Forest Holidays invites families to explore the UK’s woodlands

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by Chris Jefferies

Families looking for something to do during the school holidays have been encouraged to explore the UK’s woodlands with Forest Holidays’ Forest Rangers.

The touring site chain, which is managed by the Camping and Caravanning Club, has various locations for caravan owners to stay across the UK, including Spiers House in Yorkshire, Postern Hill in Wiltshire, and Holmsley in the New Forest.

There are various ranger-led courses, depending on your age and interests, including bat watching, forest at dusk and a young explorer’s course.

Other outdoor activities on offer range from den building and orienteering to forest survival courses.

Alan Gibson, general manager of Forest Holidays, said: “Our Forest Rangers have a fantastic depth of knowledge of their local areas and it’s a real pleasure to be able to offer such unique activities to our campers.”

Courses are available to book for just £6 per adult and £5 per child.

Hütten Palast: the world’s first luxury indoor caravan hotel

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by Holly Tribe

Finally, a mainstream hotelier has noticed that caravans truly are the best form of holiday accommodation, regardless of price or location.

The Hütten Palast, or ‘Huts at the Palace’ in Berlin, Germany, has become the first hotel to replace conventional hotel suites with caravans.

Click here to view more images of ‘Huts at the Palace’

The hotel is located in an old vacuum-cleaner factory, and its founders, Silke Lorenzen and Sarah Vollmer, have incorporated static wooden cabins and mobile touring caravans in place of traditional hotel rooms.

The couple explained they wanted to preserve the integrity of the building whilst creating a communal atmosphere for its guests; “[we] wanted to keep the great architecture and not destroy it by building separate rooms… to create a room, where people actually meet each other.”

And it’s not just the caravans that give this unique hotel the ambience of a deluxe caravan park. The couple’s use of communal areas bears a strong resemblance to the camaraderie found on caravan sites.

The movable interior puts an emphasis on shared social spaces, and creates a flexible habitation landscape which can change and adapt with each new guest.

The caravans have had all the original utilities stripped away and been redecorated – each with its own unique theme. One of the vintage models has been transformed into a warm cocoon-like hideaway with a wooden mosaic interior, while another has been beautifully lit and fitted with a full size double bed.

Room rates start at 30 Euros a night to stay in a caravan. For more information about this unique ‘home-from-home’ hotel, click here.


Find more photos like this on CaravanTimes

Salop Leisure gets extended boost from caravan show

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by Chris Jefferies

A leading caravan dealer in Shropshire and Wales has received a month-long boost from the recent West Midlands Caravan and Motorhome Show.

Salop Leisure has reported that the show, which attracted more than 12,000 people to Shrewsbury, has resulted in a rush of sales.

Tony Bywater, chairman of the dealership, said that the volume of post-event sales has been a pleasant surprise to the company.

“It’s clear that discerning customers take their time and really do their homework before buying a caravan or holiday home. It’s a sign of the times that people are very careful about what they spend and are seeking good value for money,” he said.

He added that many Brits are choosing to invest in their future holidays by buying a caravan this year.

Salop Leisure has been selling caravans and holiday home lodges for over 40 years and the company has showrooms in Shrewsbury, Machynlleth and Stourport.

Campers in lucky escape after caravan site accident

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by Chris Jefferies

Caravan owners will have many reasons for picking a mobile home instead of a humble tent, but the importance of having a solid roof over your head has been brought into stark focus.

A family of four were lucky to escape with their lives intact after a large tree fell onto their tent on Sunday (May 29th), according to the Ledbury Reporter.

The group were camping at The Rock Caravan Park in Bromyard when a branch broke off the oak tree at around 5am.

Simon Halling, crew commander of Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, said that the branch fell off a tree that weighed at least two tonnes.

Whilst the father and two children were able to get out unharmed, the mother was trapped and had to be removed using specialist equipment.

“We had to use equipment that we normally use to stabilise cars that are involved in traffic collisions, as well as airbags and saw cutting equipment,” Mr Halling said.

The woman was later taken to a local hospital, where her injuries were deemed not to be life-threatening, the local paper added.

Caravan forecourt fire does £300,000 of damage

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by Chris Jefferies

A caravan dealership in Northamptonshire has suffered hefty losses after a fire on its forecourt led to more than a quarter of a million pounds worth of damage being done to its fleet.

Elite Motorhomes in Middleton Cheney estimates the total damage at £300,000, but this could have been even higher if fire-fighters had not prevented it from reaching a nearby petrol station, the Northampton Chronicle reports.

On late Tuesday night (May 31st), 25 fire-fighters struggled for three and a half hours to contain the blaze, which produced flames up to 40 feet tall.

The explosions were so loud that more than 30 local residents made 999 calls, as fears rose that their properties could be damaged as well.

