Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2023 i Practical Motorhome

Okay, so the nights are drawing in and there’s a definite chill in the air, even on sunny mornings. But I really love this time of year - touring in the quieter months is great fun and you can beat the crowds! It’s also the perfect time to tackle those tasks you might not have had time for over the previous months – why not use the winter season to fit a fridge fan ready for next year (p114)? We’ve a must-read guide on staying fire safe, too (p108). Also this issue, a request – if you’ve bought a new or used motorhome or campervan over the past three years, do let us know all about your experiences in our annual Owner Satisfaction Survey, which is about to close. We…

Darn Tough Nomad Socks The Nomad range is a full-cushioned design that blends merino wool, nylon and Lycra. The moisture-wicking material is woven for support and each pair has a lifetime guarantee. Price £34 Web trekitt.co.uk Alpkit Soundbite Comprising a Bluetooth speaker, soft-effect lamp and magnetic top with hanging hook, this gadget is dust-tight and water-resistant, offering up to 24 hours of playing time. Price £34.99 Web alpkit.com Scarpa Rush TRK Pro GTX Boots These three-season walking boots suit all types of hikes and offer advanced ankle support, Gore-Tex lining and waterproof oiled uppers. Price £230 Web snowandrock.com Fire to Fork Campfire Cookbook Be inspired by Australian adventurer Harry Fisher’s cookbook, full of tips on cooking over a fire, as well as a hearty helping of recipes. Price £25 Web…

◼ Shriek Week, Drusillas Park, East Sussex 21-29 October 2023 This special series of events at the famously family-friendly zoo and entertainment park (which is not far from the mysterious Long Man of Wilmington) is offering visitors everything from a live-action haunted house to a spell in the ghostly twisted terror maze. Expect plenty of pumpkins, skeletons, spiders, cobwebs, and some surprise appearances from the Sugar Skull Witch. Tickets for adults, and children aged over two years, cost £28, providing access to the zoo, the play areas and the rides. drusillas.co.uk/halloween-shriek-week-2023 Stay at… Horam Manor Country Park sellersleisure.com/our-parks/horam-manor ◼ Oxford Castle & Prison Ghost Fest Various dates in October 2023 Take a spooky tour around one of the most haunted places in the UK, to explore the vaulted well chamber,…

Duration Three nights When May 2023 Why? Leisurely walking in gorgeous scenery We fancied a long weekend away to take advantage of a good weather forecast, so we headed for the Yorkshire Dales. Our chosen destination was Pateley Bridge, in Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We based ourselves at Riverside Caravan Park, a short walk from the town. The site has a mix of hardstanding and grass pitches, all with 10A power supply and a few fully serviced. Riverside is beautifully kept, with a good amenities block. Heritage walking trails We’ve visited Pateley Bridge before, but don’t know the area very well, so we were keen to explore on the Saturday morning. A riverside footpath runs past the site, and this soon leads you into town. Even a relaxed…

WHEN TO GO Northumberland is beautiful and there is plenty to see and do at any time of year, although the weather can, of course, be a bit unreliable outside the peak season. WHERE WE STAYED Proctors Stead Caravan Park This small, friendly, family-run campsite is just a mile from the sea. Spotlessly clean facilities and a dishwashing area, coin-operated washing machine and tumble dryer. 10A hook-up is available. Dogs are welcome. Address Dunstan, Alnwick NE66 3TF www.proctorsstead.co.uk Tel 01665 576 613 Open 24 March to 29 October Pitches 60 Charges £24-£26 FOOD AND DRINK The Jolly Fisherman Inn Haven Hill, Craster, Alnwick NE66 3TR 01665 576 461 thejollyfishermancraster.co.uk The Yew Tree Inn Newall Carr Road, Otley LS21 2 AU 01943 461 330 theyewtreeinn.com Craster Kippers (L Robson & Sons)…

