Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2023 i Campervan

When my younger sister, Helen, and I were kids, my dad used to have a courier and logistics business and he bought a lot of secondhand vehicles to use. When the van had served its working life and had ticked up quite a few miles, it would be converted into our new family campervan to use for our holidays. Vans like this make for perfect conversions because you can pick them up relatively cheaply, and when you're going motorhoming you don't need to do a lot of miles, so this is exactly what we did for our campervan home. We bought a van from a friend of the family, so we knew it had been well looked after and had full service and MoT history, and then we also bought…

My expectation of Grange-over-Sands was that it would be just another tired seaside town past its heyday, but I was pleasantly surprised when we visited on an autumn trip to south Cumbria. It was more lively and stylish than most Victorian resorts and the whole place appeared well kept. Somehow it had remained a tourist destination without becoming tacky. On our first afternoon we strolled around the town in warm autumn sunshine, visiting two immaculate parks. In Ornamental Gardens, we admired the pond, fountain, ducks and lovely trees. Beautiful bar-headed geese with black and white-striped crowns wandered on the grass – I would have loved to stroke their soft, grey plumage. Further on, Park Road Gardens had a decorative bandstand and sensory garden. We found the Main Street full of…

Is there a campervan conversion company you think deserves more recognition? Now’s your chance to tell the world. Public voting in the 2024 Campervan Awards, in association with leading consumer finance provider, Creation Personal Finance, is under way. And we’d like you to tell us who you think is Britain’s best converter. There are some excellent campervan companies out there, from larger-scale converters to one-man bands and everything in between. Super customer service and great aftersales care is so important, so these should rank highly in your voting. But, whatever the reason, we want to know who you think is top of the pile. Simply nominate the campervan converter you think deserves the award and tell us why at motorhome.ma/cpvnawards2024 We’ll announce the winner on our website outandaboutlive.co.uk in October,…

Historic St Austell is located a mile inland from the stunning south coast of Cornwall and has so much to offer for the perfect holiday. Start with a day at nearby Wheal Martyn clay mining museum, then head to the Charlestown Shipwreck Treasure Museum – a small museum with many artefacts collected from shipwrecks. The highly acclaimed Lost Gardens of Heligan are also nearby. One of our favourite local spots is delightful Mevagissey, a historic fishing village, with a beautiful harbour tucked away behind pretty cottages and shops. TRY ST AUSTELL BREWERY At St Austell Brewery you’ll find a modern visitor centre where you can learn all about the artistry required to create beers; plus, you’ll have the opportunity to sample some of the delectable brews in the lovely on-site…

1 THE CAMPSITE ATCULZEAN CASTLE This is a National Trust property and grounds on the Ayrshire coast and we decided to join the National Trust while we were there. There’s the castle itself, which of course is fabulous, but the grounds were amazing for exploring with our bikes. There is a well-equipped Camping and Caravanning Club site that is attached to the estate, so it’s super-easy to bike into the grounds from the site, and then there are so many things for the kids to do. For example, there are some large play areas, a treetop adventure area and a beautiful swan pond. I went running around the grounds early on a morning there, as there were lots of great tracks and paths to follow and I liked taking advantage…

HERDWICK CROFT HOLIDAY PARK Bassenthwaite Lake, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 4RD T 01768 877789 W herdwickcroft.co.uk OPEN All year Just a five-minute walk from the north shores of Bassenthwaite Lake, pitches on Herdwick Croft have views to the Lakeland Fells and are surrounded by countryside and wooded areas. Due to the site’s waterside location, you can easily enjoy paddleboarding, kayaking and fishing on the lake. There are hardstanding gravel pitches with electric and fully serviced pitches. Facilities on site include toilets, showers and a launderette. There is also a bar and bistro with indoor and outdoor seating, open for lunch, snacks, pizza and drinks. For nearby attractions, The Lakes Distillery is a few minutes’ walk away, and the Lake District Wildlife Park is one mile away. Herdwick Croft is 15 minutes’…