Tom Robbins, an employee at Elite Motorhomes, told the local paper: “One of the motor homes worth about £30,000 was sold the day before but was completely unrecognisable after the fire; it was just a big pile of metal.”

Local police have not yet determined the cause of the fire and arson has not been ruled out.

Caravan Slang Dictionary: a complete glossary of terms

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If you are new to caravanning, you may already have come across a vast array of acronyms and caravan related jargon that litter spec sheets and caravan chat. This can be a tad confusing for even the most seasoned of caravanners, so we’ve put together a glossary of caravan terminology to help shed some light on the murky world of the caravan acronym!

Have we missed anything? Please feel free to add your own caravan slang/ terminology in the comments section below.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

ALW Actual Laden Weight – the total weight of the caravan and its contents when being towed.

B

Berth The number people a caravan can sleep (note: not the commonly misspelt birth!)
Blown Air A modern caravan heating system in which warm air is distributed throughout the cabin by a fan through ducting.

C

CC The Caravan Club – a national members club providing caravan related services to its members.
CC&C The Camping & Caravanning Club aka the Friendly Club – a national members club providing caravan and camping related services to its members.
CDP Chemical Disposal Point – the waste water and chemical drainage area.
CL Certified Location – sites limited to 5 caravans or motorhomes or less for exclusive use of CC members.
CRiS The Caravan Registration and Identification Scheme
CS Certificated Site – smaller campsites for the exclusive use of the Friendly Club’s members.

D

Disco The Land Rover Discovery, a popular towcar amongst caravanners.

E

EHU Electric Hook Up.

F

Farside The side of the caravan opposite the entrance door, also known as the offside.

G

Grey Nomad Caravanners of an advanced age who tour for long periods at a time ~ of Australian provenance.
Grey Water Waste water from the sinks and showers.
GRP Glass Reinforced Plastic – a material commonly used on the outershell of caravans.

H

Hitch Or caravan coupling head; the devise used to attach a caravan to the towball of a car.

J

Jockey Wheel The small wheel attached to the caravan ‘A-Frame’ used to stabilise the caravan once it has been unhitched from the towcar, before the corner steadies have been put down.

K

Kerb Weight The total weight of the towcar as it stands, without luggage or passengers.

L

Layout Or floorplan; the configuration of fittings and furniture inside the cabin.

M

MAM Maximum Authorised Mass – the maximum towing weight for a caravan when fully laden.
MTPLM Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass – the heaviest total weight the caravan can operate at, as specified by the manufacturer.
MiRO Mass in Running Order – caravan mass as equipped to the manufacturer’s standard specification.

N

Nearside The entrance door side of the caravan
NCC National Caravan Council – the official trade association for dealers, suppliers and manufacturers.
Noseweight The weight exerted on a car’s towball by the caravan’s hitch.

O

Outfit Term used to describe the caravan and towcar match.

P

PDI Pre Delivery Inspection – the check each caravan goes through before it leaves the factory floor to be sold.
Pop Top Caravan or campervan with an elevating roof section.
Pup Tent A tent or awning pitched outside the caravan, used as an extra bedroom for the kids.

R

Rangie Range Rover – a popular choice of Towcar.
Snaking Unstable caravan motion when it is being towed, caused by high winds, vehicles overtaking, erratic driving.

S

Slide-out Section of the caravan that slides out to increase the living space.

T

Tug Towcar
Twin Axle A caravan with two sets of wheels positioned closely together to enable steadier towing – usually found on longer, heavier caravans.
Tyron Bands Flat tyre protection for cars – a band fitted to the wheel well to prevent a deflated tyre from dropping into the recess, so the wheel can still be steered in event of a blow-out.

U

User Payload The total weight of accessories; optional equipment, food, clothing, etc. carried by the caravan in transit.
Unit A generic term used by many parks and sites that covers caravans, motorhomes, campervans and tents.
Unladen Weight The weight of the caravan as it stands, straight out of the factory.

W

Wastemaster Otherwise known as a waste carrier – a wheeled container which holds waste water from your caravan.

Y

Yaw The side-to-side, or snaking movement, which can occur when towing a caravan.

Going to Glastonbury? Top tips for festival caravan and motorhome hire

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by Holly Tribe

Festival season is nearly upon us, and dreams of sun drenched weekends filled with music and revelry are soon to be realised. But the spectres of knee-deep mud, dubious toilet blocks, or soggy sleeping bags are enough to dampen even the most hardened festival goers’ spirit.

Glastonbury is widely accepted as the biggest UK festival; 175,000 people attend every year to catch some of the biggest headliners in the world; Paul McCartney, Jay-Z and U2 to name but a few. And with tens of thousands of outfits expected on site during the week long event, it also qualifies as one of the largest caravan and motorhome meets in the UK.