The seaside town of North Berwick sits on Scotland’s East Lothian coast, overlooked from every angle by the striking Bass Rock, a rocky island that is home to the world’s largest gannet population. Along with sandy stretches of beach and a charming harbour with astonishing views, the town also hosts independent shops, and excellent restaurants and cafés, along with world-famous golf courses. With vibrant seasonal events and a thriving tourist scene, this small resort is a must-see in the area, while Edinburgh is just 25 miles away. DAY 1 10am Stroll on the sands What’s better than a bracing beach walk to start the day? North Berwick boasts a beautiful sandy coastline with dramatic rock formations and breathtaking views of islands and the sea beyond. Make your way down the…

Back for the third year in their current form, our annual Practical Motorhome Awards feature the best motorhomes, campervans, gadgets and accessories on the market. With 21 awards up for grabs, we’ve included 15 motorhome and campervan categories covering a range of budgets, sizes and types. To be eligible for entry, motorhomes and campervans must have been new or revised since our previous awards, and available for the 2024 season. We know how much motorhomers love their gadgets and accessories, too, so this year we have six awards dedicated to all the great kit that you can buy to improve your touring. Now all that’s left for you to do is to find out the names of our fantastic winners! We get started over the page. You can also visit…

German manufacturer Carthago is well known for producing luxury low-profile and A-class motorhomes that sometimes differ so minutely, you have to use a measuring tape to work out the differences. The C Tourer 145 RB LE – its only new model this season – has fixed single beds in the rear, and a lounge with an L-shaped settee and an extra belted seat, and is just over 7m long. The actual length will depend on whether you go for the A-class version, whether you opt for a Mercedes or a Fiat base vehicle (either way on a low Al-Ko chassis), and whether you go for standard or Superior. Our test model, viewed at this year’s Carthago press launch, was a Superior A-class version on a Mercedes. There is another Carthago…

I’ve met more than a few folk over the past two years who have been incredulous that they have been offered more money for their motorhome now than when they shelled out for it brand-new. That’s motorhome market dynamics for you. But if you’re trading in for something newer/better, it’s the cost to exchange that you should really be looking at. As one dealer pointed out to me recently, offering what seems a particularly high price for a trade-in almost guarantees a sale, but if the window price on the vehicle being sold is advertised as being slashed, for some reason, it doesn’t seem so attractive. As ever, I’ll also point out that dealers are always after recent motorhomes that have been kept in good condition and have the service…

Motorhomes leak, it’s a fact of life. The most common location for a leak is the rooflights. So, what to do when you discover a leak, and how to minimise any damage? The first thing is to have an annual water ingress examination (damp check), which can often pick up a leak before it becomes obvious. Next, aim to park with the front end high, so water can run off the rear rather than pooling around the rooflights, and if you can add a slight tilt to one side, that’s even better. If you discover a leaking rooflight, there are some things you should not do. Do not try to seal it with kitchen and bathroom sealant: these types of sealant are almost always silicone-based, which will leave a residue…

They say small is beautiful and that certainly seems to be the case with Wells, England’s smallest city, which has been chosen as the UK’s best destination in a survey by leading consumer magazine Which?. The south-west took the top two spots, with Avebury, Wiltshire, coming in second. Wells received five stars for tourist attractions – including its Gothic cathedral, which is famous for being one of the most beautiful in the UK. Other popular touring spots featured include Corfe Castle in Dorset and Grasmere in the Lake District. Top Five 1 Wells, Somerset (pictured, right) 2 Avebury, Wiltshire 3 Port Sunlight, Merseyside 4 Corfe Castle, Dorset 5 Grasmere, Cumbria…

Fenwick’s Overwintering We’ve all been there – left our motorhome stored away for a period of time, only to find it filthy and covered in black marks and algae on our return. That’s what Fenwick’s Overwintering aims to prevent: simply apply the waxy formula in dry weather before your ’van is laid up, and it should help stop winter grime from adhering to the surfaces. It takes two to three hours to dry. When you’re ready to hit the road again in spring, simply give it a wash with Fenwick’s Motorhome Cleaner. Price £14.50 Web fenwickscaravan.com…

