Índex per December 2024 a Practical Caravan

Here at Practical Caravan HQ, we're always trying to think of ways to help you get more from your caravanning money. One of those is, of course, choosing a van that's reliable and won't let you down. That's one of the reasons why we run our annual Owner Satisfaction Survey, in conjunction with the Camping and Caravanning Club. This year's survey is about to close, but if you've bought a new or used caravan since January 2021, please do have your say - we'd love to hear from you! Our online form - which you can find at www.practicalcaravan.com/oss - takes less than 10 minutes to fill in, and you could be in with a chance of winning a fantastic stay at a Camping and Caravanning Club site. Thank you…

Montane Anti-Freeze Slipper Stay snug on site in these cosy slippers, cleverly designed with a stretch fleece ankle cuff, non-slip sole with removable foam unit and 750 fill power down. Price £54.99 Web basecampgear.co.uk Yeti Lowlands Blanket Perfect for a winter walk on the beach or muddy paws, this warm, waterproof blanket is constructed with trademarked technology to repel pet hair and dirt. It also comes with a handy carry case. Price £200 Web uk.yeti.com Falcon 10W Portable Solar Panel Battery Maintainer Pitch up with peace of mind with this 10W solar charger for 12V batteries, which can be attached to your windscreen and hooked up to a starter or leisure battery. Price £35 Web falcontechnology.co.uk Omnia Camping Oven Set This ingenious, space-saving, multi-layer kitchen set includes an oven, baking…

Doing the rounds! It's always interesting to hear how caravanning can complement people's hobbies. Whether it is motor racing, hiking, scuba diving or fishing, a caravan can help you explore your passions. For many, golf is certainly one of those passions. And much as I love Mark Twain, I've never subscribed to his (alleged) description of the sport as “a good walk ruined”. In fact, it's a great way of keeping fit and maintaining a little healthy competition in your life – all in the company of friends. With that in mind, we've chosen a selection of top UK courses with nearby campsites for you to consider (p28). A few of these are the crème de la crème, with fees to match, but we couldn't resist highlighting those once-in-a-lifetime rounds.…

TRAVEL GETAWAY ‘As well as the grandeur of the building itself, there are the sporting venues which, of course, include the famous motor racing circuit and the equally famous Glorious Goodwood racecourse' Never being one to miss an opportunity, when husband Ro was given the very special gift of a flying experience at Goodwood Aerodrome this summer (yes, this was one of those ‘big' birthdays with a zero included!), I decided to book us into Concierge Camping in nearby Chichester, to enjoy a few days of camping luxury. I had read about the site in Practical Caravan and when I realised it was so close to Goodwood, I couldn't resist the opportunity to see it. Besides, if it was to be a weekend of birthday treats, what better than a…

Why such a low maximum tow? Big SUVs can usually tow a big tourer. It's something many caravanners rely on. Unfortunately, that's not the case with the new Hyundai Santa Fe. When I saw the maximum towing figure, I thought there had been a misprint. But no, apparently 1010kg for the plugin hybrid and 1110kg for the full hybrid is all they can tow. Unless they're making the transmission from butter and burnt toast, it's hard to see how a two-tonne car can be capable of towing so little. The Santa Fe has been popular with caravanners for years. Not anymore. It's a shame, but Hyundai's loss will be other car makers' gain. motty@practicalcaravan.com Tow car editor DAVID MOTTON is a former PC editor, and has towed with more than…

Why ATC is a wise investment Al-Ko's Trailer Control system – aka ATC – is one of those things that we reckon you're unlikely to regret fitting. It's a safety system that applies your tourer's brakes if it detects untoward movement. Some caravans have it fitted from new, but if yours doesn't, the good news is that you can get it retrofitted. We sent our Consulting editor, John Sootheran, out to investigate – read all about ATC and its installation on p84. Also this issue, we look at how to keep your caravan secure (p92), and former PC editor Nigel continues work on Penny, his 1998 Bailey project van (p88). practical.caravan@futurenet.com OUR TECH EXPERTS include (left to right) John Sootheran, former PC editor Nigel Donnelly and Nigel Hutson HOW TO……

GETAWAY A black and white village? You might wonder quite how any village has come to be known as ‘black and white'. Those familiar with the village of Pembridge, in Hereford, will, of course, recognise the name as a reference to its medieval half-timbered houses, painted black (the wood) and white (the walls), giving it a quintessentially English ambience. It was one of a pair of villages (with Ross-on-Wye) that we were enjoying visiting on a short break. Having been to Spain earlier in the year, we decided that we would tour a bit closer to home during the summer and opted for a trip to the heart of Herefordshire. Black and white Pembridge Our first campsite on this tour was Townsend Touring Park, a family-owned site located in the…

