General Advice
3D road illusion used to slow down traffic
There isn’t any single solution to make drivers stick to speed limits and it’s a particular problem in suburban areas, where road humps and...
Advice
General Advice
Dell announces hybrid netbook / tablet PC
If you’re on the lookout for a new portable computer and can’t decide between a slender touch-screen gadget like the iPad and a more...
General Advice
Burglary ring targeted empty homes found on Facebook
We warned about the perils of sharing too much Facebook information with people you don’t know well just a few weeks ago. If you...
Habitation Matters
Caravan burglary on the rise
At the Lawns Show, I was talking to the National Caravan Council (NCC) and was told the number of caravans being stolen had dropped...
General Advice
Update your TomTom Car Kit for iPhone 4 – for free
If you stumped up £99.99 for the TomTom iPhone Car Kit earlier this year and are more than a little irked that it won’t...
General Advice
New Sony ebook readers available later this month
Amazon launched its latest ebook reader, the Kindle 3, just a couple of weeks ago and now Sony has announced updates for its models....
General Advice
Ditch the guidebook — get augmented reality instead
Computerised heads-up displays that tell someone (usually a murderous robot) more about what they’re looking at are a staple of science fiction films, but...
General Advice
Bufalino – probably the smallest motorhome in the world
Last week’s piece on the Cricket Trailer showed one way to condense mobile accommodation into a very small space, but the Bufalino takes the...
General Advice
Don’t miss Winnebago Man — BBC4 tonight at 10pm
There can’t be many must-see documentaries about a motorhome salesman, but Winnebago Man, showing on BBC4 tonight, is certainly one.
General Advice
The Solwise Rocket puts an end to campsite Wi-Fi woes
Wireless internet access is now available at 60 Caravan Club sites, and Wi-Fi is fast becoming a standard feature at other campsites, too. So,...
Towing
Mirror images
You probably don’t give much thought to your towing mirrors beyond putting them on at the start of a trip and taking them off...
General Advice
Need to find a campsite in Kurdistan? There’s an app for that
Another day, another iPhone app aimed at the camping crowd. This one is called Go Camping: Worldwide and, according to the blurb, it’s “the...
Towing
Top reversing tips
No matter how carefully you plan, there will come a time when you need to reverse with your caravan in tow. We’ve put together...
General Advice
A pop-up caravan? Now that’s Cricket
It may look like something that James May might cobble together for a Top Gear challenge (or at least the cover star of our...
General Advice
Facebook’s new ‘Places’ feature means it’s time to review your privacy settings
Facebook rolled out a new ‘Places’ feature this week that lets US users of the iPhone Facebook app and mobile web site to tag...
General Advice
Take a library on tour with new cut-price Amazon Kindle
If packing a pile of paperbacks in the back of the van is your idea entertainment for rainy days away, then the latest version...
General Advice
Find dog-friendly campsites with your iPhone
Caravanning can save a bit of holiday money if you take the family dog with you rather than pay for full board at the...
Towing
Getting hitched
Before you can hitch up your outfit, the rear of the car needs to be as close to the caravan’s nose as possible. Then...
Fixtures & Fittings
Workshop: Fitting a Winterhoff stabiliser
I can’t say that I’ve ever been an enthusiast of hitch/stabilisers although I have towed with them on many occasions over the years and...
Habitation Matters
Preparation is the key to relaxation
Brenda and I have just returned from a press familiarisation trip to the Republic of Ireland and Ulster. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip but...
Habitation Matters
Is your mover damaging your tyres?
Lately, I’ve been hearing stories about movers damaging the tyres on caravans. So far however, they’ve been anecdotal with the information is coming via...
Habitation Matters
Don’t cook your caravan brakes!
It’s surprising how many times we hear about caravan brakes being burnt out. Just recently we’ve come across two within a matter of days...
Towing
A toolkit to take on tour
Instead of being stranded at the roadside or on site, be more self-sufficient – build a simple toolkit. Here are a few items to...
Towing
Knowing your consumer rights
If you have bought a motorhome, a caravan, or an accessory and feel that you have been ‘had’, the law can protect you. Here...
Towing
Tips for basic maintenance
There’s no downside to regular maintenance of your car, caravan or motorhome. It’ll keep you safe and lower your running costs. These are the...
Towing
Loading your caravan safely
The best thing you can do to ensure a safe trip is to load your caravan properly. Using just a little common sense will...
General Advice
Cool your van with the Dyson Tower fan
OK, so we can’t seriously entertain paying £300 for a floor-standing fan when models cost £14.99 from Currys, but we have to admit...
General Advice
Use an iPad as a big-screen sat-nav with CoPilot Live HD
If you’re still struggling to justify splashing out on an Apple iPad, how does using one as the biggest-ever sat-nav device sound? ALK...
General Advice
How to get the best Freeview reception in your van
As you’re probably aware, the UK is in the midst of a switchover from analogue to digital TV — the process started in...
Towing
Caravan loading basics
The secrets of safe loadingKeep heavy items low The heaviest items, such as your awning, mains electrics cable, outdoor chairs, tables and similar items,...
Towing
Digital TV on Tour
Depending on your point of view, having TV on tap may seem essential or unneccesary. If you want to watch TV though, the analogue...
Habitation Matters
Is rallying past its sell-by date?
As usual we went away for Easter, and as usual, the weather was pretty dreadful! We joined a Caravan Club rally at Bourton on...
Habitation Matters
The trouble with imported caravans
I just met a caravanner who had had an accident whilst towing his Adria. One of his biggest concerns was to get the caravan...
Habitation Matters
My season bursts into life!
It’s been one of the busiest caravanning months ever for Brenda and me. It started with the readers’ rally at Stowford Farm. What a...