Table of contents for Summer 2023 in Caravan

"’Cause a little bit of summer is what the whole year’s all about"John Mayer There really is nothing like a wonderful British summer — whether you’re heading down to dip your toes in the turquoise surf in Cornwall, travelling north to delight in the heady wilds of Scotland or even just having a barbecue with friends in your own back garden, we’d say there’s almost no better place to be than in the UK during the summer months. In this Summer edition, as with every issue, we’ve packed in loads of travel and campsite inspiration but, if we leave you wanting more, don’t miss our fantastic subscription offer. For just £9.99 a year, you’ll not only be the first to read the latest issue each month, but you’ll also be…

My partner, Heleyne, and I booked a few nights at Proctors Stead Caravan Park near Craster on the Northumberland coast. Dog walkers greet us as we stroll along quiet lanes and farm paths to the coast – it would probably be a 20-minute walk at a normal pace, but I’ve got used to stopping and staring at flowers, bushes and birds. I’ve always been interested in the natural world, but the slower pace of full lockdown meant that I spent more time observing. I’ve downloaded a couple of plant identification apps to my phone, but they’re not 100% reliable. One app tells me I’m looking at bottlebrush aloe, a plant normally found only in southern Africa. I don’t get too excited about this rare find; the other app correctly identifies…

“We have a large number of retailers to ensure customers are never far from a Campingaz supplier, wherever they are in the UK or in Europe” The unmistakable blue Campingaz canisters and cylinders – and the devices the liquid petroleum gas (LPG) inside them powers – have, more than likely, been a feature of all of our lives at some point when we have been enjoying the great outdoors. After all, the company has been around for almost 75 years. In France in the late 1940s, three engineering friends, Gabriel Corlet, André Colomb and René Sillon, together with their families, enjoyed their first camping holiday together. The three engineers immediately saw a gap in the market for portable cooking equipment for caravanners, campers and, later, motorhome and campervan users. So,…

The Malvern show is a favourite for many – it’s the height of summer, the atmosphere is electric, there’s a phenomenal line-up of country and western music, and the choice in the exhibition area is huge, with over 130 accessory retailers booked in already. Taking place at the Three Counties Showground from 18-20 August, you will find a new entertainment marquee in the food court for 2023 so you can grab a bite to eat in the evenings without missing out. In addition to the marquee, campers will also find live bands performing in the Avon & Severn Halls, including a headline performance from Cash Revisited, Jodie McKay and Clint Bradley Band. The much-loved Lonestar Old West re-enactment group will return with their popular tented village, shootouts and storytelling, while…

Last winter, we decided to spend a few days in Devon, looking for wildlife in and around the Exe Estuary from our campsite near Exmouth. One of the best nature reserves on the Exe Estuary is owned by the RSPB at Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham. We parked in the large car park by the railway station in Exmouth and, from here, walked about six miles along the Exe Estuary Trail to Topsham, stopping for coffee in the pretty village of Lympstone and then catching a train back. Timing is all important when visiting estuaries. Bowling Green Marsh is best visited at high tide when the birds are pushed off the estuary onto the marshes, where they roost and feed. So, we set off about three hours before high tide. The…

The best trips, I always think, are the unplanned ones, where roads untravelled take you to places unthought of. At summer’s end, the weather gods guided us to the French Ardennes and the unheard-of town of Revin, through which, by happy chance (since we have wheels for legs), runs the Meuse Cycle Route. This waymarked route follows the river Meuse for 1,000km (621 miles) from source to sea. The moss-green Meuse meanders timelessly through the tree-mantled hills of the Ardennes. It has taken the river many millennia to carve this looping route through rock, and it is in no hurry to reach its destination. The Trans-Ardennes section of the Meuse Cycle Route is a voie verte (traffic-free path) that runs cheek by jowl with the riverbank on smooth Tarmac for…

On the southern shore of the great Solway Firth, that divides England from Scotland on the west coast, lies a land of stark beauty. The Solway Firth stretches from St Bees Head on the northwestern tip of Cumbria all the way to the Mull of Galloway. The coastal area from Rockcliffe to Maryport is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The area is known for its endless walking opportunities. A popular route to follow includes the six-mile Solway Villages Trail, tracing the history of old transport routes, streams that powered the corn mills, and ancient woodlands. This is also the place to observe wildfowl; the Solway Wetlands Centre at the Campfield Marsh RSPB reserve being the ideal place. Stay Park Holiday Centre This is the family holiday park…

