Almost before we’ve fully recovered our waistlines from last year’s excesses, Christmas is on the horizon again!

While it’s now fashionable to decry the commercialisation of the festival, most of us will probably admit to enjoying a bit of immersion in the spirit of things. Christmas markets can play a big part in that.

What are Christmas markets?

For reasons that are not clear (though Oliver Cromwell is often blamed), after some centuries, these markets fell out of fashion in the UK and virtually disappeared. The tradition was preserved though in central and eastern Europe, in countries such as Germany, Denmark, Poland and so on.

Over recent decades, they have been re-introduced with enthusiasm in the UK and they’re a welcome addition to the Christmas season.

They’re now once again a big attraction and that ties in nicely with the increasing interest in short Christmas caravanning breaks.

Where to find the Christmas markets

Of course, few of us perhaps relish the prospect of lots of long driving over the Christmas break to get to a site.

Fortunately, these markets now are spread all over the country so there’s bound to be one not that far from you. Here are a few ideas for specific destinations:

York Christmas Market (North Yorkshire)

York’s Christmas Market will be open from November 14 to December 22, 2024. With 75 alpine chalets in Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square, York’s Christmas market offers local crafts, artisan goods, and seasonal treats.

The vintage carousel adds festive charm, perfect for families. With 80% of traders from Yorkshire, it’s a great way to support local businesses. The market promotes sustainability and inclusivity, featuring quieter periods, seating for those with mobility issues, and the Safe Space Scheme. Convenient public transport makes accessing the festive fun even easier.

Bath Christmas Market (Somerset)

This is an incredibly beautiful town at any time, but it really is especially attractive as a backdrop for the Christmas market. Running from November 28 to December 15, 2024, you can wander through the charming streets of Bath – illuminated by over 170 sparkling chalets – and explore some of the finest independent businesses from the South West and beyond. From stylish homeware and handmade jewellery to personalised gifts and more, soak in the festive sights and scents of Christmas while checking off everything on your shopping list.

Leeds Christmas Market (West Yorkshire)

In the centre of Leeds, this is a very large market running from 22 November to 22 December 2024. Leeds hosts the Christkindelmarkt, a traditional German Christmas market, in Millennium Square. With wooden stalls offering authentic German food, drinks, and gifts, the market brings a taste of Bavaria to the city. Enjoy bratwursts, gluhwein, and handmade crafts while soaking in the festive atmosphere. A carousel, traditional music, and twinkling lights make it an ideal spot for families and friends looking for a cosy holiday experience.

Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market (West Midlands)

Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market, the largest authentic German market outside Germany and Austria, is a festive highlight for locals and visitors alike. Set in Victoria Square and along New Street, it offers traditional goods, handcrafted gifts, and delicious food like pretzels, bratwursts, and roasted almonds, paired with gluhwein, weissbeer, or hot chocolate.

Enjoy live music, meet up with family and friends, and shop for unique presents, including handcrafted decorations, jewellery, and toys.

Manchester Christmas Markets 2024 (greater Manchester)

Manchester’s Christmas markets span across multiple locations, including Albert Square and St Ann’s Square, offering a wide variety of festive delights. The markets feature international food, traditional gifts, and artisan crafts. With its lively atmosphere, unique street food, and festive bars, Manchester’s Christmas markets are perfect for both families and friends looking for a memorable holiday experience in one of the UK’s most vibrant cities.

Blenheim Palace Christmas Market (Oxfordshire).

Immerse yourself in the festive spirit at Blenheim Palace in 2024. The historic Palace and Gardens will once again be transformed by thousands of twinkling lights, the aroma of seasonal delights, sparkling decorations, and the warmth of holiday cheer. It runs from November 15, 2024, to January 1, 2025.

Cardiff Christmas Market 2024 (Wales)

Located in the heart of the city, Cardiff Christmas Market offers a range of local artisan products, crafts, and festive treats. Stalls are set up along St John Street, Working Street, and the Hayes, providing a festive atmosphere with Welsh produce and handmade gifts.

