Sergei the meerkat shares his top 5 caravanning tips

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by Laura Hastings

Seasoned caravanner Sergei delves into his own caravanning experience to bring you top tips for your caravan journey

There are many so-called experts in the field of caravanning, but CaravanTimes, as always, strives to bring our readers the best.

This is why we have enlisted caravan blogger and meerkat impresario, Sergei, to share his wisdom with us. Sergei works in IT, and recently took to exploring the length and breadth of the UK in his caravan, documenting it all on his ‘caravan bloggings’ – that’s caravan blog to you and I.

His charmingly honest writing style will appeal to both seasoned caravan veterans, and those looking to step into the caravanning lifestyle and, that said, Sergei has collected his top five tips for caravanning, first published here, and elaborated a bit on the stories behind them:

Caravanning with pets

“Take your pets on caravan holiday is always tricky. Once I take pet hamster, but he spend whole holiday making squeaks in his exercise wheel and I could not concentrate on my Beano annual.
“These days I prefer bring smaller pet for company, like Carl the cockroach. He not make too much noise, need minimal lookings after and come in handy if you need small snack.”
Sergei’s final thought: “Do not try read Beano annual while driving, this lead to unfortunate car smash incident with me and large human in white van.”

Always bring spare battery

“Middle of nowhere is not best place to find out you leave light above sink on for 24 hours. Ever since that 10-day walk back to civilisation, I am never without a spare 110AH battery. Now I can cook on stove, pump water and use Betamax player without fear of flattening battery.”
Sergei’s final thought: “Always be considerings caravan neighbours, blasting the Russian meerkat music of the 1980s is no popular at 2 am.”

Bring spare tin opener

“Only last year I haul week supply of baked fleas on holiday. Is long story, but mountain goat end up eat my tin opener, leaving me stuck with 12 unopenable tins. For lunch I lick moss from nearby stone. It was actually quite tasty, but next time I remember to bring extra tin opener.”
Sergei’s final thought: “For many fine recipe includings French style frog’s legs, scramble over to my bloggings here”

Always bring torch

“Torch are essential inside caravan. Is good for read under blanket, and is make life much easier when you need to visit little meerpup’s room in middle of night. Like my Papa always say, ‘never pee where you can’t see’. Is best advice he ever give me.”
Sergei’s final thought: “Torch are good for make meerkat shadow puppets also, put baby Oleg in sleepy mode every time!”

Remember which caravan is yours

“My caravan is a beautiful shade of white. Unfortunately, so are many other caravan, which make it difficult when remember where you park in busy caravan site. I find tie custom flag to your caravan (I use MEER space program logo) will help you identify your own caravan even from afar, and will help avoid any unexpected meetings with a surprised family of four.”
Sergei’s final thought: I make nice friend with the family, until I try get disco dancing competition going. Hole in floor was not too big! Be careful when doing jumpings in caravan, nice readers.

CaravanTimes would like to thank Sergei for these invaluable tips, and we look forward to his next instalment of caravan adventures.

Check out our competition with Sergei’s Caravan Club for your chance to win a meerkat toy.

Caravan – The Tiny House Hotel

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by Laura Hastings

Caravanning has crossed the Atlantic: it’s official! Proponents of the tiny house movement in America are cementing the caravan’s reputation as cool in the United States

CaravanTimes has been speaking with three Portland, Oregon based caravan enthusiasts, Kol Peterson, Deb Delman and Eric Bohne, to find out about the culture of smaller space living and the American attitude to caravans.

Kol and Deb are the proud owners of Caravan – The Tiny House Hotel. Caravan is the first establishment of its kind in the U.S. and offers guests the chance to stay in a lovingly crafted caravan, or tiny house as they are also known, and business is going from strength to strength. The couple are about to add their sixth tiny house to the property, set on a vacant lot behind their own home.

The reasoning behind Caravan goes beyond simply providing fun hotel accommodation. Kol and Deb are major proponents of downsizing for environmental reasons, and are eager to practice what they preach.

