Nigel Hutson

Nigel is a freelance journalist who is a lifelong caravanner and writes on all aspects of his hobby including travel, caravan reviews and technical articles. Together with his wife Kay, they caravan both here in the UK and on the Continent. Nigel became involved with Practical Caravan several years before retiring from the Police after serving for 30 years, mainly on Traffic and Forensic Collision Investigation. To date, Nigel has been an ever-present driving judge at the annual Tow Car Awards and also took part in Bailey Caravans Arctic Adventure. He has a passion for organ music too.

Articles From This Author

The panoramic views from Sutton Bank are spectacular

North East England

Getaway to the Yorkshire Moors and Dales Travel Guide

Beautiful landscapes and historic houses are the backdrop to a leisurely summer break in Yorkshire for Nigel Hutson's family

View alongside a standard-width Swift Challenger caravan

Accessories

Milenco Grand Aero Platinum towing mirrors 2021

Specialist mirrors are essential for safe towing, says Nigel Hutson, and, here, he reviews a new product launch from Milenco

Published: August 27, 2021

General Advice

Pre-tour checks for caravans

By NigelHutson
Published: May 31, 2021 ⋅ Updated: June 1, 2021

Advice

How to fit a BCA wireless charger

By NigelHutson
Published: March 18, 2021 ⋅ Updated: May 22, 2021

General Advice

How to fit an interior mount to carry your spare wheel

By NigelHutson
Published: May 19, 2020 ⋅ Updated: December 11, 2020

What could be more important than the security of your car and van? Follow some simple tips to safeguard your touring future

General Advice

How to keep your car and van secure

By NigelHutson
Published: May 1, 2019

Practical advice to upgrade your caravan with an external TV antenna socket

Fixtures & Fittings

How to fit an external TV antenna socket

By NigelHutson
Published: April 4, 2019

Nigel Hutson's Alde Smart Control panel (with correct time and date set)

Fixtures & Fittings

Add battery back-up to Alde’s control panel

By NigelHutson
Published: March 26, 2019

Read our guide packed with the essential basics, to help you get started in the wonderful world of caravanning

General Advice

A beginner’s guide to caravanning

By NigelHutson
Published: March 12, 2018

This is not a DIY project, you need to take your caravan to see the experts!

General Advice

Spotlight: Al-Ko AAA Premium Brake upgrade

By NigelHutson
Published: February 9, 2018

Here we show you how to regrit your caravan motor mover's rollers

General Advice

How to regrit a caravan motor mover’s rollers

By NigelHutson
Published: January 4, 2018

It's essential that your caravan's breakaway cable works – here's how to replace it if you need to

General Advice

How to replace a damaged breakaway cable

By NigelHutson
Published: November 9, 2017

Electrics

How to upgrade from 7-pin to 13-pin electrics

By NigelHutson
Published: August 17, 2017

The new-for-2017 Missouri has clean, modern styling and is noticeably wider than rivals – its bodywork should also be resistant to dents

Caravans

Adria Alpina 613UC Missouri 2017

4-berth

1900 kg MTPLM

£27,640

New for 2017, the upmarket, UK-focused Adria Alpina 613UC Missouri promises luxury touring and sharp styling, at a price – let's see if it...

Published: August 11, 2017

LED awning lights are brighter and more energy-efficient than their halogen equivalents – here's how to fit them

Electrics

How to upgrade to LED awning lights

By NigelHutson
Published: July 27, 2017

Follow our step-by-step guide to checking, changing and cleaning your caravan's stabiliser pads

General Advice

How to change/clean Al-Ko AKS 3004 stabiliser pads

By NigelHutson
Published: June 28, 2017

The new acrylic windows are often better quality than the factory-fresh original – read on!

General Advice

Do you have broken caravan windows?

By NigelHutson
Published: June 20, 2017

These Sprite, Bailey, Compass and Swift caravans are all vying for your attention in the central washroom market

Used Caravan Buying

Best new centre-washroom caravans under £23k

By NigelHutson
Published: June 5, 2017

We fitted MAD Auxiliary Springs to this 2016 Ford Mondeo – see how it's done!

