Sunncamp Ultima Air inflatable awning competition closed and winners revealed

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by Philip Lovegrove

We have announced the winners of our latest competition, in conjunction with Simple Caravan Insurance.
This month we gave CaravanTimes readers the chance to win a Sunncamp Ultima Air 390 Plus and 25 runners-up the prize of a Combilux LED flashlight, so now has come the time to reveal those winners.
The lucky winner will get their hands on the award-winning pole-free awning complete with a pump, storm straps, removable side panels and roll-up front panels, so you can add a Ultima Air Plus Annexe on either side, or a canopy at the front.
The porch awning can fit any caravan that is between 235cm and 250cm tall and is built to last as Sunncamp has used 150D ripstop oxford fabric with a hydrostatic head of 5000mm.
This great prize, which is worth more than £600, has attracted a huge number of entrants, but only one can win the awning. So without further ado here are our lucky winners:

    Top Prize Winner: Paul Nodding

    25 Runners-up : Andy Bradshaw, Martin Hodges, Kevin Friend, Richard Pennance, Steven Borg, Lin Kennedy, Paul Westripp, David Cuff, David Marsh, Peter Quayle, Mike Boyle, Chris Davies, Michelle Else, Linda Mason, Berenice Anderson, Malcolm Pringle, Chris Burnett, Trevor Hackey, Peter Kayley, Lizi Davies, Steven Harvey, Alan Dobson, Amanda Plumpton, Andrew Mayers and Jeff Stevenson.

Congratulations, we hope you all enjoy your prizes! We will be in touch via e-mail to arrange the delivery of your prize.
Commiserations to everyone else that took part, but keep checking back with CaravanTimes for our next competition which will start soon.

E-petition launched in bid to save Baltic Wharf site from closure

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by Philip Lovegrove
2013 Bloom Award winner Baltic Wharf Caravan Park in Bristol has launched a petition in a bid to save the campsite.
The popular Caravan Club site, which is set to be relocated and replaced by a primary school, is due for closure at the end of the year, much to the dismay of many tourists.
The campsite, which features 55 pitches, overlooks the city’s docks and attracts many visitors from all over the country, so it is of little surprise that an e-petition has been set up to save the site in Cumberland Road from closing.
The e-petition, which was set up by Matthew Gibbs, claims the decision to axe the site was taken without deliberation and it would have a “devastating effect” on the local community and its ability to attract holiday-makers.
The petition reads: “Please support us in our attempt to convince Bristol City Council to reconsider their decision to close the Baltic Wharf campsite at the end of the year.
“The decision was taken without any public consultation and is likely to have a devastating effect on the local harbour community, tourism and businesses.
“The site, a waterside haven on Cumberland Road, is a great Bristol success story; open all year with one of the highest occupancy rates in the country.
“Year after year, campers liven up the area, bringing summer trade and a vital winter lifeline to local businesses. Some local organisations and companies are very concerned for their own future should the site close. There simply is no alternative campsite in Bristol.
“Closing the only campsite in central Bristol also flies in the face of the national campaign to inspire people to holiday in the UK.”
The site, which is renowned for its beautiful surroundings, won the 2013 Bloom Award last November – an achievement which acknowledges the skill and hard work of Caravan Club site wardens who preserve the attractiveness of the park in various ways – but the council believe the site would serve better use as a school due to the growing number of primary age children in Bristol.
The council, under the conditions of its lease with the Caravan Club, is able to serve notice at any time and must give the club at least six months’ notice that their occupation is to end.
If you wish to get behind the campaign and save the Baltic Wharf Campsite please click here and sign the petition.