The pair are extremely well versed in the pros of small space living. Environmental impact is something they are keen to minimise in their lifestyle, as Kol explained: “Living in a smaller residential footprint is probably the most effective way to easily reduce one’s energy footprint. In the US, the average footprint per capita is over 900 sq. ft. I think that 400 sq. ft per capita would be a good goal for us to strive towards.” The most logical step for the pair was to build an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), a housing trend quickly gathering momentum in the US.

An ADU, also known as a granny flat, is basically a dwelling on the property of a main house; it can either be attached to or detached from the house. Kol spoke pragmatically about the thought process behind their decision: “I decided to purchase a single family home with the intention of building an ADU on the property. First, I needed to find a house that would pay for itself through rental income if I wasn’t living in it. Like everyone, I had a tight budget, so I was seeking a home that was already in good shape so that I could put most of my financial resources into the design and construction of the ADU.”

Following the construction of their ADU, Kol and Deb landed on a business idea. A large space behind their home, which had been used as a repossession lot, became vacant. Thusly, Caravan – The Tiny House Hotel was born. Portland has long had a reputation for being an alternative, artsy destination to visit. It made perfect sense to provide visitors to the city with an equally quirky place to stay.

Guests have a choice of five, soon to be six, caravans for guests to stay in. Kol and Deb have found that their visitors have had no problem adapting to the small space, as they proudly recount: “Our guests love staying in the 100 sq. ft tiny houses. But, when you’re travelling, you don’t have much stuff with you. So, it’s very easy to enjoy the tiny house for a night or two. It would take a much larger commitment to live in a tiny house than to stay in one for a night or two at Caravan. Also, Caravan’s tiny houses are actually way nicer than most hotel rooms, filled with custom, unique craftsmanship, local art guidebooks, etc.”

To get a better idea of what goes into building a tiny house, we spoke with Eric Bohne, the craftsman who created Skyline – currently being leased by Kol and Deb at Caravan.

Eric is a busy man. He describes himself on Twitter as “carpenter, designer, musician, artist, father, and scrap reclamation specialist.” And it doesn’t stop there. As the owner of two businesses – Alter Areas L.L.C, and Metalwood Salvage – he has committed himself to a focus on purposing unique building materials. A true innovator, Eric used his breadth of knowledge to create Skyline.

“I didn’t know there was so much going on until I built it [Skyline],” Eric says of the popularity of his type of product. “Along the way I was getting the sense. I had some documentary filmmakers interview me, which was a clue. I know there’s always been a healthy bunch of hand builders building fascinating dwellings; I’m a big fan of Lloyd Kahn, but really I didn’t know much about the movement.”

Despite being new to the concept, the Jack of all trades quickly decided to become involved: “I’d seen a few tiny houses around and thought it was a neat idea for that area. Alberta Street is a vibrant arts district and this concept fits right in. I’ve built or worked on a lot of interesting spaces and thought it would be fun. I mentioned it to Kol and he said they’d be happy to have it there if I built it. So I did.”

Skyline is a beautifully crafted caravan; Eric’s attention to detail is clear throughout. At just 136 square feet, it appears much more spacious than it is: “I really wanted to do something different and I wanted to solve the ladder issue. Creating a staircase to a fully walkable loft, and a sleeping area underneath was tricky. I wasn’t sure it was going to work, but it did. It’s actually the feature that makes it so popular. Almost anyone can use the stairs with no hands and the sleeping area is spacious.”

The tiny space is full of innovative features, when questioned on his favourite part, Eric was quick to answer: “I really like the shower. It’s really big and easy to clean – I built it with stainless steel pan and aluminum walls and ceiling. The showerhead is high above and you don’t feel cramped. I got to a take one shower in there before they started renting it.it was glorious.

It came together without a lot of trouble, which I really appreciate too. The materials were all salvaged metal from my company, Metalwood Salvage – most of Skyline was built from salvaged materials.” Eric’s enthusiasm for the shower is revealing of how much thought has gone in to every aspect of Skyline. As anyone who has holidayed in a caravan will know, showering in a tiny cubicle is not fun and leads to bruised elbows.

Finally, we questioned Eric on how the name Skyline came about for his project. He explained: “Skyline was built on a RV travel trailer frame. Someone had stripped the RV off and was using it for a utility trailer. It still had the step folded under the frame that said, ‘Skyline’. It was the name of that RV. I mounted the step on the sliding storm door so that became the name. It works well because I used several 2′ X 5′ tall windows which show a lot of sky.” The photos of Skyline are truly stunning.

