Welcome to the Touring Caravan Guide
We’ve created this site for all those lovers of touring Caravans! Whether you’re looking for touring caravans for sale and need advice or if you want to sell a touring caravan, then we hope you find this site useful. You’ll also find interesting facts, history, news and videos about touring caravans. Enjoy our Touring Caravan guide.
Carthago Chic I 44 Motorhome Details
The Carthago Chic I 44 is one of the manufacturer’s many luxurious motorhomes available. Carthago prides itself on its very high quality standards with regards to all aspects of producing new motorhomes, including the safety, security and technology.
Carthago Chic I 44 Features
This compact vehicle uses space in a way that ensures there is more than enough room for passengers. Other features include:
- Circular front seating with a bench that can sit up to 6 people at a time
- A corner kitchen with a double sink
- Luxurious bathroom with a separate shower cubicle
- Surprisingly high ceiling
- Wardrobe and more storage under bed
- Changing room
- Rear garage for storing mopeds or push bikes
Carthago Chic I 44 Specifications
- Vehicle length under 7m
- Fiat Ducato engine
- Alko light / 40 heavy
- 4143mm wheel base
- Berths – 4/5
- Journey seats – 4
- Rear bed – 140/130 x 210cm
- Large folding bed – 160 x 195cm
Police Caravan Checks on the M5
Midlanders heading south for their summer holidays will be able to get their caravans checked by police on the M5.
Officers from the Central Motorway Police Group will be on hand at Strensham services to offer safety advice to drivers in a bid to buck the traditional rise in accidents involving caravans during the summer months.
Specialists from VOSA and The Caravan Club will be joining officers during the checks, which will take place between 9.30am and 5.30pm on July 30.
Info sourced from the Coventry Telegraph site 21 July ‘10.
Brits Staying at Home
Ten million fewer trips abroad were taken last year as a result of the economic crisis and weak pound. In fact, the number of Brits who forefitted their usual foreign holidays has not been seen since the 1970s. However, this has led to a massive increase in holidays at home, including caravan breaks in the UK.
Caravan Arson in Cambridgeshire
A caravan was set alight deliberately yesterday (24 June 2010) in Briggate West, Whittlesey. Fire Engines were called to the scene and managed to extinguish the flames after an hour of work. Cambridge Fire and Rescue have confirmed that the fire was indeed lit purposely.
Land Rover Discovery Best Towcar 2010
The Land Rover Discovery has been named this year’s best towcar at the annual Towcar Awards. The car, chosen by a coalition of Practical Caravan, The Camping and Caravanning Club, and What Car?, was picked out from 41 different contenders.
The editor of Practical Caravan, Nigel Donnelly discusses why the Land Rover was the clear winner: “It’s not supposed to be easy choosing the best from 40-odd cars. This year, however, the discussion was a short one. The Land Rover Discovery 4 is an exceptional car for towing. The old model was one of our favourite towcars, but the new Discovery improves upon it in just about every area. You’ll be just as happy with the Discovery when you are not towing. It’s the best car in this year’s tests by some margin, and a more than worthy overall champion.”
Bailey Ranger 620/6 Caravan Review
The most recent Bailey Ranger Series 6 models build on what the range was previously known for, and now include plenty of modern features as standard through the 5 layout choices. These caravans have been in production for more than a decade and are renowned for providing high quality caravans at a lower price.
Bailey Ranger New Features
Now fitted as standard in the Bailey Ranger caravans, you will find a TV aerial, Thetford 107L fridge and a Thetford cassette toilet. Interiors benefit from brand new high quality furniture, new flooring and modern soft furnishings that include scatter and bolster cushions. All the Bailey Ranger models are made with a modern exterior body that is protected by a new impact resistant 3000 Series aluminium. This comes with a 6 year guarantee. All the latest Rangers, including the Bailey Ranger 620/6, now benefit from other brand new features including:
• Swivel cassette toilet
• Combined grill and glass fronted oven with flame failure safety
• ‘Pear’ furniture veneer
• Woodblock floor
• New reading lights
• Full width overhead locker at front
Bailey Ranger 620/6 Info
The Bailey Ranger 620/6 is the largest caravan out of the Series 6 models, with 6 comfortable berths and plenty of room for the whole group to live comfortably. The large bathroom in the corner allows everyone to wash and get ready without having to step on any toes, while the spacious living area provides more than enough room for a relaxed environment.
Bailey Ranger 620/6 Specifications
• Berths: 6
• Bed Sizes: Front Saloon 6′6” x 4′9”, or 2@ 6′2′ x 2′3”, O/Side Single 5′7″ x 2′2″, O/Side O/Head Single 5′5″ x 2′0″, Rear Double 6′3″ x 4′6″
• Shipping Length: 7.915m
• Overall Width: 2.19m
• Overall Height: 2.58m
• MTPLM: 1522kg
• Total user payload: 250kg
Caravan Towing Courses Info
The two leading caravanning organisations in the UK, the Caravan Club and the Camping and Caravanning Club both run courses for official members, so if you’re daunted about the towing tasks that lie ahead, it’s best to consult with one of these organisations as to where you can take a regional test. Alternatively, search around in your local area for any independent driving schools or companies that are offering a dedicated towing course.
A towing course can help a driver both adapt to the difficulties of negotiating a road with the added weight of a caravan in tow and also provide a useful learning environment to understand the safety issues and technicalities that can help make a caravan enthusiast a more responsible road user.
The cost of a caravan towing course can vary, but prices tend to range from around £85-£100+ depending on the level of tuition. The course will cover a variety of different aspects of caravan towing, including reversing, the hitching process, loading, an overview of British laws and regulations in relation to towing and tuition on general driving awareness. Caravan towing courses can be found all around the UK, so it’s best to check online or in the Yellow Pages to find your nearest course centre.
Retro Caravans
Take a look at this slideshow of much loved retro caravans at the Telegraph’s website.
Caravan Cleaning Tips
• Read your Manual – there are lots of different materials on a caravan so you will not find one product to clean them all. Some products may even cause damage to some materials so it is important you read your manual for suggested caravan cleaning products.
• Windows – methylated spirits are great for cleaning glass caravan windows but if your windows are plastic do not use it as it will cause irreparable damage.
• Moulded Body Parts – these are usually made out of acrylic so a kitchen or bathroom cleaner should suffice but read the label first to make sure.
• Tools for the Job – high pressure hoses are brilliant for stripping away tough dirt. Wheel brushes with stiff bristles are excellent for keeping your wheels squeaky clean and mud free.
Spotting Caravan Damp Signs
Water Ingress
The joints in a caravan are under a lot of stress particularly when being towed. New mastic doesn’t last forever and will eventually lose elasticity and fail. When this occurs water penetration is likely. If you are taking an old caravan to the continent then be very careful, if mastic is left in the heat for a long time it can cause it to fail which could mean costly caravan damp repairs are necessary.
Plumbing
Frost damaged components, faulty joints, and cracked sinks are all common causes of damp and often go totally unnoticed. Damp can build up behind wall coverings and underneath the floor without being noticed. It is good practice to check your systems every year to make sure there are no leaks, if there are you can nip the problem in the bud.
Condensation
Condensation happens when the air is cooled to the point of condensing. The main problems with condensation are when a really cold spell is followed by warm moist weather. The warm air will settle on the cold surfaces of the caravan as moisture. You should leave cupboard doors open so that air can circulate.