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT AN ICE COVERED MOTORHOME FRIDGE? Q While on a one-month holiday in our 2022 coach built last June, for the first three weeks we had no problem. The fridge was set at three bars and was working fine. However, in the fourth week, the fins became covered in ice and were really cold. I turned the fridge down, but the ice didn’t melt until we got home and turned it off. We were on EHU except while driving, when the fridge automatically selected 12V. Did we do something wrong? Peter Henley A Diamond Dave replies… Almost certainly not. There are several factors, mostly environmental, affecting fridge performance – ambient temperature is probably the main one, but humidity also plays a part. It sounds as though…

◼ Arnos Vale, Bristol Right in the heart of the city, Arnos Vale is a superb example of a Victorian Garden Cemetery. Dating back to 1839, it provides a woodland walk of yew and pine trees. There’s a beautiful chapel, along with a pretty café and terrace. Self-guided walks, tours and talks are available. arnosvale.org.uk/cemetery Stay at… Baltic Wharf CAMC Site caravanclub.co.uk ◼ St Mary the Virgin Whitby, Yorkshire This atmospheric churchyard has plenty of truly fascinating gravestones, including many displaying the names of historic ships, trades and professions. Brooding views from the East Cliff add to the aura, as does the church, with its stained glass and fine architecture. nationalchurchestrust.org/church/st-mary-virgin-whitby Stay at… Broadings Farm broadingsfarm.co.uk ◼ Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh, Scotland Famed for the grave-watching terrier Greyfriars Bobby, there’s a…

Duration Two nights May 2023 Why? Getting to know our new Chausson Welcome, while exploring around Cirencester in the spring sunshine ‘Of course, we had to make a stop to sample a local pub, and The Bear Inn fitted the bill well’ We had set aside the morning to get to know our new home-on-wheels. We’d only been its proud owners for a week and needed to figure out what all the knobs and buttons do, as well as deciding where to store everything – I keep finding little nooks and spaces waiting to be filled. But the sun was out, there was an undiscovered town to explore, and to top it off, it was market day. The knobs and buttons would have to wait – we were off for…

WHEN TO GO The Yorkshire Dales have great appeal for visitors in all seasons, particularly if you enjoy hiking and other outdoor pursuits, but the region can become very busy in high summer. Spring and autumn are the ideal times to visit. WHERE WE STAYED Riverside Caravan Park This pleasant family-run site is within easy walking distance of the town centre, close enough for the shops but far enough away to offer a relaxing atmosphere. The rural location provides superb views, with pretty walks along the River Nidd and in the surrounding countryside. Address Low Wath Road, Pateley Bridge HG3 5HL riversidepateleybridge.co.uk Tel 01423 711 383 Open 31 March to 31 October Pitches 97 Charges From £26 FIND OUT MORE Welcome to Nidderdale nidderdale.co.uk Nidderdale AONB nidderdaleaonb.org.uk Visit Pateley Bridge…

Duration Three nights (part of a longer tour) When September 2022 Why? Discover St Tropez’s gorgeous beaches, secluded coves and lush countryside There’s an intoxicating charm about Saint Tropez, one we first encountered during a motorhome trip in 2005. We’ve returned to the area on a number of occasions and it hasn’t lost its appeal, with each trip being just as rewarding as the first. Beautifully positioned in south-east France, where the mountains meet the sea, this stunning location simply oozes style and is one of the most renowned resorts on the French Riviera. This trip, we stayed at one of our favourite aires in France, at Ramatuelle. It’s a traditional-style motorhome ‘parking’, surrounded by high bamboo, giving a distinctly Mediterranean feel. Although the space between vehicles was limited, the…