As I write this, I am fresh off a three-and-a-half-week tour in my new (to me) micro-camper, my first trip since buying it five months ago. As a quick reminder, or if this is your first time reading my column, I changed from a VW T5.1 campervan to this Nu Venture Compact. Due to lots of exciting plans and commitments this year, I knew my T5.1 wouldn’t get much use. I also wanted to tweak a few things with the layout, so I decided to downsize. I'd done my research, but I was still apprehensive about the first road trip. Especially as it was a long one. Had I gone too small with this ’van? Would I have enough space to live, cook and work? Can you comfortably tour in…

Buying a new campervan is an exciting time, but before you even think about splashing the cash, you’ll probably have to sell your current pride and joy. Selling a campervan can be a complex process, and knowing the ropes can make all the difference. But don’t worry… we’ve done it all before and we'll use all our experience to walk you through it. From valuable tips and market insights to the best time of year to make your move. We'll also touch on some essential advice if you're looking to buy a campervan for your next adventure. So, let’s embark on this journey together and make your campervan sale smooth and successful. BEFORE YOU SELL It’s crucial to be prepared and fully informed before you start selling your campervan. Research…

The Dormobile name was first coined in 1952 and it was once so well-known that when my parents bought their first campervan in 1979, friends referred to it as a ‘Dormobile’ even though it came from a rival brand. Its factory in Folkestone churned out conversions on numerous base vehicles, but, perhaps most notably, VW Type 2s, Bedfords and, more unusually, Land Rovers. Despite its success in the 60s and 70s, Dormobile’s Tile Kiln Lane plant sadly closed its doors in 1994. And that could have been the end of the story, had it not been for the links with Land Rover, as Dormobile conversions of the pre-2016 Defender have continued since 1997. Land Rover campers were always going to be a bit niche, but, since moving to a new…

It might take a trained eye to spot, but Consort Motorhomes’ latest model takes the existing Kite layout and tweaks it to offer a larger bed (thanks to a bigger lounge). So, this is a new alternative model based on the medium-wheel-base Fiat Ducato – a vehicle that is much less widely converted than the long and extra-long panel vans but offers easier parking, being not much longer (at 5.41m) than long-wheel-base versions of smaller LCVs (such as the VW Transporter and Ford Transit Custom). Except that the example you see here is based on the Fiat’s Sevel cousin, the Peugeot Boxer. To keep its factory busy – and customers content when Ducato deliveries have been, at best, sporadic – this Leeds-based converter has been sourcing late, used Peugeot vans…

The main thing we were looking for from this holiday was an opportunity for me to explore the Scottish Highlands. My mam and dad did the North Coast 500 (Scotland’s answer to Route 66) after lockdown, when we were able to travel across the UK but not internationally, and they completely raved about it, so I’ve wanted to experience the Highlands for myself ever since. The kids and I travelled in our newly upcycled ’van, and my mam and dad came with us in their campervan. We love cycling and took our bikes with us, so we wanted lots of cycle routes with scenic places to camp, but we also wanted be in places where there would be other kids so that the boys could make friends and play at…

In the 1940s it was apparently OK for travel writers to be tactless and even rude. A friend had gifted me a pile of shabby Penguin guidebooks, whose yellowing pages were peppered with ticks and stars made by her relatives. These books revealed a different England, when driving tours were a novel idea. Browsing the two guides for East Anglia to plan our own campervan trip, I squirmed as I read the writer’s forthright introduction, “Suffolk folk will be found to be slow but extremely thorough, very hospitable and in the rural parts more ready to accept the stranger than their Norfolk neighbours.” Driving into Bury St Edmunds, I read aloud from our 1949 companion that this was “undoubtedly one of the most historic places in East Anglia.” After reversing…

SPICY RUBBED SALMON FILLETS WITH POTATO SALAD Fresh salmon is pretty hard to beat, and a simple Cajun-inspired rub provides enough enhancement to make it fine campervan fare. Served up with a home-made potato salad and some asparagus, it’s one of my favourite campsite meals. INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4) 4 salmon fillets1 kg new potatoes1 bunch asparagus3 tbsp mayonnaise1 bunch chives FOR THE RUB 1 tsp salt1 tsp white pepperHalf tsp ground corianderHalf tsp smoked paprikaHalf tsp hot paprikaHalf tsp garlic granulesHalf tsp dried thymeHalf tsp chilli powder (optional) METHOD 1 Start by putting together the mix for your rub. To save you time and ensure you don’t have to carry all the separate ingredients to the campsite, you could do this at home in advance and take it along with you…