With street entertainment and seasonal food and drink, it’s a charming market to explore, whether you’re looking for unique gifts or simply soaking in the Christmas spirit.

Winchester Christmas Market 2024 (Hampshire)

Held in the shadow of Winchester Cathedral, this festive market is one of the most beautiful in the UK. Inspired by traditional German markets, Winchester’s stalls offer handcrafted goods, Christmas gifts, and delicious seasonal food and drink. The ice rink adds to the festive experience, making it a popular destination for families and friends. With its charming atmosphere and historic surroundings, it’s a perfect Christmas day out.

London’s Winter Wonderland 2024 (London)

Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland is a festive extravaganza, featuring one of the UK’s largest Christmas markets. Alongside traditional stalls selling gifts and food, visitors can enjoy ice skating, circus shows, roller coasters, and the famous Magical Ice Kingdom. With festive bars, live performances, and a magical setting, Winter Wonderland is a fun-filled holiday destination for all ages, attracting visitors from across the UK and beyond

There are plenty of other destinations too, should you be looking for one that’s really close.

Top tips

If you’re thinking of visiting a market as part of a Christmas caravanning break, don’t forget:

• make sure your caravan insurance is up to date;
• check that your planned site is fully open and available. If your caravan insurance has conditions relating to on-site security, make sure that will be fully operational over the holiday;
• bring plenty of warm clothes;
• take especial care with your valuables on your person when in the markets. Though not usually a major problem, pickpockets love crowds.

Above all – enjoy yourself!

Disclaimer: The information provided above should be used as a guide to what’s on and when. Details and events may change without our knowledge.

If you own a static caravan, of course, you will want to protect it in the best way possible – and that means static caravan insurance.

To identify the most appropriate insurance cover for your own unique needs, it makes sense to compare static caravan insurance quotes – not only to check the policy offers the cover needed by your particular holiday home, but also to get the most competitively priced static caravan insurance.

Comparing static caravan insurance enables you to make an informed choice about what may constitute the most appropriate static caravan cover for your particular, individual circumstances.

The following are some of the most frequently asked questions we receive on the subject of static caravans and insurance – they might help you in knowing what to look for when comparing cover.

Don’t forget, of course, that you can always contact us to find the most appropriate caravan insurance quote for you – we are here to help.

Do I need static caravan insurance?

The answer is simple – there is no legal obligation to have insurance for your static caravan, but:

• static caravan insurance naturally offers the safeguards you are likely to want to protect your investment against all manner of loss or damage; and
• an important condition frequently imposed by the management of caravan parks is that any home pitched there has static caravan insurance;
• If you have a loan on your static home, then your loan provider may require that you have adequate insurance in place at all times.

Can I live in my static caravan permanently and what are the insurance implications?

Caravan sites or parks fall into two broad categories – those for seasonal or holiday use and those in which residents may make their permanent home the year-round.

Both types of caravan park must be licensed by the local authority – and you risk being told to leave a site on which you plan to live the whole year round if the park doesn’t have the necessary residential licence.

Parks for static holiday homes may be licensed to open for only a restricted number of months in the year and any residents must vacate their caravans during that closed season. A condition of the lease of a static caravan pitch is likely to include a requirement for the caravan owner to maintain a permanent address and place of main residence elsewhere.

Static caravan insurance reflects the limited period of residence offered by a holiday caravan – and, if you decide, for whatever reason, that you need to move permanently or semi-permanently into your caravan, you may be putting your cover at risk.

Are static caravan insurance and park home insurance the same?

This helps to explain a critical distinction. Although they might look the same and be sited on similar caravan parks, there is a world of difference between a static caravan used as a holiday or second home and a park home in which you live the entire year-round.

Because of that difference, static caravan insurance is not comparable to or interchangeable with park home insurance. If you have a static caravan as your holiday home, you need static caravan insurance.

Given that some caravans are located in rural areas that are well known as holiday destinations, it is also perhaps worth pointing out that if you let out your static caravan to generate income, then you may need further insurance. Standard static caravan insurance may not cover the use of your caravan for commercial purposes including holiday lets.

