THE MOTORHOMERS’ MAGAZINE part of the

family

WHAT MOTORHOME

MOTORHOME OF
THE YEAR TESTED

MAGAZINE NOW INSIDE

Spring into your next motorhome adventure
THE HILLS ARE ALIVE

OOH LA LA!
Rural France like
it used to be

Colourful inland Spain

The thrill of
the chase in
idyllic Cannock

Testing in
the freezing
Italian Alps

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Welcome

I

f you own a motorhome or campervan you
may feel you’re in the money, as the value of
used models remains stratospherically high.
I was considering a six-year-old coachbuilt
recently, whose asking price was the same as
the price the first buyer paid. Its value had not
moved despite six years of use.
I know that’s not quite true – inflation
means I could have bought a lot more with
£48,000 in 2018 than I can today but, for
owners, the thought of your ’van being worth
similar to what you paid several years ago will,
no doubt, give you a very warm glow.
But, the only way you can release this
money is to exit the hobby and we don’t want
to do that. So, it comes down to either
retaining and maintaining your current ’van or
trading it in for a newer or a brand-new model.
Either way, we have you covered. I could
sing the praises of MMM’s unrivalled technical
pages, which ensure you can keep your ’van in
tip-top condition, but you know this already.
So, instead, let’s look at the far more

exciting area of the help we can offer when
you’re buying a new or newer ’van.
From our YouTube reviews of new ’vans, to
those you can read in MMM, What Motorhome
and online, we are unrivalled in that area.
Then there is the buyers’ guide on
outandaboutlive.co.uk and the thousands
of new and used ’vans for sale on the website
that you can browse at any time.
But, what we also offer are our shows and
seminars where you can view new and used
’vans and listen to our expert talks that guide
you on what you need to know to get the
perfect motorhome. And, if you need any more
advice, the annual Buying Your Perfect
Motorhome guide has just gone on sale. You
can get your copy at
pocketmags.com/
buying-your-first-motorhome-magazine
Daniel Attwood
Managing Editor

We would love to hear from you

Share your motorhome adventures, your campsite reviews, your motorhoming DIY tips and advice
and even your gripes with MMM readers. Just email us at: mmm@warnersgroup.co.uk
Join the debate

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April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

5

Contents
TRAVEL

44 WALES A short break takes
in seaside towns, dramatic castles
and mountain railways
50

COVER FRANCE This Gallic
region has no motorways, no
large towns and provides the
perfect rural spring getaway

60 WEEKEND TRAVEL Bracing cliff
walks and white cliffs can be
found in… Yorkshire. Yes, really

36

COVER

SPAIN Inland Spain provides colour and character
aplenty on an early-season escape

TESTED

TECHNICAL

93

COVER CHAUSSON X650 We
explore the Motorhome of the
Year 2024 in full detail

116

101

COVER BAILEY ALORA 69-4S
Reviewing a compact Ford lowprofile in the snowy Dolomites

COVER TECH HELP Your
questions answered from gas
tanks to ECUs and suspension
improvements

123 MY PROJECT Follow one
reader’s journey to upgrade to
full air suspension on his Fiatbased campervan

125 MY PROJECT A nifty project that
allows you to easily position your
waste water outlet over the drain

66 COVER GO WILD The smallest
AONB in the UK, Cannock Chase, is
also one of our mightiest
75

COVER SITES FOR… Enjoying
the delightful colours of spring

81 YOUR SITE REVIEWS From
Cornwall to Scotland and across
the Channel, readers review the
sites they’ve stayed at

6

126

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

109 MY MOTORHOME These
first-time motorhomers jump into
a Mercedes coachbuilt, planning a
series of upgrades from the start

COVER TECH ADVICE
Simple steps to make sure
your motorhome is in tip top
condition for the season ahead

BUYING
130

COVER BUYING ADVICE Read
our advice about dealer and
aftermarket warranties

136 VINTAGE ’VANS Looking at
spares availability for older
campervans and motorhomes

34 SHOW NEWS What’s coming to
a motorhome and campervan
show near you soon…

59 MOTORHOME NOMAD Learning

Included with
this issue

a lesson about driving up and
down steep mountain roads

72 MY TRAVELS Following in the
footsteps of Don Quixote

154 MY VIEW Carry on camping
– meeting a 100-year-old
motorhomer

138 ACCESSORIES Gadgets,
gifts and essentials to improve
your motorhome life

COMPETITIONS & OFFERS
115 PUZZLES Solve our monthly
crossword and sudoku to be in
with a chance of a cash prize

REGULARS
10

COVER LETTERS Readers’
recommendations, tips and
tribulations

153 NEXT MONTH

What’s in the May issue of MMM

22 FAVOURITE PHOTOS Your
holiday snaps near and far

25 MOTOR MUSE Technology, you
can’t live with it or without it

26 OUR MONTH What the MMM
team’s been up to this month

28 NEWS All the latest happenings
in the motorhome world

GREAT
Subscrip tion
OFFERS
PAGE 100
& 152

There’s a value for money theme to
this issue, covering keenly priced
new ’vans as well as looking at
what you can get on the pre-owned
market, from under £20k up to £60k −
z Adria Active Duo − a new
price for this great daily-driver
campervan on the Renault Trafic
z Benivan 144 − Benimar
campervans get a new look this
year, but still at keen prices
z CamperKIng Pursuit 4 − don’t
need all the kit? This day van
keeps things simple
z Dethleffs Just Camp T 6762 −
Thought you couldn’t afford
German quality? Think again
z PLUS! − A brand-new 4x4
motorhome from Eura Mobil

TURN
TO PAGE
114

93
April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

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You r letters

Have your say by emailing or writing to us at: | mmm@warnersgroup.co.uk
Under pressure
I know that if you have a
puncture, you either have to seal
the hole or change the wheel,
but what happens if you go to
leave the site or your car park
and find your tyre is nearly flat?
If you drive your motorhome
like this, you stand a good
chance of ruining your tyre.
So, the answer is to always
carry a tyre pump, but how
many of us do? It’s either at
home or in your car.
Anyway, what I am getting
to is what kind of tyre inflater
do you buy? Most only run for a
short time before cutting out,
and you have to wait for the
pump to cool down.
The next questions are
about how robust a pump you
need. What psi do you require?
Has any ’van owner any advice
on this subject?
Mike

ED I use a foot pump, it
inflates to 120 psi and I don’t
have to worry about the
battery or the length of the
cable. There are heavy-duty
devices that should be fit for
purpose, and then there are
the ones that the reader speaks
of. We would say that anything
is better than nothing and, if
you have to be patient to save
your tyre, be patient.
Mike says he bought a Ring
RAC610 but it would only do
one tyre before it cut out. After
a while, when it had cooled
down, it started working again.
If other motorhomers have
any input, do get in touch and
we’ll forward your tips on.

My mind in the gutter!
I would like to comment on the
letter, Injection Issues (February,
p19). I have seen it suggested
that now when injectors are

10

changed (my 22-registered
Chausson S697 had all four
changed in Sept 2023 now with
five years’ warranty), software
is reprogrammed to completely
close off the air inlet to the
injectors, reducing corrosion
due to long hours with no use.
Is there any truth in certain
forecourts having poor-quality
fuel? I can see issues with the
occasional cause of
contamination but, in my area
(Portsmouth/Southampton)
don’t the various suppliers come
from the same refinery, ie,
Fawley, or is there good or
poor-quality fuel going to
different customers.
It seems all later-model Ford
Transits have been
manufactured with a very
crudely designed and applied
front windscreen gutter. The
only way to fix this (if you do
not want water dripping from
window/gutter into the engine
bay) is:
1. Completely remove said
gutter (the offside wiper arm
has to be removed), then clean
thoroughly where the wiper sits
and 200mm on the outer lower
edge of each windscreen.
Use alcohol-like industrial
methylated spirit (IMS). Add an
extension if the outer gutter end
pieces are too short. With a
clear or black marine silicone,
bond the gutter back in place.
Place a strip of wood into the
gutter and load the whole gutter
with some weight to hold down.
Look for a small funnel and
slightly cut it to fit in the
wheelarch below the gutter
outlets. You can cable tie it in
place (there are holes to enable
this, just use long ties). Then
superglue (with accelerator) a
half-inch hose to allow water to
exit just in front of and above
the wheel – fix by cable tie. It
seems most Transits have a

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

A flip of the switch

Top
P i tch

Regarding Jeff Silverine’s letter, “Barry the
back-up-radio” on page 15 of the March 2024 issue, I
also looked for a solution so that I could listen to my audio
when we were parked up in our motorhome.
I asked Peter at Huets – The In-Car Specialists in
Shoreham-by-Sea and he was able to fit an ‘I-O-II’ toggle
switch which gave me:
I – Audio (and a USB socket) powered all the time
O – Power turned off
II – Audio powered only when the ignition was on (ie, the
setting we use most)
Bob Dargan

missing rubber seal at one of the
wiper arms, so buy and fit one.
2. Remove and seal again, with
clear marine-grade silicone,
both of the bonnet inlet vents.
3. Each bonnet vent has a
L-shaped outlet. Most seem to
be fitted as made; however,
they barely have a means for
water exit. So with, ideally, a
scalpel (as it is neater) or knife
or cutters, remove threequarters of a millimetre off the
end. Likely debris stuck in there
will also be carried away.
Here, as water is going to

drip, make covers on vulnerable
dry targets. If nothing is at
hand, Correx (plastic
cardboard/surface protection)
is great for lid/box making and
easy to work with after a
couple of tries.
4. In the cab, get access to the
void beyond the right and left
cup holders and, using Correx,
etc, cut strips 20/50mm and
push them one at a time in
series such as they cover all the
electronics/wiring. Then use
duct tape to tie/key these strips
as one. This will eliminate water

LETTERS
Join the debate
twitter.com/MMM_Magazine
Join the community
facebook.com/motorhomemags

~ Your Letters, MMM, Warners Group Publications, West Street, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH
and moisture running on the
inside of the windscreen,
causing the lights to
permanently stay on.
Buying or making a tray will
reduce water running onto the
fuel injectors, but is missing
the point that it is the gutter
that is the problem.
The work will take a casual
day by the inexperienced and
two to four hours for a
competent DIYer or a
professional.
Ideally, the work needs to be
done in a dry and warm
environment like a garage or on
a dry 15°C-plus day outside.
Because of the nature of heat
and moisture, there will be some
condensation, but not rain as
happens prior to this rework.
5. Do not open the bonnet
without drying off surface
water – as it will go in the
engine bay.
Roger

E’s not so good
Like many readers, my husband
and I enjoy spending part of
our retirement touring in our
motorhome. Recently, we have
travelled a lot around Europe in
the shoulder season of
September and October to take
advantage of the quieter roads
and campsites and the cooler
weather. We enjoy searching
out the more remote spots to
explore as we love walking and
exploring the countryside.
However, last year when in
Portugal, we were returning
from a walk in the mountains
near Chaves, when two large
dogs rushed out of a
smallholding barking and
snarling furiously and would
not leave us alone. The owners
were nowhere to be seen.
My husband, who had our
dog on a lead, walked quickly

ahead and got away but I was
not so lucky and was bitten on
the back of my leg by one of the
dogs. We managed to make it
back to the campsite, although
I was bleeding quite a lot.
The campsite owner phoned
a taxi to take me to a hospital
– fortunately, there was one in
Chaves, only about 10 minutes
away. There I was seen very
promptly; they cleaned the
wounds and put in a couple of
stitches before bandaging it up.
The only problem came at
the end; the hospital refused to
recognise my EHIC card as we
were no longer in the EU.
I explained that it was still
valid until the expiry date,
which was 2025, but to no avail,
and I ended up having to pay. I
know, legally, the EHIC card
should be valid, but this
particular hospital had its own
procedures and refused to
budge from them.
Just a cautionary tale,
because if I had had the GHIC, it
would have been accepted
without question.
Also it is best to give any
barking dogs on the loose a
wide berth; although, in
Portugal, this is easier said than
done as nearly every house
seems to have a guard dog or
two! Luckily, all’s well that ends
© Deb Drury/istockphoto

well and I recovered quickly!

may also vary from one
country to another.

Anne Ambrose

ED Checking gov.uk Anne is
correct that, if your EHIC is
still in date, you should not
need to apply for the GHIC.
However, we followed this
up with the FCDO for clarity,
which confirmed that the
EHIC will still be valid as long
as it remains in date.
But it did also stipulate
that GHIC and EHIC will only
cover state healthcare, not
treatment provided by a
private doctor or private
clinic.
According to
nhs.uk/
using-the-nhs/healthcareabroad/apply-for-a-free-ukglobal-health-insurance-cardghic you can apply for a new
card up to nine months before
your current card expires.
The new UK GHIC is free
and lasts for up to five years
– apply through the NHS
website as unofficial websites
may charge a fee.
Also remember that these
cards are not a replacement
for travel insurance – you still
need a good policy when
travelling to Europe that will
cover medical expenses.
What is and isn’t covered
under the GHIC/EHIC scheme

Doctors galore
I have read many articles about
C1/C1E medical applications. I
had the same problem with my
local GP.
I then came across a
company called Drivers
Medicals. It can be contacted
at
driversmedicals.com or
by calling  01454 317436.
The service charges about
£65. There were no problems
the last three times I have used
this company.
Peter Davis

Frustrations with faults
We chose a reputable
(expensive) quality motorhome
but we have had a pretty
constant stream of problems.
Perhaps the greatest
surprise was the warped
structure around the habitation
door. The habitation door was
replaced in the first year but
the replacement had the same
problem.
Neither the supplier nor
manufacturer accepted it is a
structural problem.
All they did was insert
straightening rods in the door.
The problem persists.
Now we have some other
problems, including:
The hinged washroom sink
assembly has broken due to
rusty hinges, the airbag ECU is
faulty and the flyscreen on the
habitation door is broken.
The manufacturer did not
accept our motorhome was not
of merchantable quality.
We asked it and the
supplying dealer to take it back
in the first year of ownership
but they refused.
Iain Maitland

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

11

LETTERS
Fuel to the flames
Further to my letter (Oct 2023,
p17), entitled Refilling the Bottle,
I receive regular updates from
petrolprices.com as well as
a weekly newsletter. A recent
newsletter had a link to
‘webuyanycar’ with regard to an
article on the benefits of buying
premium diesel or petrol. At the
bottom of the web page was
some info on LPG.
The page stated: “LPG fuel’s
limited availability also
presents a challenge for its
users. At present, 368 UK
fuelling stations offer LPG for
public sale (just 4% of the total
number), whereas petrol and
diesel fuel are available
everywhere. So, bear in mind
that if you opt for an LPG
vehicle, you’ll have to plan
journeys a little more carefully.
“Although there is a
relatively widespread
concentration of LPG stations
throughout the UK, availability
falls a little short of the public’s
needs and is now dwindling.
“Earlier this year, the Motor
Fuel Group, the UK’s largest
independent forecourt
operator, announced that it will
remove auto-LPG from all its
forecourts by 2024.”
If it is true that LPG is to be

removed from the forecourts
this could cause major
problems for all those people
who had their cars converted
to run with LPG, but also all
motorhome and caravan
owners who have plumbed-in
LPG by Gaslow, etc.
I have spoken with Gaslow
who says the paragraph above
could be (is) slightly alarmist
and doesn’t reflect the true
situation; especially where
motorhome owners are
concerned.
May I suggest that MMM
writes an article on the subject
of LPG availability or, dare I
suggest, that you ask Gaslow to
give you chapter and verse on
the LPG industry in the UK?
Michael Payne

ED While it is true that certain
forecourts will no longer be
offering LPG, many readers
report that they can still find
refill points using various apps
– mylpg.eu and AutogasApp
– plus, as reported in this
month’s issue, Marquis, the
UK’s largest motorhome dealer
group, has now rolled out LPG
refilling points at three of its
branches in the UK. And those
travelling to Europe certainly
have not reported a lack of

pumps on the Continent. We’ll
look into this issue – if anyone
has any questions or concerns
regarding LPG tanks and
availability, get in touch and
we’ll ensure we answer all the
common questions in an article.

Lucky to be alive
Just a warning to never take
anything for granted when
driving your motorhome!
We had been abroad for
nearly three months travelling
through France and Spain,
stopping at many cities and
towns, ultimately arriving at
Camping Villasol, Benidorm,
for Christmas and New Year, a
lovely travelling experience.
Benidorm was its usual self
with lots of entertainment, lots
of warm sunshine, great New
Year celebrations and not
forgetting the fabulous Three
Kings Parade.
However, all good things
come to an end and it became
time to travel back to
Cherbourg to catch our
daytime ferry home.
It was dark when we arrived
at Portsmouth and decided to
travel part of the 150-mile
journey home, while there was
very little traffic.

Travelling along the A35, a
not so pleasant experience with
its dark narrow and winding
roads, all of a sudden, without
warning, all our lights went
out, forcing me to brake hard
as we were in complete
darkness. Luckily, the road was
fairly straight at this point and
there were no other vehicles on
the road. l dread to think what
could have happened if we
were on a narrow bend with
traffic approaching us.
Out came the torches. We
managed to get the ’van off the
road and waited for daylight to
appear before continuing our
journey home.
Kolin Worsey

Off to Europe
We are planning to tour Europe
for a couple of weeks this
summer. Our last visit to the
Continent was back in 2019
and we understand that
conditions may have changed
with regard to LEZ and other
general vehicle regulations.
Could you advise of the
requirements for visiting
Belgium, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, France, Germany,
Switzerland, etc? We may not
be visiting large cities, but need
to know what procedures we
may need to follow, which
would include toll roads.
Our motorhome weighs 4.6
tonnes and we want to be
prepared.
Alan Jennison

ED Just over two years ago,
post-Covid and post-Brexit, we
published an article, which is a
great starting point as it will
cover most of what you need
to know. You can read it here:
outandaboutlive.co.uk/
motorhomes/articles/general/
motorhome-touring-in-europe
Take a read of the article
and, if you have any further
questions, let us know and
we’ll update it.
This article is on our
upcoming list to update, so
we’ll add any changes if they
are needed.

12

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

Helping you get
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from the great outdoors
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All rights reserved. Information correct at time of print.

Worldwide guests
In the March issue (p21),
Sandra Hields wrote about her
difficulty in obtaining
insurance for her son who lives
in America but has a UK
driving licence.
I had a similar problem last
year, when our son and family
came from Australia and
wanted to take our motorhome
to various countries in Europe.
Unlike Sandra’s son, our son
had no UK licence, having had
to surrender it when he became
an Australian citizen.
Our insurance company

declined cover and, despite
several hours of internet
searching, I failed to find one to
accept the conditions.
My wife suggested a visit to
our local insurance broker, and
what a revelation! Within an
hour fully comprehensive cover
was arranged with Aviva with
only a small extra cost increase.
The moral is to shop locally.
Name supplied, Cornwall

Update on site review
My review of Camping Le Heron,
Vresse-sur-Semois, Belgium, was

Mains musings

On page 23 of the January 2024 edition of MMM, your
resident philosopher’s monthly musngs, as usual, made me
laugh out loud.
However, one aspect really struck a chord, as it is so true.
That is the potential of causing significant damage of
driving off with the mains lead still connected, which was
apparent some years ago when we purchased our
Autocruise Stargazer in 2007.
The latching of the cable into the ’van-mounted plug is
the issue. My solution was to trim off the small wedge in the
’van plug that restrains the cover on the cable end socket.
Clive Mott will probably have a fit in my suggesting this, but
it works.
The cable can be withdrawn with a simple pull, the cable
end snaps shut so all is protected should the ’van end be
disconnected before the supply pillar.
As for warnings in the cab of potential oversights when
setting off, we use sun lounger towel clips attached to the
gear leaver or steering wheel. Red for TV aerial up, green for
steadies down, blue or yellow for rooflights or windows
opened. Simple.
Ian Morris

ED While we can’t condone Ian’s tip, the suggestion of towel
clips is an interesting one, you just have to remember what
colour is for the specific reminder…

published in the February issue.
As I mentioned in the review, it
was then in transition.
I have recently received an
email from Huttopia,
announcing its reopening as
Huttopia Vallée de la Semois on
13 June, with bookings open for
stays from 11 July.
In case any readers are
tempted, Huttopia claims it has
made it a point of honour to,
“preserve the spirit of this
exceptional natural site”.
The vegetation, the space
and the pitches have not
changed, but the washrooms
have been refurbished, there is a
new indoor heated swimming
pool and electric bikes are
available to hire for exploring
the lovely countryside.
We were able to take
advantage of our ACSI card last
May; I don’t know if this will still
be an option.
Sandra Thorpe

ED It is not currently listed on
the CampingCard ACSI
website, although other
Huttopia sites are, so keep
checking back to see if this
campsite will be participating
and offering set-price pitches
out of season.

Heavy reading
Regarding Peter Vaughan’s
response in the March 2024
issue (P11), on motorhomes
with a 3.5-tonne maximum
weight and people struggling to
find the right motorhome, if
the people at the DVLA got
their heads together and
resolved the issue on raising
the gross weight, the job would
be sorted a little bit.
If it hadn’t taken away our
grandfather rights of 7,500kg,
from all of us over 70, it would
be easier all round.
Gordon Colquhoun

Toll tips
I have just read the March issue
(great, as ever!), and I am
wondering if you can help me.
I motorhome on my own

14

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

now since losing my husband in
2020. Last year, I made the
decision to change my 7.5m
Bailey Approach for a 6m
Benimar Tessoro.
As I travel alone, the TV is
great company; we had a
satellite dome on the Bailey
and I wanted a dome on the
Benimar, which I duly had
fitted. We also had a tag for
French motorways, which I
fitted in the new ’van.
However, when travelling in
France last September, I had a
problem – the tag let me onto
the motorway but not off !
It turns out that the dome
has pushed the height of the
’van to 3.1m and the Emovis
tag does not work over 3m.
Back to the March issue and
the letter Magical toll boxes, is
it possible that you could
contact Tom Hackwood and
ask him to contact me, as I
would like to actually talk to
someone who has dealt with
this problem?
I have actually booked the
’van in to have the dish
removed, because I find that
going through the tolls on my
own is very tricky!
Barbara Awcock

ED Tom replied: “My Hymer
S700 camper is 3.25m high. I
have driven all over France,
Italy and Portugal using the
Bip&Drive system.
When you come to the
Via-T pass, use the lane for
HGVs, they are usually either at
the extreme left or right of the
toll booths. HGVs are over four
metres high.
The car lanes often have a
height restriction. They are
normally in the middle of the
toll booths. Stay away from
them.
Barbara then replied: I now
realise that, as well as Bip&Go,
there is Bip&Drive, this is the
company that Tom referred to.
I have sent it an email
because there is no reference
on its website regarding over
height or weight, only light
vehicles, which is Class 2 in

LETTERS
Prague

© Trevor Smith /Pixabay

France. My motorhome now
goes into Class 3.
If I get a reply I’ll let you
know for future reference.
Out of interest I believe this
could be an issue for more
people now as ’vans with
drop-down beds are just that
little bit higher than other
’vans. This is a lesson I am
learning, but as ever when
buying a motorhome, it’s all a
compromise!

Weight Czechs
Beware if you travel to the
Czech Republic if your
motorhome is over 3,500kg.
In preparation for travelling
to Prague last September, I
investigated what was needed
pay the road tolls.
On entering, I stopped at the
first garage after the border/
distribution point, obtained an
OBU and paid for the deposit
and an amount for prepaid tolls.
We had our stay and all was
well until we called at the last
stop-off point to return the
OBU toll device and receive any
refund due.
Several people were walking
around with OBU boxes, which
seemed a bit strange, and we
were all being told to return the
box by post.
After getting home, I went
on the MYto cz website,
downloaded a form, followed
the instructions and posted the
OBU box at a cost of £14.20.
I sent an email, so it knew
the OBU unit was in the post. I
tracked the post and received

confirmation that it had been
received by Czech customs.
After a month, I contacted
Myto cz to say I hadn’t heard
anything and the reply asked
me to send proof of ownership,
which I did.
I had already enclosed a
copy of the V5 with the OBU. I
still heard nothing and chased
again and then just before
Christmas received the OBU
box back with an attached
sticker marked that the box
had not been claimed.
On emailing Myto cz again
to ask it what was going on, the
reply was that the customs
duty hadn’t been paid. Nowhere
in the process was there any
mention of customs duty.
I have been in touch with
the London office of the Czech
Tourist Office, which has done
what it can to help by
contacting the OBU issuer, but
we have had no more success
in resolving the matter.
After several
communications, the company’s
current position is that it is the
responsibility of the vehicle
operator to know the rules.
I have asked if customs duty
is actually payable, as I can’t
understand why it is on an item
being returned to a Czech
organisation that owns it. I can’t
even get an answer to that
question, the response being
that I should find out from UPS
or DHL.
What a ridiculous situation.
My advice – don’t visit Czechia
in a 3.5-tonne-plus motorhome.

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April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

15

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LETTERS

Swings and bike racks
In the February issue, a reader’s
letter titled Swings and bike
racks from Mike Ayres explained
what he thought to be a good
solution to the excessive
movement of towbar-mounted
bike racks whilst travelling.
Firstly, I agree with him
completely in that I also feel
that the amount of movement
is excessive. Alarming even.
However, his solution to affix
cargo straps to the top hinge
brackets and then to the bikes
on the rack is probably not a
sensible solution.
In the short term, this link
from the bikes to the bodyshell
of the ’van will indeed lessen
the swaying and jumping about
which occurs. But the root of
the problem isn’t that the bikes
are moving, and thus require
stabilising, but that the
structure of the bike rack is
flexing in all directions. This
worrying movement of the rack
is also worsened by a small
amount of ‘play’ on the Memo
Van-Swing bar at the towbarmounting point.
If the straps were fixed to
the hinge mountings and then
to the most rigid part of the
bike rack then this may provide
some additional stability. I had
previously considered this idea
(amongst others), but the only
suitably rigid place on the rack
is the central steel U-shaped
frame, and this would not really
be of benefit as a result of it
being so narrow, and the main
cause of the flexing on the
outer components.
If the bike racks had rigid

steel wheel mountings fastened
to the big central tube, this
would help, but they don’t.
Access for the straps is also
complicated by the bikes being
positioned above the central
steel bar, and covered by a
plastic moulding.
However, the main reason
why I’m advising that Mr Ayres’
method of reducing the
movement should not be used
is that by fixing the straps to
the bikes, this could very easily
damage the bike or bikes
themselves. This is perfectly

possible because, in the process
of tightening the cargo straps
sufficiently to make any
difference to the flexing of the
rack, and the movement in the
Memo bar, meaning that all the
stress of doing so is then
transferred to the bikes.
Bikes are not designed for
stress in these ways. The rack
will still be attempting to move
and flex, but the bikes and
especially the wheels, will then
be a conduit for the stress.
My latest idea to provide a
bit of peace of mind does
involve a cargo strap, but only
as a last-ditch attempt to stop
the rack (plus bikes) falling off
completely and causing injury
or damage to following traffic
and their passengers.
I think I may have come up
with an idea that will eliminate
the slack in the Memo bar
coupling, but haven’t had yet had
chance to test it in sustained
suitably bad conditions to be
completely sure.
I will let it be known if it does
the job. Basically, it involves a

very stiff rubber mounting on the
towbar end of the coupling.
Keep the ideas coming,
though, for someone, somewhere
might have the solution.
Andy Stothert

Painting a picture
Can I add my pennyworth into
the discussion on peeling
paint? I also have a Fiat Ducato
Auto-Trail, a V-Line 635
purchased new in March 2016.
Whilst cleaning it a couple
of years ago, I noticed some
small areas of peeling paint on
the roof. It appears to be mainly
where the roof panels join
together.
No great deterioration
appears evident. It looks to me
that the top paint has not
bonded to the base layers.
For now, I am not taking any
action, apart from a regular good
cleaning and polishing – there is
no sign of rust. To me (at this
stage) it does not warrant an
expensive roof respray !
Tom Humphries

What’s this layout?
Please help me identify the layout for the
motorhome I want to buy! It is like that on the
Roller Team 695. But I want the two sofas at
the front to be inward facing, not a table with
two forward-facing seats.
I think the Auto-Trail Imala 730 has the
same layout but, when asking dealers, I don’t
know how to describe it! Are there any other
models with this layout?
Both models have an island at the rear. I
will need automatic and an older model as
funds are limited. I only need a two-berth. I
don’t do a big mileage so can buy a highmileage model.
Valerie Clarke

ED The terms you are looking for include
face-to-face lounge (the most popular
European terminology) and parallel sofas (or
twin sofas) with an island bed at the rear.
While this lounge format has been
popular in British motorhomes for years, it
has also recently been taken up by
Europeans. So that does mean there will be
plenty of options – Chausson’s 788 is a good
continental example, as is the Rapido 696F,

but may be beyond your budget.
Other ranges that offer this layout include
Swift’s Escape, the Bailey Adamo, or the
Imala and F-Line from Auto-Trail.
Also, you may need to be patient and keep
looking carefully, as automatics are in
demand on the used market and often sell
very quickly.
What you could also do is find a model
with the forward-facing bench and have a
good workshop that is used to adaptations,
change this into the lounge format you need.
That will open up even more options,
especially important for lower budgets with
the currently high motorhome prices, on
both new and used ’vans.

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

17

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LETTERS
Fuses for fridges
I own a Swift Escape 695, first
registered July 2018. As the
second owner, it was purchased
from a Swift dealer in August
2019, since which time it’s been
in regular year-round use, and
has its annual dealer service and
warranty checks.
On our usual New Year trip
we had a problem with the
three-way fridge not switching
to the 12V engine running
mode in transit.
A check of the Sargent EC600
Swift Command box revealed
that fuse number 13, a 15A as
fitted, marked ‘motorhome fridge
D+’, had very badly melted, also
melting the side wall of the
fuseholder box in the EC600.
Furthermore, the small red
light, which should illuminate if
there is a fuse problem, was no
longer working.
My Swift dealership
informed me that it would
return the EC600 to Sargent for
repair, indicating (realistically)
a three to four-week period.
I telephoned Sargent,
speaking to the technical
support team. It stated that it
had told Swift in 2019 to
change the 15A fuse in position
13 for a 20A fuse, as the 15A
fuse was insufficient for the
larger fridges fitted to my
model of motorhome.
I was told by Sargent that
the EC600 would need to be
replaced, at a (reasonable) fixed
cost, with a two-week
turnaround upon receipt.
Via an affiliated company,
Sargent Leisure Services, a
same-day turnaround service
was offered if I wished to drive
my motorhome to its Beverley
workshop.
The staff at Sargent Leisure
Services were very helpful, and
fully aware of this fuse problem
and, within a few days, offered a
two-hour turnaround to replace
my EC600. The work was carried
out to complete satisfaction, all
systems checked, and all done
in a clean manner.
A call to Swift’s helpline led
to me being told initially, that it
was not aware of any advice to

change the fuse to 20A by
Sargent. However, it called me
back to confirm that Sargent
had indeed contacted the
company over this issue in
2019. Swift also told me that
sometime in 2019 it had
informed all dealerships to
change fuse number 13 for the
higher-rated 20A fuse.
A check back with my Swift
dealer, brought the response
that it was not aware of this.
I’m left bearing the cost of
replacing the EC600 over a
problem known about, and
having no resort to a warranty
claim as the vehicle is outside
its warranty period.
I’m concerned that enough
heat was generated to melt the
fuse and fuseholder. Even a
cursory search of social media
reveals other owners having
this identical problem.
Obviously, there’s been a
communication breakdown,
but there are owners who
could, like me, potentially end
up with a costly repair bill.
I think Swift should have
communicated this issue
directly to registered owners,
alongside the dealerships.
I’m grateful that this
problem didn’t result in a fire.
Sargent Technical and Sargent
Leisure Services could not have
been more helpful in this
matter, and I can highly
recommend its excellent
service and advice.
Via your good pages,
hopefully other owners can
simply replace this fuse before
damage occurs (as in my case)
resulting in the entire EC600 unit
having to be replaced.
Vernon Garry Rhodes

Lucky number 707
I have just spotted your error
with Jan and Dec issues both
being issue number 707! Am I
first? Do I win a prize (a new
Hymer would be nice...)?

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ED Two eagle-eyed readers
spotted the lucky number 707
issues, but sorry no prize!

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April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

19

AWARD WINNING DESIGN
The SOLARIS XL is fully winterised and wild camping ready

Solaris XL

The award winning Solaris XL offers a highly flexible design for a family of 4. With
long bunk beds in the rear (up to 6ft 8!) and a full double bed in the front sleeping
accommodation is excellent. There is a full size kitchen with lots of storage and
worktop space incorporating a full height fridge/freezer, oven and sink. Storage
all round is excellent with cupboards under the beds and around the top of the
motorhome. Finally lounging is taken care of in the front where the travelling
seats easily convert to sofas with the cab seats revolving round to face the rear.
The design offers drawers in the place of cupboards where possible to give a greater
access to storage in many of the harder to get to places. This has come from feedback
given by WildAx owners! For travelling there are two single belted travel seats in the
rear that quickly slide into a sofa or the double bed.

Unit G9, Lock View, Lowfields Business Park, Elland HX5 9HD | T: 01422 372111

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Another storage area can be found at the rear behind the bunks
to give handy space for all those items you need to access from
the outside like hook up leads, chairs, hoses and levelling blocks.

WildAx Motorhomes
01422 372111

Head Office and Factory Elland HX5 9HD, UK
wildaxmotorhomes.com

The front double is folded down from the travel seats (not using
the cab seating) in less than a minute. This provides a flat and
comfy double bed, larger than a double mattress at home!

E S Hartley Cumbria
01539 822450

Ings, Kendal LA8 9PY
eshartleygroup.co.uk/motorhomes

E S Hartley Ellesmere
0151 350 6870

Ellesmere Port CH65 3DD
eshartleygroup.co.uk/motorhomes

Maple Garage
01964 534144

Main Road, Mappleton. Hornsea. HU18 1XT
maplegarage.co.uk

Nick Whale Motorhomes
01386 870852

Evesham WR11 8SN, UK
nickwhalemotorhomes.co.uk

Southern Bracknell
0800 028 3417

Brickfields Industrial Estate, Kiln Ln, Bracknell RG12 1NA
southernmotorhomes.co.uk

Wiltshire Caravans
01373 752100

36 Headquarters Rd, West Wilts Trading Estate, Westbury, BA13 4JR
wiltshirecaravans.co.uk

Highbridge Caravan Centre
01626 832792

Higher Brooks Plantation, Teigngrace, Newton Abbot TQ12 6QZ
highbridgecaravans.co.uk

Geoff Cox Leisure
01332 781562

Derby Road, Marehay, Ripley DE5 8JN
geoffcox.co.uk/leisure

Thompson Leisure
028 9269 3999

21 Rowantree Road, Dromore, Northern Ireland BT25 1NN
thompsonleisure.com

Specialist Vehicles GB
07377 577376

Rye Wharf, Rye Harbour Road, Rye, E.Sussex TN31 7TE

Motorhome Escapes
07464 290575

Royston Lodge, Bathgate, EH48 1JX
motorhomeescapes.co.uk

Highland Campervans
01667 457304

Kerrowaird Steading, Dalcross, Inverness, IV2 7JQ
highlandcampervans.com

Continental Leisure Vehicles
01269 831151

Crosshands Business Park, Cross Hands Road, Gorslas, SA14 6RE
continentalcaravans.co.uk

Camper Love Surrey
020 8335 0050

133 Stonecot Hill, Sutton SM3 9HS
camperlove.co.uk

The kitchen is one of the key selling points of the motorhome
with huge work surfaces, a large sink with built in drainer and a
full cooker perfect for family meals! Lots of storage in the form
of drawers and cupboards give room for extended trips away in
the van. The washroom is a full wet room with storage and has
the addition of a second door to be accessed from the rear of the
van (more customer
4 xfeedback!) also fitted
4 xis a cassette toilet.

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Your favourite photos
From the divine to the downright wacky, readers share
some of their top touring snaps...

Staying at Portree on the Isle of Skye. A trip around the island revealed this stunning view from the crofters’ museum (Skye
Museum of Island Life). Nigel and Tracey Powell
A lovely site near Lake Bled in Slovenia.

