Roller Team Pegaso And The Edinburgh Marathon

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By ‘<' . strtolower('Array')>William Coleman

Recently some friends of CaravanTimes was curious about dipping their tow (see what I did there) into the world of the leisure vehicle. The reason being they wanted to drive to Edinburgh and take part in the Edinburgh Marathon all in the name of charity.

The friends in question are two firemen from London names James and Liam. When the pair aren’t saving lives and tackling fires they are usually trying to keep in shape and do their part for charity.

The pair wanted to make the most out of their trip to Scotland and decided to turn it into more of a touring experience than a quick flight there and back. So how did the 2 first time leisure vehicle users do on their trip to Scotland?

The Pegaso Instead Of A Hotel With James & Liam

Can a motorhome really be a viable alternative to a hotel room when competing in a marathon? Two intrepid runners set off to Edinburgh in Rollerteam’s budget friendly A class Pegaso 590 to find out.

Surely spending the weekend in a motorhome after running 26.2 miles is not something that anyone would be thrilled at the prospect of? My first impression of the Pegaso was that with its compact length, coming in at just 5.99 metres it was a pleasure to drive and manoeuvre around town.

The coach style mirrors are fantastic and made it incredibly easy to keep a check of what was happening around you. The inclusion of a rear view camera made reversing effortless. Inside the cab it felt much larger than the exterior dimensions would have you believe, and the living area was spacious and comfortable, belying its diminutive size.

Once on the road, the driving position, captain chairs and extra space in the cab made the miles to Edinburgh a pleasure. Taller drivers may find the leg room slightly lacking for the driver though.

Once we were on site, we made the two beds, one drop down double in the cab, and the other by rearranging cushions and the dining table. Once fully set up you have created another large double in the living area. The sleeping arrangements were far better than expected, maybe this wouldn’t turn out to be such a bad idea after all?

The next morning, after a quick breakfast prepared in the compact, but practical kitchen, we set off on a rainy Scottish morning to run the Edinburgh marathon. After a successful, if a little wet and windy race for us both we soaked up the marathon atmosphere for a few hours in Edinburgh.

Somewhat weary, but freshly adorned with our hard earned medals we headed back to the campsite. This would now be the real test. Would it still be as comfortable as the previous evening with sore and aching bodies? Or would we wish that we had booked into a hotel with all the extra space and a bath?

Both of the Pegaso’s two double beds were incredibly comfortable and even after miles of running offered a welcome place to spend the night. The level of comfort and convenience far surpassed our expectations of what we thought possible for an affordable motorhome.

It really was not only a viable alternative but actually a very comfortable and convenient choice over a hotel. Although it has to be mentioned that a bath wouldn’t have gone a miss!

Seems Like A Success

Apert from giving the old knees a soak in a warm bath it seems like the pair had a winning weekend in the Pegaso.

The benefits of using a leisure vehicle for an activity like this are plentiful, a fridge full of food and drink at all times being the main one. Touring accommodation is quickly becoming the go to for weekend trips, especially for the young adventurers and thrill seekers out there.

Have any of you guys used caravans, campers or motorhomes to take part in a sporting event? And what do you think of guest posts like this? We feel quite inspired after reading it.

Pet Friendly Round Of Ap-Paws For The Club

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By William Coleman

Taking the pets on holiday is an essential part of a lot of family holidays here in the UK, but there are still a lot of sites that are not very pet friendly. To keep the holiday location options open the Caravan and Motorhome Club are launching a brand new “Paws of Approval” campaign to award their best dog friendly sites.

Celebrating our four legged friends and recognising the importance of taking them away on holiday CAMC have introduced a new “paw rating” for the best dog friendly locations, as voted for by members.

With dogs going free on all Caravan and Motorhome Club UK sites, there has never been a better time to travel with the beloved family pet and put the Club’s dog friendly sites through their paces.

Latest figures show that over 40% of Caravan and Motorhome Club members are dog owners and the Club is expecting a great response to its campaign, designed to highlight the sites that cater best for dogs.

With ratings from one paw to five paws for the top sites to visit with a four-legged friend, the Club will ensure those sites that go the extra mile for their doggy guests will be clearly recognised.

A recent visitor survey run by the Club has asked members how they rate their most recently visited Club site in terms of “dog friendliness” and out of the 1,233 members that have already responded, 94 percent rated the site excellent/very good/good.

