Yes! Caravanning really does have a good future ahead - the opportunity to roam all over the UK and the freedom it gives in doing so. Who, these days, can afford hotel charges for regular visits around the country when retired? We have camped and caravanned for some 50 years now! Despite rising fuel costs, caravanning enables my disabled wife and self to enjoy the delights of the out-doors, at our own liesurely rate, also, occasionally, on to the Continent or Ireland, again enjoying the sheer freedom of movement. After all one hears about the stress of air travel and the associated baggage problems, I feel I'm due to caravan as long as I am able. YES! Caravanning is definitely a must for the future !

We have 6 young children between 8 years and 4 months so having a family day out can be very expensive! Caravanning for us is great as we get quality time with the children and we can go away for a long weekend for less than a trip to a theme park.The kids love the freedom caravanning gives them.This year as we have a small baby we have a seasonal pitch,but we are looking forward to touring the country (and abroad) when they are a bit older. I think getting kids off the couch and into the fresh air definitely has to be a good thing.

The bigest threat to the caravanning community has to be the Chancellor, with ever increasing fuel duties at a time of high prices of oil. Family caravans need strong cars to tow them safely, consequently a lot of 4x4 owners like myself are penalised for the size of our tow car. It is easier to jump on a plane and pay the small flight duty tax compared to having to own a tow car. This is the biggest threat. Caravanning is not seen to be green, and unfortunately, like it not, this is the selling point of all political parties and Europe. We need to lobby these communities otherwise we could face been priced out of our caravans and on to the planes. Not a great idea!

We have been caravanning for 20 plus years and before that camping with small children. It is great to get away at the weekends in the caravan. Whatever the weather there is always something you can do, whether walking, cycling, visiting other towns or just reading in the van if weather is not so good. It is far better for the environment that flying everywhere. It is also a cheaper way to take holidays and most of the sites we have visited have been good.

Heavier 'vans and lighter cars pose a far greater threat to our hobby than cheap flights. A quick scan of the weights of new vans in the current copy of "Caravan" showed that, if I did not want to change my current "tug", the VAST majority of 'vans listed are far to heavy to be towed legally by me. British makers are the worst offenders!

I think that, like many of the concerns of this age, only time will tell how long the caravanning hobby can go on for. I'm sure that many older folks will not be around in fifty years (or perhaps twenty!) but I always see younger families out on the roads, and those kids must be inspired to follow in the parents steps, as indeed I was.

We've been holidaying in various vans for nearly 40 years and are pleased that people are now seeing it as a greener alternative to jets. It was once about freedom, but the world is pretty much on a plate these days. We should be doing what we can to encourage youngsters that there's as much on their doorstep as in the far corners of the globe.

I don't really think the argument that caravanning is old hat necessarily holds any weight. If everyone were to take it up then the amount of traffic on the road would be horrendous, and doubtless very bad for the air quality in the countryside. And besides, isn't the best part of our hobby getting away from it all?

Surely caravanning is a million times better for the environment than flying in a plane? Even someone with a vague grasp of environmental matters can see that if we all holidayed nearer to home – caravan or no caravan – then the amount of pollutants in the air would decrease. Get out there, life's for living!