What lease conditions call for insurance?

When you sign the lease allowing you to site your caravan on ground at a particular park or resort, there is almost certain to be a condition relating to your need for a minimum of public liability insurance.

This is designed to provide your indemnity against claims that may be made by those on neighbouring pitches, visitors to the site or members of the general public who suffer an injury or have their own property damaged through action – or inaction – for which they hold you responsible.

Since this type of claim – especially if severe injury or even death is involved – may assume significant proportions, public liability insurance typically offers at least £1 million of cover, and not infrequently, £5 million.

Do I have to buy static home insurance from the park management?

Although there may be a condition in your lease requiring some form of insurance for your static caravan and your ownership of it, it is very rare for any site management to insist that the cover may only be bought from the park management – although it is equally certain to be offered to you.

Instead, you are likely to be free to choose to buy your static caravan insurance from wherever you choose – including ourselves here at Cover4Caravans, of course – and simply furnish a copy of the insurance document to the site management company as proof of your cover. (Note that the site management may charge you a small admin fee for sight of your cover, but overall, you may still save money).

What are the principal elements of static caravan insurance?

In addition to any public liability cover, of course, is protection for your caravan itself against loss or damage.

There may be considerable variation in the benefits offered by different insurers. For increased peace of mind, for instance, you might want to choose a policy that provides for the replacement of your caravan with a new one of equivalent make and model in the event of a total loss – this is typically restricted to caravans below a certain age and you might want to choose a policy that offers this benefit for the longest period possible.

What steps do I need to take to mitigate the risks of loss or damage?

A typical condition of your static caravan insurance relates to the security measures you are required to take.

Many of those precautions are likely to be a matter of common sense. They might range from the need to lock windows and doors whenever you leave the caravan unattended, for example, and you may gain reductions in the cost of premiums by upgrading those locks and by installing fire alarms and intruder detectors.

Other conditions may extend to ways in which you must ensure the security of your caravan and minimise the risk of loss or damage when it is left unoccupied for any length of time – say, during the park’s closed or winter season.

What are some guidelines on buying my static caravan insurance?

To identify the most appropriate insurance cover for your own unique needs, it makes sense to compare static caravan insurance quotes – not only to check the policy offers the cover needed by your particular holiday home, but also to get the most competitively priced static caravan insurance.

Comparing static caravan insurance enables you to make an informed choice about what may constitute the most appropriate static caravan cover for your particular, individual circumstances.

Isn’t saving money about buying the cheapest static caravan insurance?

One of the world’s most potentially misleading words is “cheapest”.

In one sense, it is relatively easy to define. If you have a caravan policy that costs X amount and another that costs X plus 10%, then clearly the first policy is the cheapest.

Yet things can become a little more complicated. The simplicity of the measure doesn’t communicate the nature of the cover provided. Instead, you may wish to consider the value for money offered of the caravan insurance policy. You may wish to look for a selection of static home insurance policies that give you all the elements and levels of protection you need, and then compare the prices.

It is only by cross-comparing one policy against another, perhaps with the help of a specialist provider such as ourselves, that you might eventually reach some degree of confidence that you have identified the most cost-effective and appropriate static caravan insurance solution.

How can I reduce the cost of my insurance?

But make no mistake about it, static caravan insurance that is good value for money is competitively priced. When you shop around for your insurance, you are comparing different policies and options to single out the one that is cost-effective and represents good value for money.

Our expertise and experience here at Cover4Caravans will help you to find a policy that is appropriate for you. Don’t worry if you prefer not to use the internet for this type of business as we also run a telephone service.

Other factors which may influence and help lower the cost of your static caravan insurance premiums include:

• agreeing to a higher excess on the policy (this is the first part of any successful claim that you are financially liable for);
• installing additional security devices around your caravan to reduce the risk of theft and vandalism; and
• removing highly valuable contents from the caravan that might increase the cost of your contents cover (some policies might not actually cover such items including things such as cash, jewellery, and electronic devices).