The accessibility of dog walks, dog friendly people, cleanliness and the availability of a dog wash all rate highly amongst dog owners who have recently treated their companion to a Caravan and Motorhome Club UK stay.

More than 30 percent of members say that being able to travel with their pets is a major motivation to go on touring holidays and 32 percent of them always take their pets with them on holiday.

Harvey Alexander, Caravan and Motorhome Club director of marketing said: “We know there is a high demand from dog owners and we already state on our website which sites are dog friendly and those sites that offer exercise areas and dog walks etc.

“However this is the first time we have asked members for their feedback to help us formally rate sites. The “paw” logo will make it immediately visible which sites are judged the best for our four-legged friends.”

All the signs are that the Club will have a bonanza summer this year with UK bookings already significantly up; many of these will be from dog owners who will be encouraged to leave their feedback and reviews to ensure the success of the scheme.

NCC Adds Further Measures For Dealers And Consumers

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By william Coleman

The National Caravan Council (NCC) have recently announced and launched a new set of model terms and conditions for caravan and motorhome dealerships across the UK to help protect the dealer and consumer.

As part of the NCC’s ongoing determination to implement the best practices across the industry the new T&C’s will ensure that the dealer members of the UK trade association will continue to operate fairly within current consumer legislation and deliver high levels of customer satisfaction.

The dealers who choose to adopt the new revised terms will also receive added protection of Primary Assured Advice afforded by the Primary Authority Coordinated Partnership between the NCC and Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards.

Across the UK the NCC currently have over 100 touring leisure vehicle dealerships in membership, and under the NCC Approved Dealership Scheme dealers will offer quality products and unequalled peace of mind for you, the consumer.

The new scheme will embrace respective touring caravan and motorhome Consumer Codes of Practice and has established a benchmark for industry best practice and minimum standards for the sale of new and used leisure vehicles and associated services.

Jo Chubb, Head of Member Relations at the NCC, explains why the revised terms and conditions are so important: “With the changes in consumer legislation, it is important for NCC members to be operating to the highest possible standards. As part of our support for dealer members these model terms and conditions offer reduced business risk for our members, with the protection of Primary Assured Advice through Trading Standards.

“This update adds further to our role in leading and promoting the industry. The NCC Approved Dealership Scheme is the benchmark for best practice and those dealers within the scheme continue to offer a commitment to treat customers fairly and provide high levels of consumer protection and satisfaction when buying a new or used leisure vehicle.”

Swindon Caravans Prize Give Away

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By William Coleman

Who doesn’t love a good give away! This coming weekend marks the beginning of the 9 day extravaganza that is Swindon Caravan’s Summer Show. From the 1st of June across all three of their branches you can take part in the festivities and enter their prize giveaways.

The annual summer show will be taking place across their branches in Swindon, Oxford and Reading where you can enjoy a day out and possibly walk away with a high value prize.

As well as hosting a free BBQ, on the weekends, and refreshments there will be some amazing offers available for people to take advantage of on the 2019 range of Lunar, Bailey and Swift, just in time for summer too.

If you are in the market for a new van or accessory head down to the Summer Show, you may just walk away with your dream accessory for free.

Here is the list of all the other great offers on over the Summer Show;

  • £300 vouchers when you purchase one of our special edition caravans; a 2019 Bailey Ridgewayor 2019 Swift Vogue
  • Savings of up to £2,000 off selected used caravans. We have over 100 used caravans for sale! And still receive either £500 vouchers or a free accessory pack when you purchase, to be spent on any product or service available across our 3 branches
  • Flexible finance rates will be available throughout the show: 6.6% APR on new caravans & 7.6% on used caravans
  • We will be offering a free goodie bag to everyone who visits one of our 3 branches (whilst stocks last)
  • There is a free prize draw where 3 lucky winners will win a Kampa Rally Air 400 (RRP £1312.49)

    • Powrtouch Evolution manual motor mover (RRP £1045) or a Cadac Safari Chef Lite RRP £100.

    Please enter online (1 online entry per person) and you can also enter in store during the Summer Show up until Sunday 9th June (1 in store entry per person).