David Cardus

St Abbs overnight stay for £10. A fabulous start to our Scottish
adventures last summer. Phil Collins

22

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

LETTERS

Waking up in Chamonix, France, with snow-capped peaks
behind. A magical place to be in May, when we enjoyed
quiet roads and quiet campsites. Martyn and Ellen Button

Early morning September 2023 in Amboise, France in our ’van
‘Avabel’, named after our friend’s daughter who couldn’t
separate our twins, Ava and Isobel, so she combined their
names and it stuck! Paul Martin
This is the dragon that ‘walks’ along
the esplanade at Calais Plage, France,
during the summer months. Terry Bell

The saltwater lagoon of the Mar Menor, Spain, has 70km (44 miles) of internal
coastline so you are never far away from a lovely view. Here we are exploring Mar de
Cristal, which translates to ‘Glass Sea’. Stewart and Angela Pegum

SHARE YOUR PHOTOS If you have a picture of a motorhome adventure that makes you
smile, please share it. Email it and a caption to mmm@warnersgroup.co.uk

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

23

Motor muse monthly
MMM’s Technology Correspondent examines the
pitfalls of technological progress

T

he technological future, eh? I’m beginning to think it isn’t so
animal, shout a lot, and hit things. Fun, at its most basic.
much the future as a future problem. I was sat in the
However, since my last lengthy lay-off, the old fool I play
adventure wagon chewing on this very question. On the
turned up with his phone, and was wearing something called a
drive, where it is currently in residence, because it has a fault that smartwatch. Apparently, this is linked (by his teeth?) to the
is baffling everyone.
phone. He says it is vital, and he can no longer play squash (we’ve
There is an untraceable glitch in the maze of electrical
been playing for 40 years) without this ancillary life support
gubbinses controlling its actions, which manifests itself as an
equipment detailing his present state of wellbeing, and which
orange light popping up on the dash every so often. More ‘often’
will give him a very fast retrospective warning of a heart attack
than ‘every so’ recently. On top of that and even more every so often that has just happened. It can even phone for an ambulance but,
(which is less often), this can halt our progress for a few seconds.
as we all know, there’s no point in doing that if you’re sick. It’s
It hasn’t let us down yet, or put us in any dangerous or
faster to use your bus pass, or a wheelbarrow.
awkward situations, but the threat of the fault becoming
It gets worse, and yet another old fool I’ve been doing a bit of
not-so-every-so-often-but-slightlyfellwalking with for 50 or so years
more-always was hanging over us.
incident has recently
You just stare into space, and haven’t without
Is all that clear?
started using an app that guides
However, after a few thousand
his every step across the hills. He is
a clue how to carry on
miles of uncertainty messing about
so busy staring at the screen,
in that awful Europe place, we
checking his positional precision,
made it home in one piece.
that he is missing both the view
Our computerised mechanic
and the next precipice he’s about
was baffled. Completely baffled.
to stroll over.
This is not the critical and causal
My mobile has four screen
component of this contemplation
pages of apps and every single one
of human progress, but it was
is said to be vital to my existence.
precipitating me off a little.
Even the kit in the motorhome has
No, the real instigator of this
an app to operate it. I find myself
cogitation concerning our
checking the state of the battery
technological march towards a less
on the phone every five minutes.
fulfilling future is my phone, which
Just after adjusting the
had packed up. Apparently, it was
temperature of the fridge again.
the motherboard, or something,
We just can’t leave ’em alone.
and it may take weeks for the part
It’s a design error in the brain. The
to swim its way from Korea.
phone isn’t helping us at all; it has
This was very bad news, as
hijacked us.
nowadays this ‘device’ isn’t so much
I’ve been without the phone for
a telephone, as a life support
three weeks now and, at first, it
system. So, when they die (pass?) you just stare into space, and
was hard. I jest a little here, but not enough. However, gradually,
haven’t a clue how to carry on.
that heavy feeling of approaching doom has lifted, and the need
Like losing your pet rabbit. All those empty moments in life,
to keep a SIM-less obsolete model (two years old) within easy
like adverts or a boring conversation, when you automatically
reach as a comforter has passed. I’ve had loads of sympathy
reach for the phone, then become a crisis. Gone are those
‘cards’ from friends (via my good lady’s phone) and I’ve stopped
glorious opportunities to trawl endlessly pointless websites, take
getting angry messages from folk complaining about my
your thirty-fourth look at the weather forecast, or check that you
inconsiderate habit of not instantly responding to their previous
haven’t been sent a life-changing email or WhatsApp message.
e-missive. I have even started going to the shops again, to buy
It gets stranger when you think about how the dominance of
stuff, and going to people’s actual houses to see them rather than
this devil’s device has crept into everything we do.
using Facelift or WhoteverApp. I’m not spending my life looking
Even into the bits that should be safe. A couple of weeks ago I
at that bleedin’ phone. I think I’m cured.
was making my latest ‘comeback’ on the squash court, where I’d
So, obviously I won’t be getting another phone then? Well it’s
thought there was no opening for technology. It is simply about
a tough one, that, as the ’van has now been fixed, we’re ready to
that natural and instinctive desire to run about like a wild
go, and how the hell can we survive without park4night?

“

”

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

25

Our month

MMM’s team share the ups and downs of their motorhoming month
ULTIMATE SITE FOR ULTIMATE ’VANS

“What I hadn’t expected was how perfect the
chosen campsites would be”
Peter Vaughan Road Test Editor

It’s always great to get the opportunity
to test ’vans in extreme conditions, so
Bailey’s offer of a winter test of its new
Alora in the Dolomites was every bit
as appealing as last year’s Sahara
Challenge with the Endeavour
campervan. As it turned out, the
weather – plenty of snow and
temperatures down to minus 20 degrees – were perfect but
what I hadn’t expected was how perfect the chosen campsite
would be.
Admittedly Campingpark Sexten describes itself as
‘unique in Europe’ and its website
campingparksexten.it
says it offers five-star camping but, even for someone with
45 years of motorhoming experience, this stood out as
something special.
For a start, the location is breath-taking, overlooked by
the jagged Three Peaks measuring up to 2,999m high. Then,
there’s the campsite itself with excellent facilities and
snowfall managed by its own huge JCB! More remarkable
still is the on-site Patzenfeld restaurant – both the venison

BRING ME THAT HORIZON

“Big things are coming for Out & About Live,
so keep your eyes peeled!”
Jack Hart Senior Content Editor
Staying in a motorhome is one of my
earliest memories, so it’s perhaps
inevitable that I’d end up working at
Out & About Live, the brand behind
MMM. I’ve been here for about nine
months now, so I thought it was
time I introduced myself and the
projects I’m working on: hello!
The motorhome in question above was about as old
school as they get: a blocky, retro Mitsubishi L300, in which
we toured the campsites, patisseries and historical sites of
France. The seeds of outdoor adventure were planted then,
as I’ve continued to explore at any given opportunity,
including touring the epic coasts, mountains and glaciers of
New Zealand in a more modern campervan, a Toyota Regius
Ace. We called him Clarence.

26

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

and the octopus were of true fine dining standard, but
there’s also a more modest tavern for pizzas, etc.
Topping it all is the indoor pool, from which you can
swim outside to look up at the mountains or just laze
around on loungers suspended from the ceiling.
Under foot, it’s like being at the beach, while the overall
impression is of a James Bond villain’s secret lair. After a
swim, you can enjoy the nine different saunas (all naturist)
or book a wellness treatment.
Five-star doesn’t begin to cover the experience here,
which is why, perhaps, so many pitches seemed to be
occupied by Concorde, Morelo and Niesmann+Bischoff
liner-class motorhomes.

That trend of modernising while paying homage to
motorhoming heritage doesn’t just apply to my personal
experience, though – it’s exactly what we’re doing at Out &
About Live.
Over the next 12 months, we’ll be introducing some
truly epic new websites and services, such as online
shopping for outdoor accessories and much, much more,
all easy to use and all helping you to make the most of your
time spent getting out and about in your motorhome.
You can expect more announcements in the next few
issues, so keep a weather eye on the horizon.

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NEWS & EVENTS

Join the debate
twitter.com/MMM_Magazine
Join the community
facebook.com/motorhomemags

NEW MODEL

Citroën reveals new campervan

French car maker, Citroën, has
launched a compact (4.98m) fourberth campervan called Citroën
Holidays, which is based on the newly
updated SpaceTourer.
The launch sees Citroën join the
likes of Mercedes, VW and Ford in
offering a campervan direct through
their own franchised dealer networks.
However, while VW builds its
California itself and Ford and
Mercedes have their campervans built
by Westfalia, Citroën has partnered
with Bravia Mobil to build its new
Holidays campervan.
Available to order from Citroën
dealers from April (prices have not yet
been confirmed), the new campervan
has a two-berth pop-top roof with a
bed measuring 1.20m wide and 1.95m
long. Despite the pop-top, the new
Citroën is just 1.99m high.
In the living area, there is a typical
side kitchen layout with a sliding
bench seat, which can carry two

28

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

people and converts into a double bed
measuring 1.15m wide and 1.90m
long. The bench is also removable to
create more room on board.
There are blackout blinds on the
windscreen and side windows, and
passengers in the pop-top benefit
from integrated blinds and a window
in the bellows for managing
ventilation and light.
The kitchen features a stainlesssteel sink and a two-burner gas hob, a
16-litre 12V electric fridge and a
retractable table, which can dine four
people when the rotating front seats
are used.
There are twin sliding doors
(handsfree electric doors are optional)
and a removable kitchen unit also
enables cooking and dining outdoors,

with a retractable table that can be set
up behind the kitchen.
Exterior features include a rail on
each side for an awning and
preparation for towing.
The compact camper has small
(10-litre) fresh and waste water tanks
and there is a removable shower at the
rear, coupled with a 25-litre tank. A
removable toilet is also included.
Heating is courtesy of a
programmable Webasto system and
electrics are powered by a standard
95Ah leisure battery. A roof-mounted
solar panel is also standard.
Driver aids include a reversing
camera and electric parking brake,
while under the bonnet there is a
2.0-litre 180hp diesel engine paired
with an eight-speed auto gearbox.

CONCEPT
PININFARINA REVEALS CONCEPT E-MOTORHOME
Italian design house, Pininfarina, has
partnered with AC Future, to create a
concept e-motorhome known as the eTH
– Electric Transformer House.
Pininfarina says the eTH is more than
just another concept motorhome as it
offers a sustainable living platform,
providing an extraordinary travel and living
experience with various expandable
structures tailored to everyone’s living
habits and preferences.
It says it can cater to individuals and
families seeking short-distance adventures

with highly customised additional spaces
to complement their primary residence.
It features Starlink satellite WiFi
connectivity, co-pilot assistance, and a
customisable interior along with exterior
colour options.
Among eTH’s distinctive features are
movable walls, which expand to 400sqft
at the push of a button and significantly
enhance the living space. There is a
retractable solar panel roof, which can
generate over 25kWh.
Further, eTH’s atmospheric water

NEWS
NEW MODEL

NEW MODEL

Eriba launches first campervan

New Swift campervan

Eriba, the German Hymer Group
marque famous for producing iconic
caravans, has launched a VW-based
campervan.
The new Eriba Car takes its looks
from the cult caravans of the 1960s,
with the exterior featuring bi-colour
paintwork in a choice of Deep Ocean,
Cherry Red or Metallic Indium Grey,
which are reminiscent of the Eriba
caravan range.
The interior sees the use of
modern materials together with
‘Deep Ocean’ anti-fingerprint
materials and matching Tiberino
dark furniture, which are
complemented by yacht-effect
flooring. There is also direct and
indirect lighting and it is possible to
change the mood inside by dimming
the indirect lighting.
The rear bed measures 200cm by
136cm, while disc springs make the
bed more comfortable. There is also
a choice of two fabrics, Toledo Sand
and Seattle Stone, as well as two
types of leather, Dayton Cognac or
generator system converts moisture from
the air with up to 50 litres of ambient
clean water daily.
In addition to its expandable walls, eTH
has collapsible and modular furniture that
condenses for easy driving and parking.
It can also serve as both a living area
and a moving office.
All of eTH’s features as well as the
vehicle itself are powered entirely by green
energy with seven days of off-grid
capabilities.
“Our collaboration with Pininfarina on
the eTH is not just about designing a living
space; it’s about reimagining the way
people experience off-grid living. We are

Boston, with matching cushions and
decorative stitching that coordinate
with the chosen exterior colours.
The Car also comes with a wide
range of optional accessories, such
as matching camping table and
chairs in an integrated bag
for the rear storage space or
matching boxes for the
open overhead locker at
the rear.
The ‘cosy lounge design’
features seats with tilt
adjustment. The lounge table
can also be used in a number of
different ways and can be expanded
as required when more space is
needed.
The kitchen features a foldout
table on the back of the kitchen for
when the sliding door is open, an
additional pull-out worktop and a
90-litre compressor fridge, a drawerstyle version that can be easily
accessed both inside and out.
The compact washroom combines
all the things you need in a small
space and offers a shower that can
also be used as an external shower
through the washroom window.
This new 5.99m-long campervan
is packed with VW driver and
comfort systems in the cab and there
is an Eriba Connect app that allows
owners’ smartphones to display and
control systems like the air
conditioning, heating or lighting.
The new Eriba Car will be
available to order from dealers from
spring 2024, with the first models in
the UK towards the end of this year.

Swift is set to launch an all-new
campervan called the Trekker.
Being Britain’s favourite and most
important motorhome magazine,
MMM has, of course, got exclusive
access to the new campervan and will
be the first magazine in the world to
publish an exclusive preview of the new
campervan. Look out for it in next
month’s issue.
This exciting all-new campervan is
the Swift Monza bigger brother and the
manufacturer’s first conversion of the
‘full-sized’ Ford Transit.
Two versions are expected – the
compact Trekker S and longer Trekker
X – and each has four berths, a
comprehensive spec and competitive
pricing. Both have a bold new design
that’s sure to make them stand out.

DEALER

Marquis Durham sells LPG
Marquis has added an LPG refill station
to its Durham branch, allowing
underslung gas tanks or refillable
cylinders to be topped up.
The service is attendant only (not
self-service) and is not available for
LPG-propelled vehicles or exchange gas
bottles, such as Calor.

NEW MODELS

Frankia reveals Platin
Pure edition

tapping into the growing enthusiasm for
mobile lifestyles among all demographics,
and our innovative approach is
strategically positioned to provide a
unique experience that aligns with the
eco-conscious values of our customers,”
said Arthur Qin, AC Future’s Owner.

Frankia has launched a special edition
range of its flagship Platin A-class –
called the Platin Pure – which is
available on two new layouts: the I 7400
GD Platin Pure and the I 7400 Plus
Platin Pure.
They get enhancements, incuding an
exclusive exterior and interior design,
which includes a combination of
leather and microfibre, and a newly
designed entry area.
Equipment enhancements include a
32in TV, a trio of solar panels, a 300Ah
LiFePO4 battery and an inverter.

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

29

NEWS
TOURING

UPDATES

Club launches escorted UK tours

Joa Camp announces
model updates

The Caravan and Motorhome Club
has launched 11 new escorted UK
tours, offering everything from
exploring historic buildings and royal
palaces to hiking moors and dales to
enjoying shows. The 11 new tours join
three returning tours, which were
piloted in 2023, meaning there are 14
tours now available.
The packages, which all have tour
hosts, are available exclusively to
Club members and cost from £499 to
£3,339 for a motorhome, campervan
or caravan and two adults. The tours
run between four and 12 days, with
the exception of the 20-day Treasures
of Scotland tour.
All include excursions and tickets
to local attractions, pitches at UK

Club campsites and transport to and
from all excursions.
Harvey Alexander, Director of
Marketing and Membership Services,
from the Caravan and Motorhome
Club, said, “Members can explore the
great outdoors, with our great-value
itineraries that give our members
more while making the most of our
local experts. Members are
encouraged to leave the hassle of
organising everything to us, allowing
them to make their booking and turn
up to enjoy their holidays with a
variety of activities bundled into one.
All our tours include a balance of
inspirational excursions as well as free
leisure time, so members can truly
enjoy the best of the local region.”

Joa Camp, part of the Pilote Group, has
announced changes to its motorhomes
for the 2024 season.
These include new exterior graphics
that employ a bolder block of colour
used in the Joa Camp logo. And gone is
the cream upholstery, which is replaced
by mid-grey fabric and lighter grey
piping details. The teal accents are still
there, in the form of decorative curtain
panels.
Instead of a noticeboard, the kitchen
gets a couple of new slimline storage
shelves. There is also a mirror on the
exterior wall of the washroom.
Campervan models also get an
update to their washrooms, kitchens
and bedrooms, but we are still awaiting
confirmation of these changes.

NEW MODEL
HYMER UNVEILS COMPACT ML-T COACHBUILT
Hymer has presented its new layout of the
compact coachbuilt ML-T 570 motorhome,
which combines the company’s usual
premium standards with the compact
dimensions of a campervan.
Just 24cm separate the new ML-T 570
from its big brother, the ML-T 580, but this
more compact body makes all the
difference when driving and manoeuvring,
says Hymer.
Customers can choose between two
style collections for the ML-T 570 interior.
In the case of the ‘Velvet Ash’, a dark
wood has been used for the finish, which
is paired with light wall coverings.

30

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

Alternatively, the ‘Native Bamboo’ style
interior decor features bamboo accents.
As with the 580, the interior has
panels with multifunctional rails around
the windows, while the beds are now both
a similar length: 190cm and 186cm.
There is also a new lighting system
featuring ambient illumination – with cool
and warm light options – as well as
several reading lights, which can be
attached to the multifunction rails.
On the outside, the model features an
illuminated awning, as well as a black
roof rack and a ladder.
Equipment for self-sufficient travellers

include a new SmartBattery System 2.0
and smart control of the components in
the living area using the Hymer Connect
App, as well as optional extras such as a
water filter or two 95W solar panels.
Hymer has also launched a special
edition version of the 570 called the
Xperience. With exclusive 16in matt black
wheels, a black awning and many other
highlights, this model is only available in
rear-wheel drive. Other equipment in the
Xperience includes a 93-litre fuel tank,
Distronic Plus Active Distance Assist, the
MBUX multimedia system including
navigation and a reversing camera.

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Visit www.brownhills.co.uk to see all of our available stock

NEWS
SHOWS

HERCMA show returns
to Harrogate
The HERCMA Great Caravan, Motorhome and Holiday
Home Show will return to Harrogate again this
September after relocating to the new venue in 2023. The
event, which was previously held in Hull, will be open to
the public from 6 to 8 September, followed by a further
three days for the trade only.
HERCMA Chairman, Richard Jones, said, “Our first
show in Harrogate was a big success and we are looking
forward to building on this for the good of the industry.
We were also pleased that the show and trade dinner
made significant donations to the Yorkshire Air
Ambulance and the Yorkshire Children’s Society. We took
a big leap of faith by moving the show to a more central
location and we have received positive and constructive
comments which will help us develop it further.”
New for 2024 is a more flexible ticket offer to allow
visitors to buy one ticket and attend on any day or on all
three days. Tickets have not yet gone on sale.

NEW MODELS
ROLLER TEAM LAUNCHES
LIVINGSTONE CAMPERVANS
Roller Team has launched two competitively priced
campervans – the Livingstone 2 Sport and Livingstone 6 Sport.
The two new models are aimed at younger couples or single
people, particularly those who are interested in sports.
Both are based on the high-roof 140hp manual Fiat Ducato.
The Livingstone 2 Sport has a rear transverse double bed that
folds up to increase storage space.
There is a central kitchen with the shower room opposite
and, at the front, a half-dinette with two travel seats and a
removable table that can also be used outside.
The Livingstone 6 Sport has a similar layout but with twin
single beds at the rear.
The kitchens feature a twin-burner gas hob, under-counter
fridge that can be accessed from the inside or outside, a
circular sink and three large drawers with a pull-out bottle/jar
drawer alongside.
Prices for the Livingstone 2 Sport start at £56,490, while
the 6 Sport is £500 more at £56,990.

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

33

NEWS

SHOW NEWS

Get manoeuvring tips at Yorkshire show
OutandAboutLive, the online home of
MMM and Warners Shows, has teamed
up with qualified manoeuvring
instructor, Nigel Davies, to offer free
20-minute motorhome manoeuvring
courses at the Yorkshire Motorhome &
Campervan Show in Harrogate from
15-17 March.
Whilst booking a ticket to the show
is recommended (£7 in advance or it

is £10 on the gate), you do not need to
book your motorhome manoeuvring
slot in advance.
Simply head to the Out&AboutLive
stand in the foyer of Hall 1.
You will need to be over the age of
25 and also be able to show a full
driving licence.
To find out more about the show,
just head to
warners-shows.co.uk

NEW VENUE, SAME GREAT SHOW
Warners Shows, organiser of the National
Motorhome & Campervan Show, which
has moved from Peterborough to a new
venue in Newark, has reported strong
bookings.
The closure of the East of England
Showground in Peterborough led to the
popular show, which formerly took place
in April, being moved to Newark
Showground from 14 to 16 June.
Sally Dodds, Head of Events
commented, “Those wanting a value-formoney break this summer will still find four
nights of top acts included in their pitch
price, as well as a huge exhibition area.”
The exhibition area, which is also
open to day visitors, will be
supplemented by an advice centre, which
features the following speakers.
FRIDAY
10:30 Buying a motorhome or
campervan: Peter Vaughan & Iain Duff
11:30 What’s required for travelling in
Europe: Wandering Bird
12:30 Full-time vanlife including
travelling with dogs and solo female
travel: Wandering Bird
13:30 Ireland inspiration:
Highlands2Hammocks
14:30 Norway inspiration: Touring with
the Kids
15:30 Leisure batteries: Is lithium a
drop-in replacement for AGM or lead acid
leisure batteries? BlueFix Energy
Solutions
SATURDAY
10:30 Buying a motorhome or
campervan: Peter Vaughan
11:30 Which gadgets are a must-have:
The Urban Motorhome & Jon (Life
Beyond Bricks)

12:30 Travelling to Europe for the first
time: The Urban Motorhome
13:30 How to plan to tour the NC500:
Highlands2Hammocks
14:30 Living life full-time in a ’van: The
Urban Motorhome & Tash (Life Beyond
Bricks)
15:30 Becoming a digital nomad: Tash
(Life Beyond Bricks) & Urban Motorhome
SUNDAY
10:30 Buying a motorhome or
campervan: Peter Vaughan & Iain Duff
11:30 Adriatic adventure: The Roaming
Radfords
12:30 A guide to touring Wales:
Highlands2Hammocks
13:30 Solo female travelling: Tash (Life
Beyond Bricks)
14:30 Morocco inspiration: The
Roaming Radfords
15:30 Travelling to Europe with kids:
Touring with the Kids
To find out more and to discover the
amazing entertainment and the headline
act for which a separate ticket is
required, go to
warners-shows.co.uk

May Bank Holiday festival
likely to attract thousands
If you’re making any plans this spring,
be sure to include a ticket to the
Campervan Campout to see worldfamous DJ, Chris Moyles, at the South
of England Showground, Ardingly, on
Saturday 4 May.
The festival is different from the
usual Warners Shows, as day visitors
can stay on site until 11pm, so you can
catch Chris as he headlines on
Saturday night.
There are 15 other bands set to
perform during the weekend, including
The Killerz, Hot Red Chillis and Onside
Britpop. All tickets also include access
to a silent disco, wellness sanctuary,
foraging workshops, shopping village,
family zone and inspiration hub, which
hosts a selection of bloggers, vloggers
and podcasters sharing their
experiences and passion for travel.
Day tickets for the festival, which is
sponsored by both the Camping and
Caravanning Club and Caravan and
Motorhome Club, are just £10 to £20
per day (depending on the day), and
under-16s go free. Pitches are £150 for
three nights. Read more at
campervancampout.co.uk

BOOK YOUR TICKETS, SAVE MONEY AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ALL OF
THE 2024 LINE-UP OF WARNERS SHOWS warners-shows.co.uk
34

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

NEW

SERIE C

COMPACT

A-CLASS MODELS
24

COLLECTIO

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- RAP N°2_2024 - Ph. J. GONZALEZ / Getty Images - Stylisme : R. BONENFANT - LPMDC

20

THE COMPACT A-CLASS

The river at Alcalá del Júcar

Spain TRAVEL

Andy and Marion Stothert continue their Spanish
Wish List Tour in unfamiliar places…
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: Andy Stothert

US AND OUR ’VAN

Andy & Marion Stothert...
have been travelling light
with hope in their hearts and
nothing in their heads for
many years. They haven’t yet
been to Ireland in the ’van. A
shocking admission

Continuing the religious theme,
our 2007 Nu Venture Campers
campervan has been with us
from new and the approach of
‘better the devil you know’ has
now settled over our thinking

BELOW Easter parades in
Cehegín

W

hen we reluctantly left Serón, in
Andalucía, we were bound for the
ancient city of Cehegín, in Murcia. A
distance of about 120 miles.
Cehegín has been a looming presence on
our wish list for many years, but we’ve just
never quite got there. Probably because we
suffer with the Places We Happen Upon and
Have to Stop syndrome, and don’t ever quite
arrive at where we were going before being
waylaid again.
This is also complicated by my tendency
to drive very (very) slowly through the scenic
bits in order that I can sneak a quick look
when ‘it is safe and appropriate to do so’. And
please, no sanctimonious condemnations
about this practice, as it is wholly the fault of
the Fiat motor company for designing and
producing a vehicle that prevents anyone
driving the Ducato who is less than about 5ft
2ins tall and/or have short legs. My good lady
qualifies on all counts, so I have to drive. The
proximity of the airbag explosion being one
reason, plus another concerning scraping
shins or something.
Predictably, I suppose, with a whole
chunk of scenic stuff lying between Serón
and Cehegín, and the distance being so far,
we didn’t make it. After dawdling through
the vast empty landscape for many hours,
we happened upon a place called Puebla de
Don Fadrique, and were compelled to pause.
It’s another of those small hillside towns
we seem to be afflicted by and sits prettily at
about 1,200m above sea level on the
boundary between Andalucía and Murcia.
Quite how it makes its living in the high
empty spaces we know not, but it’s a busy
little town.

Contreras
Casas del Rey
Alcalá del Júcar

i
Yecla
Cehegín

i

Puebla de Don
Fadrique
Serón

S PA I N

38

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

As we wandered upwards through the
maze of narrow streets it was quite
noticeable that, as usual, the higher we went
the older it became, but less usually, the less
wealthy. The meek shall inherit the earth and
all that guff. Or at least the best view of it.
We dined in a restaurant that night not
far from the aire, and it cost us €24 all in,
bottle of wine included. If, like me (but not
the carnivorous non-driver) you don’t eat
meat or fish, then a crash course in español,
and an appetite for eggs, cheese or ensalada,
is a bit of a must in places like this. Vegans?
Good luck.
I know I’ve said this before, but we just
cannot quite believe, nor come to terms
with what a joy it is to simply bumble along
in Spain purely for sake of travelling. Away
from the big cities and tourist resorts the
roads are deserted, and Spain is riddled
with big scenery that changes every few
miles. Startlingly in most instances. From
Puebla de Don Fadrique to Cehegín, about
45 miles, is a prime example, and it was
almost a disappointment to get there.
As I mentioned, our need to visit the
ancient city of Cehegín has been festering
for a long time, and is said to be one of
Spain’s historic treasures.
The upcoming traditional Holy Week
celebrations are also very famous, so
traditionally we try to hide somewhere as
far away as possible from the Spanish at
Easter. Mainly because some of their
traditions go on all night, and we like to be
in bed with a book by 10, then far, far, away
in the land of nod by 11.
So here we were, deliberately positioning
ourselves in the middle of the Easter

Spain TRAVEL

TOP TIPS
Generally speaking, the roads
are less crowded, better
maintained, and the motorists
less aggressive than in the UK.
So, take to the minor roads
In Spain, the network of áreas
de autocaravanas (aka
camperstops and aires) are
expanding. Many are quite
well equipped for less than
€12. Some are free. The
Spanish are generally tolerant
of wild camping, but the
authorities are now removing
wild campers from many
beach areas and issuing fines
in some cases
park4night is an app,
available on most devices. It
lists campsites, camperstops,
car parks and country parks
to cemeteries. Do not assume
that everything listed is safe,
suitable or legal. Other similar
apps include Campercontact
and searchforsites. The
differences are small, but
park4night lists places which
are a bit more ‘on the edge’,
than the others

ABOVE CLOCKWISE
Caravaca de la Cruz; Walking
near Maravilla camperstop;
Rooms with a view for the
wealthy in medieval times

madness. Why? Curiosity, I suppose.
The only accommodation in Cehegín for
us itinerants is Maravilla Parking, which is
on the industrial estate.
Whilst this may not sounding inviting, it
lies on the very edge and has a compelling
view of the old town.The camperstop is very
well equipped and, with just 10 marked
pitches, is really quite salubrious.
Cehegín itself is about 15 minutes’ walk
from the camperstop, and it is a bit hilly.
The old town is desperately quaint, with the
narrow streets winding around the hill, and
it should really have been overrun with
tourists, but wasn’t.
What about the Semana Santa (Easter)
celebrations then? I need to tread carefully
here, but the religious processions were
dramatic, striking and impressive, and we
were both grateful to witness such an
informative experience. For very different
reasons. I think ‘religious pageantry’ is the
only way to describe it without getting into
trouble, and it is definitely worth seeing.
Even for us devout agnostics.
Another reason for coming to Cehegín
was to pedal along the via verde (an old
railway line) that links the local towns, and
we had 1¾ great days on the bikes.
Caravaca de la Cruz, in one direction, is
well worth a gander, and in the other
direction, the pedal to Bullas passes through
some very lovely scenes. And what a
contrast in the nature of the two towns.
Unfortunately, one of the bike batteries
packed up ( for good) that day so, in effect,

the bikes then became useless appendages.
What’s the word? Heck? Another lesson
learnt: obtain and then carry a spare battery
in future.
Thankfully, despite our fears about the
all-night celebrations over Easter, the nights
were quiet and orderly on the camperstop.
This was the first ‘unmanned’ internetcomputer-controlled full-facility
camperstop we have ever come across, and
it was a bit of a rigmarole to get in. Some
deft cheating occurred one night, in that
there were 15 ’vans instead of 10 but, all in
all, the idea worked well enough.
After leaving Cehegín, if both bikes had
been functioning, we would’ve been heading
for a camperstop near the town of Yecla,
and which is perfect for a day or two in the
saddle. Instead, as we were just passing
through, we stayed on the aire at Yecla.
This town has always looked a bit of a tip
when we’ve passed through previously, but
our assessment was erroneous. It is actually
quite large.
It’s a good aire, though, and whilst we had
quite a nice afternoon poking about in Yecla,
quaint it ain’t. Because we were so wrong
about the size of Yecla, it was here that we
started the game of guessing the population
of everywhere we arrived at, and Yecla has
34,084 residents. Far more than we’d thought.
Before we came away, the one place which
stood out on the wish list was Alcalá del
Júcar, which sits in the bottom of a massive
crack in the earth’s crust a bit further north.
I’ve been chomping at the bit for ages to ³

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

39

2,326

THE JOURNEY

miles

We drove from home in Leyland to Portsmouth, sailed
on the Galicia to Santander, from where we went
directly to the Mediterranean. Then as the weather
dictated, travelled south then west in Andalucía. The
return journey north to Santander involved the border
areas of Portugal and Spain, from where we sailed on
the Pont Aven to Plymouth. This, the second part,
accounted for 16 of the 87 days in total. Costs shown
are for the three-month whole trip

THE COSTS
Fuel Average 40.5mpg ....................................................... £477
Sites and aires fees ............................................................. £727
Ferry Outward, Portsmouth-Santander (£364).
Return, Santander-Plymouth (£534)........................ £898
Total costs........................................................................ £2,102

take the camera down there.
The road from Yecla to Alcalá (via Lidl in
Almansa, and a short stretch of motorway)
is another of those gloriously empty
journeys which soothes the motoring soul.
Then, and very, very suddenly, the road
plunges headlong into that massive chasm
where Alcalá del Júcar hides in the bottom.
The problem with places that have been
fermenting in the mind’s eye for so many
frustrated years is that the reality
sometimes doesn’t meet the swollen
expectations. Thankfully, Alcalá del Júcar
(population 1,199) proved to be just as
appealing as we’d hoped and imagined.
We ‘lived’ in a small car park next to the
river about half a mile from town, and it was
very peaceful. From there we had a couple
of quite active days inspecting the narrow
vertiginous streets, the labyrinth of caves,
the castle, and exploring the surrounding
footpaths. There are no campsites or aires
anywhere near here, so arrive empty and full
in the right order.
What a fantastic place, though, and, alas,
the biking opportunities along the valley
also look good. Perhaps another tour? The
Places We Need to Take the Bikes Tour?
Sleeping down by the river was very
pleasant but, if you have a large FWD ’van,
the top (castle) car park, on the northern
side of the town, might be the best option
because of a very steep and scrabbly ramp
leading into (and more importantly out of)
the unsurfaced riverside car park.
Our current Kipping Spot app is
park4night, and whilst we were at Alcalá, I’d
been looking at the options for a place called
Alarcón, which is vaguely in the Madrid
direction. It looks a very scenic spot, too,
with a motorhome-friendly car park very
handy for the historic city. A bit of art and

40

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

ABOVE INSET Castillo at
Alcalá del Júcar

culture for a change. Alarcón has also been
on our unwritten list for quite some time.
However, that park4night thing is
impossible to leave alone once you’ve
started, and I happened to notice an entry
called Bodegas Neleman, in a different
direction to Alarcón. Being a bit of a wine
slob, the word ‘bodegas’ was the one that
caught my eye, so the die was cast.
Bodegas Neleman is situated in a rural
backwater of rolling hills covered in
vineyards, olive groves, pine forests and
scattered villages. Villages such as Casas del
Rey, next to the bodega, and with a
population of just 52 souls. Casas de Moya
(pop 44), is about three miles away, and the
metropolis of Venta del Moro, with a
massive population of 1,242, a couple of
miles across the hill.
I don’t like to whinge, but I thought the
plonk at Neleman was a bit expensive, but,
oh, what an idyllic place to relax and amble
around amongst the pines, the olives and
the vineyards.

