Table of contents for December 2022 - January 2023 in Caravan

“Winter" is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart”- Victor Hugo Welcome to our awards issue and what a cracker it is! The judges had a hard time picking the winners in each category because there’s so many fantastic models out there. So, if you're after a new caravan, be sure to take a look. We've got everything from compact tourers to the biggest, most luxurious available on the market. It might seem a little early to start thinking about Christmas but I assure you – it’s not! As I write this there’s less than two months until the big day and we're making it easier with our special gift guide. We've managed to get some great discounts exclusively for our readers. And, of course, you know…

There’s a dark passage in Shrewsbury that’s only 22 inches wide; St Mary’s shut. It’s one of a maze of almost 30 such alleys throughout this charming town full of quirkiness and character and a fabulous variety of cuisine. I mention the food scene because it has been known for people to get stuck in this shut. So, when faced with a bit of a squeeze, I’m very glad that I had forgone the second helping of the appropriately named Lemon Yum in CSONS in Milk Street – despite the powerful cravings. So, beware; there are all manner of gastronomic temptations like this lurking on every corner. Shrewsbury’s a town where an ostentatious display of wealth hits us as soon as we step off the bus from the campsite near…

1 FOXTAIL HOLIDAY PARK Wrexham Chirk, Wrexham, Wales LL14 5DG T 01691 410134 W foxtailholidaypark.co.uk Just a few minutes’ walk from the Shropshire Union Canal, Foxtail Holiday Park is only a mile from the Wales/England border, meaning you have the best of both countries on your doorstep. One-and-a-half miles from the town of Chirk in Wales, the site itself is actually in England. Chirk Aqueduct is just over a mile away and a 10-minute drive is historic Chirk Castle – a medieval fortress with over five acres of award-winning gardens and 480 acres of estate parkland to explore. Foxtail has hardstanding fully serviced pitches. There are toilets and showers on site; plus, within a five-minute walk is a pub serving food and there’s a garden centre nearby. Other local activities…

The Tempest stirred up a storm (pardon the pun) when it was first unveiled in 2009. That’s because this twin-axle tourer provided first-rate family accommodation, large-caravan luxury and all the bells and whistles you’d expect from the Crusader range. All of that is still here – and more besides. Given the popularity of the predecessor Tempest, the new Tempest introduced for 2023 has a lot to live up to – and it does so most admirably. It has a different layout, bringing the innovative (and unique to the Erwin Hymer Group) Elddis Avanté 868 ‘super bedroom’ layout into the luxury level of Crusader, with Alde heating. What makes this layout special is that it has one bedroom, containing a double bed – and, alongside it, two bunks. The shower and…

Premium caravan manufacturer Coachman, has delivered a tourer that ticks all the boxes for an expanding family. With growing numbers of families taking up caravanning, there’s fierce competition in the Best Family Caravan category and the judges really had their work cut out. So much so, they didn’t make the final decision until the Motorhome and Caravan Show at the NEC in October. Coachman has enjoyed an exceptional year with sales increasing 60% and its Acadia range now comprises four models, with a new four-berth Acadia 545 joining the four-berth 575 and five-berth 630 Xtra and 660 Xtra. For us, it’s the 630 Xtra that really stands out, with an L-shaped lounge, side dinette, bunks and large end washroom. It offers great flexibility for a large family and there isn’t…

Tiny, light in weight, with curvy body lines, smart styling inside and out – the Adria Action was surely invented to make the statement that caravanning is certainly cool. It’s now 17 years since the giant Slovenian manufacturer, Adria, first gave the British market a tourer that was to become an icon in caravan styling. A few tweaks have upgraded it along the years, but the basis stays the same; a tourer for two people who like caravans with few frills but style in spades. Comfort is in no short measure, with wrap-around seating that gives you plenty of sprawling space and makes a double bed that’s 2m square (or can be used as two singles). And the enormous rooflight (1.53m wide and 87 cm deep) ensures that, even though…

The perfect mix of fun and forest can be found at this Dorset site Wareham Forest Tourist Park is a 55-acre site with 200 pitches and winter is the perfect time of year for wrapping up warm and taking walks in the fresh, crisp air, enjoying being away from the daily grind and in the great outdoors. The site nestles amid forest scenery, with visiting foxes and the occasional sika deer and it’s ideally placed for visiting the Jurassic Coast and Purbeck Hills. So, if you like walking, you’ll be happy here. It is a peaceful park with hardstanding electric pitches and fully serviced pitches set across several areas. You’ll find a pub with a restaurant within a mile if you want to warm up with a hot meal or…

Lusso means luxury in Italian – and Coachman delivers luxury in huge measure with the company’s two flagship models. These are sophisticated tourers laden with equipment. They are identical in layout, in that they have L-shaped lounges, transverse island beds and rear shower rooms. The difference is in the length, and the number of axles. We’ve reviewed both the single-axle Lusso I and the twin-axle Lusso II. Both are awesomely luxurious, but the twin-axle version gets our top vote because its lounge seating is longer and so is its highspec kitchen. The Lusso II makes the statement that touring caravanning is available with the sort of styling that you’d associate with a luxury yacht. This is the most expensive mainstream tourer in Britain, and we think it amply lives up…

