Caravanの August 2025 の目次

Wandering around Hereford on my first morning in the area, I soon come to realise this is a friendly city. I live in an equally friendly city; a place where, when I leave my house to go to the supermarket or walk the dog, I can almost guarantee that most of the strangers I greet with a cheery hello will reply with a bright salutation. In most cities, it can be a bit hit and miss: I’ll get a few greetings, a handful of smiles, lots of blank stares and the occasional questioning look that clearly says, ‘Why is this nutter saying hello to me?’ In Hereford, I’m getting a 90% hit rate – a high score on the friendly-ometer. On the advice of the gentleman running the tiny Caravan…

Sidmouth, known as the gateway to the stunning Jurassic Coast, is a quintessential seaside town offering a perfect blend of coastal beauty and countryside charm. Known for its dramatic red cliffs, pebbled beaches and regency history, it provides a picturesque backdrop for a relaxing caravan break. Wander along the seafront promenade, enjoy the town’s boutique shops and traditional cafés, or venture further, along the South West Coast Path for breathtaking views. The nearby Donkey Sanctuary offers a unique day out for animal lovers, and keen walkers can explore the rolling hills of the East Devon National Landscape. With its mix of serene landscapes and historic allure, Sidmouth is a destination where you can unwind, explore and soak up the best of the English coastline. Stay Set in the peaceful Devon…

Sign up to our newsletter and be the first to receive all the latest news from across our site. SCAN ME Buccaneers have always been high up among the leaders of the caravan world in terms of luxury. They’re the flagship of the Erwin Hymer Group, which manufactures in County Durham. Long before the emergence of the standard of luxury that we see today, Buccaneers were leading the field from a small manufacturing base in Full Sutton, North Yorkshire; the brand became established in the 1960s. Buccaneer became part of Elddis in1998 and both became components of the Erwin Hymer Group in 2017. Today’s Buccaneer range offers four four-berths and a six-berth. They sit in the top sector of tourer spec and price, ranging from £45,699 to £46,999. The range’s…

Towing a caravan might seem daunting at first, but with a few straightforward tips and the right information, your journeys can be smooth, safe and enjoyable. Whether you’re heading to a local site or touring across Europe, understanding how to safely tow a caravan is essential. Here, we cover everything you need to know – from driving licence laws and loading tips to essential equipment and safety regulations. DRIVING LICENCES AND TOWING ENTITLEMENTS A standard car ‘B licence’ granted after 1st January, 1997 traditionally meant that the maximum combined weight of the car and caravan could not exceed 3,500kg, but this changed in 2021. B licences were automatically granted BE status, which allows the holder to tow a caravan that weighs a maximum of 3,500kg, providing the tow vehicle is…

It’s the journey, not the destination, as the saying goes. And when it comes to getting away with your canine companion, it’s vital that the journey is as comfortable as possible. Travel can be nauseating, stressful and uncomfortable for dogs. We share our top tips to help your pet become a relaxed road tripper… SAFE AND COMFORTABLE It’s absolutely vital that your pet travels safely – and the Highway Code states that dogs need to be ‘suitably restrained.’ This is so your pet doesn’t distract you while you’re driving, and helps reduce the risk to all passengers in the event of an accident. Whether you decide to use a car harness, travel crate, or barrier to contain your pet, also think about what your dog would find most comfortable. Tavo,…

Danny Dyer and Dani Dyer made a surprise visit to Kent, hosting an open day at Priory Hill Holiday Park as part of their new Sky TV series, The Dyers’ Caravan Park. The show, still currently filming, sees the father-daughter duo take on the challenge of running a holiday park with the goal of revitalising the great British holiday. Visitors were treated to meet and greets, caravan tours and photo opportunities with the Dyers. Filming crews captured the event, with scenes set to appear in the six-part series airing later this year on Sky. Dani kicked off the day by welcoming guests, before Danny arrived and mingled with fans, promoting the park’s caravans for sale. Attendees praised the event, saying the Dyers’ involvement brings positive attention to UK caravan holidays…

‘The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there’. Those words begin one of my very favourite books, The Go-Between, by LP Hartley and, standing in the main street of Malvern, I couldn’t help thinking of them. Malvern belongs in the past, and its pace of life is very different. Even though there was a supermarket on one side of me and, around the corner, the theatre that originated in 1885 had just been given a glassy twenty-first century façade, you could still feel it. Malvern’s soul is rooted in Victorian England. This was a time when the great and good of the land came to partake of its newly discovered spa waters and Sir Edward Elgar and George Bernard Shaw would bump into each other on street corners.…

We pulled into Cardiff Caravan Park after a three-hour drive and set up the caravan in the sunshine. After a quick bite to eat, we set off to see the National Trust’s Dyffryn Gardens, keen to make the most of the afternoon sun. Dyffryn House and Gardens once belonged to a wealthy coal merchant, John Cory, who took over his father’s coal mining business with his brother, and created the Port of Barry, to send coal from the Welsh valleys overseas. He needed to live nearby, at Dyffryn House, for the daily commute. The house was built between 1893 and 1894. The brothers owned collieries across South Wales, and were the largest private railway wagon owners in the UK. John developed Dyffryn Gardens, planting exotic species from around the world…