Spain TRAVEL
The day we spent strolling along the
tracks to Casas de Moya was made very
special by the welcome we received at the
community café on the Saturday morning.
We reckoned that all 44 residents were
chatting in the square.
And the shopping expedition to Venta Del
Moro is a glorious walk. We loved it here more
than I have the words or space to explain. The
bikes would’ve been handy as well, but I’ll try
to stop whinging about that now.
We were still on the way to Alarcón,
though, despite finding ourselves further
away after being blown off course to
Bodegas Neleman.
I’ve probably mentioned this before, but
the lack of decent maps in Spain can
sometimes make walking about in the
countryside a bit more of an adventure than
it should be.
So, whilst at the bodega, I downloaded a
map app showing most of the known tracks
in Spain, and where, just a few miles away,
there is a path in the Parque Natural Hoces

TOP TIPS
Most campsites offer long-stay
discounts in winter, from as
little as three days’ duration,
and can offer good value
Don’t forget the low-season
ACSI scheme
campingcard.co.uk

BELOW LEFT Spectacular
scenes in the Cabriel Valley
near Venta de Contreras
BELOW RIGHT Via verde to
Bullas

del Cabriel, leading into the very heart of it
from a nearby campsite at Contreras.
This was less than 20 miles away from
where we were, and surely it would have
been very silly to drive past without a look?
So Alarcón went on the back burner again.
This unpredictability is the whole essence of
bumping about in the ’van for us.
Camping La Venta de Contreras is one of
those you will either love or hate. It’s rustic,
ramshackle, and a bit eccentric.
Some of the pitches are a bit awkward to
access, it’s buried in the forest, and it costs
too much. It also has an interesting history,
oddball architecture, a bar with food, and
last, but very definitely not least, is lost in an
eye-popping landscape.
The walk along the Cabriel Valley is,
without any hint of exaggeration, incredible.
Hopefully the person tasked with picking
the photos for publication will include one
(or more?) which represents this startling
lump of scenery.
Alarcón was next. Honestly…

WE STAYED AT
Fees shown are without electricity unless stated
Puebla de Don Fadrique aire, Granada (37.9593
-2.4313) ˆ All year
£ Free, with filling and emptying facilities
Maravilla Autocaravanas Parking, Cehegín,
Murcia (38.0953 -1.7835) ˆ All year
£ €12 (£10.66), all facilities
Yecla aire, Murcia (38.601595 -1.116458)
£ Free, with filling and emptying facilities
Alcalá del Júcar, Albacete (39.190149
-1.43221) £ Free car park, no facilities
Bodegas Neleman Camperstop, Casas del Rey,
Valencia (39.476649 -1.383002)
ˆ All year
£ €10 (£8.89) including electricity and all
facilities
Camping La Venta de Contreras, Minglanilla,
Cuenca (39.539799 -1.50753)
laventadecontreras.com ˆ All year
£ Two adults, pitch and electric: €24 (£21.33)

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

41

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Spring into a short
There’s sand dunes, mountains and castles to explore
on the coast of the Cambrian Bay
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: Sue Greenwood

Wales TRAVEL

O

Barmouth Harbour*

n this spring trip our destination was
Barmouth, a seaside town with an
impressive mountain backdrop. After
a long journey we had a comfortable night
in the ’van and awoke the next morning to
weak sunshine. We decided not to venture
too far on our first day and caught the bus
into town from the campsite. It is only a
two-and-a-half-mile walk to the town
centre, but we decided to save our energy!
The bus deposited us in the centre of
town just across the road from the railway
station. The station also serves as the
tourist office and there are plenty of leaflets
about local attractions available. If you are
driving, motorhomes are permitted to park
in the Promenade Car Park in Barmouth
(LL42 1NF), and we also saw several
motorhomes parked in roadside spaces
along the promenade.
It was our first visit to Barmouth, so the
heritage Trail seemed a good idea, and the
map and guide cost £1 from the tourist office.
The trail starts from the station and guides
you through the town, giving information on
buildings and their history as you go. There is
also an accompanying website that gives lots
more information if you want to walk around
with your smartphone, but I preferred to top
up on information later when we got back to
the ’van.
Firstly, though, a word of caution about
this trail. The first three points on the trail
require a bit of effort as they are situated up
a very steep hill. Barmouth was initially
developed nestled at the base of a hillside,
and then houses were built further up as the
town developed.
Above the town is Dinas Oleu (Fortress of
Light); this was the site of a Roman hillfort,
and it is famously the first parcel of land to
be donated to the National Trust.
If your energy levels or legs don’t allow
such a climb, you could always skip the first
three points and just continue through the
town. It is worth venturing a little way up the
steep winding streets and alleys that form
the old town, though, as they give a sense of
how Barmouth used to be. The houses seem
to be built haphazardly almost on top of one
another and it’s fascinating to explore.
The heritage trail is easy to pick up
anywhere you find yourself as the town is not
large. It developed as a busy port involved in
the wool and slate trades and had a busy
shipbuilding industry for many years, along
with the herring fishing industry. Then, in the
second half of the nineteenth century, the
railway arrived, which increased the tourist
numbers considerably.
The heritage trail eventually leads down
to the harbour with views over the ³

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

45

US AND OUR ’VAN

Sue Greenwood...
and her partner, Malcolm, love
history and exploring the UK
off the main tourist trails. They
live on the Yorkshire coast and
Sue is a writer and amateur
historical researcher

2023 Auto-Sleeper Broadway
EB. We love the large lounge
to relax in if the weather
is unkind

Porthmadog

estuary. We were careful not to miss a quick
look at Ty Crwn, the local lock-up. It was
built in the 1830s, though only used for few
years to house drunks or ne’er-do-wells. It is
particularly interesting as it is built with a
wall dividing it into two halves so that male
and female prisoners could be kept
separately. It would have been a nasty shock
to wake up within those cold walls after a
drunken night out!
We stopped for a while and watched the
boats on the harbour. Not much was moving
but we watched the tiny ferry taking
passengers from the harbour over the mouth
of the Mawddach Estuary to Fairbourne.
The ferry is a small, open boat that takes
foot passengers (and dogs); it’s not the size of
vessel that normally comes to mind when
you think of a ferry, but the journey only
takes about five minutes and links up with
the Fairbourne miniature railway, which runs
two-mile trips to the village of Fairbourne.
Then we walked along the promenade
and were impressed by the large expanse of
clean, sandy beach. A well-placed coffee
shop provided refreshments before we
wended our way back to the bus stop.
Barmouth is a town of two halves. It
would be easy to miss the old town without
being guided there by the heritage trail, but
it is the promenade and beach that draw the
crowds in the summer. It still retains the
charm of a traditional seaside town.
The next day we decided on a trip to
Harlech Castle. It’s only seven miles from
the campsite, but as Harlech is a small
place, we were concerned that there would
be no parking for a motorhome, so decided
to take the bus again. There is also a train,
that we could have caught from nearby
Llanaber, but the bus was the most
convenient and, as was to become clear

Blaeunau
Ffestiniog

Harlech Castle

later, we realised it was the right decision.
The bus dropped us on the high street.
There are several independent shops and a
couple of cafés, but some were not open on
a Monday morning in late April, so we
headed straight for the castle.
This is a medieval castle built in the
thirteenth century for Edward I. It took just
six years to build the basic structure. The
castle overlooks the sea on one side, with
magnificent views of the mountains of
Snowdonia at the other side.
The vast structure appears to have grown
out of the rock face on which it was built,
towering over everything below. Even today,
in its roofless state, it is a commanding
structure, and when it was being built the
local people must have been terrified and in
awe by what they were seeing.
The castle is now run by the Welsh
Government and, after paying the entry fee,
there is a short video introducing the castle
and some of its history through the ages.
There is a footbridge that takes you across
the (now dry) moat and into the castle, so it
is almost a flat access and from there it is
possible to walk around and peer into the
castle without too many steps.
There are steep, narrow stairs up the
towers and onto the top wall to walk around
the castle. From there the views are
spectacular and it is easy to imagine when
the sea was so much closer and lapped
against the outer walls of the castle.
The history is so distant that it is hard to
imagine what life was like for those who
lived within those walls, but many certainly
had a hard and very possibly violent and
dangerous life.
We wandered back to the lovely café and
had some lunch before heading catching the
bus. This is when we realised that we had

THE JOURNEY
Starting from home on the Yorkshire coast, we travelled
west and joined the M62, then onto the M56 before
joining A roads the rest of the way to Barmouth. The
distance was 219 miles each way. We were away for five
nights in April; the weather was cool, but the advantages
were that there were fewer people around and we had the
campsite almost to ourselves!

THE COSTS
Trawsdir Caravan Park
Llanaber
Barmouth

46

Dinas Oleu

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

Fuel Average 30mpg........................................................ approx £104
Site fees .................................................................................................... £140
Attractions Harlech Castle £8.70 each, Barmouth
Heritage Trail £1, Ffestiniog Railway £44 each ........ £106.40
Public transport Train £14.60, bus £4.60
each return ..........................................................................................£38.40
Total costs.................................................................................. £388.80

440

miles

Wales TRAVEL

INFORMATION
Barmouth
barmouth-wales.co.uk
Harlech Castle
cadw.gov.wales/visit/
places-to-visit/harlechcastle
Pwllheli
pwllheli.cymru
Porthmadog
porthmadog.wales
Ffestiniog and Welsh
Highland Railways
festrail.co.uk
Barmouth buses
bustimes.org.uk/
localities/barmouth or
traws.cymru/en/plan-yourjourney
Local trains
tfw.wales/places/
stations/llanaber
The campsite has all the usual
facilities including laundry, a
small shop and very helpful
staff in reception. The site is
two and a half miles from the
town of Barmouth
There is a bus stop on the
main road outside the site,
but check the timetable as
they do not run frequently!

ABOVE LEFT Ty Crwn – not
the place to spend a night!
ABOVE RIGHT Porthmadog
Marina
LEFT INSET Ffestiniog
Railway – the Mountain
Spirit

chosen well in avoiding the train. The bus
stop for the journey back to the campsite
was next to the railway station, not at the
end of the high street near the castle, where
the very friendly driver had dropped us off.
To reach the homeward bus stop we
followed the signs down a very steep hill.
Not good on the knees going down, but it
would have been considerably more difficult
going up! Apparently, it claims to be the
steepest street (or road) in the northern
hemisphere!
We opted for public transport the next
day, too, but this time it was the train. There
is a stop at Llanaber. This is not a station as
such, it’s a request stop for trains, not
something we had come across before.
There is no ticket machine or facilities, but
the train platform is right down by the sea – a
very picturesque place. Sticking your hand out
to stop the train, just as you would do for a
bus, seemed very odd, and we waited a bit
nervously, thinking the train would rush past
us, but as the train chugged around the corner,
we realised by its steady approach that it
would easily stop. There was a conductor on
the train, and we purchased a rover day ticket,
which was the cheapest option.
The train wends its way along the coast
to Porthmadog, giving amazing views on the
way. Then, further on towards Pwllheli, we
passed through the small town of Criccieth,
and its small, picturesque castle on the
headland overlooking the town and the bay.
The station in Pwllheli is close to the
town centre and it was market day on the
day we visited, with stalls set up in a square
close to the station. We wandered around
the stalls then headed along the street and
through the town. Pwllheli is one of the
most Welsh-speaking parts of the country

and to our untutored ears the lilting words
of the locals are incomprehensible!
We noticed while walking around that
there seemed to be lots of car parking, with
street parking in addition to a couple of
large car parks that would be accessible to
motorhomes. It is likely to be much busier
in the summer, though, that might make it
more difficult.
Pwllheli, like many of the coastal towns in
this region, was once a big shipbuilding town.
The sea would have been closer to the town
in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as
sandbanks have built up and the town has
reclaimed land from the sea. Nowadays there
is a mix of independent shops and some
chain stores with a few cafés.
After a quick wander, we followed the
sign to the beach. There are two beaches in
Pwllheli, one near the marina, called Glan y
Don, and the other is South Beach which is
along the promenade and the one we found
ourselves on. The beach even on an April
day was beautiful and clean, a lovely place
to spend some time. We had a walk, a sit
down and, as the sun was out, an ice cream
– what more do you need?
The train journey back to the campsite was
uneventful and just as enjoyable. We told the
conductor we wished to be off at Llanaber and
so the train stopped for us. Then it was a walk
up the hill and back to the ’van.
Porthmadog is on the edge of the
Snowdonia National Park. The town is
positioned on an estuary that is on
Tremadog Bay. It is also relatively new, only
being developed in the early nineteenth
century when a seawall was built called The
Cob. This allowed a large area of land to be
reclaimed and used for farming and the
development of a natural harbour. ³

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

47

TRAVEL Wales
There is a busy main street with plenty of
cafés and shops. Tourists flock to the town
to visit two features, the vibrant harbour,
and the busy steam railways. The railways
are a legacy of the slate industry that at its
peak employed 17,000 men.
In fact, there are now two steam railway
companies in the town, the Ffestiniog
Railway and the Welsh Highland Railway. It
is important to note that the two train
companies have stations at opposite ends of
the town. We plodded down the high street
to the current railway station, which is
opposite the office and station for Welsh
Highland Railway, only to discover that the
Ffestiniog Railway is at the other end of
town! The Ffestiniog Railway is based in
Porthmadog and runs services up to
Blaenau Ffestiniog and the Welsh Highland
train is based in Caernarfon and runs down
to Porthmadog.
We decided to treat ourselves to a short trip
as a steam railway is always appealing. There
are several different trains and journeys to
choose from. We decided on the Mountain
Spirit, which runs from Porthmadog to
Blaenau Ffestiniog and then returns. The
journey is 90 minutes each way with a
40-minute stop at Ffestiniog.
The weather was not particularly kind so
the views were not as good as they might
have been, but it was still a great experience.
On the day we travelled we were late
arriving in Ffestiniog so there was less time

48

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

ABOVE Sunset at Harlech
Beach*
BELOW Harlech Castle – still
magnificent*

to explore the town; we had time to buy a
drink and snack but not really time to look
around the town. There is no buffet service
on the train, but you can pre-order a packed
lunch to take with you or eat at the station
restaurant in Porthmadog on your return.
We got back to our last night in Wales
before heading home. We had only seen a
snapshot of what there is to see, leaving
plenty of options for another trip soon.

WE STAYED AT
Trawsdir Touring Caravans and Camping Park, Llanaber,
Barmouth, Gwynedd LL42 1RR
 01341 280999 trawsdir.co.uk ˆ 1 March – 2 January
£ Two adults, pitch and electric: From £30
ALTERNATIVE CAMPSITE
Hendre Mynach, Llanaber Road, Barmouth LL42 1YR
 01341 280262 hendremynach.com
ˆ 1 March – 9 January
£ Two adults, pitch and electric: From £26

New & Used Sales

Service & Repairs

Bodyshop

Northern Road, Newark, Nottinghamshire
01636 670 760

www.smcmotorhomes.co.uk

1971 - 2021

France TRAVEL

like it used to be
Discovering the Gers, a rural region of France with no
motorways and no big cities but a very big slice of bonhomie
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: Kath McMahon Stone

T

he early spring weather had been pretty
dire as far south as the Loire Valley,
with gales, heavy rain and even a
ferocious hailstorm, so for once we didn’t
linger in the north, but spent more hours on
the road until the weather started to warm
and brighten as we approached the Lot.
On so many previous visits to France we
have avoided stopping for long in this
southern region because the weather has
always been too hot for us to walk around
the historic towns and villages.
This time we were so glad to see the sun
again that we decided to slow down and
spend a few days exploring.
After a picnic lunch on the banks of the
Isle, we walked along the river for half a mile
or so to reach the old centre of Périgueux.
Although the cathedral suffered overrestoration in the nineteenth century, the
surviving medieval houses nearby have been
much more sensitively refurbished and
make this quarter very attractive for a
wander. One house (supposed to have been
used by Bertrand du Guesclin when he was
in charge of French forces fighting the
English in the Hundred Years War) even
boasts Romanesque arches, so had
obviously managed to survive for almost a
thousand years.
On the outskirts of the town, the remains
of the Roman town of Vesunna are even

more ancient. Unfortunately, the museum
was closed (as is the norm in France on a
Monday), but we were able to view the
remains of houses and the forum through
the surrounding glass floor, as well as the
ruins of the arena in the nearby park.
The most unusual remainder of Vesunna,
though, still standing at its original height
– minus its roof, portico and marble
cladding – is the stunning tower-shaped
temple to the goddess Vesunna.
The following day we continued south
into the Gers, driving sedately through
seemingly endless plum orchards whose
creamy blossom was at its peak. These trees
produce the Ente plums which are
harvested at peak sweetness in late summer,
dried and then sold as the famous pruneaux
d’Agen (Agen prune). When we stopped off
in the historic little town of Villeneuve-surLot, we even saw a shop whose sole product
was these festive treats, stuffed and
unstuffed in boxes of various sizes.
This town was the first of the ‘bastide’
towns we were to see. These were built in
the thirteenth century after the crusades
against the Cathars devastated the
southwest region of France.
In Villeneuve, lots of characteristic
timber and brick houses survive, together
with a thirteenth century bridge and a
gateway built by Edward II when the ³

“Driving sedately through seemingly endless plum

US AND OUR ’VAN

Kath McMahon Stone...
and husband, Adrian, bought
a secondhand motorhome in
2016 and gave up full-time
work to spend at least three
months every year touring
Europe and the UK in their ’van

2014 Roller Team Auto-Roller
200, known as Wally because
we are always taking photos to
send to friends and relations
in which the motorhome is
to be found somewhere in
the picture – hence ‘Where’s
Wally?’

orchards whose creamy blossom was at its peak”
April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

51

TRAVEL France
173

THE JOURNEY
We drove from our home in Shropshire to Dover to catch
the ferry to Calais, and this article covers the four days
(and 173 miles) we spent in the Gers region of France in
April 2023 as part of an eight-week trip to France, Spain
and Portugal

miles

THE COSTS
Fuel Average 33mpg (€42.31)............................................... £37.60
Ferry Dover-Calais using Tesco Clubcard vouchers,
Return Calais-Dover .................................................................... £101.07
Site fees We used some free motorhome aires
and car parks as detailed below ........................................... £17.61
Attractions Two adults: Collegiate church of St Pierre,
La Romieu with audio guide €7pp, sixteenth century
choir stalls in Auch Cathedral €2pp (€18) ..................... £15.99
Total costs................................................................................... £172.27

TOP TIPS
France has a huge number of
aires for motorhomes to stay
overnight and/or fill up with
water and dispose of waste.
In order to attract
motorhomers to visit local
attractions and businesses,
many of those situated in
small towns and villages
make no charge for parking.
However, there is sometimes
a charge of €2 (£1.78) for
filling up with fresh water.
Aires in more popular towns
do often charge for overnight
parking, but this is usually a
modest fee compared to the
cost of staying at a campsite

ABOVE INSET Wally, parked
up on the aire at La Romieu
BELOW Old street, La
Romieu

52

English were in charge here. We spent a
pleasant morning ambling through the
streets and admiring the profusion of
good-sized fruit and vegetables already on
sale on the market stalls, even though it was
only just April. We really felt we had at last
left the winter behind.
More ancient timber and brick houses
awaited us in the old centre of Agen, where
we could not resist a restaurant whose
menu board outside attracted diners with a
singular message, “The heavier you are the
more difficult you are to kidnap. Protect
yourself, eat chips with your mussels”. So,
we did!
After an early afternoon stroll around the
town, we crossed back over the Garonne to
retrieve the ’van and pottered off to the aire
at Lectoure. By now the sunshine had
become really warm, so we relaxed and read
in the sunshine in this lovely grassy spot,
more like a campsite than an aire, with

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

views over the surrounding countryside and
up to the old town.
There are no emptying facilities here, but
toilets and showers are provided on site, so
it must get very busy in the season. We were
lucky to enjoy it with only three other ’vans
for company.
Refreshed and restored by our relaxing
afternoon, we strolled up to the old town in
the evening. Here the old buildings,
including an unusual large medieval
covered water source, La Fontaine de Diane,
were of warm local stone, and the views of
the surrounding Gers plain were
spectacular, with the snow-capped Pyrenees
visible on the horizon.
The town has always been an important
staging post on one of the routes to Santiago
de Compostela, and this enduring link is
celebrated by a large modern statue of a
medieval pilgrim near the aire. Although the
temperature dropped again as evening fell, a
gorgeous sunset rounded off our day.
Next morning it was off to the
Intermarché supermarket on the edge of
town, where emptying facilities for
motorhomes are provided at the petrol
station. We were also able to fill up with LPG
(there’s a fresh water filling point, too).
Thus replenished, we set off to the
historic and scenic village of La Romieu,
which seemed to be a popular destination
for English holidaymakers judging from the
UK cars parked outside a number of
properties. Motorhome parking is provided
on the outskirts (near the Jardins de
Coursiana), where there is a lovely view of
the old walled village.
Another important stop on the route to
Santiago, the jewel of the bastide of La
Romieu is its magnificent collegiate church.
The English audio guide was well worth ³

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Périgueux

i

FRANCE

Villeneuve-sut-Lot
Agen
Condom
Fourcès
Montréal
Larressingle

La Romieu
Lectoure
Auch

the extra euro, providing lots of interesting
detailed information about the building and
its history.
The highlight for us was undoubtedly the
sacristy with rare fourteenth century wall
paintings, recently beautifully restored. The
church’s lovely cloister and unusual double
staircase also managed to survive
destruction during the Religious Wars and
the revolution.
The view of the surrounding countryside
from the bell tower was worth the steep
climb up the narrow stairs. Luckily, there
were chambers on the way up where you

54

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

ABOVE Modern painted glass
windows, church of
Larressingle
BELOW Town square,
Fourcès

could stop for a breather.
One of these rooms was originally an
archive where the canons stored books and
parchment scrolls. In 1988, an old mouse
nest was discovered in the walls during
restoration work. It was found that the mice
had lined their nest with a Coptic
parchment dating back to the Crusades!
Ironically, given the mouse story, La
Romieu is known as the village of cats on
account of a legend that its cats saw off a
plague of rats here in the Middle Ages. In
more recent years, a local sculptor made cat
statues for his friends and neighbours and
these are still to be found occupying nooks
and crannies all over the village.
In the afternoon, we drove to nearby
Larressingle and sat in the sun on the grassy
picnic area next to the car park. Several day
walks start from this point, and we were
soon joined by returning hikers.
There are a number of cafés in the village,
but these were all closed on a midweek day
out of season, so we were glad to have our
own tea-making facilities on board.
Nevertheless, this was another attractive
bastide, which still retained most of its
medieval walls and the modern painted
glass windows in the little church were
stunningly beautiful with the sun shining
through them.
After a short walk around another nearby
bastide village, Montréal, with its lovely
arcaded town square and medieval church,

France TRAVEL

TOP TIPS
An offline app such as
park4night is useful to have
on your phone in order to find
overnight stops, and also for
recommendations of suitable
parking spots for a
motorhome when visiting
towns. We find that this saves
us spending a lot of time
driving around searching for a
car park when we want to
stop to visit places of interest
Churches in France do not
usually charge visitors an
entrance fee, although there
is sometimes a small charge
for access to certain parts of
the building, such as a
sacristy, choir or cloister

ABOVE LEFT Old gateway,
Fourcès
ABOVE RIGHT Backstreet in
Fourcès

we spent the night just outside the town near
a pond and nature reserve on the banks of
the Auzoue river. Taking a short stroll on the
boardwalk as dusk fell, we revelled in the fact
that it was warm enough to do so, but
without the presence of pesky mosquitoes.
Nearby Fourcès is supposedly one of
France’s most beautiful villages. Certainly,
this little village, surrounded by a moat and
reached over a footbridge, is very quaint,
but may be a little too twee for some tastes.
It clearly lives by tourism as every one of
the half-timbered buildings in the arcaded
main square is a gift shop – if not a bar or
restaurant! After a quick potter around, we
found there was not a lot to interest us, so
we meandered back along the quiet country
roads to visit the town of Condom.
We were able to get in to see the interior
of the magnificent flamboyant cathedral
and the small remaining section of its
cloister just before everything closed up for
lunch. Strolling around the old town
afterwards, we found a ‘cave’ or off-licence
where we decided to purchase a bottle of
the region’s famous liquor known as floc.
This is made of the local brandy, Armagnac,
mixed with red or white grape juice.
We spent the afternoon in Auch, the
capital of the region, where the old town sits
high above the banks of the Gers river.
Leaving the motorhome in the aire on the
opposite bank, we enjoyed a pleasant walk
along the cycle path on the banks of the

river to reach the town.
It was hard to imagine that this languid
river can be subject to devastating floods.
During the worst recent floods, in the
summer of 1977, the river rose to almost
eight metres in less than an hour and flooded
the entire lower town. A sculpture opposite
Auch’s monumental staircase leading to the
old town high above, commemorates the
people who died in the flood. The sculpture
is called Abri Impossible (the impossible
shelter) as its entrance is too narrow to
access and it is thus a reminder of how
powerless humankind is in the face of the
forces of nature.
The sun was at its height as we toiled up
the staircase, so it was fortunate that there
were several landings to stop and have a
rest. In the middle of these stands a statue
of one of the region’s most famous sons,
D’Artagnan, the fourth musketeer. Although
Dumas’ books are largely fiction, of course,
there was a real seventeenth century French
musketeer, born in a castle not far from
Auch, who was known as D’Artagnan.
By the time we reached the old town, we
were glad to go into the cool interior of
Auch’s cathedral. The sunny day showed off
the glorious sixteenth century stained glass
to great advantage.
Made by a local artist, the glass unusually
features pears in some of the windows.
These are apparently a variety known as the
Good Christian Pear of Auch, which was ³

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

55

TRAVEL France
WE STAYED AT
Périgueux motorhome aire, 37 Rue des
Prés, 24000 Périgueux ˆ All year
£ €7.82 (£6.95) per 24 hours for
motorhome and two people, payable
by credit card (stays limited to 96
hours. Water €2 (£1.78), grey and
black emptying free)
Lectoure aire, 5612A Chemin des
Amandiers, 32700 Lectoure ˆ All year
£ Free. Water and toilet block on site.
No emptying facilities available (grey
and black emptying available free at
Intermarché petrol station
approximately one mile away)

Montréal village, D15, 32250 Montréal
du Gers ˆ All year

£ Free. Public toilets and water point
open only in high season. No other
services. There is a free aire available
a short drive away (on the D29) with
free grey and black emptying and fresh
water. This is open all year, but without
shade and next to a sports facility
Auch aire, 15 Rue du Général de Gaulle,
32000 Auch ˆ All year
£ €12 (£10.66) by credit card for 24
hours including hook-up, fresh water,
grey and black water emptying

once grown in the archbishop’s garden and
given to distinguished guests to sample.
Like so many old fruit varieties, this pear is
now only cultivated by a few enthusiasts
who have rescued it from extinction.
The cathedral’s stunning oak choir stalls
and misericords, exquisitely carved with
mystical and religious figures, were also a
delight to behold, as were the carved and
gilded figures of the nativity. Since it was
only a few days before Easter, the beautiful
marble sculpture of the entombment had
already been decorated with red and white

56

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

ABOVE Nineteenth century
staircase up to Auch old
town and statue of
D’Artagnan
BELOW Auch old town from
the opposite bank of the
River Gers

silk, and olive tree foliage in preparation for
the special church services to come.
Back out in the sunshine again, we
wandered around the old half-timbered
houses and the fifteenth century Tour
d’Armagnac next to the cathedral, before
heading back down to the river via the
pousterles, which are steep, ancient, narrow
lanes leading down to where the old gates of
the town originally stood.
That evening, we cracked open our bottle
of floc to toast the good weather and our
enjoyable sojourn in the Gers.

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COACHBUILTS
2019 (69) Fiat Ducato Swift Escape extreme 664 2.3TD.........................£56,995
4 berth,awning,tow bar,air-con,sw/seats,half dinette,side kitchen,rear bed
2015 (65) Fiat Ducato Adria Matrix Axess M 670SC 2.3TD .....................£53,995
5 berth,aerial,air-con,sw/seats,drop down bed,rear island bed over garage
2019 (19) Fiat Ducato Swift Escape Champagne C402 S-A 2.3TD ..........£53,995
2 berth,Auto,awning,solar panel. sw/seats,half dinette,rear U lounge
2019 (69) Peugeot Boxer Elddis Autoquest Evolution 196 2.0TD ..........£52,995
6 berth,PAS,awning,tow bar,c/rack,sw/seats,drop-down bed,rear lounge
2017 (67) Fiat Ducato Bessacarr 494 2.3TD ............................................£51,995
4 berth,awning,tow bar,c/rack,sw/seats,half dinette,transverse island bed
2016 (66) Peugeot Boxer Autosleeper Broadway 2.0TD ........................£50,995
2 berth,awning,tow bar,aerial,air-con,sw/seats,rear kitchen & washroom
2020 (69) Peugeot Boxer Elddis Evolution 175 2.2TD ............................£49,995
2 berth,awning,c/rack,alloys,aerial,solar panel,sw/seats,end washroom
2019 (19) Fiat Ducato Rollerteam Autoroller Zefiro 259 2.3TD .............£49,995
6 berth,Auto,awning,c/rack,aerial,o/h dbl bed,side kitchen,rear bed
2012 (12) Fiat Ducato Hymer Hymermobil B544 2.3TD .........................£48,995
4 berth,LHD,awning,c/rack,alloys,air-con,heating,sw/seats,lounge/diner
2018 (18) Peugeot Boxer Elddis Platinum 196 Edition II 2.0TD .............£47,995
6 berth,PAS,awning,aerial,c/rack,sw/seats,drop-down dbl bed,rear lounge
2017 (17) Fiat Ducato Swift Escape 674 2.3TD .......................................£47,995
4 berth,aerial,air-con,heating,sw/seats,half dinette,rear U lounge,1 owner
2018 (18) Fiat Ducato Swift Rio 320 2.3TD .............................................£47,995
2 berth,awning,solar panel,aerial,sw/seats,rear lounge,rear access
2016 (16) Peugeot Boxer Elddis Supreme 185 2.2TD .............................£45,995
2+2 berth,awning,c/rack,sw/seats,side kitchen,single beds,end washroom
2015 (65) Fiat Ducato Autotrail Apache 634 Hi-Line 2.3TD ...................£45,995
4 berth,awning,tow bar,aerial,sw/seats,cruise control,rear U lounge
2017 (17) Peugeot Boxer Bailey Approach Advance 635 2.0TD.............£45,995
2 berth,air-con,heating,sw/seats,240/12V,side kitchen,end washroom
2016 (66) Peugeot Boxer Elddis Autoquest 185 2.0TD ..........................£44,995
2+2 berth,awning,tow bar,c/rack,air-con,2 single beds,end washroom
2015 (15) Fiat Ducato Autotrail Tracker EKS 2.3TD ................................£44,995
2 berth,awning,c/rack,air-con,sw/seats,rear washroom,rear kitchen
2016 (16) Fiat Ducato Swift Esprit 462 2.3TD .........................................£44,995
2 berth,awning,c/rack,aerial,air-con,heating,side kitchen,rear lounge
2014 (64) Fiat Ducato Autotrail Tracker EKS 2.3TD ................................£43,995
2 berth,awning,tow bar,sw/seats,radio/CD,rear kitchen & washroom
2016 (16) Peugeot Boxer Elddis Accordo 135 2.2TD ..............................£42,995
2 berth,aerial,air-con,sw/seats,half dinette,side kitchen,rear lounge/bed
2015 (15) Peugeot Boxer Elddis Majestic 140 2.2TD ..............................£42,995
2 berth,awning,aerial,air-con,sw/seats,240/12V,side kitchen,rear lounge

2015 (65) Peugeot Boxer Elddis Impressa 175 2.2TD.............................£42,995
2 berth,awning,c/rack,air-con,sw/seats,Whale heating,end washroom
2017 (17) Peugeot Boxer Elddis Vogue 115 2.0TD .................................£42,995
2 berth,awning,tow bar,aerial,sw/seats,rear kitchen and washroom
2015 (15) Peugeot Boxer Elddis Accordo Evolution 140 2.2TD ..............£41,995
2 berth,PAS,awning,c/rack,air-con,sw/seats,side kitchen,rear lounge
2012 (61) Fiat Ducato Rapido Le-Randonneur 646 2.3TD......................£41,995
3 berth,awning,air-con,heating,c/lockg,sw/seats,radio/CD,rear bed
2016 (65) Fiat Ducato Swift Escape 696 2.3TD .......................................£38,995
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2012 (12) Fiat Ducato Swift Bolero 630EW 2.3TD ..................................£38,995
2 berth,awning,c/rack,aerial,air-con,sw/seats,airbags,end washroom
2013 (63) Fiat Ducato Swift Sundance 582PR 2.3TD ..............................£38,995
2 berth,tow bar,aerial,solar panel,air-con,side kitchen,rear U lounge
2010 (60) Peugeot Boxer Autosleeper Cotswold 2.2TD .........................£37,995
2 berth,awning,roof bars,c/rack,alloys,sw/seats,air-con,end washroom
2012 (12) Fiat Ducato Autotrail Tracker EKS 2.3TD ................................£37,995
2 berth,awning,c/rack,aerial,air-con,sw/seats,rear kitchen & washroom
2009 (58) Fiat Ducato Rapido Le-Randonneur 7066DF 3.0TD ...............£36,995
3 berth,Auto,awning,roof bars,air-con,sw/seats,2 single beds,garage
2010 (10) Fiat Ducato Rollerteam Atessa 746 2.3TD ..............................£33,995
6 berth,awning,ladder,c/rack,heating,radio/CD,side kitchen,rear lounge
2009 (09) Peugeot Boxer Elddis Autoquest 115 2.2TD ..........................£28,995
2 berth,awning,c/rack,aerial,sw/seats,heating,rear kitchen & washroom
2008 (08) Peugeot Boxer Compass Suntor 120 2.2TD ............................£27,995
2 berth,awning,c/rack,aerial,2*air-con,side kitchen,rear U lounge
2006 (06) Fiat Ducato Dethleffs Globebus 3 2.3TD ................................£25,995
2 berth,c/rack,alloys,heating,240/12V,side kitchen,rear U lounge
2005 (05) Peugeot Boxer Elddis Autoquest 100 2.0TD ..........................£22,995
4 berth,awning,c/lockg,240/12V,heating,rear kitchen & washroom
2004 (54) Fiat Ducato Ace Novella Milano 2.3TD ...................................£21,995
4 berth,aerial,e/w&m,240/12V,heating,e/step,rear kitchen & washroom
HI-TOPS
2014 (64) Peugeot Boxer Autosleeper Kemerton 2.2TD ........................£44,995
2 berth,awning,roof bars,c/rack,aerial,air-con,sw/seats,end washroom
2012 (12) Fiat Ducato Autocruise Alto 2.3TD .........................................£38,995
4 berth,aerial,air-con,heating,sw/seats,half dinette,rear bed & washroom
2007 (07) Fiat Ducato Adria Twin 2.2TD .................................................£29,995
2/3 berth,awning,tow bar,aerial,heating,sw/seats,half dinette,rear bed
2007 (07) Renault Master Timberland Endeavour 2.5TD .......................£29,995
2 berth,awning,tow bar,c/rack,sw/seats,kitchen/lounge,rear washroom
2018 (68) Ssangyong Rodius Tourist by Wellhouse Leisure 2.2TD.........£25,995
2+2 berth,7 Speed Auto,PAS,4WD,lift-up roof,air-con,240/12V,kitchen
2011 (11) Mercedes Benz Vito Van Conversion 2.1TD ............................£15,995
2 berth,remote locking,kitchen facilities,seating makes a small double bed

D
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This list was correct at time of going to press, more vehicles are available. Please visit our website for the
latest and up-to-date list of vehicles. Have a chat with one of our sales team regarding your requirements
or to ask for further details about any of our vehicles, mileages etc. We also Buy Motorhomes for cash or
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www.wellsbridgemotorhomes.com

Motorhome Nomad
Wandering Bird shares her scariest motorhoming moment!

I often get emails and
messages from people
who’ve had an awful day
on the road. Whether
their ’van has broken
down, been broken into
or accidentally reversed
into a poorly placed
bollard, there are a lot of
hazards out there!
“Have you ever felt like
this?” someone asked me
(whilst wondering if they
should sell their camper
and take up cheese rolling
instead). The short
answer is yes, I have.
In fact, one of the
scariest moments of my
life was when the brakes
failed in the motorhome
One of the scariest moments of my life
as we were coming down a
mountain in the Alps.
the brakes failed in the motorhome
It was our very first
motorhoming trip to
Europe. We’d only had the ’van a few weeks
shortly after we set off again, we found
but, after a successful few trips to Wales
ourselves hurtling down a mountain road,
and Scotland, had the unfailing confidence
being pushed by a heavy unbraked trailer,
of people who didn’t know that they were
with only the handbrake to slow us down.
doing it all wrong.
I am forever grateful that Mr WB was
In fairness, despite all our numerous
driving, not me. Honestly, I’m not sure I
errors and a steep learning curve, we
would have known what to do. There was
explored the Italian Lakes (don’t go in
nowhere to pull over, nowhere to stop and
August!) and then escaped the heat and
turning around wasn’t an option.
crowds to venture into the mountains of
All we could do was continue down the
Switzerland. If you’ve never been to the
mountain, trying desperately to slow down
Swiss Alps, it’s absolutely magical but
as we approached each hairpin turn and
driving in the mountains can be tough on
praying we didn’t catch a slower vehicle in
your ’van, especially your brakes.
front. We used engine braking as much as
It’s even harder when you’re towing an
possible and the handbrake to supplement
unbraked motorcycle trailer with two
that. Yes, it might ruin the handbrake. No,
heavy motorcycles on it!
we didn’t care.
We weren’t strangers to driving in the
I couldn’t even speak, I was that scared.
mountains in other vehicles and knew
I don’t think I said a word for about 30
enough to stop and let the brakes cool
minutes (those who know me will know
down frequently. In fact, just before ‘the
this is highly unusual!)
incident’ we’d stopped for two hours for
Eventually, we arrived at the bottom of
lunch. However, unbeknownst to us, the
the mountain and pulled into a local
brake fluid (which we later found out was
garage in a cloud of smoke and smell of
mostly water) had boiled dry, which meant, burning. The owner of the garage came out
You can find out more about Kat the Wandering Bird’s adventures here

to see what the
commotion was, took one
look at us and said, “Oh.”
Oh, indeed.
The garage was
brilliant. It stopped what
it was doing to help and
showed us that the brake
fluid had evaporated.
When we’d done our
own checks before the
trip, we hadn’t thought to
check the brake fluid as
the motorhome had been
serviced only recently
when we purchased it.
Lesson learned.
The garage replaced
the brake fluid, changed
the pads and checked
wheels, tyres, handbrake
was when (luckily
not damaged) and
fixed anything that needed
fixing. Within a few hours,
we were good to go.
Luckily, this story had a happy ending.
We were OK. The ’van was OK. We bought
a huge crate of beer for the mechanics and
headed off on the road again.
Still, it could have been much worse.
This story isn’t meant to frighten
anyone from travelling. Heck, it didn’t put
us off. But please, please, please get your
vehicle fully checked before you go touring,
especially if it’s new to you.
Despite all that drama, what I
remember most from that day is the
evening. We camped up at the top of the
next mountain (we were nervous about
going down!) and that was the night I saw
the Milky Way. I remember staring up in
awe and wondering how I could do this
more often. That was the moment I
decided I wanted to quit my job and travel
as much as possible.
I’m sure there’s a pun about ‘life having
its ups and downs’ here, but mostly I just
want to wish you fun and safe travels.

wandering-bird.com

Kat x
@wanderingbird.adventures

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

59

Get away for...