Responsible insurance providers – such as ourselves at Cover4Caravans – will always be willing to offer you advice as to how you might benefit from any particular discounts offered according to the precautions you have taken.

Is it worth comparing static caravan insurance quotes?

Static home caravan insurance quotes will clearly vary according to the type of caravan you have and how you intend to use it. Quotes then need to conform to those requirements and be relevant to your individual circumstances.

In short, it is always worthwhile being perfectly clear as to the nature of your caravan and the way you plan to use it, before seeking caravan insurance quotations.

You must be sure that the cover you buy fully protects the investment that you have made in your static caravan, and to do that, any insurance quote needs to be compared with others so that you can weigh up just what is on offer before making your decision one way or the other.

Do you have any tips on carrying out a static caravan insurance comparison?

If you are making a comparison of static caravan insurance quotes, you might find the following tips helpful:

• keep the price in context – as we have already suggested, try to focus on your options in terms of the cover they provide and the conditions they apply, as ultimately this may prove to be far more important to you than a relatively modest price difference between two similar policies;
• read the terms and conditions carefully – sometimes, potential policyholders overlook these, and this may have dire consequences, given the fact that the “T and Cs” may eventually govern whether or not you will be able to make a claim in any given circumstance;
• note your obligations – an insurance policy typically highlights conditions you must meet as part of your side of the contract bargain and if you fail to do so, simply because you have not read the policy, you may discover this through the painful experience of having a claim refused;
• look for discount potential – when making your static caravan insurance comparison, it might be worthwhile paying particular attention to the relative scope for discounts offered by the policies under comparison, as some may be far more flexible in this respect than others;
• think about expertise – some insurance providers such as ourselves specialise in caravans, and that is worth noting as they may be rather more familiar with the issues and challenges associated with maintaining adequate caravan insurance cover;
• shop around – the caravan insurance marketplace, like many others, is extremely competitive and it may pay to resist any pressures applied by people, such as site owners, to take their insurance simply because it is the first one that comes to hand – by using our online quote service, you can get several quotes all from one place;
• allocate sufficient time to do justice to the comparison – trying to squeeze a static caravan insurance comparison into a spare five minutes you have one evening may be unlikely to allow you to compare a number of options in the detail required and this may be a pity as it may mean that you miss some very suitable deals.

Alternatively, please get in touch and speak to one of our friendly staff – or use our online caravan insurance service – to easily see what your static home insurance options are. We’d be only too happy to help!

Can you tell me more about static caravan insurance quotes from Cover4Caravans?

Using our online service to find out about static caravan insurance quotes may give you some peace of mind in knowing that you have appropriate cover for your caravan.

We consider all our static caravan insurance quotes to be competitively priced. Differences between policies might make some options more cost-attractive than others – but what one caravanner considers cheap, of course, may be different from another’s.

Our insurance policies offer what we believe are generous and attractive terms and conditions about the new for old replacement of any static caravan up to ten years old – regardless of the number of previous owners – that becomes a total loss after an insured incident. Other insurers may offer new for old replacements in such circumstances – but only if the caravan has had only the one owner from new and is less than just three or five years old.

Further questions?

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will be delighted to help!

Here we round up some of the latest UK caravan and camping news stories …

National Caravan Council relaunches TowCheck website

If you are new to caravanning, thinking of buying a new ‘van, or simply out of informed curiosity, one of the most important considerations is the type of car you will need to pull whatever caravan you have. Naturally, it’s important to get it right – both from a safety and a legal point of view.

Therefore, it is welcome news – revealed by the Caravan Times recently – that the National Caravan Council has relaunched a website and user-friendly online tool that finds you the perfect match for the caravan and the vehicle you’ll need to tow it.

The online TowCheck tool finds the right match in accordance with the respective weights of the caravan and your car, together with adjustments for any towing experience you may have.

If the car/caravan combination you input turns out to be unsafe – or even illegal – the tool will instead give you a selection of alternative caravans. Wherever possible these alternatives will be the same make as the original manufacturer you had input. The result is a far more informed choice about your car/caravan towing combination.

