Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2025 i Practical Motorhome

When we pull together the results of our annual Top 100 Sites Guide, we always take time to read the comments you make about the parks you vote for – and one factor that comes up time and again is that of the campsite management or wardens. The role they play in your stay is clear: the best ones leave a shining impression, with many of you returning to campsites simply because of the warm welcome you received. It was with this in mind that we came up with the idea for our feature on p20 of this issue, in which we take a closer look at what being a site warden actually involves. How do you get recruited as a manager of a Club site? What is the pay…

Star picture 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 France; All the Aires Spain and Portugal; Road Trip Europe – Best of Belgium; All the Aires Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands; Go Motorhoming and Campervanning; Sea View Camping Scotland; Sea View Camping West Country; Road Trip Europe – The Great War and More; and Road Trip Europe – Go Dutch. Note, list of prize books may change depending on stock. All are from Vicarious Books, www.vicarious-shop.com, 0131 208 3333.…

There must surely come a moment in every motorhomer’s life when, newly arrived on a perfect day on what appears to be a perfect campsite, they sit back and wonder, “Wouldn’t it be nice to do this forever?” So come on, admit it: the idea of running your own campsite must have popped into your head, even for just a couple of seconds, when you’re out and about in your ’van. You might well have dreamed about having your very own patch of heaven, welcoming people onto it, getting paid to do so, and then seeing them all head home afterwards, knowing that you can stay there forever. Or almost. Then I guess you might wake up from your pleasant reverie and realise some of the stumbling blocks that reality…

BEST FOR CANOEING River Wye Powys, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire Straddling the border of England and Wales, the 134-mile-long River Wye runs from the Cambrian mountains in central Wales to the Severn Estuary at Chepstow. The river has become popular with canoers and kayakers, who gravitate to Ross-on-Wye, Symonds Yat and Monmouth for water-based adventures (monmouthcanoe.co.uk). Hikers will delight in the Wye Valley Walk, which follows the river for 136 miles, and historic sites to explore include Hereford Cathedral and Tintern Abbey. Keep an eye out for riverside birds. Where to stay Dark Orchard If you’re happy to go off-grid, this delightful little CL is only a few minutes’ walk from Hay-on-Wye. What the campsite lacks in the way of facilities, it makes up for in spectacular wildlife, with otters regularly…

Duration Fifteen days When August 2024 Why? A return trip on the Grand Tour, to discover some of the driving route’s quieter attractions I can smell the hay now. Just cut. When farmers feverishly gathered one last crop before autumn. Sitting in England, writing about Switzerland, I am transported back to touring through some of Europe’s most energising countryside. And I vividly recall the smell of the late summer meadows. In 2016 Switzerland Tourism launched the Grand Tour of Switzerland, a 1000-mile signposted road trip taking in much of the country and all of its tourist hotspots. I covered it then for Practical Motorhome. Eight years later, I returned to drive the route again. Except this time, my plan was to avoid the major destinations and focus on the inbetweeners:…

WALK ONE SOUTH ELKINGTON CIRCULAR ◼ Level Easy ◼ Elevation gain 85m ◼ Length 4.5km (1hr 5min) Description A pleasant scenic circular walk through open countryside and passing through fields and woodland, with beautiful views of the Lincolnshire Wolds. This easy 4.5km circular trail near Louth takes an average of just over an hour to complete. It’s a popular trail for hiking, running and walking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of the day. The best times to visit are July and August. Dogs are welcome and may be off-lead in some areas. ◼ what3words /// impeached.remotest.funded ◼ Nearby campsite Happyford CL W caravanclub.co.uk ◼ Nearest car park On grass verge near church or behind the Louth Dog House, South Elkington LN11 0RY ◼ Public toilets…

When you’re looking for a motorhome cleaner, it’s best to go for a product specifically formulated for use on ’vans, providing an effective method for removing the dirt, green algae and dreaded black streaks that can otherwise build up on our homes-on-wheels. No matter which cleaner you choose, always follow the instructions. We’d also advise initially testing it on a small section when you apply it for the first time. Be sure to check it can be used on the surfaces you want to use it on. In this guide, you’ll see our picks for some of the top cleaners on the market, featuring options from Autoglym, Fenwick’s and more. Autoglym Caravan & Motorhome Cleaner Price £13.78 (one litre), £17.89 (2.5 litres) (amazon.co.uk) Size One litre, 2.5 litres Pros Effective…