And finally there will be lots of accessory offers:

  • Elsan blue & pink toilet chemical. Was £15.98. Now only £10
  • Kampa Lusso Milano chair & footrest. Now only £45 (Swindon only)
  • Kampa Comfort chair. Now only £36.99
  • Economy Aquaroll / Kampa Water Stroller (branch dependant). Was £45. Now only £38
  • Economy Wastemaster / Kampa Waste Stroller (branch dependant). Was £45. Now only £38
  • Kampa /Quest Rotary Airer. Was £27.50. Now only £22.50
  • Tow Pro Front towing Covers. Now only £145
  • Buy a Kampa awning and receive a free roof lining worth up to £90

    • Wildlife Drama Unfolds At Lancashire Park

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    By William Coleman

    Due to being humans and moving about quite a bit we do tend to encroach onto a lot of areas that houses wildlife. Knowing the effects that holiday sites can have on nature this Lancs park is going to extreme measures to help the local wildlife, and even live stream some dramatic wildlife goings on.

    Guests were left agog this spring at Moss Wood holiday park near Lancaster where the undercover secrets of a tiny bird were screened live for all to see.

    Star of the show was a great tit which had chosen one of the park’s bird boxes to make its nest, little suspecting that it was going to be under constant CCTV surveillance.

    For the box had been fitted with a miniature covert camera which will stream wireless a 24-hour video feed to a monitor screen in the park’s reception building.

    Guests were able to watch the great tit carefully build its nest, and then to lay four brown-speckled white eggs upon which it sat while its male partner brought regular deliveries of food.

    Fourteen days later, to everyone’s delight, the pair were rewarded with four great tit chicks.

    Henry Wild, whose family has owned Moss Wood for over 40 years, said the unfurling drama was thrilling to watch, and was especially enjoyed by younger holiday guests:

    “We’re very fortunate here to have a very wide range of resident and visiting birdlife, but great tits often nest in tree cavities, so can’t normally be observed at close quarters,” said Henry.

    “They are very distinctive birds with their white cheeks and yellow underparts, and our camera gave a rare opportunity to study the bird close-up and to witness its amazing nest-building skills.

    “Some of our holiday guests even made special return visits during the nesting period so that they could see the action, and we also sent email updates to customers who asked.

    “Many of the children here were fascinated, and hopefully will be inspired to go on and make other wildlife discoveries in our grounds,” he added.

    Last year, Moss Wood was shortlisted in the Lancashire Tourism Awards in the “sustainable tourism” category. thanks to its exceptional efforts to protect the natural world.

    The park, situated in the village of Cockerham, recently became home to more than 100,000 honey bees after it installed three traditional timber hives in its grounds.

    Their thriving future is assured thanks to the large number of high nectar-bearing blooms at Moss Wood, including a 3000 square-foot wildflower wilderness.

    The bees are sharing their food sources with many types of butterflies and other pollinators, and there are plans to harvest the honey for sale in the park’s shop.

    Moss Wood also has launched its own craft brewery beer, and every bottle sold is providing a cash donation for the British Beekeepers Association education charity.

    Other natural attractions at Moss Wood include a 1.5km nature discovery trail, a spring-fed lake attracting many bird species, and events such as pond dipping and bat-walks.

    The park provides holiday caravans for sale, and pitches for motorhomes and touring caravans. There is more information about Moss Wood Caravan Park at www.mosswood.co.uk.

    Club Member 5 Thousand Mile Walk For Charity

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    By William Coleman

    I once travelled 5,543 miles on the Bailey #Bristanbul tour, but we used cars and motorhomes to get us around. One Caravan and Motorhome Club member is covering the same amount of miles on foot to help raise money for two different charities.

    Covering over 5000 miles is no small task, it is literally from the Bristol to Turkey and back, so I could not imagine undertaking that adventure on my own two feet. One person who is certainly not afraid of the challenge is Caravan and Motorhome Club member Commander Jane Allen.

    Jane will be doing a solo walk and covering 5,500 miles while walking around the coast of mainland Britain, raising money for two naval charities. Accompanied by her former Royal Marine husband Frank in their self-financed support motorhome, known as the Victory Van, Jane is staying at a number of Club sites on the way.

    Jane, who served for 37 years in the Royal Naval Reserve, is raising funds for two causes close to her heart – the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and the Women’s Royal Naval Service Benevolent Trust.

    “Between us, Frank and I have almost 70 years’ service in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, from Aden to Afghanistan,” said Jane. “The Victory Walk seemed a good way of marking the end of my career, by taking on a year’s challenge and ‘giving back'”.