So, if you don’t fancy joining the great unwashed, help is at hand! Showers, flushing toilets and even hot water are available if you come armed with a caravan, motorhome or campervan. There are two fields dedicated to touring vehicles which open on the Tuesday; one to the east and one to the west of the festival site.

Rent-a-rig

If you don’t have a caravan, or don’t fancy hauling your own rig half way across the country, there are a number of caravan and motorhome hire companies that offer a rental service. Customers have the choice of picking up a caravan direct from a retail outlet, or to have the vehicle delivered directly to the site ahead of time. Rental contractors can organise access with the off-site manager to come and set up the rig before your arrival.

Tilshead Caravans in Salisbury has a range of motorhomes and caravans available for hire. Each model comes fully equipped with all the cooking and washroom mod cons, and customers can choose a number of accessories to enhance their stay, including a picnic table and chairs or colour TV. The base rate for a two berth caravan for a week’s rental is £345, or £450 for a six berth.


If you want to get into the festival spirit in a lovingly restored vintage caravan, then Hazy Days Caravan Hire have two fabulous rigs available to rent – a 1967 three berth Pearman Briggs Safari or a 1972 two berth Carlight Casalette. Both vans are available for the entirety of the festival for £700. The company will deliver and pick up to the campervan field, and they also have representatives on site should you need any caravan-related help during the festival.

DIY caravanning

If you’ve decided to dodge the mud and take your own rig, there are a couple of things to be aware of. Facilities on site include fresh water, and waste water collection points along with further toilet facilities. The fields are surrounded by steel shield fencing and patrolled by security staff to keep your belongings safe and sound.

Glass bottles are prohibited, so don’t forget to decant any liquids into plastic alternatives before you arrive. Campervan and caravan passes cost £75 per vehicle on top of your festival pass, but vehicles longer than seven metres are required to purchase two campervan tickets to cover the extra space required. For more information about taking a caravan or campervan to the festival and find out how to purchase tickets, click here.

Power up

Glastonbury, and indeed the majority of festivals with provision for touring vehicles, don’t allow generators or provide electric hook up in the camping fields, so you’ll need to provide your own power supply to last throughout the festival. Solar panels can help keep your leisure batteries topped up, via trickle battery chargers, and it’s a good idea to come armed with a spare gas canister as back up in case you run out. There’s nothing more frustrating that having all the trappings of an full English with nothing to cook it on!

Hyundai i40: new tow car contender for under £19k

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by Chris Jefferies

Caravan owners may be tempted to trade in their old tow car after seeing the Hyundai i40, as this family estate boasts sleek styling as well as great functionality.

With prices starting at under £19,000, it’s certainly affordable for a spacious family car, and it should be very cheap to run – the i40 qualifies for insurance group 12, while Hyundai claims careful drivers can get 65 mpg.

Tow car drivers can choose from a 1.6 or a 2.0-litre petrol engine, while the 1.7-litre diesel option can deliver up to 134 bhp.

As standard you will get 16-inch alloy wheels, steering-wheel mounted controls, and an electric parking brake with automatic hold for added safety.

Optional extras include leather seats, cruise control, rear-view parking cameras and parking sensors.

Furthermore, all i40s come with five-years of roadside assistance, vehicle health checks and warranty cover.

The estate version will go on sale in September, while the saloon version should be along later in the year.

Former footballers set off on caravan charity cycle ride

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by Chris Jefferies

Two retired Portsmouth footballers have set off on a 192-mile cycle ride with the aim of raising thousands of pounds f
or a caravan charity.

Alan McLoughlin and Guy Butters both played for Portsmouth FC in the 1990s, and today (27th May) they set off on their bikes in a 26-strong line-up of fundraisers, who will pedal from Exmouth to Pagham, the Portsmouth News reports.

The gruelling challenge is all in aid of the Oakley Waterman Caravan Foundation, which was set up in 2005 after former Pompey footballer Dave Waterman’s son died at the age of six from a rare form of cancer.

Money raised will go towards funding the Foundation’s work, which involves taking children with life-threatening illnesses on free caravan holidays.

So far £15,000 has been pledged by sponsors, but the team of fundraisers is hoping to raise even more money for this worthy cause.

Waterman, who will also be cycling the distance himself, said: “Everyone is excited and a bit nervous as well. It’s going to be a bit of a trek – but a big achievement.”

New 2012 Range Rover Evoque: light on weight, lighter on your conscience

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by Marcus Dubois

Many motoring journalists will be familiar with that sinking feeling. When an exciting, dynamic concept car is well received by public and press alike – and then goes past the committee and safety tests to emerge tamed and compromised. Yet what’s remarkable about the hotly anticipated Range Rover Evoque is the resemblance to the Land Rover LRX concept of 2008. The extreme raked roofline, the peeled back slim headlights, and the coupe-like stance have all made it to the production Evoque.