Our annual Top 100 Sites Guide, produced in association with Practical Caravan magazine, recognises the very best sites in the UK. Large or small, adults only or family friendly, there are some truly fantastic parks out there. We’ve launched our next online survey, which allows you to vote for your favourite park - or parks! To have your say, simply visit www.practicalmotorhome.com/vote and enter the details of the site that you think deserves recognition in our guide. This year’s survey closes on 10 November 2023. HAVE YOUR SAY – AND YOU’LL HELP OTHERS TOUR BETTER IN FUTURE!…

Despite the recent prominence in the news of discussions concerning the Government’s rethink on the UK’s plans for reaching net zero carbon emissions, surprisingly few people in the leisure vehicle sector seem to have mentioned the matter. But I am wondering whether the industry will actually be breathing a sigh of relief at the prime minister’s decision to postpone the date when sales of all new vehicles powered by fossil fuel will be banned. Although one or two producers out there are making valiant efforts to bring out electric motorhomes, you could hardly say they have really caught on - yet. So I also hope this relaxation in the deadline will make more manufacturers pay attention. After all, that crucial date has only been postponed, not cancelled. Email Peter via…

Sun Living no longer in UK Sun Living, the budget brand from Adria, will no longer be available in the UK for the 2024 touring season. The brand was only sold through one dealership, Brownhills. A spokesperson for Adria said that because of the limited quantity of chassis it was able to secure from the factory, the decision was taken to focus all production for the UK on Adria itself. In the past, Sun Living vehicles have fared well in our Motorhome of the Year awards, often being singled out for innovative design, including features such as a washroom that could be tucked away behind a tambour door during the day.…

Grab a great part-exchange deal Looking to part-exchange your motorhome? Here are our top tips on how to get a good deal: • Shop around to see what kind of dealer quotes you can get for your existing motorhome. • Make sure you have all your vehicle’s documentation with you when you visit the dealer. • Timing is important. Dealers don’t necessarily want to be clogged up with secondhand stock over winter. • If you can, remove any DIY work from your ’van. • Find out what other dealers and private sellers have asked for a similar model. • Trading your motorhome in with a specialist dealer? Remember that it will cost them a lot less to fix any major damage than it would you.…

There is still quite a lot of chat online about Comfortmatic problems and, while there are obviously some issues occurring, they are not as common as some people seem to think. You have to remember that Fiat has built tens of thousands of these vehicles and if failures really were as common as some customers believe, they would have withdrawn them long ago. In my opinion, the biggest issue is that when they do go wrong, there’s limited knowledge of the system in some the trade, and parts are quite costly. Comfortmatic explained So what is Comfortmatic? It is an Auto Shifted Manual box, exactly the same gearbox as the manual version. The clutch system is the same, too – the difference is in how gears are selected. In a…

On the look-out for a new motorhome? If so, we can help! Just like our inspiring travel stories, expert reviews and useful advice, we think that our online classifieds are the best in the business. You can read our review of your chosen ’van, watch the video then find it online, making www.practicalmotorhome.com the one-stop shop for all your touring needs. We already know that 50% of you access our website via mobile device, so our classifieds have been designed to be fully responsive – they should work just as well on your tablet or smartphone as they do on your home computer. We’ve worked hard to make these classifieds as easy to use as possible, with filters to help you narrow your search by location, price, brand, year, weight…

One of the many joys of reading your magazine is the chance to see where other motorhomers have visited and read reports on their adventures. Issue 273 had just such a feature by Susan Taylor, extolling the virtues of Dorset, and in particular Whitemead Caravan Park, at Wool. She made it all sound so appealing that we decided we had to see the place for ourselves. And as it was only 80 miles from our Devon home, it was an easy journey. We somehow managed to pick the week of hot weather at the start of September, and had a wonderful time. The site was ideal, not too large, with the cleanest shower block we’d seen in a long time, and friendly, helpful staff. The Ship Inn, just the other…