Coachman revamps Acadia range in 2025

The Hull-based UK manufacturer of caravans and motorhomes has revamped this year’s range of popular Acadia ‘vans, announced Practical Caravan on the 19^th of August.

The new line-up sees the introduction of an all-new Acadia 460, a streamlining of the Laser models into a single range, and the inclusion of an additional third option in its upmarket, luxury Lusso range.

The revamped Acadia range principally involves changes to the interior in a bid to achieve a more modern and contemporary ambience, with furniture and fittings that weigh less.

The CAMC gets Gold in the Green Tourism accreditation scheme

For the third year running, the Caravan and Motorhome Club is participating in the nationwide Green Tourism accreditation scheme, it announced last month.

The scheme is run by the Green Tourism organisation. This aims to give practical advice to its members in the tourism and hospitality sector on sustainability options and business activities.

For 2024, The Caravan and Motorhome Club has achieved Green Tourism’s Gold awards for 122 of its caravan sites and also its headquarters at East Grinstead House. The Club’s remaining campsites have all received Green Tourism’s Silver awards.

The future of motorhomes: Do they have to be electric from 2030?

The government is committed to achieving “net zero”. A transition to electric vehicles (EVs) is a crucial step in that process. The aim is to abolish the sale of all petrol and diesel-fuelled vehicles by 2030.

Although the policies extend to motorhomes, petrol and diesel versions of these continue to be made – and they are certain to outlast any abolition that comes into effect in 2030.

Furthermore, most analysts will argue that – in the case of motorhomes – the transition to EVs will be slow and gradual. Not only is there a stock of long-lasting models but EV technology for relatively heavy motorhomes still has some way to go. The operating range of a heavier vehicle using current battery technology means that EV motorhomes are unlikely to attract many users.

Covering some 220 square miles of the county of Hampshire – and a bit of Wiltshire – the New Forest is one the largest remaining areas of unenclosed heathland, forest, and pasture in southern England.

It is one of the latest additions to the register of Britain’s National Parks, but the New Forest is anything but new! It was established way back in 1079 by William the Conqueror as a royal park for hunting deer and wild pigs.

Situated squarely on England’s sunny south coast, the New Forest is readily accessible from many parts of the UK – barely a stone’s throw from London, the Midlands, or the south west. So, let’s take a closer look at some of the reasons for visiting the New Forest.

Natural beauty

The New Forest is renowned for its stunning landscapes, which include ancient woodlands, heathlands, and picturesque villages. It’s a haven for nature lovers, with lush greenery, serene lakes, and open moorlands.

Walking or cycling through the forest trails allows you to immerse yourself in all the tranquillity and beauty of the surrounding forest. The change of seasons brings a variety of colours and scenery, from vibrant spring blossoms to the golden hues of autumn – it’s the ideal year-round destination.

They are so numerous that it’s difficult to highlight the top beauty spots. The 200 acres of Exbury Gardens, for example, have been described as “heaven with the gates open”. The gardens are world-renowned thanks to the unique collection of rhododendrons and azaleas planted by the Rothchild family. In peak bloom the plants tower over visitors in a profusion of flowers from white, to cream, to palest green.

Exbury Gardens also plays host to the Five Arrows Gallery where local artists and photographers display their interpretations of local wildlife and landscapes.

Wildlife

The area is home to a variety of animals, including the famous New Forest ponies, which roam freely across the heathland. Deer, foxes, and many bird species can also be observed in their natural habitat. Birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts will find the New Forest a paradise for spotting rare and interesting species.

Although they roam free throughout the forest, Bolderwood is probably the best place to be certain of viewing at least some of the New Forest’s five species of deer – from the majestic Red deer, to Fallow deer, Roe deer, Sika, and Muntjac.

The enclosure at Bolderwood offers a protected area of the forest and a sanctuary for many types of deer. From a purpose-built platform, you can overlook the meadows in which the deer are grazing and even coordinate your visit with feeding times.

Towns, history, and cultural heritage

The New Forest is dotted with historical sites, including ancient churches, traditional thatched cottages, and remnants of past settlements. The many strands of its cultural history are brought together in some of the best-known towns.

