The Caravan Club has put together a list that they have just sent through to their members so for those of you who didn’t receive it here is the link.

Have fun and enjoy.

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1. Boat and Caravan Show Visit
2. Boat and Caravan Show
3. Caravan Club vs Camping and Caravanning Club

Apart from just generally having a look around the stalls to see what goodies were on offer we wanted to take a look a good look at the Camping Cheque stand and decide if that was something we wanted to make use of.  I also had this notion that I’d read about the ideal Motorhome layout, a Rapido, and I wanted to have a close look at it to see.

We had a good look at the Camping Cheque and a long chat with the person on the stand and in the end we bought a silver card for £2 and the site book for £1 ( instead of £6 ).  We’re going to give it a go simply because we usually go to France out of season anyway and using the Camping Cheque is the cheapest way to do that and at around £14 per night is a real bargain. The silver card is a new thing that you use instead of the paper cheques and it means you can pay for the cheques electronically and then get them credited to your card when you arrive at the first site.  Easy; I hope.  There are hundreds ( 588 ) sites in Europe to choose from and even a handful in the UK. Have a look at the Camping Cheque site and see for yourselves.

The brand new all singing all dancing Rapido that I thought I’d read about turned out to be a figment of my imagination and doesn’t exist after all.  Never mind, one day.

On the subject of new Motorhomes we did have a look at most of the Manufacturers and Dealers but didn’t see anything that was better than our Autocruise Starseeker thank goodness.

We did the obligatory visit to most of the French site stalls and collected plenty of brochures but of course these have been superceded by the Camping Cheque sites list because we are determined to try as many of these as we can.  We have a 3 week French holiday planned for June and have booked the return ferry but no sites.  I’m a stickler for making site bookings normally but am determined to go on spec this year and see how we get on.  Incidentally we booked the ferry with Norfolkline ( never used them before ) and got a fantastic deal. We booked through the Caravan Club and got the return for the Starseeker plus the two of us for £48 return, going and returning on a Saturday. How good was that!!  Let me know if you’ve got a better deal than that!!

We also bought a couple of items for the house,weirdly, but I guess you do see a lot of innovative stuff at these shows.

We won’t bother going to another show this year but will try this one again next year.

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1. Boat and Caravan Show

The Boat and Caravan Show is taking place at the NEC Birmingham between the 23 – 28 February.

Both the Caravan Club and the Camping and Caravanning Club were offering discounted tickets but only the Caravan Club have these still available.

Tickets are priced at Adults £10.95; seniors (60+ yrs) £9.00; child (5-15) £4.50, under 5yrs FOC.  The prices include a show guide worth £5 and parking £8.

If you want to take advantage of this offer then either ring 0844 581 3000 or visit www.boatandcaravan.co.uk and quote CLUB1 but you must do so before 22nd February.

My favourite chef James Martin will be demonstrating at the show on Thursday 25th.

You can see James’s motorhome here in a previous post.

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1. Boat and Caravan Show Visit
2. The Western Motorhome Show

The Western Motorhome Show is in it’s 5th year and has been very popular over this period. Both American and European Motorhomes will be on show over the weekend and the cream of British models will be on display.

As ever with these shows there will be a plethora of accessories and time saving gadgets on offer, not to mention the magic brush for keeping your Motorhome in pristine condition. Of course keeping your Motorhome clean is no easy task at all and at the moment I’m failing miserably with this even though I have all the right gear. I’m a little short on the enthusiasm for cleaning the Motorhome I’m afraid and as much as I’ve asked around no-one has been able to sell me a bottle of it.

Entertainment is laid on over the weekend and is included with the price of your weekend pitch. The rates are as follows;

• Thursday – Monday is £39

• Friday – Monday is £36

• Saturday to Monday £33.

You can also visit for the day for £5.50 for adults and £2 for children.

The show is open daily between 9.30am and 5pm on the Friday, up to 5.30 on Saturday and 4.30 on Sunday.

Both the Caravan Club and the Camping and Caravan Club have sites nearby at Blackmore.

To get a booking form please telephone 01778 391123 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday. You can also book online at this website.

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I would expect there to be some real bargains at the show whether you are buying a Motorhome or an accessory. This will be an opportunity for the suppliers to get rid of any old stock they have and for the Motorhome manufacturers to take some orders for 2010 and these will keep the production lines running.  What more of an incentive can there be?

The key elements of the show are:

• A huge choice of caravans, Motorhomes and holiday homes with the latest 2010 models being unveiled.

• Exclusive show offers and discounts you won’t find anywhere else, shop at unbeatable prices.

• Accessory heaven – 1000’s of accessories and equipment for you to consider

• Plan your get away breaks for 2010 with details of hundred of campsites and destinations for you to visit.

