Getting a caravan is a life changing decision which you never look back from. Providing you with a new lease of life and the freedom to pop on the motorway to anywhere you desire, caravans are a fantastic investment. But in order to keep you on the road you also need caravan insurance – and it’s best to consider a few things when purchasing this.

Go to a caravan insurance specialist

It is advisable to contact a specialist in caravan insurance to ensure that they fully understand your requirements. An expert in this specific area of insurance will have the knowledge and experience that will help to get you a policy that matches your needs and will help you in the event of an incident where you need to make a claim.

Don’t take your chances with a cheap policy

Cheaper policies may seem appealing at the point when you’re looking for insurance, however if the insurer isn’t very experienced or doesn’t have a good reputation then you may be asking for trouble. It is much better to do your research and then put your trust and your money into a quality policy with a reputable insurer you know won’t let you down.

Make sure you consider every scenario

When you sign up to a policy you need to ensure you cover every angle so that whatever happens you know you are covered. Here are just a few things you might need to consider:

• If breakdown is included
• Whether you’ll get a replacement motorhome (this is usually based on whether you bought
• your caravan within the last couple of years and if it’s covered a certain mileage)
• Cover for windscreen and glass
• What would happen if you were in Europe
• Personal effects cover
• Portable generator cover
• Gas bottles
• Replacement driver if only the driver is taken ill while you’re on holiday
• Legal protection and legal expenses cover

Insurance discounts

You may also be eligible for a discount of some kind, from introductory, no claims, motorhome club members or another kind of saving on your caravan insurance. Your caravan insurance specialist will be able to help you with this as they try to get you the best deal possible that provides everything you need for your history, type or motorhome and how you intend to use it.

My favourite camp site is The Doone Valley Camp site in Malmsmead Somerset.

I have camped here with family and friends annually for the last 10 years. We have camped here for school reunions, 18th, 21st, 40th and 50th birthday parties. Situated in the heart of Exmoor, on the county line between Devon and Somerset surrounded by hills and trees. an area made famous by R.D Blackmores’ novel about the notorious 17th Century Doone family.

Simple and beautiful

This camp site’s greatest asset is that there is nothing there. The Doone Valley Camp site consists of two level fields bordered by a stream. with a shower / toilet and washing up block. Field one (in Somerset) is surrounded by native hedgerows and trees and is a large area with a stone circle in the middle which acts as a huge fire pit. This field can be hired for sole use enabling large groups (up to 60) to hold private camping weekends. Field 2 (in Devon) has the shower block and toilets but other than that is simply a field to camp in. Dogs on leads are welcome as are horses. The bridge which marks the boundary between Devon and Somerset next to the camp site.

The site is surrounded by hills and as a result can often have its own micro-climate. There are wonderful walks across the hills (or around them) to fantastic foody pubs –(with accommodation if the camping becomes too much). The camp site allows fires and the owner allows people to bring or forage for their own firewood (kids love a trek up into the woods to gather the fuel for the fire) – logs can also be purchased on site. The stream (Badgworthy Water) is shallow enough for children to wade and play in and is a delightful sound when drifting off to sleep both day or night!

This camp site has given my family and friends some memorable weekends. The journey up Porlock Hill (hauling trailer tents, caravans or just generally over laden ) is always full of anticipation and as you travel over the County Gate the views of Wales and the Bristol Channel on a clear day are second to none. It is one of the most relaxing and beautiful places I have ever visited. If asked to choose my 3 growing children would choose this location over DisneyLand!

There is no phone signal and a weekend at Malmsmead will leave you really feeling relaxed and refreshed (although a little fuzzy from the copious amounts of local cider consumed). There is a licensed restaurant next to the field if your supplies run out. It is a perfect location for any age group and one I would fully recommend.

Site details

Open Mid Mar to end Oct

www.doonevalleycampsite.co.uk
Tel 01598 741267
caroline.burge@btconnect.com

Tired of warming a can of beans on the caravan stove? The Caravan cookbook aims to inject a little culinary inspiration into your holiday cooking. Good food is one of the most memorable parts of a holiday but if you’re in a caravan and self catering it can be easy to revert to the basics rather than spend your holiday wrestling with a caravan’s somewhat limited equipment.

The Caravan Cookbook aims to overcome these problems with some simple but delicious recipes. The book focuses on fresh produce that can be sourced daily as well as some ideas for essentials to take with you. Recipes like cider chicken show the kind of tasty fare you can rustle up in a typical caravan kitchen.