TRAVEL GETAWAY Derbyshire is a delightful county, home to the mountains and valleys of the Peak District, and to stately homes, pretty towns and wonderful countryside. Having decided on our tour itinerary, we left our home in Buckinghamshire, driving north, and arrived at Ashbourne Touring & Camping Park in time for lunch. As usual, we planned to make the most of our break, and it didn't take us long to settle in. We were soon heading for our first stop, Carsington Water, a reservoir lying between Wirksworth and Kniveton. Here you'll find the imposing dam, a visitor centre, plenty of opportunities for enthusiasts to enjoy watersports, and the intriguing sculptures of Stones Island. As we gazed across the water, a grebe carrying a baby on its back caught our eye.…

Just keep on caravanning! I am writing this the day before heading to the NEC for what sounds like another exciting and action-packed Motorhome & Caravan Show. It's been a tough year for the industry, with some dealerships sadly closing their doors, but the show always feels like a wonderful celebration of caravanning. Interest in caravanning itself certainly hasn't died off – far from it, if a European firm decides to expand into the UK post-Brexit (see right). The problems we've seen in the past few months are perhaps just a market adjustment after the turbulence of the past few years. The best we can do is keep enjoying our vans! peter.baber@futurenet.com Reviews editor PETER BABER is a hugely experienced caravanner who enjoys touring whenever he can HOW WE TEST…

TECH SPEC Price £45,850 What Car? Target Price £44,847 Retained value after three years 49% Kerbweight 1960kg 85% of kerbweight Above max towing limit Gross vehicle weight 2335kg Max towing limit 1600kg Gross train weight 3935kg Towball limit 100kg Price of towball and electrics £1400 Boot size 318 litres Payload 375kg Test conditions Dry Battery capacity 64kWh (usable) Power (hp) 428 Torque (lb ft) 400 Official range 279 miles Towing range 130 miles CO2 emissions 0g/km First year car tax £0 Second year car tax £0 Insurance group 41 Euro NCAP overall protection rating TBC What's new? Volvo has been quick to move towards an electric future with its range of hybrids and EVs. The new EX30 is a pure-electric small SUV with rather surprising towing credentials. Weighing in at…

Ford Ranger (2011-2023) This is the pick-up you'll want to buy if you enjoy the process of driving. It steers well, and there are two diesel engines available. It's also supremely capable off road and its 800mm wading depth is one of the best in its class. Better still, it has short overhangs front and rear, giving it steep approach and departure angles. Look for Wildtrak, with an all-important reversing camera as standard. Hyundai Santa Fe (2018-2024) If you don't need a working vehicle, this makes a great alternative to a pick-up. It's large, has an enormous boot, and can carry seven people. The 2.2 CRDi engine is strong, and the rest of the car makes a stable, dependable towing machine, even on a windy day. It has four-wheel drive,…

Caravan genius SKILLS SCHOOL WHEEL ARCHES MANY TOURERS DON'T have their wheel arches insulated on the inside. This can make a big difference to the cosiness of a caravan, especially for those of us who tour in the autumn and winter. As a thrifty, year-round caravanner, my friend Rod set about adding extra insulation. 1 Many caravan wheel arches are easily accessible via one of the cupboards or lockers. Some, however, are directly under shower units and a bit trickier to get to. The existing arch liner is 2-3mm thick, so offers little in the way of insulation. In winter, it creates cold spots in the van. 2 One wheel arch on Rod's van was easy to access, so he bought a £10 padded hot-water cylinder jacket from Screwfix and cannibalised…

MTPLM (Maximum technically permissible laden mass) The maximum weight the caravan chassis can take, as stated by the chassis manufacturer. On pre-1998 caravans, it is referred to as ‘maximum gross weight' (MGW) Noseweight The weight applied to the car's towball by the caravan. A car also has a towball limit, which is the maximum weight that can be applied to the towball. The lower of the two figures is the maximum you are permitted. Legally, it needs to be 4% or more of the weight of the trailer, or at least 25kg, whichever is higher Payload The weight of items you may load into your van. It's found by subtracting the MiRO from the MTPLM Snake The term used to describe a caravan swaying behind the towing vehicle. It is…

ON THE LOOKOUT for your next caravan? If so, we can help! Just like our travel stories, expert reviews and advice, we reckon that our online classifieds are the best in the business, featuring a host of caravans, both new and used – you're sure to find the right one for you. If you're looking for a new van, you can also read our expert reviews, making www.practicalcaravan.com the one-stop shop for all your touring needs. We already know that 50% of you access our website via mobile devices, so our classifieds are fully responsive – they will work just as well on your tablet or smartphone as they do on your desktop or laptop computer. We've worked hard to make these classifieds as easy to use as possible, with…