The American approach to caravanning is certainly different to what we are used to in the UK, but it serves as a reminder that there is such diversity available in caravan holidays.

Click here to see some amazing images of The Tiny House Hotel

u s caravans

UK motorhome insurance premiums remain low

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by Laura Hastings

Motorhome insurance premiums are down, and sales of used motorhomes are up in the UK

A competitive insurance marketplace in the UK at the moment means that premiums are remaining low, with the knock-on effect of increased sales in used motorhomes.

Speaking at the National Motorhome Show, Nigel Coppen, Client Director of Shield Insurance, announced to UK motorhome enthusiasts that, despite average motorhome insurance claims rising by 39 per cent, the average motorhome insurance premium had in fact remained constant at around just £250. He added that average claims for his company throughout 2010 amounted to £2,119, whilst in 2013, the average claim rose to £2,951.

Insurance for UK motorhomes continues to drop month-on-month, with premiums down nine per cent for March 2014 compared to March 2013, and also 19 per cent down when compared to March 2012.

CaravanTimes are pleased to report that our readers can expect premiums to remain low in the coming years.

Debate for 12-month caravan season grows

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by Laura Diaz

Two Llyn caravan parks could receive permission to extend their caravan seasons to 12 months

A 12-month caravan season could become a reality for Haulfryn Tal-Y-Fan Caravan Park in Abersoch and Crugan Holiday Park in Llanbedrog. The Llyn parks are hoping to extend their ten-and-a-half-month caravan season to a full 12 months.

The parks are not looking to add more caravans to their sites, however. Their request is limited to extending the occupancy period for holiday use.

Llandebrog Community Council has strongly objected to the parks’ applications due to concerns that an extension of the caravan park season would damage the hotel and bed and breakfast industry in the area. Many of these establishments have already had to close their doors.

Another concern is that community services will suffer from the extra pressure a year-round caravan park season would put upon them. Furthermore, if the application is approved, other parks will most likely seek the same path.

The quest many Wales holiday parks have undertaken to obtain 12-month licenses is currently a major trend. As you may recall, CaravanTimes reported on Aberafon Holiday Park in North Wales receiving a year-round license and on the benefits Wales is receiving from the rise in domestic tourism. Keeping these factors in mind, it makes sense for parks in the area to seek extensions for their caravan seasons. However, locals may not always agree with these measures.

What do you think, caravanners? Do you agree with holiday parks seeking to extend their caravan seasons to 12 months?

Caravan Magazine and Inland Waterways Association offer you a free one-year membership

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by Laura Diaz

Caravan Magazine and The Inland Waterways Association have teamed up to offer you a year’s free membership, a value worth up to £39

Caravan Magazine and The Inland Waterways Association have joined forces to offer you a free one-year membership, which is worth up to £39.

The Inland Waterways Association is a charity that specialises in campaigning for the use, maintenance and restoration of Britain’s inland waterways. With a membership to The Inland Waterways Association, you would receive quarterly issues of Waterways Magazine, regular information from the charity, newsletters from local IWA branches, the opportunity to participate in social activities and to attend lectures as well as other events.

In addition to the previous features, the free membership will also include access to discounts, special offers and the chance to take part in practical waterway restoration work.

The cost for an annual membership is usually as much as £39 for a joint or family membership. Therefore, this is not an offer you should miss, caravanners!

Those who are interested in receiving a free one-year trial of a membership with The Inland Waterways Association should email katie.thomas@waterways.org.uk or call 01494 783453. To receive the free membership offer, make sure you quote IWA/CVN when joining.

Alice’s Escapes continues to break frontiers

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by Laura Diaz

Alice’s Escapes, the charity established by late lymphoma patient Alice Pyne, continues to make the teenager’s dream of providing holidays to young cancer patients a reality

Last year, CaravanTimes informed our readers about a charity that raises funds to provide young cancer patients with caravan holidays. Alice’s Escapes was established by late lymphoma patient Alice Pyne. The young girl’s dream had been to set up a charity that would help fund family holidays for seriously ill children. Alice’s legacy lives on as her beloved charity continues to grow through the opening of a second caravan.

