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FEBRUARY 2012 £3.95 outandaboutlive.co.uk

GREAT BRITISH Our Capital Adventures

ISSUE

INSIDE

GREAT BRITAIN: CARAVANNER’S PARADISE

London, Edinburgh & Cardiff explored by van

➧ 10 Caravan mag writers explain why

WIN!

CARAVAN TESTS ➧ Adria Astella 613HT ➧ Sprite Major 6 ➧ Elddis Crusader Shamal

LOA DS OF G L O T T E R Y R E AT PR WO R T H £1 I Z E S 000+

ESSENTIAL ELECTRICS

➧ Hook-up, batteries, inverters & solar panels explained

OUR VANS

➧ Team Caravan’s touring tales from May…

TOURING STUFF BRITAIN ROCKS BUYING ADVICE outandaboutlive.co.uk

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➧ National Parks sites ➧ Shoot GB landscapes ➧ Great British products

➧ iPod docks reviewed ➧ Free Used fixed-bed bargains sample 2012 1 ➧ Cool new gear reviewed ▼

➧ Your Qs answered ➧ Latest news & views ➧ Your letters & photos

05/07/2012 11:51

Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside...

What’s the story,

Tobermory?

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Andrew Ditton ventures to the Isle of Mull and discovers a Hebridean island paradise that has become a popular tourist destination – all of this without a Womble in sight WORDS AND PICTURES Andrew Ditton

Tobermory – a popular tourist attraction that has lost none of its charm and innocence

T

o the younger reader, Tobermory is the pretty setting of the CBBC TV series Balamory.

For those of us who are slightly older and who rode the Magic Roundabout at teatime just before the news, Tobermory is the name of a Womble.

A million miles from Wimbledon Common (figuratively, not literally), twinkling like the glistening of the sun on a wave on the Inner 2

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Hebridean island of Mull, lies the perfectly picturesque port of Tobermory.

Simply mentioning the word ‘Hebridean’ leads many folks to immediately arrive at the misconception that you’re talking about a place so remote that it takes about three weeks to get there, and that only the hardy and the slightly bonkers endure the gruelling journey. Actually, you could leave Glasgow after lunch and still be pitched up at Tobermory with plenty of time to spare for a leisurely fish supper.

Even if you’ve never set foot north of the

border, the chances are you’ve heard of Tobermory due to its reputation as a popular tourist destination. To the uninitiated, this might make the place sound like a complete tourist trap, with little purpose other than separating unwitting visitors from their tourist pound. This may be the case with some other places, but Tobermory is different. This beautiful little town has lost none of its island charm, has retained all of its innocence, and has certainly lost none of its friendly, chilled-out Hebridean vibe. It’s far enough away from outandaboutlive.co.uk

05/07/2012 11:51

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Attractions

➧ MULL POTTERY

Food

➧ TOBERMORY HAND-MADE CHOCOLATE

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The heady scent of cocoa hits you as you enter this chocaholics paradise. Indulge in a box of hand-made delights, or kick back and relax in the café with a slice of something chocolatey. Free wi-fi for internet addicts.

Tobermory Hand Made Chocolate 57 Main Street, Tobermory, PA75 6NT T 01688 302526 W tobermorychocolate.co.uk

➧ FISHERMAN’S PIER CHIP VAN This isn’t just any old fish and chip van. The Fisherman’s Pier Fish and chip van boasts the renowned Les Routiers award. Indulge yourself with freshly-caught scallops with chips, eaten from the paper at the foot of the adjacent clock tower. Perfect.

Fisherman’s Pier Chip Van, Main Street, Tobermory, PA75 6NT T 01688 302390

➧ ISLE OF MULL CHEESE Just around the corner from the campsite, this working farm has its own creamery attached, producing outstanding cheeses that will have you coming back for more. Free tasting, and local fare on sale at its farm shop set within a splendid garden. Nom nom.

Isle of Mull Cheese Sgriob-ruadh Farm, Tobermory T 01688 302235 W isleofmullcheese.co.uk

the affluent cities to be immune from the blight of second home-owning luvvies, who can sometimes spoil seaside towns, both for the community and for the tourist alike.

Here, the friendliness you encounter is genuine, it’s not the scripted role-play often encountered in the service industry. You really do get the feeling that the locals who actually live here truly value your visit.

Tobermory manages to strike the perfect balance between gentle quietude and the provision of distractions and facilities to keep you occupied during your stay.

First and foremost, spend an hour or two simply meandering along the main street taking in the sweet little shops (and the little sweet shops) and cafés.

You’ll need both hands when counting all the cafés and restaurants you like the look of. You may also find

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yourself marvelling at the combinations of goods sold by the small independent shops.

The ironmonger sells wines and spirits. The bookshop sells chandlery. You can’t help but love this place.

Suitably strolled, the next item on the agenda is to take a pew at the Ledaig car park next to the Harbour Visitor Centre, and simply drink in the stunning view of the pretty harbourside. Tobermory is a photographer’s dream. If snapping is your passion, bring every lens you have!