Puffin found in Somerset caravan park is returned home safely

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by Laura Hastings

Animal lovers among the caravanning community will be relieved to hear that a group of young puffins blown ashore at Brean, and further along the South West coast, have been returned to their home at Lundy Island.
The birds were blown off course during the fierce winter storms in February, with one young puffin found sheltering under a caravan at Brean Sands Caravan Park.
A fully grown puffin measures roughly 20cms, and weighs just 500g, which makes battling stormy conditions understandably difficult.
This juvenile puffin, along with about forty other seabirds, was taken in by the RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre where they were fed a diet of sprats to allow them to regain their strength.
While the Atlantic puffin is not currently considered to be endangered, its numbers are in decline, making the survival of these three puffins all the more vital.
The youngsters are currently in their moulting stage, leaving them unable to fly. This is why a normal cliff-top release had to be abandoned in favour of a release into water, via a 22-mile trip across the Bristol Channel aboard the ferry MS Oldenburg, and a transfer on to a smaller boat to enter Gannet’s Bay.
Puffins are not usual visitors to the Somerset coast, and so their rescue and release required a carefully planned operation between staff at RSPCA West Hatch and Lundy Island to ensure the survival of the birds during, and after, their stay in Somerset.
In a statement to RSPCA.org.uk, Lundy Island warden Beccy McDonald said: “It is wonderful we are able to assist RSPCA West Hatch with the release of these three puffins.
“As they are unable to fly, we released them at a safe distance from the Lundy coast so that they will be able to join other seabirds currently rafting off the East coast of the island ready for this year’s breeding season.”
Well known bird-watcher and broadcaster Bill Oddie, who is also Vice- President of the RSPCA, commented: “The staff at RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre have worked tirelessly caring for these young puffins, along with the dozens of other storm blown birds who were victims of the bad weather at the beginning of the year.
“Everyone loves puffins and these three are very lucky to have been brought back to health after a very tough winter and Lundy is a fantastic place for them to be.”
A trip to Lundy Island to inspect the puffins and other wildlife is a perfect addition to any caravanning holiday in the Somerset area.

C&CC sees 26 per cent increase in advance online bookings

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by Norah Lindsay

The Camping and Caravanning Club has announced a 26% increase in the number of advanced bookings made via the Club’s website compared to last year.

With the Easter Bank Holiday just around the corner, and the long-awaited spring weather starting to show, the Camping and Caravanning Club has been reaping the rewards of quick, easy and accessible booking system.

The Camping and Caravanning Club aims to prove that camping and caravanning is the best way to explore the beautiful countryside, with 110 award-winning Club Sites, 16 Camping in the Forest Sites and over 1,600 small and exclusive Certificated Sites supporting them.

As well as the Club’s website, another handy way of finding caravan and camping sites, is to use the search tool provided on the Club’s SiteSeeker app, which is available on both Android and iOS.

Bob Hill, Sites Director at the Club, is looking forward to the new camping season and said:

“Our booking figures tell us that camping and caravanning continues to be a popular pastime and we only expect to see numbers rising over the upcoming camping season.

“Compared with 2013 prices, base adult prices will be lower at 38 Club Sites in high season and 56 Club Sites in low season, even after inflation.

“Base family rates will also be lower at 18 Club Sites in high season and more than 30 in mid-season.”

“We hope this will encourage more people to join the Club, enjoy our sites and their nearby attractions – which will only help to boost local economies.”

VIDEO: Luxury meets compact in the new Swift Kon-Tiki Black layouts

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by Chris Jefferies
The Swift Kon-Tiki range has been the pinnacle of Swift’s motorhome collection for a few years now, but the times they are a-changing.
With petrol prices and ferry fares on the rise, more and more people are opting for a slightly more compact motorhome.
Swift Group has been listening to this, and so the latest Kon-Tiki motorhomes are 750kgs lighter, but retain all the top-end features that made them so popular in the first place.
To find out how the company managed this, we’ve been catching up with Nick Page, Commercial Director at Swift.
In this video, he explains the new low-line profile and twin-axle configuration available in the 625 and 635 layouts.
Nick also talks us through the key spec on board, from Alde central heating to cab air conditioning and even an exterior shower point for hosing off muddy boots and dogs.
Finally, we explore the cavernous storage space on board and discuss what you could fit in there.

VIDEO: Fifth Wheel Company talks caravan wheel safety

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by Chris Jefferies
Have you seen a Fifth Wheel Company caravan on the road? If you have, you’ll certainly remember it.
These distinctive tourers are some of the largest caravans available in the UK and the Inos and Dreamseeker ranges are designed to be towed by pick-up trucks.
The mounting system that attaches to the flat-bed of a truck gives these ranges added stability, but nonetheless the company takes wheel safety very seriously, as we’ve been finding out.
In our latest video CaravanTimes meets Adrian Parry Jones from Fifth Wheel, who explains the company’s partnership with Wheel Solutions Ltd.
We hear how the smart and tiny WSL Caravan Wheel Safety Bolt provides the utmost towing security and safety for Fifth Wheel Owners.
Adrian also explains the importance of having your caravan wheels properly balanced, a process that Fifth Wheel carries out at the WSL factory in Staffordshire.
Finally we get an insight into the testing process that takes place before a new Fifth Wheel comes to market.

Disney Channel to use Arley Hall for first UK film production

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by Norah Lindsay

The Disney Channel is set to use Arley Hall as the venue for filming mystery adventure movie, Evermoor.