THE WEEKEND!
Though it doesn’t have a song about bluebirds,
Yorkshire has its very own white cliffs of a sort
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: Judy Smith

I

t was a New Year's resolution that took us
to Flamborough. In the depths of winter, I
make far too many, and few survive long.
This one was about visiting old friends.
This visiting, we said, will be done in style
and we’ll take the ’van so we can spend a few
nights in their area. After all, just about
everywhere in the UK must hold enough
interest for a weekend, and folk who live
there can give us some inside tips to places
that wouldn’t be on the usual tourist trail.
So, sun shining, the hour gone forward,
daffodils out, ’van washed (that was a waste,
given its later mud bath!) and we were
heading for Flamborough and our friends.
Flamborough? Well, if you look at a map
of the Yorkshire coast, the long sweep of
shore north of Hull has an obvious
projection, a projection so large it requires a
separate inset on the Ordnance Survey map.
On that nose of land sits the village of
Flamborough, effectively with sea on three

60

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

sides. And Flamborough is also in the
Yorkshire Wolds.
On either side the river lie
Long fields of barley and of rye
That clothe the wold and meet the sky
I remember, as a 12-year-old,
surreptitiously searching for that strange
word ‘wold’ in my dictionary while the rest
of the class got on with the haunting tale of
The Lady of Shalott. ‘Wold’ didn’t feature in
that basic dictionary, but today Mr Google
tells me it’s an ‘unforested area of high
ground’, which doesn’t explain that it’s also
rolling country. And the bedrock of these
wolds is chalk, which means that the cliffs of
Flamborough Head are white cliffs, the like
of which I thought were only found in the
south of England.
To be fair, the cliffs around Flamborough
are more rounded, and don’t have that ‘cut ³

Why?... To experience a unique and off-the-beatentrack stretch of coastline with amazing birdlife

MAIN South Landing, Flamborough
FAR LEFT Pirate boat on the
harbour at Bridlington
BELOW LEFT Sewerby Hall
BELOW RIGHT Lighthouse at
Flamborough Head

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

61

US AND OUR ’VAN

Judy Smith...
and husband, Eric, have used
their ’van for many exciting
projects over the years,
including cycling from London
to Paris and visiting the four
extreme points of the UK

2004 Elddis Xpedition 200 on
a Peugeot Boxer 2-litre diesel.
We love our ’van because it is
short, but spacious inside

with a giant’s spade' look you get around
Beachy Head. But what they do have is
ledges in the chalk, and this exposed
northern coast provides the perfect nesting
place for thousands of seabirds.
In fact, this is the only site where gannets
nest in mainland Britain. The RSPB has a
reserve just north of Flamborough, and we
were really looking forward to that, but with
the sun shining brightly that first day, the
obvious choice was the headland walk.
Actually, I’d already had a walk that
morning. We were staying in a pleasant CL
about half a mile out of Flamborough, and
beside that CL was an earthwork by the
name of Danes Dyke that runs right across
Flamborough Head.
How old it is no one seems to know
– maybe pre-Roman, maybe later – but the
bank and deep ditch beside it are more
generously proportioned than our local
Offa’s Dyke. The southern end of Danes
Dyke is itself a nature reserve and the tangle
of paths lacing its wooded slopes and
running down to the sea made the perfect
early morning dog walk – an essential for
our border collie, Meg.
It is possible (and judging by the car park,
very popular) to drive directly out to
Flamborough Head, but better by far is to
walk around the coast from the beach with
its lifeboat station on the south side

(prosaically called South Landing) to its
counterpart on the far shore, North Landing.
Then you have something like five miles of
springy turf on high cliffs, sea pounding
white pebbles below; arches and caves
appear in those cliffs as you go, seabirds of all
kinds whirl in the air, shadowy ships move
slowly on a distant horizon.
Undoubtedly, the highlight is the head
itself with its gleaming white lighthouse,
and behind it a seventeenth century chalk
tower that was intended as a lighthouse but
never lit. From there, paths lead down past
the wooden hut of the bird observatory to a
cove, where grey seals were lined up on the
tide line, the occasional plump body
breaking ranks to flop off into the ocean.
The head was a magical place, but so also
was North Landing, where two colourful
fishing boats that looked almost
Mediterranean were drawn up on the shore.
Apparently these local ‘cobles’ sometimes
take visitors on fishing trips, or into the
one-time smugglers’ caves along the coast.
Next day, skies were grey and heavy as we
set off for Bempton Cliffs, the RSPB reserve.
I can’t call myself a ‘birdie’, but here comes
another of those resolutions – I have to
identify 100 birds this year. I know a true
ornithologist would set the bar much
higher, but the way things are going, I’ll
need a visit to Chester Zoo come December.

Must do... Take a walk around Flamborough Head to view
the lighthouse, seals, and local fishing boats

62

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

Weekend Break TRAVEL
I had great hopes for Bempton Cliffs and
they were fulfilled. The birds were there in
their thousands: gannets, kittiwakes,
guillemots, razorbills and more, all attracted
to those white cliffs.
Only the puffins were absent. The first
week of April is probably just too early; they
haven’t come ashore to nest yet. To be
accurate, we were told there was one puffin
somewhere and we visited every one of the
six observation platforms in a futile attempt
to locate him.
Puffins aside, we were very impressed with
the wheelchair-friendly asphalt paths to the
nearer observation platforms, and the
volunteers who manned them, patiently
explaining for the thousandth time the
difference between guillemots and razorbills.
When thinking of weekend breaks, I had
lined up four questions for our friends that I
thought needed an answer. The first was
where to go for a good walk, and Flamborough
Head had already filled that slot.
We didn’t take our bikes with us but the
same question with regard to cycle rides
was answered by the signed routes
(Sustrans Yorkshire Wolds route among
others) we’d seen in the winding back lanes.
By lunchtime that day, we needed an
answer to the third question – what to do if
it’s raining? Our friends suggested we
should go into Bridlington. There would be

shelter there, but if we didn’t mind getting a
little wet, perhaps we should take a look at
the harbour.
Finding a car park (with some difficulty),
we only had to follow our noses – the
quayside and streets around were lined with
fish and chip shops. Is that all local fish? Who
knows, but the seagulls appreciate it.
Interestingly, Bridlington’s catch is not
fish, but shellfish, including so much lobster
that it has been dubbed the lobster capital
of Europe. Whyever hasn’t Rick Stein moved
in on Bridlington?
We were too late that day to watch the
catch being landed but, from the viewing
platform, we had a good view of the all the
harbour’s fishing vessels. We were told that,
surprisingly, most of the shellfish was taken
by road to Plymouth for shipment to Brittany.
Just a little does find its way into the
waterside seafood restaurant, Salt on the
Harbour, which we sadly had to resist, having
promised ourselves a seafood platter at one
of the pubs back in Flamborough that night.
Up on our viewing platform we watched a
pirate boat taking children for a 10-minute
ride, and looked out across the yellow sand
of North Beach. South Beach, on the other
side, was even wider, a vast expanse, the
stuff of a million sandcastles.
The first insider tip – our friends directed
us to the Bayle Museum in the old part of ³

ESSENTIALS
HOW LONG
Three nights

WHEN
We visited the
first week of April,
but a month later might
have been even better for
the birds

HOW MUCH
Fuel Average 29mpg
Llangollen to Flamborough
and return, with a few
miles around the area,
419 miles ................................ £97
Site fees .................................... £90
Entrance fees Sewerby Hall
and gardens, Bempton
Cliffs reserve is free to
RSPB members (which
we are), or £7 per adult
otherwise ................................. £20

TOTAL .....................................£207

BELOW LEFT Seals on the
beach at Flamborough Head
BELOW One of the paths at
Danes Dyke Nature Reserve

TOP TIPS
Don’t forget the binoculars!
Flamborough’s facilities
include a Co-op, butcher and
post office, along with several
pubs. It was just a 10-minute
walk from our campsite
Dogs on a lead are welcome
at the RSPB reserve. They
can also be taken into the
grounds of Sewerby Hall,
although not into the zoo

INFORMATION
Most information about
Flamborough and its area can
be obtained from Bridlington
Tourist Information Centre,
South Marine Drive YO15 3JH
Boat trips from North Landing
run daily from Easter to
September
flamboroughgreenside
cottages.co.uk
The hourly bus between
Flamborough and Bridlington
stops 200 yards from High
Breame CL and it terminates
at North Landing

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

63

TRAVEL Weekend Break

Must see... Gannets – and other birds – on

the cliffs at the RSPB reserve, Bempton Cliffs
the town. We certainly wouldn’t have found it
without them, but apart from offering us
shelter, it gave a good insight into Bridlington’s
heyday as a resort, and a lot more.
The museum was free, fun, and
informative; perfect for that damp afternoon.
Leaving Bridlington, we wanted to make
a brief foray west to the Wolds village of
Rudston, where we had read that a 7.6m
standing stone was the tallest of its kind in
Britain. We hadn’t realised it was in the
churchyard and that made it all the more
impressive.
We had another insider’s tip that day –
David Hockney’s mother had lived in
Bridlington. On visits he had painted local
scenes, the nearest being a series in
Woldgate Woods, not too far from Rudston.
We duly drove out on the Roman road
that is Woldgate brandishing copies of
Hockney’s work, but woodland scenes look
much alike!
There were others in those woods,
though. Were they aficionados or just taking
a woodland walk?
We had another encounter with Hockney
on the way home. Garrowby Hill, between
Bridlington and York, is a well-known
painting of his, and this time a layby
provided what I think was the exact spot,
with the road curving down the steep

64

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

incline to the plains stretching below.
Taking leave of our friends the next day,
one question remained – what is there for
the children? Of course, there are the
beaches, but we were told we should call
into Sewerby Hall, just a couple of miles
down the road, on the way home.
The hall itself is a Georgian mansion, but
in its 50-acre grounds are a miniature zoo, a
golf course, adventure play areas, and wide
lawns for picnics, along with events that are
organised through the season. Certainly,
families were there in droves that day, with
parking already at a premium at 10am.
For us, the hall provided the greatest
surprise – its many rooms were furnished in
Edwardian style, with pieces from the
Victoria and Albert collection. Two tiny
rooms on the top floor were devoted to the
aviator, Amy Johnson. It seems she opened
Sewerby Hall to the public in 1936 and, after
her death five years later (her off-course
plane crashed into the Thames Estuary), her
father donated all her memorabilia to
Sewerby. Although her body was never
found, her flight bag was recovered from the
river, and there it is, on display.
We could have spent longer at Sewerby.
In fact, thinking about our trip – a weekend
in Flamborough? We could have done with a
fortnight!

ABOVE CLOCKWISE The
chalk cliffs provide ledges
for thousands of sea birds at
Bempton Cliffs reserve;
Poster in the Bayle Museum
at Bridlington; Monolith in
the churchyard at Rudston

THE CAMPSITE
High Breame Certificated
Location, Flamborough,
Bridlington YO15 1AA
 01262 850278
ˆ All year
£ Two adults, pitch and
electric: From £27 (£25
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THE JOURNEY

220

miles

We were visiting family
in Nottinghamshire in
May before heading off
to Wales for a holiday,
and, along the way, we
took a break in
Cannock Chase. From
Newark we took the A46, A52, A38 and
A513 to Rugeley to find our campsite in
Cannock Chase. From there we departed
west on the A5, M54, A458, A483, A470
and A44 to Aberystwyth

THE COSTS
Fuel Average 31mpg............................................. £60
Site fees ....................................................................... £80
Total costs........................................................... £140
Long-eared owls can be
seen hunting at dusk

Go wild on...

CANNOCK CHASE
This, the smallest AONB on the British mainland,
is very mighty when it comes to wildlife
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: David Chapman

Cannock Chase TRAVEL

One of the pools in the Fairoak Valley, near the campsite

I

n a part of the country with a high
population, it’s no surprise that Cannock
Chase is a popular place for locals to
escape the hustle and bustle of modern life,
but maybe Britain’s smallest mainland Area
of Oustanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is not
on the radar for quite as many
holidaymakers from further afield; we had
never visited before last summer.
First impressions were favourable. After a
difficult drive on busy main roads, we found
a place of calm on the Tackeroo Forestry
Commission campsite. Situated in the
middle of the AONB, this is a great place
from which to explore on foot or bike. I can
safely say, I have never seen so many
footpaths, trails and cycleways in such a
compact area. Walkers, off-road cyclists and
wheelchair users can all find easy access to
the countryside and, as long as you venture
more than five minutes from a car park or
visitor centre, there is plenty of peace and
quiet to be had.
What about wildlife, I hear you ask. Well,
as I walked towards the Birches Valley
Forest Centre with its massive car park, café,
Go Ape, hundreds of cyclists and plenty of
picnickers, I did begin to wonder whether

there could possibly be any wildlife in an
area so busy.
My doubts were misplaced. In the car
park, beside the Go Ape check-in, I spotted a
treecreeper, which flew down to a few feet
off the ground and disappeared behind a Go
Ape sign. Here it had made its nest; close to
people, it was safe from predators and this
was one of many intimate moments I had
with wildlife.
There is some historic interest around
Cannock Chase, with much of it relating to
the world wars when camps were
established here. Further back in time it was
established as a royal hunting ground and
this has shaped the way it looks today, with
a mixture of habitats including heathland
and deciduous forest.
The busiest cycle trails are in the more
recently planted coniferous sections, which
are the least favoured places for wildlife so
we concentrated our quest on the heath and
deciduous woodland. We also visited
Shugborough Hall, the former home of
Patrick Lichfield. All on foot or bike, we
didn’t need to move the ’van during our stay
and I was reluctant to move it when it came
time to leave. ³

ME AND MY ’VAN

David Chapman...
is a writer and photographer
specialising in UK wildlife

2017 Pilote P600P on
Fiat Ducato 2.3-litre. We like
its fixed bed layout with plenty
of storage space. It’s really
well designed

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

67

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By CMC

Cannock Chase TRAVEL

A treat on the heath
Cannock Chase has the largest area of
lowland heath in the Midlands. About
2,000 acres of it is now called the
Cannock Chase Country Park, one of
the largest country parks in Britain,
and there is a visitor centre at
Marquis Drive, from which walks
leaflets and advice can be gleaned.
The heath is very special for wildlife.
What looked like a fragment of
shiny green paper blew into the air, it
fluttered erratically, landed on the
ground and subsequently
disappeared. Only its shadow was
significant enough to catch my eye. I
ventured closer to see what it was. A
tiny sliver of iridescent green,
holding its wings tightly closed but
twisting to capture the sun, this was
a green hairstreak butterfly, the first
of many hundreds that we saw over
the next few days.
The orange flickers of small heath
butterflies were easier to spot.
Another green flutter on the sandy,
pebbly path was a green tiger beetle, a
hunter on the lookout for prey and
avoiding my tread. My footsteps had
also caused a common lizard to run
for safety; all I heard was a rustle in
the grass as its tail disappeared.
A small bird sang its heart out
whilst parascending through the air
on flickering wings, its tail held aloft
like that of a wren. It landed in a
mature birch tree whose verdant,
fresh foliage cascaded like rain from
featherweight boughs. This was a tree
pipit, inconspicuous in appearance
but a delight nonetheless. The songs
Tree pipits are common on the heathland
where there are scattered trees

of other birds filled the air with
skylarks, willow warblers,
whitethroats and cuckoos in every
direction.
Many heathland birds nest on the
ground and, despite the multitude of
paths, there is plenty of space for
them. Ground cover is provided by
heather and a variety of berrybearing shrubs.
There are some special birds
found here and these take a bit more
dedication to spot. So, at 9.15pm I
set off on foot down the track from
Rifle Range Corner in the direction
of Katyn Memorial. At 9.40pm I
heard a high-pitched ‘coo-wick’ call.
This is the contact call often made
by a male to a female nightjar to
signal that he is ready to take over
incubation duties. Before long the
nightjars were churring, a rather
mechanical sound with two tones.
I also saw woodcocks in flight.
Making a strange selection of whistles
and grunts, these birds were ‘roding’,
a term given to their display flight.
As if all this wasn’t enough, the
highlight was still to come because
low over the open heathland I saw a
long-eared owl hunting. These are
regularly spotted in this area but
such a rare delight. I have seen only a
handful of long-eared owls in my life.
What a treat! And on the way
back to the ’van I was buzzed by bats
and glimpsed a fallow deer.

TOP TIP
Brindley Heath is good for varied ground
flora, a leaflet is available with guided walks

The wonderful old oak
trees of Brocton Coppice

Bee-autiful Brocton

“Don’t go any closer. We haven’t
brought enough Piriton,” shouted
Sarah as I homed in on my target – a
swarm of honey bees dangling on the
thin branch of an oak tree. There must
have been a few thousand of them
and, with only a standard lens on my
camera, I felt the need to get closer.
I got away unstung, at least by the
bees, and the next day, by which time I
had been forgiven, we saw a swarm of
bees living happily in a hole in a
nearby oak tree. This was in Brocton
Coppice, a short walk from our
campsite, and one of its key features is
its beautiful old sessile oak trees. In
fact, this coppice is technically an
oak-birch wood pasture. It is a mix of
mature oak and birch trees, which was
once grazed by domesticated animals
and now by fallow deer.
There are plenty of other deciduous
woodlands around Cannock Chase,
but this is arguably the best because of
the mix of mature and veteran trees
together with the wildlife they attract.
I spotted plenty of woodland
specialists, including nuthatches, jays,
mistle thrushes, spotted flycatchers,
garden warblers and common
redstarts. In fact, redstarts, one of my
favourite birds, can be seen quite
widely across the Chase, primarily in
woodland and around scrub,
particularly hawthorn.
Young birch trees have a paper-like,
almost silvery-white bark but the
older ones have a wonderful deep
tiger-bap-crust pattern. Where the
birch trees have lost their heads, they
frequently gain bracket fungi. Of note,
we saw many birch polypore (aka
razorstrops) and hoof fungi (which are
known as tinder fungi, because they
can be used for starting fires).

TOP TIP
Always use your ears when searching for
birds in woodland

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

69

TRAVEL Cannock Chase

Stars of Shugborough
Shugborough Hall was home to the
famous socialite and photographer,
Patrick Lichfield. It is now owned by
the National Trust. We decided to walk
from the site to Shugborough, which
gave us the chance to explore the
wildlife not only of the estate but also
along a section of the Trent and
Mersey Canal.
Metallic blue-green damselflies
flew buoyantly from the leaves of wych
elms and hornbeams, where they
basked in the sun beside the canal
towpath. They landed momentarily on
waterside vegetation before heading
off in pursuit of prey, tiny insects that
buzzed the surface of the water. The
dark patches on the wings of the
males indicated that these were
banded demoiselles.
It’s lucky there were so many small
insects about because swallows were
also targeting them by flying low along
the canal. As if inspired by Barnes
Wallis, at times they skimmed the
water to take a drink, occasionally
plunging still deeper for a wash.
Joining the demoiselles on the
rushes and grasses beside the canal
were a phalanx of mayflies. Unable to

Shugborough Hall with its colourful meadow

feed themselves, these ephemeral
insects had just the day, maybe
tomorrow if they were lucky, to enjoy
their new-found freedom of the air.
Also scooting across the canal were
large red and blue-tailed azure
damselflies, their wings so thin and
translucent that all I could see were
their thin, colourful bodies levitating
over the water.
Along the canal and onto the
parkland of the estate, we found a
good variety of trees, some veterans
with holes, cracks and fallen branches
to add to their character. These trees
support a good variety of beetles; we
saw the bright red black-headed
cardinal beetle, for example.
Woodpeckers feed on the larvae of

We saw banded demoiselles
along the canal (here a male)

such wood-boring larvae and other
insects so it was no surprise to find
great spotted and green woodpeckers
along the way.
Within the estate we saw a large
herd of fallow deer. These are wild
animals, still existing here from the
days when the Chase was a hunting
park. The fallow deer, as well as roe
deer, exist throughout the area but are
usually shy and difficult to spot.
The hall is situated at the
confluence of the Trent and Penk
rivers. The family also created their
own stretch of river in front of the
house and this is now a lake. Together,
this watery area adds significantly to
the wildlife opportunities, with a
variety of common waterbirds nesting.
I even found some otter spraint on the
ornamental steps leading to the lake.

TOP TIPS
If you aren’t staying within walking distance
there is plenty of parking without height
restrictions around Cannock Chase

WE STAYED AT

The Trent and Mersey Canal, near Shugborough

70

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

Tackeroo campsite, Penkridge Bank Road,
Rugeley, Staffs WS15 2UA
 01543 427977
chasecamping.co.uk ˆ All year
£ Two adults and pitch: £20. The only
facilities on site are dustbins, water and
chemical emptying points. When staying
on sites without EHU we have a couple of
battery packs for recharging our
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D51

My travels...
Kath & Adrian McMahon Stone
follow in the footsteps of Don Quixote

On our way to the Portuguese
coast, we stopped off to explore
some of the landscapes and towns most
associated with Cervantes’ famous
novel, Don Quixote, published in 1605.
As anyone who remembers the
musical and the film based on the book
will know, the action is centred on the
high plains of La Mancha just to the south of Madrid. A lot of
literary researchers have spent much time and effort on trying to
discover the identity of the buildings and places that inspired
Cervantes when he wrote the book, and a tourist trail to visit
these has inevitably followed.
Our first stop was just outside the town of Consuegra at a
motorhome parking spot just below the ridge on which stand six
old, restored windmills and a castle. It was the best place to be
on an afternoon of 30-degree heat as there was a strong breeze,
which once would have driven the windmills to grind the corn.
Nowadays their sails are no longer covered by cloth and are
secured to the ground. Still, they made a very picturesque sight
from the shaded picnic area below where we enjoyed a break
before climbing to the ridge in the evening for a closer look.
It seems that these particular windmills are not quite old
enough to have inspired the jousting scene in the book, but the
spectacular view over the plains below was well worth the climb
nevertheless. It was also a magical place to spend the night with

The statues of Don Quixote and
Sancho Panza, Villanueva

Windmills and the plains of La
Mancha, near Consuegra

a view of the faintly illuminated windmills and adjacent castle
and the starlit sky above.
The next day we drove through the small town of Puerto
Lápice to see the inn where Don Quixote was knighted. A typical
inn of the sixteenth century, with an open central courtyard,
Quixote apparently mistook it for a castle.
Our next stop was Campo de Criptana, where a ridge above
the town boasts 10 remaining windmills. Some of these are quite
old and so have a greater claim to be the ones that Don Quixote
mistook for giants.
The narrow roads to get up to the windmills make it
inadvisable to attempt in a motorhome at busy times, although
there were a number of them who had braved the trip.
From Campo de Criptana the route took us past the stunning
turquoise lagoons in the national park of Ruidera, a busy tourist
spot in season, to the Ermita de San Pedro de Verona. The
sculpture of the saint, which is normally housed here, was away
on his holidays – or rather had been taken on his annual
month-long pilgrimage to stay with a statue of the Virgin Mary
at another nearby church.
The inn opposite is where Don Quixote got carried away at a
puppet show and destroyed all the puppets dressed as Moors. A
walk signposted from there goes to the Cueva de Montesinos,
where Don Quixote descended through time, but it was too hot
for us to walk that far, so we stuck to a short walk through
woodland to a plateau with views over the lagoons.
We spent that night on a cool hilltop on the outskirts of the
quiet and semi-abandoned town of Villanueva de los Infantes. In
the cool of the late evening, we walked into the centre to explore
the old town where there are many lovely historic buildings,
including the house alleged to be that of Knight of the Green
Coat featured in the novel. The bars around the town square
were busy with locals and the modern statues of Don Quixote
and Sancho Panzo were beautifully illuminated.
Scholars have recently completed extensive research and
calculations using details in the novel in order to prove that
Villanueva is indeed the place from where the protaganists of
Europe’s first modern novel set out on their adventures. So, it
seemed a fitting place for us to end our discoveries in La Mancha
and set off again the next day on our own journey towards
the sea and respite from the heat.

HOLIDAY DISASTER OR HOLIDAY DREAM? Tell other readers about your motorhome
adventures, good or bad, in 700 words motorhome.ma/myviews
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Sites for...

SPRINGTIME GETAWAYS
Put a spring in your step with these perfect sites
to enjoy the beauty of the season

11
10
12

5

9
3

1

6
7
4
8

2

THE CAMPSITES
1 Woodhill Park

5 Fron Farm Country Holiday Park

9 Golden Square Caravan Park

2 Parkland Caravan, Camping & Glamping Site

6 Cotswold Farm Park Holidays

10 Highburn House Country Holiday Park

3 Laneside Caravan Park

7 Tanner Farm Park

11 Blair Castle Caravan Park

4 Monkton Wyld Holiday Park

8 Tregedna Farm Holidays

12 Hawkshead Hall Caravan & Campsite

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

75

© Herbert Aust/Pixabay

TRAVEL

Sheringham Park

12

Parkland Caravan, Camping & Glamping Site, Devon

11

© Andrew Hall/Unsplash



Sorley Green Cross, Kingsbridge, Devon TQ7 4AF
parklandsite.co.uk ˆ All year

Avon Valley Woods is a collection of
woodland sites around the village of
Woodleigh, near Kingsbridge in the
South Devon Area of Outstanding
Natural Beauty. The four areas of
woodland are Avon Wood
(comprising of Woodleigh Wood,
Bedlime Wood and Titcombe
Wood), Aveton Wood, Centry Wood
and Watkins Wood. All this
woodland is perfect for springtime
walks among the bluebells and for
wildlife spotting.
Parkland Caravan Site is less than
two miles from Kingsbridge and is

Woodhill Park, Norfolk


Cromer Road, East Runton, Cromer,
Norfolk NR27 9PX
 01263 512242
woodhill-park.com
ˆ 1 March – 30 November

For a riot of spring colour courtesy of
flora, head to Sheringham in
Norfolk. Old Wood and Pretty
Corner Wood are home to bluebells
and early purple orchids. Parking for
the woods is available at Pretty
Corner Car Park (NR26 8TW).
Just one mile down the road
you’ll also find Sheringham Park, a
landscape park of 1,000 acres,
which three species of deer call
home. The park is most famous for
its vast collection of early-flowering
rhododendrons and azaleas, but
snowdrops, camellias and bluebells
add to the spring colour.
Set on the Norfolk coast, on the
edge of East Runton, Woodhill Park
is four miles away from Pretty
Corner. For motorhomes there are
hardstanding fully serviced pitches
and facilities include toilets,
showers, a launderette and shop.

 01548 852723

exclusively for adults. All pitches are
fully serviced, and there are pitches
with their own private facilities and
extra-large pitches, too. Facilities
include individual wet rooms,
accessible facilities, a laundry room
and a site shop.
It is two miles on the bus (a bus
stop is a five-minute walk from site)
to the village of Loddiswell, from
where it is two miles to the
woodland. There are also several
small car parks for some of the
woods, one being Watkins Wood
(TQ7 4DQ).

13
Laneside Caravan Park, Derbyshire


Station Road, Hope, Derbyshire S33 6RR  01433 620215
lanesidecaravanpark.co.uk ˆ 15 March – 2 January

This is the perfect site for walkers,
located in the Hope Valley, the heart of
the Peak District National Park. The
site is adjacent to River Noe for
riverside walks, and just three miles
from walking routes on Bamford Edge
or around Ladybower Reservoir. It’s a
steep walk to the top of Bamford Edge,
but you’ll be rewarded with panoramic
views of Hope Valley, Ladybower
Reservoir and Win Hill. Ladybower
Reservoir is surrounded by woodland
and moorland – ideal for spotting the

76

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

spring wildflowers emerging.
Laneside Caravan Park has 20
all-weather, fully serviced pitches, plus
28 hardstandings with electric. There
is a separate adult-only area on site,
too. Facilities include toilets, showers,
a laundry room, shop, boules court,
table tennis and dog walking area.
Laneside is just a 10-minute walk
from Hope village where there is a
shop, pubs and cafés. A train station,
for easily exploring further afield, is
350 yards away.

Sites TRAVEL

View to Golden Cap*

Monkton Wyld Holiday Park, Dorset


Scotts Lane, Charmouth, Dorset DT6 6DB  01297 808352
monktonwyld.co.uk ˆ 9 February – 3 November

Monkton Wyld is set in 26 acres on
the Devon/Dorset border, just three
miles from both Lyme Regis and
Charmouth, with dedicated walking
routes to both these stunning towns
on the Jurassic Coast.
Just one mile along the South
West Coast Path from Charmouth
Beach is the National Trust’s Golden
Cap estate, where the Stonebarow
Walk will take you through
wildflower meadows full of orchids
and butterflies in spring.

15

The site has fully serviced pitches,
plus several extra-large pitches that
can cater for even the largest RV.
Facilities include two heated shower
blocks with dedicated accessible
facilities, individual washbasin
cubicles, plus a dishwashing and
laundry room. There is also a
motorhome service point, a shop,
games room, and nature trail. This is
a dog-friendly site with two walking
areas, which includes one paddock
for off-lead exercise, and a dog wash.

Fron Farm Country Holiday Park, Flintshire


Rhes y Cae Road, Hendre, Nr Mold, Flintshire CH7 5QW  01352 741482
fronfarmcountryholidaypark.co.uk ˆ 28 March – 30 October

For a springtime break in Wales, we
suggest a stay at Fron Farm Country
Holiday Park.
It’s less than a mile from Coed y
Felin Nature Reserve, where you can
spot spring flowers while enjoying
trails through ancient oak and ash
woodland. A little further on is Big
Wood, too.
Seven miles south is Loggerheads
Country Park. Ash woodlands,
known as Alyn Valley Woods, stretch
north from here to Rhydymwyn,

along the valley. In spring the woods
are full of colour from bluebells,
white wood anemones and yellow
lesser celandines.
Fron Farm’s touring area has fully
serviced hardstanding pitches for
motorhomes, with two toilet and
shower blocks, a washer/dryer,
accessible facilities, a shop selling
farm-reared meat, and a dog walk
area. This is a working farm with a
range of animals, including newborn
lambs in spring.

16

Cotswold Farm Park
Holidays, Gloucestershire



Guiting Power, Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire GL54 5FL
 01451 850307
cotswoldfarmpark.co.uk
ˆ 9 February – 30 October

Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park
gives you the opportunity to meet over
50 breeds of British farm animals,
including rare breeds. Set in the heart
of the Cotswolds, the farm has trails to
follow where you can meet and feed
animals, and a barn with lots of
smaller animals to meet. There’s also a
restaurant and shop, too. If you visit
between 9 February and 14 April,
you’ll be able to meet the newborn
lambs and kids (over 800 lambs are
expected to be born on the farm!).
The farm park has its own
campsite, with free entry to the farm
for anyone staying on site. There are
hardstanding pitches for motorhomes
which come with electricity, fresh
water point and grey waste drainage.
Facilities comprise toilets, showers, a
laundry room, dog-friendly wildlife
walk and a children’s play field.
© Pixabay

14

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

77

17

18
Tanner Farm Park, Kent
tannerfarm.co.uk



the low-level border planting, too.
Last but by no means least, there is
the moated Scotney Castle. An early
springtime visit will uncover
snowdrops and primroses, which will
then be replaced by a carpet of
bluebells later in the season.
Tanner Farm has grass or
hardstanding pitches with electric, plus
a shop, toilets, showers, a launderette
and play areas. The blossoming apple
orchards, visible from many of the
pitches, add colour in April and May.

Scotney Castle

Glendurgan Garden

Golden Square Caravan Park, North Yorkshire


Oswaldkirk, Nr Helmsley, York, North Yorkshire YO62 5YQ  01439 788269
goldensquarecaravanpark.com ˆ 1 March – 31 October

Located on the edge of the market
town of Helmsley, with its castle and
walled garden, you’ll find Duncombe
Park, a historic country house and
estate. The South Terrace features
unmown banks with bluebells,
primroses and early purple orchids.
Woodland paths are lined with
snowdrops, and 6 May sees the park
host an annual country fair.
Adjacent to the park is the
National Centre for Birds of Prey with
owls, eagles and flying
demonstrations, along with a café.

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outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

Set on the southern edge of the
North York Moors National Park,
Golden Square has pitches with views
over farmland and forest. The site is
surrounded by great walking
countryside and is three miles from
Duncombe Park and Helmsley.
The touring area at Golden Square
is laid out on three levels with super,
grass and hardstanding pitches.
There are two toilet and shower
blocks with family and accessible
bathrooms, play areas, mini golf, and
a licensed shop.

Helmsley in spring

©Pete/Pixabay

19

Maenporth, Falmouth, Cornwall
TR11 5HL
 07798 622351
tregednafarmholidays.co.uk
ˆ 28 April – 1 October

On the south coast of Cornwall,
five miles from Falmouth, you’ll
discover two first-class gardens
bursting with spring colour. One is
Glendurgan Garden with violets,
magnolias, bluebells, wild garlic,
camellias, azaleas and orchids.
Right next door is Trebah
Garden, an RHS partner garden
leading down to a private beach. A
visit in May will reward you with
geraniums in flower, primulas,
100-year-old rhododendrons, plus
azaleas and spring wildflowers.
Situated midway between the
gardens and Falmouth is Tregedna
Farm. Pitches are unallocated
across a 12-acre grass field, with
electric hook-up. There are toilets
and showers, dishwashing, a
washing machine and dryer, plus a
small shop in high season.

© Steve Payne/Unsplash

For a campsite within 20 minutes’ drive
of three great places for spring delights,
choose Tanner Farm Park, 13 miles
from Royal Tunbridge Wells. You could
head to Bedgebury National Pinetum
and Forest, home to the most complete
collection of coniferous trees anywhere
in the world. Then there’s Sissinghurst
Castle Garden. In spring you will be
greeted by clusters of daffodils and
crocuses in the orchard. The castle’s
Lime Walk, lined by two rows of lime
trees, gets a burst of spring colour in

 01622 832399

© Garden Guru/Pixabay

 Goudhurst Road, Marden, Kent TN12 9ND
ˆ All year

Tregedna Farm Holidays,
Cornwall

© Dean/stock.adobe.com

Sites TRAVEL

Cheviot Hills

Highburn House Country Holiday Park, Northumberland
 Wooler, Northumberland NE71 6EE
ˆ 1 March – 30 November

 01668 281344

On the edge of the Northumberland
National Park, with views to the
Cheviot Hills, Highburn House is only a
quarter of a mile from the market town
of Wooler, where there are plenty of
shops and places to eat. Motorhomes
can pitch on hardstandings with
electric hook-up, with the touring area
bordered by trees.
There are toilets and showers, an
accessible shower room, a
dishwashing area, launderette and dog
walking area. Footpaths lead from site

111

highburn-house.co.uk

onto Humbleton Hill and beyond.
A 20-minute drive from site is
Bulby’s Wood (with car park) within
the Breamish Valley. You can walk
along the valley by the river or up into
hills and to Linhope Spout waterfall.
In spring you will see lambs
everywhere. It’s also only just over
mile to Wooler Common and
woodland. Spring sights include
curlews around the common’s two
pond areas, plus flowering gorse and
other wildflowers.