Lyndhurst, for example, became the forest’s “capital” from the earliest years of William the Conqueror’s visits. The small town is today home to the New Forest Heritage Centre – a museum and exhibition hall where you can trace the millennia of forest history. Lyndhurst is also the location of the Verderers Court – first set up in the 13^th century as a court responsible for ruling the forest, with authorisation from the Crown and elections from the County.

Lewis Carroll is probably the best-remembered children’s author, but did you know that the grave of Carroll’s original Alice in Wonderland – Alice Liddell (later Hargreaves) – can be found in Lyndhurst’s churchyard?

Visiting the New Forest means you get to enjoy stunning natural landscapes, serene lakes, picturesque villages, and observe free-roaming wildlife like the iconic New Forest ponies and various deer species. The area also offers rich cultural history, with historical sites, museums, and charming towns like Lyndhurst. It’s a tranquil escape with diverse outdoor activities year-round.

You might not have heard about it but when October rolls around, it is National Home Security Month (NHSM).

The campaign – which was first launched back in 2013 – offers a timely reminder that static caravans and conventional homes built of bricks and mortar have one major feature in common – they are both potential targets for burglars and other criminals.

Fortunately for the static caravan homeowner, there are some steps you can take to deter these criminals.

A quick review of burglar’s psychology

Far be it from us to delve into the minds of your common or garden burglar or thief, but it might be useful to spare just a moment or two to think about the most likely inclination and attitude of such a criminal.

Put in its simplest of terms, the fact is that the vast majority are opportunists – they are on the outlook for and attuned to spontaneous opportunities to easily access a static caravan in order to steal the contents. And it’s not just any caravan, but your static home.

With that in mind, remember that burglars are always on the lookout for things such as open doors and windows, tools left lying around outside (which might be used to gain entry) and potential access points that appear to have no or only limited security.

Make your security obvious

The Metropolitan Police advise any homeowner – and that includes your static caravan – to keep it visible when it comes to the security measures you’ve taken. The more you make obvious the steps you’ve taken, the more secure your home is likely to be. As opportunists first and foremost, burglars will typically move on, looking for caravans that are more vulnerable – because that means less risk of discovery.

So, it only makes sense to install approved professional locks and bolts on all of your doors and windows and to make sure that you don’t help burglars unintentionally by leaving tools lying around outside that they might otherwise use against those same security bolts.

High-tech solutions

You also have the option of installing (or having installed), solutions involving a combination of burglar alarms and cameras – once again these are also likely to have a visibly deterrent effect.

Burglar alarms have been around for a long time and are now very sophisticated. More recently, cameras and video technology have been added to the armoury of security devices.

Today, the cameras are very small and easy to hide around your caravan. Some devices – such as the range of products retailed by Blink (an Amazon company) – can link directly to the internet and will notify you on your phone if they’ve detected someone moving around your property when it should be empty.

They may even be able to use infrared sensors to detect movement in the dark and to film the intruders!

These types of solutions may be installed on a DIY basis or by a professional security solutions provider. Some providers of more sophisticated solutions might augment their provision of security systems with regular patrols and rapid response services.

Insurance issues

Some static caravan insurance providers may require you to take minimum security precautions as a condition of your insurance cover.

Requirements for you to fit locks and bolts to prescribed minimum standards, for example, might be regularly found in policies. In some cases, policies might also require you to use more advanced solutions and, in some instances, they may also extend specified security conditions to include aspects of the services provided by the owners or management of the site or park on which your static caravan is berthed.

Summary

Few if any static caravan owners would want to consider trying to turn their property into an impenetrable citadel. However, a balance must be struck between avoiding doing so and making it terrifyingly easy for thieves to enter.

The level of the measures you choose to adopt will be driven partly by any requirements that might be specified in your static caravan insurance policy and perhaps the extent to which you wish to ensure that the contents of your static are protected.

If you have any doubts about the potential solutions available to you, it would be worth speaking with a local security specialist with the relevant expertise in keeping intruders at bay.