    Jane’s trek started from Portsmouth, outside HMS Victory on 21 October 17, Trafalgar Day. Walking anti-clockwise from Portsmouth, Jane arrived in Scotland at the end of April 2018 and returned to England six months later.

    In Scotland alone she walked 2,183 miles, wore out four pairs of boots and the Victory Van covered almost 4,000 miles in support. She crossed back into England on Sat 10 November and then headed down the north west coast to enter Wales before Christmas 2018.

    Disaster struck in February when she suffered a fracture and severe dislocation of her right shoulder while on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. After 10 weeks off the Walk, she restarted again at the end of April.

    Initially doing short distances and maintaining a strict physio routine, Jane clocked 4,600 miles just before crossing over the River Severn back into England. She has now turned towards Land’s End and will walk the South West Coast Path as she heads back towards HMS Victory in Portsmouth – she hopes to arrive this summer.

    Speaking about the challenge that Jane has undertaken, Nick Lomas, Director General of the Caravan and Motorhome Club said: “We are always delighted to see our members getting out in the great outdoors and raising money for special causes by going the extra mile, let alone 5,500 miles!

    We’re pleased that Jane and Frank are able to enjoy some well-earned rest at some of our sites along the way and it just shows what amazing adventures you can have with a motorhome.”

    To find out more about Jane’s Victory walk, visit www.victorywalk.uk

    To make a donation, visit Virginmoneygiving.com/victorywalk17-18

    The On Site Plastic Pollution Revolution

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    By William Coleman

    In the news and on social media recently you may have seen some public unrest over the choice McDonald’s made to remove all plastic straws from their branches to help reduce the increasing wave of plastic pollution. Now it seems the world is embracing this eco spirit as one site bans the plastic straw to stop further damage to the environment.

    I think by now we have all seen the images and videos animals in the world who have been killed due to the plastic straw. Following the recent shift in straw usage Trevornick Holiday Park in Holywell Bay are encouraging guests to join them in going green this year.

    The five-star family caravan and campsite, located behind the sand dunes at Holywell Bay, was the first in Newquay to install Oltco walkways made from a combination of recycled plastic drink bottles, food packaging and straws.

    Being fully aware of the impact they have with their usage of plastic, the area surrounding the pool used the equivalent of nearly 100,000 straws alone, they are now taking a stand to do all they can to reduce their plastic usage.

    This sustainable re-use of materials can be seen throughout the business as they continue to increase their efforts in becoming even more environmentally friendly.

    The park has joined the Final Straw campaign, replacing plastic straws in the three onsite bars with paper alternatives.

    Staff also organise their own beach cleans on Holywell Bay to ensure the location and its wildlife remain unharmed by plastic waste, whilst also encouraging guests to adopt this mindset and asking them to leave the beach as they find it.

    “We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world and it is our responsibility to ensure it remains this way,” said Trevornick Park Manager Adrian Tribe.

    “We have all benefited from the increase in tourism as a result of hit TV shows like BBC’s Poldark much of which was filmed at Holywell Bay and we feel we have a duty to highlight the dangers of single use plastic and its effect on our beautiful coastline.

    “This year we have introduced initiatives such as the ‘Drop & Swap’ station where guests can leave their beach toys and bodyboards to reduce this type of waste, as well as joining the ‘Re-Fill’ app which highlights locations nearby where people can fill up their water bottles,” he added.

    Other measures the park are taking to reduce their single use plastic waste and improve their recycling capabilities includes easy access to recycling points throughout the campsite for camping and touring guests and trialling recycling waste such as crisp packets and bottle tops which aren’t widely recycled and can be made into things such as children’s play parks.

    5 Star Park Newest Addition

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    By William Coleman

    When picking the ideal caravan park for the holidays you can sometimes find yourself having to juggle cost, location and a family friendly location. I have found that it can sometimes be a bit more challenging than it should be to find the right one. To help make life easier this new site have made a big investment to keep the kids and family happy.

    On site features are so important when taking the little ones away. I have been on site before and see some children bored to tears, which obviously has a knock on effect on mum and dad. So be sure to find a site that has enough to keep the kids entertained, a bit like the Evans family owned Islawrffordd Caravan Park at Talybont, near Barmouth.

    A new £275,000 seafront play area, which opened at Easter on a five-star caravan park on the Cambrian Coast in Mid Wales, is going down a storm with customers.

