Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2022 i Campervan

Well, it’s almost June already and that can mean only one thing: summer is officially here! I’ve been out a lot recently in my campervan (well, with so many bank holidays this year, who hasn’t?), and I would describe the current campsite situation as busy but quiet, and, perhaps, dare I say, almost back to normal. Let me explain… After the pandemic broke out in 2020, we saw a huge rise in the popularity of camping, as many people swapped their holidays abroad for a staycation. With so many newcomers to the hobby, demand for campsite pitches was at an all-time high. If you hadn’t booked well in advance, you’d probably be out of luck, which really put a downer on the spontaneous nature of campervanning. This year, with foreign…

With a completely redesigned Escape range, an all-new Kon-tiki flagship and the Ford Transit Custom-based Monza pop-top all arriving this year, it would be easy to overlook Swift’s Select van conversion range. It, too, has had a minor makeover for 2022, though. Of course, that’s partially down to the arrival of the facelifted Fiat Ducato, in Series 8 guise, and the adoption of a new exterior colour – the trendy non-metallic Lanzarote Grey. Just four models make up this season’s Select range – two six-metre LWB ’vans and two extra-long 6.36m campers. All get the latest 2.2-litre Euro 6D-Final engines with 140bhp, as well as ESC and the Eco Pack (which includes stop/start). In the cab, in addition to the new instrument cluster and steering wheel, the latest Selects also…

Dennis Hardley / Alamy Stock Photo Situated in Dumfries and Galloway, the pretty town of Castle Douglas, and the surrounding area, is a lovely spot to explore by campervan. Near to the Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it’s a great place for enjoying the outdoors. The AONB is a popular destination with birdwatchers, as the Solway Coast is a stop-off point for many migrating birds, and you may also spot the likes of short-eared owls, whooper swans and pink-footed geese. Naturally, the stunning coastline and sandy beaches are great for a seaside holiday. Castle Douglas (pictured here), is a delightful market town with plenty to explore, such as Carlingwark Loch and Threave Castle, as well as shops and cafés. Meanwhile, in nearby Galloway Forest Park, you can enjoy…

Having owned our 2015 VW T6 campervan since September 2017, it has allowed me and my partner, Juliah, to explore more of our lovely British countryside in a way that neither of us have really done before. To start with, we were happy with the on-board leisure battery’s ability to supply us with enough electricity to last a couple of days without the need for an electric hook-up, having only to power a small compressor fridge and half a dozen LED lights. If we were away for longer, we’d stay on campsites with electric hook-up so we didn’t have to worry about the battery going flat. Then along came a small addition to the interior of the campervan that changed everything – a TV! I know TV is a subject…

Worth £165! The Safari Chef 30 Compact from Cadac is the newest addition to the Safari Chef 30 range. This ultra-compact gas barbecue operates directly from a 227g bayonet cartridge and weighs less than 4kg, making it just ideal for hiking, picnics and trips away in the camper. Offering multiple interchangeable cooking surfaces, the 28cm-diameter tabletop unit comes with a ceramic coated BBQ Grid, Flat Grill Plate and a removable pot stand for use with your own kettle and pans. The enamelled Dome Lid also doubles as a pot for cooking and a Pizza Stone Pro 30 is also included, which is perfect for home-made pizzas when you’re away in your 'van. The Safari Chef 30 Compact has automatic piezo ignition and an easy locking system when the gas cartridge…

C&MC Design Awards announced The winners of the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s Motorhome and Campervan Design Awards have been revealed. A total of 72 campervans and motorhomes were submitted for the awards, which is now in its twenty-third year, with judging taking place at the recent Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show at the NEC, plus desktop assessment prior to inspecting the 'vans at the show. Although not driven by the judges, the vehicles were assessed on electrics and safety, comfort, kitchens/washrooms, air-conditioning, heating and ventilation systems, technical specification and stowage. The judges also considered seating positions, handbrake positions, visibility, safety whilst travelling in the habitation area, front seat comfort and driver ergonomics. The winners in each of the categories are: Campervans under 5m: Auto-Sleeper Ford Air campervan Campervans over 5m:…

Yorkshire-based campervan converter, Wellhouse Leisure, is celebrating the production of its 1,000th conversion since the launch of its first model, the Terrier, in 2013. The converter has also launched its latest model – the Ford Misano 4 – with its highest spec to date. The Ford Misano 4 is based on the Ford Transit Custom Limited, and offers both Trail and Sport trim levels on a short or long-wheelbase chassis, plus the option of a high or extra-high roof for those not wanting a pop-top. It has a 3,200kg chassis as standard, which can be upgraded to 3,400kg if more payload is required. As standard, the Misano 4 includes a 150W solar panel, lithium battery, an 8in digital colour control panel (including levels of fresh and waste water tanks), Webasto…