If your thirst for views and scenery still needs slaking, continue your stroll south along the coast path to Aros Park. It’s about a 30-minute walk along a well-maintained track, all the while affording magnificent views of the Ardnamurchan Peninsula across the water of Tobermory Bay. Aros Park is home to Lochan a’ Ghurrabain, where trout fishing may be enjoyed (permits from the ironmongers-cum-wine shop in town). Visit during the summer months and the outstanding display of water lilies in the lochan make Monet’s Giverny look like a suburban goldfish pond. There’s a car park at Aros Park if you don’t fancy the walk from town.

Quenching thirst of a very different kind, no holiday in Scotland would be complete without the smooth enjoyment of a wee dram.

Tours of the Tobermory distillery are offered on weekdays, and although there isn’t a huge amount to see compared to some other whisky tours (once produced, the whisky leaves by tanker to be casked and rested elsewhere), your visit naturally concludes with a generous drink of the good stuff.

Should all this staring out at sea make you yearn for an experience a little more intimate and at one with nature, book yourself on a sea-going wildlife cruise.

Tours are extensively advertised locally and you can find out more information and book

Although Mull Po ttery does have a shop on Main Str worth the trek up eet, it’s the hill to the stu dio and restauran you can see the t where pottery actually be ing made. You ma able to snap up y also be a bargain in the adjoining shop wh seconds are norm ere ally available.

Mull Potter, y Ba liscate Estate, Tobermory, PA75 T 01688 302592 6QA W mullpottery com ➧ MULL MUSEUM Small but perfectl y-formed, this vol unteer-run estab crammed with art lishment is efacts and exhibit ions, notably in reg sinking of a Span ard to the ish Galleon in the harbour in 1588 Tobermory’s impo and rtant naval role in Wo rld War II. Mull Museum, Main Street, To bermory, PA75 T 01688 301100 6NY W mullmuseum. org.uk ➧ DISCOVER MULL See the best of Mu ll’s land-based wil dlife and plant life in one day on a all guided tour. Trans port, telescopes, home-made lunch and provided. It’s a lon g day but well wo it. Free dog-sitting rth available when on the tour.

Discover Mull, Ardrioch Farm, Dervaig, Isle of Mull PA75 6QR T 01688 400415 W discovermull .co.uk

at ‘Explore Mull’ next to the Harbour Centre (exploremull.co.uk). You can spend just an hour going out to sea to spot seals and White-tailed Eagles, or you can take a trip of up to a day in duration, visiting remote islands to marvel at the rare birdlife and even spot whales and dolphins.

Forget your bucket and spade, as there is no beach to speak of in Tobermory.

Beautiful beaches do exist elsewhere on the island, but there’s so much to see and do in this gorgeous little seaside town that you won’t even miss it.

stayed Where we PSITE

TOBERMORY CAM f. t a mile from Tobermory itsel On the B8073 to Dervaig, abou reserved for motorhomes, rally gene are es pitch ding Hardstan to enjoy a nice grassy area next but this means that caravans scarce. little a it albe fine, are lities a babbling brook. Faci for each sex, but to compensate There’s only one shower for so you may as well use the £2, just is -up hook tric elec this an tte on site, but a new laundere caravan shower. No laundry tre.

Cen our Harb the has opened in town at vaig Road, Tobermory, Tobermory Campsite, Der 6QF 5 Isle of Mull PA7 ry-campsite.co.uk T 01688 302624 W tobermo

Trout fishing is available at the lily-laden Lochon a’ Ghurrabain

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05/07/2012 11:51

Greatest Britain Get your wheels rolling in the Isles

Why

Britain is great

Rich landscapes ANDY JENKINSON

Caravanner for 36 years and caravan-heritage guru It has to be said, that the country that invented caravanning also has some of the most dramatic scenery to be found anywhere in the world. Globally speaking, Great Britain is not be a large land mass, but its coastline and varying contours create a wealth of rich and rewarding sights. It could almost have been created for caravanners, with its lakes, mountains, rolling countryside and splendid architecture. Our culture and history spans the ages and our cities are steeped in our cultural heritage.

From Land’s End to John O’Groats, Britain offers peace and quiet, well equipped sites and decent roads. British caravanning is great!

for caravanning 10 Caravan writers and contributors reveal why they think Great Britain is the best place in the world to be a caravanner

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05/07/2012 11:51

Variety NICK HARDING Ex-Caravan editor

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The seasons JOHN SOOTHERAN Managing editor

For me it’s the changing seasons and our temperate climate that make Britain unbeatable.

I’m not even averse to a bit of rain as it keeps our beautiful British countryside lush and green.

You can keep your rocky, arid Costa del Sol and boiling 35°C temperatures, I’ll take a 25°C British spring or summer every time, where you can be active without sweating your whatsits off!

The seasons also add variety to our hobby.

Sitting outside the van on a balmy summer’s evening with a barbecue and chilled beer takes some beating, as do wellies piled in the awning after a family day out or rain hammering on the roof with the family all cosy inside playing games.

I’ll admit April 2012 was a bit moist, even for my tastes, but I just know that the precipitation will agree to bypass the Jubilee and Olympics…

Oh, two more reasons why Britain is great!

Regional foods SALLY PEPPER

Caravan Buyer editor Finding the best local food is one of my favourite missions on every holiday. The only trouble is that if you’re on a package holiday, it’s all too easy to find yourself fridgeless with a pot of local olives and cookerless with some fantastic Portuguese sardines fresh from the catch.