    Opting to invest in new playground facilities after asking customers what improvements they would most like to see on the seaside park the site should now be a family favourite.

    The new playground will be a smash hit with the kids with its swashbuckling Spanish galleon pirate ship, Santa Maria, as its centrepiece, the play area boasts a scooter track and a range of play equipment to suit all ages.

    The site as also made sure that the design is totally inclusive and will have a special roundabout for children using wheelchairs.

    Ray Parry Playground Services from Shrewsbury designed, supplied and managed the installation of the equipment. All other subsidiary work, such as turf laying, tarmacadam, erecting fencing and stone walling, was undertaken by local contractors and the park’s ground staff. Entrance to the facility is via an electronically controlled gate.

    Upon receiving the final design from Ray Parry, architects Pritchard Bond put forward a planning application to Snowdonia National Park who granted consent in time for work to proceed last September.

    The official opening took place on Easter Sunday with children hunting for 200 Easter eggs hidden within the play area. Everyone that took part also had their name placed in a draw for a large, fluffy rabbit named Harvey which was won by Ellie Ryan.

    “I am delighted to say that the new play area has been a roaring success and the general feedback from customers is that they love it,” said Dylan Evans, a director of Islawrffordd Caravan Park.

    “We already had facilities that provided adults with a five-star experience and now we have a five-star play area for children to maintain that high standard. The aim is to give children the ultimate play experience in a safe environment where they can enjoy themselves.

    “Whilst we are very proud of the park, it’s important that we improve our facilities continuously to ensure that all our customers have a great experience when they stay with us.”

    Ray Parry said his business had been working with Islawrffordd Caravan Park for 20 years. His son, Thomas, put together a design proposal for a “stand out” play area on the seafront that would keep children entertained and happy.

    “The play area is up there with some of the best we have designed and installed and I was delighted with the finished product,” he added. “The owners and staff at Islawrffordd were fantastic to work with.”

    The park’s other facilities include a swimming pool complex with a jacuzzi, sauna and luxury toilet block, 40-cover restaurant and bar area and an entertainment complex.

    The 25-acre park has 201 pitches for caravan holiday homes and 75 fully serviced hard standing pitches for touring caravans and motorhomes.

    Islawrffordd has invested more than £4 million over the past 15 years to maintain the park’s rating as one of the finest in Wales. The park won the AA Best Camping Park in the Principality for 2012.

    Among the caravan holiday home owners on the park is British motor racing legend Nigel Mansell who has holidayed there with his family since he was four years old.

    £4M Splash At Suffolk Park

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    By William Coleman

    Families staying at two top Suffolk holiday parks this spring helped to celebrate the opening of over £4 million worth of new leisure facilities by Park Holidays UK.

    Carlton Meres Holiday Park near Aldeburgh, and Broadland Sands Holiday Park near Lowestoft, have both seen major investments in the run-up to the 2019 holiday season.

    Their official opening took place this May, and won a unanimous thumbs-up from holiday guests and the owners of holiday caravans and lodges on the parks.

    At Carlton Meres in Carlton Saxmundham, a new architect-designed indoor swimming pool with a host of fun features is already proving a major hit with adults and children.

    The park’s £2.5 million of extra facilities also include a high-tech entertainment centre where top-class acts will appear, and guests can relax in its new bar-restaurant.

    The features are in addition to the park’s outdoor pool and sunbathing area, tennis courts, fully equipped gymnasium and recently re-equipped children’s play area.

    Open 11.5 months of the year, Carlton Meres is also a lure for anglers thanks to its well-stocked fishing lakes which form an attractive centre-piece of the landscaped grounds.

    Meanwhile, at Broadland Sands in Corton, there’s also a spectacular new £1.6 million swimming pool with a 45-metre flume and an adjacent paddling pool.

    Additional thrills are provided by a new dinosaur-themed adventure golf course, and an exciting new climbing wall providing a range of challenges for all abilities.

    To these are added a new pottery workshop, and a state-of-the-art family entertainment centre which also includes a sports bar and lounge, plus a restaurant and takeaway.

    Both Carlton Meres and Broadland Sands are set amid some of Suffolk’s most glorious countryside with easy access to popular beaches and a raft of different attractions.

    But despite the huge investment made by Park Holidays UK at the two parks, the group says that the cost of holidays will remain extremely competitive.