Blair Castle Caravan Park, Perthshire


Blair Atholl, Pitlochry, Perthshire PH18 5SR  01796 481263
atholl-estates.co.uk/stay-with-us/caravan-park ˆ 2 March – 18 November

An ideal site for enjoying spring
walks, Blair Castle Caravan Park is a
picturesque site situated in the
grounds of Blair Castle with nine
acres of green open space. There are
over 50 miles of trails around the
estate, accessible directly from the

site, which is on the edge of the
Cairngorms National Park. Walk
around the estate and you won’t be
able to miss the abundance of
snowdrops popping up in the
grounds, along with the stunning
yellow of the daffodils. There is also
a walled garden with various plants,
a sculpture trail, and an orchard of
more than 100 fruit trees.
The campsite has hardstanding
electric or fully serviced pitches with
some up to 18 metres in size. There
are five toilet and shower blocks, a
launderette, a games room, a shop,
and a motorhome service point.

Hawkshead Hall Caravan &
Campsite, Cumbria


Hawkshead Hall Farm, Hawkshead,
Nr Ambleside, Cumbria LA22 0NN
 01539 436221
hawksheadhallcampsite.co.uk
ˆ 1 March – 4 January

The Lake District in spring – so
beautiful that Wordsworth was
inspired to write a famous poem
about its daffodils! Take a scenic
walk and enjoy a picnic at the
shores of Tarn Hows, or head to the
grounds of Wray Castle.
Less than two miles from Tarn
Hows is Hawkshead Hall. The
campsite here is part of a working
farm. There are hardstanding
pitches with electric, TV and water
connection, and facilities comprise
toilets, showers, and a launderette.
If you don’t mind a 30-minute
drive (or one-hour bus journey)
you could head to Grasmere to
visit the Wordsworth Daffodil
Garden, and Allan Bank, once
Wordsworth’s home with a
woodland full of bluebells.

©Ian kelsall/Pixabay

112

110

Wray Castle

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

79

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Readers share their honest opinion to help you choose the perfect campsite
ENGLAND
Droitwich Spa Marina Caravan & Camping Park, Worcestershire

View of the site

View of the marina

Fountain at Witley Court Gardens

Looking for a convenient place to
the canal towpath or through the
break a north to south journey, I came
fields. A mile along the towpath in the
across this site, just under three miles
other direction is the charming town
from junction 5 of the M5 and opted to of Droitwich, which has a fascinating
stay here based on location alone. But
history linked to its natural brine
I enjoyed my stay so much, I have
springs, and where the summer
already made plans to return.
months see the town’s saltwater lido
There are 12 roomy hardstanding
open to swimmers.
pitches, each fully serviced with 16A
The National Trust’s Hanbury Hall
hook-up, water tap and grey waste
is three miles away and, within a
disposal. There are
45-minute drive, you
two combined toilet/
I enjoyed my stay so have Worcester, with its
shower pods and an
magnificent cathedral,
orchard camping field much, I have already the Severn Valley Steam
is available, too.
Railway at
made plans to return Kidderminster, West
A reception/shop/
information point is
Midland Safari Park at
shared with the on-site 238-berth
Bewdley and also the beautiful
marina and this stocks a selection of
Malvern Hills.
basic items (and ice cream!). A small
Spoilt for choice with so many local
children’s play area can be found by
places to visit, I decided to make the
the entrance to the marina complex.
most of my English Heritage
The site is tucked between the
membership and visit Witley Court
marina and open, rolling farmland
and Gardens. It was
cross-crossed with public footpaths,
about 10 miles from
so it’s great if you have dogs, as there
the site and I enjoyed
is no shortage of space for walkies.
strolling around the
The proximity to the canal also means
atmospheric ruins,
the site would suit those who enjoy
extensive gardens
fishing, kayaking or canoeing.
and the ornate
It’s a pleasant and level 10-minute
Baroque church
Sarah Warburton
walk to the nearest pub, either along
at Great Witley.

PLAN YOUR STAY

“

”

©Crown copyright 2024 Ordnance Survey. Media 002/24.
The licence is valid until 31 December 2024



Hanbury Road, Droitwich Spa,
Worcestershire WR9 7DU
 07970 626807 or 01905 317250
info@droitwichspamarina.co.uk
droitwichspamarina.co.uk
ˆ All year
£ Two adults, pitch, electric: From £25
Nearest public transport: ½ mile
Nearest pub/restaurant: ½ mile
Directions: From Droitwich, take B4090
signed Alcester. Continue across mini
roundabouts and underneath M5. Site is
then around half a mile on left, follow
brown sign for Marina
what3words: caps.rental.slurping

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

81

TRAVEL Parks
CORNWALL

CORNWALL

CUMBRIA

Touring & Camping Holidays
OPEN ALL YEAR!
Relax & Unwind at Carvynick
Holiday Park, a park nestled away
in the Cornish Countryside...
The holiday park is the ideal place
for either a couples retreat or a
quiet family holiday. Carvynick
is set in a perfect location with
easy access to nearby Newquay,
Padstow, St Austell, Bodmin and
Truro. On site pub/restaurant.

Howtown Road, Pooley Bridge, Penrith, Cumbria CA10 2NA

Book Online by telephone 01872 510716 or email: info@carvynick.co.uk

CUMBRIA

Located in the north of the traditional market town of Kendal, Spital
Caravan site is surrounded by countryside which provides an array
of excellent walking routes, highlighting the beauty of the surrounding
landscape. Kendal is the ideal base to explore the Lake District and
surrounding areas.

E: info@spitalcaravans.co.uk
W: spitalcaravans.co.uk
T: 0730 576 6739

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T: 017684 86309 E: holidays@parkfootullswater.co.uk W: parkfootullswater.co.uk
Park Foot is a family run camping and caravan park, just 1 mile from Pooley
Bridge. Bookings are welcome from families and couples looking to enjoy the
wonders of the Lake District. Set in magnificent scenery, the park accommodates
touring caravans, tents and motorhomes. Camping at Park Foot can provide a
wonderful holiday for families as it offers a vast array of activities and facilities
both on the park and in the surrounding area. The park is large enough to remain
peaceful for those looking for a more tranquil, relaxing camping break. Park
Foot is also close to a number of Lake District family attractions, including the
Ullswater Steamers.

Sites TRAVEL
ENGLAND
PLAN YOUR STAY

Spital Caravans, Cumbria
We discovered this beautiful, small
site a few years ago just after it
opened. It is situated on the outskirts
of the Cumbrian town of Kendal, with
its ruins of the twelfth century castle.
Kendal is situated on the River
Kent, and boasts lots of small
independent shops and various bars
and restaurants to head to after an
energetic day on the fells, or a quiet
day admiring the fantastic views.
The town is a 15-minute stroll or,
for the less able, there is a bus stop
outside the site entrance. There are
two supermarkets five minutes’ walk

Pitches with a view

away for your daily supplies. There is a
pub, The Duke of Cumberland, which
serves meals, a few minutes’ walk.
Numerous attractions can be found
locally, as well as further afield in the
south Lake District. There is a castle, a
brewery, a museum, and you can head
to Sizergh castle and gardens. From
Kendal, a Lakes bus service covers all
major attractions. There is also a train
station, with services to Windermere.
The site itself has 30 fully serviced,
level, hardstanding pitches of a
generous size. The electric supply is
16A. There is no facility block, but
there is a motorhome service point
and rubbish is recycled. Pets are
welcome and there is
a dog walk on site.
The owners are
very welcoming and
always willing to
have a chat. If we
have a few spare
days, this is our
Bryan Eddy
go-to site.

©Crown copyright 2024 Ordnance Survey. Media 002/24.
The licence is valid until 31 December 2024



Appleby Road, Kendal LA9 6PJ

 07305 766739
spitalcaravans@gmail.com
spitalcaravans.co.uk
ˆ 1 March – 21 November
£ Two adults, pitch, electric: From £19
Nearest public transport: Outside site
Nearest pub/restaurant: Five minutes
Directions: Exit M6 J38 onto A685
Kendal. Follow signs for Kendal for 11
miles. Site entrance on left just after retail
park, opposite Queen Katherine School
what3words: elects.remains.pixel

ENGLAND
PLAN YOUR STAY

Mill Lane Campsite, Cornwall
This is a small site, tucked away
behind the pub called Out of the Blue.
It’s quite an unusual set-up, as
everything is run from the pub and the
entrance to the touring field is slightly
further up Mill Lane.
The pub is where the toilets and
showers are located. They can be
accessed from the campsite and are
left open when the pub is closed. The
stone steps down to these facilities
could be tricky if you have mobility
problems. They are clean and bright,
nicely decorated in a seaside theme,
and there was plenty of hot water.
The pitches nearest the pub are

Porthleven Harbour

fully serviced hardstandings, while
those in the bottom field are all on
grass, with electric hook-up available.
Both areas have washing-up sinks.
The main advantage of this site is
its close proximity to the picturesque
village of Porthleven. It is a mere 500
yards down to the harbour where
there is an eclectic mix of craft stalls,
cafés, art galleries and restaurants. In
fact, the village is a bit of a foodie
mecca and hosts a food festival every
July. The art and crafts scene is also
lively, with a market every Thursday.
If you would like to explore further
afield, Saint Michael’s Mount is only a
15-minute drive away. Even closer is
the National Trust’s Penrose with
woodland, parkland and
Cornwall’s largest
natural lake. With so
much to explore, and
the South West
Coast Path within
easy reach, this is
a site worthy of a
Denise Harrison
lengthy visit.

©Crown copyright 2024 Ordnance Survey. Media 002/24.
The licence is valid until 31 December 2024



Mill Lane, Porthleven, Halston,
Cornwall TR13 9LJ
 01326 573881
millanecampsite@outlook.com
outoftheblueporthleven.co.uk
ˆ All year
£ Two adults, pitch, electric: From £30
Nearest public transport: 500 yards
Nearest pub/restaurant: 500 yards
Directions: Leave Helston on A394
Penzance. In two miles turn left onto
B3304, signed Porthleven. In one mile,
turn left into Mill Lane
what3words: edits.husky.pile

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

83

TRAVEL Parks
DERBYSHIRE

DEVON

Laneside Caravan Park

WIDDICOMBE FARM
Torquay’s Touring Park In the Heart of the English Riviera

Station Road, Hope, Derbyshire S33 6RR T: 01433 620215
E: info@lanesidecaravanpark.co.uk
W: lanesidecaravanpark.co.uk

24

Laneside Caravan Park is a welcoming camping and caravan site just a 5-minute walk from
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the picturesque village of Hope in the Hope Valley, the heart of The Peak District, Derbyshire.
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od dis idays
A family run caravan site and campsite in its 3rd generation, which has been open
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since the 1950s aims to ensure you have a fantastic break in one of the worlds
Us a 10 nk ho
most visited National Parks! Welcoming families and quiet couples,
for xcl ba
to ensure your stay is a peaceful one.
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Exclusively For Adults
All Weather Pitches
Bar With Entertainment
Restaurant & Takeaway
Wet Room Style Facilities
Dogs Welcome • Easy Access
3 Static Caravans for holiday let
Bus Service From Park

01803 558325
www.widdicombefarm.co.uk TQ3 1ST

DEVON

Countryside holidays by the sea
Paignton, South Devon
Holiday Caravans
Lodges
Touring
Camping
Pods
Dogs Welcome

Call us 01803 782338 Visit & book online whitehill-park.co.uk

DEVON

The 100 finest UK campsites, independently assessed

premier-parks.co.uk
DEVON

Sorry, No Dogs
• Lovingly developed over 50 years by the Franks family
• Situated on the Jurassic Coast near to Sidmouth
• Touring pitches divided into private ‘groves’
• Holiday caravans & leisure lodges for purchase/hire
• Barrel Pods, Premier Pods & Shepherd Huts
• Deluxe centrally heated, spotlessy clean amenities
• Well-stocked shop and cafe
• Popular 9-hole par 3 golf

Touring, Camping and Glamping in
the heart of the South Hams

DEVON

Caravans, Pods, Tents, Motorhomes,
En-suite pitches, Lodges.

Open All Year - Adults Only - Onsite Shop
Private Facilities Available - Bus Stop
Pets are welcome at Smytham. A rural retreat ideal as a base to enjoy all that
North Devon has to offer. Walks and dog friendly beaches are nearby.
Direct access to Tarka Trail. Dog exercise field.
www.smytham.co.uk | info@smytham.co.uk
Little Torrington, EX38 8PU | 01805622110

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Kingsbridge, Nr Salcombe, South Devon TQ7 4AF
01548 852723 / 07968 222008
www.parklandsite.co.uk enquiries@parklandsite.co.uk

© Walkerssk/Pixabay

Sites TRAVEL

Stirling Cast le

Stunning scenery surrounds The Woods

The site’s facilities

SCOTLAND
The Woods Caravan Park, Clackmannanshire
Sometimes it’s the little things that
Scotland, close to the village of Alva
stick in your mind when you visit a
and a short drive (or bus trip) from
campsite. The Woods is a beautiful
Stirling – home of the Wallace
site that boasts superb facilities and a
Monument and one of Scotland’s most
stunning location. It’s tranquil, has
historic cities. It’s easy to reach from
amazing scenic views and is handily
Glasgow, Edinburgh and Perth and it’s
placed to visit attractions in Stirling
handy as a stopover on your way to or
and beyond.
from the Highlands.
But what was it that
The 14-acre site has
A beautiful site that
I remembered most
112 pitches, of which
about my visit here?
boasts superb facilities 95 are large
Well, strangely, it was
hardstandings, with 21
the fact that it had TVs and a stunning location fully serviced pitches,
in the cosy laundry
two mobility fully
room, and immaculate shower blocks!
serviced and nine grass pitches. Every
Now that might sound like an unusual
pitch has a 16A electric hook-up.
thing to leave an impression (it is!),
Many of the pitches enjoy
but it’s details like that which really
breathtaking views over the Ochil
make a campsite stand out from the
Hills, and the site is popular among
crowd. You know if the site
hillwalkers. Guided walks can be
management is taking the time to
taken at the nearby Gartmorn Dam
consider the needs of guests as they
Country Park and Nature
wash their smalls, then they will be on
Reserve. Shops and
top of the big stuff, too.
restaurants are on
And that’s exactly the impression
offer locally, but the
you get from the moment you arrive at
Woodsman Bar &
The Woods. It’s well-kept, friendly and
Restaurant
a haven of peace and quiet, even when
comes with an
it’s busy. Which it usually is.
excellent
Iain Duff
This site is bang in the centre of
reputation.

PLAN YOUR STAY

“

”

©Crown copyright 2024 Ordnance Survey. Media 002/24.
The licence is valid until 31 December 2024



Diverswell Farm by Alva,
Clackmannanshire FK10 3AN
 01259 762802
enquiries@thewoodscaravanpark.
co.uk
thewoodscaravanpark.co.uk
ˆ All year
£ Two adults, pitch, electric: From £32
Nearest public transport: Site entrance
Nearest pub/restaurant: On site
Directions: From south, leave M80 at J9
onto A91 (signed Alloa). Follow the A91
through Alva, then turn right at brown the
campsite sign. The site is on the right in
half a mile
what3words: skies.kitten.stove

THE FINEST CAMPSITES For the ultimate touring experience with 100
campsites in the UK and Ireland visit premier-parks.co.uk
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85

TRAVEL Parks
DORSET

DORSET

St Leonards Farm

Caravan and Camping Park

SEASONAL LONG STAY PITCHES NOW AVAILABLE FOR 2024!

Ringwood Rd, West Moors, Ferndown, Dorset BH22 0AQ
Peaceful, level well drained site near Bournemouth. Electric hook-ups, shower
and toilet block, hard standing pitches available. New storage spaces available
for Motorhomes & Caravans available now!
Permanent Holiday Static Caravans for Sale fully sited. Storage spaces & seasonal pitches.

01202 872637 • enquiries_stleonards@yahoo.co.uk
www.stleonardsfarmpark.com
DORSET
www.bagwellfarm.co.uk
01305 782575

Chickerell, Weymouth,
Dorset DT3 4EA

Discover the Landscape - Treasure the Memories
Camping in Every Season

Independently owned - Well-stocked shop open daily - Bus stop half a mile

ESSEX

KENT
KENT

Campsite and
Touring Park in Kent
CALL US 01622 870838
www.thehopfarm.co.uk/stay

Have a super stay-cation at The Hop Farm

The Hop farm is a superb award winning touring and campsite set in over 500 acres
of beautiful open fields and woodland at one of Kent’s most popular family visitor
attractions. It is one of the best Kent campsites and has a spectacular Oast village,
the largest Oast house collection in the world - it’s the ultimate backdrop and a
fantastic base for exploring Kent’s Garden of England.
You can enjoy the best in camping in a glorious setting with all the creature comforts
you need. We have showers, toilets and washing facilities, a camping shop and on-site
popular pub/restaurant. Ideal for families and great local amenities nearby.

Camping at the Hop Farm campsite in the
heart of Kent doesn’t get better than this.
86

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

Sites TRAVEL
WALES
Hay-on-Wye Caravan Park, Powys

The Hay campsite

The River Wye

Hay-on-Wye

This site is one of eight run by
a half miles away, in about 30 minutes.
Hillandale Caravan Parks and offers a
A footpath leads from the back of
mix of pitch types. The entrance to the
the site across two small fields to a
site off the B4350 south of Hay-on-Wye country lane and then to the main
was clearly signed and the booking-in
road into the town.
friendly and efficient.
This avoids the need to walk along
Opposite the office, there’s a handy
the main road, but you need to climb
water point, which we used before
two stiles (one of them a bit wobbly).
being conducted to a
Hay-on-Wye styles
level, stoned pitch
itself
as the world’s
Hay-on-Wye styles
close to the recently
first book town and,
commissioned
itself as the world’s first as such, boasts a
facilities block.
plethora of bookshops,
book town
I could quibble with
as well as a variety of
the toilets and basins
other retail
being separated from the (very hot)
opportunities and a good choice of
showers, but the facilities were
eateries. You can hire canoes and
spotlessly clean and benefit from
tackle the rapids on the Wye or, if
underfloor heating.
you’re more of a landlubber, the Offa’s
During our visit, the pot washing
Dyke long-distance footpath passes
bay was small and basic, but a new
through the town.
facility is planned. Black and grey
The famous annual Hay Book
water disposal is available, the latter
Festival takes place in late spring and
by drive-over drains at the entrance.
the site is well placed in
The site is an open, grassy field with relation to the festival
excellent views of the hills. There was
fields, which are only
some noise from the adjoining road,
about half a mile
but it isn’t heavily trafficked.
away. Separate
Buses on the Brecon to Hereford
booking
route stop outside the site every
arrangements and
couple of hours or so. Alternatively,
pricing apply for
Barry Juniper
you can walk into Hay, about one and
this period.

PLAN YOUR STAY

“

”

©Crown copyright 2024 Ordnance Survey. Media 002/24.
The licence is valid until 31 December 2024



Pen-y-maes, Hay-on-Wye, Powys
HR3 5PP
 01497 821784
hay@hillandale.co.uk
hillandale.co.uk
ˆ 1 March – 31 October
£ Two adults, pitch, electric: From £27
(£4 discount if you don’t need
electric)
Nearest public transport: Site entrance
Nearest pub/restaurant: 1¼ miles
Directions: Accessed directly off B4350,
about ½ mile southwest of Hay-on-Wye
what3words: text.fruitcake.taps

FIND THE PERFECT TOURING PARK with over 3,500 campsites in the
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87

TRAVEL Parks
NORFOLK

NORTHUMBERLAND

HEXHAM RACECOURSE

 

STAY


CARAVAN and CAMPING PARK
The Hexham Racecourse site is set in the heart of
stunning Northumberland countryside just 2 miles
South of the town centre and within easy reach of
the many places of interest for all tourists.
The caravan and camping site is adjacent to the
racecourse and enjoys views to the South over
the unspoilt and peaceful Hexhamshire.

1RUWK1RUIRON

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7RXULQJRU&DPSLQJEUHDNV

Hexham Racecourse Caravan and Camping Park
High Yarridge Road Hexham NE46 2JP • Telephone: 01434-606847
E: caravansite@hexham-racecourse.co.uk • www.hexham-racecourse.co.uk

RUTLAND

Rutland Caravan and Camping Park
in the beautiful county of Rutland...

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SHROPSHIRE

A pretty family owned site,
affiliated to the Caravan Club,
which has an adults only and
family area with luxury lodges
and indoor swimming pool.
Within walking distance to the
village which has 3 pubs all
serving food.
Close to the Viking Way and
Rutland Water, making this an
excellent location for walking
and cycling.
Excellent Golf Club within a
mile. Pet friendly site
(2.5 acre dog walk), with
grass, hardstanding and super
pitches available.

Greetham, Oakham, Rutland, East Midlands, LE15 7FN
01572 813520 • www.rutlandcaravanandcamping.co.uk
SOMERSET

BEACONSFIELD
EXCLUSIVELY FOR ADULTS

PICTURESQUE, SELECT, FAMILY-RUN PARK JUST NORTH OF SHREWSBURY
Beautiful park with peaceful fishing lakes shaded by trees and shrubs and immaculately maintained.
The perfect environment in which to own your bespoke Luxury Holiday Home.

Holiday homes and lodges for sale and hire. Indoor swimming pool and steam room.
Coarse fishing available. Featuring The Croft Bar & Restaurant.

Telephone: 01939 210370
Battlefield, Shrewsbury, SY4 4BE

Email: mail@beaconsfieldholidaypark.co.uk

Book online: www.beaconsfieldholidaypark.co.uk

SOMERSET

Bath Chew Valley .co.uk

Greenacres Touring Park
is exclusively for adults. A
holiday destination providing
attractive landscaped
surrounding and wonderful
views of the Blackdown and
Quantock hills.

Exclusively for adults - Open all year - Pets welcome
A uniquely peaceful park, with
electric & fully-serviced pitches set
alongst lawns, shru0s & Yower 0edsĸ
Ideal for exploring Chew Valley Lake
Country Park, Bath, Bristol, Cheddar,
the endips & "olerset a‚racࢼonsĸ

Last
spaces for
Easter &
May Bank
Holidays
88

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

ire car availa0leĸ eland-led 0us
service to ciࢼes & across the regionĸ

• Set near stunning Somerset/Devon border with
excellent links to Lyme Regis, Lynmouth, Sidmouth,
Weston-Super-Mare, Torquay and more.
• Pub with restaurant close by.
• Bus stop. Garage, Supermarket all in a short walk.
• WiFi and your dog is free.

Haywards Lane, Chelston, Wellington, Somerset TA21 9PH.

Tel: 01823 652844

www.greenacres-wellington.co.uk

Sites TRAVEL

Villa ge squa re with pretty foun tain

Pitched on site

Horse-drawn plough in a vineyard

FRANCE
Camping de Santenay, Côte-d’Or
From my glorious pitch, the sunlit
Burgundian vineyards stretched away
to the wooded hilltops beyond.
Reception at this well-signposted
site from the Routes des Grands Crus
is professional and friendly, with a
little English spoken where necessary.
Whilst waiting 10 minutes for the 2pm
opening, a nightingale was singing in a
bush not 10 feet from my motorhome.
On this spacious site you select
your own pitch, many of which are
very generously sized. The site’s lower
half offers sheltered tree-divided
pitches, while the upper parts are
more open with wide views over the
famous vineyards.
Sanitation facilities are clean and
entirely adequate, though they are not
gender separated. There is a small
laundry. Washing-up facilities are
outdoors. WiFi is available across
most of the site. The grey water
emptying facility is awkward to access
and not to modern standards. There is
no traffic noise, though sometimes
small tractors work in the vineyards
during the day.
Next to the site is a large, modern
and very well appointed indoor

swimming pool and thermal spa.
There’s also an outdoor swimming
pool adjacent, open in the summer.
The reason many come here is to
experience the famed vineyards of
Burgundy, indeed the whole area is
designated as a World Heritage Site.
A quarter of a mile away is the Voie
des Vignes – the well-signed trail that
winds its way from Santenay village
through Montrachet, Meursault,
Pommard and on to Beaune along
quiet roads. These villages provide
attractive cafés, centred on squares
often with fountains. In some
vineyards, traditional horse-drawn
ploughs were in use.
Another local cycling route of the
same quality stretches south to
Chalon-sur-Saône along the Canal du
Centre towpath.
In spring the vines
were coming into bud
and the nightingales
sang and cuckoos
called. Camping de
Santenay seemed
an ideal place to
explore this
Paul Knight
famous area.

PLAN YOUR STAY

© 2011 Freytag-Berndt u. Artaria KG, 1230 Vienna



Avenue des Sources, 21590
Santenay
 0033 380 206655
camping.santenay@aquadisloisirs.com
aquadis-loisirs.com
ˆ 18 March – 10 November
£ Two adults, pitch, electric: From €19
(£16.30)
Nearest public transport: 800m
Nearest pub/restaurant: 1.6km
Directions: From A6 exit 24.1 follow
D1074 west and south on Beaune ring
road to D974; then south on D974 to
Santenay. After village, site clearly
signposted
what3words: mods.whereas.diet

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89

TRAVEL Sites
Camping meadow

Villers Abbey church

Park van Terv uren

BELGIUM
PLAN YOUR STAY

Camping Druivenland, Flanders
This rural campsite is ideally placed.
Surrounded by farmland just
southeast of Brussels, it also has Park
van Tervuren, the Africa Museum, the
Waterloo Memorial 1815 and the
beautiful Villers Abbey all within 20
minutes’ drive.
There are many permanent pitches at
Druivenland, but touring ’vans and tents
are welcomed onto a huge camping
meadow that can accommodate up to
100 units, with electric. You might need
a long lead, though!
This is normally a quiet and peaceful
site. We arrived at the beginning of a
very busy bank holiday weekend, but
everybody settled around us with good
humour, and the young staff were very
active around the site, ensuring that
their facilities could cope.
In addition to the usual motorhome
services provided, there is a main
building with always-clean showers
and toilets and a small laundry room.
The motorhome services can also be
used by visitors for €5 (£4.44).
Brussels can be visited by bus/metro.
We had visited the city previously, so
chose to explore other local attractions.
Overijse is on the edge of the Forêt de

Soignes, and Park van Tervuren or the
arboretum both make nice cycle trips.
The park is home to the Africa Museum
of natural history and culture, which our
Belgian neighbours on site had made a
special trip to visit.
We enjoyed our visit to the
Waterloo Memorial 1815, which traces
the history of Napoleon’s defeat by
Wellington in very visual and
imaginative ways, including a 3D film
which puts you right in the middle of
the battle. One building is dedicated
to a huge painted panorama and the
view from the top of the famous Butte
de Lion (Lion’s Mound) allows you to
take in the whole battlefield.
We would also recommend Villers
Abbey, which dates from 1146, but
was destroyed after the French
revolution and never rebuilt.
The ruins are
extensive, set in
lovely grounds.
Visitors are well
catered for with
information
boards, audio
guides, and a
The Thorpes
handy café.

© 2011 Freytag-Berndt u. Artaria KG, 1230 Vienna



Nijvelsebaan 80, 3090 Overijse,
Belgium
 0032 26 879368
campingdruivenland.be
ˆ 1 April – 30 September
£ Two adults, pitch, electric: From €27
(£23.99)
Nearest public transport: 600m
Nearest pub/restaurant: 1.7km
Directions: From N4/E411, take exit 3
direction Overijse, then first right on N218
(Nijvelsebaan) as far as campsite
what3words: booklet.full.minority

FOUND YOUR PERFECT PITCH? Tell other readers about your opinions on the campsites
you’ve stayed at recently in the UK and abroad motorhome.ma/campsitereview
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Parks TRAVEL
WALES

WALES

TYDDYN LLWYN PORTHMADOG

WELSH ESCAPE
BY THE SEA
OPEN 1ST MAR— 31ST OCT
CARAVAN, MOTORHOME, CAMPER VAN,
ALL WEATHER SERVICED PITCHES
3 SHOWER/TOILET BLOCKS, SHOP, LAUNDRETTE,
PLAY PARK, BAR / RESTAURANT ON SITE
5 MINS DRIVE TO BLACK ROCK & PORTMEIRION

01766 512205
www.tyddynllwyn.com
WALES

A family friendly caravan and motorhome
park, situated just 100 metres from the
beach and a 20 minute stroll into
Barmouth’s historic town centre
www.hendremynach.com

01341 280262

YORKSHIRE

Bethel, Caernarfon LL55 1DX

Flaxton Meadows, Flaxton, York. YO60 7QZ
www.flaxtonmeadows.co.uk
hello@flaxtonmeadows.co.uk
01904393943

T: 01248 671114 W: wales-camping.co.uk E: info@wales-camping.co.uk
Set in the stunning scenery of Eryri (Snowdonia) in 20 acres of farmland the campsite has very
spacious pitches, with a choice of standard grass non-electric or grass with electric, plus grass or
all-weather superpitches with water, drainage and electric. Seasonal pitches are also available.

The City Break in the Countryside

YORKSHIRE

Guests at Flaxton Meadows have a range of accommodation
to choose from including: handcrafted luxury log cabins using
our own experienced joiners; touring and motorhome pitches
(hardstanding or grass) with natural screening and electric; and
camping pitches with EHU.
Flaxton Meadows eco-campsite is located in North Yorkshire’s beautiful
countryside renowned for its wildlife and scenery. Bordered by rolling
farmland, Flaxton Meadows provides a peaceful retreat for those wishing
to enjoy nature, yet within easy reach of a wide range of amenities.

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

91

TESTED

WATCH

th
e v ideo!
motorho
me.ma/
moty24

The X factor
This one-of-a-kind motorhome/campervan
crossover is the Motorhome of the Year 2024
CHAUSSON X650 EXCLUSIVE LINE

Peter Vaughan

Price from: £76,990
Berths: 4 Travel seats: 4
Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
Length: 6.36m
Gross weight: 3,500kg

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

93

The extra window (on the offside) makes a huge difference to the lounge in the latest X models

T

his is a ’van that has a lot to live
up to. At its launch last summer, I
said I couldn’t wait to test it. At
the October NEC show, we announced
it was the Compact Motorhome of the
Year. And then, after more deliberation
with the judges, we awarded it the
overall Motorhome of the Year 2024
title. Following on from the
spectacularly innovative Hymer
Venture S, the previous year’s victor in
the reborn awards, is a really big ask
for any motorhome.
But maybe the stars had already
aligned in Chausson’s favour. The
original X model, the X550, was
described as “even better than we
hoped it would be” in the Summer
2021 road test.
Our YouTube video review has had
over 790,000 views and buyers were so
numerous that the model was
temporarily withdrawn from the
brochure for a whole year to give the

94

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

Trigano VDL factory time to catch up
with demand.
For 2024, the X550 is back with a
bigger brother, the X650, which aims
to add the one element missing from
the original – a garage. And, this being
a Chausson (perhaps Europe’s most
innovative motorhome brand), it’s not
just a conventional garage. As we’ll
explain, it’s a whole lot more, too.
Nor is the X650 much bigger. Only
37cm longer than its little brother, the
new X is the same length as an
extra-long Fiat Ducato panel van. And
it remains just 2.10m wide; look at the
join between Fiat’s cab and Chausson’s
IRP construction body (with GRP roof,
floor and sides) and you’d swear it was
no broader than a standard Ducato.
But that is the X range’s raison d’être:
combining campervan dimensions
with coachbuilt motorhome facilities.
Basis is the ever-popular Fiat
Ducato, with 140hp motor and manual

gearbox – 180hp and the nine-speed
automatic transmission are both
optional, but pricey at almost £4,000
each. Otherwise, the cab is well
equipped, with ESP, hill holder,
Traction Plus, electric folding mirrors,
a leather steering wheel and stop/start
as standard.
The Connect Pack (£2,690) adds a
9in Pioneer touchscreen with DAB
radio, Bluetooth, Android Auto and
reversing camera.
Most importantly, the X650 feels
like a campervan on the road. Its
standard mirrors don’t stick out like
the Dumbo ears of a typical coachbuilt
and the ’van handles well with good
all-round visibility. There aren’t too
many rattles, either.

BLACK AND WHITE
You won’t mistake an X for any other
motorhome, nor any campervan.

Chausson X650 Exclusive Line TESTED

Chausson's Smart Lounge converts
into two rear travel seats with Isofix

Drop-down bed comes down to just 75cm off the floor

SECOND OPINION

“Selecting the Chausson X650 as the Motorhome of the Year
2024 wasn't hard. This is a really clever little 'van!”
RACHEL SCHOLES DEPUTY EDITOR

This walk-in dressing room
appears at the press of a button!

Its bold black and white colour
scheme is very striking, with an almost
off-road vibe, thanks to the black 16in
alloy wheels and matching skirts and
wheelarches. Even the rear of this ’van
has received extra attention from the
stylist’s pen; it’s just not the usual wall
of white GRP.
The X models come only in
Exclusive Line spec, so there are some
premium touches, too, such as the
flush, framed habitation windows and
the fog/cornering lights in the front
bumper. The habitation door is linked
to the central locking, too, while also
having a window and a conveniently
low step into the vehicle.
The Thule awning is part of the
£3,590 Accessory Pack, which also
adds a 140W solar panel, a light above
and a flyscreen for the door, and
pre-wiring for a second leisure battery.
Even the first battery is a dealer-fit
item, so it might be a good plan to

specify two when ordering if you plan
much off-grid camping.
On the nearside, you’ll spot two
exterior hatches in the rear corner.
The lower one is for gas (just one 6kg
cylinder as heating is diesel-fired), the
upper one (a lofty 1.60m off the
ground) provides some extra storage
for lightweight items or the infill
cushions for the second bed. Also here
is the fresh water filler; the 90-litre
tank is inboard. The waste tank is
underslung and you simply pull a
T-handle for rapid emptying.
The all-important garage is
accessed on the offside; there’s only
one door and it’s quite high (81cm) off
the floor if you’re loading heavy
e-bikes. Inside, the space measures
1.55m by 0.79m by 1.08m high and
comes with 12V and 230V sockets, a
light, lashing points in each corner
and a heavy-duty plastic floor.
Chausson states that two standard

cycles will fit.
But maybe you don’t need quite
such a big garage, because you’re not a
cyclist or your bikes are folders? That’s
where Chausson's Gallic ingenuity
comes in.
Above the garage is a generous, if
quite shallow (67cm drop from the
rail) wardrobe that also incorporates
two useful drawers on the offside and
shelves on both sides with elasticated
straps to keep your jumpers and jeans
in situ while you drive. Need a deeper
wardrobe? Then you can press a
button on the front of the kitchen and
the floor of the wardrobe lowers,
gradually reducing the height of the
garage underneath and creating room
to hang dresses and coats. In fact, you
can hold your finger on the switch
until the garage has disappeared
completely. Now, you have what
Chausson calls the SDR – Smart
Dressing Room. ³

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

95

TESTED Chausson X650 Exclusive Line

Likes/Dislikes
LIKED

Electrically variable garage size
Motorhome facilities with external
dimensions of a campervan

DISLIKED
Bulky infill cushions for second bed
Garage loading height for heavy items

WANTED
External shower and barbecue points
Heated and insulated waste tank
The kitchen is upgraded for the UK market, so it gets an oven/grill as standard

Obviously, the garage area needs to
be empty to create the SDR, but you
really can use this as a walk-in
changing room, surrounded by all
your clothes. There’s a mirror on the
wall and even room to sit down; the
only compromise is reduced
headroom (1.72m).
Some owners will probably find
their optimum mix of garage and
wardrobe space and never need to
adjust it again but, whether you fully
employ the SDR or not, it’s great to be
able to decide for yourself how to use
this space.