The production is set to be the first UK Disney production ever to be shown on the Disney Channel US, and the company has chosen the country home that is hosting this year’s Caravan Club National rally.

Evermoor is a story about 14-year-old Tara Bailey who moves from her city home in the US to start a new life in the spooky Evermoor Manor (Arley Hall) in England, where she discovers a magical tapestry and appears to have powers to predict the future.

Evermoor is due to air this autumn, while the filming is set to start at the end of April.

Disney EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) is teaming up with Liverpool-based production company, Lime Pictures to film the live action movie.

Lime Pictures is responsible for producing some of the UK’s most famous shows such as The Only Way Is Essex and Hollyoaks but this production is set to be the channel’s biggest UK production to date.

The team behind Evermoor scoured the North West of England in order to find the perfect location for the exciting new film.

They eventually chose Arley Hall, describing it as being the best place for a scary film, with there being something eerie about the British accent combined with a large creepy mansion.

Lime Pictures’ head of drama, Rebecca Hodgson, told the BBC: “We were looking for a really interesting old house which had to be inviting enough that you would want to go in, but might have a little bit of a sinister side to it as well”

Arley Hall’s general manager, Steve Hamilton said he hoped the production would be a boost to local tourism and trade.

“This is great news not just for Arley but the whole of the North West,” he said. “Evermoor is due to be shown in more than 160 countries so this has the potential to draw in visitors from across the world.”

As Evermoor is set to become such a big hit in both the US and UK, what better time to visit the hopefully soon internationally famous venue, than during the May Bank Holiday weekend?

The Caravan Club‘s National Rally 2014 will be taking place at the Arley Hall this year, over the May Bank holiday weekend (23-27 May).

Visitors will be given the opportunity to enjoy a fabulous range of daytime and evening entertainment during the event, including plenty of live music.
Eager caravanners can book their tickets in advance here.

8 reasons why caravanning is the most underrated type of holiday

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by Chris Jefferies
For all the talk of glamping, staycations and glamourvanning, there are still millions of people in the UK who wouldn’t think twice about going on a caravan holiday.
And we at CaravanTimes think this is a huge shame, so in this feature we’ve tried to sum up just what makes caravan holidays so special.

1. Camaraderie

If you’re staying in a hotel, you keep yourself to yourself, with the possible exception of fighting over the last sun lounger next to the pool.
On a caravan holiday, things are different. Everyone shares at least one hobby in common, so you’ll find friendly neighbours offering to help put up your awning or willing to share a cup of sugar for that all important first brew.

2. Birdsong

Waking up to the sound of chirping birds in the trees is simply blissful and it doesn’t have to end there.
Many caravan sites are birdspotter’s havens and the wardens may even be able to give you tips on spotting rare and unusual varieties.

3. Rain on the roof

Until you’ve experienced the gentle pitter-patter of rain on an aluminium roof, you can’t truly understand how delightful it sounds as it lulls you to sleep.
And with so many modern caravans boasting state-of-the-art heating systems and world-class insulation you can remain snug, cosy and secure knowing that you’re in for a peaceful night’s sleep.

4. Sunsets

Sure you can see a sunset in a city or from a hotel, but the remote location of many caravan sites makes the opportunity for spectacular skies simply unrivalled.
From golden hues to rosy reds, the sky can provide you with some of the most memorable views of your holiday when there are no buildings to get in the way or pollution to ruin the air quality.
There’s also the joy of sunsets too, but seeing them may depend on how much you enjoy the next item in our list.

5. Barbecues

Again, you can do a boozy barbecue anywhere, but on a caravan holiday the barbecue is almost always the best option for cooking.
You’ve got the space on your pitch, you’ve got a gas supply should you need it, you can even reach through the window to grab extra cutlery.
Let’s not forget a handy fridge just inside for keeping the beers and wine icy cold. What more could you ask for?

6. Fresh air

According to The World Bank, more than 80% of Brits live in a built-up urban area, so the simple joys of seeing a bit of green and breathing in the fresh air is immeasurably therapeutic.
Forget spa breaks, simply getting a good lungful of countryside or coastal oxygen will do you a world of good.

7. Variety

Most of what we’ve listed relates to the countryside and this is where the vast majority of caravan holidays take place, but not all.
These days more and more people are using suburban caravan parks as an affordable base for exploring big cities – there are a handful of conveniently located sites inside the M25 and within striking distance of Central London to give just one example.