Earlier this month, charity supporters congregated at Bardsea Leisure to officially launch the charity’s newest caravan, Molly’s Place, as well as a charity meeting hub, Lottie’s Lodge.

Molly’s Place is equipped with full disabled access and was largely paid for through Windermere Lions Club and fundraising from the Keswick to Barrow Walk last year. Funding for Lottie’s Lodge was mainly provided by Alice’s Escapes second Kilimanjaro trek.

It was a proud day for Alice’s mother, Vicky, as she said, “Nothing will bring Alice back, but it’s really nice to know we are making a difference to other people.”

She reminisced, “I’ve been there-living on a chair behind a curtain in a hospital. When you get home you just want to escape, but there’s always good friends or families visiting. This is a chilled, relaxed areas that families can enjoy.”

Lottie’s Lodge will provide a meeting place for craft sessions and a site to offer bereavement support for parents and siblings of children who have passed away. The supportive atmosphere of the lodge is seen as families receive a grocery hamper and vouchers for local attractions on arrival.

“There has been a tremendous amount of support that is largely down to Alice and the type of person she was-approachable, kind and caring,” Vicky explained. “When families say ‘I am having a wonderful time’ it makes a bit of purpose in my life. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have this to work on.”

As he cut the ribbon, Barrow MP John Woodcock said, “I think Alice would be completely unsurprised by this…she would be pleased that you have all come together to make this a reality.”

The team at CaravanTimes hopes Alice’s Escapes continues to grow and to fulfil Alice’s dreams.

A guide to doing Glastonbury festival in a motorhome

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by Laura Hastings

Making the decision to enjoy the festival with all the home comforts of a comfy bed, hot shower, flushing toilet and refrigerated beer; this will be one you won’t regret as you encounter tens of thousands of motorhome-less un-washed campers across the long weekend

Whether you’ve decided to hire a motorhome especially for the festival, or you’re taking your own rig – there are a few things to get organised over the next few days in the run up to the festival.

If you’re bringing your own rig to Glastonbury, there are a few things you need to know;
To park in the campervan field, you’ll need an additional ticket (the field you’ve chosen should be indicated on the ticket and you should follow this route). These cost £85 and should be booked in advance. If you haven’t got one, don’t panic – just call the festival help line and buy one before you go. Also – everyone staying in the campervan fields must have a weekend festival ticket.

Please note that if your vehicle is longer than eight metres, you will have to purchase a second ticket.

There is no electricity supplied and generators are not allowed on site, so you’ll need to rely on your leisure battery; find out how long your vehicle battery lasts between charges so you know its limit. Charging whilst stationary can be expensive and harmful to the environment so avoid this where you can, but in situations like this it might be the only option. If you want to make your leisure battery last longer, think about using solar trickle chargers as a great environmentally-friendly way to top up on power. Also make sure you’ve got plenty of fuel before entering the site so you can keep running your engine to charge your battery!

There are also no gas hook-ups on the site and your personal supply must be self-contained within the vehicle – consider bringing a spare gas canister.

There is access to waste-water containers which must be disposed of properly; don’t empty onto the grass – make sure you’ve got a couple of large buckets to drain into. There is also, of course, a fresh water supply – don’t forget to take a water roller barrel with you.

Awnings are acceptable, and in fact encouraged, so that you can sit outside, soak up the atmosphere, and socialise with other festival-goers. Don’t let yourself be cooped up inside the vehicle for the whole day! You are at Glastonbury after all.

If you’ve got friends coming to meet you separately who want access to the campervan field, they can do this – however they have to walk into the campsite rather than arrive by vehicle. Those with tents can also camp behind motorhomes or cars where permitted. Fire marshals will be on site to advise on where to camp and park.

For all your other burning motorhome camping questions, you should be able to find your answers on the official Glastonbury site

With over 30 years experience, Emm-Bee can offer expert advice on all things motorhome and are specialist dealers in Burstner and Bailey motorhomes.