In caravan kitchens, however, I’ve cooked mussels scavenged from a Norfolk beach, and served up salmon from the Craster smokehouse in Northumberland. On a recent trip to Cornwall, I managed to conduct a taste comparison between Rodda’s and Roskilly clotted cream. This took place over several delicious days thanks to the caravan fridge. The Rodda’s had more crunchy stuff on the top but I can’t tell you which was best – my taste buds were way too excited to be able to discriminate. But I can tell you that Yarg is my favourite Cornish cheese, and that no trip to Cornwall is complete without saffron cake.

On another Cornish trip, we took ourselves to Cadgwith – a very pretty fishing cove with a little wet fish shop down by the water. You may have seen this cove, it was the focus of the TV series Fisherman’s Apprentice, with Monty Halls.

When we went there, about £50 changed hands for way more fish than we could eat, all of which was alive and swimming earlier in the day. We sat between two caravans and barbecued it all – three generations of our family having the fishy feast of a lifetime.

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Quite simply, we Brits punch above our weight. No other group of islands packs as much in as we do, in terms of locations, pedigree, historic buildings and monuments, scenery, events — you name it. You can never accuse our weather of being short on variety, either. And the biggest thing of all? It’s all accessible from your caravan — allowing you to be in the thick of it all, or keeping everything at a respectable distance.

My touring plans for this year alone can only offer hints of the greatness of Britain (sorry, UK) – the Isle of Wight, Hay Festival, Lake District, a music festival or two, an all-new campsite right next to an adventure park... and no doubt much more.

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05/07/2012 11:52

Greatest Britain Get your wheels rolling in the Isles

The sea ANDREW DITTON

Freelance writer and Caravan TV star Winter or summer, wind or shine, it’s all about the sea. We’re surrounded by the stuff and you’re never too far away from an invigorating, regenerating lungful of salty ocean air.

The sea just makes me feel good. There’s nowhere in the world to rival the UK’s choice of sea view sites, from the remote Scottish island croft to the all-inclusive Cornish holiday park.

There’s nowhere to rival our choice of beaches either, from the deserted windswept sand dunes of Northumberland to the crowded shingle of Brighton on a bank holiday. Nothing comes close to the diversity of our seaside culture, from the refined elegance of Tenby to the bold and brassy bling of Blackpool.

And there’s nowhere better to experience world-class sea sports, from the sailing on the Solent to the kitesurfing at Tiree.

No hassle LEE DAVEY

Intrepid freelance and caravanner For me, it’s a number of things that put the great into British caravanning.

Escape Euro exchange rates, banish breathalyser kits (required from July 2012 in France), and forget ferry (or tunnel) fees and the associated terror of turning-up on time.

Point no longer at items in the supermarché while desperately searching for words you’ve long-since forgotten and, should your British sensibilities require a quick getaway born out of embarrassment, don’t forget that it’s all-change on the roads once across the Channel.

Sure, they’ve got the climate, Mediterranean looks and an untroubled and unruffled nature, but we have postcodes that can be punched into sat-navs and we don’t need EHIC cards or travel insurance to go about our business.

They didn’t put the great into Britain by accident you know.

The diversity

So much choice

PAUL WALTON

PHIL STEPHENS

Magazine editor and freelance journalist Diversity. That’s the real reason why caravanning holidays in the UK are so good. Unlike the South of France, for example, where they’re all about the beach, on a British holiday you can be collecting shells at the seaside in the morning, walking in beautiful countryside in the afternoon and then finish the day by exploring a fascinating city. It boasts some class-leading attractions for all ages, from theme parks to interactive museums, while our cities are as different from each other as the people who live there. Go to three different parts of the UK and you’ll have three totally different holidays.

And you don’t ling need an expensive in touch by emai p.co.uk ferry to do so.

IN’S GREAT? A IT R B K IN H T U DO YO

Get rsgrou caravan@warne agazine itter @caravanm Tw on us g in w llo f fo anmag cebook.com/carav or liking us on fa

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Freelance journalist

Choice – that’s why Britain is so great. But it’s choice that’s so wonderfully compact.

Which other countries can boast top celebrity restaurants, with dishes elevated to fine art and prices to match, right next to ‘Ken’s Crispy Cod’ and Mahrunibum Tandoori across the road?

Where else can you find something as beautiful as the Peak District and the solitude it possesses, within one hour of eight major cities?

And where on earth can you hook up your tourer, then follow the coast through three different countries without a phrase book, and still end up where you started?

All of this with the same currency you took out in M&S before you left – ‘it’s not just any cash-machine’…

But if there was ever one year to stay in the UK, surely this has to be it. outandaboutlive.co.uk

05/07/2012 11:52

Public rights of way DAVID WEAVER

Design guru and caravanner There are many reasons why Britain is great for caravanning. Beautiful scenery, wonderful caravan sites, idyllic villages, fantastic pubs and great food. But there’s one thing that to me sets Britain apart from many of our European neighbours and that’s our public rights of way.

It seems there is nowhere like Britain for access to the countryside. The whole nation is criss-crossed by public footpaths, bridleways and byways, often passing conveniently close to caravan sites. Not only can you take your time to appreciate the countryside but you can find views you won’t get from a car. The paths are usually well marked and, when used in conjunction with the best mapping I’ve ever come across – OS Landranger and Explorer maps – you are always confident that you are walking where you are supposed to.

