TAKE A BREAK ON A CLUB SITE THIS FESTIVE SEASONinside:

CampingCaravanning

THE MAGAZINE OF THE FRIENDLY CLUB, DECEMBER 2012, VOL 107 NO 12

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Why a stargazing trip

Season’sgreetings

should be onyour camping calendar

We review two newfolding campers

Going overthe Pennines

Check out our greatpresent ideas

Christmasgifts galore

34 Camping & Caravanning December 2012

CAST YOUR mind back and you mayremember a feature in our January 2011magazine where I travelled to GallowayForest Park with photographer AlisdairCusick to report on the tremendouslyclear night skies in the area.

We got a real treat, for a few shorthours being able to stare open-mouthedat the incredible scene as our galaxyrevealed itself overhead.

Well frankly, having seen that once,we wanted more of the same.

Stargazing has been throughsomething of a renaissance of late. Withthe likes of Professor Brian Cox staringskyward on our screens in shows such asthe BBC’s Stargazing Live, the sky atnight has been kept firmly in the publicconsciousness.

Now, more and more areas are turning

to dark skies as a way to attract visitors astourism bodies switch on to the idea thatpreserving darkness is a means of makingmoney.

Galloway Forest Park, the UK’s firstDark Sky Park, has been a huge success,both commercially and environmentally.It was followed by Sark in the ChannelIslands, which became the first Dark SkyIsland in February 2011 and by Exmoor >

CAST YOUR mind back and you mayremember a feature in our January 2011magazine where I travelled to GallowayForest Park with photographer AlisdairCusick to report on the tremendouslyclear night skies in the area.

We got a real treat, for a few shorthours being able to stare open-mouthedat the incredible scene as our galaxyrevealed itself overhead.

Well frankly, having seen that once,we wanted more of the same.

Stargazing has been throughsomething of a renaissance of late. Withthe likes of Professor Brian Cox staringskyward on our screens in shows such asthe BBC’s Stargazing Live, the sky atnight has been kept firmly in the publicconsciousness.

Now, more and more areas are turning

to dark skies as a way to attract visitors astourism bodies switch on to the idea thatpreserving darkness is a means of makingmoney.

Galloway Forest Park, the UK’s firstDark Sky Park, has been a huge success,both commercially and environmentally.It was followed by Sark in the ChannelIslands, which became the first Dark SkyIsland in February 2011 and by Exmoor >

Winter may present itschallenges for campers but there can be few better times of year for stargazing.STUART KIDMAN reunites himself with the night sky and learns more about thelocations where you can see the cosmos for yourself. Pictures by ALISDAIR CUSICK

greatest showon Earthnot

The

December 2012 Camping & Caravanning 35

feature stargazing

This picture: Stuartstargazes alongside thePennine Pathfinder (see

On Test page 60) atDrayton Manor Club

Site with The Plough inview above

Right from top: M31, theAndromeda Galaxy; thesouthern hemisphere of

the moon showing theTycho crater; M27, the

Dumbbell Nebula

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December 2012 Camping & Caravanning 37

> National Park in October 2011, whichbecame Europe’s first Dark Sky Reserve.

Further applications for Dark Skystatus have since been submitted to theInternational Dark Sky Association(IDA) for the Brecon Beacons NationalPark and Kielder Water and Forest Park(officially England’s darkest place) withthe adjacent Northumberland NationalPark, proving that despite the growingproblem of light pollution in our cities,you don’t have to travel great distances toexperience a magnificently clear, starrysky. In fact, many places without DarkSky status can offer great views of thegalaxy when conditions are suitable.

Alisdair and I visited ExmoorNational Park recently to see forourselves why the IDA awarded it DarkSky Reserve status.

It’s a prime example of how accessiblestargazing is. Even in the heart of thepark, you’re less than an hour from the

motorway and you don’t have to go far tohear about the benefits of keeping theskies as dark as possible.

The National Park Authority ispositively tripping over itself to tell youabout the night-time view and if youhead for any one of its National ParkVisitor Centres at Dulverton, Dunster orLynmouth you’ll find information aboutthe Dark Sky Reserve and where to go toget the clearest view – weatherpermitting of course.

On that note, our hopes of shootingsome stunning photographs were dashedon this occasion by an erroneous weatherforecast that failed to spot the cloud andrain headed our way that night.

We had to make do with a mere 20 minutes during which the weatherabated just enough to present us with aglittering portrayal of why stargazers loveExmoor.

Brief though its appearance was wecould clearly make out the Milky Wayand many thousands of stars visible to thenaked eye.

We fired off a few shots and hoped forthe best but sometimes as a stargazer, youjust have to accept defeat.

Fortunately, that renaissance instargazing I mentioned earlier isbeginning to pervade into the Club and ittranspired that a team of aspiring astro-photographers from the Club’sPhotographic Group had somewhatbetter luck at St Neots Club Site.

Organised by the group’s Sites OfficerKeith Turnecliff, the meet saw 16 units

feature stargazing

The Photographic Group held astargazing meet at St Neots ClubSite in early October.

