Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2024 i Campervan

The inspiration behind this trip came from a single photo – a panoramic landscape with three hikers on a broad track that had been shot in the Cairngorms National Park. The walkers were on a plateau and to their left was a loch, with the path they were treading heading off into infinity. The caption below read ‘Loch Brandy in Glen Clova’. Immediately, I knew I had to go there. But how? The problem was it would soon be July and I hadn’t had any plans to be in Scotland at that time, not to mention already having another trip to Scotland coming up in mid-August. Frustratingly, I thought there just wouldn’t be time to fit it in. The problem continued to niggle and niggle and, in the meantime, I…

If you have a camper and are considering buying a SUP then I’d encourage you to do it. The two are the perfect marriage and the calming effect of a paddle has made SUP one of the UK’s fastest-growing sports in recent years. But there are a few things to consider before you buy. Invest in a good-quality SUP suitable for your weight and the type of water you’ll most regularly SUP There are a variety of SUPs and price points to choose from. Even Aldi sells a £200 version. However, there are plenty of quality, entry-level boards to choose from that will provide the stability you need to get your SUP legs before moving on to other faster boards as your skills progress. I managed to last two years…

Every 12 months, our colleagues at Camping magazine celebrate the best outdoor kit of the year. The annual Camping Awards are the biggest and best in the UK – covering tents and accessories of all kinds. Of course, lots of the camping equipment that is used by tent campers is just as useful for campervanners. And that’s why we’ve picked out some of the highlights of the 2024 awards that we know campervanners will love. The Camping Awards are all about helping readers decide how to spend their hard-earned cash. When money is tight, you need to know that the gear you’re spending your cash on is worth the outlay. Value for money, innovation, versatility and style are all taken into account when it comes to handing out the prizes.…

There’s nothing better on a clear summer’s night than taking half an hour just to sit back and stare at the stars from outside your ’van. As the name would suggest, the excellent Stargaze camping chair (£249.99) from US brand, Nemo, is designed for exactly that. It boasts an auto-reclining support system and smooth swinging motion to allow you to easily get it into the perfect position. The sturdy aluminium frame features wide upright poles for generous elbow room and there are padded armrests and a large padded headrest for extra comfort. It’s designed to assemble quickly with the design cutting down on assembly steps; the shock-corded poles intuitively slot into place. Commended in this category were the Yeti Trailhead Camp Chair (£300), a top-of-the-range seat designed for durability and…

NEW CAMPERVAN CONVERTER Project Yonder, a new name in 4x4, off-grid campervans debuted at the recent NEC show in Birmingham, with the launch of its Mercedes Sprinter-based Freedom 4X campervan. Founded three years ago, the company is run by a young couple with a passion for go-anywhere campervans. The Freedom 4X is based on a 4.1-tonne long-wheelbase Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with a body length of 7m. It is powered by a 190hp, 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine with 9G-Tronic automatic transmission as standard, and available with a choice of all-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive. Prices start from £156,872 and rise to £161,722. HOBBY UNVEILS REAR LOUNGE VW CRAFTER The second model in Hobby’s hygge-inspired Maxia Van range has been unveiled. The new 680 DT model is said to encapsulate the cosy Scandinavian-style design…

Norfolk is a dream holiday destination, boasting brilliant beaches, beautiful forests and heathland as well as nature reserves, birdwatching, walking and cycling. On top of that is a selection of charming seaside resorts, including Sheringham, Hunstanton, Cromer and Wells-next-the-Sea. Many visitors come to the county for the tranquillity of the Norfolk Broads, but the north Norfolk coastline is truly a campers’ paradise. The salt marshes which stretch two-thirds of the way along this strip are criss-crossed by a maze of coastal creeks and alternate with bars of shingle strand and pristine fine sand beaches, like Holkham. Away from the coast, the fens and the Broads are a naturalist’s dream and there are nature reserves throughout the county. DISCOVER GO CRABBING Cromer Pier is the place to go for crab catching.…

Rockbridge is a family-run holiday park just outside the market town of Presteigne in mid Wales and is part of the Discover Parks family. Its sister sites are a 15-minute drive away, Arrowbank Country Park at Eardisland and Pearl Lake Country Park in Shobdon. Pearl Lake has a bistro bar, golf, fishing and crown green bowling, and all of these amenities are available for use by visitors. Rockbridge Country Park boasts first-class touring and camping provisions and is rated five-star by Visit Wales. These include exceptional washrooms, a laundry room with fridge/freezers and a spacious washing-up area. There’s a dog wash and exercise area, plus extensive walks alongside the River Lugg with the famous Offa's Dyke Path nearby. Fully serviced pitches, electric hook-up and camping areas are set alongside the…

Wimbleball Lake, Exmoor An Easter day trip to Wimbleball Lake with my SUP was one of my first proper campervan outings. Wimbleball is nestled in Exmoor National Park. SUP hire starts from £17 or, for a £12 fee that includes parking, you can launch your own SUP. What I didn’t realise on that first visit was that I would be back 18 months later with two friends, staying at the lake’s campsite in my ’van and taking part in Supbikerun, a triathlon event that includes paddleboarding on the lake. Dolphin spotting at Aberporth This small Welsh village in Cardigan has parking next to the beach if you can get there early enough, which means that you can get into the water within minutes. On my first solo trip I’d heard…