French tyre manufacturer, Michelin, has launched a new all-season tyre specifically for the campervan and motorhome market. The CrossClimate Camping tyre follows the launch of the CrossClimate 2 for the car market, and has been designed for year-round driving safety in most weather conditions. The tyre has been A-rated for grip on wet ground according to European labelling and is certified 3PMSF for driving on snowy roads. The V-shaped tread, known as Michelin’s V-Shaped Technology, has been designed especially for the all-season tyre, combining wider rubber blocks and large grooves to allow for driving in dry and wet conditions and on multiple surfaces, including grass, gravel, snow and mud. The CrossClimate Camping tyre has also been designed with a problem unique to campervans and motorhomes in mind – being parked…

Trouvaille Pop Top Orange Campers prides itself on its company promise that the Trouvaille comes ready for adventure. It’s a user-friendly campervan that comes with things like a 120W solar panel, twin 95Ah leisure batteries, a 90-litre fridge, an external barbecue point and extreme canvas on the pop-top for all-year-round camping. On the base vehicle, there’s a passenger airbag, air-con and a vehicle tracker fitted as standard, among other things. Price from £54,999 Campervan hire The Trouvaille Pop Top and Trouvaille High Top are both available to hire, so you can try before you buy, or just enjoy a great campervanning holiday this summer! From £135 per night Trouvaille High Top Like the pop-top version, the recently launched Trouvaille High Top is based on the Fiat Ducato short-wheel-base. At under 5m…

Looking back at Ullapool from the road climbing over a hill to our campsite, it was hard to believe that the neat village is the largest community in the northwest of Scotland. It may only have 1,500 inhabitants, but it’s a bustling tourist hub, fishing port and the ferry terminus for sailings to Stornoway in the Western Isles. I hadn’t been in Ullapool since I drove the North Coast 500 just after the route had been launched. It was a welcome haven with a delicatessen, one large supermarket and the last chance to refuel with LPG until you’ve driven around the top of the country and are nearly back down the east coast to Inverness. That trip was on the cusp between winter and spring, when I found snow still…

Being married to an angler, I’ve spent the last 40 years in search of the Holy Grail: a campsite with fishing, a nearby pub, and, ideally, a wonderful view and great walks to keep me happy, too. There are plenty of campsites with ponds or even lakes, but Chris prefers a river. After all, it’s not much fun catching a fish that’s already been caught and that might even have a name. On a river, he tells me, you never know what you’re going to catch next. And this is the problem. Whilst I may look for a tinkling mountain rill, with a little brown trout making an occasional appearance, my husband dreams of a big, slow river replete with barbel and chub. Recently, there have been three more attempts…

When you subscribe to the paper version of Campervan, you’ll enjoy all of these great benefits: onallWarnersShowswhen you pe-book your pitch ondayvisitorentryto Warners Shows moneyonthecoverprice Get deliverydirecttoyourdoor – itgoesonsalein the shops againstcoverpriceincreases And much, much more! Just £11.99 a quarter by direct debit or £49.99 annually by recurring card payment Subscribe now! motorhome.ma/cpvnjune22 Call 01778 392019 quoting CPVN/JUNE22 Paper edition offer is open to UK residents and closes on 30th June 2022 Have you considered going digital? There are two great digital offers available to you Fully searchable digital library Enjoy the latest issue and every issue of Campervan since the first issue in 2014. Read and search any feature from Campervan since the launch - travel, sites, road tests reviews and more – for just…

On sale 16 June 2022 Road trips Mike heads to the stunning Cornish coastline to explore on foot and in his vee-dub camper… In the know Be clear on barbecue safety before you get cooking up a storm this summer! Vanlife Eco-warrior, Fi, attempts zero-waste campervanning on a tour of Scotland… Campers Justine’s Auto-Sleeper Sussex is a great campervan for enjoying family adventures… Campsites Kevin Eaves stock.adobe.com Calling all culture vultures! Perfect sites for exploring castles and stately homes… Plus We grab an interview with RoofBunk, and also test a rather swanky VW… All contents subject to change Subscribe at outandaboutlive.co.uk 01778 392019 subscriptions@warnersgroup.co.uk Digital Campervan offers To enjoy access to a fully searchable digital archive of all issues of Campervan since it was launched, visit motorhome.ma/cpvnexact For extra photos,…