What a great day – setting off from your caravan on a long walk with a spot of lunch and some proper beer in a cosy country pub. In my experience this is not something that is easy to do in most European countries where access seems to be a rather hit or miss affair.

Our public rights of way are something we should be justifiably proud of. A great British institution and a perfect adjunct to your caravan holiday.

Great campsites for all VAL CHAPMAN Caravan test editor

Everywhere is easy to get to BEN HACKNEY

Features editor and caravan convert Want to get up to the most willy-chilling points of northern Scotland? You can do it with your caravan on tow. Or would you rather head south for some sun-soaked scenery and serenity? Hitch up and you’re on your way. It’s easy to travel in GB. There aren’t all that many country-bumpkin roads or crazy dirt tracks you’ll have to navigate. Most sites are well signposted and don’t look like you’re travelling into the back of beyond before pulling onto your pitch, and almost everyone you come across is pleasant and friendly instead of giving you a look worthy of a scene in Deliverance.

What’s the best bit of all this? Travelling the length or breadth of the country often only takes a matter of hours from your starting point, even the furthest reaches can be visited in a day or so. You don’t get that much variety in such close quarters in many other countries. Make the most of it!

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Britain is great for caravanning because there is such a huge range of top-quality campsites everywhere you go.

Whether you’re after a fully-serviced family site with pool and golf course, or a titchy CL with a view to die for, this country has them all.

Here are three of my favourite sites, which are all very different in character, and sum up the diversity and quality for Great British caravanners.

Warwickshire is one of our favourite weekend destinations; we make for Stratford-upon-Avon whenever we get the chance – it’s only a couple of hours’ tow from our base near Grantham.

Favourite site? Actually, it’s a new discovery for us – a quiet, peaceful site on a sheep farm near Leamington Spa. Harbury Fields Farm Touring Caravan Park, close to the village of Harbury, and 20 minutes from Stratford, is open all year.

There are two heated shower buildings plus washing-up facilities and a laundry.

Visiting the South West takes more planning. Dolbeare Park is on the border of Devon and Cornwall, in the Tamar Valley.

Landscaped and floral, with superb showering and washing up facilities, Dolbeare is a quality place in which to relax and unwind.

Further down the South West Peninsula is our beachside holiday favourite, with two restaurants, an indoor pool and all manner of family activities. Pentewan Sands’ own wide sandy beach draws us like a magnet – sincerely our all-time favourite site.

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05/07/2012 11:52

TEST SPRITE MAJOR 6

Kids get their own dining space and bunks.

Not sure they’ll be too impressed by lunch though

Sprite Major 6 EXTERIOR

The Major 6 is the latest addition to the Sprite range, launched earlier this year. With a six-decade history of serving the light-weight, affordable-price sector behind it, the new model has a lot to live up to…

Sprites acquired a curvy new look at the start of the current model year; suddenly the caravan whose name goes back to the 1940s became more outstanding in looks than at any time in its history.

INTERIOR

One thing hasn’t changed down the years of Sprite’s evolution; Sprites still have the single-piece front window that their early ancestors had – and it’s still just as pleasing; these windows let in more light than triple-unit windows and give the lounge a more open feel.

The new face of Sprite for 2012 features a gas bottle locker aperture that is especially wide, so lifting cylinders in and out is just about as easy as it gets.

This is a caravan packed with surprises. It’s only 5.6 metres long, yet it has two wardrobes, beds for six, a kitchen that’s practical in size – and the biggest surprise of all, given the caravan’s compact size: a stepin shower that’s separate from the toilet area.

There are two seating areas; that feature alone makes the

PRICE: £13,430 BERTHS 6 MIRO 1234KG MTPLM 1437KG BODY LENGTH 5.6m SHIPPING LENGTH 7.25m BODY WIDTH 2.23m CONTACT: Swift Group T 01482 847332 W swiftgroup.co.uk

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There are a few water pipes in the way – but there’s still ample room for stuff in the kitchen cabinet

Major 6 among Britain’s most practical caravans for families.

And the offside dining area is just about wide enough for four children to sit at. This area is, variously, the play zone, the dining space – and, at night, it’s a bedroom for two; a bunk pulls up from against the wall.

Two more bunks are on the nearside – these are permanent beds, with a great storage area under the lower bunk. The lounge creates the parents’ sleeping space, with a double bed making up across the caravan.

Considering that the Major 6 is only 5.6m long, the amount of storage space is phenomenal.

The large amount of seating helps – because where there are seats there are under-seating lockers.

In the Sprite, those under the lounge have drop-down doors, a feature seldom found in budget caravans. And, for occasions when you want to get into the lockers from the top, there are springs to hold the lids up.

Having two wardrobes is utterly brilliant. One forms a natural divider between the lounge and the side dining area; outandaboutlive.co.uk

05/07/2012 11:53

Two bunks and loads of storage space below

There’s not much space around the basin but a high shelf is there for the necessities

The newest Sprite sleeps six, has two dining areas, two bunks, two wardrobes and a kitchen that’s large enough for family needs

IDEAL FOR...