Lead acid/AGM/gel batteries’ days are perhaps numbered – the new technology is LiFePo4 or lithium iron phosphate. Not to be confused with the lithium ion (Li-ion) chemistry used for power tool batteries, LiFePo4 is intrinsically safer. LiFePo4’s main advantages are its greater usable capacity, and being able to take a much higher charge and discharge current safely. Typical wet lead acid batteries shouldn’t be discharged below 50% on a regular basis, and shouldn’t be charged or discharged at more than 20% of capacity. For a 100Ah battery, that’s a maximum charge or discharge of 20A. The biggest drawback of LiFePo4 technology has been initial cost, but that was always balanced by discharge cycles in the thousands, compared to hundreds for older technologies. So why isn’t LiFePo4 standard in new ’vans?…

For those of us who aren’t experts in off-gridding, the motorhome hook-up is a power lifeline, an umbilical cord to civilisation. Plug in to the campsite’s electricity supply and you have a pitch power source that can run your lights and TV, your fridge and microwave… but perhaps not all at the same time. You see, there’s a fair amount of know-how needed to use campsite electrics effectively and avoid the all too common cut-off. WHAT IS HOOK-UP? Electric hook-up (EHU) points are outdoor power sockets, usually rated to supply 16A (approximately 3.5kW) of electricity in the UK, although some campsites will provide 10A or even 6A, especially in Europe. This is a simple system, designed to deliver 230V AC electricity via underground cables throughout the site to the supply…

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…

DECEMBER 2011 With 25 travel adventures, a round-up of top sites on the isle of Anglesey and a preview of vehicles for 2012, this was an issue not to be missed! Plus, all you needed to know about warranties New Forest campsites, the best accessories and your finest holiday snapshots were among the highlights of this month’s Talk pages. We also caught up with the latest chit chat on the PM forum Alan Kidd enjoyed a wintry trip to the North York Moors in his Volkswagen California 4Motion (right) There would be no whitewash at PM, with this comprehensive guide to maintaining your windscreen wipers and washers (below) MISSED AN ISSUE? Want to purchase a past issue of Practical Motorhome magazine? Simply call 0330 333 1113, visit www.magazinesdirect.com/single-issue or email…

Our expert panel Sarah Wakely Editor-in-chief sarah@practicalmotorhome.com Paul Critcher Deputy editor paul.critcher@futurenet.com Peter Baber Reviews editor peter.baber@futurenet.com Peter Byrne Content editor peter.byrne@futurenet.com Gentleman Jack Contributor askjack@practicalmotorhome.com Nick Harding Contributor practical.motorhome@futurenet.com Diamond Dave Contributor practical.motorhome@futurenet.com SHOULD WE AVOID BUYING A MOTORHOME WITH A TOWBAR? Q A lot of pre-owned motorhomes we have been looking at have been fitted with a towbar. Is this an issue? Chris Greggs A Nick Harding replies… Not really. Unlike the car sector – where a dealer might decide to remove towing gear before putting the vehicle on its forecourt – motorhomes tend to wear their towbar as a badge of honour. The relative size and weight of a ’van (compared to a car) means that it should tow well. The extra oomph (torque) of the typical…

As an island nation, it’s perhaps not surprising that many of our holiday destinations are by the water – but rather than focus on coastal areas, this month’s special feature on Waterways (p33) explores the UK’s best rivers, canals and lakes (with a few European options thrown in for good measure). It really is the case that wherever you go in the UK, you’ll find a watery connection. As a perfect example, I was in Belfast recently, home of the wonderful Titanic Experience on the banks of the River Lagan – highly recommended! Incidentally, we’re not completely avoiding the coast – this month, we’ve a cracking 48 hours in Tenby, Wales (p52), and next issue we have a summer coastal special. Elsewhere in this month’s Travel section, regular contributor Caroline…

BEST FOR WALKING Caledonian Canal Inverness-shire Cutting through the Great Glen, the 60-mile Caledonian Canal runs from Fort William in the west to Inverness in the east and takes in the lochs of Oich, Lochy and Ness. This is glorious walking country, amid mountains, lochs and wildlife such as kingfishers and otters. Walk or cycle (neviscycles.com/bike-hire) the towpath, or canoe along the Great Glen Canoe Trail (iye.scot/canoe-kayak-equipment). At Banavie, see Thomas Telford’s Neptune’s Staircase, the longest staircase lock in Scotland. Where to stay Ben Nevis Holiday Park Just four miles north of Fort William in the village of Banavie, this campsite is in a great spot for exploring Neptune’s Staircase and mighty Ben Nevis. W highlandholidays.com/type/touring-pitches Glen Nevis Caravan and Camping A short drive from Fort William brings you to…