We asked… What’s been your touring highlight of the year so far? You replied… We’re just coming to the end of three months touring Ireland… a recent highlight was being parked up by the Assaranca Waterfall overnight. After hundreds of day visitors taking pictures, we had the place to ourselves. That has to be one of the major benefits of touring off-grid, seeing popular spots in a different light.JH NC500 in May, fab weather and fab everything else; have to say it edged ahead of France.AG A few days at a camping-car stop in Bray-Dunes with the grandchildren, with a five-minute walk to the beach.DM Having a beer, listening to a guy playing acoustic guitar, sun shining, with my wife and our two dogs at Mevagissey. Perfect.TO The NC500 around…

The Nightstop Scheme is run by us in conjunction with the Motor Caravanners’ Club (MCC), and the sites are certificated locations (CLs); you don’t have to join any club to use them. You’ll need to ring the relevant site to confirm whether there’s space for you before you visit: you’ll find information at www.practicalmotorhome.com/nightstops. For further information about the MCC, visit www.themotorcaravannersclub.co.uk. 1 Airman Hotel SG17 5JF 2 The Black Horse Pub HP16 9AX 3 The Seven Wives PE27 5RF 4 The Penrhiwgaled Arms SA44 6LN 5 Railway Hotel SA32 7LQ 6 Mousehole Camping TR19 6XB 7 Blenkinsopp Castle Inn CA8 7JS 8 The Thelbridge Cross Inn EX17 4SQ 9 The Ship Inn YO15 1EW 10 The Crown Inn GL7 5QH 11 Elton Farm GL14 1JU 12 The Gloucester Old…

For some campsites, October marks the end of the season, but the idea of pausing our adventures until spring is anathema for many of us. There are so many great opportunities for travel throughout the year, it seems a shame to limit our getaways to the summer months. I’ll be hiking in northern Spain in the next few weeks, a less busy time of year that offers more comfortable temperatures for walking. You can easily find UK sites open all year via the Club websites and in our Top 100 Sites Guide 2023 (practicalmotorhome.com/top100). Many festivities are associated with autumn, too, with Halloween, Fireworks Night and Christmas markets. We’ve picked out some spookily atmospheric places for you (p26)! If you’re searching for ideas for next year, there’s a glut of…

Duration Three nights When October 2022 Why? To enjoy all the benefits of hiking with temporary canine companions! I am not a dog person, I will admit. The trouble with canine companions is that at some point, you’re going to find yourself picking up after them. Or paying a four-figure vet bill. Yes, they’re cute and fluffy, with boundless enthusiasm for life, but they come with a few downsides. Which is why it’s much better to enjoy them vicariously, by spending time with your friend’s pets. That way, you get to enjoy entertaining walks, while they get to deal with the vet bills, picking up, wrecked TV remotes and that all-pervasive reek of wet dog… Labradors galore This pretty much explains how we ended up on a campsite in Cumbria…

WAY TO GO From home it was an easy journey along the M4 motorway and the A419 to Cirencester. WHERE WE STAYED ◼ Cirencester Park CAMC Site Stroud Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 1UT Tel 01285 651 546 caravanclub.co.uk what3words belonging.discussed.lump Open Until 3 January 2024, then 1 March 2024 to 4 January 2025 Pitches 211 Price From £20.50 A fairly large Club site which is also open to non-members. Dog friendly (it even has a dog-wash area, as well as the usual dog-walking field) and just a short stroll from Cirencester town centre. FOOD AND DRINK ◼ The Bear Inn butcombe.com/the-bear-inn-cirencester ◼ The Thames Head Inn thamesheadinn.co.uk ◼ Burrito Mama burrito-mama.com/home FIND OUT MORE ◼ Visit Cirencester cirencester.co.uk ◼ Roman Amphitheatre english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/cirencester-amphitheatre/ what3words compelled.local.graphic ◼ Source of the Thames near…