Families for who m lo low price and hig w weight, h number of berths are top p riority

WORDS Val Chapman PICTURES John Chapman

the other sits between the fixed bunks and the shower room. The rear wardrobe has a shelf under the hanging depth, plus a cavernous space beneath, ideal for footwear. And there are nine head-height lockers, all with strong positive catches.

Storage in the Major 6 kitchen is amazing, too. There is a central cabinet giving you ample space for tall items, a drawer above it that’s amply outandaboutlive.co.uk

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proportioned for six sets of cutlery, then three top cabinets.

There are no microwaves in Sprites, so you gain a cabinet here – but cooking equipment excels otherwise. There’s a full oven and grill, plus triple-burner hob. Good kitchen surface space is another pleasant surprise in a caravan of such compact overall proportions.

It’s perhaps in the shower room that we find the Major 6’s

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This dining area is wide enough for four children to sit here

There’s ample family space in two separate living areas

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05/07/2012 11:53

TEST SPRITE MAJOR 6

➧ VERDICT

biggest surprise, though, given its 5.6m length and the presence of beds for six.

There’s a separate, step-in shower unit – and enough usable floor space for parents to dress tiny caravanners.

The Major 6 has two mains sockets in the lounge. A third socket is in the kitchen – but this one is the nearest to the mirror that’s on the door of the rear wardrobe, so anyone attempting to use a hairdryer here would have to stretch the power cable across the kitchen.

This, though, was the only aspect of the Major 6 which attracted criticism during the two days we had it on loan from Grantham Caravans.

Otherwise, this latest Sprite is a fantastic family caravan that earned praise all the way – not just for its affordability and light weight, but for the brilliant way in which it caters for six people in terms of bed space, living space and storage.

EXTERIOR 8/10 Curvy shape and sky blue image graphics – the 2012 Sprites cut a summer holiday dash.

LOUNGE 8/10 Ample space in the front end – and the upholstery is comfortable. The settees aren’t long enough to make single beds for adults, though.

DINING 7/10 There are two dining areas, but some will find the two-seater table rather high in relation to the seats, so we had to subtract a point here.

SLEEPING 8/10 Beds for six – and two of them fixed – in a compact caravan; a high mark was guaranteed here.

KITCHEN 8/10

LOANED BY TE ST CARAVAN Grantham Caravans Spittlegate Level, Grantham Lincolnshire T 0800 046 1610 W granthamcaravans.co.uk

In its weight and length class, this kitchen excels in terms of surface and storage.

STORAGE 9/10

WE LIKE ➧The brilliant storage

The central cupboard and three top cabinets add up to good storage

➧The light weight

Pretty much top marks here – for two wardrobes, loads of lower storage including under the bottom fixed bunks – and good kitchen cupboards, too.

SHOWERING 9/10

➧The affordable price

It has to be nine because so few caravans in this league have separate showers; that, for families with young children in particular, is a real bonus.

➧The practical layout

WE DISLIKE ➧Having only three power sockets. One in the side table area would have been brilliant for family needs and another within cable reach of the only mirror, on the rear wardrobe door.

The separate shower is a surprise and a luxury in a six-berth caravan of modest length

INTERIOR 8/10 Dark seat bases for practicality and pale, bold flowers on the backs, ensure this caravan is bright – and certainly not boring.

TOWING 9/10

take cover...

Insure your £139.14 caravan Sprite Major 6 (£13,430) from only £139.14 per annum.

Insurance quote based on newfor-old cover with maximum discount.

0844 847 4499

Another high mark here – Sprites are narrower than many caravans so there’s a better view along the sides. On test, its towing characteristics were nothing short of exemplary – simply, an easy tow. And, at little over 1400kg MTPLM, a modestlysized car will cope easily.

There are two wardrobes; this one forms a division between the lounge and the table area

VALUE FOR MONEY 8/10 Great on the road, great for sleeping, living, showering and packing stuff away.

shieldtotalinsurance.co.uk

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RATING

Three burners plus a full oven and grill – but Sprites don’t have microwaves

82/100

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05/07/2012 11:54

MADE IN

BRITAIN

There are many reasons to be a proud caravanner. One of the best is that our hobby supports so much British industry. Mike Cazalet reports

L

et’s start with a fact.

Britain invented caravanning as we know it today. The late Peter Miller, when a Director of Sprite, uncovered documents which showed that pre the Second World War caravans were made one by one, only the very wealthiest could afford them and few were used for touring. It appears that many buyers had their new purchases sited in the grounds of their estates to entertain lady friends. I’ll leave you to speculate about the Middle-Eastern gentlemen who had five Eccles sited on his estate.

CARAVAN MANUFACTURERS

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Due to the strength of the Euro, almost all caravans sold in Britain these days are made in Britain. Swift, Bailey, Elddis, Coachman and Lunar, plus a handful of smaller manufacturers all make full use of British engineering ingenuity and construction skills to create, what is arguably, the world’s finest choice of touring caravans. The two companies that have really been ‘game-changers’ over the years are:

The Swift Group Swift invented modular construction, so, for example, they only needed to make three sizes of wardrobe times half-a-dozen different finishes to provide wardrobes for every caravan they make.

Large-scale production meant consistent quality and lower prices.

But the reason they get my vote is because they understood Sprite when they bought the firm.

Sprite doesn’t mean cheap, it should mean affordable and

equipped with all the essentials. We usually don’t actually need all those extras we can’t afford.