• The Caravan Club and the Camping and Caravanning Club will be there to offer tips and advice for both newcomers and experts alike.

You can book tickets in advance and there is a special price for Caravan Club members, just enter TCC1 when booking to qualify for the discount.

To book online click here or call 08571 230 5575.

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1. The Western Motorhome Show
2. Boat and Caravan Show
3. Motorhome and Caravan Show Diary 2010

• June 5th -7th : I’ve already done a post on the Stratford Motorhome & US RV Show so please click here if you haven’t seen it yet.

• July 17th – 19th : The Northern Motorcaravan Show will be taking place at Pickering Showground, Malton Road, Pickering, North Yorks, YO18 8EA.  Click Here for more details or ring Warners Group on 01788 391123.

• August 14th – 16th : The Western Motorhome Show takes place at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR13 6NW.  Click Here for more details or ring Warners Group on 01788 391123.

• September 11th – 13th : The Motorhome and US RV Show takes place at the Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 6QN. Click Here for more details or ring Stone Leisure Ltd on 020 8302 6150.

• September 25th – 27th : The Motorhome Show Season Finale takes place at the Lincolnshire Showground, Lincoln, LN2 2NA.  Click Here for more details or ring Warners Group on 01788 391123.

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1. The Western Motorhome Show

The show opens on Friday and Saturday between 9.30am to 6pm and on Sunday between 9.30am and 5.30pm.

There is a charge for day visitors of £5 for adults with children allowed in for free and there is a free car park if you are going in by car.

The great thing about the show being held at the Stratford Racecourse is that it is a one mile walk into the town centre, along the riverbank, if you decide to take your motorhome and stay over.  You can stay for the weekend or the week and the charges depend on what day you arrive.  All charges are for 2 adults from your arrival day until noon on Monday 8th June and there are electric hookups available although you’d need to book quickly to get one.

If you stay the weekend then you will also be able to attend the free entertainment that is being provided by the organisors.

The charges are as follows:

• Arrival day Monday 1st June – £45
• Arrival day Tuesday 2nd June – £40
• Arrival day Wednesday 3rd June – £35
• Arrival day Thursday 4th June – £30
• Arrival day Friday 5th June onwards – £25

This is a big event and there will be a huge display of Motorhomes and accessories for sale.

Have a look at Stone Leisure Ltd for more information and the latest news.  You can also book online if you want to.

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1. The Western Motorhome Show
2. Boat and Caravan Show Visit

The National Boat, Caravan and Outdoor show that took place at the NEC in February attracted a recession beating 85,000 people through it’s doors. I must admit I didn’t go to this show but by all accounts it was very successful indeed.  The large numbers of people going to the show were not just there to look around either,  they actually spent serious money and the show has been deemed a huge success.  Many of the Caravan / Motorhome  dealers have reported very large sales indeed, which somewhat goes against the general gloomy recessionary trend out there in the high street.

Some of the major successes at the show that have been reported in various magazines are;

• 85,000 visitors very eager to spend their money

• Final sales figures for the show were up 20% on last year

• Marquis Motorhomes had a turnover of more than £2.5m during the show

• Swift Group announced sales of £20m on Caravans and Motorhomes

• Lunar had an increase in sales of 30% on last year

• Bailey saw sales rise from £4.1m to £4.5m over last year

• Tent sales across the manufacturers also increased

It will be interesting to see the results from the next big show to see if this was a blip or a trend but what seems apparent is that we, the British public, have decided that independant holidays whether that be in a Motorhome, Caravan or Tent are here to stay for the foreseeable future.

That must be a good thing for lot’s of reasons and it’s always good to see more people taking up the outdoor life but of course it does mean that there will be many more occasions when you will struggle to find a pitch.  The membership of both the Caravan Club and the Camping and Caravan Club have also increased recently so demand may well outstrip supply for those sought after sites at specific times of the year.  Mind you, having said that, it is always good to be a victim of your own success and I’m sure the extra revenue will be welcomed.

I find it funny that people who don’t have a Motorhome always ” envy you the freedom to just decide to go off because the weather has turned good or you just feel like getting away ” whereas the reality is that if you haven’t booked then you might have to stay at home.

Freedom always comes with a price unfortunately.

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• Feb 27th – March 1st : South West Caravan & Motorhome Show at the Westpoint Arena, Exeter

• March 6th – 8th : East Midlands Caravan & Motorhome Show at Donnington Grand Prix Circuit

• March 28th – 29th : Caravan & Motorhome Spring Fair at the Newark Showground, Newark-on-Trent in Nottingham

• April 3rd – 5th : Essex Caravan & Motorhome Show at Hylands House, Chelmsford

• April 10th – 13th : Leeds Caravan & Motorhome Show at Temple Newsam House

• April 17th – 19th : South Coast Caravan & Motorhome at Broadlands, Romsey

• April 17th – 19th : Carmarthen Caravan and Motorhome Show at the United Counties Showground

• April 24th – 26th : The National Motorhome Show at the East of England Showground in Peterborough

Hopefully I haven’t missed any key ones but if any of you know of any others that I should have included then please let us know by commenting on this post.