SMART LOUNGE
The SDR is the X650’s USP; the rest is
in many ways typically Chausson, just
packaged into a smaller ’van. But
there’s also been an important change
since that original X550 road test.
That first X lacked a window on the

96

outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

offside of the lounge and it’s fair to say
that people didn’t like the blank wall,
which was simply adorned with a
mirror and novel pinboard. Well,
Chausson has reacted to the criticism
and fitted an extra window, both in
the X550 and this X650.
It makes a big difference, with the
lounge now feeling very light and airy
as there’s also an overcab sunroof, a
window in the door and two rooflights
(one small and one large wind-up
type) over the galley and aisle.
There’s a new illuminated ‘X’ in the
ceiling, too – perhaps, in case you’d
forgotten what sort of ’van you
bought! – as well as a row of LED pin
lights above the cab. There aren’t any
specific reading lights but, with
floor-level and ambient lighting, too,
there’s more than sufficient artificial
illumination in the X650.
It’s Chausson’s popular Smart
Lounge here, with long side settees,

swivel cab seats and a large fixed table
that has a fold-in-half top. The cab
floor and front seats are higher, but
you can rotate the chairs through a
full 180 degrees to put your feet up on
the sofas. And, if you want to dine
from the front seats, the table can be
raised electrically to suit. For either
relaxing or munching, there’s loads of
space in this lounge.
When you travel, the backrests of
the sofas stay put because they attach
to the walls magnetically, but a Smart
Lounge also converts into a pair of
travel seats. The Aguti backrests
simply hinge up from under the
settees and, with a bit rearranging of
cushions, you have two forward-facing
seats with reclining backrests, head
restraints and Isofix for child seats.
Some of the settee cushions are now
surplus to requirement and need to be
stowed, but four people (even four
adults) can travel.

The table is fixed but adjusts electrically for height and also folds in half. The key thing is that the X feels bigger than a campervan inside

SECRET HIDEAWAY
If you’re using the X650 as a two-berth,
you’ll gain additional under-seat
storage and never need to rearrange
your lounge. Even at night you only
need to tip the sofa backrests forward,
to lie them flat, then press a couple of
buttons, first to lower the table, then
to operate what Chausson calls a
Hideaway Bed.
As the French firm was one of the
first innovators to introduce dropdown beds in low-profile motorhomes,
it’s no surprise to find that the X650’s
bed glides down slickly on its cord
pulleys. Even better, it comes right
down to just 75cm off the floor. And
it’s a good size and very comfortable
bed; the mattress is 1.88m long but,
wall to wall, you have 1.93m to stretch
out in.
Not compromising on bed length
was one of the factors behind the
original omission of an offside

window; there wasn’t room for the
frame around it and its blind. The
solution is a simple fabric cover that
unfurls over the window – just watch
out as you raise the bed as sometimes
the blind momentarily goes up with
the bed and you might not be fully
dressed yet!
The X650 can also sleep four,
though, to go with the quartet of travel
seats. The settee backrests are
removed, the table lowered and two
very large infill cushions added to
make the lounge into a generous and
reasonably flat double bed. Then you
simply lower the electric bed partway
to create double bunks. The upper bed
is now reached by a ladder and has
much reduced headroom of 63cm; the
lower bed has 67cm before you bang
your bonce. I wouldn’t describe it as
an ideal arrangement for four but, for
occasional trips with the grandkids, it
might work.

BETTER FOR BRITS
On the Continent, the X650's kitchen
comes with a simple gas hob but, to
suit the UK market, that’s replaced by
a Thetford Triplex cooker with mains
hotplate, two gas rings and a
combined oven and grill.
There’s still plenty of storage
(despite the bigger cooker), including
two large soft-closing drawers beneath
the sink and more cupboards top and
bottom. There’s also a useful amount
of worktop alongside the sink (plus a
loose cover over it), without needing
any folding flaps.
A single mains socket (and two
USBs) can be found on the front of the
galley, with further 230V power points
at floor level in the lounge and, rather
oddly, over the door.
There are 12V and aerial sockets
above the entrance, too, but without
long, trailing leads, it’s hard to see
where a TV would go – better then ³

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk

97

TESTED Chausson X650 Exclusive Line
FACTS AND FIGURES
PRICE
From: £76,990
As tested: £83,270

BASICS
Berths: 4
Travel seats: 4
Warranty: Two years base vehicle and
conversion, seven years water ingress
Type approval: European Whole Vehicle

DIMENSIONS
Bodywork

Length: 6.36m (20ft 10½in)
Width: 2.10m (6ft 10½in)
Height: 2.75m (9ft 0in)
Gross vehicle weight: 3,500kg
Payload: 580kg (standard spec),
523kg (as tested)

BASE VEHICLE
Type: Fiat Ducato chassis-cab
Engine: 2.2-litre, 140hp, front-wheel drive,
six-speed manual gearbox

KITCHEN
There's adequate space as a loo room,
but no toilet roll holder or towel ring

THE

The washroom works best as a shower
cubicle, thanks to its swing wall design

BEDS

VERDICT

Taking the X550 and making it better without making it too much bigger – or losing
what made the original so great – was a big ask for Chausson’s designers, but they’ve
succeeded. With a bike-swallowing garage that becomes the Smart Dressing Room,
the X650 not only adds storage to the recipe but a clever USP, too. It’s a worthy
winner of the Motorhome of the Year 2024 title.

to just use your laptop on the table for
iPlayer, Netflix or whatever.
The kitchen is completed,
meanwhile, with a tall/slim
compressor fridge in the corner
between the SDR and the washroom.
With a 149.5-litre capacity, it’s another
feature that beats most campervans.
The washroom is better than you’ll
find in many panel vans, too. It’s not
huge but its swing-wall arrangement
simply rotates the washbasin over the
cassette toilet, creating a really good
shower with plentiful water pressure,
twin drains and lots of space. There’s
even a seat in here – ideal for washing
feet, or perhaps when you’re feeling a
little lazy!
As a toilet room, there’s less-

Cooker: Thetford Triplex cooker with
two gas rings, mains hotplate and
combined oven/grill
Fridge: Thetford 149.5-litre compressor

generous room but it’s still adequate.
The basin is large and the loo (a
Thetford swivel cassette) is at a
comfortable height. A tall corner
cupboard caters for toiletries and a
roof vent serves for ventilation (and
has a folding drying rail), but there’s
no loo roll holder or towel ring.

MOTORHOME SUPPLIED BY

Drop-down bed: 1.88m x 1.40m
(6ft 2in x 4ft 7in)
Dinette bed: 1.93m x 1.56m/1.14m
(6ft 4in x 5ft 1½in/3ft 9in)

ESSENTIALS
Fresh water: 90 litres (inboard)
Waste water: 100 litres (underfloor)
Space/water heating: Webasto 5.5kW
diesel-fired blown-air heating; Truma
gas/230V boiler
Gas: 1 x 6kg
Leisure battery: Dealer-fit accessory

OPTIONS
Fitted to test vehicle: Connect Pack
(£2,690), Accessory Pack (£3,590)

THE ALTERNATIVES
Knaus Tourer Van 500 LT
Vansation
Wingamm Oasi 540.1

River Motorhomes
 03308 080805
rivermotorhomes.autoserver.co.uk

INSURANCE

£ 756

 0800 975 1307
shieldtotalinsurance.co.uk
For quote details: motorhome.ma/QuoteInfo

LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT MOTORHOME? Our buyers’ guide has
over 15,000 makes and models motorhome.ma/buyersguide
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outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

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SCAN ME

TESTED

EXCLUSIVE

Snow holds barred
Testing a motorhome in minus 20 degrees is a big challenge, even for
the winner of the 2024 Best Fixed Double Bed Motorhome award…

WATCH

emoa/!
id
v
e
th
e.
m
motorho
review301

BAILEY ALORA 69-4S

Peter Vaughan

Price from: £75,499
Berths: 4 Travel seats: 4
Base vehicle: Ford Transit
Length: 6.99m
Gross weight: 3,500kg

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk 101

The fixed table has now gone, making the lounge area feel especially generous for a narrow-bodied motorhome

T

here are two unusual aspects of
the Bailey Alora 69-4S that helped
it to victory in its class in the
Motorhome Awards 2024. Firstly, it’s a
narrow-bodied coachbuilt with a side
sofa lounge (rather than the more
confined half-dinette more usually
seen in these slimline models).
Secondly, it has a transverse rear bed,
installed not to reduce overall length
to 6m or so but to create a less
compromised living space in a still
modest 6.99m overall length.
More unusual, though, are the
circumstances of this test. Not for the
Alora is a gentle spin around the
Mendips close to Bailey’s Bristol base.
Instead, I meet up with this vehicle
after it was driven 1,000 miles across
Europe by the company’s marketing
team. The plan was for three days of
real-life winter testing in the
Dolomites; fresh snow and the forecast
of seriously sub-zero temperatures

102 outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

(even in the daytime), suggested that
the newest Bailey motorhome wasn’t
going to get an easy ride.
This is still the prototype, too – the
actual vehicle that you may have seen
at the NEC in October, where it made
an early debut (the launch was
originally planned for the February
show). And the only non-standard
features fitted are the off-road tyres
and the covers on the door mirrors.
Bailey’s Marketing Director, Simon
Howard, jokes that having tried to
cook me in the Sahara (see our
Endeavour road test in the November
2023 issue), they’re attempting to
freeze me in Italy. Nevertheless, I’ve
turned down the offer of a ski lodge
and will be staying in the Alora…

JANUARY DIET
Getting on the scales after Christmas
was an unwelcome surprise for yours

truly but it seems that motorhomes
also want to get slimmer in 2024.
There’s a growing trend for vehicles
that are less than the typical 2.30m to
2.35m wide. Not only are these ’vans
easier to drive but less bulk means
more payload. In the Alora’s case,
there’s capacity for 550kg of
passengers and possessions to go with
the licence-friendly 3.5-tonne
maximum gross weight.
Designed to suit campervan
customers seeking more space, these
compact coachbuilts still have the
roomier flat sides of their bigger
brothers. Few, however, are as slim as
the Bailey – the Auto-Trail Excel,
Pilote Atlas, Rapido C Series and Swift
Ascari are all wider. The Alora’s
Alu-Tech body (with GRP inside and
out and wood banished from all
panels bar the floor) barely seems
broader than the Ford cab.
Not that you’d notice on the inside,

Bailey Alora 69-4S TESTED

The cab spec includes a supersized
12in screen for reversing and navigation

Fold-down steps make for brilliantly easy access to the rear bed, in which you can sit up

SECOND OPINION

“In contrast to the many rather compromised island bed layouts
on the market, this Alora makes great use of its compact size.”
RACHEL SCHOLES DEPUTY EDITOR

The garage includes a gas locker
(for one 6kg cylinder) on the offside

thanks to the very open lounge area
up front, which feels even bigger now
that the fixed table has been
jettisoned. Bailey listened to feedback
from visitors to the NEC and has now
installed a free-standing table instead.
Pity, then, that it stores for travel in
the garage, rather than inside the
living area. Could it swap places with
the board for the dinette bed, which is
due to move to beneath the rear fixed
bed? We’ve asked Bailey to investigate
that possibility.
In the meantime, it clips to the
garage’s back wall and is reached
through the nearside door. There’s an
identical door on the offside to service
this space, which measures 65cm wide
and 1.01m tall. There are 12V and
230V sockets in here, as well as fixed
lashing points on the practical floor.
The only illumination is on the
nearside, where you’ll also find a
drawer that will be useful for odds and

ends but could be hard to access if the
space is fully loaded.
Also in the garage, on the offside, is
the gas locker, with room for just a
single 6kg Calor cylinder. That
shouldn’t be a big issue as the Alora
has diesel/electric heating (Truma
Combi D 4 E) – a first for a Bailey
motorhome. We’ll be putting that
system to the ultimate test…
Bearing in mind our location,
where campers ski directly from their
pitches, it’s good to note that the fresh
water tank (a generous 115 litres) is
inboard, but we’d like to see a heater
option for the underslung waste tank
(although in more typically British
conditions the T-handle will make for
easy emptying).
Externally, it’s worth noting the
flush Polyplastic windows and rear
bike rack mounting points, but also
the absence of outside shower or
barbecue fittings. On the plus side,

though, the habitation door has a low
step, window, flyscreen, bin, umbrella
holder and is linked to the Ford’s
central locking.

MANUAL WORK
The Transit cab comes with a good tally
of toys, including automatic lights and
wipers, adaptive cruise control and
black 16in alloy wheels. The flashiest
feature, however, is the 12in screen for
the DAB radio, Android Auto, Apple
CarPlay and the reversing camera.
An automatic gearbox is a wellpriced £2,000 option in combination
with the 155hp motor, but here we
have the standard fare – 130 horses
and six manually shifted gears. On the
steep inclines and hairpin bends
around our base in Sesto, Italy, the
Ford coped surprisingly well. The gear
change is easy, performance proved
perfectly adequate and the handling ³

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk 103

TESTED Bailey Alora 69-4S

LIKED

Spacious open-plan lounge with
free-standing table
Clever folding steps to a bed in which
you can sit up

DISLIKED

Weight of support board for front bed
(being addressed)
Extra cushions required for the rear
travel seats

WANTED
Table storage inside the motorhome
Waste water tank heating
The kitchen comes with an oven/grill and mains hotplate, while the tall fridge is opposite

feels the benefits of the modestly sized
habitation area.
The driving position has the usual
Ford benefits of sitting lower at a
car-like wheel that has much more
adjustment than a Fiat’s or Peugeot’s.
But I was soon to discover that the
marriage of Transit and Truma is
currently causing a little trauma…
On my first night in the Alora, I
bade my compatriots a good night and
settled into the comfortable fixed bed
that’s so easily and conveniently
accessed via folding steps.
The temperature inside the
motorhome was a cosy 17 degrees, in
sharp contrast to the minus 20 that
was recorded outside shortly
afterwards. I sat up with a magazine,
back against the padded headboard,
for a while before switching off the
reading lights.
I didn’t wake until 4am, when the
heating went off, with the Truma

104 outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

display indicating a fuel supply issue. I
should have switched to 230V-only
heating but my brain was also
indicating an error message at that
hour, so I dozed off. By 7am it was just
six degrees inside the Alora…
It seems there is an issue with the
fuel feed to the heater from the Ford’s
diesel tank if it isn’t full of fuel. Truma
is aware of it and working with Ford
on a solution.
The good news for me was that
brimming the previously half-full
supply of diesel solved the problem
and I stayed toasty all of the following
night. The good news for you is that
the issue will be addressed by the time
Aloras roll off the South Liberty Lane
production line,
It’s testament to the importance of
Bailey testing in these conditions (not
just in theory or in a cold chamber).
Better motorhomes come out of such
real-life use of prototype models.

END TO END
Back to why the Alora is an awardwinner and that lounge is central to its
appeal. The cab chairs (which are
fractionally lower than the sofas) can
spin through a full 180 degrees for
feet-up relaxation.
There are reading lights (with USBs)
over the front seats and ambient
lighting over the top lockers that gives
a good spread of illumination, thanks
to the white GRP ceiling. Daylight (and
mountain views) is provided by the
large overcab sunroof and Midi Heki
rooflight, so the smaller-than-average
side windows (with attractive
upholstered surrounds) only serve to
create a cosy ambience.
Crucially, this doesn’t feel like a
narrow ’van, even when you add the
large (92cm by 62cm) table, which is
an ideal size for the space.
The lounge can also be converted
into a second bed, simply by unfolding

Looking back from the cab, this is an attractive, modern design − Bailey’s best motorhome yet

a support panel that rests on the sofa
bases and moving the backrests into
the middle. It’s a flat double berth that
narrows towards the nearside, leaving
full access through the habitation
door. The only issue is the weight of
the panel, which Bailey has promised
to address.
With four berths, the 69-4S also
offers four travel seats; Aguti frames
fold up from under the settees. These
reclining forward-facing seats have
Isofix as well as enough legroom for
adults, although kids might find the
side windows too low to see much
through. As usual, they rob you of
some under-seat storage and what’s
left isn’t the easiest to reach. Here,
they also require you to carry extra
cushions for their secondary travel
role, while all the sofa cushions need
to be stowed on the bed when
passengers are carried.
At the opposite end of the ’van, the

bedroom layout can’t overcome the
climbing-over-your-partner issue of
any transverse bed but it leaves more
space for other aspects compared with
an island bed. Having room to sit up is
a big plus and there’s ventilation from
another Midi Heki and a window at the
foot. There’s a privacy curtain here and
even a recess at one side of the bed for
a night-time drink, your phone, etc.
Although the mattress measures 1.85m
long, the usable length from
headboard to wall is 1.94m.
Under the bed, you’ll not only find
the neat steps but a slide-out
wardrobe and a drawer that could
serve for clothes or kitchen. Lift the
bed base and you’ll find even more
additional storage.

SHARED SPACE
Forward of the bedroom, the tambour
door to the washroom opens to create

more (carpeted) floor space in the
galley, where the floor is 15cm higher
than in the lounge but headroom is
still 1.89m. Again, it’s an area that
belies the Alora’s dimensions through
thoughtful design.
The kitchen is well equipped, too,
with its Thetford Triplex Plus cooker
having a mains hotplate, three gas
rings and a combined oven/grill, while
diagonally opposite is the tall
137.6-litre compressor fridge (another
first for a Bailey motorhome).
The main galley unit has one big
cutlery/utensil drawer, two large
low-level cupboards and a supersized
upper locker with a single door, so you
can see all its contents at once. Twin
230V sockets at the rear end can only
really be used with the sink cover in
place but there’s more worktop at the
forward end, via a folding flap.
In the washroom, the key feature is
that the basin (combined with the ³

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk 105

TESTED Bailey Alora 69-4S
FACTS AND FIGURES
PRICE
From: £75,499
As tested: £75,499

BASICS
Berths: 4
Travel seats: 4
Warranty: Three years on base vehicle and
conversion, six years bodyshell integrity
(extendable to 10 years at extra cost)
Type approval: European Whole Vehicle

DIMENSIONS
Bodywork

Length: 6.99m (22ft 11in)
Width: 2.12m (6ft 11in)
Height: 2.85m (9ft 4in)
Gross vehicle weight: 3,500kg
Payload: 550kg

BASE VEHICLE
Type: Ford Transit
Engine: 2-litre, 130hp, front-wheel drive,
six-speed manual gearbox

KITCHEN
The basin slides to the left (as
here) to create a larger shower

THE

Cooker: Thetford Triplex Plus with
three gas rings, mains hotplate, combined
oven/grill
Fridge: Thetford 137.6-litre compressor

A slide-out wardrobe is just one
aspect of the under-bed storage

BEDS

VERDICT

There’s no substitute for real-life testing, as shown here by the issue we uncovered
with the diesel heating. That will be addressed, along with some other minor points
we highlighted to Bailey, so production versions of the Alora 69-4S will be even better
than the prototype that scooped the award for Best Fixed Double Bed Motorhome
2024 at its very first outing.

mirror and wall behind) slides to the
left, over the loo, to create more room
for showering. With the washroom’s
false floor removed, the shower tray
flexed under my 76kg weight (Bailey
will strengthen it). There is a curtain,
but this is only to cover the toilet and
basin, so it doesn’t stick to you.
On Truma boiler’s 70-degree ‘long
shower’ setting, twin drains and
plentiful water pressure, this was an
excellent alternative to traipsing
across the snow to Campingpark
Sexten’s admittedly exceptional
ablutions facilities.
Slide the basin back and its mirror
hides useful shelved storage but some
may need to check thigh room on the
loo; the cassette toilet is, however, at a

comfortable height and I found plenty
of space to use both it and the
washbasin. The washroom also
benefits from four towel/robe hooks, a
roof vent and a hanging rail for drying
soggy garments. A strap is to be added
to stop the tambour door sliding back
and forth while you drive.

ESSENTIALS
Fresh water: 115 litres (inboard)
Waste water: 100 litres (underslung)
Space/water heating: Truma Combi D 4 E
diesel/230V blown-air
Gas: 1 x 6kg
Leisure battery: 92Ah

OPTIONS
Fitted to test vehicle: No factory options
but mirror protectors and off-road tyres
were fitted to ‘our’ Alora
Other options available: 155hp engine and
automatic gearbox (£2,000)

THE ALTERNATIVES

MOTORHOME SUPPLIED BY

Auto-Trail Excel 620G
Pilote Atlas A696G
Rapido C03

Bailey of Bristol
 01173 135447
baileyofbristol.co.uk

INSURANCE

Rear double: 1.85m x 1.50m
(6ft 1in x 4ft 11in)
Front lounge double: 1.96m x 1.34m
narrowing to 1.10m (6ft 5in x 4ft 5in/
3ft 7in)

£ 684.57

 0800 975 1307
shieldtotalinsurance.co.uk
For quote details: motorhome.ma/QuoteInfo

LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT MOTORHOME? Our buyers’ guide has
over 16,000 makes and models motorhome.ma/buyersguide
106 outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

£61,634
£85,000
£71,300

CHOOSE US FOR YOUR NEXT BAILEY MOTORHOME!

Visit us today.
You won’t be
disappointed!

Having been the Bailey UK No1 Dealer for over 40 years we feel we have acquired the knowledge and skills needed to
provide you with the level of service you want from your chosen dealer. So if you are thinking about upgrading your current
motorhome then our friendly and knowledgeable staff have years of experience and will be pleased to assist you.

Chipping Sodbury Caravans Ltd, Badminton Road, Chipping Sodbury, Glos BS37 6LH • 01454 318374

www.chippingsodburycaravans.co.uk

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk 107

TESTED

Our motorhome

John and Dee Watt had a dream, which came true
sooner than they expected after an impulse buy

2017 AUTO-SLEEPER BURFORD DUO

D

ee, my wife, and I have, for a long
time, had the dream of travelling
the UK and the Continent in a
motorhome. Our idea was to buy one
in 2018, the year before I retired, to get
to know the ropes by holidaying
around the UK before heading off to
Europe in 2020.

IMPULSE BUY?
However, we went to the Birmingham
Caravan and Camping Show in
February 2017. We had a preference
for the Mercedes chassis with all its
safety features and environmental
spec, but this reduced the number of

available models available.
We focused in on the Auto-Sleeper
Burford Duo, preferring the single bed
layout over the often small double bed
option. The end washroom’s full-sized
shower and toilet was essential, as was
a full kitchen.
With us in the show ’van was a
couple upgrading their older Burford
Duo to a new one. The trade-in they
were offered on their old ’van was
extremely attractive for them, which
perked up our interest in a new
Auto-Sleeper as their depreciation had
been a lot less than expected – we
were told they also had the highly
desirable Mercedes chassis. They

asked for many minor modifications,
which from their experience would
improve the motorhome.
We waited till they had done their
deal and then entered serious
discussions with the salesman nearing
the end of the show. He was prepared
to offer us the raised front luton
version, with the other modifications
suggested by the previous customers,
such as turning the bench to allow two
extra travelling seats, fitting an air-con
unit, additional power and USB points,
mirrors on the bedroom and
washroom doors and to fit a door to
the shelved unit in the washroom.
We added a Thule electric bike ³

Price from: £63k Berths: 6 Travel seats: 4
Base vehicle: Mercedes Sprinter automatic
Length: 7.88m Gross weight: 4,100kg

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk 109

Why we bought it
We went on a research mission to the
NEC to plan for retirement adventures,
and ended up ordering this motorhome

What we love
We use it as a two-berth and it serves
us very well, but it can sleep and travel
more people if needed

How we would change it
We’ve already added quite a lot,
including the satellite TV system, so
nothing much more is needed

When we buy our next ’van
We’d make a few key upgrades, like the
air suspension, almost immediately
after taking delivery

Looking from lounge backwards

rack and the Paintseal paint and fabric
protection. We took a deep breath and
placed our order.
The ’van, FJ reg (Felicity Jayne), was
collected in July 2017. We had it fitted
with the recommended Outsmart the
Thief tracker system, which has
proved easy to use and responsive
when setting off the alarm
accidentally. Also included was a bike
loop alarm to protect the cycles.

EXTRAS ADDED
As we gained motorhoming
experience, travelling around the UK,
we added a few extras. The most
significant was the E&P hydraulic
levelling system, which makes setting
up camp effortless, particularly in
rainy weather. It also rigidises the ’van
as it is no longer on the springy
suspension. Dee found this fantastic
as she is prone to sea/motion sickness.
We also added a satellite dish. I was
able to wire up the two TVs to our Sky
box so we could take this with us. I
have heated front seats fitted on both
the ’van and the Hyundai car we tow
and installed an inverter (so Dee could
do her hair when we were off-grid!).
The Cadac Braai (bbq) runs off the
external LPG socket. The on-board
LPG tank makes filling with gas very
easy and lasts at least two weeks, if

110 outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

just cooking on gas (there is a gauge).
The two large (80-litre) fresh and
grey water tanks mean the servicing of
these only every two or three days
depending on usage.
The hydraulic system also allows
the ’van to be tilted – speeding up
draining of the waste water.
We subsequently also bought an
Outwell Milestone Pro Air awning,
which is great as it only has one
inflation nozzle feeding the crossover
poles. With an electric pump, this is a
doddle to erect.
However, we have not used it much
as our trips have generally been
staying two or three days at a site – so
this is a nice-to-have.

LIVING ARRANGEMENTS
Most often it is just the two of us. So
we use the permanent single beds – no
need to make any cabin
rearrangements. Only occasionally do
we have others, who generally prefer
to use the overcab bed – again no
cabin rearrangements are required
when using this bed.
The lounge table is always up, so we
can eat our meals comfortably. When
we set up camp we swivel the
comfortable captain’s chairs to face
the rear – we generally sit in these for
watching the lounge TV/DVD.

There is a second TV/DVD in the
bedroom, which we often watch after
a shower at bedtime.

COOKING UP A STORM
The kitchen is exceptionally well
equipped with three gas burners and
one electric plate, an often-used gas
grill and an oven that isn’t used as
much. There is a full-sized microwave
and fridge/freezer all ergonomically
located.
We like the pull-out preparation
board and two decent-depth drawers
with a cutlery tray in one.
The kitchen sink is a reasonable
size and there is enough work surface
to manage a toaster, kettle and a
plastic draining board. Next to the
fridge there is a pull-out large table
which can be used outside.

ROOM FOR STUFF
There is a lot of storage in the ’van. In
the lounge there are the under-bench
lockers. The kitchen has good-sized
storage cupboards and all around the
cabin there are eye-level lockers.
In the bedroom, in addition to the
eye-level lockers, there are two short
wardrobes. We found these to be more
than adequate for our eight-week tour
of Europe.

2017 Auto-Sleeper Burford Duo TESTED

The lounge and diner

Twin single beds were
the reason to buy…

The kitchen has a slide-out extension

Under the single beds, there are
further lockers (one of which is
accessible from outside – good for
getting at the camping chairs). This is
also alarmed.
The end washroom also has
adequate cupboards for wash bags
and medical supplies as well as a
double towel rail.

FROM ELECTRIC BIKES TO A
CAR AND BIKES
We bought a pair of electric bikes.
However, we found that these limited
our exploring range, and their use was
very much weather dependent.
We started to investigate a car to
tow, but really wanted an automatic.
We identified only two cars available
with towable automatic gearboxes
(electronic manual), which were the
Fiat Panda and the Hyundai i20.
We ordered the latter (Dinky) and
had it modified with the LNB
Towmaster A-frame, which has proved
really easy to uses and very effective.
This has significantly changed our
motorhoming experience! Particularly
in areas like Cornwall and the Lake
District, where the roads are so
narrow and could not sensibly be
driven in a large motorhome! The fuel
consumption of the motorhome is not
affected much by the towcar as the car

is in its slipstream.
We still take the bikes with us for
recreational cycling.

COVID QUARANTINE
In July 2020, when touring was
allowed again, we ventured out to
Scotland, followed by welcome short
breaks to the Lakes and Shrewsbury.
We felt very safe in our motorhome
bubble using our own facilities as,
more often than not, the campsite
facilities were closed.
I, unfortunately, contracted Covid in
October 2020 and I was quarantined in
the motorhome on our driveway, whilst
my wife kept me fed by leaving trays
outside the door.
I was working from ‘home’, with all
the facilities, such as WiFi, TV, etc. Once
I was given the all clear, I was allowed
back indoors!

THE BIG TOUR
In 2022, we travelled for 10 weeks
through Europe (France, Italy,
Slovenia, Croatia, Austria and Czech
Republic, returning via Germany). We
had no issue with the towcar (officially
a UK-spec braked trailer when being
towed). We just parked up the ’van at
site and set off to explore as
uninhibited tourists.

We made extensive use of the Alan
Rogers website which, with maps,
gave short reviews of each of the sites
listed, detailing facilities and also
making use of the what3words
addresses, which made finding the
campsites very easy.
I have noticed that some of the UK
sites are now also using the
what3words system, as it gets more
widely used globally. We found the
best sites were very busy and needed
to be booked well in advance.
The luton front on the ’van was a
very useful space to store our
purchases as we travelled around – we
bought some artwork at the beginning
of our trip in La Trinité-sur-Mer.
As you will recall, that summer was
a scorcher. The air-conditioning
system was a godsend; as was the
Thule retractable awning – which was
also useful to shade the fridge freezer
outlets from the hot sun. However,
don’t leave this extended if the wind
gets up and, if it rains, adjust it so the
rain can drain well. ³

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk 111

TESTED 2017 Auto-Sleeper Burford Duo
FACTS AND FIGURES
PRICE
Price new today: From £112,050
Price of similar aged ’van today: £63k

BASICS
Berths: 6
Travel seats: 4
Length of ownership: 6 years
Annual mileage: 3,200

DIMENSIONS
Bodywork

Length: 7.88m (25ft 10in)
Width: 2.35m (7ft 8½in)
Height: 3.00m (9ft 10in)
Gross vehicle weight: 4,100kg
Payload: 550kg

BASE VEHICLE
Type: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
automatic
Engine: 2.1-litre, Euro 6
Fuel economy: 20-22mpg

BEDS
The end washroom has a loo at one end...

The highlights on our tour were
how great the Croatian campsites
were equipped and in great locations.
Our favourite spot on our tour was
Lake Bled, in Slovenia, with nearby
caves and mountains, which we were
able to easily visit in Dinky.
This year, in August, we have had a
fantastic sunny tour of northeast
England and Scotland, including the
Inner Hebrides together with our
friend (visiting from South Africa). She
slept up in the luton bed.
En route we took in the Kynren
show in Bishop Auckland – this is an
amazing evening live enactment of the
history of the northeast of England
and is highly recommended.
Our tour of Scotland included the
Edinburgh Tattoo and Festival Fringe
before heading west. The weather was
amazing, showing Scotland off at its
best. We are now making plans for our
next adventure!

WHAT WENT WRONG?
At the first habitation service, Spinney
(Cheshire) identified that there was
abnormal dampness in the offside rear

...and a fully separate shower at the other

walls. This was highlighted to AutoSleepers, which recalled the ’van and
took about three weeks to replace the
rear and side walls, all under warranty.
The rooflight mechanisms are not
very robust – care needs to be taken
when opening and closing these. I had
to order a complete replacement
rooflight during the lockdowns, which
took forever to arrive.
Last year, on our way to France,
somehow the fresh water drain valve
was knocked off.
We discovered this on arrival in
Saint-Malo, but were unable to get a
replacement valve. The solution was
to fit a champagne cork to plug the
outlet perfectly.
After refilling the tank, the water
pump was not working (not primed).
Calling Auto-Sleepers, it suggested
turning the pump quickly on and off.
This worked and we were back up and
running again.
On our return to the UK, I replaced
the cork (but have kept it in the
drawer) with a new valve and have a
spare water pump (to replace the
pump, this requires the water tank to
be dropped).

Fixed single beds: 0.78m x 1.83m
(2ft 7in x 6ft)
Lounge bed: 1.22m x 2.21m (4ft x 7ft 3in)
Overcab double: 1.27m x 1.96m (4ft 2in x
6ft 5in)

RUNNING COSTS
Base vehicle service cost: £420
Insurance: £680
Road tax: £165

OPTIONS
Accessories added: Additional travel seats,
air-conditioning, hydraulic levelling
(£6,500), satellite dish, heated seats,
electric bike rack, inverter and towcar (the
A-frame and modification cost £3,000),
plus awning (£1,000). Outsmart the Thief
costs £85 per year

CONCLUSION
We can honestly say that there is
nothing we would change if we were
to buy again, only fit the hydraulic
suspension system, satellite dish and
buy a car earlier in our ownership.
Felicity Jayne and Dinky have been
amazing and we look forward to our
next adventure!

FURTHER READING
We reviewed a 2018 verison of the Burford
outandaboutlive.co.uk/reviews/
Duo
motorhomes/auto-sleeper-burford-duo

REVIEW YOUR MOTORHOME Tell other readers what you love about your ’van and what
you would like to change motorhome.ma/ownersreport
112 outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

Towcar A-frames

From £990

Vacuum Servo Assisted
Electronic Braking

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West Business Park,
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A259 SOUTHCOAST ROAD, PEACEHAVEN, EAST SUSSEX. BN10 7ET - 01273 587229
April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk 113

DOMETIC/THETFORD TOILETS & SPARES
SPECIAL OFFERS - VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION

ER

SPECIAL OFF

ER

SPECIAL OFF

ER

SPECIAL OFF

ER

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Dometic Saneo BW Cassette
Toilet For Campervan, Caravan,
Motorhome. £379.99

Dometic Saneo CLP Cassette
Toilet For Campervan, Caravan ,
Motorhome. £379.99

Dometic Saneo BS Cassette Toilet For
Campervan, Caravan , Motorhome.
£359.99

DOMETIC SANEO B cassette toilet
motorhome campervan caravan
£280.00

• Patented Dual Close valve provides maximum safety
when the cassette tank has been removed
• Bowl adjustable by 90° in both directions adds flexibility
• Easy to clean plastic inlay with effective impulse
flushing system
• Splash protection when opening the valve
• Comfortable, ergonomically shaped seat
• Self-closing lid and toilet seat
• Insens Touch Control Display
• Water filler inlet (fitted to the outside of the van.)
Features:
• Auto closing lid
• Plastic inlay
• Touch control display
• Dual close
• 90-degree flexibility
• Cap holder
• COMES WITH BUILT IN WATER TANK

Designed with you in mind
The Saneo’s body is manufactured from a high-quality
plastic however the bowl is lined with ceramic to give
it a touch of quality and class. Fitted with convenient
features such as a dual close valve ensuring extra safety
when the cassette tank has been removed, coupled with
a user-friendly touch sensitive display with the built-in
impulse flush allowing you to control how much water
is used in each flush.(this model requires a separate tank
for the flushing water.)
• Low profile console that is lightweight and allows more
space at the top of the console
• Suitable for RVs with tight spaces
• Scratch-resistant, very easy to clean ceramic inlay
• Insens Touch Control Display
• Ergonomically shaped, comfortable seat
• Bowl can be adjusted up to 90° in both directions
• Built-in breather tube on the cassette helps to remove odours

• Patented Dual Close valve provides maximum safety
when the cassette tank has been removed
• Bowl adjustable by 90° in both directions adds flexibility
• Easy to clean plastic inlay with effective impulse
flushing system
• Splash protection when opening the valve
• Comfortable, ergonomically shaped seat
• Self-closing lid and toilet seat
• Insens Touch Control Display
• Water filler inlet (fitted to the outside of the van.)
Features:
• Auto closing lid
• Plastic inlay
• Touch control display
• Dual close
• 90-degree flexibility
• Cap holder
• COMES WITH BUILT IN WATER TANK

Features:
• Saneo B, freestanding, without water tank,
without console
• Ergonomically shaped
• 90° adjustable in both directions
• Anti-splash
• Improves ventilation
• Robust materials ensure reliable and long product life
• Suitable for RVs with tight spaces
• Insens Touch Control Display
• Ergonomically shaped, comfortable seat
• Bowl can be adjusted up to 90° in both directions
• Built-in breather tube on the cassette helps to
remove odours

ER

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Dometic Saneo CS Cassette Toilet For
Campervan Caravan Motorhome.
£379.00

DOMETIC Saneo CW Motorhome
caravan camper toilet.
£397.00

• Patented Dual Close valve provides maximum safety
when the cassette tank has been removed
• Bowl adjustable by 90° in both directions adds flexibility
• Easy to clean ceramic inlay + effective impulse flushing system
• Splash protection when opening the valve
• Comfortable, ergonomically shaped seat
• Self-closing lid and toilet seat
• Insens Touch Control Display
Features:
• Auto closing lid
• Ceramic inlay
• Touch control display
• Dual close
• 90-degree flexibility
• Cap holder
• Requires separate tank for the flushing water

Features:
• flush water holding tank
• Auto closing lid
• Ceramic inlay
• Touch control display
• Dual close
• 90-degree flexibility
• Cap holder
• KU number 9107100641
• Model Saneo CW
• Model on label Saneo CW
• Scope of delivery 1 toilet,operating manual, installation
manual , water filler
• Product Description Revolving cassette toilet with ceramic
inlay and a flush water tank

ER

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DOMETIC SANEO C cassette toilet
(without door)
£299.00

DOMETIC SANEO C Cassette toilet
marine motorhome caravan
£320.00

Features:
• Scratch-resistant ceramic inlay
• Ergonomically shaped
• 90° adjustable in both directions
• Anti-splash
• Improves ventilation
• Robust materials ensure reliable and long product life
• Suitable for RVs with tight spaces
• Scratch-resistant, very easy to clean ceramic inlay
• Insens Touch Control Display
• Ergonomically shaped, comfortable seat
• Bowl can be adjusted up to 90° in both directions
• Built-in breather tube on the cassette helps to
remove odours

Features:
• Scratch-resistant ceramic inlay
• Ergonomically shaped
• 90° adjustable in both directions
• Anti-splash
• Improves ventilation
• Robust materials ensure reliable and long product life
• Suitable for RVs with tight spaces
• Scratch-resistant, very easy to clean ceramic inlay
• Insens Touch Control Display
• Ergonomically shaped, comfortable seat
• Bowl can be adjusted up to 90° in both directions
• Built-in breather tube on the cassette helps to remove
odours

314 Hull Road, Plaxton Bridge Road Woodmansey, Yorkshire HU17 0RS
Call: 01482 868632 01482 880044 07860 449303
www.olearymotorhomes.co.uk
Email: info@olearymotorhomes.co.uk

NEAWMO!BIL

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Contents

Contents

6

34

39

28
20

13

22

News and views
4

Welcome Are car-campers the future?