The tiny four-berth Xplore 304 has been consistently heralded as a marvel in caravan layout design ever since it was launched in 2011. To cram berths for four and two dining areas into a body length of just 3.8m might seem incredible – but the Xplore 304 is not just a feat of design, it is a very credible option, especially for a young family looking for a small tourer that will sleep four and satisfies a lightweight criterion. The lounge is L-shaped, and makes a double bed. On the offside, towards the rear, is a dining area for two – and, above it, a bunk base that hinges down from the wall. At the rear, between the dining area/bunk unit, is the shower/toilet compartment. All you need is here,…

One of our favourite sites in France is close to Switzerland, literally in the shadow of the Alps – La Colombière in Neydens – it’s a family run site with more than 100 touring pitches. We found this site by accident as a stopover place some years ago and have been back twice since. We chose this area because it’s within an hour’s drive of the Mont Blanc Tunnel so it’s perfect for travelling through the Alps and into northern Italy. For this 2022 holday, we spent a total of five nights here sbefore heading to Italy and once again it did not disappoint. For our first two-night stay, our pitch was in a large field at the top of the site which is the main area for bigger units.…

Countryside? Check. Walking? Check. Coast? Check. Beautiful beaches, vast landscapes and outdoor activities galore all combine in Somerset, to offer a county with plenty to explore for all the family. Let’s start with the countryside bit, since the majority of west Somerset is composed of the Exmoor National Park. Here you can step out on two feet or hop on two wheels onto the many footpaths and rights of way that allow you to experience this rugged landscape at your leisure. You can also try wild swimming, coasteering, riding… the list is endless! Now to the coastline. Long, sandy beaches and popular coastal resorts contrast with the dramatic rocky Exmoor coastline. Whether you want a beach for building sandcastles or a more secluded location for taking in the sound of…

Compact, light in weight, big on style, and with lots of features not found in any other caravan, Swift’s headturner Basecamp was always destined to be an award-winner. Indeed, the original two-berth Basecamp, launched in 2016, was a category winner in that year’s Caravan awards. Five years later, with the two-berth Basecamp well established in the market, Swift brought the concept into the family arena, with the arrival of the Basecamp 4, a four-berth version, with bunk beds. It has a door at the rear, it’s wider than an average caravan door, at 52cm, so it’s easy to wheel bicycles inside. There are securing points for cycles, and the seats fold upwards to create a place to put them. Perfect when they are muddy! Instead of top lockers, the Basecamp…

Voted by you, the readers Why Red Lion Caravans? We entrusted this award to you, our readers, and the results of the poll gave us a clear winner – Red Lion Caravans in Southport. The company has more than 40 years’ experience in the business and stocks new Eriba, Compass and Go-Pod models, plus a comprehensive selection of used vehicles, and, more recently, has introduced its own brand of tourers, including the roof-mounted Sabre and the Cub teardrop. Readers who have visited praised the team for being friendly and approachable, and it’s no wonder that many of these customers return when it’s time to upgrade. Tourers on offer span all price points so, whatever your budget, you’re sure to find a tourer to suit your needs. Red Lion Caravans continues…

2023 Premier Parks collection announced Celebrating its fifteenth anniversary in 2023, the highquality campsites group, Premier Parks, has revealed the 100 premium campsites that will make up the collection for next season. The group was set up by the Caravan and MMM magazine teams to provide readers with a choice of the best campsites across the UK and Northern Ireland. Each Premier Park is inspected by a team member to ensure visitors can enjoy campsites offering top facilities and great pitches in popular locations. The group offers everything from large holiday parks with every facility, to adults-only hideaways and coastal havens. During the selection process, factors taken into account include a great location, a neat and tidy site and facilities of a high standard. The overall ‘feel’ of the site…

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and if you’re stuck for present ideas for the caravanner in your life then look no further – our festive gift list will make your Christmas shopping stress-free. We’ve come up with some fantastic ideas for camping and outdoor gifts, whatever your budget, or whoever you are buying for. Our Christmas gift ideas have something for everyone – as long as they’re not on the naughty list, that is. We’ve even managed to arrange some exclusive discount offers, so you’ll have a few pounds left over to treat yourself as well. Duvalay Compact Sleeping Bag Not sure what to buy your loved one for Christmas? Why not buy them the luxury of a great night’s sleep? The award-winning, patented Duvalay Compact Sleeping…

sudoku Grab your pencil and get to work – this month’s sudoku challenge might take you a while! just for fun Find 18 types of meeting crossword ACROSS 7 Jurassic limestone composed of grains like the eggs or roe of a fish (6) 8 Alternative name for the lapwing, from its cry (6) 9 Prepare for take-off; transport (4) 10 Popular place to sunbathe (8) 11 Anthony -------, writer of satirical novels like 'A Clockwork Orange' (7) 13 Sound of a bell (5) 15 Extra feature over and above the standard package (3-2) 17 Dormitory; boudoir (7) 20 Veto; proscribe (8) 21 Saturated partially carbonised vegetable matter used as fuel when dried (4) 23 Ugly mischievous villain of folklore (6) 24 Ribbon-like strip of pasta (6) DOWN 1 Chesterfield, for…