Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2023 i Campervan

When I tell friends that I’m going to the Howgill Fells for a long weekend of walking they look bemused and ask me what and where they are. “They’re the lumpy green hills between the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales,” I explain, “You get a good view of them from the M6, south of Tebay.” To be strictly accurate, the Howgills are part of Yorkshire Dales National Park and have been since its boundary was extended to meet that of the Lake District National Park. Although actually in Cumbria, they were deemed to have more in common with the neighbouring Dales, so were tacked onto them. Few people seem to have noticed this addition to our national parks and the area is largely undiscovered by walkers and tourists. Gone with…

Flaxton Meadows eco-campsite is located in North Yorkshire’s beautiful countryside, renowned for its wildlife and scenery. Touring and campervan pitches are available on hardstanding or grass with natural screening and electric hook-up. It’s a peaceful retreat for those wanting to enjoy nature, yet is within easy reach of a wide range of amenities. We caught up with owner, Jon Charters-Reid, to find out more about the site. How long have you been running your campsite? Flaxton Meadows welcomed its first guests late in the season in 2020, but, due to two years of pandemic closures, 2022 was our first full year of trading. What made you want to own and run a campsite? I have always been passionate about camping and love the outdoors. As a York Minster-trained cabinet maker…

As befits a ‘royal’ town, Caernarfon has a castle – and not just any old castle. It’s likely the most impressive in Wales, built back in the thirteenth century by Edward I. Walk through cobbled streets and you might feel time hasn’t touched this town much, but around the corner, there are always surprises. Culture is in abundance and a visit to Galeri Caernarfon is recommended if you like the arts. If you want something more energetic, there’s plenty of walking so don’t forget your boots and wet weather gear. TRY Welsh Highland Railway Head to Caernarfon Railway Station and take a seat in one of the beautiful carriages – relax as 25 miles of gorgeous scenery unfold before your eyes. You’ll pass the foot of mighty Snowdon and head…

HI I’m Tash and, four years ago, I sold my house to go travelling in a motorhome with my husband and three cats. Eighteen months ago I ended up buying a Danbury campervan and now embark on solo adventures, too. If anyone had told me five years ago I would be doing this now, I’m sure I would have laughed in their face. I was always a hotel kind of girl and the idea of staying in a campervan seemed completely alien to me. What, no flushing toilet? No thank you! In contrast, my husband, Jon, has always been a camper. He went caravanning with his family as a kid and, later on, tent camping with his friends on surfing trips. He kept saying we should go camping and, just before…

WELSH CAMPSITE SCOOPS BEST CS AWARD Members of the Camping and Caravanning Club have voted Hill View campsite near Llandysul in Carmarthenshire the best Certificated Site for 2022. A Certificated Site (CS) is a small campsite that can accommodate up to five campervans, motorhomes or caravans plus 10 tents at any one time. They are privately run and range from basic sites with limited facilities through to sites with showers and toilets. They are open exclusively to members of the Camping and Caravanning Club.…

The Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show is coming up on 21 to 26 February. It’s your chance to see the latest 2023 ’vans, so here are the must-see highlights… Spread across five halls, the show will be a great chance to see the latest campervans and motorhomes, and, as well as the 2023-season models that appeared for the first time in October, there are some brand-new launches. A new Campervan Hall is promised, too, with exhibitors including Bilbo’s, Bodans, Danbury, Dirty Weekender, Dreamer, Ecowagon, Hillside, Jans Lifestyle, Malibu, Murvi, Rolling Homes, Swift, Vantage, Westfalia, WildAx and more. The models listed here should definitely be on your must-see list. ADRIA We were hugely impressed by the latest Adria Twin campervans, which debuted at the Caravan Salon Düsseldorf, with new 600 SX…

It was with sadness that we have learned of the passing of one of Britain’s most inventive and prolific campervan designers, Barry Stimson, at the age of 82. Best known as the man behind the original Romahome, which set the standard for micro-motorhomes for decades, Barry’s concept started life on a tiny Honda truck in the late 1970s. It then evolved through various incarnations on Bedford Rascal and Citroën C15 chassis until it was thoroughly overhauled with a new look, again by Barry, on the Citroën Berlingo in the late 90s. His popular Renault Trafic-based Alpine (later rebranded St Michel) high-top campervan was another standard setter, introducing a level of washroom sophistication unheard of at the time in a panel van. We send our condolences to his wife, Caroline, and…

It might be Bürstner's new Lyseo Gallery, with its inflatable bedroom and proper staircase, that has attracted the most attention but, in a way, it’s the much smaller Playa Limited Edition that’s the bigger news. That’s because it marks a return to the Renault marque by Bürstner and, for UK buyers, an entry into a completely different market sector. We’re used to seeing everything from compact low-profiles to supersized Elegance A-classes wearing the red circle with ‘bürstner’ shot through its midriff but a pop-top campervan? We were so convinced that this one wouldn’t be coming here that we all but ignored it… until we sat down with Export Sales Manager, Guido Venter. To compensate for the difficulties that all manufacturers are experiencing currently, especially with chassis availability, Bürstner is doing…

