I would like to pass on to others some information about the great cooking pan which my wife has discovered. It is called a Remoska and was invented just before WW I in Czechoslovakia. It is a pan which sits on a skillet with an electric element in the lid. “Whatever an oven can do – a Remoska can do better,” says the instructions, and having used it this holiday, we can attest that it does. We have roasted chicken, lamb and potatoes, and even baked scones in it.
The accompanying recipe book is full of wonderful dishes. It works from the mains and only consumes 500W. We bought it from Lakeland Limited in Windmere (tel 015394 88100); or there's the Kendal distribution centre (tel 015394 88200), which does mail order.
Graham Swainbank
Keswick, Cumbria

A strip of foam pipe lagging added to the two back porch awning poles will make it nice and tight against the van side. Also, a strip of foam fixed to the bottom of your blinds will stop the sun shining into your eyes in the morning.
J Pryor
Northampton

I recently got soaking wet when filling our Aquaroll in the rain, because I couldn't find our umbrella anywhere. This is always happening to me, so this time I had an idea.
First I invested in a canvas shoe tidy from John Lewis, priced £17.99. Rummaging through my camping spares box, I found three S-shaped hooks and a spare pack of three Isabella rafter-pole clamps.
These were quickly clamped on the inner-awning beading in the appropriate place, the hooks inserted into the pole slots and the shoe tidy hung on the hooks. The tidy was then filled with umbrellas, shoes, sandals, maps, etc, giving order to stuff stored in the awning.
Diana and Gil Smith,
Cleethorpes N E Lincolnshire

We are retired caravanners, with two elderly dogs, we spend a lot of time on the road, and enjoy visiting sites new to us, but were always a trifle anxious on such occasions. Would we find the site easily? Would they be easy to access? What hazards might we meet on the way?
This year, though, by using Multimap and the AA internet site, these anxieties have been resolved, as we plan what we hope will be a trouble-free West Country tour.
By using Multimap (www.multimap.com) we enter the postcode of the caravan site and can view the Ordnance Survey map of the area. This informs us of the approaches to the site, any footpaths and other features. This can be confirmed by viewing an aerial photo, also on Multimap.
Once we have chosen a suitable site, we use the AA route planner (www.theaa.com) to establish the best route from home to site.
Agnes Ridge
Tunbridge Wells

We place closed-cell foam mats between the mattress and sleeping bags to avoid condensation affecting the upholstery. After all, it's so much easier to air the sleeping bag, rather than the mattress.
Malcolm Lamont
Stoneywood, Aberdeen

If you don't have too many clothes to hang in the wardrobe, and they won't affect the weight in the caravan when towing, hang them up before you leave for your holiday. That way they won't get creased in transit, and you won't have to spend time unpacking them on arrival.
Steven Douglass
Blyth, Northumberland

When putting a new number plate onto your new van, when you change your car, for instance, instead of drilling holes for all the screws, why not just use double-sided trim tape?
Michael Grange
Via email

Here is a tip to stop any would-be thief from making off with your caravan: it is permanent, costs nothing, can be used in conjunction with any other anti-thief device, and can be achieved by anyone with basic wiring knowledge.
Firstly, swap the No 3 wire (the earth) on your seven-pin plug for No 6 (brake light) on your car plug, then swap the No 3 and No 6 wires on your caravan seven-pin plug (in fact, this can be done with any of the wires: for example, the No 3 earth can be swapped with Nos 5, 4, 2, 6 or 7). Your car and caravan are still suitable for towing and will function OK, but if your caravan is hitched up to another vehicle, upon plugging in the caravan to the strange car the fuses will immediately blow on their vehicle, knocking out the vehicle and its lights, and thereby rendering it useless. This is tried and tested – it does work. (But remember, if you want your van to be towed by another vehicle, a recovery vehicle, say, you'll blow their fuses, too.)
D Farrington
Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs

I have threaded my mains hook-up cable through two metres of one inch-diameter reinforced fresh-water hose. The cable can then be slid inside this to protect it where it crosses the road.
David Miller
Hale, Cheshire

Recently, the non-slip covering on my caravan mover roller became damaged and ineffective. I removed the roller, cleaned off the remaining covering, cut some coarse wet-and-dry paper to size, and stuck it on with Araldite. The wet does not seem to affect it, and it works perfectly.
Bob Daw
Via email