As June gets under way, the Warners Shows team is gearing up for the second half of the 2022 events. Having already been to Harrogate, Peterborough and Newbury this year, there are still five weekends for both pitch-hunters and day visitors. You can find them on the following dates… The Norfolk Motorhome & Campervan Show 22–24 July If you’re a rock 'n' roll lover, then make sure you’re booked in to visit Norwich this July. As well as the exhibition area, you will find bands such as The Jets, The Firebirds, Glenn Darren & the Krew Katz and The Revolutionaires on the main stage. Boston Jive will be on hand offering free jive lessons, as well as 50s hair and makeup tuition. The headline entertainment (an extra ticket is required)…

Scottish Volkswagen converter, Jerba Campervans, is in the final stages of developing exclusive touchscreen technology for its campervans. Designed by Jerba’s team of engineers, the technology will connect fuses, lights and other vital controls in a touchscreen panel linked to a built-forpurpose electrical control system located under the driver’s seat. Jerba Campervans co-founder, Simon Poole, says, “We are continuously working behind the scenes at Jerba to better our products to improve them for customers. We believe this addition will make for huge improvement to our campervans, giving the customer full control of so many important features, literally at their fingertips.” “The look of the image on-screen design will also match that on the VW vehicle dash infotainment system in order to keep a clear and clean brand image across all…

Volkswagen now has a whole suite of Transporter-based California campervans and Mercedes has its Marco Polo. If you want an OEM camper, the third option is the Ford Nugget which, like the Merc, is actually converted by Westfalia. Many will see the Ford as a direct rival, especially to the best-selling Cali, but it already has some USPs, including twin sliding doors. Now, it also comes in this Plus guise, which is not only the only long-wheelbase camper in this class but, crucially, it has a fitted cassette toilet. For some older customers, or those planning to camp off-grid, that will be enough to seal the deal. The Transit Custom is also becoming quite the force to be reckoned with in the camper market. Not only are there myriad specialist…

I was about to celebrate my fiftieth year on this wonderful planet and, being a Saab car enthusiast (I have two), I wanted to visit the Saab Museum in Trollhättan, Sweden. So, I took a month of annual leave from work in June, and then my partner, Jo, and our three-year-old son, Archie, prepared our small but comfortable Toyota Alphard campervan for the trip. First, we headed across the Channel and drove to Denmark with an overnight stop at a small but pleasant site at Tinglev. After a good night’s rest, we set off for the Øresund Bridge, which connects Copenhagen in Denmark to Malmö in Sweden. A short distance from Malmö is the Fotevikens museum overlooking the sea where, for £10, you can stay overnight. The museum is a reconstructed…

Janis Vermanis Owning an air-cooled Volkswagen is a way of life, often associated with beeches, beer, BMX bikes and surfboards, as the sun goes down over the sea with a campfire roaring. We are also often associated with having a queue of traffic stuck behind us up a windy lane, and for breaking down for no apparent reason other than the fact the sun is out! This is us – the simplicity for me is the attraction, and a well-maintained vehicle running as VW intended will provide years of enjoyment and smiles per mile. It’s all about the journey; you don’t to get there fast but the smile on your face and others on the road make it for me, and a shaka (wave) to other VW drivers passing. When…

In idges! The very word strikes fear into the hearts of campers. Hearing it can send the toughest tourist scrambling for cover. How do the locals stand this plague? Quite easily actually, by understanding midge behaviour and taking a few precautions. The fame of midges is much larger than their stature. An uninformed fear of the ‘wee beasties’ can put people off visiting Scotland in the summer but, as someone who lives here, I’ve learnt how to avoid them most of the time and how to cope if they do appear. What is a midge? The midge is a tiny flying insect with a mere 2mm wing span. There are over 35 different species of biting midge in Scotland, but the most troublesome is the Highland midge, Culicoides impunctatus. It…

So, you’ve splashed out on a new or secondhand campervan and you want a few of life’s luxuries while on the move. And why not? Well, the answer, as I found out recently, is combining life’s luxuries and campervans is not that easy as, sometimes, the law and safety limits come between you and your desires. We never worry about payloads when buying a car because everything is relatively simple – it’s designed primarily for transporting a driver and a maximum of four passengers. There’s limited scope for much loading beyond the passengers and their luggage and the full design load is nearly always within the car driving licence limit of 3,500kg as well. A campervan can be much larger and, even before owners start to load up, the built-in…