The book covers picnics, snacks, main meals and even rainy day ideas. Monica Rivron is a good writer and spells out in easy to follow steps how to make the best of caravan cooking, she has a good backup team with her husband making it through to the second round of Masterchef. The book has a great retro feel and it’s hardback means it will survive being tossed around the caravan. It’s also small enough to stow away so won’t take up vital space for ingredients!

The Caravan Cookbook is £8.50 from Amazon.co.uk

Bored of plastic white caravans? The winner of the  750kg and under category at the Caravan Design & Lightweight Leisure Trailers Awards, The Dub Box is one of the most unusual trailers we’ve ever seen. If you’re looking to graduate from camping but want something a little fresher the Dub Box is worth checking out.

The Dub Box is a clever reinvention of two VW camper into one ‘dub box’, taking inspiration from classic American caravans like the air stream, the makers take two old VW vans and combine the rears to make a shell. This is then beautifully fitted out and painted to the buyers choice. Each Dub Box is created uniquely with full choice on finish, flooring, blinds, upholstery, cupboards and even worktops

The Dub Box uses repro parts to keep the retro feel whilst using modern construction techniques to ensure saftey. Anything that will pull a 750kg trailer will tow a dub box and you won’t even need a trailer license to do it.

The Dub Box is £13,500 from Dub-box.com

Based in Norfolk, Clever Camper provides a fully-equipped teardrop trailer hire service. Teardrop trailers are still are a rare sight in the UK. They are tiny curvy caravans with just a double bedroom and a hatchback kitchen. Being insulated and rainproof they make camping less of a gamble and extend the season. They are also very cute!

“When I first saw a teardrop I thought it was so gorgeous I just had to have one” says Clever Camper Founder, Imogen Bishop. Inspired by original American models from the 1950s, she has customised the interior and filled it with chic, retro goodies – everything you could need for an enjoyable camp, including the kitchen sink!

Teadrop interior

The result is quite stunning. The bedroom is cosy and co-ordinated like a mobile capsule hotel. Open the boot and an impressive formica and aluminium kitchen gleams out. Sheltered by the overhanging door, the kitchen cleverly incorporates a double gas hob, sink, mini fridge and storage into a mere four square feet of floor space. An awning can be quickly attached to the side of the trailer, providing more shade or shelter for the directors chairs and camping table that complete the package.

Perfect for a romantic getaway

Clever Camper is ideal for couples wanting a romantic getaway, and for families or groups with one or two reluctant campers. You can also camp in comfort and style at festivals or sporting events or even put guests up in the trailer. This year a pop-up tent and bedding is included in the price, so a weekend in Summer costs only £145 for up to four people! And you don’t need a towbar, or even a car to hire as there is a free campsite delivery service within 25 miles of Norwich.

Towing customers are allowed unlimited mileage so continental camping is an exciting possibility. “Being able to set up and pack up camp in five minutes, makes touring a complete joy”, says Imogen, who plans to invest in another trailer for next season to meet demand.

For more information visit the website at www.clevercamper.co.uk

or contact Imogen Bishop by email: imogen@clevercamper.co.uk or phone: 07811 460307.

A new book is sure to whet your appetite for caravans with a difference, says Gillian Hook.

The retro feel and individual styling of some of the world’s funkiest caravans is celebrated in My Cool Caravan, which explores how people refurbish and customise their little house on wheels. The beautifully photographed hardback looks at 40 vintage caravans – from British classics to American Airstreams – and how their owners have styled them to make them totally unique.

The more unusual include a converted horsebox, a shepherd’s hut, an amphibious caravan and one made from an aircraft fuselage. There’s also a VW campervan, silver Airstreams and a gypsy wagon

Some have connections to famous names: the gypsy wagon belonged to author Roald Dahl; there’s a one-third scale caravan that was presented to Prince Charles and Princess Anne by the Caravan Club in 1955; and the VW is owned by the daughter-in-law of designers Celia Birtwell and Ossie Clark. But mostly they are simply owned and loved by individuals with a sense of the quirky and an eye for the unusual.

Compiled by caravan owners Jane Field-Lewis and Chris Haddon, the real joy is in the photographs by Hilary Walker that show the styling details that make each mobile home so special.

It’s an ideal book to pick up during the cold months as you settle down in front of a blazing fire, waiting for ‘camping weather’ to arrive while dreaming of your own cool caravan.

My Cool Caravan at Amazon £14.99 (rrp)