Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2025 i Practical Motorhome

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 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: Fleece 15 = average More than 25 = well done HALF & HALF Until 2005 St Lawrence Ground, home of Kent Cricket Club, featured a tree of what species within the playing area? Cross out a letter in each square to get…

Murder, mystery and mayhem aren’t words you’d expect to find paired with mulled wine, mince pies and merry-making. Unless you happen to be in Canterbury during December, as we found out. We fancied mixing Christmas shopping with some sightseeing, and will take any excuse for a weekend away, so booked a stay at the Camping & Caravanning Club Canterbury Site last winter. Lying just outside the city, the site has plenty of trees and green space, giving it a relaxed feel, welcome after a day in the bustling city centre. There is also a small ‘nature reserve’ next door to the site, perfect for dog walking. With Canterbury just a 30-minute stroll or a short bus ride away, access was simple, and this small, interesting city, with plenty of history…

After leaving Germany and traversing western Austria (Practical Motorhome issue 291), we crossed the border into Liechtenstein, which serves as the customs control for Switzerland. The main function of which appears to be to collect the motorway toll fees. The currency, of course, is the Swiss franc (CHF), and for ease of arithmetic, we treated it like spending euros, although it’s actually worth marginally more. You take all your documentation into the office and pay the appropriate amount, which in our case was CHF 32.50 (£29) for a vehicle over 3.5 tonnes to cover the 10 days we planned to spend there. It is possible to complete this process online to save time, but we hadn’t been sure of our dates, so we chose to deal with it at the…

Elddis launched its Autoquest 150 back in 2021, to compete with the ever-increasing numbers of rear-island-bed models that were being imported. But whereas most of those imports have compartmentalised layouts, the Elddis is far more open. The downside to this – if you could call it that – is that the bed is always on display, unlike other floorplans, where a door closes off the bedroom area. Next year, Elddis (now part of the Erwin Hymer Group, of course) will be celebrating its 60th anniversary, so as you’d expect, the company is marking this special occasion with the Autoquest 60th Anniversary range, which includes the 150 model. At the time of writing, final pricing had yet to be confirmed, but there is likely to be a modest increase over the…

Devon Conversions began life back in 1956 in Sidmouth, under the name of JP White. A change to the current ownership in the early 1990s saw the factory relocating to County Durham, where they also offer direct-to-customer sales and support. Ford’s Transit has (in common with most cars and vans) grown steadily since its inception in 1965. This ‘range drift’ left a hole in its light commercial line-up between the diminutive Transit Connect and the full-size Transit. It was subsequently (admirably) filled by the Transit Custom range. This has become not only Britain’s consistently best-selling van, but also on occasions, Britain’s best-selling vehicle, stealing the crown from Ford and Vauxhall cars. Few – if any – UK converters have used a wider range of base vehicles, so it was unsurprising…

The basic outline of a motorhome hasn’t changed much over the years. Inside, however, a great deal is different these days, reflecting the current taste for plainer interiors. Less pattern and colour, less fuss. New vehicles also tend to have larger overhead lockers with flat doors, but most noticeably, they no longer feature heavy floral patterns on the upholstery. That means the interiors really date an old motorhome, and we were keen to cheer up our 1990s-era model. I’ve had a ’van reupholstered in the past, and the results were stunning – but they were also expensive. If our ’van was a much newer model, it might have been worth dropping a couple of thousand or so on an interior revamp, but we don’t have the money; instead, our thoughts…

About the guide We’ve organised our listings by layout, which is generally the most crucial aspect for buyers. Simply locate the floorplan you like in the guide; then, on the left of it, you’ll find details of every UK model with that layout, of which we had confirmed details as we went to press. All information was correct at the time of going to print. how to buy… Choosing a layout Before you get close to buying your dream ’van, you need to have a good think about how you are likely to use the vehicle: is it just for touring, or for day-to-day use as well? If the latter, you might need a shorter vehicle with more travel seats in the back. And you need to think about who…

Glenshee, Cairngorms, Scotland what3words grub.sake.await (for Glenshee Ski Centre) Why tour here? Lying in the heart of Scotland’s Highlands, the glorious Cairngorms form the backdrop for the UK’s largest national park. The park is home to five of the UK’s six highest peaks, along with 43 Munros and nine nature reserves. Here, you’ll find well-kept hiking and cycling paths, lush forests and a range of outdoor activities, including hill walking and, of course, skiing. Aviemore, in the north of the park, is the best-known of Scotland’s ski resorts, but Glenshee has the UK’s biggest ski area, an impressive 25 lifts and 38 runs across four mountains, with a large ski centre on site. Don’t miss… For those who prefer gentler pursuits, there’s plenty more in and around the Cairngorms to…