NEW MODEL LAUNCHES CONFIRMED FOR NEC SHOW The Motorhome and Caravan Show, which takes place at the NEC in Birmingham, from 17 to 22 October, has confirmed a host of new campervans that will have their UK public debut at the event. The show is the UK’s largest event of its kind and spans almost 21 acres of the NEC. Each year manufacturers from the UK and Europe use the event to reveal their latest campervans and motorhomes, as well as caravans and accessories, to the public. This year will again see Campervan name the winners of the Campervan of the Year awards at the show, which means visitors will be treated not just to the sight of multiple all-new models but also those our judges have named the best…

Campervan stopover website, park4night, has developed a new network called geoSpot. All stopovers that are part of this scheme are located on previously unused private land that is not already mentioned on the existing park4night website (or any other stopover platform). A donation box will be present to all overnighters to leave a fee (geoTip) for the landowner. Anyone using these stopovers must be in self-contained campervans or motorhomes, that have toilets, waste water tanks and bins onboard. There are currently 20 locations signed up in France, Portugal, Spain, Poland and Bulgaria, with more signing up. Park4night+ members (a subscription costs €9.99 per year) will get access to these free of charge until the end of this year, using the code on the geoSpot website.…

The Caravan and Motorhome Club is offering discounted bike insurance through Bikmo. The policy covers against financial loss if your bikes and kit are stolen or damaged anywhere in the world as standard, plus other benefits like cover to get you back home (or to your campervan) if you hit some bad luck when you're out on the road. Non-members will also be able to purchase bike insurance through the Club. Unlike other providers, Bikmo covers bikes when they are secured to a rack on a leisure vehicle or left in a locked campervan, caravan or motorhome.…

The Kelsey is an unusual and keenly priced campervan. Based on the long-wheelbase Ford Transit Custom, the Kelsey is built in Westfalia’s French factory alongside the Kepler and Jules Verne models and Fleurette/Florium motorhomes, rather than in Germany. It comes as standard with features such as front fog lights, blown-air heating and a hot water system, but it’s the layout that is the real USP. At the rear it has a bench cassette toilet and a shower (with covered tray lightly recessed into the floor), but first you’ll need to undo a couple of straps and lift the front-hinged pop-top. That also gives access to the roof bed, with its generous 1.91m by 1.19m mattress on Froli springs for super sleeping comfort. Unusually, there’s a ladder to reach the bed…

SOTO THERMOSTACK COOK SET COMBO Ideal if space is limited in your camper, or you have a bit of solo travel planned this autumn, the Thermostack Cook Set Combo has been designed by Japanese technical brand, Soto, which has now made its way to the UK. Made from a combination of aluminium, titanium and stainless steel, this eight-piece stackable set includes three cooking pots/mugs (750ml, 400ml and 350ml), a pot handle, two sipping lids, a joint to combine two mugs for enhanced heat retention, and an insulated cover to keep the ingredients inside warm, which also doubles up as a carry bag. It weighs just 310g and measures 8.6cm by 11cm when stowed. PRICE £71.95 W newheights.co.uk/shop REMOSKA PRIMA 4-LITRE How many times have you looked at a campervan and…

NOVEMBER ISSUE ON SALE 19 OCTOBER PILGRIM’S PROGRESS Follow the historic trail to Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain ALSO IN THE NOVEMBER ISSUE • Discover Cornwall’s unspoilt Roseland Peninsula • Cool camping – how to prepare for winter getaways in your ’van • Get fully covered with our essential guide to campervan insurance PLUS NEWS, VIEWS, REVIEWS AND MUCH MORE 2024 NEW MODEL GUIDE Find your dream campervan as we reveal all of next year’s major new launches in our comprehensive supplement LOVE VANLIFE? YOU’LL LOVE THIS… We understand your passion and we love vanlife, just like you So let us bring your travel aspirations to life Subscribe today and GET THE NEXT 5 ISSUES OF campervan FOR £5 PLUS A SAVING OF UP TO £120 ON WARNERS SHOWS…