations across the UK? Find a campsite you like in the guide, then check out the following pages for amazing places to explore and great things to see… Northern Ireland This unsung hero of a touring destination has become increasingly popular in recent years, not least because of its prominence as a filming location – think Titanic, Derry Girls and Game of Thrones. Northern Ireland's natural beauty is quite simply breathtaking, and its great towns and cities have plenty of attractions to entertain visitors of all ages. In the country The Mourne Mountains are a famed Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in County Down, offering…

After Joe's long-awaited knee replacement operation was cancelled on the day he was due to have it, he looked so despondent. He is normally a ‘glass half full’ person, but this floored him. “What would cheer him up?” I wondered. Of course – going away in the caravan would do the trick. We already had a Eurotunnel booking, which had been rescheduled many times because of the pandemic, so we changed this again, for the following week. Four days later, we were in France, on a site not far from Calais. We popped into the nearby Auchan hypermarket for supplies and fuel, and next day, headed south-west, to overnight at Camping Parc de Loisirs Le Val Fleuri, at Cloyes-sur-le-Loir, between Chartres and Orléans. Cycling paradise The following morning, we set…

FIRST LOOK SHOWROOM Price £29,200 Berths 4 MiRO 1357kg MTPLM 1800kg THE TYNE is the final one of the new-look Alteas to be rolled out by Adria. It made its UK debut at the NEC Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show, and we were there to take a look. Nine months after we first saw the new Alteas, do they still turn heads? Pitch and set-up Alteas from 2023 are distinctive, with their silver sides and the blue decal fading slowly towards the rear. Featuring a huge central front window and a slightly curved profile, they look stylish on the road. A minimalist light cluster at the back helps, too. As with all Adrias, the A-frame is a little longer than standard, and has no moulding, so there is plenty of space…

Discovery discovered Bailey's second-generation Discovery range made its debut at February's NEC Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show. As already reported in Practical Caravan, the three-model line-up includes one new layout, the D4-4L, featuring a single side dinette that converts into a double bunk. These models no longer come with the distinctive L-shaped air awning as an option. Instead, Bailey is offering customers an optional roll-out awning. Decals now also extend around the back of the caravan and up either side of the large central window. Bailey is also departing from convention by only offering carpets as an optional extra. This means prices have been kept down, so that the smallest caravan in the range, the D4-2, comes in at just £19,995. baileyofbristol.co.uk Dispensing with toilet chemicals Show newcomer Arwinger claims…

USED VANS SHOWROOM USED VAN BUYER LUNAR went into administration in 2019, just short of 50 years of manufacturing, during which they gained a loyal following. The company produced 3000 or more tourers a year, so there are still plenty of models around on the used forecourts. The Quasar was launched in 2004, aiming to provide value and spec in a lightweight van. They proved popular among caravanners who loved the space the designers offered, in a then-general 7ft 2in width. Over the years, the Quasar also benefited from new profiles and a small sunroof. For the 2019 season, a new 8ft-wide family model was launched. The 2019 tourers were produced for just 10 months, but they are still turning up on forecourts. Model history Quasar became a best-seller for Lunar,…

TOW CAR ADVICE FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE really comes into its own when you're towing, especially if you don't like to let the Great British Weather stand between you and your holiday. SUVs are the obvious choice if you're looking for an all-wheel-drive car, but they're not the only option. A hatchback or estate car with four-wheel drive can be better to drive, cheaper to run, and quite possibly more practical than an SUV. What's more, the popularity of used SUVs makes for stiff price competition. You could buy an estate that will tow just as well for a whole lot less, or a newer car for similar money. And as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, value for money counts more than ever. Here's our pick of SUV alternatives to suit…

SKILLS SCHOOL BUDGET CARAVANNING DESPITE A BACKDROP of ever-rising energy bills and the cost of living crisis, you can still make savings when running your caravan and tow car. And if you haven't yet bought your outfit, it's still possible to bag a bargain. You just need to be a savvy shopper. Here are our favourite tips for getting the best value out of your touring life. Bag a bargain caravan With supply chain issues due to wars, pandemics, Brexit, energy costs, a weak pound and silicon chip shortages (take your pick), the new-caravan market has never been more erratic – the knock-on effect is that prices on the used market are going up and likely to stay that way for some time to come. Although it is safest to…