Montane Anti-Freeze Slipper Stay snug on site in these cosy slippers, cleverly designed with a stretch fleece ankle cuff, non-slip sole with removable foam unit and 750 fill power down. Price £54.99 basecampgear.co.uk Yeti Lowlands Blanket Perfect for a winter walk on the beach (or muddy paws), this warm, waterproof blanket is made with trademarked technology to repel pet hair and dirt. It also comes with its own smart carrying case. Price £200 uk.yeti.com Falcon 10W Portable Solar Panel Battery Maintainer This 10W solar charger for 12V batteries attaches to your windscreen, to be hooked up to your starter or leisure battery. Price £35 falcontechnology.co.uk Omnia Camping Oven Set This ingenious, space-saving, multi-layer kitchen set includes an oven, baking rack, silicone baking dish, oven mitts and transport bag, and can…

Festive shopping across the UK 1 Bath Christmas Market 28 November - 15 December 2024 Bath is a magical place at any time of year, but this World Heritage City really amps things up for the festive season, with more than 200 chalets decorated with twinkling lights dotted around the elegant Georgian streets. Stall holders in the chalets sell everything from unique porcelain to artisan gin, with an emphasis on quality gifts and gourmet food. Singers will perform in the streets, and the open-air ice rink with alpine bar returns to Royal Victoria Park. Skating tickets cost £15 for adults. Book yours online at bathonice.co.uk. bathchristmasmarket.co.uk Stay at Bath Chew Valley Caravan Park bathchewvalley.co.uk 2 Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market 1 November - 24 December 2024 This behemoth of an event…

1 Royal Portrush (Dunluce) Co Antrim, Northern Ireland Dunluce Road, Portrush BT56 8JQ royalportrushgolfclub.com Green fees £340 Scene of the 2019 Open Championship and set to host the event again in 2025, Dunluce is undoubtedly one of the best golf courses you’ll find anywhere. It’s a pricey treat, but it was designed by the legendary Harry Colt, among the greatest golf course architects of all time, and offers visitors the chance to play one of the most challenging links courses in the world. The fifth is a spectacular par four, where you drive from an elevated tee down to the fairway before turning right towards the cliff edge and the ocean. The final par three is a classic, the super-tough 16th, known as Calamity Corner. Stay at Ballymacrea Touring Caravan…

There is clever thinking behind the launch of this line-up, currently comprising five A-classes, all on a Mercedes Sprinter with an Al-Ko low-frame chassis. Carthago is, of course, famous for manufacturing luxurious (and quite expensive) low-profiles and A-classes. All that luxury comes not just at a price, but with extra weight as well; which is why hitherto, so many of its ’vans have only been available to those with a C1 licence, or who are able to afford the training course to get one. That target market is getting smaller, so lighter-weight models were needed, without compromising build quality. In the new C2 Tourer, there are some weight-saving innovations (such as a polypropylene gas bottle locker), but the main weight reduction comes in the width of the vehicle. The I…

JOHANNESSON HUSBILEN 1963 and 1965 Talented Swedish engineer Torsten Johannesson was an experienced trailer caravanner. On holiday one year, the outfit got stuck, precipitating a ‘light bulb moment’. His vision was to combine the two units and create a motorhome. Torsten was proprietor of the AB service garage in Ramsele, Angermanland, Sweden, and it was there in the early 1960s that he crafted an integral motorhome body and mounted it on a cut-down salvaged Saab 92. The motorhome was finished and completely fitted out, but never used on the road. The reason for this anomaly was that it failed its compulsory roadworthiness examination – it was very overweight on the front axle. In any case, progress would have been ponderous, with only a 28bhp two-stroke twin-cylinder engine to ‘power’ the…

The power of torque I often see people asking on forums, “Will 130bhp be enough to comfortably power a 4000kg ’van around Europe?” The answer to this, of course, is “Maybe”. Would more power be better? Well, probably yes, but it all depends on how it’s delivered. Looking at Fiat’s torque and power output curves for the 2.3 engine, max power occurs at around 3500rpm, while max torque occurs from around 1400rpm all the way up to 2500 or even 3000rpm for the 180bhp motor, and that flat torque ‘curve’ is what makes for a driveable motor. Power and performance A lot of importance is put on the power output of engines, usually expressed as bhp (although PS and kW are also used), but what exactly is power when we…