• Who are you? Monica Sadler, touring enthusiast and festival lover, along with husband Nigel. • Where are you a local authority? Hertford, in Hertfordshire, which is about an hour north of London. • Why are you a local authority? We originally stumbled across Hertford by sheer chance, while cycling from a campsite in neighbouring Welwyn. We fell in love with it so much that we moved here within six months and love everything it has to offer. • What do you love about it? You’re never far away from nature within a short walk of the beautiful, characterful town centre. Hertford Castle has lovely grounds to amble around. The town has four rivers running through it, making for great walks, excellent birdwatching and water activities such as kayaking and…

I’ve never come across a scenario like this before. A reader and potential buyer of a pre-owned Lunar Cassini has been in touch to tell me of the frustrations she’s faced making her purchase (a private sale), because it appears there’s another Lunar Cassini in the country with the same registration plate, and both vehicles share the same service book. It seems the motorhome lacks a “dating certificate” or “dating letter” from a recognised agent, although the DVLA does not appear to have a list of such agents in this case. All other paperwork is there – Type Approval certificate, MoTs and so on. Lunar went into administration in 2019 and the dealer who bought some remaining stock by auction hasn’t been able to help. Anyway, I’m putting this out…

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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. NOTE We strongly recommend double checking that Nightstops are open before travelling Stop of the month 11 Elton Farm Littledean Road, Elton, Newnham on Severn, Gloucester, GL14 1JU. Part of a large farm field. £5 per night. Open all year. Road 50ft. Gate 20ft. Suitable for RVs. Tel 01452 760795/07768 182684 FIND FULL DETAILS ONLINE www.practicalmotorhome.com/nightstops…

If you’re heading home from Europe in your motorhome via Calais, one topic always seems to come up in conversation between van lifers and motorhomers: stowaways. It’s one of those things people hear about, worry about, and – thankfully – rarely experience. But the truth is, it’s a real risk and something that we should all be taking very seriously. Recently on the Motorhome Matt Podcast, we dived into what motorhomers need to know when returning to the UK through Calais, focusing on keeping your vehicle secure and avoiding the nightmare scenario of encountering an unexpected passenger. Here’s what you need to know before boarding that ferry or rolling into the Eurotunnel terminal. Why it’s such a concern at Calais The port of Calais is one of the busiest crossing…

BEST FOR SAILING Ullswater Cumbria The Lake District has an excess of great options, but we’re highlighting exquisite Ullswater, England’s second-largest lake. It’s a superb destination with beautiful mountain scenery and breathtaking walks all around. Boat cruises are available at Ullswater Steamers (ullswater-steamers.co.uk); each pier connects with the 20-mile Ullswater Way trail around the lake. Enjoy sailing and windsurfing at the Glenridding Sailing Centre (glenriddingsailingcentre.co.uk), and not far from the north shore is Aira Force waterfall. Where to stay Ullswater Holiday Park This large, beautiful site is located just a mile from the lake and provides easy access to Aira Force and Pooley Bridge. There’s a range of pitch types available, all lying in a magnificent landscape. W ullswaterholidaypark.co.uk The Quiet Site It should come as no surprise that this…

It’s exciting news that a hybrid version of Volkswagen’s California is now available to order (see right) – it offers a quite practical alternative to diesel, thanks to its electric-only range of 54 miles. That should prove handy for popping to must-see attractions or supermarkets not too far from your campsite. At the same time, it does once again raise the question of the direction in which campervans and motorhomes will now go when it comes to electric power. Thus far, there’s little to suggest that fully electric power is anywhere near becoming mainstream. What’s more, the Government has already watered down the goal to have 100% clean power by 2035, and rumblings from within Parliament suggest that more dampening could follow. The next few years will be very interesting…

For long-term Auto-Trail fans, the compact Excel range might still be something of a novelty, as it only arrived a couple of seasons ago. The Excel 620S will seem even newer, because it debuted at last October’s NEC Motorhome and Caravan Show. To take a closer look, we headed for Todds Motorhomes in Lancashire. Like all of the Excels, the ’van sits on a Transit with a standard Ford cab, with corner drinks holders. A 12-inch screen with sat nav is included, but the reversing camera is a cost option, as are air-con and blinds in the cab. The cab seats swivel to a front lounge with two parallel settees. There are no fold-up travel seats, even as an option. There is a bit of a step down into the…

We know, we know. Who on earth would want to pick up a spanner on their holidays? The reality is, though, that with so many complicated systems on board, at some point, your motorhome will have a problem that needs fixing. Just like humans, leisure vehicles have components that get tired and worn. Any seasoned motorhomer who claims never to have suffered a base vehicle or habitation issue is fibbing! When presented with a motorhome fault, you basically have three options. Visit a garage (spend money and have to wait), call a breakdown firm (have to wait) or do it yourself. Many motorhome-related tasks can be tackled easily and cheaply yourself with a little bit of homework and, crucially, the correct tools. Remember, these are low-volume vehicles and much of…