For caravanners' eyes only - we're getting a new one!!

[Bobby Dazzler]

View media item 7829
Well we took your advice Bobby D, went and got this caravan, 2006 Swift Charisma 570 in good nick for a shade under £5k. Been away in it a couple of times already and we love it! Hope to make the most of it while our kids are still young enough.


Edit:don’t think I’ve got the hang of adding the pics yet

Fantastic, that’s great news. It looks great hooked up to your car too. It’s easy for life to get in the way, and end up just using it for holidays, but it’s worth making the effort to squeeze in some weekends along the way, as even a night or two in the caravan can feel like a holiday. Enjoy!

 

[davidjpowell]

Looks good


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

It’s been a while since this thread has seen some action, and given that it’s summertime then there must have been some caravanning going on!

I recently changed the battery charger but the battery is struggling to recover so today I bought a new Exide battery from ECP. It cost a tenner more than the cheapest online but the convenience of being able to take it back if it doesn’t fit was attractive.

I’ve also managed to detach the damper which holds the front locker open. Typically it happened when I really needed access to the locker and was howling down with rain. I’ll have to take a look tomorrow, and see if that battery will fit too whilst I’m at it.

 

[BTB 500]

Yup we've been out & about a lot recently ... spent our normal 12 days at Rockingham Castle and then Ipswich plus 4 or 5 long weekends away since June. This was the battery status after 12 days away, with no mains hookup or solar panel or generator ... everything running on 12V and gas:

Not even any boost charge when towing - the 13 pin to 12N/12S adapter cable doesn't support that (or running the fridge on 12V when towing), for some reason.

There were over 800 camping units at one of the shows we were at - a number of people (like us) got hitched up and ready to leave as soon as the finals on the last day finished ... it looked like the starting grid for a caravan Grand Prix

On our last trip the flush on our Thetford toilet was dead - the pumps seem to fail regularly so I'm guessing it's that (I replaced the switch a couple of years ago, and this is the 4th pump!). The main water pump is a similar submersible type and is obviously used far more, but still on the original one of those (14 years old)?!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Yup we've been out & about a lot recently ... spent our normal 12 days at Rockingham Castle and then Ipswich plus 4 or 5 long weekends away since June. This was the battery status after 12 days away, with no mains hookup or solar panel or generator ... everything running on 12V and gas:

Not even any boost charge when towing - the 13 pin to 12N/12S adapter cable doesn't support that (or running the fridge on 12V when towing), for some reason.

There were over 800 camping units at one of the shows we were at - a number of people (like us) got hitched up and ready to leave as soon as the finals on the last day finished ... it looked like the starting grid for a caravan Grand Prix

On our last trip the flush on our Thetford toilet was dead - the pumps seem to fail regularly so I'm guessing it's that (I replaced the switch a couple of years ago, and this is the 4th pump!). The main water pump is a similar submersible type and is obviously used far more, but still on the original one of those (14 years old)?!

That’s incredible on the battery life. I would imagine using gas for the fridge reduces the load dramatically.

Raining again so no chance of fixing the locker and relaxing the battery today (without getting wet).

 

[BTB 500]

We do take a spare battery just in case ... don't have to worry about running out then. I've only had to use it once, when we got home and there wasn't enough juice left to get it onto the drive using the motor mover. But no problem this time. Most of the places we go don't have the option of mains hookup so you have to be self-sufficient. Just a field, a tap, and a toilet emptying point

 

[davidjpowell]

We have had a slow year.... only a couple of outings, and one of those was a day trip.

We have made it this week to the Isle of Wight this week which we are enjoying.

Little to do in the way of maintenance, although I do have a soft spot in the floor that I need to fix. Not looking forward to that.

Also noticed that we lost a wheel bolt on the way down, which is concerning.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MercedesDriver]

Not a caravan but similar.
5 berth tent without toilet but with gas stove and electric dual voltage 12/24V fridge.

 

[BTB 500]

I used tents for years ... big ones that you can stand up in are great, and have lots of room. The issue I always had was drying them out afterwards ... it was rare to be able to pack them away bone dry when coming home.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

That’s incredible on the battery life. I would imagine using gas for the fridge reduces the load dramatically.

Raining again so no chance of fixing the locker and relaxing the battery today (without getting wet).

New battery fitted tonight as the light faded. It’s a great fit in the battery box. So far so good

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

We’ve never been to the Lake District, and so we might head up there with the caravan. Can anyone recommend a Caravan Club site (or exceptional “other”) site in the Lake District?

Requirements are straightforward: I’d prefer not to have a bum-clenching single-track approach, and a view of a lake and/or mountain would be a bonus.

Current thinking is Coniston Park Coppice. All recommendations are much appreciated.

 

[Andyfkettle]

Been here a few times nice clean site with great facilities. Easy walk down to Ambleside.
One roads a little tight but only for 1/2mile

Lake District Holiday Park - Skelwith Fold Caravan Park in Ambleside

Coniston Park looks nice too.