Coachman’s design team are masters at creating caravans of sophistication. Throughout this manufacturer’s five ranges, fine-detail luxury is evident; that’s what Coachman has built its reputation on. All have Alde heating (Coachman is the only manufacturer to install Alde systems throughout its portfolio). All are made for discerning buyers. And there is now at least one eight-foot-wide caravan in each of Coachman’s ranges, making a total of nine. Laser is one of the best-selling ranges for Coachman (the marque was launched in the late 1990s) – and, now, there is an additional Laser Xcel range, in response to the growing demand for wider caravans. The four Laser Xcel models are eight feet wide. All have the E&P self-levelling system that levels the caravan at the touch of a button, by…

Cooking outside has several benefits, one being that anything particularly oily or smelly will not leave fatty deposits or fill your ’van with an unpleasant smell. Plus, there’s a more relaxed attitude to firing up the gas flame or lighting the coals for food purposes. But, laid-back approach to grilling food or not, you can’t be too relaxed. Just like you would never leave a pot to boil over on the hob, you should never leave a lit barbecue unattended. Level ground also seems to be a common theme across all barbecue advice, no matter what type. Staying well away from trees, shrubs or buildings is an easy one, too, unless your barbecue is plugged into the side of the ’van, but more about this later. The fire service suggests…

The Great Holiday Home Show takes place at the Great Yorkshire Showground from 8-10 September, followed by a trade-only show from 12-14 September. To celebrate the launch of the show at its new home, TV star, Matt Baker MBE, will be appearing live on stage, alongside TV presenter, Christine Talbot. Best known for hosting Blue Peter, Countryfile and The One Show, Matt’s latest TV project, Travels with Mum and Dad, has seen him take a breathtaking trip around the north of England in a refurbished caravan with his parents, Mike and Janice. Matt says, “I’ve made a life out of exploring Britain, both on and off screen. From campervans to caravans, I love taking a home from home along for the ride. You can go wherever you want, whenever you…

Earlier in the year, on our way back from south Wales in appalling rain, we noticed signs indicating the ‘Black and White Village Trail’. We logged this information in our minds and vowed to return to the area for a long weekend in hopefully much better weather. Plans were made to keep this promise, so soon we were back on the road and heading back west once more with the prime intention of following this route. We based ourselves near the market town of Craven Arms. This proved to be a good centre, not just for exploring the actual trail, but also for visiting the towns of Leominster and Ludlow, both famed for their unique black and white architecture. The village trail is designed to start or finish in Leominster…

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We arrived on site and got all set up. We noticed that the pump would run for a few seconds then shut off; a drop in pressure was causing the pump to run. I checked that all the taps were turned off, then it was time to look in all the cupboards to check over all the pipework for any problems. On looking under the handbasin unit, I noticed the hot and cold pipes were wet. There is a shelved wire basket attached to the wall in the cupboard; this needs to be removed to gain access to the pipework. Just four Phillips screws and full access is obtained. It proved impossible to get to the underside of the basin tap to remove it without complete removal of the handbasin…

In a double celebration for Bailey of Bristol, the manufacturer is not only marking its diamond anniversary this year, but the daughter of the company’s founder, Martin Bailey, has just acquired a brandnew Alicanto Grande Evora caravan. Kay Taylor (formerly Bailey), accompanied by her husband, Phil, embarked on a new chapter with the acquisition of their new Alicanto Grande Evora, along with Kay’s mother, Joan Bailey. Bailey of Bristol owes its origins to the enterprising spirit of Joan’s husband, Martin, who unveiled the first Bailey caravan in 1947, the Maestro, which he sold for £200 at Ashton Gate market in South Bristol. In 1977, the business passed into the ownership of Patrick and Stephen Howard, retaining the Bailey Caravans Ltd name. Today, Bailey not only holds the distinction of being…

Outdoor brand, Olpro, has been awarded B Corporation certification, which demonstrates the company’s dedication to people and the planet after it was audited against factors such as social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. Olpro says it remains dedicated to sustainability by putting in measures such as tree planting – having currently planted a total of 11,499 trees by planting a sapling for every Olpro tent, awning and backpack sold – as well as designing and developing products that are made from sustainable materials such as recycled plastic bottles. The company even has a tent loan scheme to ensure tents see more use and the company is also involved in local upcycling of products if they can’t be sold as pre-loved. “Since starting the company in 2011, ensuring that Olpro…