Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2023 i Practical Motorhome

Email your pictures and their stories (40 words, plus name, address and contacts) to hotshots@practicalmotorhome.com. The best photo will win these guides: All the Aires Spain and Portugal; All the Aires France (North and South); All the Aires Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands; Go Motorhoming and Campervanning; Sea View Camping Scotland; Sea View Camping Wales; Sea View Camping West Country; Road Trip Europe – The Great War and More; and Road Trip Europe – Go Dutch. All are from Vicarious Books, www.vicarious-shop.com, 0131 208 3333.…

SUDOKU To solve the puzzle, each row, column and 3x3 box must contain the numbers 1 to 9. No single digit can appear twice in any one row, column or 3x3 box HALF & HALF What is formed in the process known as speleogenesis? Cross out a letter in each square to get a grid filled with words. The uncrossed-out letters in the shaded squares give the answer. WORDWISE You have 15 minutes to find as many words as possible using the letters in the grid. Each word must contain four or more letters, one of which must be the central square. No proper nouns, plurals or foreign words are allowed. There is one nine-letter word in the grid, for which the clue is: sycophant. 10 = average More than…

Today’s generation of workers is challenging the old norms of travel and work. Offices have been exchanged for co-working spaces and remote working now allows a fortunate few to travel full-time. Indeed, the growing trend that is the nomad lifestyle has created a new challenge, which some countries are embracing – finding innovative ways to accommodate the remote-working traveller. I’m one of these young nomads, a full-time motorhomer, exploring Europe and sustaining my travels through writing and photography. One country in particular that has been fully embraced by younger ‘van-lifers’ is Portugal. It’s easy to understand why – with a sunny climate, stacks of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and wonderful coastal scenery, it’s a fantastic place to explore. The mild winters, especially in the Algarve to the south, and warm…

Did you know? The USA has a population of 327 million people, spread unevenly over 50 states, with a total area of around 3.5 million square miles. Even more impressively, there are six different time-zones as you travel from east to west. The term RV (recreational vehicle) covers both trailer caravans and motorcaravans, although the latter accounts for the majority (56%) of sales and a far bigger proportion of revenue. This really is a motorcaravanning nation, with an estimated 23 million folk expected to take at least one tour during the next 12 months.…

‘Combined to be better’ at MDG The Motorhome Dealer Group – comprising Countrywide Motorhomes, the VW Kamper Centre and Three Counties Motorhomes, operating across Hampshire and Dorset – has reorganised its set-up. Poole-based Three Counties Motorhomes is now serving as a full service centre for the other two outlets. Director Rob Kirk says: “Countrywide and the VW Kamper Centre deal with all the sales, while Three Counties now has the clear role of preparing all stock for sale and for all sold vehicles. The site also deals with all handovers and any warranty issues, with its six workshop bays and so on.” The arrangement also allows enhancements to what is now a dedicated, dual sales display at the group’s site on the main Ringwood Road (A31) at St Leonards, where…

1 Nitrocellulose adhesive (clear glue) This is probably the most prolific of the adhesives available. It is very versatile and can be used to bond many different materials. It is a ‘drying’ adhesive; that is, once applied, it relies on its inherent solvent to dissipate, and then it will harden and form the bond. It is moderately strong, but not flexible, and will adhere to most surfaces. Usually in tube form, it is easy to apply. 2 Contact adhesive This type of glue will also have many uses. It is once again a ‘drying’ adhesive, in that it is solvent based. Usually, both surfaces to be stuck together are coated with adhesive before being left to dry for a while. Once a certain level of ‘tackiness’ has been reached, both…

what3words ///validity.wept.parsnips Why tour here? The Anti-Atlas mountain range is a stretch of peaks running across south-western Morocco, which formed as a result of the collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates about 80 million years ago. It is part of the larger Atlas Mountains group. Known for its mesemerising views of a Mars-like landscape and bordering the Sahara Desert to the south, it has superb hiking routes and rocky topography. Indeed, it provides an important barrier from the desert sands, which would otherwise threaten to engulf the region. It is culturally important, too, as the home of the indigenous Berber people. Don’t miss… Kim and Marcus Leach and family followed this remarkable road leading through a valley on the way to Irherm. Read more about touring Morocco in…