Its members spotted objectsincluding M42 – also known as theOrion Nebula – the Ring Nebula,Andromeda, our nearestneighbouring galaxy at 2.2 millionlight years away, and the DumbbellNebula, also called M27.

Keith Turnecliff, the group’s SitesOfficer, said: “We were observingfrom about 7.30pm to 10.30pm bothnights. All the shots I took were 30-second exposures at ISO 6400.

“Most of these you could seewith a pair of binoculars. M42, theOrion Nebula, will be up inDecember in the early evening andthat is one of the best sights there isto be honest. You can see it with thenaked eye but with a pair ofbinoculars it looks stunning. Youwouldn’t see the colours, but that’swhere the camera comes in handy.”

Keith wants to set up a regularstargazing meet held at a differentlocation each year.

He added: “We’re planning to beat Hertford Club Site from 3 to 8October next year. We’ll be lookingat the sky with the naked eye andthrough binoculars and telescopes.Anyone who comes along will beable to have a look at the skythrough the telescopes, even if theydon’t have any kit of their own.”

Keep an eye on the Out & Aboutsection published in your magazinefor further details of this meet.

STARGAZING AT ST NEOTS

M42, the Orion Nebula, which is1,500 light years from Earth

M13, the Great GlobularCluster in Hercules

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stargazing feature

38 Camping & Caravanning December 2012

camping at the site for five nights inOctober.

The group managed to spot severalcelestial objects over the course of twoclear nights, including the Orion Nebulaand the Andromeda Galaxy.

The results, as you can see from thepictures on these pages, were prettyspectacular and go to show that even inareas where you might not expect to getthe kind of clarity of more remoteregions, you can still spot several excitingcelestial features.

There are quite a few objects visible tothe naked eye but equip yourself with agood pair of binoculars or a telescope ifyou have the ability, and you’ll be able tospot some more distant features.

Many local astronomy clubs holdopen stargazing events where would-bemembers can come along to experiencethe hobby for themselves. It’s a great wayto ‘try before you buy’ if you’re keen totake your interest further and don’talready have your own telescope orbinoculars.

I’ll repeat a fact here that firstappeared in that feature of mine back inJanuary 2011. All the stars we see fromEarth are those in our own galaxy, andeven then they’re only a small selection(about five per cent) of the total withinthe entire Milky Way, which stretches toabout 100,000 light years across.

Here we are, ambling along about twothirds of the way out from the galacticcentre, not even scratching the surface of

what’s out there. If like me, you reallylike to let these vast, vast distances hurtyour head you might like to have a lookat the following online – bit.ly/ViVZ4Eand htwins.net/scale2 – for mind-blowinganimations of the galaxy’s true scale andbeyond.

It’s hard not to get overly romanticabout it, but when you’re staring up atJupiter or Mars or whatever planet,nebula, star cluster or galaxy you chooseto look at, just be amazed that we haveall these incredible objects, in acosmological sense at least, literally onour doorstep.

Whatever you do though, if you wantto see them, remember to check that all-important weather forecast. As thosefine people at the Exmoor National ParkAuthority pointed out to me: “We canguarantee dark skies, but not always thelack of clouds.”

M57, the Ring Nebula

Camping in the Dark SkyReserve, Exmoor National Park

STARGAZING TOP FIVE TIPS

! Choose a good location for yourstargazing, away from built-up areasand other light sources. Search “lightpollution maps” online to see thedarkest areas in the UK! Dress for the occasion. Winter isthe best time for crisp, clear nightskies but make sure you have plentyof warm clothing! Take some stargazing equipment.A good pair of binoculars or a fairlyinexpensive telescope are all youneed to be able to see some greatfeatures in the night sky. The moreserious you are about it, the moreyou’ll need to spend! Join your local astronomy group.Many have frequent stargazingevents and also allow you to useother members’ telescopes! Check the weather forecastcarefully. A few clouds can ruin aproposed stargazing trip

DEEPEST, DARKEST VIEW

The following are Club Sites in ornear the UK’s existing and proposedDark Sky areas:

Northumberland and Kielder Forestand Water ParkBellingham, Beadnell Bay, DunstanHill and HaltwhistleThe Brecon BeaconsRhandirmywn ExmoorMinehead, Lynton, Umberleigh andDamage BartonGalloway Forest ParkCulzean Castle

For booking details, turn to page 6.For Certificated Sites in these areascheck out Your Big Sites Book 2013-2014 or for District Association,Region and Special Interest Sectionmeets, see Out & About starting onpage 75.

FIND OUT MORE

To join the Photographic Group at acost of £6.50 per year seecampingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/specialinterestsections orphotogroup.co.uk or call theMembership department on 0845 130 7632 or 024 7647 5442.K

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60 Camping & Caravanning December 2012

Pennine folding campers

We had the opportunity to test two Pennine folding campers at

Clitheroe Club Site in Lancashire. Pennine is at the forefront of

folding camper manufacture in the UK and has a long history in

both trailer tents and folding campers.

A folding camper has many of the features of a caravan but its

fabric top means it’s generally lighter and offers less drag while

towing. As a result it can be towed with a smaller car and may even

fit into a garage when not in use.