6

This month
Eura Mobil launches the Xtura 4x4

8

Next month Focusing on A-classes

10

Show preview Harrogate

Reviews
30

13

Adria Active Duo
New price, same great camper

16

Autohaus Creston
Another new Renault Trafic

20

Benimar Benivan 144
Fixed bed Fiat on a budget

22

Bürstner Habiton
Small and clever but only a concept

25

25

CamperKing Pursuit 4
Back to basics for this VW day van

28

Dethleffs Just Camp T 6762
German quality is affordable after all

30

Etrusco CV 640 SB Type X
Perfect for European tours with LHD

32

Love Campers VW ID Buzz 2.0
The art of campervanning

34

Spartan Campers Adventurer
On a used T6.1 to keep the price down

36

Taylored Campervans Eco Drifter 2.0
Environmentally friendly VW conversion

Buying
39

Secondhand selection
There are some great used buys out
there, from under £20k
whatmotorhome.co.uk | 3

Welcome

In this issue of

Whilst it’s now frighteningly easy to spend over £100,000 on a brand-new motorhome, you don’t have to rob a bank
or sell a vital organ to join the lifestyle. This month, we’re looking at more affordable options, both new and used. Of
course, buying a pre-owned ’van is the obvious route to saving money and the great news is that, once you’ve found
the right model, it’ll keep its value far better than any mainstream car. Our selection from dealer forecourts on page
39 starts off at under £20,000.
If, however, you want something factory fresh with zero miles on the odometer, there are some great-vale vehicles
in this issue, from Adria’s now more affordable Active Duo campervan to a high-quality German low-profile from
Dethleffs. We’ve even found an eye-catching electric camper that’s no dearer than some
Teslas. But, if you really want a multipurpose car-cum-camper, is Bürstner’s Habiton an
indication of future trends? Small and economical, ideal for city dwellers seeking to
escape at the weekend, this clever design isn’t on sale yet but don’t bet against this
innovative German brand bringing you a production version in the next year or so. This
is the maker of the Lyseo Gallery (with its upstairs bedroom, and real stairs) after all...

PETER VAUGHAN EDITOR
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| APRIL 2024

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20

THE COMPACT A-CLASS

This month
Eura Mobil goes 4x4

W

ith a growth in interest in 4x4
motorhomes and campervans – as
well as an increase in such models on
the market – German brand, Eura Mobil, is the
latest to launch a specific all-wheel drive
model, based on the Mercedes Sprinter.
Designed to go off the beaten track, the
new Xtura (a low-profile coachbuilt) claims
to feature particularly rigid bodywork (floor

thickness is 85mm) and a Garmin worldwide
navigation system. It is based on the Sprinter
419 CDI 4x4 with 190hp engine, automatic
transmission and 4,100kg maximum weight.
Available with just one floorplan – the 686 EF
with rear single beds – the Xtura is 6.88m long
and sleeps two. In line with its off-road
adventure brief, it comes with an angled rear
wall to maximise its departure angle on rough

ground. Also featured are a heated floor, 145litre fresh water tank, 330Ah lithium battery and
solar panels. Inside, the décor is described as
Chalet Rustico and the front lounge has faceto-face seating.
The Xtura will be available from newly
appointed Eura Mobil importer, M and C Ltd
in Hull, which relaunched the brand here last
October. It is priced from £169,995.

TURN YOUR INEOS GRENADIER INTO A CAMPERVAN

French campervan rental company, CapVanGo, is the latest firm to
launch a rear pod to turn your vehicle into a camper. Its RaidBox
2.0 is now available for both the current Land Rover Defender and
the vehicle inspired by the original model, the Ineos Grenadier.
The RaidBox is said to be the first such unit to be designed for
the 4x4 Ineos and comes with a 30-litre fridge, a 30-litre fresh

6|

| APRIL 2024

water tank, a 12-litre waste tank, sink, two-burner hob and a
showerhead. It measures 80cm by 104cm by 42cm and weighs
90kg. It also incorporates a folding aluminium bed frame to
support a 1.95m by 1.45m mattress.
CapVanGo doesn’t yet have a UK agent but the RaidBox can be
supplied direct from the maker in Fréjus in the south of France.

Eriba returns to motorhomes
riba, the Erwin Hymer Group company famed for its iconic compact
pop-top caravans, has returned to the world of motorhomes. In the past,
it has produced coachbuilt models with a pop-top, mostly based on the
Renault Trafic under the Eriba Car and Eriba Style names, as well as a
short run of A-class vehicles. However, the new Eriba Car is the
company’s first campervan in over 60 years in the leisure market.
The new model, based on the six-metre Volkswagen Crafter (with frontwheel drive and 140hp or 177hp engines), comes with duo-tone paintwork
in a choice of Deep Ocean and Candy White, Cherry Red and Candy White
or metallic Indium Grey and Reflex Silver, these shades being reminiscent
of the colours used on the Eriba caravan range.
The interior, with a half-dinette lounge and a transverse rear double
bed, features a clear line of sight from front to rear for a more spacious
feel and noise-absorbing soft-touch felt on the side walls. The Tiberino
dark furniture finish is complemented by yacht-effect flooring, while the
vehicle’s indirect lighting is dimmable.
The base vehicle comes with a raft of assistance systems, a 6.5in
multimedia touchscreen and Air Care Climatronic air-conditioning. Also
featured as standard are Isofix on the rear bench seat, a heated/insulated
waste tank, 90-litre compressor fridge and disc springs under the rear
bed. Options include a larger 8in display with sat-nav, a Winter Package
with heated seats and steering wheel, and leather upholstery.
Hymer’s International Marketing Manager, Selina Hahn, confirmed
to What Motorhome that the Eriba Car is scheduled to come to the UK
market, with the first vehicles expected towards the end of the year.

E

CITROËN ENTERS THE
CAMPERVAN MARKET

Citroën is the latest car manufacturer to enter the leisure market
with its own campervan as a direct rival to OEM campers from
Volkswagen (California) as well as Ford (Nugget) and
Mercedes-Benz (Marco Polo). The Citroën Holidays, which
was first shown at the Caravan Salon Düsseldorf last August,
is based on the newly updated SpaceTourer (the people-carrier
version of the Dispatch van). As with its rivals, Citroën will
market the vehicle through its own franchised dealers.
Citroën has partnered with Slovenian campervan
manufacturer, Bravia Mobil, to build the Holidays, which will be
available to order from from April (first deliveries are expected
in the summer).
The new campervan has a pop-top to provide standing
headroom and accommodate a roof bed measuring 1.95m by
1.20m and, like the current T6.1 California, it manages to stay
just below the important 2m height mark with the roof down.
Inside, it’s the traditional side kitchen layout with a sliding
bench seat for two people, which converts into a double bed
(1.90m by 1.15m). The kitchen features a two-burner hob and
a top-loading compressor fridge, and both cab seats swivel.
There are two sliding side doors (hands-free electric sliding
doors are an option) and a removable kitchen unit also enables
cooking and dining outdoors, with a retractable table that can
be set up behind the kitchen. Part of the kitchen can also
be removed through the second sliding door, so you can
cook outside.
The compact (4.98m long) campervan comes with 10-litre
fresh and waste water tanks, an external shower, a portable
toilet and Webasto diesel heating. A choice of five exterior
colours will be available, while a 180hp diesel engine and
eight-speed automatic gearbox is the only power unit option.
UK prices have not yet been announced.

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 7

❯❯

This month
More compact ML-T from Hymer
ymer has extended its ML-T range of low-profile Mercedes Sprinterbased motorhomes with the arrival of the slightly more compact ML-T
570. The new model, which debuted at the CMT Show in Stuttgart in
January, is 6.74m long – 24cm less than the existing ML-T 580. Both are
slightly narrower than a typical motorhome, at 2.22m.
The newcomer offers Velvet Ash or Native Bamboo interiors (taking
inspiration from the design of the award-winning Venture S) and, like the
580, it has twin beds over a garage at the rear – bed lengths are 1.86m
and 1.90m. Externally, it has new black/grey décor, while roof rails and
a rear ladder as standard.
A key feature of the latest ML-Ts is enhanced self-sufficiency, with a
compressor fridge and diesel heating to reduce reliance on gas. A 1.8kW
inverter, second toilet cassette, two 95Ah solar panels and three 80Ah
lithium batteries are all available as options.
The standard ML-T 570 is offered in 4x4 or rear-wheel drive forms but
there is also a limited edition Xperience version, which is only available in
two-wheel drive form. This comes with special 16in alloy wheels, a black
awning, 93-litre fuel tank, adaptive cruise control and an MBUX display
with reversing camera and sat-nav.

EDITORIAL
Published by Warners Group
Publications plc, West Street, Bourne,
Lincolnshire PE10 9PH
Publisher
John Greenwood
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Managing Editor
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8|

| APRIL 2024

Copyright © Warners Group Publications 2024.
All rights reserved. No part of this magazine
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form or by any means
without prior permission.
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NEXT MONTH
MAY ISSUE ON SALE 28 MARCH

IT’S AN A-CLASS SPECIAL
Looking at the ultimate
motorhomes

While every care is taken when accepting
advertisements, we cannot accept responsibility
for unsatisfactory transactions. We will,
however, investigate any complaints. The views
expressed by contributors are not necessarily
those of the publisher. Care is taken to ensure
that the magazine’s contents are accurate, but
we assume no responsibility for any effect from
errors or omissions.

MA
GA

Designer Claire Honeywood

Roller Team has launched two new Fiat Ducato-based
campervans – the Livingstone 2 Sport and Livingstone 6 Sport.
Both have typical continental layouts, with the six-metre ‘2’
having a transverse double bed in the rear and the ‘6’ featuring
lengthways single beds. Unusually, however, both new models
have their layouts reversed for the UK, so the sliding door is on
the nearside.
The Sport suffix indicates increased spec compared with
the versions sold in mainland Europe, so these campervans
come with 16in alloy wheels, a painted front bumper, fog/
cornering lights, a Pioneer DAB radio with steering wheelmounted controls, reversing camera, Webasto diesel heating
and a flyscreen for the sliding door.
The Livingstone 2 Sport is priced at £56,490 and the
Livingstone 6 Sport costs £56,990.
Optional extras that can be added include cab blinds,
a solar panel, a dinette bed and a pop-top with roof bed.

WARNERS
 


This publication is printed
by Warners Midlands PLC
Telephone: 01778 391000

PLUS!
Investigating motorhome water systems

Contents may be subject to change

H

KEENLY PRICED NEW CAMPERVANS
FROM ROLLER TEAM

I T I N E O FA M I L I

STYLISH AND PRACTICAL

A PERFECT
COMBINATION

Conception/Design : contact@comwell.fr / Crédits photos : Istock - Studio Adhoc / Chromie : Révélations-Communication / Stylisme : Lindsay Garreau

GETAWAYS!

MC740 / JC740 / SB700 / SB740
• A spacious, modern living room
• Plenty of storage
• All the mod cons

See what’s new at
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+ MORE INFO
in our
interactive
catalogue

Show preview
The Yorkshire Motorhome
& Campervan Show

Y

orkshire’s largest motorhome and
campervan show returns to the Great
Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, for
three days from 15 to 17 March.
This is a day visitor show (no on-site
camping) but there’s plenty to keep your
interest, whether you’re looking for a new ’van
or just some accessories. Over 40 motorhome
and campervan dealers will be present across
both indoor and outdoor exhibition areas.
If you’re considering joining the hobby, or just
want to know more, the show’s Advice Centre is
a key part of the event, with speakers including
this magazine’s Editor (see below).
There will also be a free motorhome

manoeuvring course at the show, so you can
go ahead and get your dream ’van without
worrying about the driving. To save money, buy
your tickets in advance at £7 per adult (they’re
£10 on the day). Under-16s go free.

MUST SEE AT THE SHOW
M AND C LTD – RIMOR
If you’re looking for a compact motorhome that
won’t break the bank, M and C will be
exhibiting the Rimor Kilig 18, a sub-six-metre
low-profile based on the Ford Transit with
130hp engine.
Despite its compact size, the Kilig 18 has both
a double bed at the rear and an electric drop-

down bed over the front lounge. It has a rear
garage, too, and is priced from £63,295.
SPEEDS
A regular exhibitor at our shows, Speeds has
become known for its Ford Transit Custombased pop-top campers. Now, it has launched
a larger model, called Ripasso.
Based on the Peugeot Boxer, the newcomer
is limited to a production run of just 20 vehicles,
priced at £79,950. It’s a two-berth ’van with a
large rear U-shaped lounge and a spec that
includes alloy wheels, a reversing camera, 149litre compressor fridge, two 100W solar panels
and an underslung 25-litre gas tank.

ADVICE CENTRE SCHEDULE
Friday
10:30 Peter Vaughan and Iain Duff | Buying a
motorhome or campervan
11:30 The Urban Motorhome & Jon (Life
Beyond Bricks) | What gadgets are a
must-have
12:30 Motorhome Matt | What’s required for
travelling in Europe
13:30 The Urban Motorhome & Tash (Life Beyond
Bricks) | Living life full-time in a ’van
14:30 Jon (Life Beyond Bricks) | ’Van
Maintenance

10 |

| APRIL 2024

Saturday
10:30 Peter Vaughan and Iain Duff | Buying a
motorhome or campervan
11:30 The Urban Motorhome & Jon (Life
Beyond Bricks) | What gadgets are a
must-have
12:30 Motorhome Matt | What’s required for
travelling in Europe
13:30 The Urban Motorhome & Tash (Life Beyond
Bricks) | Living life full-time in a ’van
14:30 Jon (Life Beyond Bricks) | ’Van
Maintenance

Sunday
10:30 Peter Vaughan & Iain Duff | Buying a
motorhome or campervan
11:30 The Urban Motorhome & Jon (Life
Beyond Bricks) | What gadgets are a
must-have
12:30 Motorhome Matt | What’s required for
travelling in Europe
13:30 The Urban Motorhome & Tash (Life Beyond
Bricks) | Living life full-time in a ’van
14:30 Jon (Life Beyond Bricks) | ’Van
Maintenance

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Adria Active Duo

Adria Active Duo

WATCH
THE VIDEO

With its new, lower price, this multipurpose camper looks very appealing

motorhome.ma/
review294

FACT FILE
BASE VEHICLE Renault Trafic
PRICE FROM £52,990
BERTHS 4
TRAVEL SEATS 4
LENGTH 4.99m
WIDTH 1.96m
HEIGHT 1.99m (With Comfort Pack)
GROSS WEIGHT 3,010kg
PAYLOAD 623kg

ALSO CONSIDER
CMC HemBil Escape
VW California Beach Camper

W

HEN it was launched, last summer,
we liked Adria’s take on the compact
campervan. We loved its twin sliding
doors and the versatility of its Reimo sliding seat
(far more comfortable than a RIB bench, too).
We admired its design – more of a camper than
a California Beach but not just a day van – and
we appreciated its typically Adria build quality.
What we didn’t like was the price. Fully loaded
with options, it came to £77k!
By December, though, Adria Concessionaires
(the UK arm of the Slovenian maker) had had a
rethink. With a new starting price of £52,990 –
almost a ten grand reduction – the Active Duo

suddenly looks a whole lot more appealing. This
is a vehicle with European Whole Vehicle Type
Approval, after all, so it’ll retain its value better
than some unknown brand without such safety
accreditation. It has approval from the National
Caravan Council (NCC), too.
Time, then, to take a fresh look at the little
Renault. Starting with the Trafic base vehicle
that can be seen as a plus because it’s not due any
further facelifts until 2027, having just received
the attention of the cosmetic surgeons. It now
features a bolder, more aggressive face, chromed
grille and LED headlamps, as well as bigger door
mirrors. Inside, there’s an 8in Easylink

touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android
Auto (as a £700 option, previously £900), while
under the bonnet, Renault describes the 2-litre,
Euro 6D-Full emissions compliant engines as
‘new and improved’.
The version you want is the 150hp motor
(with more torque than equivalent VW
Transporter T6.1) and the super smooth EDC
twin-clutch automatic transmission, which
was a £4,975 option but has now been reduced
to a more acceptable £3,780 extra. Other
options have come down in cost, too, so the
alloy wheels are now £630 instead of £805 and
metallic paint is a no-brainer for resale appeal

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 13

❯❯

New ’vans

BUY AN ADRIA FROM…

na

e

s

As one of the most
successful and
long-established
imported brands
in the UK,
this Slovenian
marque has 26
dealers around
the country for its
motorhome and
Dealer
campervan ranges.
25
ti o n w i d
These include
BC Motorhomes,
Dyce Caravans
and Struans Leisure
in Scotland and
Lisburn Caravan Centre in Northern
Ireland. In England, all areas are
covered, from Leisure World and Tyne
Valley Motorhomes in the northeast
to Highbridge in the southwest and
Caravan Tech in the southeast. See
adria.co.uk/dealer-finder for a full list.

WHO IS ADRIA?
Adria commenced caravan construction
in 1965, with motorhomes following
from 1982. Then, in 2017, the Slovenian
brand became a member of the Trigano
Group (which also includes AutoSleepers, Auto-Trail, Benimar, Chausson
and many more).
Its UK range stretches from the Active
Duo pop-top campervan to Supersonic
A-classes. It builds Twin campervans on
Fiat and MAN, while Coral and Matrix
low-profiles offer a choice of Fiat or
Mercedes chassis.
Unlike most imported brands, Adria has
a wholly owned UK subsidiary, Adria
Concessionaires, with office premises
in Suffolk.

as it’s only £435 rather than – sharp intake of
breath – £1,040.
Despite the Duo’s discounted pricing, Adria
hasn’t cut back on this camper’s features. One
of its trump cards remains the twin sliding
doors that few rivals can match. These provide
safe access wherever you park, at home or
abroad, while the Reimo rear seat’s Isofix is a
further family-friendly feature. The sliding
seat can also create a huge rear load area
almost 1.50m long by 1.17m wide and, even
with the seat in its ‘camping’ position, there’s a
still generous boot.
Another bonus for parking is that the Active

14 |

| APRIL 2024

Duo will slip under a 2m height barrier. Order
the Comfort Pack (Sky Open roof, Webasto
diesel heating, cab carpet, 100Ah leisure battery
awning and lowered suspension) and it’s only
1.99m high – usefully lower than most rivals
(bar VW’s California). And Adria has reduced
the cost of the pack, too (now £2,905).
If there still seem to be quite a few extras to
consider, it’s worth noting that the pop-top
comes with a 1.87m by 1.30m roof bed as
standard and that the upper mattress sits on
Froli springs for much greater comfort. Plenty of
rivals charge extra for the top berth.
Others may have more kitchen kit, but it’s the

compact galley that allows the twin sliding
doors to be so practical. And you still get a
42-litre compressor fridge, which is easily
reached from outside. The Duo gets a singlering gas hob, a sink served by a 14-litre inboard
fresh water tank and a cutlery drawer, too. Your
pots and pans, meanwhile, will go in the tall
tambour-doored locker alongside the seat. Less
accessible, but quite generous in capacity, is the
space under the seat.
But it’s the new accessibility of the price
that’s the winner. Tick all the options and an
Active Duo is now £63,490 – that’s £13,250 less
than before!

New ’vans

Autohaus Creston
A new base vehicle for this Somerset-based converter

WHO IS AUTOHAUS?
Starting out as
a caravan and
motorhome repair
business almost
30 years ago, Autohaus has grown into
a campervan conversion company that
builds high-quality vehicles with NCC
(National Caravan Council) approval
as well as National Small Series Type
Approval. It also has Ford accreditation
under the QVM scheme.
Its current range includes the Ashton,
Ashton 94, Spartan and Camelot on
VW Transporter, the Grandi X on the
larger Crafter, the Spartan GT on Transit
Custom and the Kingston on Fiat Ducato.
Latest addition to the line-up is the
Creston, based on the short-wheelbase
Renault Trafic.

I

F you want a Ford Transit Custom or a VW
Transporter T6.1 campervan, there’s a vast
choice out there. Except that’s maybe not as
clear cut as it was a year ago. At time of writing
(early February), some converters are still
waiting for their first new Ford, ordered many
months previously. Meanwhile, the VW GB
website states, “Transporter 6.1 panel van has
closed for factory ordering; please speak to your
Van Centre to discuss current and future stock
options which most closely match your chosen
specification, and delivery times.” The new
Volkswagen van (presumably T7) is still a long

16 |

| APRIL 2024

way off as a UK RHD campervan…
So, it’s perhaps a surprise that more campervan
companies haven’t seized the opportunity of
building on the Renault Trafic, a van that drives
well, looks good and has just received a
comprehensive makeover. With value for money
on its side, too, the French van is an obvious
alternative to the usual Ford and VW.
One company that has grabbed the diamondbadged bull by the horns is Autohaus, which
already has several T6.1s and an old-shape
Transit Custom in its pop-top portfolio. It
suggests its new Creston model – launched at

last October’s NEC show – is for mavericks and
those who want to stand out from the crowd. The
20in alloy wheels (included as standard) will
help with the latter, but you won’t need to be a
maverick to see the appeal of a £63,995 price tag
for the fully spec’d campervan you see here,
complete with 150hp engine and EDC automatic
gearbox, and even an awning.
It certainly looks the part. The Urban Grey
non-metallic paint is on-trend and the side bars
incorporate a step, while a tailgate at the back
looks so much less commercial than barn doors.
It’s good to see, too, that Autohaus hasn’t

Autohaus Creston

FACT FILE
BASE VEHICLE Renault Trafic
PRICE FROM £56,400
BERTHS 4
TRAVEL SEATS 4
LENGTH 4.99m
WIDTH 1.96m
HEIGHT 2.07m
GROSS WEIGHT 3,010kg
PAYLOAD 660kg

ALSO CONSIDER
Adria Active Duo
CMC HemBil Escape

BUY AN AUTOHAUS FROM…
Autohaus retails its
whole range of
campervans from its
factory at Minehead
in Somerset but it also
has a small network
of dealers. These are
Campersales (West
Sussex), Three Counties
Motorhomes (Dorset)
and Tottington Motor
Company (Manchester).
It also usually exhibits
at the October NEC show.

skimped on the fittings; the pop-top roof is from
German market-leader, Reimo, and it comes with
a fully sprung bed measuring 1.86m by 1.27m.
Inside, there are no surprises with the layout.
It’s the classic side kitchen but, again, there’s no
feeling that this is a budget conversion. The
CNC-cut furniture has heat-bonded edges and
flush doors, while the seats are covered in dark
grey leather with contrasting red stitching.
There’s a single passenger seat in the cab, too, so
walk-through front-to-rear is easy.
The galley includes a two-burner hob and sink
combination unit with split glass lid and there’s a

useful area of worktop to the rear, where you’ll also
find one 12V, two USBs and two 230V sockets.
There’s more preparation space in front of the hob
as the furniture is deeper here. The counter is
finished in Tristone, made from recycled plastic
bags, but bamboo is available as an alternative.
Open the contrasting black door at the front of
the kitchen and it reveals a drawer above the
50-litre Vitrifrigo compressor fridge. More
surprising, though, is the grill and oven
alongside, with a large cupboard underneath.
The back seat is a 1.20m-wide RIB bench, which
folds to make a flat, 1.88m-long double bed. There

are reading lights over the head of the bed and
curtains to provide blackout, while the bed has the
usual RIB chaise longue position. The only opening
window, however, is the one behind the kitchen.
Under the seat, twin doors reveal more storage
– the right-hand compartment accommodating
a portable loo. The all-important boot area is a
good size, too. Spec also includes a 30-litre fresh
water tank, cab silver screens and recycled
plastic insulation.
Autohaus’ initial order is for 50 Renaults. That
shows the company’s confidence in the Creston,
which, at this price, doesn’t seem misplaced.

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 17

Streamlined & striking

Enjoy more:
baileyofbristol.co.uk/alora

Ready when you are
At under 7ft wide our brand new Alora range
of motorhomes packs in all the agility and
space you need with the freedom to explore
just about anywhere.
Three stylish layouts for up to four people built on a Ford
chassis with 130bhp engine and designed with a fully
specified cab complete with 12” touchscreen infotainment
system, air con and cruise control all as standard.
The spaciously engineered interior features a flexible
lounge layout, all-weather Truma heating and hot water

system, well-equipped kitchen with Thetford 138 litre
fridge, dual fuel hob with electric hotplate and three gas
burner hob, with a combi-oven and grill.
The washroom includes a space saving sliding sink unit.
And the Alora’s smart storage spec includes onboard
garage space and large stow spaces inside and out.
All this in a bodyshell under 7ft wide.

Find out more at baileyofbristol.co.uk
or speak to your local Retailer.

New ’vans

Benimar Benivan 144
New layouts and keen prices for these ’vans from Marquis

WHO IS BENIMAR?
Benimar was
founded in
1974 as a
Spanish maker
of caravans and
park homes, with its first motorhome (an
overcab coachbuilt on the big Mercedes
508D) appearing four years later. Its
production moved to Peñiscola in 1996
and it was swallowed up by the Trigano
Group in 2002.
In the UK, Benimar motorhomes proved
popular in the early 2000s, with models
such as the Europe and Europe Top. It
returned to the UK via Marquis Leisure
in 2014 with the debut of the Mileo,
priced initially at a very keen £39,995.
UK-handed layouts soon followed and,
as the Mileo headed upmarket, it was
joined by the entry-level Primero and
Ford-based Tessoro. Finally, Benivan
campervans were added in 2020, built at
first by Auto-Trail.

B

ENIMAR is a Spanish motorhome brand.
Its campervan range, called Benivan, was
previously built by Auto-Trail in Grimsby.
However, the latest models, unveiled by sole
importer, Marquis Leisure, last October come
from a Trigano factory in Italy. In fact, all these
companies are part of the huge Trigano empire.
Benivan production had fizzled out as AutoTrail, faced with supply issues from Fiat, struggled
to meet demand for its own campervans. But this
isn’t just a change of manufacturing site for the
Benivan range; gone are are the UK-style rear
lounge layouts, replaced by continental-type fixed

20 |

| APRIL 2024

bed floorplans. Two models now feature; the 144
(seen here) and the longer 161 with lengthways
sleeping. In common with many imported campers,
they have their sliding door on the offside, despite
right-hand drive – it keeps production simpler and
few buyers seem to really care.
So, the new Benivans go into a crowded
marketplace of very similar products, although
their nationwide presence through Marquis will
give them an advantage over some rivals. So, too,
will keen pricing – the 144 starts at £56,995. But
you’ll still want to compare it with other entrylevel campers of this ilk from Carado, Dreamer,

Etrusco, Joa Camp, Rimor and Sunlight.
The base vehicle here is, of course, the six-metre
Fiat Ducato. As standard, it comes with the 140hp
engine, six-speed manual gearbox and Expedition
White paint. If you want an automatic, the colour
switches to Campovolo Grey, the engine remains
the same, and the cost rises by a hefty £4,000.
Either way, you get 16in black alloy wheels, a
colour-coded front bumper, front fog/cornering
lights, stop/start, ESP with Traction Plus and hill
descent control, cab seats with twin armrests
and Bluetooth/radio controls on the steering
wheel. The stereo itself is not included and

Benimar Benivan 144

FACT FILE
BASE VEHICLE Fiat Ducato
PRICE FROM £56,995
BERTHS 2
TRAVEL SEATS 4
LENGTH 5.99m
WIDTH 2.05m
HEIGHT 2.65m
GROSS WEIGHT 3,500kg
PAYLOAD 647kg

ALSO CONSIDER
Dreamer Fun D55
Etrusco CV 600 DB
Joa Camp Van 60G
Rimor Horus 38

BUY A BENIMAR FROM…

s

Dealer
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Benimar is well
represented in the
UK, thanks to the 12
outlets of Marquis
Leisure – Berkshire,
Devon (Plymouth),
Dorset, Durham,
Exeter, Gloucestershire,
Hampshire, Lancashire,
Northants, South
Yorkshire, Suffolk and
Surrey.

In Scotland, Benimar
motorhomes are sold
through The Motorhome
Company in Perthshire and, in Northern
Ireland, the brand is retailed by Camper
NI in Hillsborough.

neither is a spare wheel.
Externally, the Benivan also gets some simple
black graphics, a solar panel on the roof, an
electric step (and a flyscreen) at the side door
and the cheaper, caravan-style windows that sit
proud of the bodywork.
Inside, it’s the oft seen floorplan of half-dinette
lounge and rear transverse double bed. The most
noticeable difference here (apart from the dark
wood cabinetwork) is that there’s a full-height
walk-through into the cab, rather than the
overcab shelf, but, at this price point, you don’t
get a Skyview window. There is, however, a large

push-up Heki rooflight over the table, which
includes a swing-out extension leaf. Upholstery is
a duo-tone brown/cream vinyl, while the padded
trim around the dinette window is a nice touch.
At the rear, the bed’s mattress measures 1.86m
by 1.48m but trim panels contoured to the sides
of the Ducato give a usable bed length, wall-towall, of a more generous 1.94m. With overhead
lockers on either side, you won’t be able to sit up
in bed but there are reading lights and USBs on
the nearside. Opening windows in the rear doors
and a small roof vent provide ventilation.
Under the bed, the boot is 96cm wide and

66cm high, with lashing points but no separation
at the front. As such it could be an ideal area for
dogs. This area also incorporates the 85-litre
inboard fresh water tank on the offside and the
gas locker on the nearside.
The kitchen, as seen, is again typical of a
European campervan but here Marquis has had
an input and production models will get an oven.
The prototype also featured a 137.6-litre fridge
but standard spec will be an 84-litre model.
No such changes affect the washroom, which
has a fixed basin, swivel cassette loo, an opening
window and a shower on a riser bar.

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 21

New ’vans

Bürstner Habiton
Could a small, car-sized camping vehicle like this make vanlife more affordable?

BUY A BÜRSTNER FROM…

s

D

Dealer
na

18

ti o n w i d

e

This German brand is
well-established in
the UK and currently
has a network
of 18 dealers.
These include
Perthshire Caravans
in Scotland and
Newport Caravans
in Wales. In England,
the northernmost
dealer is Leisure
World Tyneside,
while Chelston
Motorhomes is the
furthest southwest and
Simpsons Motorhomes is the
furthest east.

ON’T rush down to your Bürstner dealer
to order a Habiton, nor even your local
Renault agent. Not yet. For now, this is
just a concept but it’s tantalising to see that a
company the size of Bürstner is dabbling with
the idea of a campervan so small. After all, this
Erwin Hymer Group brand also builds the ninemetre-long Elegance A-class, costing from
£164,790…
OK, so there are smaller, cheaper Bürstners –
even a pop-top campervan in the 2024 range
– but, surely, it’s the ever rising cost of entering
the world of leisure vehicles that has pushed the

22 |

| APRIL 2024

company from Kehl, by the Franco-German
border, into testing the water with this micro
camper, which made its debut at last September’s
Caravan Salon Düsseldorf.
The Renault Kangoo, on which the Bürstner
Habiton is based, was launched in its latest form
last year and comes as both a small van and a
five-door car, much in the style of rivals such as
the Citroën Berlingo, Peugeot Partner and
Volkswagen Caddy. At under four and a half
metres long, it is usefully more compact than
even vehicles like the Ford Transit Custom (now
over five metres in its latest guise). The 2024

Kangoo also comes in petrol, diesel and fully
electric versions.
It’s not just the city-friendly size of the Habiton
that will appeal but the fact that it has five belted
seats, too – in that aspect, it’s still a standard
Renault hatchback. Bürstner has shown two
versions of the Habiton and both should fit into
a domestic garage or a multi-storey car park. The
L1 has a roof tent, while the L2 is perhaps more
conventional with its front-hinged pop-top.
Whichever version you prefer, the seats fold
down and an inflatable mattress topper unfolds
to create a 2.05m by 1.36m double bed that

Bürstner Habiton

FACT FILE
BASE VEHICLE Renault Kangoo
PRICE FROM Not yet on sale
BERTHS 4
TRAVEL SEATS 5
LENGTH 4.49m
WIDTH 1.86m
HEIGHT Under 2m
GROSS WEIGHT TBC
PAYLOAD TBC

ALSO CONSIDER
Mercedes EQT Marco Polo – promised
for production soon
VW Caddy California – on sale now

WHO IS BÜRSTNER?
Bürstner is a
member of the
Erwin Hymer
Group and
is unusual in
having factories on both sides of the
French/German border. It is also a
rarity in producing everything from
pop-top campervans right up to tag-axle
A-classes. It began making motorhomes
in 1986 and introduced the first dropdown bed low-profile model as long ago
as 2008. It has always been seen as
one of the industry’s leading innovators,
something today witnessed by the
introduction of the Lyseo Gallery with its
inflatable upstairs bedroom.
For 2024, the range also includes the
Eliseo Active high-top campervans, the
best-selling Lyseo TD Harmony Line
low-profiles and Lyseo I and Elegance
A-classes, in addition to the pop-top
Playa campervan.

virtually fills the body of the car.
More unusual is the L1 version’s additional
accommodation on top of the little Renault.
Open the roof shell and all you can see is a pile of
tent material but this soon rises to a full-sized
bedroom, just like an inflatable awning or tent
but above eye level. It’s a really large bed up there
– measuring 2.07m by 1.48m – that’s reached by
an external ladder, and there’s a window, opening
flyscreened vents and a pair of battery-powered
lamps. With internal headroom of 1.08m, you
can sit up in the rooftop space and the tent could,
perhaps, sleep three kids, making this possibly

the smallest-ever five-berth!
So, the L1 version has more accommodation
and its roof tent is removable (although it sits as
snugly on top of the Kangoo as the pop-top), but
the L2 has standing room inside and internal
access to its upper berths, neither of which are
possible in the L1. Both models can be equipped
with a specially developed awning at the rear of
the vehicle to greatly increase living space.
That’s doubly important because that’s where
all the camping facilities are. In the style of a
number of other campers of this size, the Habiton
has a kitchen where the car’s boot would usually

be. So, you need to open the tailgate to start
cooking, but the fittings are more comprehensive
than many and definitely designed to appeal to a
youthful audience. On the left is a pull-out unit
containing a sink and an induction hob, rather
than the usual basic gas stove. On the right is a
slide-out electric coolbox. Then, in between, are
some trendy felt storage boxes.
Other features include dimmable LED
spotlights and blackout covers for the windows,
but what we really want to know is will Bürstner
go into production with the Habiton and, if so,
what will it cost? Watch this space…

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 23

DOWNLOAD
OUR
BROCHURE

Contact us to start
your adventure
sales@camperking.co.uk
01295 50002‫ד‬

CamperKing Pursuit 4

CamperKing Pursuit 4
Don’t need all the facilities of a campervan? This day van could be a lower-cost alternative…

FACT FILE
BASE VEHICLE VW Transporter T6.1
PRICE FROM £50,000
BERTHS 4
TRAVEL SEATS 4
LENGTH 4.90m
WIDTH 1.90m
HEIGHT 2.07m
GROSS WEIGHT 2,800kg
PAYLOAD 500kg

ALSO CONSIDER
CMC HemBil Urban S
Dreamer City Camp
CMC Reimo CityVan
VW California Beach Tour

T

HE beauty of a VW-sized campervan is
its ability to be an everyday car, peoplecarrier, even perhaps a van, as well as a
holiday vehicle. But, for some buyers, the dayto-day role – shopping, school, run, going to
the office (if anyone still does that!) – is far
more important than the camping side. Not
everyone needs – or wants to pay for – a
comprehensive fitted kitchen on board and, if
you’re forking out tens of thousands, you
probably want your vehicle to be as
multipurpose as possible.
With this in mind, VW Transport specialist,
CamperKing, reckons its new Pursuit fills a

gap in the market by catering to those who
want a vehicle that provides for their everyday
needs during the week, in addition to the
quest for weekend adventures. It is designed
for the school run, the daily commute or
transporting work equipment, as well as
camping trips.
This new day van has been almost a decade
in development, CamperKing says, and the
company describes it as an entirely new class
of vehicle, designed to bridge the gap between
a Kombi van and a fully spec’d Transporter
campervan. Of course, day vans as a concept
are nothing remotely new – VW’s own

California Beach is an obvious rival – but the
Pursuit certainly does meet the needs of a
specific type of customer.
Based on the Transporter T6.1, it’s available
as a two-berth, the Pursuit 2, with standard
VW tin roof and no standing room, and the
four-berth Pursuit 4, with CamperKing’s own
pop-top. You can also have it in short or longwheelbase form.
Rather than listing all the standard kit, we
have to start this time with what’s not included!
You won’t find a cooker (not even a portable
one), there’s no fridge and no storage lockers. A
sink is not part of the spec, and you certainly

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 25

❯❯

New ’vans

BUY A CAMPERKING FROM…

Dealer

s

na

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ti o n w i d

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CamperKing sells direct
from its showrooms
in Warmington, near
Banbury, where, at
time of writing, its
website was listing
over 70 VW campers
in stock, with prices
ranging from £23,000
to £75,000 – all of
them converted and
ready to drive away.
All conversions are
covered by a 12-month
warranty, which is
renewed every time you
return for a habitation check.

