Innholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2025 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 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.…

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: Lover of words 8 = average More than 16 = well done NOTES HALF & HALF Which animal is known as ‘luwak’ in Indonesian? Cross out a letter in each square to get a grid filled with words. The uncrossed-out letters in…

If you’re shopping for a motorhome, or already own one, payload can feel like a confusing, slightly dull number lurking on a spec sheet. But trust me, it’s hugely important. If you get it wrong, you risk overloading your pride and joy, possibly invalidating your insurance, or even falling foul of the law. Get it right and you’ll enjoy safer, smoother travels – and much less stress! So how much payload do you really need? The answer is: probably more than you think. First, what is payload? Payload is the weight you can legally add to your motorhome after the essentials are on board — that’s you, your passengers, your kit, your clothes, your food, your pets, your paddleboard, your e-bikes, and even that crate of local wine you weren’t…

On 23 August 1989, some two million people joined hands to form a 675km human chain stretching between Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. ‘The Baltic Way’ was a peaceful protest against five decades of illegal Soviet occupation of the three countries and led to their eventual independence. For our summer 2024 ’van-venture, we embarked on our own ‘Baltic Way’ as part of our long route to Norway via Northern Europe. The Baltic States were pastures new for us; other than visiting their capitals, we intended to make up our route as we went along. Hello Lithuania We entered Lithuania from Poland, then drove to Vilnius and a free car park about 2km from the Old Town. It looked unkempt, and we wondered whether it was a good idea for our first…

Tourne Mobil is a newcomer to these shores, having exhibited for the first time at February’s Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show at the NEC. But it already has dealers in 12 countries in Europe, in addition to its home country of Slovenia. Currently focused on van conversions, the company produces two lines based on a Peugeot Boxer, the premium Cruise and the higher-spec Select. Along with the quirky features that first attracted us, these vehicles are designed for all-year touring: both water tanks and all external plumbing are insulated, and no pop-top roofs are involved at all. To find out more, we visited Yorkshire Rose Motorhomes, near Doncaster, the brand’s first UK dealership, where we took a look at the 6m-long Select, with the top-spec 180bhp engine and automatic gearbox.…

This is no fairy tale… but once upon a time, all Auto-Sleeper motorcaravans were fitted with an elevating-roof. In addition, the company has converted Ford’s Transit since the very early Mark Ones. Thus, it’s not true – as some people claim – that it is a radical departure for A-S to build a pop-top camper on a Ford. That said, they have pulled out all the stops on this one. They’ve gone for a high-spec base with the 168bhp EcoBlue turbodiesel powering it along with consummate ease. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, with automatic transmission available as a cost option. The top-spec German SCA elevating-roof is well engineered, plus it is easy to raise and lower. It sits so well on the Custom that many are likely to think…

Vehicle designers are under ever-increasing pressure to reduce harmful exhaust emissions while at the same time delivering better fuel economy and greater performance. Modern technologies such as common-rail fuel injection, DPF and EGR systems are helping but there are other advances being employed as well. One of these is the ‘smart’ alternator, which is a bit of a misnomer as the alternator itself is pretty dumb; the real brain is the ECU (Engine Control Unit). The ECU monitors various parameters while the engine is running, including battery voltage and state of charge, and mechanical load on the engine, and will tell the alternator what voltage to output. During light-throttle cruising this is usually quite low so as to minimise the load of the alternator on the engine and thereby reduce…

There’s nothing quite like spending some time in the ’van to remind you fairly quickly of all the things that you have been meaning to fix from last year and forgotten all about. We took our first weekend away in April, and I soon remembered plenty of things that had been annoying last time out, which I had forgotten to address. So as soon as we got home, I reached for the tools and got some niggles ironed out. First up was fixing the leaking toilet cassette. Talking toilets Nobody wants to talk about toilets, but the old Thetford C4 cassette toilet in our ’van has plainly seen some action in its 25-plus years. We’ve noticed a number of maintenance tasks that have been ignored for a while, but this…

Walking along the clifftops, the thought occurred that there are few sights more evocative than the chalk cliffs and stacks of Old Harry Rocks – the creamy white cliffs bordered by light green downland and patches of sand below, with miles of shimmering sea stretching away into the distance. It is the epitome of the celebrated Jurassic coastline. There was no great mystery as to why we had chosen to visit the Dorset coast. Quite simply, it is a stunning part of the UK, with many wonderful places to see, including Lulworth Cove and Studland Bay. It has nature reserves, history and heritage, animal attractions, and miles and miles of glorious golden beaches. We were booked to stay at Downshay Farm, near Swanage, but the terrible drive south, plagued by…

ebden Bridge, a small former mill town near Halifax in West Yorkshire, has quietly been gaining a reputation as a perfect spot for a weekend break that combines hill walking with craft shopping - and some ace cafés and pubs to boot. Being the setting for popular recent TV series Happy Valley has probably helped boost its popularity too - but despite that, for the moment at least, it remains an unspoiled corner of the country that is just waiting for you to discover. (And I should know - I’ve lived here for the past 25 years.) DAY 1 10am Going to town Assuming you are staying at the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s site in Cragg Vale – the nearest proper caravan park to the town – your best option,…

Europe to upgrade weight limits The European Parliament and Council have agreed to changes in licences in the EU that could see Category B drivers able to drive vehicles weighing up to 4250kg, compared with the current limit of 3500kg. Member states should have four years to ratify the changes, and then Category B licence holders will only be able to start using heavier vehicles if they are “alternatively fuelled”, provided they have held a licence for two years or more. Anyone wanting to drive a vehicle running on fossil fuel will still have to take “targeted training or testing”, although what that will consist of is up to the member state. The UK does not have to follow suit, but the NCC, which has lobbied for the change, says…

