Caravans & Dealers
2012 Caravans: Elddis Avante
AFTER A SIGNIFICANT makeover last season, it’s little surprise that Avante got a relatively mild makeover for 2012. Outside, the smart white...
News
Caravans & Dealers
2012 Caravans: Elddis Odyssey
COMPARED TO THE rest of the Elddis line-up, it was a quiet year for Odyssey. The range now sits at four models, ...
Caravans & Dealers
2012 Caravans: Elddis Xplore
OVER THE LAST two years, the Xplore range has grown into a clever range that outpoints the aging Sprite line-up and offers a more...
Travel
Given the Freedom to head North – Day 4
WE WOKE ON day four to the sound of rain drumming down on the roof of the Freedom. In truth, we'd been very lucky...
Travel
Given the Freedom to head north – Day 3
Pulling back the Freedom's curtains on Wednesday morning revealed views of the loch even more breath-taking than before. This was thanks to a cloudless...
Travel
Given the Freedom to head north – Day 2
THE MORNING OF day two was dedicated to finding the nearest supermarket. The site shop is pretty well stocked, but we were advised that...
Caravans & Dealers
2012 Caravans: Elddis Crusader
OVER RECENT SEASONS, the Crusader range has slipped back in the desirability stakes compared to rivals but the comprehensive 2012 update has gone...
Travel
Given the Freedom to head north – Day 1
WE WERE KEEN to get moving on Monday morning, despite only having to tow half of the 479 miles to Loch Lomond. Due to...
Caravans & Dealers
2012 Caravans: Sterling Elite & Swift Conqueror
BOTH TOP-END Swift Group ranges benefit from minor improvements to their luxury specification for next season. Al-Ko ATC becomes standard-fit, there’s facelifted Al-Ko hitch...
Caravans & Dealers
2012 Caravans: Sterling Eccles & Swift Challenger
THERE ARE NO big changes in either range for 2012 – just tweaks to standard specification and design. The highlights are Al-Ko ATC, updated...
Caravans & Dealers
2012 Caravans: Sterling Eccles Sport & Swift Challenger Sport
SWIFT GROUP builds on the momentum from last year’s show-stealing upgrades with more bold improvements. The biggest changes are in the entry level, where...
Tow Cars
Britain’s most reliable cars revealed
Want a towcar you can rely on? Then you need a Japanese or Korean car, according to What Car?'s annual reliability survey. Honda tops the...
Tow Cars
Volvo updates its model range for 2012
Yes, it's still July. There's five months and a few days of 2011 left. This hasn't stopped Volvo launching its 2012 model range. The headline...
Travel
Given the Freedom to head north
As a writer on Practical Caravan, I'm lucky enough to have over 40 years of monthly issues to leaf through should I need help...
Caravans & Dealers
Digital edition of Practical Caravan is out now!
THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE of Practical Caravan magazine is in the shops now, but if the rain is putting you off a wander to WHSmith,...
Tow Cars
New Audi A6 Avant: light fantastic?
Car manufacturers are very proud when they save weight from their new models. All other factors being equal, a lighter car will deliver better...
Travel
Kids love caravans – Official!
RESEARCH BY THE Camping and Caravanning Club reveals that camping doesn’t just benefit adults The touring season is here and it's time for family togetherness,...
Caravans & Dealers
Caravan theft from service areas soars
THE NUMBER OF caravans being stolen from petrol and service stations rose steeply in 2010 according insurance specialists Caravan Guard. The insurer reports that...
Caravans & Dealers
Classic Comanche turns up in Carnforth
FEW READERS WILL have heard of Comanche tourers and fewer still will have owned one. But now you have the chance to buy a...
In The Magazine
Update: 2011 VW Tiguan 2.0 TDI Match
THERE ARE ONLY a couple more weeks of Tiguan loan left, but before the keys are handed back we've got some final projects for...