Duration Five nights When July 2023 Why? Exploring glorious scenery and some of the region’s many historic properties From our home in South Wales, it seems rather a long way to the Northumberland coast. It is a seven-hour drive, so we set off early and broke the trip with plenty of stops. Our interest in the region had originally been sparked by watching the TV series Vikings, which is set there, and of course, the long-running ITV crime drama Vera. We had been planning to visit the area in our motorhome since before the pandemic and at long last, we had found time for the trip. Although we originally planned a two-week visit, we had to change those plans and settle for one week instead. It proved to be a…

OUR MOTORHOME We have a La Strada Regent S 4x4 campervan WHERE WE STAYED ◼ Camping Olbia 45 Avenue René de Knyff, La Madrague, 83400 Hyères camping-olbia.co.uk Price €22 per night ◼ Camping Les Cigales 43 Avenue de la Marne, 13260 Cassis en.campingcassis.com Price €28 per night ◼ Aire Municipale de Stationnement pour Camping-Car 1727 Route de Bonne Terrasse, 83350 Ramatuelle Tel 06 85 42 16 76 ramatuelle-tourisme.com Price €12.50 per night FIND OUT MORE Explore France uk.france.fr/en Nigel & Sonia’s blog campervancastaways.com EXPENSES Fuel £630 Tolls £230 Food £100 per week average…

Big tests These are our most detailed tests – we spend at least one full day (usually more) inside each motorhome, to bring you our comprehensive verdict. The overall score is based on the opinion of multiple members of the team. ’Van reviews Each issue we test new models of all sizes – we then report back to you in our regular ’van reviews pages. This is the place to look for the quick low-down on a model! Our ’vans, Our month Practical Motorhome has numerous long-term-test vehicles – we’re loaned these by manufacturers. We treat these as if they’re our own, allowing us to give you a full, warts-and-all report over the months.…

The Owner Satisfaction Awards 2024 will be organised by Practical Motorhome with The Camping and Caravanning Club for the seventh year in a row – but we can’t do it without you. If you’ve bought a new or pre-owned motorhome since 1 January 2020, and have owned it for at least three months, then we’d love to hear from you. Tell us how you were treated when you bought the motorhome, how it’s behaved, and whether or not you would buy again from the same dealer! Launched in 2004, our Owner Satisfaction Awards is the only industry scheme that’s completely based on owner feedback, including both the practicality and reliability of the motorhome itself. What’s more, everyone who completes our survey stands a chance of winning a top prize of…

➔ Price From £125,000 ➔ Sleeps 2 ➔ Belts 2 ➔ Base vehicle Mercedes Sprinter ➔ Engine (in production models) 2.0-litre, 168bhp ➔ Length/width/height 7.10/2.02/2.90m (23’3”/6’6”/9’5”) ➔ MTPLM 3880kg (est) ➔ Payload 480kg (est) ➔ Water (fresh/waste) 70/77 litres ➔ Leisure battery 100Ah lithium ➔ Gas 30-litre underslung tank Contact Auto-Sleepers Address Orchard Works, Willersey, Nr Broadway, Worcestershire WR12 7QF Tel 01386 853 338 Web www.auto-sleepers.com Auto-Sleepers has built a strong reputation over the years for making luxurious, well-made motorhomes. But for the 2024 season the brand has taken a major step, by releasing its most luxurious campervan ever – in fact, the most luxurious ever produced by a volume UK manufacturer. And it comes with a high-end price tag, too, at £125,000. We took a prototype of the all-new…

This sunny issue was emblazoned with a Swift high-top from our photoshoot in Spain. Readers also had the chance to win an Electrolux air-con unit and we reviewed some Great British ’vans Former editor Rob Ganley enjoyed a break in northern Spain, as he journeyed from Portsmouth to Santander via Bilbao – a chance to check out the quality of both the Swift Mondial and the local pintxos! Back in 2002, buyers found plenty to choose from at the Harrogate show, including a Pegaso 235P and a smart-looking Hymer 584 A-Class (right) We don’t usually put our feet up while testing gear, but in the case of these leisure chairs, it seemed appropriate (below)! Join us as we take a look back at vintage issues of Practical Motorhome MISSED AN…