C OM I N G S O O N

A N E W L I G H T W E I G H T

G E N E R A T I O N

V e n u s C a r a v a n s T h e M o s t L i g h t w e i g h t C o m p a c t T o u r i n g C a r a v a n s i n t h e U K

B e t h e f i r s t t o d i s c o v e r a n e w b r e e d o f c a r a v a n . T o f i n d o u t m o r e , p l e a s e g o t o w w w . v e n u s c a r a v a n s . c o m >>PITCHSIDE VIEW Don’t forget our next Reader Rally…

WELCOME TO PRACTICAL CARAVAN. It’s January, and traditionally that means cold weather and many caravans remaining in hibernation. That’s not the case for the Practical Caravan team’s fleet, however. We tour throughout the year, but we’re definitely looking forward to the better weather that’s around the corner. One of the best things about this time of year, though, is the fact that, if you fancy it, you can usually nip away at short notice.

In the Donnelly household, this is a necessity at most times of the year, because we leave a lot of our planning very late. But there is one weekend that is burned into the touring calendar – the Reader Rally at Stowford Farm in Devon, during the early May bank holiday. It’s always a good laugh, always cracking value and Stowford is always the consummate host. Places are filling up fast, so I’d suggest you get your booking made soon to ensure you get a pitch. You can find the details on page 120.

Adding to the mix Too many cooks spoil a broth, but when it comes to blending great caravan magazines, you can’t have too much expertise. And this issue comes with an extra helping.

Steve Trossell may be new to Practical Caravan but he’s by no means new to the caravan market. Steve recently retired from Swift Group after more than 20 years in the design and development areas of the business. Before that, he was deeply involved with Sprite caravans when it was an independent company building budget vans in Newmarket. And prior to that in the 1970s, he was designing luxury Bessacarr tourers.

So Steve knows his caravans. It seemed a waste for him to take over 30 years of knowledge with him into retirement when thousands of us crave information to help with buying decisions.

Steve’s first contribution starts on page 98, where we have him explain the differences between the main types of heating systems fitted in modern caravans. I hope you enjoy it, and if you are buying this season, it helps you make your mind up.

Caravans = Value You can’t pick up a newspaper these days without having the dire economic situation rammed down your throat. Things are bad. We get it.

I know it has been said a thousand times, but caravans remain a great way of getting an affordable holiday. On our website forum (www.practicalcaravan.com/ forum) a lot of people complain that caravanning is getting too expensive, but rising costs can be controlled.

Book sites with care to avoid paying for facilities you don’t need, dodge pricey peak periods and stay closer to home to use less diesel. Everything is getting more expensive, but never forget caravanning remains a cheap route to great holidays. Sorry to ram it down your throat.

Nigel Donnelly Editor nigel@practicalcaravan.com www.practicalcaravan.com/blog/editors-blog

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