FEATURE: Caraglamming is the New Black

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by Laura Diaz

Caravanners have managed to make the stylish trend of glamorous camping – otherwise known as ‘glamping’ – their own. How have they achieved this feat? CaravanTimes gives you the low-down on how to turn your holiday into a caraglamming extravaganza in its own right

Picture this: a dazzlingly starstruck night underneath the moonlit sky; an untouched landscape retaining its pre-industrial purity; a one-of-a-kind caravan your only abode on this wonderful holiday; you and your family immersed in this almost magical world without a care in the world.

It seems like the stuff fairy tales are made of. Fortunately, however, there are companies out there whose sole purpose is to provide you and your family with the ultimate caraglamming experience. These companies specialise in offering the simple pleasure of a relaxed caravan holiday – with a twist; once you get a look inside these magnificent caravans, ‘simple’ will be the last term you will use to describe them.

Caraglamming Beneath the Stars

CaravanTimes had the opportunity to speak to Caroline MacDonald, director of Beneath the Stars, a company specialising in providing caraglamming accommodations for its clients.

What makes this company unique is that unlike most glamping accommodation websites, they offer their clients the opportunity to be lodged in an authentic Romany gypsy caravan, or ‘vardo’ as it is more traditionally known. “It is a vintage, 1940s caravan straight from Ireland,” begins Caroline. “It was owned by Roma in Ireland. They refurbished it themselves.”

The caravan hasn’t gone completely untouched, though, as Caroline explains, “The caravan recently received a few Welsh Celtic touches, including a couple of stylised Welsh dragons on both sides of the doorway. These are traditionally meant to guard guests while they sleep. [This caravan] typically appeals to many people because of the story behind it and because it is entirely hand-crafted.”

Beneath the Stars guarantees an unparalleled experience to those who book their stay at the Romany Caravan, for its surroundings are just as fantastical as the lodging itself. The caravan is situated in the nook of a field, which enjoys a view of the foothills of the romantic Black Mountains.

Furthermore, the meadows surrounding the caravan are designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Riots of wild flowers and an abundance of other such natural beauty adorn the immediate vicinity, including sprawling meadows, as larks sing from above.

The Green Goddess is another wonderful caraglamming experience Beneath the Stars offers. Caroline told CaravanTimes of the company’s latest addition to the stable, “The Green Goddess is a 1950s caravan with plenty of original features inside. It has a proper toilet in a separate little building. Then there is a shower in another small building – gas heated so there’s plenty of hot water. Also, there is a fire pit outside, with chairs, and an endless supply of logs.”

Surely, with the Green Goddess, it couldn’t get much better. But it does. And that’s down to the magnificent view of the Black Mountains. The emerald caravan’s colour matches that of its surroundings. The resulting effect makes it seem as if the Green Goddess is a part of nature, instead of having been transplanted there. It creates a soothing ambience and almost seems as if she belongs where she rests.

A holiday spent lodged in this caravan will surely allow guests to immerse themselves in nature, while not feeling deprived of everyday comforts. “The experience is a sort of fantasy in a way,” says Caroline. “It allows you to get close to childhood. That idea of being isolated; away from it all; away from the telly. It’s much more of an escape than going to a cottage or a village.” She continues, “It makes for a very green and ecologically friendly holiday – an experience both children and adults alike seem to enjoy tremendously.”

Caraglamming Like a Mad Dog in a Vintage Van

Yet another fabulous site specialising in caraglamming is Mad Dogs & Vintage Vans. Also located in the backdrop of the Black Mountains, the Wye Valley site provides an jaw droppingly stunning retreat to visitors.

Owners Sacha Morley and Jo Pilkington personally restored four vintage caravans dating from the 1930s to the 1960s and, in order to give their period caravans definite character, named them: Darcy, Gertie, Elsie and Monty.

“Each one of them has a distinct theme,” explains Sacha. Darcy, for instance, is girly and romantic. Gertie is a Cheltenham Gnu from the 1930s and one of only two in the country. So, we kept her original features including the handmade oak furniture.”

“Elsie is filled with stylish 50s décor and certainly emits the essence of that bygone era,” Sacha continues. “Finally, we have our newest addition, Monty. He is a Brockhouse military wagon, which dates back to the Second World War. Back then, these were built to withstand a bomb, so you can imagine his durability. His is of fashionably rustic style which we’re sure many families will enjoy.”