Mnched collapsible lunch box This space-saving, reusable lunch box, with a 1065ml capacity, is a great addition to your motorhome kitchen. Folding down to just 3cm, it’s dishwasher and microwave safe. Price £20 Web mnched.com Smartphone bicycle mount Never take a wrong turn again with this sturdy mount. The bracket can be used with any bike and phone, in landscape or portrait mode. Price £14.99 Web decathlon.co.uk Russell Hobbs Brew and Go This 650W/220V 2-in-1 coffee machine can brew on the go from fresh grounds, with a filter built into the 400ml stainless-steel travel mug. Price £49.99 Web amazon.co.uk Volcann Flatpack Portable BBQ & Cooktop Cook your full English all at once on this compact charcoal barbecue, which features a flat cooktop and a grill section. Price £39.95 Web indooroutdoors.co.uk…

If you want to go to a campsite with a dark sky, there is a useful online map you can use. It shows how much light pollution there is in various parts of the country – it’s quite shocking how badly some areas are affected. A quick look shows that the Scottish Highlands are very good for stargazing (we love the dark skies in and around Aviemore), as are parts of Wales and the south-west. Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) offers dark skies, too. Some of the darkest are to be found on the Scottish islands, but sadly even they are now touched by light pollution. w nightblight.cpre.org.uk/maps…

‘Morocco is a country of dazzling diversity and endless intrigue, a colourful tapestry of contrasts for those seeking adventure’ Woken by the echo of the call to prayer, the melodic tones of the muezzin growing gradually louder, it took me a moment to remember I was in Morocco, I was in Africa, a continent I dreamt of visiting as a girl growing up in Liverpool. But I never once imagined I’d be there in a motorhome, with my family. Morocco is a country of dazzling diversity and endless intrigue, a colourful tapestry of contrasts for those seeking adventure. It’s a land full of history and culture, mighty mountain ranges, seductive souks, ancient cities, enticing coast and of course, the Sahara Desert, the mere mention of which conjures up a world…

Carado expands Ford offer Carado is increasing the number of models it is offering on a Ford Transit for 2024, and making adjustments that including enlarging storage lockers. The Erwin Hymer Group company returned to Ford earlier this year with the CV590 4x4 van conversion. For 2024, it will also be offering Ford as the base vehicle on Edition 24 versions of three of its low-profiles: the fixed-single-bed T338 and T447, and the island-bed T449. Edition 24 models come with a host of extras, including 16-inch alloys, folding blackout blinds, a larger fridge, insulated waste-water tank and an awning. Throughout the low-profile and campervan ranges, overhead lockers have been expanded by 25%, and the bedrooms in low-profiles now come with more angled beds, while the shelves above fixed single beds…

The touring lifestyle offers one of the best investment returns around: not necessarily in terms of cash, but in more freedom, greater pleasure – and priceless memories. But this is still a major investment, whether you’re a first-timer or you are part-exchanging. Choosing carefully how to finance your purchase could save you a small fortune. The options include using savings, a personal loan, personal contract purchase (PCP), hire purchase (HP), personal contract hire (PCH), or a dealer/broker finance package. The key to getting the best deal is understanding the ways to pay. If you have enough cash in the bank to purchase your ’van outright, that will almost certainly be the cheapest way to buy, so let’s begin there. Paying in cash With most new ’vans costing north of £50,000,…

