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We have a 2000 Herald Clermont 490/4L which we purchased last year.  We have been out in the van now about 10 times, but have NEVER seen another Herald van on the road.  We have seen a Herald Clarion in a dealer for sale.  Are Herald vans very rare?  We think our van is very good and has many of the specs seen in more modern vans.  Does anyone else have a Herald van?  When did they dissapear?  Anyone know any of the history of Herald caravans.  I know they were part of the Explorer group so you would think they would have been mass produced.

If you see us on the road please wave, as we seem to be the only one out there.

If anyone has any back issues of Practical Caravan or Caravan from around 2000 that mentions the Herald Clermont, could you let me know what it says about it.

Thanks

http://www.heraldcaravans.co.uk/

Is this not them, they are just down the road from here near Castle Cary station.

Ali

Hmmm, if you google you can find several mentions of them in the Caravan Club surveys and they don't make good reading on water ingress!  29% had damp problems and I think this had something to do with their demise.  Have a google and a read.

Ali

Hi Ali. 

I just did a google but didn't come up with any reports from CC.  What did you Google?  I did come up with loads on Herald statics, but they are a different company.

Hi, google

explorer group heralds

and then the CC reports will come up.

Ali

Herald was made by Explorer for a couple of years, they were very similat to Compass 'vans of the time.  Nothing in particular wrong with them, just Explorer decided to rationalise their line up.

The Clermont was a very popular and well regarded dealer special at the time, with a very high spec.  One memorable test in now defunct Caravan Life stated the Clermont was the closest the tester had seen to the perfect 'van!

Thanks Ali and thanks Iain.  I would have to agree with the tester, especially as I am a novice tower, it has been a joy to tow.  The specs on the van are very high, and if we had a fitted microwave there would be no difference to todays vans.  So far no water problems, or at least they were sorted in its early years.  We only bought it last August.  But for a popular van they all seem to have disappeared.  We have never seen another on the road.  We enjoy it and at the end of the day that's all that counts.

Thanks

Hi Bob,

We've got a Herald!  Ours is a 2000 Clarion.  We've only ever come across one other Herald ona site.

We were looking at vans for ages, and ours was the only one that ticked all the boxes.

And even though it's 7 years old this year, it still looks like new.

Hi Pieeater,

I was beginning to think we had THE only Herald on the road.  Next time you pass Carnforth give us a wave.  We should form a VERY exclusive Herald Owners Club.  Not sure we would get any group discounts on many sites though :)  We are also very pleased with our Clermont.  If yours is similar to ours, it has most of the features of new vans.

We will look out for you on the road and happy vanning.

Hi Iain,

Do you have a copy of the review in CARAVAN LIFE?  If so would it be possible to scan it and e-mail a copy?