Besides offering guests the opportunity to enjoy a holiday lodged in one of these lovely caravans, Jo and Sacha are quite gracious hosts. They greet all guests upon arrival and warmly welcome them with a cream tea and homemade scones with jam.

The site also houses a tennis court, beautiful shower shack and a campfire where caraglammers can get together to cook, share stories and, well, feel glamorous.

Delighted guests have referred to Mad Dogs & Vintage Vans as ‘a little snapshot of bliss,’ an accurate description given the site’s paradisiac location. The site’s emphasis on nature and tranquillity makes it perfect for yoga and other relaxing pastimes and sometimes serves as a writing retreat for groups or individuals alike.

The River Wye is a mere 15-minute walk away down a farm track. The Forest Dean is also nearby, providing visitors with various diversion options, including canoeing and pony trekking. As a service, Jo and Sacha are more than happy to arrange these adventures for their guests.

Mad Dogs & Vintage Vans offers guests the chance to indulge in an environmentally friendly holiday while relaxing in pure vintage style.

See the pictures of the caravans available at Beneath the Stars and Mad Dogs & Vintage Vans below. Your first (or next) caraglamming holiday could be just around the corner!


Find more photos like this on CaravanTimes

Overwhelming response to petition will warrant council debate

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by Laura Hastings

The controversy over the closure of the Baltic Wharf caravan site continues in Bristol

The plans to shut popular caravan site Baltic Wharf, overlooking Bristol’s docks, have hit another snag. Since the closure was announced, a petition has been circulated, gathering more than 3,500 names. CaravanTimes has been following this story from the beginning, click here click here to read the first report from March.

Whenever a petition reaches over 3,500 signatures, it automatically warrants a debate at full council. At the time of writing, the petition currently stands at 3,694 signatures. This is the eighth highest number of names ever collected for a Bristol campaign, since the city council began hosting e-petitions on its website.

The man who started the petition, Matthew Gibbs, hopes that the topic of the closure will be added to the agenda for the July 20 meeting. He spoke about his mission to stop the closure, stating: “I’m over the moon to be able to represent the views of individuals and organisations which will be impacted, with more than a million pounds a year being stripped out of the community if this goes ahead.”

The city council says the land is required to provide a much-needed primary school, and that the caravan site would be helped to find a new premises. Hilda Kalap, spokeswoman for the city council, has aid that the petition will be checked by council staff to ensure that there is no duplication of signatures.

The new primary school proposed would accommodate 420 children, opening in September 2015.

Travelworld welcomes Hymer Group motorhome brand, Carado

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by Laura Diaz

The Carado range is the latest addition to Travelworld Motorhomes

Travelworld Motorhomes, in Telford, Shropshire, has welcomed the Hymer Group motorhome brand Carado.

The Carado range offers clients an amazingly unusual combination of affordability and optimal quality. The motorhomes’ specifications include a manual air conditioning system in the cab, cruise control, passenger airbags, a Truma Combi 6 gas heater with electric heater element, radio preparation with loud speakers, a panoramic skylight above the driver’s cab and an aerial integrated into the exterior mirror.

Travelword sales executive, Nick Barker, is delighted with the Carado alliance, saying, “The Carado range offers superb engineering functionality with a diverse choice of 10 different floor plans in 2-6 berths. Bringing this range to Travelworld is extremely exciting and we look forward to showcasing the range for potential customers across the UK.”

The common belief is that the world-class service the retailer offers along with Carado’s high level of quality will make a seamless combination from which both parties, and their clients, will benefit.

If you’re interested in finding out more about the Carado range, call Travelworld on 0844 880 4938; either that or feel free to pop into their Telford showroom.

St. Agnes summer events for caravanners

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by Laura Diaz

Planning on visiting St. Agnes, Cornwall, this summer? If yes, then here are a couple of events that will make your stay more enjoyable. If not, you might just change your mind shortly!

St. Agnes, Cornwall, is a stunning coastal town, perfect for the sizzle of summer’s hottest events. These two events will give any caravanner an excuse for a touring trip in the South West.