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History and Tradition

No one is quite certain how the world famous Pancake Race at Olney originated. One story tells us of a harassed housewife, hearing the shriving bell, dashing off to the Church still clutching her frying pan containing a pancake. Another that the gift of pancakes may have been a form of bribe to the Ringer, or Sexton that he might ring the bell the sooner; for the ringing of the Church bell was the signal for the beginning of the day’s holiday and enjoyment, no less than to summon the people to the shriving service at which they would be shriven of their sins before the long Lenten fast.

Traditional declares that the race was first run in the year 1445, pancakes at that time being a popular dish and receiving the royal favour. It was run on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent, and the whole day was given over to a festival of celebrations, pranks and pastimes, which formed a part of the last fling celebrations.

The race continued through the centuries, and while many other local customs died, and the race itself may have lapsed many times, such lapses were never so long as to be entirely forgotten by the womenfolk of Olney. It is known to have taken place during the troublesome times of the Wars of the Roses.

The Custom Revived

After a lapse during the Second World War, it was revived again in 1948 by the then Vicar of Olney, the Reverend Canon Ronald Collins. In clearing out a vestry cupboard he came across some old photographs, which had obviously been taken in the Nineteen Twenties and Thirties, of women running with frying pans. Fired with enthusiasm to revive the ancient custom, he called for volunteers, and in response thirteen runners appeared on Shrove Tuesday that year. The race immediately caught the popular imagination, and the people of Olney set out to make this simple and colourful link with their rich past a day of festivity.

Since then Olney has been invaded every Shrove Tuesday by an ever increasing number of visitors from all parts of the country, and the world at large. It is now described as Buckinghamshire’s most famous local custom, and has been featured in films, radio and television, and the national press every year since.

The Link with Liberal

In 1950 the race became an international event. A challenge was received from the town of Liberal in Kansas, U.S.A. where they had, after seeing press photographs of the race at Olney, conceived the idea of starting a similar customer. Olney readily accepted the challenge and, in a spirit of international goodwill and friendship, the two towns now compete annually and prizes are exchanges. The race is run on a timed basis and the winner declared after times are compared through a transatlantic telephone call from Liberal to Olney. Important representatives from America have been present for the race in Olney, as have Representatives from Olney been present in Liberal, and the British Consul-General in St. Louis and the Governor of Kansas attend celebrations in Liberal.

The Pancake Race Today

The race in Olney is now run from the Market Place to a point midway down Church Lane – a distance of 415 yards. Warning bells are rung from the Church steeple and the Race is started by the Churchwarden at 11.55 am, using the large bronze ‘Pancake Bell’ normally on display in the Museum. Pancakes are tossed by the competitors at the start and the winner is required to toss her pancake again at the finish. She then received the traditional kiss from the Verger. The Vicar, too, greets the winner with the ‘Kiss of peace’, namely the blessing: “The peace of the Lord be always with you”.

When the race is over, the runners, officials, townsfolk and visitors pour into the Parish Church for the great Shriving Service, when several of the famous Olney Hymns are sung. Although the Church holds many hundreds of people, it is regularly filled to capacity on this occasion. Competitors in the race place their frying pans around the font and occupy seats reserved for them in the chancel. During the service, presentation of the official prizes from Olney and Liberal takes place. Other prizes for winners and runners-up are presented at an evening party.

Rules for Competitors

Those who are qualified to take part in the Race must be women of 18 years of age or over and either have lived in the town of Olney for at least 3 months immediately prior to the event or, if living away, have their permanent home in the own.

They must wear for the race the traditional costume of the housewife, including a skirt, apron and head covering, though they need not be married women. They must, of course, carry a frying pan containing a pancake.

At the start the Starter will order competitors: “Toss your pancakes – Are you ready?” and then give the starting signal.

At the Finish the winner is required to toss her pancake before being declared the winner and being greeted with the Kiss of Peace – the words “The Peace of the Lord be always with you” spoken by the Vicar, and the traditional prize of a kiss from the Verger.

All who finish the course are expected to attend the Shriving Service during which the official Olney and Liberal prizes are presented.

Nearest Camp Site Details

If you would like to attend then the nearest campsite that is open is The Old Dairy Farm and this is about 15 miles from Olney. The site is a Caravan Club CL, has about 10 pitches all of which are hardstanding, electricity points, toilets, showers etc.

There is street parking available in Olney although you will probably be best parking away from the centre and walking in because it does get very busy especially for the pancake race.

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