We asked where you have been spending your weekends away… Star photo Our winning entry receives one of these beautifully illustrated maps from Awesome Maps - check out the amazing range at www.awesome-maps.com WIN ME! TAG US #PRACTICAL CARAVAN OR EMAIL LETTERS@PRACTICALCARAVAN.COM A Birthday weekend at York Beechwood Grange CAMC Campsite. Lovely weather for the time of year! JC Lee B Spectacular sunset at North Ledaig Caravan Park, Argyll, during our trip there in July Margo Easton C Me and Hiccup, our rescue dog. While staying at Arrow Bank Country Holiday Park, Eardisland, we had a day out to Berrington Hall Katherine Myatt D The Woods Caravan Park, Clackmannanshire Ian Ogilvie E So close to the beach at Channel View Caravan Park, Brean Down, Somerset. Perfect for dogs! Keith Weller NEXT MONTH'S THEME… FRIENDS & FAMILY! Send us your best touring shots from 2024…

Sarah Wakely Editor sarah@practicalcaravan.com Paul Critcher Deputy editor paul.critcher@futurenet.com Peter Baber Reviews editor peter.baber@futurenet.com David Motton Tow car editor motty@practicalcaravan.com John Sootheran Consulting editor practical.caravan@futurenet.com Andrew Jenkinson Used-van contributor practical.caravan@futurenet.com Q IS THERE A ROUTE APP FOR CARAVANS? When I'm towing somewhere that I don't know, I normally use sat-nav apps on my phone to navigate, mirroring them on the car's infotainment screen. This is fine, but they sometimes use small roads for the last part of a journey. Are there any caravan-specific navigation apps that stick to wider roads as much as possible? Craig Myers David Motton replies… The Co-Pilot app (copilotgps.com) can be set to choose routes that are caravan-friendly. I have no direct experience of using this app myself, though. Some online reviewers seem to love it,…

National Parks were established to enable everybody to have access to some of the UK's grandest landscapes. The parks provide thousands of kilometres of right-of-way routes, including more than 800 miles suitable for those with mobility issues. Added to that, these are areas where wildlife thrives and is protected, traditional lifestyles are upheld, and people can enjoy the many benefits of engaging with nature. Each park has its own distinct characteristics, showcasing the very best of the regions in which they are based. With that in mind, we're taking a look at the gorgeous parks within our shores, and revealing a great open-all-year campsite to help you make the most of your visit, whenever you tour. Lake District Cumbria, England As well as being England's largest National Park, the Lake…

The ideal time to bag a bargain! The season is coming to an end and a dealer friend of mine told me the other day that sales of both new and used models have slowed. So my question to him was, will there be any discounting on the used market? The answer I got was a definite yes. In fact, keep checking the forecourts and you might get a decent amount of cash knocked off the asking price. If you're after an eight-footer, there are plenty around, so this could be the ideal time to bargain the price down a fair bit. practical.caravan@futurenet.com ANDY JENKINSON is a caravan expert and historian – he loves pre-owned and classic tourers! ANDY'S PICKS OF THE MONTH 1 Supreme choice 2018 Elddis Supreme 462 Dealer…

TOW CAR ADVICE ‘There are all sorts of things I've learned over those miles. Some of these lessons help me to stay safe, some make journeys more enjoyable' Future Publishing Limited, the publisher of Practical Caravan, provides the information in this article in good faith and makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Individuals carrying out the instructions do so at their own risk and must exercise their independent judgement in determining the appropriateness of the advice to their circumstances and skill level. Individuals should take appropriate safety precautions and be aware of the risk of electrocution when dealing with electrical products. To the fullest extent permitted by law, neither Future nor its employees or agents shall have any liability in connection with the use of this information.…

HOW TO BUY NEW Choosing a layout People's needs differ, and your van layout choice will depend on your companions and how you want to use your caravan. To understand which layouts are available, spend a day at one of the big shows in Birmingham or Glasgow, where dealerships and manufacturers show their latest models. A dealership is also a good place to start, but can be affiliated with a limited number of manufacturers. A chat with a dealer, though, could raise issues or offer ideas that you had not considered. Think about your needs: will you want to carry bikes, sports kit, barbecues or outdoor furniture? Perhaps creature comforts are a bit higher on your list. You might want a separate sleeping area, a lounge with parallel sofas and…