25 Tuesday Feb 2014
Posted in Sites
Fields End Water site at Doddington, Cambridgeshire, has joined The Caravan Club’s network as an Affiliated Site (AS). I stayed there last night and it is indeed a high quality site with 38 fully serviced pitches and a further 14 EHU pitches. It is open all year, adults only and geared up for fishermen with two well stocked lakes .
Call 01354-740199 or go ONLINE
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
22 Saturday Feb 2014
Posted in Technical
Tags
We keep hearing there is an app for everything. This time it turns out it might be true. Fresh from the NCC Caravan and Camping show, the Alde Start-App is the new feature you can download on your smartphone which controls the heating in your caravan or motorhome, fitted with the company’s heating system.
“Alde Start-App liberates you by allowing you to operate your heating while you’re out and about, enjoying your holiday,” said Leigh Marsden, Development Director at Alde International. “When you get back to your vehicle, it can be nice and warm already, with a hot shower waiting.”
That does sound tempting and the app works on essentially any smartphone, as the Alde Start-App system is compatible with all GSM compatible devices and allows the user to receive live updates from their fitted, heating system.
We should add that the app is made to work exclusively with later Alde 3010 boilers and all 3020 boilers. The Alde Start-App is free and can be downloaded for iOS and Android from app stores this April.
What will they think of next?
Source: Damien Sharkov of Caravan Times
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
18 Tuesday Feb 2014
Posted in Sites
Tags
affiliated site, caravan, chatteris, Christopher Macgowan, Fields End Water Park, The Caravan Club
A Fenland caravan park has won an award for being one of the country’s best campsites.
Fields End Water Caravan Park and Fishery near Chatteris was judged the best site in the Heart of England region in this year’s AA Caravan and Camping Awards.
Owner Charlie Boughton, who is also a member of the Fenland Tourism Board, said: “Naturally, we’re delighted to win this. It’s a big pat on the back for us – a real achievement.
“But what’s really great is that it’s more recognition for Fenland which hopefully will help to bring more people here. That’s got to be good for the whole local economy.
“We’ve got so much to offer here – peace, open space, big skies. People come here from the towns and cities and say ‘oh, it’s so quiet here’. There’s just an atmosphere that people love.”
Fields End Water has also just been accepted for affiliation to the Caravan Club – an extra feather in its cap that will give it another boost. “It’s something that gives us a much bigger spread of potential customers,” Mr Boughton said.
Mr Boughton will pick up the AA award at a special ceremony in Bristol on March 25th.
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
14 Friday Feb 2014
Posted in Exhibitions and Shows
Andy Green OBE, the current holder of the World Land Speed Record, and the first person to break the sound barrier on land, is taking on the challenge to achieve a 1,000mph World Land Speed Record – who says caravanners are slow?
Andy Green will be with The Club, on Caravan Club Day, Tuesday 18 February, where he will talk about his involvement with caravanning and his current World Land Speed Record attempt. He will be available on The Club’s Lounge area (stand 2000, hall 2) along with his supersonic car, BLOODHOUND SSC, to talk about the ground-breaking project.
Andy is no stranger to caravans or motorhomes, having used them many times as accommodation and support vehicles whilst away for previous record attempts, as well as holidaying in them on several occasions. In 2010 he joined The Club at the testing of The Caravan Club Towcar of the Year Awards, where he helped the driving judges put the towcars through their paces.
Of his experiences Green says, “My many land speed trials and record attempts take me away to remote areas where I obviously don’t find many hotels, so we have trailers and RVs in these situations. These vehicles are the perfect home-away-from-home whether for work or holidaying.”
The new record attempt, to break the 1,000mph mark with BLOODHOUND SSC, once again sees him working with Richard Noble. Noble and Green announced the launch of The BLOODHOUND Project in October 2008 and they say that “This story is still unfolding – we will add more chapters as we move into new phases of the project. This story will not finish when BLOODHOUND SSC achieves a World Land speed record of 1000mph – the lasting legacy of inspiring our next generation of scientists and engineers will continue for years to come.”
The Club looks forward to welcoming Andy Green OBE and BLOODHOUND SSC to the show, where the Bristol based car will be on The Club stand hitched to a caravan, from Bristol based manufacturer, Bailey of Bristol.
Tony Hall, Director of Marketing for The Caravan Club says, “The BLOODHOUND Project is based in Bristol, as is large caravan manufacturer, Bailey of Bristol. The Club and Bailey thought it would be fun to have the world’s fastest car, towing a caravan at the show, while also flying the flag for British manufacturing and engineering.”
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
05 Wednesday Feb 2014
Posted in Places
Camping out in the Duke’s secret garden on the charming Chatsworth Estate.
By MONICA ADORNO
SOURCE
As long as we have a kettle and heating we’ll be fine,’ said my camping companion Chloe.
‘Don’t fret, it’s luxurious,’ I replied. ‘It’s got a cooker, a shower, a toilet, and a soft, springy bed – it’s practically a mini-palace on wheels!’ Indeed it was.
As I kept reminding our friends before we set off on a three-day trip to Chatsworth in Derbyshire, Chloe and I had hired a motorhome, not a caravan. You tow a caravan, but you drive a motorhome.
I’m no stranger to camping, but the majority of my experience has been confined to pitching a tent at major music festivals. This was entirely different – a spacious site and modern facilities rather than a flimsy tent and trying to wash in the morning with only a wet wipe.
Before we arrived, we had been informed that Chatsworth is one of the loveliest parts of England – a claim I am happy to endorse.
The Chatsworth Park site, run by The Caravan Club, is situated within an old walled garden at the famous Chatsworth House estate, the home of the Duke of Devonshire. Upon arrival we were handed a key to a wooden door. Walk through it and you are in the estate’s 1,000-acre park – all very Secret Garden-esque.
I must have commented at least 20 times as we passed through the Peak District about how spectacular the scenery was – even the sheep looked fluffier. This region is picture-perfect – no wonder so many great artists have been inspired by it.
The gardens at Chatsworth are exquisite, and the house is one of Britain’s most impressive stately homes. Before we stepped foot inside, we checked out the family tree in the courtyard; Georgiana Cavendish lived here in the 18th Century with her husband, the 5th Duke – and his mistress.
Inside, the house was a Narnia-like wonderland – hundreds of candles (not real but clever glowing contraptions), an enormous stuffed toy lion and a White Witch stood regally at the top of the stairs in the Painted Hall. Three days isn’t long enough to explore the Peak District, but we did manage a trip to the bustling market town of Bakewell, home of the famous tart. Chloe and I had a delicious hot chocolate at the Lavender Tea Rooms in the town, which also serves scrumptious cakes.
Good food, welcoming people and gorgeous surroundings – camping doesn’t get better than this.
Chatsworth Park is one of over 200 campsites operated by The Caravan Club.
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
