Caravanners urged to sample local food

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by Chris Malone

British caravan owners could use their tourers to help them sample some of the best local produce the country has to offer, it has been suggested.

According to the Caravan Club, using a mobile home could be the ideal way to try out the country’s finest food and drink.

As well as giving holidaymakers the opportunity to delight their palate and fill their bellies, buying local produce helps small businesses who have been hit hard by the recession, the organisation noted.

Specifically, the club urged members to visit Stroud Farmers’ Market in Gloucestershire, which has won Cotswold Life Magazine’s award for Best Farmers’ Market, as well as the River Cottage Canteen in Axminster, where holidaymakers can try some sweet and savoury treats from Devon and Dorset.

They may also catch a glimpse of local celebrity foodie Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, who frequents the eatery.

Those who love their wine could be interested in a trip to vineyards, such as Cornwall’s Camel Valley, which has been running for more than two decades and produces a range of tasty varieties.

The Caravan Club also recently urged Brits who have never considered touring before to give it a try, noting that waking up to a new stunning view every morning is not to be sniffed at.

Musical caravanner backs calls for first Essex CC site

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by Chris Malone

A Colchester resident who plays in the Caravan Club’s concert band has thrown his weight behind calls for the organisation to run a site in Essex.

None of the Caravan Club’s existing facilities are located in the county and cornet player Alan Dickens told Daily Gazette that he would like to see that change.

The 57-year-old recently organised a fundraising rally that welcomed about 120 people to the area and helped generate £1,800 for Help for Heroes, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Breast Cancer Research and St Helena Hospice.

“I thought it would be a great idea to have a week-long rally here while band members practised, and to show them the sites and put on some other events in the build-up,” he told the newspaper.

The Caravan Club, which provides services for more than one million members, withdrew a bid for a 96-pitch site in Wick Lane, Ardleigh, after campaigners voiced their concerns over the move.

However, it is believed that the £2 million facility could have generated £750,000 per year for local businesses had it gone ahead.

See rare ospreys at Welsh caravan site

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by Chris Malone

Caravan enthusiasts staying at the Morben Isaf Holiday Home and Touring Park in Wales this summer could be in for a treat.

According to newswales.co.uk, the first of three osprey chicks which recently hatched at the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust’s Cors Dyfi Reserve at Derwenlas has taken to the air for the first time.

What is more amazing is that the triplets are the first ospreys to have hatched on the River Dyfi since 1604.

Caravan site managers Dave and Jayne Hollingworth have been keeping a close eye on the development of the chicks.

“Our owners on the park are thrilled by the news and there has been a lot of interest in the ospreys from visiting touring caravan owners and campers,” Mrs Hollingworth said.

She was at the visitor centre to see the first chick hatch in June and is delighted to hear that the rare bird – named Einion – has managed to take its maiden flight.

Ospreys are sometimes known as sea hawks or fish eagles and can grow to 24 inches in length with wingspans of up to two metres.

VIDEO: Chris Gosling’s Caravan Diary – Bailiff’s Cottage, Suffolk

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by Marcus Dubois

When you’ve visited as many caravan sites as “Caravan Diary” presenter Chris Gosling, it’s hard to pick a favourite. Yet in this week’s edition he might have stumbled across the Holy Grail in a tiny caravan site in Suffolk.

Bailiffs Cottage can be found near the picturesque village of Shottisham in the heart of Suffolk. If you’re a caravanner looking for the ultimate in peace and quiet, this site should be in your shortlist; but with only five pitches available, booking can prove tricky!

Watch Chris give his verdict on Bailiffs Cottage in this latest edition of his Caravan Diary. And you can always seen the latest edition each week here on Caravan Times.

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Caravan child’s message in a bottle found 30 years on

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by Chris Malone

It’s an old holidaymaker’s tradition: to send a message in a bottle out to sea, in the hope that they will receive a response from the recipient in another country.

And this custom was one followed by Tracy Johnstone – who recently received a call from German man Thomas Fink after he found the bottle she threw out to sea at the beach in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire while on a caravanning holiday.

What is remarkable about the find is that Ms Johnston – now a mother of four – sent the message three decades ago when she was aged 15 in 1981.

Mr Fink, 58, discovered the bottle on a beach in Germany’s St Peter-Ording – 400 miles from where it was initially launched 30 years ago.