For over a hundred years, the St. Agnes Carnival has entertained both locals and tourists alike. It is definitely the highlight of the year in the coastal Cornwall town. Many tourists even book their holidays to coincide with the first week in August just so they may attend the fun-filled event.

The St. Agnes Carnival is characterised by fancy dress, local bands, clever floats and dance routines led by the famous Giant Bolster. The event’s charisma lies in that it offers something different for the entire family.

The carnival will be held, this year, on 3 August. Locals may choose to participate in the carnival procession or even join the St. Agnes Carnival Committee. The carnival is easy for caravanners to reach. In fact, The Caravan Club‘s St. Agnes Beacon site is a perfect place to pitch your caravan and join in on the fun.

Another amazing summer event held in St. Agnes is the World Bellyboard Championship. First held in 2003, the championship was launched as a memorial to the late Arthur Traveller, a Londoner who was a regular visitor at Chapel Porth with his wooden board. World Bellyboard was at first a humble championship with few entrants; it now boasts over 300 surfers.

The National Trust is presenting this year’s championship, which is open to anybody. All that is required is a wooden board and a swimsuit. Fancy dress is absolutely optional, but highly recommended. The Great Bellyboard Cake-Off, a cake baking competition, will also take place during the championship. Proceeds from the cake-off will go to the National Trust to help fund future World Bellyboard Championships.

The championship will take place on 7 September. As with the St. Agnes Carnival, caravanners are able to book their pitches at the St. Agnes Beacon site.

Enjoy your summer, caravanners!

Renault and Land Rover claim honours at the Tow Car Awards 2014

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by Philip Lovegrove

Renault and Land Rover win top awards at the prestigious Tow Car Awards 2014

The hotly contested Tow Car Awards 2014 took place this week with the Renault Captur and the Land Rover Discovery scooping the top prize in their respective categories.
The competition – which sets out to discover the best tow cars on the market for the country’s thousands of caravan enthusiasts – brought in a record 56 cars, all tested by professionals from The Camping and Caravanning Club, Practical Caravan Club and What Car?
Making an informed decision about the high-value purchases, judges decided that the eye-catching Renault Captur 1.5 dCi Dynamique MediaNav’s performance placed it top in the Best Ultralight Tow Car category. This is the company’s first compact crossover car, which is stylish, innovative, fun to drive, well priced, and combines MPV versatility with SUV looks. ‘<' . strtolower('Array') href="http://www.caravantimes.co.uk/features/industry/feature-the-year-of-the-luxury-crossover-$21384303.htm">The crossover is becoming quite a trend this year for SUV’s, something you may remember we covered a few weeks back on CaravanTimes.
Speaking about the Renault Captur – which has a towing limit of 900kg – judges said the car should be “at the top of their shortlist” for anyone with a trailer tent to tow.
“Stability at speed proved excellent, as the car felt solid at 60mph and beyond,” determined the panel. “In the lane-change test, direct steering and well-controlled suspension kept car and trailer in line. Our practicality team found room for all the holiday luggage bar one item, and were impressed by the Captur’s high noseweight limit, relative to its towing capacity.”
It was another triumphant year for Land Rover, with its Discovery 3.0 SDV6 XS becoming the most successful model in the Tow Car Awards’ history, with seven awards in eight years.
Judged highest in the 1900kg+ category, the Discovery has been head and shoulders above the rest in the field, with the panel declaring: “It is going to take a really superb car to beat the Discovery. Power, performance, stability, practicality – it has the lot.”
The expert judges were extremely impressed by the ease with which the Discovery performs towing duties, in particular its “confident and decisive” overtaking and “smooth, unflustered” manner in which it can be slowed.
It was a double success for Land Rover at this year’s competition with the Range Rover Sport 3.0 SDV6 Autobiography Dynamic picking up the new Money No Object Award.
Possessing ultimate luxury and towing ability, the Range Rover Sport was praised by judges as a “phenomenal tow car”, with its stability being a stand out feature.
“Towing at 60mph feels like 40mph in the Sport, and the Range Rover seemed impervious to crosswinds, even at speeds that would have your collar felt on a British motorway,” added the judges.
For more information on the entire Renault range, visit www.renault.co.uk and for further information on the Land Rover range, visit www.uk.media.landrover.com.