    Families of up to six people can enjoy stays at Carlton Meres and Broadland Sands in fully-equipped two-bedroom holiday homes from less than £100.00 for everyone.

    And for those wishing to take breaks throughout the year, holiday home ownership is available from £17,995 at Carlton Meres, and £9,995 at Broadland Sands.

    Whether visiting or owning, however, families will have full use of the parks’ new leisure facilities, and the all-day and evening entertainment on offer.

    Park Holidays UK says that both parks are already receiving rave reviews from this year’s guests – and that early booking will be essential to get the best choice of dates and locations.

    Holiday Habits To Help Save The Planet

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    By William Coleman

    Taking the caravan and motorhome abroad for a quick weekend or even a couple of weeks has become a lot more popular over the past 4 years. What with the price spikes in flights, accommodation and package holidays more and more youngsters are taking the caravan instead. But what does this mean for the environment?

    Recent studies have shown that the carbon footprint of overseas tourism is three to four times higher than it was previously estimated, not good news for the tourism world or the actual world.

    A stat that shocked me was that as of 2019 the above info actually counts for around 8% of global carbon emissions, but what does this mean for the caravan and motorhome owners?

    Not for a second should you think about reducing your holiday times or destinations. There is a solution which should have little impact on you but massive positive impact on the environment.

    Changing Holiday Habits

    By making a few alterations to the way in which you take your trips you can actually reduce your carbon footprint by around 980kg per trip.

    According to Away Resorts, who sell luxury caravan and lodges, it’s simple, and they have created a carbon footprint calculator to prove it.

    Change of Location

    Passionate about both staycations and the environment, Away Resorts used their calculator to compare a list of popular overseas family holidays to their favourite UK destinations.

    Results showed on average domestic holidays can help reduce your carbon footprint by 490 Kilograms each way, which is the equivalent to heating a UK holiday home for 79 days.

    Kate Watts, Holiday Home Sales Marketing Manager at Away Resorts, said: “As people have become aware of their carbon footprint, they are making the decision to cut down their impact by flying fewer times a year or choosing to holiday in the UK exclusively.”

    Investing in the UK

    Increasingly, the term ‘Fly shame’ is being used by travellers who feel guilty as they knowingly contribute to climate change. Many have taken action, such as committing to going air-free in 2019 and investing in trips closer to home.

    Dr. Arunima Malik, Lecturer in Sustainability, says: “Air travel contributes significantly to emissions from tourism. Flying less is definitely a greener option.

    Negative impacts of air travel come not just from flying, such as the consumption of fuel and the upstream supply-chain impacts of the production of fuel, but also from the expansion of infrastructure, such as airports that are often carbon-intensive.”

    So, when you look to book your next holiday why not check out Away Resorts’ calculator and find out how you can reduce your carbon footprint by staying in the UK.

    Keeping It In The Family With 3G

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    By William Coleman

    When you hear the term ‘3G’ you would automatically think of the internet that your phone has, or had as we now on 4 and 5G. In the world of caravan holidays it is being used to describe multi generational based holidays where the whole family go away together.

    The five-star Trevornick Holiday Park, near Newquay is a site that is embracing holidaymakers of all ages to have a ‘3G’ holiday. Grandparents can spend quality time with the kids, plus mum and dad can join in with the family as well as take the odd night off whilst their parents take the reins.

    As a child I was often taken away on caravan holidays by Nan. She would also bring a hand full of cousins too, very capable of handling all us kids was dear old nan. For me it was the greatest part of my Great British summer time, but it could have been better is mum, dad and aunts and uncles were all there too .

    Now I am a little bit older I see the importance of keeping the family together and using every excuse you can to spend more time with your parents, after all they will not be around forever.

    Another important aspect is getting Nan and granddad together with the grandkids. This will strengthen the bond between the generations and it will give mum and dad some time to themselves, something that can be a rare commodity in parenthood.

    Cornwall is one of the UK’s most popular holiday destinations and is a hotbed for caravan holidays. For those who are thinking about a family get together who have relatives that are quite far away and do not fancy the drive can get a flight to Newquay from various locations throughout the UK, mean getting together in this scenic part of the South West couldn’t be easier for extended families.