As with any such unit, there was some set-up required – roll

back the cover, fold out the bed boards, push up the framework,

position and connect the interior equipment and tidy up the fabric

to the outside edge – but it’s quite straightforward with a little

practice.

Both our test units had two fixed double beds and breathable

Isacryl (acrylic) fabric covers by Isabella. This fabric has good

insulation properties, resistance to mildew and fading and it doesn’t

absorb water so it’s easier to clean and dry out – all features that

you wouldn’t find in traditional cotton canvas.

Both units sported the new season colours of black, white and

grey, which gave a timeless quality we liked. Inside the furnishings

were perhaps more traditional, in various shades of brown. In

contrast the woodwork was a light and airy ‘pear’ colour.

The right pathIAN HEWLETT and IAIN GEDDES took two foldingcampers – both from the Pennine Group – to ClitheroeClub Site to see how they fared

double beddouble bed/seat

WC

seat

king sized bed double bedWC

The Pathfinder Q6 (left) offers plenty ofspace, is easy to tow and quick to set upwithout the need to peg out, unless you wantto use the optional awning for more room

The core unit of the Fiesta Q2+2 (below left)is also easy to pitch, making it ideal forweekend trips, while the awning (below)offers additional space for those longerbreaks

December 2012 Camping & Caravanning 61

Pennine folding campers

at aglancePennine FiestaQ2+2

Price as tested£10,590 Club Care insurance£238Length x width xtowing height 4m x1.84m x 1.3m Berths Four Bed sizes Twodoubles 2.07m x1.22m Mass in RunningOrder 620kgMaximum AuthorisedMass 750kgUser payload 130kgBE licence requiredNo with suitable vehiclesuch as Ford Fiesta 1.4Edge 5drWarranty Two years Manufacturer PennineWebthepenninegroup.co.ukTel 01254 385991

Fiesta Q2+2At 750kg fully laden the Fiesta can be towed comfortably by a

legion of cars and its diminutive size allows the trailer to sit within

the slipstream of the car keeping drag to a minimum.

The core unit can be pitched with ease in about 15 minutes,

making it great for weekend trips. The awning and underbed

skirts we pitched are optional extras that do add to pitching time,

but for longer trips the extra space is a boon.

Inside the kitchen is kept simple with a combination four-

burner hob and grill and a small three-way fridge. There’s a sink

with running water but workspace is limited to the glass sink

cover, though you can always put the table out.

The Fiesta’s great strength is the seating and sleeping area.

To the right there’s a permanent double bed with just a little climb

to get to it as there’s a small sofa in front. Opposite there’s a

larger seating area that folds down like a futon to make a second

double bed. The seating space is airy and pleasant. There is a

built in toilet, but no other washroom features so for longer stays

you might prefer a full facility site. The space heater will only work

if you are on an electric hook-up but it kept the core unit very

warm in my early autumn test.

Verdict: Brilliant three-season tourer for a couple (with room for guests) thatcan be towed by a modest towcar.

at aglancePenninePathfinder Q6

Price as tested£13,390Club Care insurance£298Length x width xtowing height 4.88mx 2.12m x 1.39mBerths Six Bed sizes Threedoubles 1.98m x1.37m, 1.98m x1.22m, 1.98m x 1.12mMass in RunningOrder 840kgMaximum AuthorisedMass 1,000kgUser payload 160kgBE licence requiredNo with suitable vehiclesuch as Honda Civic1.4i Petrol V-TEC SE5drWarranty Two years Manufacturer PennineWebthepenninegroup.co.ukTel 01254 385991

Pathfinder Q6 The Pathfinder Q6 is a six-berth unit and the best-equipped

folding camper in Pennine’s range.

The quality is apparent immediately, with alloy wheels,

external gas and 240V sockets, a handy external hot-and-cold

showerhead and more. There’s even an AL-KO AKS1300

stabiliser and hitch lock as standard.

A double- and king-size bed are provided at either end of the

unit, which clears the main area for relaxing in the wrap-around

seating. If you prefer, this can be converted to a bench seat

arrangement or into a further double bed.

The washroom has a fold-down sink. During my test I found

it took quite a while to drain, but the sink is accompanied by a

mirror, light and electric-flush cassette toilet so you can stay on a

campsite without an amenity block.

Near the entrance door is a wardrobe, lights, mirror and

three-way Dometic fridge.

The kitchen has storage, a standard hob and sink but a

separate oven. And the water’s even heated – as long as you’re

on an electric hook-up.

Lighting is provided by LEDs and extra strip lights, giving a

good level of illumination and mood lighting options. Two 240V

sockets and three 12V sockets are provided along with a

TV point, along with a built-in electric plinth heater.

Verdict: An easy-to-set-up camper withplenty of refinements to make your stay special.

Pictured from top: The low profilemakes the Fiesta easy to tow; thecompact living area; the bedsunfold to the sides

Pictured from top: The Pathfinder’sexternal hot and cold shower; thespacious seating area; unfoldingthe unit on site