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If the recent power outage in Spain, Portugal and parts of France taught us anything, it’s how dependent we’ve become on electricity. Without it, almost nothing can function in our homes. Essentials, such as gas igniters in heating systems and water pumps, simply don’t operate without a steady stream of electrons flowing around your house along strands of copper. It’s exactly the same with a modern motorhome – from the toilet flush to the LED lights and the heating, not much will work without electrical power. Although gas hobs can be lit manually, gas heating systems won’t work without electricity to ignite the flame and power the blown-air fan. Almost every appliance and anything with an electrical switch runs on 12V battery power in your motorhome. Older caravans sometimes used…

We all love the freedom that getting into a motorhome and driving off gives you. But let’s face it, sometimes, just sometimes, do you find that your sleeping arrangements might be less than you desired? We are, of course, talking about the bed in your ’van. It’s great that you have one, and it’s terribly clever how it’s been designed to fit in the vehicle, but it’s just not that comfortable. So what can you do? MATTRESS MATTERS The first thing to consider is the surface that you sleep on. If your motorhome comes with a fixed bed, and it is several years old, chances are your mattress could be well past its use by date. Many campervan mattresses, especially older ones, are made of relatively thin foam that does…

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. BUNK BEDS FRENCH (CORNER) BED ISLAND BED 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.…

Three mountains, three lakes, three countries – and all in just 30 hours! Using a motorhome as a base, this is the mammoth task lifelong outdoorsman and avid caravanner George Bell-Starr (below) aims to complete on 12 June. Inspired by the Three Peaks Challenge, George – who works as a specialist paramedic – curated his own challenge to raise money for three charities. His Tri-Lake Challenge will see George hike to and swim in the highest lakes in England, Wales and Scotland – Red Tarn, Llyn Llyffant and Loch Etchachan – which adds up to over 40km of hiking and 3km of swimming. How did you start shaping your Tri-Lake Challenge? I couldn’t find anyone who had swum these three lakes together, so I started breaking down every element of…

Lime ’n’ thyme chicken wings Quick and simple, these zingy wings are so tasty you’ll keep coming back for more. Serves 4 Prep 5 mins, plus marinating Cook 25 mins 75ml honey Zest and juice 3 limes2-3tbsp thyme, leaves picked700g chicken wings150ml mayonnaise 1 Mix the honey, zest and juice of 2 limes, and the thyme in a bowl. Season well, then add the chicken wings and toss to coat. Cover and chill for 1 hr or overnight if possible. 2 Heat/light the barbecue, or heat a griddle pan over medium-high heat. Cook the wings for 10 mins, turning, until charred, then close the barbecue lid and cook for a further 15 mins, or transfer to a lined tray and cook in the oven at 180C Fan/Gas 6 for 15…

■ Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 1-6 July 2025 Visit the gardens of Hampton Court in full bloom for this celebration of all things floral. View the Show Gardens, such as the RHS Healer’s Hollow, designed by Jude Yeo and Emily Grayshaw. Or simply wander around the Floral Marquee and Plant Village, and hear speakers offering expert advice on stage. There are international street food stalls, or you could treat yourselves to a Fortnum & Mason picnic hamper. Day tickets from £30.85. W rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-hampton-court-palace-garden-festival Stay at Walton on Thames C&CC Site W campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk ■ Wales Airshow 5-6 July 2025 The RAF’s aerobatic display team, the Red Arrows, tops the bill at this Swansea event, which has ground displays stretching from the Civic Centre to Brynmill Lane. See the full-size replica…

There are some places that feel larger than life. Landscapes so large, they change perspective and perception. The Assynt, in northwest Scotland, is one of those landscapes. So, too, other parts of Wester Ross, where loch after loch, whether sea or inland, make human life feel ever so small. Further south, Glen Coe whose towering sides rise to leave walkers looking like Lilliputian figures along the valley floor. And Rannoch Moor; a landscape so big, it’s all-consuming for the human eye to take in. It was these larger-than-life characters, and other landscapes, that kept me spellbound on a journey through Scotland, travelling north to reach the top of world. Or so it felt. In doing so, I chose, deliberately, to stay at an assortment of overnight locations, from standard Club…

WALK ONE GREAT RISSINGTON TO GREAT BARRINGTON ■ Level Easy ■ Elevation gain 223m ■ Length 6.4km (1hr 58min) Description This 6.4km point-to-point trail near Great Barrington, Gloucestershire, is a charming country walk between two quaint villages, where you’ll see Cotswold stone cottages and riverside paths. It’s an easy route that takes an average of 1 hour 58 minutes to complete. Although great for birding, fishing, and hiking, it’s often quiet and it is unlikely you’ll encounter many other people while exploring. Dogs are welcome and may be off-leash in some areas. The beautiful trail takes you through farmland, along the River Windrush and past Hause Copse and Waterloo Copse, where you can enjoy lovely views and keep an eye out for wildlife. Take care on the rougher sections of…

Grantham phases in a big new workshop Midlands-based motorhome and caravan dealer Grantham Caravans has opened an all-new 12-bay workshop at its base on the outskirts of the Lincolnshire market town. The unit comprises 10 vehicle bays plus two bodywork/spray slots and will also serve as a training centre, as part of the firm’s membership of the Approved Workshop Scheme. This is the first stage in a phased development of the company’s premises, which will also see the previous workshops turned into a temporary indoor awning display. Grantham Caravans’ marketing manager, Mitch Brown, confirms: “We have plans to knock all of the frontal buildings down (the old workshop) and rebuild them to be a multipurpose building, which will host the sales team, indoor awnings and accessory shop, indoor showroom for…