 

[Deleted member 113659]

Ambleside is stunning. I was there just a few weeks ago on the way back from Grizedale Forest (Segway day) with my daughter.

 

[Neiltodd]

Been here a few times nice clean site with great facilities. Easy walk down to Ambleside.
One roads a little tight but only for 1/2mile

Lake District Holiday Park - Skelwith Fold Caravan Park in Ambleside

That looks v nice. May make a trip there ourselves

Coniston Park looks nice too.

 

[Gentabout]

Does a folding camper count to allow access in to this thread? as I will be looking for lots of tips etc.

We have just bought a 2011 Conway Crusader which we are due to collect this coming Saturday. The thing is huge when assembled but folds away small for transport. Unfortunately I can't get a tower fitted the the E-class as it's not been type approved so we are having a removable one fitted to my wifes new golf instead for any long distance towing and will use the Landrover for nearer stuff.

There is so much to learn it seems and we are looking forward to some interesting touring adventures.

 

[Chugg]

Fantastic, that’s great news. It looks great hooked up to your car too. It’s easy for life to get in the way, and end up just using it for holidays, but it’s worth making the effort to squeeze in some weekends along the way, as even a night or two in the caravan can feel like a holiday. Enjoy!

It’s been a while since this thread has seen some action, and given that it’s summertime then there must have been some caravanning going on!

Thanks Dazzler (Sorry for the slow reply, forgot this thread!)
We’ve had a few weekends and a couple of week breaks away and we’ve had a great time. Been to Haven parks a few times and down to Chertsey, great for London and Brighton, Legoland etc. Would like to squeeze another weekend away in before the weather turns too bad though!

View attachment 79322 Not a caravan but similar.
5 berth tent without toilet but with gas stove and electric dual voltage 12/24V fridge.

It’s a slippery slope to a caravan my friend! We were keen tenters before we got this caravan and would still like to go tenting again, but I think we have grown attached to the creature comforts of the ‘van

 

[BTB 500]

We have just bought a 2011 Conway Crusader which we are due to collect this coming Saturday. The thing is huge when assembled but folds away small for transport.

For me trailer tents had the same issue as frame tents - nowhere to put them up to dry at home if they came home wet. If you've got somewhere to do that though then they're a great solution.

 

[MercedesDriver]

I used tents for years ... big ones that you can stand up in are great, and have lots of room. The issue I always had was drying them out afterwards ... it was rare to be able to pack them away bone dry when coming home.

So far we were only camping in Italy during Summers and were lucky to be rainless but still I always take it out of bag and leave it for a couple of days next to a hot water tank for good drying.

Thanks Dazzler (Sorry for the slow reply, forgot this thread!)
We’ve had a few weekends and a couple of week breaks away and we’ve had a great time. Been to Haven parks a few times and down to Chertsey, great for London and Brighton, Legoland etc. Would like to squeeze another weekend away in before the weather turns too bad though!



It’s a slippery slope to a caravan my friend! We were keen tenters before we got this caravan and would still like to go tenting again, but I think we have grown attached to the creature comforts of the ‘van

I know, a couple of months ago I’ve started thinking more about caravan route and van conversions. So far conversion is my preferable option just because of caravan speed limits.

 

[BTB 500]

SI’ve started thinking more about caravan route and van conversions. So far conversion is my preferable option just because of caravan speed limits.

Van conversions are OK but tend to be limited on space compared to a caravan. Going to the shops/sightseeing/etc. can also be an issue with anything larger than a normal panel van, which is why you see campervans towing cars behind them! If you're touring in the UK then towing speed doesn't make much of a difference IMHO as the distances aren't huge. A lot of the time you'd be lucky to maintain 60 mph in any vehicle

 

[MercedesDriver]

A good idea. Not only can you test whether towing will slow you down too much on trips to Italy, you can also find out from experience which layouts and features work well - or less well - for you and your family. Accept that you probably won't get it right first time, and get a caravan which you think might work, and put it to the test - you'll learn so much more than sitting in one at a dealer or reading online.

We have a touring caravan and take as many holidays in it in the UK as possible, but we always stay in hotels in Italy and South of France, as towing is too slow for us.

This was posted by Bobby Dazzler on subject I’ve raised about buying a second hand caravan which made me thinking that probably the caravan is not the best option for us, at the moment.

Van conversions are OK but tend to be limited on space compared to a caravan. Going to the shops/sightseeing/etc. can also be an issue with anything larger than a normal panel van, which is why you see campervans towing cars behind them! If you're touring in the UK then towing speed doesn't make much of a difference IMHO as the distances aren't huge. A lot of the time you'd be lucky to maintain 60 mph in any vehicle

If we start touring in the UK caravan would make a lot of sense, especially for short school holidays and bank holiday weekends. Will see, still haven’t made up my mind.