8. Freedom

Whenever the CaravanTimes team heads out to canvas opinion at a caravan show, the one word we hear over and over again from caravanning regulars is: ‘Freedom’.
Put simply, a caravan holiday gives you the freedom to do whatever you want, whenever you want.
Without the breakfast schedules that many hotels strictly adhere to, you can set your own timetable. Want to wake up at 11am and cook pancakes on a griddle pan in the sunshine? No problem. Want to share a room with your three dogs? Go for it.
Sure, wild camping restrictions in the UK mean you can no longer go wherever you want, but beyond that the only limit is your imagination.
Have we missed anything off our list? What do you love most about caravan holidays? Let us know in the comments box below.

3.4m Brits set to enjoy Easter staycation holiday, says VisitBritain

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by Tom Walsh

The Easter bank holiday is fast-approaching and millions of Brits will be planning out their holidays, most of which will be within the UK’s borders.

New research from VisitEngland’s latest Trip Tracker survey shows that 3.4 million people will heading off for a well-earned break this Easter with three million choosing to stay in the UK instead of jetting off to Europe or further afield.

This attitude is set to provide a significant boost to the nation’s economy with VisitEngland expecting around £700 million to be spent by tourists in England alone over this period.

James Berrersford, VisitEngland chief executive, said: “Easter is a fantastic time of year to spend a short break or day out with the family exploring the wonderful destinations in England.”

Easter is also the perfect opportunity for caravanners to make that first trip of the year after the long winter.

As numerous sites will have a range of activities going on during the bank holiday, it is the perfect excuse to get away.

British caravan roadtrip to celebrate 150 years of Yosemite park

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by Tom Walsh

Yosemite National Park is one of the most famous sites in the US and is a must for anyone travelling through California.

2014 represents a major milestone for the area as it marks 150 years since President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant Act which made Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias a national park.

And the Camping and Caravanning Club’s Steve Adams is visiting Yosemite during the celebrations, touring around California in his trusted motorhome.

In the first of a series of articles for the Camping & Caravanning magazine, Steve explained the various activities that are going on to mark this special occasion.

Staying at Indian Flat RV Park, near to Yosemite, Steve and his girlfriend were able to explore the famous monument and take in all the history of the site from the day President Lincoln signed the declaration right up to the modern day.

To read Steve’s first blog from America, click here.

Niesmann+Bischoff Arto wins international design award

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by Tom Walsh

A luxury German motorhome has claimed the coveted Red Dot Award for its “captivating design”.

The Niesmann+Bischoff Arto impressed the jury of experts and managed to fend off competition from thousands of entrants from all over the world to claim the accolade.

It is a huge coup for the brand which was recognised for trying a different approach when putting this model together.

The Arto managed to scoop the Red Dot Award thanks to its smooth and streamlined structure, unique colour combinations, high-quality workmanship and a panoramic window which provides “an excellent uninterrupted view”.

Hubert Brandl, managing director from Niesmann and Bischoff GmbH, said: “This is an outstanding award and a further confirmation that the Arto’s new and unusual design is the symbol of a completely new generation camper.”

The award-winning Arto is currently available from Travelworld Motorhomes, Niesmann and Bischoff’s exclusive UK dealer, with prices starting from around £70,000.

Nick Barker from Travelworld said: “The design is something we go on and on about, but when you see them side-by-side with other motorhomes the difference is noticeably impressive.

“Niesmann has bought into the same automotive styling concept as the new Fords and the new Range Rovers.

“Everybody wants something that’s distinctive – bland is not the name of the game anymore for motorhomes.

“We hope to see this design spread across the other Niesmann+Bischoff ranges as it brings an immediate kerb appeal and desire.”

To see our video feature on the new Niesmann+Bischoff range, ‘<' . strtolower('Array') href="http://www.caravantimes.co.uk/video/dealers/video-2014-niesmann+bischoff-motorhomes-take-luxury-to-the-next-level-$21384082.htm">click here.

Caravan Club to install Wi-Fi on 66 sites by August

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by Tom Walsh

The Caravan Club is set to install Wi-Fi on 66 of its sites in the next four months.

Officials announced that it recently received all completed site surveys which allowed work to commence on Monday (14 April).

Meathop Fell Caravan Club Site is the first to receive an upgrade but many more are planned for the coming months.

The Club expects the work to be finished by mid-August but has urged patience as working in an outdoor environment can be continually unpredictable and there could be setbacks along the way.

Visitors are being warned that the affected sites will experience some outages of the Wi-Fi service but the Club is aiming to keep these problems to a minimum.

Some sites are expected to take much longer than others, with Meathop Fell being the largest job of the entire project.

Members can access the full list of sites on the Caravan Club’s website where the scheduled dates are also ready to view.