TICKET TO THE MOON ECO BAGS Camping hammock manufacturer, Ticket to the Moon, prides itself on being an ethical company – it’s a manufacturer that promotes sustainability and fair trade production, using only locally sourced, high-quality fabric and investing in innovative recycling methods. And, as part of that commitment, it’s now launched a range of lightweight Eco Bags, handcrafted from hammock off cuts. There are three sizes of tote bag available – 10, 20 and 40-litre – as well as a 15-litre Mini Backpack, and the larger Backpack Plus. Each bag folds down into a carry pouch and is available in a kaleidoscope of different colours. Whether you’re looking for a reusable shopping bag or a handy backpack to wear around the campsite, these are a great option. W ticketothemoon.com…

THE HEADLAND CARAVAN PARK, CORNWALL Atlantic Road, Tintagel, Cornwall PL34 0DE T 08006 444477 W headlandcaravanpark.co.uk OPEN 1 March – 31 October The Headland is situated on the edge of Tintagel village, with Tintagel Castle, steeped in Arthurian legend, only a 20-minute walk away. The castle ruins are well worth a visit and are dog-friendly, as is the campsite itself. The scenery surrounding the castle is stunning and there’s a sea cave and beach to explore. The remains of the castle are on a little island, accessed via a spectacular footbridge. You can pick up the South West Coast Path from near the castle, too, and the village has a selection of shops and places to eat. The campsite has 50 grass pitches, with 30 of those having electric hook-up.…

Everyone seems to be on “a journey” these days. From sport stars to reality TV contestants, politicians to celebrity mothers-to-be, everyone’s at it. No one just goes through the ups and downs of life any more. Turn on the telly or pick up a newspaper and before long you’ll be confronted with someone earnestly telling you about their dramatic journey and how they’ve grown as a person. Strictly contestants don’t just learn to dance and maybe get a bit better at it over a period of time, with a few setbacks along the way. They have a dance journey. Famous Hollywood actresses don’t just lose a few pounds on a diet, they have a weight-loss journey. Just as balding actors have hair-loss journeys. So, not one to be left out,…

Calor has announced it is scrapping a range of small gas bottles popular with many campervanners. The 4.5kg butane bottles were discontinued on 1 February, along with the Cube, 3.9kg propane, 6kg Lite propane and 12kg butane cylinders. Customers won’t be able to buy new cylinders or exchange existing cylinders of these sizes for a refill. Calor said the move was designed to simplify its range and “improve customer services”. Rogerio Lopes, Calor’s Chief Executive Officer, added: “The legacy of the pandemic has had a significant impact on our supply chain, operations, and our ability to provide a reliable service to our cylinder customers.” Calor customers who use a 4.5kg butane cylinder will need to switch to a 7kg version and be required to buy a new regulator. The company…

A new study from eco campervan converter, CampervanCo, has found that three-quarters (75.5%) of existing campervan owners plan to switch to an all-electric campervan by 2030 – the year the Government’s ban on the sale of conventional petrol and diesel cars comes into force in the UK. Despite a limited number of all-electric campervans currently on the market, the survey of 198 campervan owners found that 14% of those are making the switch to an electric camper this year, with 6% planning to upgrade in 2024. The remaining 24.5% have said they’ll make the switch only when they have to. Over 70% of the survey’s respondents believe that zero carbon emissions is the greatest feature of electric campers, 11.7% praise cheaper fuel, and 7.9% are looking forward to the ability…

WITH FRAMED WINDOWS, ALLOY WHEELS AND SIMPLE, MODERN GRAPHICS, IT’S A WINNER AESTHETICALLY FROM THE OFF Has any other brand ever had a debut like this in the UK? Polish campervan company, Globe-Traveller, showed its vehicles to the UK public for the very first time at the Motorhome and Caravan Show in October and, on day two of that exhibition, it not only took the honours as Best Fixed Bed Campervan but also the overall Campervan of the Year 2023 title. This might be one of many, many imported van conversions with a bedroom at the rear but it is so much more than that. In a number of ways, this top-quality campervan has more than a hint of full-sized motorhome about it. Globe-Traveller’s lower-priced Explorer models (from £73,995) keep…

Horus is the campervan range from Italian manufacturer, Rimor, which, in turn, is part of the Trigano Group – counting the likes of Adria, Auto-Sleepers, Auto-Trail, Benimar, Chausson, McLouis, Mobilvetta and Roller Team as stablemates. And that’s just brands that have a presence here in the UK. Rimor produces between 4,000 and 5,000 motorhomes a year from its manufacturing plant in Tuscany, so it's in no way a small-scale manufacturer. As far as the UK is concerned, there are three models to choose from, all based on the Fiat Ducato. A fourth, the Horus 45, is available as a special order only. UK importer, M and C Ltd, sells Horus models from its base in Hull and there’s a selection of Rimor dealers across the country. It sells all of…