The beauty of the Evoque is more than skin-deep however, and extends to an argument that could define the very future of Land Rover. With the length of a family car and the emissions of a supermini the new vehicle is an attempt to tackle the gas-guzzling reputation of Land Rover head-on. Recent directives from Europe have meant car companies have been forced to reduce emissions in their fleet, so the Evoque should be the closest you’ll get to guilt-free 4×4 motoring.

Coupe looks, 4×4 stance

Approaching the Evoque for the first time is an event. This car is the Audi TT for off-road vehicles, with an instantly recognisable and striking profile. Available in both three-door and five door options, each model sports a tapering roofline and slim headlights for an aggressive purposeful look. With pricing starting at £24,000, the range is offered in three trim levels with top-of-the-line Dynamic models hitting £44,000.

Step inside the Evoque, and it becomes clear the designers aimed for a modern take on the luxury of the Range Rover. The soft-touch plastics and flush switchgear comes straight from its bigger brother, while the leather is commensurate with the forty-year old name it carries. The driving position is similar to the Range Rover Sport, with a high centre console wrapped around the driver like a sports coupe. Everything is close at hand, with superb information screen for sat-nav, phone and audio.

Four wheels driven or two?

Die-hard Land Rover fans may want to look away now. The Evoque departs from the typical “go-anywhere” Land Rover brief with a two-wheel drive version. The firm explains it cuts 75kg from the kerbweight while adding stop-start technology for greater economy. Yet some purists will refuse to accept what is seen as brand dilution.

If the move to two wheels is a step too far, then fear not: most versions of the Evoque come with all wheels driven. Land Rover claims it used the Volkswagen Scirocco and Audi TT as benchmarks for handling, and although the baby Range is no coupe to drive, in all formats the steering is crisp and weighted. All Evoque models come with the five-seating Terrain Response dial, which changes the chassis and dampener settings according to driving conditions. The result is an extremely capable car which strongly echoes its older sibling the Range Rover.

Sipping petrol

Four engines are on offer at launch, with the quick 240bhp turbocharged petrol claiming impressive acceleration figures. However the best seller will undoubtedly be from the three diesel ranges, with both more suitable for our purpose.

Three variants of the 2.2 diesel cover everything from economy to performance. The eD4 uses a 150bhp version married to front-wheel drive, and emits less than 130g/km of CO2. Land Rover is claiming a staggering 58mpg on the combined cycle for this model.

Our pick of the bunch however is the 2.2 litre turbodiesel which offers impressive torque output for towing and decent returns at the pumps. The 190hp SD4 four-wheel drive version will undoubtedly prove the bestseller on UK roads.

Since the final design was announced 5,000 UK buyers have parted with a deposit of £2,000 without so much as driving the Evoque. And there is no doubt Land Rover has a potential sales smash on its hand. It is to their credit that the firm did not abuse this goodwill and cut corners, but worked hard to create a genuine “baby” Range Rover with commensurate levels of luxury. The only question remains, can they build them fast enough?

Planned footpath near caravan park labelled as dangerous

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by Chris Jefferies

A proposed footpath next to a Norfolk caravan park has been described by the site’s director as a “potential safety risk” for children.

John Roser, director of Snettisham Caravan Park, told Lynn News that the plans, currently being considered by Norfolk County Council, would not be “desirable”.

“The owners come down here because it is a safe area and they don’t want a public right of way through the park,” he added.

Mr Roser also said that many of his site’s regulars fear that the path would breach their privacy, be a potential safety risk for children and potentially lower the value of their holiday retreats.

Snettisham Caravan Park has been used as a children’s play area since the 1960s, he added, as well as housing up to 30 caravans at a time.

However, Eric Langford, chairman of the local parish council, said that the footpath is on public land and has always been used to access the nearby beach.

Pensioner lucky to survive after caravan fire

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by Chris Jefferies

Police said a 72-year-old woman was lucky to survive after an arson attack on a caravan led to two flats being wrecked in the Leyland region of Lancashire.

The unnamed pensioner managed to get out of her home in time, as the fire, which was started in the early hours of Saturday (May 28th), destroyed most of her possessions, the Lancashire Evening Post reports.

Firefighters were called to the scene after neighbours reported the fire at the two-storey building, which had a caravan parked next to it.

Detective Sargeant John Cass, of South Ribble CID, said: “What is clear is [the fire] has been started deliberately in the caravan, which is right next to the house.”

He added that she was lucky to wake up in time otherwise she might have perished in the blaze.

The motive behind the fire, which will serve as a stark warning to anyone think of cutting corners on their caravan insurance, is not yet known, the police officer said.