Practical Caravan November 2021
Practical Caravan is Britain's best-selling caravan magazine. Each month we travel at home and abroad, bringing you essential guides to the best caravan holidays around. There's practical advice, too, with technical tips and all your questions answered, making us the perfect place for first-timers and experts alike.
in this issue
and the winner is…
This has been one of the most involved, but also one of the most exciting, issues of Practical Caravan that we’ve ever put together. For starters, we’ve been working late into the night to deliberate and cogitate on the winners of our brand new Awards (p56). I won’t reveal the victors here, but suffice to say: each represents the very best of caravanning today - don’t miss it. Then we’ve just some of the highlights of our upcoming Van Live! event - you’ll find our round-up on p64. And, as we went to press, news broke about the Government’s decision to scrap the B+E towing test - meaning younger newbies to our pastime can now tow a heavier caravan from the off (p46). It’s certainly made for an action-packed month - I…
the big shot
Where are we? Bodenham Arboretum, Worcestershire Coordinates 52.4289° N, 2.2856° W Why tour here? This hidden garden, which sits in a protected valley in Worcestershire, is a pot pourri of plantations, ponds and avenues. Centred on a large pool, this stunning 134-acre site is home to more than 3000 species of trees and shrubs from all over the world and includes important collections such as Acers, North American oaks and alders. Find out more on p41. Don’t miss… Autumn is the season when the myriad varieties of flora produce rich and colourful displays. ‘Bodenham Arboretum, just a short drive from Birmingham, is dressed in shades of green, gold and red during autumn’ (p41)…
connect
★ Star letter ★ My wife and I decided that after 40 years of tent camping, a little more comfort was needed. Last month we set off from home, towing our new Swift Sprite Alpine 4 to Coverack, Cornwall. Being a first-time caravanner, I was very nervous, but we had a clear M5 and almost empty roads all the way to Helston. We missed the junction to our campsite, Coverack Camping. Our sat nav cut in and told us to drive straight on for 1.5 miles. What it didn’t say was that after you enter Coverack towing a van, you are at the point of no return. The road down was steep and got narrower, with nowhere to turn. Pedestrians gave us odd looks as we passed the lovely bay to our left and quaint…
your photos!
We asked where you went for the most recent bank holiday, and here are just a few of the brilliant places you explored! TAG US #PRACTICAL CARAVAN OR EMAIL LETTERS@PRACTICALCARAVAN.COM…
this month we love…
Scent of freedom Zoflora’s popular range of concentrated disinfectant is now available in a refreshing new aroma - Cypress & Sea Sage. Price £1.59 (120ml) Web zoflora.co.uk Paddle in the Tidipool Designed for speedy set-up, the Tidipool is ideal for children aged one to six years to enjoy, under adult supervision. Price £22.99 Web www.decathlon.co.uk Keep it chilled The sturdy Halfords Compressor Cooler Freezer works with multiple power sources and holds 44 330ml cans or six 1.5L bottles. Price £250 Web www.halfords.com Multipurpose adventuring Robust Tree-Kånken backpacks have reflective logos and handy straps to carry everything from yoga mats to bike lights. Price £120 Web www.fjallraven.com Hydration help The Contigo Autoseal Chill Couture bottle comes in four designs, keeps your drink cool for 28 hours, and is spill-proof. Price £17.19 Web www.amazon.co.uk UK Treasure Trails Download a Treasure Trails map for a great way to explore…
expert q&a
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 Andy Jenkinson Used-van contributor practical.caravan@futurenet.com WHICH TOW CARS SHOULD I CONSIDER? Q I currently own a 2010 Bailey Pageant Loire. The maximum loaded weight is 1642kg. I’ve been towing it with a 2009 Kia Sorento mk2, but I want to upgrade to a more recent big 4x4. I have a budget of around £15,000. What would you recommend, please? Chris Gordon David Motton replies…. I would take a close look at the Volkswagen Touareg. It’s an underrated car in my book. Some big 4x4 buyers ignore it because it doesn’t have a prestige badge, but the VW Touareg is every bit as capable as an SUV from Audi, BMW or Land Rover. For £15,000, you should be able to buy a 2013…