Bailey Caravans Twenty years ago, I wrote about Bailey that ‘they are an engineering company who make caravans rather than a caravan company which has to engineer’. Nothing has changed since then. It was Bailey who introduced the idea of taking a core from a freshly-made caravan floor so they could check the bonding before it was too late and the floor had a caravan body attached to it. It was at Bailey we first saw using lasers to cut the holes to which windows and access hatches would be fitted, with microscopic accuracy. And, of course, it was Bailey who revolutionised caravan construction with its Alu-Tech frame construction, which may just be the greatest innovation since the invention of the caravan toilet. It’s no secret that around the World manufacturers are looking at introducing their own versions of caravan Alu-Tech.

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Post War it was Sprite who invented the concept of affordable, massproduction caravans. As cars became more readily available and affordable, so caravanning grew and Sprite opened factories in places like South Africa, New Zealand and America.

It was harder to get mainland Europe to buy British-made caravans, but look at any Continentalbuilt caravan from the 50’s and 60’s and you’ll see a clone of what Sprite were making two years before.

Today, exporting to Europe is still very difficult, but, around the world, manufacturers are taking their cues for the future from what British companies make today.

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MADE IN

BRITAIN .

POLITICIANS I’ll wait until you stop screaming because, perhaps unwittingly, the politicians and bureaucrats have helped us put the word Great into Britain and caravanning. The MEP Roger Helmer summed it up with a speech he gave to campsite owners. After his researchers had spent days looking for national or EU legislation which might have an adverse effect on caravanning he started his speech with: “Yours must be the only area of human activity untouched by the heavy hand of politicians or bureaucrats.”

In other words, politicians had realised that caravanning was well regulated by caravanners and decided to look for more fertile territory, like legislating against bent bananas.

GREEN SITES

Component manufacturers Tyron This is just a simple little device which prevents a punctured tyre coming off the rim. In the early days it was marketed as a safety device for caravans, but it didn’t take long before Tyron was being fitted to police cars, ambulances, military vehicles and fire engines. Even that was only just the beginning. Now Tyron is being fitted to emergency vehicles all around the world and some far-sighted dealers are fitting them to the caravans they sell. The bands are still being designed and made here in Great Britain which makes you wonder why people claim that, ‘we don’t do manufacturing any more in this country’.

Milenco They are the biggest manufacturer of towing mirrors in the world and doing pretty well with wheel clamps, hitchlocks and similar products.

However, like Dyson with their vacuum cleaners, Milenco have the unskilled labour work done in the Far East, while the highly skilled and profitable work of design, development and marketing is done in Great Britain.

has held its own against cheap foreign imports by focusing on build quality, ease of fitment, choice and stock levels. The wise towbar buyer knows that price isn’t the be all and end all.

With a brilliant development team and extensive durability and fatigue testing, Witter towbars are Great British products you know you can trust.

Entiva We Brits may not be known for our high-tech gadgetry, but Entiva are about to change that. This ingenious device gives access to internet, email, digital TV, movies, Skype and a whole host of other soon-to-be essential applications in one neat box.

The beauty is that the Entiva system is a doddle to use via a single remote control. Master the digital world in one fell swoop.

Bradcot Awnings The Bradford Cover and Twine Company made its first awning in 1963 for haulage

Witter Witter is a family company that has been making high-quality towbars for more than 60 years. The company

CARS: HONDA CIVIC AND LAND ROVER Professor David Bellamy said in a speech: “Given the best corn field in the world and the worse camp site, the camp site is still the more environmentally friendly.” You can bet that that got us the green vote. If it hadn’t, Sir David’s site Award Scheme certainly would. So far I’ve given five lectures to Continental site owners about how the scheme works. Those of you who caravan abroad regularly will have seen how their sites are rapidly greening by encouraging wild flower areas, creating water features for wild animals and building new site buildings out of native woods rather than concrete. Camping Serigan Plage is even harvesting drinking water from underground whilst using the sandy soil to purify waste water and pass it back to the natural underground reservoirs. Just as the Romans did in Britain all those years ago.

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The cynics will tell you that we don’t have a car industry left in this country.

Well, Honda has just taken on 500 more workers in Swindon to produce the Civic. Strange coincidence that the Civic has just finished runner-up in its class in Holland’s version of Tow Car of the Year competition and Toyota’s Avensis – another British made car – won its class.

However if you want convincing that Great Britain still makes great cars take a look at Jaguar Land Rover. If you are lucky to get an invitation to Land Rover’s test track what you will see is almost as many trailers and caravans as there are cars being tested. The ability to tow safely is

a core ability. My mate Fred Voorbergen, recently-retired editor of Holland’s largest caravan magazine, used to beg me to get a Land Rover test car when I went to visit. Land Rover don’t sell many cars in Holland but that didn’t stop Holland’s most influential caravan journalist lusting after one.

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University of Bath

contractor. Since then its Britishmade, high-quality awnings have sold in their thousands and remained popular to this day thanks to innovations such as glass-fibre frames (1987) and its EasySystem frame in 1999.

About 20 years ago I received a press release about some work the University of Bath’s School of Mechanical Engineering had done on caravan suspension. Two decades later, Bath Uni is still at the forefront of caravanning technology.