Worth £245 Your chance to win a Cadac Grillo Chef 40 – it’s a barbecue and more… Four winners will each win a Cadac Grillo Chef 40 Barbecue Paella Pan, plus 33cm pizza stone worth £245. This mid-sized, lightweight barbecue comes with a GreenGrill ceramic BBQ grid and paella pan, providing a range of different cooking options. Easy to assemble, use, clean and stow, this 39cm barbecue, with push-button piezo ignition and adjustable temperature control, is perfect for four to six people. It is robust, compact and portable, and a removable pot stand is included for use with your own pans. The enamelled fat pan with flame ‘peep’ holes is removable for easy cleaning. When not in use, the unit packs down neatly into a durable storage bag. Also included…

When the Messina first appeared, it grabbed attention with a unique lounge layout. Bailey called it a G-shape. It was a cross between an L-shape and parallel seating – and involved a two-person dining area as part of the lounge, on the nearside. We loved it. But then we are always attracted to the new and the different. It seems, though, that others were not so lured by this layout – and Bailey changed it to a conventional parallel lounge in 2024. The initial unique layout, though, served to focus attention on the Messina – and its Bologna rangesibling that shared the inventive lounge layout – leading to these models now being among Bailey’s top sellers. Both price and weight of these models is modest; contributing factors, undoubtedly, to their…

We’re becoming increasingly accustomed to all-electric towcars and, as more new models come onto the market, so we are noticing both range and towing capacities increasing. Take this latest Ioniq 6 from Hyundai – it has a maximum braked towing capacity of 1,500kg. That opens up much more of the caravan market and means drivers of electric cars who were previously restricted to compact two-berth tourers can now consider true four-berth caravans. Of course, the heavier the caravan, the more of the car’s battery reserves will be needed to tow it. But with a light right foot and good anticipation, you should still be able to achieve a non-stop 180-mile trip with this Ioniq 6 towing a 1,500kg caravan. To put this to the test, we headed off to the…

Awnings: air or poles? Q I’m looking to buy an awning. Are air awnings easier than traditional pole-framed ones? A I tend to find them quicker and easier, but it ultimately comes down to personal preference. With an air awning, once you’ve pulled the awning through the caravan’s awning channel, you simply inflate the built-in inflatable beams. Most air porch awnings can be set up in 10–20 minutes, and many can be set up solo. They’re convenient if you frequently tour and want to set up quickly. They’re also more forgiving on uneven ground. And there are no ‘what goes where’ pole complications! That said, they are heavier when pulling through the awning channel than awnings with pole frames, as it’s a one-piece unit. How to keep fridge contents cool…

It’s not often that a visit to a museum has you seeing, hearing, smelling and even tasting the past, but the Black Country Living Museum, just north of Dudley, 10 miles west of Birmingham, has you doing just that. Having purchased our Peaky Blinders caps – the museum was used for filming during the TV series – in the gift shop, we stepped back in time for a peek into Black Country history. Our journey started with a half-an-hour visit down an 1850s slip mine, wearing hard hats and sharing torches that emitted light equivalent to a candle, for an authentic experience. As our eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, we ducked under pit props before stopping to listen to our guide, Eliza Wedge, suitably dressed in period costume. Torches…

HIGHFIELD FARM TOURING PARK, CAMBRIDGESHIRE Long Road, Comberton, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB23 7DG T 01223 262308 W highfieldfarmtouringpark.co.uk OPEN 28 March – 26 October Highfield Farm Touring Park is set in countryside, just five miles west of the city of Cambridge. The best way to get to Cambridge is by bus. Trumpington Park and Ride is 10 minutes’ drive away, and a short walk from the site there is a bus stop with services to the city. Cambridge is famed for its university buildings and architecture, as well as punting down the River Cam – perfect on a warm day. There is also a selection of museums, galleries and shops for rainy days. Feeling a world away from the bustling city, Highfield Farm is surrounded by conifers, hedges and trees. Pitches…

Caravans are, of course, homes from home, with many being fitted with the luxuries of daily life which we have now come to expect. External showers are an invaluable addition to this. They bring a whole new level of practicality for outdoor adventuring, offering a simple, yet effective solution for cleaning up without dragging mud and mess into your living space. Whether you’re washing mud off hiking boots or giving the dog’s paws a rinse, external showers provide flexibility that indoor set-ups struggle to match. WHY CONSIDER AN EXTERNAL SHOWER? Imagine this: a June weekend, blue skies promised a perfect walk, but an hour in, grey clouds rolled in and the heavens opened. My partner and I trudged back, soaked through and caked in mud from our boots to our…

One of the best parts of a caravan holiday is escaping the pressures of everyday life – trading Microsoft Teams and Outlook for coastlines and countryside lanes. But even surrounded by the great outdoors, many of us still want (or in some cases need) a good slice of connectivity. So, whether you’re streaming your favourite television show, checking in with work, or keeping the family entertained, having access to WiFi in your caravan is more useful than ever. From campsite signals to satellite-powered solutions, here is your complete guide to getting online while on tour. CAMPSITE WIFI, CONVENIENT BUT VARIABLE Many caravan parks offer free or low-cost WiFi, but performance can vary wildly depending on the location and time of day. Rural sites often struggle with limited infrastructure and because…

THE WESTERN SHOW ADVICE CENTRE RETURNS Set against the backdrop of retro Americana and classic country sounds, the Western Motorhome & Campervan Show (15–17 August, Three Counties Showground, Malvern) has long been a favourite for both newcomers and seasoned tourers. In recent years, the Out & About Live Advice Centre has been quietly gaining a reputation as a standout feature. For 2025, the line-up is the strongest yet, with three days of free talks from top names in the touring world. Each day kicks off with a buying advice session, and there’s plenty of opportunity for Q&A at the end of each talk. The sessions are open to all show visitors and are located in the Teme building at the centre of the showground. Four-night camping packages, including access to…