    As well as the extended family Trevornick welcomes the four legged friends too, so there is no need to try and find separate accommodation for the family pet. The site is very dog friendly and has dog walking fields, ‘Bark and Bathe’ dog wash station, a local doggy day-care service and ‘perfect for pooches’ touring pitches, Eurotents, static caravans and holiday cottages. Trevornick is actually one of the most dog-friendly destinations in Cornwall.

    Combining contemporary and beach chic accommodation, the recent additions to the static caravans at Trevornick feature a relaxed atmosphere, outdoor space to enjoy dinner and everything the family needs to make a base before heading out for a day exploring Cornwall.

    For grandparents keen to relive the fun of camping under canvas without the stress of having to put the tent up, Trevornick’s Eurotents are the ideal solution. Fully equipped with beds, a kitchen, a picnic bench and even a TV. Sleeping up to six this accommodation is hassle-free fun.

    Trevornick offers a wide range of amenities meaning there’s something to entertain every member of the family. For the sport lovers a round of golf on the 18-hole par 3 course overlooking the sea, a peaceful fishing trip at Trevornick’s well stocked ponds or surf lessons down in the breaks on beach will make for a fun bonding experience.

    Whilst those looking for a more relaxing break can unwind in the tranquillity spa, float in the heated pool or take part in a yoga class and forget the stresses of daily life for a moment.

    Youngsters will love Trevornick with kids clubs and daily entertainment, a forest trail to explore and even mermaid and merman lessons in the pool

    To find out more about Trevornick Holiday Park, Holywell Bay you can visit them directly at http://www.trevornick.co.uk/

    Experience Freedom- Yurt Glamping

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    By William Coleman

    The best part about taking your holidays at home here in the UK is the sheer amount you can do with just a short drive from your front door. This past weekend I took advantage of the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s Experience Freedom brand and spent the weekend in a yurt.

    When I first heard the word “glamping” I did turn my nose up at it as I heard it on a TV that I loath, mostly because of their butchery of the English language. What I did not realise, at the time, was that it would take the touring industry by storm and has become one of the most popular weekend away alternatives.

    Over the past 2 years at the NEC the increase in glamping accommodations on display has almost doubled. From the high end 5 bed luxury tents with a private hot tub to the small 2 bed pods, the world of the alt holiday is a strong one.

    Not only is glamping accommodation featured heavily at shows but they are quickly making their way to caravan and holiday sites up and down the country.

    After going through the options for a “weekend with a difference” me and the other half decided that the ideal accommodation for us is the safari style yurt. The main reason for choosing the yurt was pretty much based on how they look. They just seem so cool and adventurous, with a hint of camping luxury.

    The yurt has everything you would need to spend a few days out in the country with the comfort of a caravan with the space of a very large tent, with the only bugbear being you have to walk to and from the wash bock everytime you need the toilet.

    The yurts and waterproof and very well insulated, which is good as the heating is provided by a small plug in radiator. During the summer months you really will have no need for the radiator as the heat is maintained so well inside the yurt.

    Inside the safari tent you have an extremely comfy king size bed with very soft and fluffy bedding that provided one of the most comfy evenings I think I may have had in a very long time.

    You also have 2 more beds inside the yurt should you choose to bring the little ones with you. What looks like a very high sofa is actually beds 2 and 3. If you are just a couple the second bed doubles up as a perfect sofa with a lot space for relaxing or a card game or two.

    One of they key things that really impressed me about the yurt was the sheer amount of space you find inside. Plenty of room for a family of 4 with luggage, storage and a prep station for food. You also have a fridge with ice box, kettle and toaster.

    Around the yurt there are large porthole style windows, you cannot actually open them as they are clear plastic covers but you do have an inner and outer cover to keep the light out of an evening or early morning.

    The only real issue I had, which is and always will be a part of camping and outdoor living, is how much natural light the yurt lets in. If you like a total back out in the morning you may want to pull the covers up a little higher.

    Outside the yurt you have the ideal setup for a summer evening enjoy the weather and some alfresco dining. The Club provide you a BBQ pit, a table with 4 seats and a parasol for those sunny afternoons. You can bring you own BBQ set up or use the small disposable ones that is provided.

    All in all I would strongly recommend a weekend in a yurt. It is ideal for couples and families who want to try the luxury side of camping. All the fun of outdoor living without having to put the tent up and take it back down again.

    If you are interested in staying in a yurt, it is a bank holiday coming up after all, then head over to Experience Freedom, but be warned, they book up fast.