Trying to summarise Bath’s work would be impossible, but you can see which way they are going. All human knowledge about caravans is part of a computer programme and for every given set of circumstances the computer can calculate what will happen. Just as 20 years ago when Bath came up with some new research manufacturers around the World take notice.

AND FINALLY… CARAVAN MAGAZINE There has always been more going on beneath the surface than you see on the written page. Pre the Second World War there were few caravans and therefore the newly formed Caravan Club struggled to survive. Caravan stepped in and provided finance and office space.

At the outbreak of War it was Caravan who formed the committee which decided how the caravan industry could help the War effort. The result was touring caravans used as military command centres, mobile dentists, opticians and even libraries.

Immediately post war there were no raw materials to make caravans, and no cars to tow them.

Caravan came up with the idea of large tourers being used as accommodation for those re-building Britain’s housing and incidentally created the idea of park homes and static holiday caravans.

1939

1977

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2012

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NEWGEAR PRODUCT REVIEWS

PLUS

CARAVAN LOTTERY

WIN! WIN! WIN!

There are loads of great prizes in the Caravan Lottery, in every issue.

Enter now, or check below to see if you’re a winner from the last issue.

➊ Fill out the entry form overleaf and post it to us at: Caravan Lottery, The Maltings, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH, or you can email us your details to: caravan@warnersgroup.co.uk ➋ Check the magazine, website or Caravan magazine e-newsletter each month for a complete list of winners. ➌ If your name appears, call us on 01778 392450 or email johns@warnersgroup.co.uk to claim your prize. ➍ It’s easy to claim, just make sure you get in touch before the next issue is on sale. Simple!

ARE YOU A WINNER?

heck out next month’s magazine, the website each month or subscribe to the caravan magazine monthly e-newsletter to see if you’re a winner!

Click on outandaboutlive.co.uk YOU HAVE TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE BY 20 JUNE. CALL US ON

Last month’s winners

01778 392450

iGo Green battery charger Keith T Pitt, 72 Granger Ave Numi Tea and Conscious Food snacks Mrs J Cartwright, 4 Brookside Craghopper jacket David Theaker, 260 Innsworth Lane Snackstand Mrs Legbefore, 15 Oakden Rd iPod 4 cover Carole Austin, 3 Huntshaw Place; Bob Benson, 12 Maple Grove Emporia RL1 phone Mrs Sheila Higgins, 15 Pike Purse Lane Waze goodies x 10 Alex Grant, 12 Drovers Lane; Anthony Boyle, 12 Holly Rd; John Wetherell, 80 Lambourne Drive; Barry Kelly, 47 Sandfield Rd; Mike Nicks, 45 Langfield Cres; James Terry, Oaklands; Mrs P Hyke, 6 Windfields Lane; JP Brandon-Hicks, 4 Coshley Rd; B Kennett, 14 Church Lane; Terry Firth, 18 Knot Rd. 14 Free sample 2012

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Steamy scenes

‘Guru of clean’, Oreck, has developed the Steam-Glide Mop, a portable and easy-to-use appliance that delivers a really deep clean, quickly and conveniently. Steam Glide is ideal for pre and post-season caravan cleaning, and after any big trip. It kills all kinds of bacteria with its steam jet, and leaves bathrooms and kitchens gleaming. Using only water (no detergents necessary), Steam Glide is ready for business 30 seconds after you flick the switch. A tank of water gives you 15 minutes of effective cleaning – no mess, no fuss. The lightweight design makes Steam Glide easy to use; the triangular head gets into nooks and crannies and it comes with two reusable micro-fibre pads.

ONE TO WI N

Price £79.95 W oreck.co.uk T 0800 684684

Patriot flames

As the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee is upon us, show your patriotism by grilling your sausages and burgers on this Union Jack emblazoned disposable barbecue. Her Majesty will definitely appreciate it.

Price £7 W barbequick.com T 01282 478200

ONEIN TO W

TWOIN TO W

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Our favourite accessories for June

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Chef de camping

ONE TO WI N

Campingaz has developed the Camping Chef Vario Grill two-burner stove for all outdoor enthusiasts.

This neat, portable unit is ideal for the caravanner who likes to cook en plein air, and with its versatile rings and grill configuration, it’s capable of turning out a great family breakfast or dinner.

Camping Chef is easy to clean, set-up and pack-away and runs for ages on a single Campingaz cylinder.

Additional legs allow the cooker to be raised to full height if table-space is at a premium.

Price £79.99 W campingaz.com

Compact daysack

Perfect for the passionate walker, this ultralightweight daypack from Lifeventure can transport 16 litres of outdoor essentials (weighing up to 30kg), yet it weighs just 152g and will easily fit into a towcar glovebox when folded into itself. It’s made from strong, wear-resistant siliconised Cordura fabric and features soft, padded shoulder straps. Reckon on it being shower-resistant, but we’d recommend a poly-bag liner in case of heavier downpours.

ONE TO WI N

In the dog house

Houndhouse makes the coolest portable homes for your mutt. Crafted from super heavy-duty, waterproof and breathable canvas and with an anodised-steel frame, HoundHouse raises your dog off the ground for added comfort, warmth and dryness. An integral padded-canvas ‘mattress’ increases the cosiness and sits on a polyester fibre mesh base for excellent ventilation. The fabric can be hosed clean and the HoundHouse is available in four sizes. Safe to say, both Dolly the dog and Ophelia the daughter loved HoundHouse when it arrived, and now the hound would happily spend all day in there! Aussie toughness and quality guaranteed.