Lunar Caravans gained its moniker by being ‘launched’ in the year of the moon landings (1969). The proprietors, Brian Talbot and Ken Wilcox, had worked together before, at Knowsley Caravans. They hit the ground running and built their early (coachbuilt) vehicles on Bremen Mercedes, during the 1980s. Landstar was their first factory converted high-top, although they have also rebadged other converters’ panel van conversions as ‘Lunar’. Landstar was unveiled during the October 2014 show at the NEC. Such was the intense level of interest from prospective purchasers, it was difficult to get close enough to photograph it. Not surprising really, because at the time, the market was crying out for a UK volume van converter to get behind the three-pointed star. The layouts were carefully thought out, both in form…

Digging up the data EOBD (European On-Board Diagnostics) is, as the name suggests, a Europe-wide standard for electronic diagnostic testing. We’ve had on-board diagnostics for several decades now and this really helps technicians to diagnose faults within the vehicle. Modern vehicles are fitted with a plethora of microcomputers to control all of their various functions, and these are all interconnected. In most cases, this is by a CAN (Controller Area Network) bus, which is simply a data highway within the vehicle’s electronic systems. If a fault occurs in a system, it will usually log a fault code, which gives the technician a starting point from which to diagnose the problem. EOBD systems do a lot more than just logging fault codes, though – they enable the clued-up tech to view…

letter of the month Instead of an Easter egg this year, my husband bought me a copy of Practical Motorhome (issue 271). We have recently purchased our first motorhome and he thought that the accompanying Top 100 Sites Guide would be perfect to keep as a reference when choosing our next adventures. We spent Good Friday to Easter Sunday on a campsite in Malvern, Worcestershire, then returned home to spend the rest of the weekend with our daughters. After arriving home, we loaded up our bags with things from the fridge and cupboards and went into the house, to be greeted by our dogs. You would have thought we had been away for months, instead of 48 hours, from all the tail wagging and woofs! We made our way through,…

Whether you’re an old-hand at motorhoming, or new to our fantastic pastime, there’s no denying that there’s a great deal to learn. From campsite etiquette to getting a good deal on your vehicle, there’s always something new to experience and learn from. It was with this in mind that we’ve compiled a special section this issue – over the next 10 pages we’ve brought together 27 ways to improve your touring lifestyle. With our help, you can become an even better motorhomer than before – and who wouldn’t want that? So turn the page and get ready to be enlightened – and enjoy the journey along the way! 1 Find a top used ’van We all like to think we are brilliant at bagging a bargain, but if you’re buying…

Follow a straight line (well in our case, given the vagaries of the land, it was more of a wobbly line, veering slightly north to avoid the rain) between the well-known destinations of Weymouth and Poole and you travel for about an hour through the gorgeous county of Dorset. What is perhaps not immediately noticeable is that as well as fine scenery, you will also be surrounded by great history, from TE Lawrence (aka Lawrence of Arabia) to Robert Baden-Powell (of Scouting fame), from the Tolpuddle Martyrs (school history lessons, anyone?) to Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Hardy (who served with Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar). Oh, and don’t forget the ghost village taken over then abandoned by the army during World War II. Add a naked giant on a hillside,…

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It is a fact of life that we rely on adhesives far more than we might realise. To most people, ‘glue’ is simply the thing that we resort to when we have dropped a treasured family heirloom or need to reattach something that has unaccountably ‘come off in your hand’. Invariably we grab a tube of glue from the kitchen drawer before hastily applying liberal amounts of it to the fractured item, in the vain hope that it will all turn out for the best. In many cases, the procedure will end in failure, however, for a whole host of reasons. But why does that seem to happen so often? First of all, a brief overview of adhesives in general won’t go amiss. As you will know from a visit…

how to buy… Choosing your motorhome Most good showrooms are designed to help you take your time choosing. After an initial bit of chat to find out what you are really looking for, a good dealer should then allow you plenty of time to look for yourself undisturbed. And even if you have made your choice, many showrooms include a comfy area where you can sit down, study the paperwork, and decide what finance option is best for you. This even applies if you are buying at a show. Your dealer should allow you plenty of time to think. how to buy… Setting a budget Begin by setting a realistic budget: not just the initial cost, but ongoing maintenance – both the base vehicle and the interior will need regular…