Camping’s editor is not generally prone to emotional outbursts. So, when he declared these “officially the comfiest walking boots I’ve ever worn”, everyone listened. The Hanwag Banks SF Extra (£245) is aimed at the many hikers with wider feet, who often find that walking boots and shoes are simply too narrow. Sadly, for many, that means badly fitting, uncomfortable footwear that does nothing to encourage you to get active. Hanwag’s solution is to come up with a special last, designed to provide more room at the side of the forefoot and around the big toe. The difference is amazing and that’s why we think this boot deserves top prize. In addition, the foam wedge in the midsole gives improved shock absorbency on rougher terrain. Gore-Tex lining makes the boot fully…

There was a time – and it really wasn’t all that long ago – when a £60,000-plus campervan wouldn’t have been considered anywhere near a budget model. But that’s the reality of where we are now, and there’s no sign of it changing any time soon. So, what that means is that whenever a “bargain” comes along, you need to be quick off the mark, because it is going to be in big demand. That was certainly the case with this new Etrusco ’van. Etrusco is an entry-level brand from the Erwin Hymer Group, but, if I’m honest, I have a slight issue with that description. Entry-level can have negative connotations, implying that it’s somewhat lacking in quality or features, and that is far from the case here. Etrusco vehicles…

HI Springtime has a few milestones for me this year. It’s been five years since we sold our house to live and travel in a ’van with our three cats. It’s been two years since I started my remote business. It’s been over a year since I’ve been writing this column (which has been a dream!) and it’s already been a year since I swapped my Volkswagen Transporter for Fabio, my little microcamper. This got me reflecting and reminiscing, especially about all of the awesome places I’ve visited on my travels. Yes, I’ve been to incredible destinations in Europe and beyond (can you believe the Bailey Sahara Challenge was a year ago already?), but did you know I spent 12 months touring the UK in my first year of full-timing?…

I love being in or on water and I’ve messed around with a bodyboard in the sea for more years than I care to remember, dragging the kids in with me on camping trips away. But today they are teenagers and, although my daughter did surprise me by going paddleboarding with friends last summer, they are more likely to be updating their BeReals on the beach than frolicking in the waves. Besides, I can’t always get to the coast for a dose of water therapy, so when I first tried stand up paddleboarding in 2018 I knew I’d found a hobby to fill the void. But while I was used to packing damp bodyboards into my car, in pre-campervan days, peeling out of a sand-encrusted wetsuit before driving back to…

Everyone has a different idea of what makes a good sleeping bag – some like to be cocooned in a mummy-style bag, others prefer something more spacious to let them move around in their sleep. Some like singles, others like to snuggle up in a double. But regardless of the bag’s style, you can always tell the difference between a cheap, supermarket-style sleeping bag and something more substantial. The Outdoor Revolution Sun Star Single 200 (from £19.99) is a square-shaped bag designed for summer use that comes in at a bargain price of £20 but doesn’t compromise on quality or features. The outer fabric and brushed lining are soft and warm and there’s a double zip at the base to allow extra airflow around the feet on warm summer nights.…

By now we’re all familiar with the concept of recycling and how it’s possible to repurpose seemingly random materials and use them again in a completely different context; turning plastic drink bottles into awning fabric, for example. Well, outdoor clothing specialist, Craghoppers, has taken that to the next level by recycling actual carbon emissions and converting them into clothing. The science is a bit complicated, but, basically, CO2 Renu uses 100% recycled fabric, up to 30% of which is fibres made from recycled carbon emissions, rather than recycled plastic. The environmental benefit, of course, is that the carbon would otherwise be emitted as CO2, with all the harmful effects that brings. The process begins by intercepting carbon emissions from industry, then fermenting the carbon into liquid ethanol and finally polymerising…

Sitting majestically just to the south of Loch Earn, Ben Vorlich is one of Scotland’s best-known Munros and a very popular walking destination in the southern Highlands. It’s also exactly the sort of place you’d expect the new Vorlich jacket from Berghaus (£300) to come into its own. Berghaus say it is “no nonsense and is ideal for long days outdoors when the weather turns wet and windy. And you can be pretty sure that’s exactly what you’re going to get when you ascend the 985m to the summit of Ben Vorlich. As popular with dog walkers as it is with hillwalkers, Berghaus is always a reliable brand for UK conditions, and this top-quality Gore-Tex waterproof jacket has a robust shell that is designed for use throughout the year. The…

After a couple of years of dabbling in pop-top campervans alongside its selection of motorhome franchises, Newark-based SMC is taking this sector more seriously with its own Globecamper brand. Basis for the standard Globecamper, priced competitively at just under £60k, is the short-wheelbase Transporter T6.1 in Startline spec but with the addition of the Business Pack, which adds an anti-theft alarm system, remote central locking, air-conditioning, a glovebox door and rear parking sensors. Under the bonnet is the entry-level 2-litre 108hp TDI motor, driving the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox (an automatic version with the 148hp engine is available to order). For these vehicles SMC has enlisted Bespoke NI, a company based in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, which has Type Approval and National Caravan Council (NCC) approval for…

It’s rare for us to arrive at a launch event not knowing quite what we’re going to see. The name ‘Trekker’ had already been released on a short promo video and we’d already clocked that this was a Ford Transit panel van conversion. Swift had also hinted that this wasn’t just another campervan, but one with a bold new look for the brand. So, we pulled into the car park with eager anticipation. Too much hype can lead to disappointment, but first impressions of the Trekker were extremely positive. The non-metallic grey body (the only colour option) is decidedly on trend, while the contrasting black alloy wheels are matched by a black casing for the Thule awning (included in the standard spec) and the chunky mouldings around the windows. With…