Make your dog the Kingpin on site!

Price Small £136.80 to XL £222 (p&p included) W houndhouse.co.uk

Price £19.99 W lifeventure.co.uk

Thule bike carrier

Price Two cycles £290 Three cycles £362 W thule.com

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TWO TO WI N

Thule is a by-word for quality and considered design! Its beautifully-crafted EuroWay G2 923 three-cycle carrier makes the point perfectly, fitting to a standard towbar and coming as it does with five-year warranty, amazing build quality and a pleasing degree of brand pride for all owners!

EuroWay two and three-cycle carriers, attach quickly to the car, and the bikes in turn clip swiftly and securely into the carriers. Made from extruded aluminium and high-quality plastics, EuroWays are lightweight, easy to fit and store and feature a space for a number plate. The rear lights are powered by a seven-pin socket. Cleverly, the carrier tilts downwards to allow boot and hatch access, is fully-lockable and prevents both car and bikes from getting scratched.

By the way, it’s pronounced Too-lay.

Sunnyside up

We all love a bit of tannage, but wise caravanners protect themselves against nasty melanomas with a high-quality sunscreen. Lifesystems Expedition Sun Formula offers just such Five-Star UVA protection in two forms: factor 25 and factor 40 – making it perfect for the sun worshipper and those who burn more easily. The active formula is water and sweat resistant, so won’t wash off or rub off quickly. It is also designed to repel jellyfish by combining four elements that the squishy, translucent little buggers don’t like one bit!

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Price Active 25 £13.50, Active 40 £15.99 W lifesystems.co.uk

Free sample 2012

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NOSTALGIA SPECIAL 1 9 4 9 - 2 0 1 2 63 years of Sprite

Sprites in the 1960s and 1970s were so popular that you could find one in almost every street

1949-2012 S

1949-2012

, flation , high in , with ld well o m s ri s g te re ri 70s we risis, yet Sp model 9 -1 id c The m nd the oil family a Alpine strikes lly this 1973 ia c espe

Endurance testing of Sprites was ongoing from the 1950s through to the early 1980s

It’s 1971 and racing driver Jackie Stewart steps into his Sprite 400 at the race track!

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

• • • • •

12 0 2 9 4 19

• 1948 – British Railways formed. The Olympics were hosted in London • 1956 – Double yellow lines and Premium Bonds were introduced • 1968 – Japanese and European car imports were rising and worrying UK government. Dads’ Army sitcom begins on BBC TV • 1972 – Unemployment rises to 1,000,000 and the pocket calculator is invented (to keep count?)

• 1982 – Channel 4 launches in the UK The Falklands war begins (and ends) • 1996 – Boy band Take That announce they are splitting up. 1000 passengers trapped in Euro Tunnel when two trains break down • 2005 – Chip and Pin is introduced to cut down credit-card fraud. Tony Blair prepares to do battle in general election • 2010 – Andy Jenkinson writes The Story of Sprite Caravans.

Published by Veloce at £14.99, visit amazon.com

19 4 9 - 2

odel family m popular a te s ri a u w vo rs’ fa m 1956 van buye te 14 fro This Spri g Sprite as a cara in h lis estab

The 1966 Sprite 400 was given a coat of paint sealant to seal in the shine

By the 1980s, lightweight models such as this Sprite Finesse could be hitched to the new Mini Metro, as they were so light and easy to tow

A gallon of petrol in 1966 £0.25p Average car price in 1956 £495 Average weekly wage in 1970 £30 Average house price in 1982 £22,950 Average caravan in 2012 £14,000

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In 1973, Sprite launches Club Pack. For an extra £50 you get: Gas locker, drawbar fairing, carpet, water pump, stainless steel sink and 12-volt strip lamps!

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In the Sprite decades

Streamlite Rover from 1948-49 - it was heavy and cost £600, in a Britain that was cash-strapped after the war

Sprite was the caravan of choice for the annual road-rallying event - here in 1973

 What things cost:

am Alper launched his caravan career back in 1947, joining his brother’s Streamlite tourer manufacturing business.

By the mid 1950s, Sam had changed the name to Sprite, with caravans designed to be affordable for the very hard-up British public.

As caravanning really took off at the end of the 1950s, Witter Engineering was making towbars for the popular cars to tow the Sprite Alpine, Muskateer and Major.

Car and home ownership were booming by the mid-1960s but it couldn’t last, and, by the early 1970s, a recession was gripping the UK. In the early-1980s, the financial pressure became too much and Sprite went bust (along with much of the country!). However, its sad demise was short-lived and in 1983, Sprite rose phoenix-like from the ashes, eventually being purchased by Swift Group in 1994, with the production facility moving to Hull.

Sprite was further developed for exports, but in 1988 it disappeared from the UK market once again. But, as they (probably) say: ‘you can’t keep a good van down’, so that by 2005 the Sprite name was back on the market and continues to be enhanced and developed to this day.

Sprite-Lite carries on the original concept of Sprite’s lightweight and entry-level price tag

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