Travel
July issue competition winners announced
WE'RE PLEASED TO announce the winners of the two competitions that ran in the July issue of Practical Caravan. Five readers each win a copy...
Shows & Events
Manchester Show to double in size
MANCHESTER'S CARAVAN & MOTORHOME Show is moving to a bigger venue following the success of the 2011 event. The change follows a 25% increase...
In The Magazine
Croatia on a shoestring – In numbers
7Number of countries visited. We started in France, before visiting Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia.
Caravans & Dealers
Airstream gets a facelift
AIRSTREAM HAS WHIPPED the covers off the stunning new version of its flagship model – the International 684. The Series 2 builds on the...
In The Magazine
Croatia on a shoestring – Final day
IN THE (VERY) cold light of the Belgian day, L'Hirondelle looked far less bleak than it had the night before, but with a ferry...
Tow Cars
Britain’s best towcar announced
VOLKSWAGEN'S PASSAT ESTATE 2.0 TDI 170 Bluemotion Sport has been named the overall winner in the Towcar Awards 2011.
In The Magazine
Croatia on a shoestring – Day 15
THE WEATHER WAS filthy by the time we hit the road, so we decided to use the A3 motorway as there was little joy...
Caravans & Dealers
Buyers beware as stolen caravans flood the UK
POLICE ARE WARNING caravan buyers looking at imported tourers to be vigilant due to a surge in stolen vans flooding the UK. The warning comes...
In The Magazine
Croatia on a shoestring – Day 14
STANDING UNDER A sheet of canvas, threading poles into support pads while not denting the side of the caravan is always a good way...
In The Magazine
Croatia on a shoestring – Day 13
MOTORWAYS ARE NOT the way to see a country. They're good for bypassing boring places and wonderful for whizzing by, oblivious of your surroundings,...
Parts & Accessories
Buy your spares direct from Bailey
DELAYS IN SPARE part deliveries are a primary cause of complaint for caravanners. Dealers blame manufacturers and manufacturers blame dealers, but typically it is...
Travel
The land for small and big people
MENTION MILTON KEYNES to most people and the first things that spring to mind are concrete cows and the shopping centre, and – if...
Travel
French motorways made easy
Last year I towed in France for the first time and three months later I towed there again, each time going with someone who...
Travel
The perfect beach is now just a click away
IF HAVING A BEACH close by is an important element of your holiday then you will be interested in a new website – www.findmybeach.com.
In The Magazine
Croatia on a shoestring – Day 12
SITES VISITED IN good weather are generally remembered very fondly. We’d seen every site on our trip in cracking weather but that all changed...
Tow Cars
Watch our video review of the new Ford Mondeo estate
FORD'S FACELIFTED Mondeo estate was definitely a car we were looking forward to reviewing. We put the 2.0 TDCi 163PS Titanium Powershift through its...
In The Magazine
Croatia on a shoestring – Day 11
THE CROATIAN COASTAL town of Senj is famous for being very old, having a castle and being the centre point between the North Pole...
In The Magazine
Croatia on a shoestring – Day 10
CAMPING LATERNA IS, for all intents and purposes, the site you’ve always dreamed of. Stunning pitches, loads of stuff to do, easy to find...
In The Magazine
Croatia on a shoestring – Day 9
WITH BOTH CAR and caravan perched on a pitch overlooking the Adriatic, we took some time to just relax a bit and enjoy the...
In The Magazine
Croatia on a shoestring – Day 8
I’M NOT MOANING but hot weather touring is not something I’m used to. As soon as I step near a caravan, the heavens open,...
Tow Cars
UPDATE: Saga Insurance cover for cars towing caravans
SOME READERS have contacted us regarding the terms and conditions of their car cover with Saga Insurance. A letter published in the July issue states...
In The Magazine
Croatia on a shoestring – Day 7
ASK A GERMAN to list Europe’s great lakes, and there’s a good chance Slovenia’s Bled and little sister Bohinj would make the list, yet...