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Although most drivers view caravans as an unnecessary hindrance to their road hogging, they remain extremely popular with pensioners, who see them as the ideal way to experience exotic places such as Ventnor while still enjoying all the comforts of home.
The first caravans were produced in the early 1950s, when they were known as mobelows (from ‘mobile bungalows’), and within a few years, more than 40 British manufacturers were producing ever more luxurious and well-equipped variations on the theme.
By the 1970s, even basic caravans included a cooker, shower, folding laundrette and inglenook fireplace, and today’s high-end models come complete with home cinemas, squash courts, rigid inflatable servants and computerised milking parlours.
Towing a caravan safely requires considerable skill and concentration, and before venturing onto motorways, pensioners should practise in a supermarket car park by dragging a septic tank or Barbara Hepworth sculpture behind their mobility scooter. Failing this, experienced drivers can be hired for short periods from agencies such as Caravandals and Tow-in-the-Water.