Autumn is a glorious time of year and this is reflected in our stunning new October magazine. Many of us like to get away for a break or two during this quiet time of year, so if you’re looking for a new destination, don’t miss this month’s travel stories.  

We explore the wonders of the West Country, with David Gallant’s great escape to Devonshire’s South Hams. He’s in a nostalgic mood as he revisits an area he remembers from childhood caravan holidays in Devon, points out some of Agatha Christie’s favourite haunts and tucks into fresh fish and chips.

John and Trish Deely take their granddaughter with them for a weekend away in the Derbyshire Peak District and recommend the delights of Bakewell’s Pudding Shop, amazing ‘finds’ in the museum and a great campsite. 

Sights and sightseeing in Dorset offers 10 great places to visit and campsites ideal for your caravan holidays on the Jurassic Coast and inland. Using our guide it’s easy to get away, far from the madding crowd, inspired by Thomas Hardy’s novels, set in the Dorset countryside. Visit the great novelist’s cottage, enjoy castles, books and blues festivals and more amid the rolling Dorset hills. 

One person who got away from it all more than most is Jonathan Tindale, who headed to New Zealand and ended up staying in a caravan on a remote mountainside. Enjoy the story as he explains how he became a caravan castaway.

A gallery of your best holiday pictures

You may remember we invited readers to send in their caravan holiday photographs for our ‘Pitchside Panoramas’ competition recently. In this issue we have a gallery of some of the best pictures submitted – and we announce the winners! Congratulations to all who sent photos in, they really do capture the best of caravan holidays and we loved seeing them all.

Competitions and our NEC show ticket offer

In Stacie’s super savers this month there’s a chance to win tickets to a fantastic food fair, the Autumn Food and Country Fair in Peterborough. And we have five Ring Automotive RCB75 maintenance battery chargers up for grabs, too. In our special offer this month, you can save money on advance tickets for Birmingham’s NEC Motorhome & Caravan Show 2015 in October, using our exclusive discount code ‘PCV2’ for readers of Practical Caravan – full details are on page 14 of the October issue. 

Motorhome & Caravan Show 2015 – preview

Don’t miss our special NEC show preview, only in the new October issue! Every large caravan manufacturer has surprises to unveil at the NEC this October and we’ve reviewed a host of brand new caravans from Buccaneer, Bailey, Lunar, Coachman and Swift in this issue. Read all about these new 2016 caravans now, then head to the show for a closer look.

In our latest issue we review the 2016 Buccaneer Clipper – a new caravan with a surprising transverse-twin-island-beds layout from the Explorer Group. We also bring you our 2016 Bailey Pegasus Brindisl review, Lunar Lexon 570 review and our live-in test of the Swift Lifestyle 4.

This month’s awning review shines the spotlight on an Outdoor Revolution Compact AirLite 340 and asks if this could be the next stage in inflatable awnings?

We’ve tested collapsible cookware this month as well – check out our kitchenware reviews online, and more in the October issue, to see if silicone buckets, bowls, cups and kettles could revolutionise your caravan kitchen. 

Tow car tests in our October issue

This month’s tow car tests feature the Ford Mondeo and the Suzuki SX4. We also take first drives of Skoda‘s upgraded Superb Estate and Mitsubishi’s L200.

In our used tow car article we review the Peugeot 4007 – a seven-seater based on the Mitsubishi Outlander, but with a Peugeot engine.

Get the knowledge

Check out the caravan advice articles in our Caravan Genius section in every issue and you’ll soon be one of the best-informed caravanners you know. This month John Wickersham looks at upholstery and explains how to get your caravan seating revamped.

Secondhand shootout compares two fixed-twin-bed caravans – it’s a popular layout and now you can pick up a real bargain, with guidance from our expert. Used van buyer gives Andy Jenkinson’s guide to selecting a pre-owned 2012 Elddis Odyssey – pointing out what to look for and giving tips on what to pay. 

Finally, don’t miss our updated buyer’s guide to all the new caravans on the market in the UK today. Armed with all this knowledge, you can head to the NEC show, or browse our classified section to hunt for used caravans for sale in absolute confidence.

We hope you enjoy the October issue of Practical Caravan – it’s in the shops from today!