‘A recent addition is Dundee’s very own V&A – this sister museum to London’s Victoria and Albert has a spectacular home on Riverside Esplanade’ It’s not often you come back from a touring holiday and say that you spent some time in prison, but hear me out. Peterhead Prison Museum was the final attraction we visited on a summer tour of Scotland this year and quite frankly, it’s an absolute eye-opener. It is now a former prison, having been arguably the UK’s harshest such regime. Luckily, we were out in five… hours, that is. And that was towards the end of this particular trip to a part of Scotland that’s considerably less mainstream. Coming up from England, rather than keep left, we set sail to the right, zooming in on…

“Look, there’s the Tardis,” exclaimed Ro, “and a Dalek!” The pitch of his voice rose at this discovery. Turning to look in the direction of his gaze, fearing we had unwittingly wandered into some sort of alternative universe, I must admit I was as surprised as him. A police box and a five-foot cyborg alien were not the sort of thing I had expected to see on a quiet street corner, but there they were. Mind you, I have become rather accustomed to coming across the unusual and the unexpected as we wander around Britain’s towns and villages – it’s just one of the many fun things about any touring holiday. The town in question today was Allendale, in the heart of Northumberland, and the Dr Who characters were the…

It’s time for our fantastic Practical Motorhome Awards once again – each year, we identify the very best motorhomes, campervans and accessories available on the market. Our aim is to help you make the absolute most of your money, no matter what you’re planning to purchase, whether that’s a £3 bottle of specialist cleaning products or a £120,000 motorhome. All of our shortlisted motorhomes and campervans are new or have been substantially revised for the 2025 season. Our expert team – who also form our panel of awards judges – have decades of motorhome experience under their collective belts: from the biggest A-class motorhome to the most compact campervan, from the smallest, cheapest gadget to the most innovative awning, we have tested them all over the years. You can join…

Positive feedback for NEC show Exhibitors at this year’s Motorhome & Caravan Show in Birmingham have praised the event, despite a drop in the number of people who visited the NEC over the previous year. The total number of visitors who came through the doors of the NEC during the six days of the show came to 95,253. That compares with a total of 106,131 for the October 2023 show. Karen Dodd, marketing director at NCC Events, which runs the show, said feedback had been “overwhelmingly positive” – something that had been reflected in the number of rebookings already made for the 2025 show. “It’s clear that despite economic challenges, our efforts to deliver serious leisure vehicle enthusiasts and first-time buyers was a success,” she added. Among those praising the…

OCTOBER NEC SHOW REVIEW WildAx is Meteor-ic Conversion specialist WildAx launched its brand new Meteor model, a two-berth which is its first leisure vehicle based on a standard Ford Transit. The West Yorkshire company has also revamped its entire range, so all models now come with lithium batteries as standard, as well as new interiors that feature wooden locker doors rather than tambour doors, among other upgrades. Mobilvetta launches a van conversion Best known for its A-classes and low-profiles, Mobilvetta moved into the van conversion market with the launch of the Admiral. The Fiat Ducato-based two-berth boasts underfloor heating and a very unusual space-saving worktop that slides out to reveal the sink. It also has Mobilvetta’s signature nautical style. Hillside brings out new Castleton and more Hillside Leisure’s new three-strong…

McLouis strengthens in the UK Italian marque McLouis is once more beginning to flex its muscles throughout the UK, with more dealership appointments than ever as we head further into the 2025 season. The latest addition to its UK representation is United British Caravans, in Newcastle. UBC joins two other relatively recent appointments: Grantham’s, with branches in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, and Newport Caravans & Motorhomes, in South Wales. That takes the brand to a 16-outlet UK dealer network as the season progresses. McLouis UK sales director Spencer Davies said there’s no stopping there: “Dealer development is an important part of raising the brand profile on a national level, providing customers with increased access to our range and aftersales. We are continually looking for opportunities that will complement our current network.”…

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As a journalist specialising in the technical side of motorhomes and campervans, it is fair to say that I’m not shy with a spanner and regularly maintain all my vehicles. My campervan isn’t that old, either – a 2016 Renault Trafic, bought new, regularly serviced at the main dealer and with an unblemished reliability record. So when a warning light popped up on the dash on day two of our French holiday, it was something of a shock. Fortunately, just before leaving the UK, we had topped up our European breakdown cover to a single-trip RAC policy – this £130 outlay proved one of the wisest moves we ever made. The whole episode made me realise how challenging it can be in a foreign country when things go wrong. Repairs,…