Cleethorpes has a number of caravan parks, including Haven’s Thorpe Park, which features a nine-hole golf course.

While it is unclear where the sender – now known as Tracy Pashby – stayed all those years ago, the tag with her name, address and the date the bottle was thrown into the water is still visible, despite its age and long journey.

“My brother and I were very fortunate as children, we went on caravanning holidays with our mum and dad which we loved,” she explained.

“My dad used to encourage us to throw messages in bottles into the sea saying that it could be discovered by pirates or be washed up on a treasure island”

Her brother once had a reply from Finland, but that came almost immediately in comparison to Tracy’s bottle.

Camping and Caravaning Club: Caravan holidays still popular

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by Chris Malone

Caravanning holidays are still “very” popular, according to the Camping and Caravanning Club.

Publicity manager Jon Dale pointed to hotspots such as the Lake District, Scotland, the Peak District, Devon and Cornwall as places frequented by mobile home enthusiasts.

“I think we have got a beautiful countryside and beautiful scenery here, and it is certainly a lot cheaper than travelling abroad,” the expert said.

“You don’t have any inconvenience of travel disruption which people have had over the last year or so.”

Mr Dale may have been alluding to the volcanic ash clouds which caused delays and cancellations at airports across the UK and Europe.

He did note that the weather in the UK can be one drawback that puts people off.

“But if they can overcome that then people will enjoy a family holiday in this country,” the spokesman said.

The Camping and Caravaninng Club recruited 60,000 new members in 2010 – the second successive year it has achieved this.

Caravan owners urged to check tyres ahead of summer trips

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by Chris Malone

Caravanners hoping to avoid travel misery and delays this summer should carry out a few key checks before each long journey.

According to Protyre, giving the vehicle a quick once over can help prevent trouble en route to your holiday destination.

The independent tyre dealer network explained that caravans that have been sitting in storage all winter can often end up with flat tyres and urged owners to carry out an examination of their road-worthiness before they set off.

Drivers should check for lumps, bumps and cuts to the treads, as well as cracking or distortion on the sidewalls.

There should be a minimum tread of 1.6mm by law, but the company recommends having at least 2.5mm for safety.

“A particularly important aspect of tyre safety, often overlooked by owners, is the age of the tyres fitted to the caravan or trailer,” Protyre said in a statement.

“In fact, determining the age of a tyre is simple and straightforward. A code is marked on the tyre sidewall with the first two numbers determining the week, with the third and fourth digits referring to the year of manufacture.”

The firm, which recently partnered with Japanese premium tyre manufacturer Toyo Tires at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, recommends replacing tyres that have been on the vehicle for more than seven years.

Bailey Olympus Series II: Pictures and layouts unveiled

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by Chris Jefferies
As we reported from the launch event last month, Bailey Caravans has reintroduced its Olympus range of tourers for 2012, offering a well-appointed family tourer for the mid-level market.
Named the Olympus II, this streamlined range comes in a choice of four layouts that, as we can now confirm, range from two to six berths, including two designs that are brand new to this range.

Key improvements for 2012 include double glazed windows throughout to help keep the warmth in during the winter and increase energy efficiency all year round.
Furthermore, the interior has been revamped with a new Walnut furniture finish and Italian design overhead lockers, which feature flush-fit 12v corner lamps.
Quality quartet
Perhaps the biggest difference in the Olympus range is the number of layouts, as Bailey has opted to go with just four options (460-2, 530-4, 540-5 and 620-6) in much the same way it did for the launch of the entry-level Orion models earlier this year.
Taken from the previous Olympus range, the 460-2 offers an affordable two-berth option, with an end washroom, while the 530-4 features a nearside fixed double bed, resulting in plenty of space for a family of four to enjoy a comfortable caravan break.
The larger models, however, are imported from previous ranges, with the five-berth 540-5 (pictured below) drawing heavily on the Pegasus Ancona for its inspiration.
Those looking closely at the Olympus 620-6 may notice some striking similarities with the classic Ranger GT60 620/6 layout, as this six-berth twin axle model features a nearside fixed double bed, as well as a side dinette, which converts into a bunk bed.
Taking a closer look at the interiors, it is clear that Bailey has…
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Permission sought for surveillance caravan to fight crime

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by Chris Malone

Retrospective permission is being sought for a surveillance caravan at a construction firm site in Peppard.

