6ft by 13ft... it’s our 1960s home away from home
AFTER a rather uncomfortable camping trip in the early 1970s, John and Jenny Marsland swore they would never spend another night under canvas.
So the couple invested in their first caravan – and after four decades of adventuring around the country they have been crowned Caravanners Of The Year.
Mr Marsland, 64, and his wife saw off tough competition in the contest, run by the British Caravan Club and broadcast on BBC2. Their 1963 Cheltenham Waterbuck, bought for £400 in 2000, charmed the judges. With no hot running water and a mere six-and-a-half feet by 13ft, the van is far from luxurious. But its compact size gave it the edge when performing tricky manoeuvres. It also has all its original 1960s fittings – including an oven only a little larger than a microwave. So when the Marslands had to choose a theme for a caravan party they easily swung back to the Sixties. Mrs Marsland, 62, wore a mini-skirt and boots with flowers in her hair while her husband went for psychedelic colour.
Don’t they ever hanker for one of those giant models with all the mod cons? ‘I’ve no desire for a modern van,’ Mr Marsland said. ‘You sit inside and think it’s very nice – but they are too heavy and complicated.’
The couple, from Pickering, North Yorkshire, have spent £5,000 keeping their home away from home in top condition, even adding double glazing. ‘Our intention was to make it a year-round van,’ added Mr Marsland, who along with his wife spends around 80 days a year on the road. ‘If you go out in winter with normal glass windows, the condensation just streams down the windows and ruins the woodwork.’
And it seems the Marslands have succeeded in making a home for all weathers – as they plan to celebrate their win by motoring to sunny Sicily, before coming home via Geneva.
Then next year they will be going to the other extreme – driving to the top of Norway to fulfil their dream of seeing the Northern Lights.