Tow Cars

How to boost your tow car’s rear suspension

By NigelHutson
Published: May 15, 2017

Looking at new two-berth caravans for sale? These three each come in at under £15,000 – which takes your fancy?

Used Caravan Buying

Best new caravans for couples under £15k

By NigelHutson
Published: May 2, 2017

This Al-Ko Kober AAA Premium Brake system is self-adjusting

General Advice

Spotlight: Al-Ko Kober AAA Premium Brake

By NigelHutson
Published: April 11, 2017

Nigel Hutson shows us how to replace the TV antenna in an elderly caravan with a curved roof

Electrics

How to upgrade to a digital TV antenna

By NigelHutson
Published: March 15, 2017

Want to keep fully charged? Here's how to add a USB port to your caravan

Electrics

How to fit a USB socket in your caravan

By NigelHutson
Published: January 25, 2017

The twin-axle Coachman Vision 630 is new for 2017 and has an MTPLM of 1669kg

Caravans

Coachman Vision 630 2017

5-berth

1669 kg MTPLM

£20,455

Flexible for families and with a usefully large end washroom, if you need more space on your caravan holidays, don't miss our Coachman Vision...

Published: January 9, 2017

We put these Milenco Grand Aero 3 towing mirrors through their paces at our 2016 Tow Car Awards testing

Accessories

Milenco Grand Aero 3 2016

£64.00

Check out the new-for-2016 Milenco Grand Aero 3 towing mirrors, as Nigel Hutson tests an updated version of these essential caravan accessories

Published: November 1, 2016

With so many caravan manufacturers and dealers under one roof, a show can be a great place to buy your next tourer

General Advice

How to buy a caravan at a show

By NigelHutson
Published: September 20, 2016

Follow our expert's step-by-step guide and reduce your dependency on electric hook-ups

Fixtures & Fittings

How to fit solar panels to your caravan

By NigelHutson
Published: September 16, 2016

If you need a compact tourer for two, read our 2016 Adria Adora 432DT Loire review

Caravans

Adria Adora 432DT Loire 2016

2-berth

1300 kg MTPLM

£15,995

Don't miss our verdict on the end-washroom two-berth Adria Adora 432DT Loire, a caravan with Continental style and a well equipped English kitchen

Published: June 27, 2016

The 2016 Lunar Clubman ES is a four-berth with an MTPLM of 1440kg

Caravans

Lunar Clubman ES 2016

4-berth

1440 kg MTPLM

£22,499

Spacious, smart and featuring a layout popular with couples and families, read our Lunar Clubman ES review to discover why you shouldn't discount this...

Published: June 21, 2016

The VIP 565 has an MTPLM of 1630kg and a shipping length of 7.4m

Caravans

Coachman VIP 565 2016

4-berth

1630 kg MTPLM

£24,325

Read our 2016 Coachman VIP 565 review to see if this upmarket four-berth with fixed twin singles and an end washroom could be the...

Published: June 6, 2016

The 2016 Lunar Clubman SE costs £22,899 (plus the normal delivery charges)

Caravans

Lunar Clubman SE 2016

4-berth

1450 kg MTPLM

£22,899

Light, bright and airy, the 2016 Lunar Clubman SE is a touch of class – Nigel Hutson assesses this tourer for discerning couples who...

Published: May 25, 2016

The Hutsons got their three-year-old Isabella awning altered to fit their new caravan

Awnings & Accessories

How to alter and repair awnings

By NigelHutson
Published: April 22, 2016

The family-friendly, single-axle Xplore 586 has a 1350kg MTPLM and rides on an Al-Ko chassis

Caravans

Xplore 586 2016

6-berth

1350 kg MTPLM

£15,894

The impressive Xplore 586 is the wallet-friendly family caravan that feels anything but – find out how this six-berth fares in the Practical Caravan...

Published: April 12, 2016