The mobile home has been in use at the Investfront facility in the Manor Farm trading estate since January, the Henley Standard reported.

Planning consultant Neil Davis claimed the caravan would help to “substantially” reduce crime in an area with no residential properties to offer additional surveillance of the premises.

“This automatically makes the complex prone to vandalism and theft when the units are unoccupied,” he wrote in his planning application.

With the backing of the police and the estate’s insurance brokers, the use of the mobile home is said to offer “maximum surveillance”, while not “adversely harming” the area of outstanding natural beauty.

Each of the 17 letters of support the document is accompanied by state that crime had been a problem before the caravan was installed, Mr Davis added.

Caravan storage customer left with bill after theft

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by Chris Malone

Caravan owners who keep their mobile holiday homes in secure storage units might be wise to check the agreement they have with the facility.

One North Tyneside resident recently discovered to her cost that she was storing her vehicle at her own risk after intruders managed to break into the compound on Sandy Lane in Wideopen and help themselves to her property.

A number of items were stolen from Jane Hemmingfield’s tourer after CCTV footage showed the thieves opening the window of the caravan from the outside, the Sunday Sun reported.

“My caravan has been there for years without any bother, but two years ago they removed the on-site security and replaced it with remote surveillance,” she told the newspaper.

“I was devastated to discover my caravan had been broken into and the seats had been stolen.”

Ms Hemmingfield said the missing items would cost approximately £1,900 to replace and she was disappointed to learn that she would be expected to pay on her own insurance, rather than the facility’s cover.

Cher Lloyd won’t forget caravan roots

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by Chris Malone

Pop sensation Cher Lloyd is determined not to forget her caravan roots, despite the fact she now boasts a UK number one single with Swagger Jagger.

The 18-year-old recently told the Sun that she has no intention to move into a posh property, having been brought up in a Romany caravan and now calls a council house home.

She explained that she would probably celebrate by having a night in with a take-away meal and a glass of bubbly.

Since making it big, Cher has had a few extravagant moments – she bought her dad Darren a Range Rover, which is a favourite among many caravan enthusiasts due to its pulling power.

“I bought him a Range Rover because we have always had rubbish, embarrassing cars,” she told the newspaper.

“When I needed to get to a gig once I had to push the car up a hill. It was awful.”

The singer and rapper is not the only star to have been brought up in and around caravans – Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rafael van der Vaart last year explained how he learned to play football at the Dutch caravan park on which he was raised.

Caravan bed design wins over Hilary Devey on BBC’s Dragons’ Den

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by Chris Jefferies

A smart mattress offering a cosy and comfy night’s sleep to caravanners was the star of last night’s episode of Dragons’ Den, as the newest investor Hilary Devey ploughed £80,000 into the invention.

Husband and wife team Liz and Alan Colleran delivered a slick and confident pitch, which demonstrated the Duvalay – a zip-up memory foam mattress and duvet combo.

This patent-pending product ensures a warm night’s sleep, as the side of the bed that rests against the caravan wall can be zipped up, meaning your back doesn’t get cold.

Furthermore, the inventors claim that the memory foam base results in a more comfortable night’s sleep for caravan and motorhome owners, and can even help people with back problems.

After some fierce questioning from Deborah Meaden, which exposed some gaps in Liz and Alan’s financial knowledge, four of the five dragons said the fatal words: “I’m out”.

Nonetheless, the husband and wife duo claimed that this was a great investment opportunity as they couldn’t make the product fast enough to satisfy demand and they have plans to expand into the Dutch and German markets.

This potential was enough to attract an offer from Hilary in only her second episode on the show, although she insisted on a 26 per cent share, to ensure she had enough control of how the company is run. Despite this being much more equity than Liz and Alan had planned on parting with, they eventually accepted.

The couple had long toyed with the idea of going on Dragons’ Den and have since said that it was even scarier than they had imagined. “It was absolutely terrifying. If you think it’s scary, you need to times it by 100,” Liz said.

“You don’t notice the cameras, you’ve just got five people staring at you and bombarding you with questions,” Alan added.

The Raskelf Duvalay is available now in a range of thicknesses and prices start at £99.95 each. To watch Liz and Alan’s pitch to the dragons, click here.