You don’t have to go to Banbury to see
a CamperKing camper, though. It also
lists 13 dealer locations: Christchurch,
Chorley, Derby, Falkirk, Glasgow,
Newcastle, Rickmansworth, Rushden,
Southampton, Stourbridge, Stratfordupon-Avon, Tarporley and Winchester.

WHO IS CAMPERKING?
Although it is not
an NCC member
and its vehicles
are rarely seen at
the major shows,
CamperKing says
it converts more VWs into campervans
than any other UK firm – as many as a
thousand a year!
Its range is entirely Transporter-based
and includes the St Tropez, Monte Carlo,
Le Mans, Santorini and Portofino, with
some models offering a choice of short
or long wheelbase. The latest addition
to the range is the Pursuit Day Van,
available with or without a pop-top.
Its 3.5-acre site in Warwickshire includes
a showroom, camping shop and café.
The company was founded in 2010 and
won the Converter of the Year award
for both 2023 and 2024, based solely on
reader voting.

won’t find a washroom, or even somewhere
specific to store a portable loo.
What it does have, though, is a lot of space
and flexibility, thanks to the floor rail system,
onto which is mounted a sliding three-seater
rear bench, manufactured by Mobiframe. This
folds flat into a full-width double bed,
measuring 1.91m by 1.50m – a lot wider than
the typical VW bed.
Depending on how you are using the vehicle,
you can slide the seat forward on its rails to
create a huge storage area at the back, or slide it
towards the rear to give you more living space.
Or, if you need even more capacity, you can

26 |

| APRIL 2024

remove the seat completely to turn the Pursuit
back into a van.
However you use it, this day van will give you
plenty of room to carry whatever you need –
from bikes and camping kit to paddleboards
and fishing gear. Two further floor rails let you
attach a range of accessories and equipment,
including jump seats. With these, you can
increase the number of travel berths to a
maximum of eight.
Modular cooking or washing pods are also
available and these can be moved in and out of
the vehicle as required, or you can simply use
your existing camping gear – there’s plenty of

room to store it.
The only other camping equipment included
is a 60-litre underslung fresh water tank, an
outdoor shower, three 20Ah lithium leisure
batteries and 230V, 12V and USB sockets. A
Webasto diesel heater can be fitted as an
optional extra and a 60W solar panel on the
roof is also offered.
Arguably, models like the CMC Urban and
Reimo City Van offer even greater versatility,
being a bit more camper and less van, but the
key alternative here remains the California
Beach, which has the undeniable advantage of
being a wholly VW-built product.

5,98 m

Transit 2T

Time
for more
space.

4

84 L

TRUMA
Combi 4

20/110 L

60 L

1 x 13 kg

You’ll love:
• 4 driving and dining seats
• 140 cm x 190 cm transverse rear bed
with lift-up base
• DUO’SPACE washroom with
swivelling partition revealing
the shower
• Charcoal grey and wooden décor
• Exclusive ONYX upholstery

Scan this code
to discover our
digital catalogue

WWW.DREAMER-VAN.FR

COLLECTION 2024

- RCS 451 342 257 Le Mans - Photos: Studio AD’HOC Le Mans / Design: Lindsay Garreau / @Shutterstock 08/2023

D51

New ’vans

Dethleffs Just Camp T
A German low-profile with a great layout and a competitive cost

WHO IS DETHLEFFS?
Incredibly,
Dethleffs
started as
a whip manufacturer back in 1832. It
wasn’t until almost 100 years later that
Arist Dethleffs built his first caravan,
so that his family could travel with him
on business, and serial production of
caravans only replaced whips in 1956.
The company built its first motorhome –
a pioneering low-profile called CD – in
1983, and A-classes followed just six
years later, with the first tag-axle version
coming in 1999.
The company’s ‘Friend of the Family’
motto was introduced in 1995 and the
McRent hire franchise debuted in 2004.
Today, Dethleffs is one of the largest
brands in the Erwin Hymer Group,
building everything from small
campervans to luxury A-classes. Its UK
range includes Globetrail campervans,
Globebus Go, Just Camp, Just Go,
Trend and Pulse Classic low-profile
motorhomes, as well as A-class models
in the Trend, Pulse, Esprit, Alpa and
Globetrotter XLi line-ups.

J

UST Camp is a brand-new range from
Dethleffs for 2024, offering a selection of
six layouts, all in low-profile bodywork
(hence the ‘T’ in the name, referring to the
German word, teilintegriert). All of the them are
based on the Citroën Jumper (that’s the moniker
of the Relay van in the rest of Europe), which is
a sister to the Peugeot Boxer.
Base vehicle spec includes the 140hp engine
and six-speed manual gearbox (Citroën doesn’t
currently offer an automatic option), as well as a
wide-track rear axle. ESP, Traction Plus, Hill
Descent Control and a tyre pressure monitoring

28 |

| APRIL 2024

system are standard, but there’s no spare wheel
(just a Fix ‘n’ Go kit). The cab comes in Polar
White with a matching front bumper. Alloy
wheels and an upgrade to the 165hp engine are
available at extra cost.
The Just Camp is one of Dethleffs’ entry-level
line-ups, sitting below the Trend but having a
‘full-width’ body (2.33m), unlike the slimmer
Globebus Go. Of course, if you prefer a Ford cab,
then there’s also the Just Go at a slightly lower
(£70-75k) price point. But this layout doesn’t
figure in the Ford-based range – and it’s the only
Just Camp floorplan without an island or twin

beds at the rear.
Simple exterior styling belies the position of
the Just Camp in the Dethleffs portfolio but
positives are the 70cm-wide habitation door
with flyscreen, window and central locking, plus
a GRP roof and Lifetime construction with EPS
insulation and a 49mm-thick floor. An opening
overcab sunroof is also standard.
Inside, there’s pale Noce Nagano woodwork
and grey Drake upholstery, but what’s key here is
the spacious layout, especially considering the
sub-7m overall length. In fact, this type of
floorplan is now one of the best sellers, offered

Dethleffs Just Camp T 6762

6762

FACT FILE
BASE VEHICLE Citroën Jumper
PRICE FROM £75,300
BERTHS 4
TRAVEL SEATS 4
LENGTH 6.96m
WIDTH 2.33m
HEIGHT 2.94m
GROSS WEIGHT 3,499kg
PAYLOAD 577kg

ALSO CONSIDER
Chausson 640 Titanium Ultimate
Rapido 606F

BUY A DETHLEFFS FROM…

na

by Bailey and Swift as well as many of the big
continental brands. It was first seen from
Chausson and mates a face-to-face lounge and
drop-down bed up front with a full-width rear
washroom and even a garage. Here, the garage
comes with doors on both sides, adjustable
lashing points and generous headroom of 1.23m
– plenty for bikes – as well as useful internal
access through the washroom.
The large front lounge is a major part of the
appeal here, with long settees (especially long on
the nearside). They are a tad high off the floor
for those with shorter legs but the soft backrest

cushions help with comfort when relaxing. The
cab floor is higher but both seats swivel right
round and a table that folds in half increases the
impression of space. Downlighters are mounted
in the base of the electric drop-down bed above
and Roman blinds are fitted at the side windows.
If the spacious lounge doesn’t sell you the T 6762,
then the equally generous washroom probably will.
Slide back the silver tambour door and you step up
into a dressing room with the washbasin and
cassette loo on your left and the shower to your
right. Ahead of you, behind mirrored doors, is a
vast wardrobe with shelves and hanging space.

e

s

Dethleffs has 12
dealers around the
UK, including BC
Motorhomes in
Scotland and 3 A’s
Leisure in Wales.
In England, Bardsea
Leisure in Ulverston is
the furthest north, and
Highbridge Caravan
Dealer
Centre and Southwest
12
Motorhomes cover,
ti o n w i d
err, the southwest.
Other long-standing
Dethleffs retailers
include Lowdhams in
Nottingham and Pullingers in Essex.

Even more of a star feature, perhaps, is the shower,
with 2.04m headroom, twin drains in its tray and a
hanging rail for wet gear.
In the kitchen, you might be disappointed to
find just two rings on the gas hob but a low-level
oven (not shown in the German-spec ’van in our
images) is also fitted for the UK market. There’s
plenty of storage and worktop here, while opposite
is a 142-litre Thetford fridge with bottle drawer.
Also fitted in the Just Camp is 6kW gas-only
blown-air heating (a 230V element is optional),
along with an inboard fresh water tank and
insulated waste tank.

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 29

New ’vans

Etrusco CV 640 SB Typ
Buying left-hand drive could save you money…

WHO IS ETRUSCO?

Etrusco is an entry-level brand from the
Erwin Hymer Group. Its vehicles are
built at the Laika factory in Tuscany and
initially were destined solely for sale in
southern European markets. Dealers in
Germany and France followed, with UK
sales starting in 2018, two years after
the brand’s debut.
Campervans were added to the range
in 2020 and, most recently, Ford Transit
chassis have been added to a portfoloio
that includes low-profile, overcab and
A-class motorhomes.

S

OMETIMES, when we’re out and about
(no pun intended!), we spot a ’van on a
dealer forecourt that just shouts “take a
closer look.” That was the case at Choose Leisure,
near Canterbury, with this Etrusco campervan.
For a start, it looked really striking and unusual
in its all-black livery. Secondly, Etrusco is not the
best-known brand in the UK, being relatively new
here. And, perhaps most interesting of all, as
pointed out by Choose’s new MD, Dave Williams,
this example was a left-hooker. Now we photograph
plenty of LHD ’vans (at launch events and shows
on the Continent), but this one was sitting on UK

30 |

| APRIL 2024

soil, waiting to wear UK plates. Many dealers here
are reluctant to stock anything with the wheel on
t’other side but Choose is only about 40 miles from
the tunnel, so, for a lot of local buyers, left-hand
drive will make perfect sense.
And the argument in favour of LHD is even
stronger if it can save you some cash. Chassis
manufacturers usually charge more for righthand drive (citing lower demand) and often
there can be further sweeteners to help a lefthooker sell. Certainly, this looked like a lot of
campervan for £66,000.
That said, the external appearance might be a

bit, well, Marmite. Not only is it black all over
(perhaps not the best colour if you’re heading off
to the Med), but even the tinted windows
‘disappear’ visually into the bodywork. The lid of
the pop-top is black, too, and so are the alloy
wheels. Only the chrome strips and chevron logo
of the Citroën grille provide some aesthetic
relief. If you’re planning some wild camping,
though, this ’van is sure to slip under the radar.
It’ll only become obvious that it’s a campervan if
you raise the roof, something that’s usually an
optional extra on these Etrusco campervans. It
turns the CV 640 SB into a practical four-berth,

Etrusco CV 640 SB Type X

eX
FACT FILE
BASE VEHICLE Renault Trafic
PRICE FROM £66,000 as shown (LHD)
BERTHS 4
TRAVEL SEATS 4
LENGTH 6.36m
WIDTH 2.05m
HEIGHT 2.70m
GROSS WEIGHT 3,500kg
PAYLOAD 639kg

ALSO CONSIDER
Carado CV640 Pro
Sunlight Cliff 640 Adventure Edition

BUY AN ETRUSCO FROM…
Etrusco has five dealers
spread out around
the UK. In England,
they are Choose
Leisure (Kent), The
Motorhome Depot
(Midlands) and
SMC Motorhomes
(Nottinghamshire). In
Wales, it’s 3A’s Leisure
and, in Scotland, it’s
Struan Motors.

with a really large roof bed measuring 2.12m by
1.43m. Better still, the bed sits on plastic springs, so
it’ll be comfy for adults. Unusually, there’s a windup sunroof in the pop-top’s lid, too, so you don’t lose
out on daylight when the roof is folded back down.
As you may have surmised from the numbering
of this model, it’s based on the extra-long (6.36m)
panel van. Etrusco also has 540 and 600 models in
its CV range; this is their big brother with the
benefit being in the rear bedroom.
Here, you can sleep lengthways – much better
for popping to the loo in the night without waking
your partner. The beds aren’t separate singles but

actually conjoined for most of their length, with a
cut-out at the foot to aid access. The taller sleeper
will need to occupy the offside, where the mattress
measures 1.91m, but the nearside bed isn’t that
much shorter, at 1.83m. You won’t be short of
room, though, because the bed is a whopping
1.94m wide at its broadest. With opening windows
on three sides of the bedroom, you won’t want for
ventilation, either, while reading lights can be
adjusted on rails to their ideal position.
Under the bed, the garage measures 1.45m by
0.92m, with headroom of 73cm. Want more?
The right-hand side of the bed hinges up against

the wall, creating a full-height load space.
In the kitchen, it’s no shock to find just a twoburner hob to cook on – this is a continental
camper in continental spec, after all – but the
pluses are the very generous worktop area and
the 84-litre compressor fridge that can be
reached through the sliding door. Even better, in
many ways, is the toilet cubicle, with plenty of
space around the loo, loads of worktop around
the fixed basin and an opening window. Pity,
then, that you need a curtain when showering
and the bathroom door clonks against the
kitchen when fully opened.

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 31

New ’vans

Love Campers VW ID B
This one-of-a-kind EV campervan is art on wheels

BUY A LOVE CAMPERS FROM…
Love Campers sells
direct from its
factory, near
Lewes, where
customers are
welcome to visit
by appointment.

L

OVE Campers’ first ID Buzz conversion
was probably also the first such camper in
the UK (see August 2023 issue). Its vibrant
yellow and white duo-tone wrap perfectly
suited the VW’s retro looks, but the latest
model from the Brighton-based converter is
more like art on wheels, its exterior design
being based on an original work by Cornishbased artist, Zee van Gils.
Not that the ID Buzz isn’t eye-catching
enough already. It takes inspiration from the
classic bay window VW Type 2 and combines
that appearance with up-to-the-minute EV

32 |

| APRIL 2024

running gear (for our full review of the van,
watch our video at motorhome.ma/review269).
With those looks, you might have expected the
ID Buzz to take the camper world by storm but,
so far, the lack of commercially available
components such as pop-top roofs, swivel seats
and seat/bed systems has held it back.
Not that it has stopped Love Campers, whose
latest conversion offers fully off-grid camping,
thanks to a 305W solar panel on the roof and an
EcoFlow Delta Pro 3.6kW power pack that
provides access to 230V power without
requiring a campsite hook-up. This unit can be

removed for use in your awning and, in the
’van, powers the induction hob. There’s no gas
here, so this camper totally eschews fossil fuels,
as well as majoring on sustainable and recycled
materials in its build.
Inside, it has a simple layout featuring a
galley along the nearside and a side-facing
settee opposite. At night, the sofa can quickly
be turned into your bed by simply pulling out
its slatted frame, dropping the backrest and
rearranging the cushions. The bed measures
1.80m by 1.16m, which is quite small for a
double. Note, too, that the only travel seats are

Love Campers VW ID Buzz 2.0

uzz 2.0
FACT FILE
BASE VEHICLE VW ID Buzz Cargo
PRICE FROM £63,500
(conversion only £19,999 plus VAT)
BERTHS 2
TRAVEL SEATS 3
LENGTH 4.71m
WIDTH 1.99m
HEIGHT 1.94m
GROSS WEIGHT 3,000kg
PAYLOAD TBC

ALSO CONSIDER
CampervanCo Revolution
Dvan ID Buzz
Wheelhome Vikenze III-e

WHO IS LOVE CAMPERS?
Based in East
Sussex, Love
Campers
is a family
business, started by husband and wife
team, Clara Usiskin and Darren Munday.
The company has a sustainable, eco
vibe that puts electric campervans
higher up the priority list than at most
other converters. It has previously built
campers on the Nissan e-NV200 and
Citroën ë-Dispatch, before being one
of the first to tackle VW’s ID Buzz, but
has also converted a wide range of
other vehicles, from VW’s Caddy to
ex-ambulances. It says it can work with
any base vehicle and offers custom-built
conversions.

the three in the cab.
The interior has a retro feel about it but not
without some bang-up-to-date touches, too,
such as a wireless charger and pop-up 230V
multi-socket hub. There’s also a button to
release the foldaway towbar and interior lights
that can be controlled by an app on your Apple
device. The neat slide-out worktop extension
creates a useful outdoor work surface at the
rear, and a kitchen drawer cleverly doubles up
as a dining table with a choice of two sizes of
tabletop to slot on top.
The furniture is handbuilt using a modern

plywood and bamboo, and there’s more bamboo
on the rear door and on the ceiling, where there
are spotlights and pinhole lamps. Additional
illumination comes from a flexi reading light
and a coloured LED strip under the worktop
edge. A 22-litre LG compressor drawer fridge
pulls out from under the rear seat and the
camper even has a hot water supply to the sink.
But this is a very small campervan, suitable
for two people at most and, even then, with no
pop-top or swivel cab seats, the space available
is considerably less than in a VW Transporter.
So, clearly, if you are likely to need lots of room

on your travels this won’t be for you, no matter
how cool it is. If you envisage more than an odd
night away, then you’re sure to want to add a
free-standing awning (which would have to sit
in the aisle between the kitchen and settee
while you travel).
For most campervan owners, this ID Buzz
will still be too compromised, even with a
quoted range of up to 258 miles, but, if you
want to be an early adopter of EV camping, it’s
one of the few options on the market and it
could offer reduced running costs if you
regularly recharge on a low tariff at home.

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 33

New ’vans

Spartan Campers Adve
That colour scheme! Those wheels! But a used base vehicle still keeps down the price…

WHO IS SPARTAN CAMPERS?

Spartan Campers was founded in
January 2022 by Joe O’Leary and Gabriel
O’Donoghue after a joint background
working for other campervan conversion
companies. It builds its Adventurer,
Sport and Expedition campers on VW
T6.1 vans that it can source or vehicles
supplied by customers. It also offers
custom builds.

I

T’S hard to stand out in the VW campervan
market, especially for a new name without the
reassurance of National Caravan Council
(NCC) approval or Type Approval. Spartan
Campers has only been trading for just over two
years but the example of its Adventurer conversion
that it supplied for review certainly caught the eye.
It’s not just the pale minty green and white duotone scheme but the repeating of the green on the
door handles, mirrors, VW logo and wheel centres,
while the side bars are in white. Those twocoloured 20in disc-style wheels are very striking,
too, and should be easy to rid of the dreaded brake

34 |

| APRIL 2024

dust. However, if this look isn’t to your taste, then a
huge range of alloys is offered, along with a wide
selection of furniture colours, etc.
It’s a 67-plate Transporter here, with 67,000
miles recorded, hence the sub-£40k price tag.
There are rear barn doors on this one, rather than
the more desirable tailgate, but it does come with
cab air-con. It’s always worth checking the spec of
the base van carefully with these T6.1s because it
can make a huge difference in cost and desirability.
One thing that this company aims to do
differently is to carry out as much work as
possible in-house, even having its own bodyshop

for any repairs necessary to used vans (usually
sourced for customers to their requirements)
before they are converted. It has its own CNC
machine for the furniture, too.
Spartan also focuses on creating campervans
for working families and it’s building a
community of owners. The company founders
use the ’vans with their own kids, so the
Adventurer is designed to be family friendly. It
comes with a roof bed (in the Westdubs elevating
roof) and a double passenger seat as standard,
the latter fitted with an MS Craft swivel base. As
ever, remember that there’s no walk-through

Spartan Campers Adventurer

nturer
FACT FILE
BASE VEHICLE VW Transporter T6.1
PRICE FROM £39,995 as shown on
67-plate base vehicle. Conversion only
from £18,995
BERTHS 4
TRAVEL SEATS 5
LENGTH 4.99m
WIDTH 1.96m
HEIGHT 2.07m
GROSS WEIGHT 2,800kg
PAYLOAD TBC

ALSO CONSIDER
Out and About Campers Classic
StyleLine Conversions Tranquility

BUY A SPARTAN CAMPER
FROM…
Spartan Campers is
based near Coventry
and sells its campers
(including conversions
built for stock) from
its factory premises.
At time of writing, it
had a variety of T6.1s in
stock, with prices from
£34,995 to £57,995.

with the three-seater cab and no rake adjustment
on the cab bench seat, but it does give the
camper five belted pews. Here, it’s also on a base
with wheels, so it can slide out to face through
the open sliding door, which could be very
appealing on a summer’s day.
The M1 crash-tested back seat is from FabworX
and incorporates headrests, although it’s rather
short in the squab. It simply slides forward and
folds flat to make the downstairs double bed. It’s
quite modest in size, though, at 1.78m by 1.11m.
Vanshades blinds provide blackout at night. In the
roof, Spartan says there’s sufficient room between

the bed and the roof to keep sleeping bags in situ
with the lid closed, which is a bonus.
The kitchen looks smart with its flush-fitting
doors and, unusually, includes a Sharp microwave
– another aspect that’s aimed at those with kids,
says Spartan. Alongside that is a typical-size
compressor fridge from Sanjo. Beneath the
microwave is a cupboard for a Porta Potti – which
you’ll have to lift up over a step and a lip, rather
than sliding straight in. Then, to the right, the
locker is mostly filled by the 20-litre fresh water
carrier. That doesn’t leave much room for actual
storage, so it’s good to see a trio of top lockers

above the galley. There’s a useful area of worktop to
the right of the sink/hob combination unit, too,
with two 230V and two USB power points adjacent.
Around the back, the boot area is also very
short on storage space because of the design of the
seat. Making some amends for this is the
wardrobe, which, behind a tambour door, offers a
shelf and a generous hanging space (82cm drop).
The spec also includes a lithium leisure
battery (for greater off-grid potential) and an
Autoterm heater. In fact, this is already the third
generation of Spartan VW, so there seems to be a
real desire to learn and improve the product.

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 35

New ’vans

Taylored Campervans
An environmentally aware approach to camper conversions

WHO IS TAYLORED CAMPERVANS?
Starting as a one-man
band seven years ago,
Taylored Campervans
has grown to around
a dozen staff building
up 100 campervans per year. These are
predominantly VW Transporters, with the
Ford Transit Custom taking second place,
with some Trafics/Vivaros and larger
vans making up the rest. It converts new
or used base vehicles and keeps vans in
stock ready for conversion.

S

USTAINABILITY is a key message from
this converter, based in Barnstaple, and it
goes a lot further than simply adding ‘Eco’
to the name of its latest, flagship conversion,
which we spotted at the Southwest Motorhome
& Campervan Show at Shepton Mallet.
Maybe it was the £63,999 price tag that caught
our attention first, or the fact that this VW was
sporting the ‘swamper look’ with side bars and
18in Wolfrace Explorer wheels wearing General
Grabber off-road tyres, but there’s more to this
campevan than first meets the eye.
‘Eco’ isn’t just in the moniker of this

36 |

| APRIL 2024

conversion, Taylored Campervans even has an
‘Eco’ tab at the top of its website. The company is
actively redesigning its conversions to use less
materials, especially seeking a reduction of
metal and plastic components. It says that it is
always looking to use more sustainable
replacements for the usual materials and,
recognising that manufacturing always has a
carbon footprint, also offsets this via north
Devon tree-planting business, Trees For Good
Causes. “Part of the Taylored pledge is to
continue looking at every part of our business
and challenging ourselves to do things differently

in the pursuit of sustainability”, it says.
Of course, the VW is the part that doesn’t
really change. It’s the ever-popular T6.1; a
Highline with the 110hp engine and five-speed
manual gearbox. It’s a 23-plate pre-registered
van, effectively all but brand-new with just 300
miles on the clock, while the Candy White base
vehicle also features a reversing camera, front
and rear parking sensors, a glazed tailgate,
multifunction steering wheel and App Connect.
More familiar features are the Westdubs
M1-tested rear-hinged pop-top and the RIB seat/
bed unit (both standard items from Taylored,

Taylored Campervans Eco Drifter 2.0

Eco Drifter 2.0
FACT FILE
BASE VEHICLE VW Transporter T6.1
PRICE FROM £63,999 (as shown on
pre-registered van).
Conversion only from £13,989 inc VAT
BERTHS 4
TRAVEL SEATS 4
LENGTH 4.90m
WIDTH 1.90m
HEIGHT 2.06m
GROSS WEIGHT 2,800kg
PAYLOAD TBC

ALSO CONSIDER
Out And About Campers Contemporary

BUY A TAYLORED CAMPERVAN
FROM…
Taylored Campervans
are supplied from
the factory in
Barnstaple, Devon,
but we met up with
the company at the
Southwest Motorhome
& Campervan Show at
Shepton Mallet.

although others can be installed), as well as the
classic side kitchen layout. All the furniture is
CNC-cut and everything bar the upholstery is
done in-house. Soon, you’ll spot little differences
like the finger holes to open cupboards, rather
than plastic catches, and the elegant folding
wooden leg for the table which attaches to the
front of the galley without the usual metal rail.
Even screw caps are made in-house from wood,
rather using plastic fittings.
An extra-cost option seen here is the Sterling
Power induction hob, which is mated to a Clayton
power unit with inverter. The company says a kettle

can be boiled in less than two minutes and this gasfree option is ideal for those doing only a limited
amount of cooking in their ’van. Alternatively, a
two-burner gas hob is standard and a small oven or
microwave are available as options.
With the flush cooker here, it’s nice to see a
cover for the sink that matches the bamboo
worktop (the rest of the cabinetwork here is in a
birch finish with exposed edging). Behind the
galley, you’ll find a Green Moss splashback and
Vanshades blinds, while the end of the galley
includes a top-loading cupboard. New, larger top
lockers sit over the worktop there’s an unusual (and

quite capacious) open ‘cubby corner’ alongside the
rear seat. There’s just a single drawer above a
50-litre Sanjo fridge, while the main kitchen
cupboards hide the portable 12-litre water carrier.
Under the RIB seat, Taylored has integrated a
step light, while storage here has been improved
on this new model, with doors that are secured
magnetically and room to stow a portable loo.
Other optional features on this show model
included a Planar diesel heater and a long, thin
115W solar panel running the length of the poptop. Another detail we liked was the company
logo routed out of the base of the roof bed!

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 37

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Buying advice

Secondhand selection
Buying a pre-owned ’van can be much cheaper than buying new and a
great way to get your first campervan or motorhome. Here we look at
what’s available at dealers at different price points…

UNDER £20K
If you’re spending less than £20k, you may find the occasional ’van at dealers
specialising in lower-priced vehicles, but you might have to consider private
purchases, too. The ’vans in this price range will probably be over 20 years
old but, if well cared for, could still be an affordable way into the motorhome

lifestyle. Just watch out for any issues with damp/water ingress, check for
rust (especially underneath), and consider whether older engines
(particularly diesels) will fall foul of low emission zones where you live or
where you want to travel.

1995 SWIFT ROYALE 610 SE

1999 AUTOCRUISE STARFIRE

2004 CI RIVIERA 141

Price: £16,995 Berths: 4 Travel seats: 2
Base vehicle: Peugeot Boxer Engine: 2.5litre diesel (86hp) Length: 6.25m

Price: £18,995 Berths: 2 Travel seats: 2
Base vehicle: Peugeot Boxer Engine: 1.9litre turbo-diesel (92hp) Length: 5.51m

Price: £18,995 Berths: 4 Travel seats: 4
Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato Engine: 2.8-litre
turbo-diesel (127hp) Length: 5.98m
Although listed on the dealer’s website, this CI
was a member of staff ’s own vehicle, being sold
privately “as seen” with no warranty. Described
as a “project motorhome for renovation”, that
explains the tempting price tag, but, for someone
with competent DIY skills, a vehicle needing
work could be a way to afford a newer model.
A popular model in its day, the Riviera 141 has
a layout that has since all but disappeared from
brochures, but it is spacious and could work for
either couples or families. There’s a large overcab
double bed and a lounge that features a pullman
dinette opposite a long settee, with big windows
on either side emphasising the space. It even has
a full cooker with oven and grill.

You won’t often find a motorhome at this price
point at a mainstream dealer but we spotted
this one at Timberland, where vehicles ranged
from this up to a brand-new Bürstner A-class at
£188k! Even more remarkable is the fact that it’s
not from some brand you’ve never heard of (it’s
a Swift), nor is its mileage (66k) intergalactic.
The layout is a perennial favourite of couples,
too, with a spacious rear lounge – here with a
chest of drawers under the back window. There
are no rear travel seats but you’ve got a variety
of sleeping options – single beds or a double at
the back and an overcab double, too (which
may be more useful for (lightweight) storage. It
comes with 12 months’ MoT and a warranty.
They simply don’t make coachbuilt motorhomes
this compact any more (mostly because base
vehicles have got bigger), so, if driving a long
vehicle is putting you off buying a ’van, take a
look at this little Autocruise. This brand (which
was swallowed up by Swift) built a reputation
for making small motorhomes that didn’t feel
small, not just with the Starfire but also its Vista
and Valentine models.
Thanks to the dealer’s winter sale, this one
also has a smaller price – reduced by £4k to just
£18,995. And yet it’s only done 49k miles and
comes with a roomy front lounge, two-berth
layout and plenty of kit. Included in that bargain
basement price are an awning, solar panel, cycle
rack, TV aerial, oven and four-burner hob!
DEALER Timberland Motorhomes,

DEALER Timberland Motorhomes,

DEALER Richard Baldwin Motorhomes,

Chesterfield
timberlandmotorhomes.com

Chesterfield
timberlandmotorhomes.com

Halifax
richardbaldwinmotorhomes.uk

❯❯
whatmotorhome.co.uk | 39

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Buying used

£20K – £30K
This is the starting point at most mainstream motorhome dealers, where you’ll
be able to compare vehicles in this price range with a wider choice of newer and
pricier options.
You should be able to find both campervans and coachbuilts in this price

range but you may have to stretch closer to £30k to find what you want. Be
aware, too, that older vehicles will be more restricted when it comes to low
emission zones. Despite that, prices have hardened considerably in the last
couple of years as the cost of new vehicles has soared.

2006 DETHLEFFS GLOBEBUS 3

2009 ELDDIS AUTOQUEST 115

2008 AUTO-SLEEPER TROOPER

Price: £25,995 Berths: 2 Travel seats: 2
Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
Engine: 2.3-litre turbo-diesel (110hp)
Length: 6.20m

Price: £28,995 Berths: 2 Travel seats: 2
Base vehicle: Peugeot Boxer
Engine: 2.2-litre turbo-diesel (100hp)
Length: 5.95m

Price: £29,995 Berths: 2 Travel seats: 4
Base vehicle: VW Transporter T5
Engine: 1.9-litre turbo-diesel (102hp)
Length: 4.90m

Not all motorhomes look like a big white box
and Dethleffs has always been one of the
braver brands when it comes to doing things a
bit differently. This Globebus certainly stands
out, with its bright blue cab and triple
headlights making it look more recent than a
2006 model.
Inside, the Ducato cab of this era looks dated
but the living area has stood the test of time
much better. Surprisingly in a German ’van, it’s
also a British favourite for the layout with a
generous rear U-shaped lounge (albeit featuring
a rather Teutonic table). It’s a pure two-berth
but nicely compact and the oven and blown-air
heating are pluses. It also comes with a bike
rack and has only covered 37k miles.

If you want your campervan to double up as an
everyday car, a VW with the side kitchen layout
is the best place to start your search. Always
look for a well-known brand of conversion, too
– few can beat Auto-Sleepers’ 60-year pedigree!
Here, it’s a T5 (made from 2003 to 2015) with
the smaller (1.9-litre) engine. Inside, the
furniture looks surprisingly modern and,
although the rear bench lacks head restraints, it
will quickly convert into a double bed. A pop-top
provides standing room but it’s not the usual,
solid-sided design from this company; instead, it
has a rear-hinged roof that rises electrically!
If that extra convenience isn’t enough to sway
you, how about the metallic blue bodywork,
alloy wheels, blown-air heating and towbar?

In 2007, the third-generation Peugeot Boxer
arrived and this Elddis from two years later is
still basically the same shape cab as the
current model. It was a marked improvement,
so it’s worth looking for the later cab in this
price sector.
If you’re touring solo or as a couple, it’s
wise to start off with something compact,
too, and you’ll never have to hunt too long to
find an example of the baby 115. At under 6m
long, it’s very manoeuvrable and yet its
classic end kitchen layout feels quite spacious.
The lounge converts to a transverse double
bed or you can create singles using the cab
seats. Just be sure that you’re happy with the
small washroom and convector heater, which
won’t spread heat like a blown-air system.
DEALER Wellsbridge Motorhomes,

DEALER Wellsbridge Motorhomes,

DEALER Richard Baldwin Motorhomes,

Huntingdon
wellsbridgemotorhomes.com

Huntingdon
wellsbridgemotorhomes.com

Halifax
richardbaldwinmotorhomes.uk

❯❯
whatmotorhome.co.uk | 41

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2021
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Buying used

£30K – £40K
At many motorhome dealerships this is now a more realistic starting point if you
want a selection of vehicles to examine. Consider whether you should go for a
newer vehicle or a slightly older model with a higher spec or from a more
premium brand. Don’t worry so much about mileage as condition.

With any used purchase you need to look out for signs of damp (especially
around vents and windows, and where accessories like awnings have been fitted)
– be prepared to walk away if you spot any. Also, look for a good warranty when
spending this much and be sure to check out the service history.

2012 VW CALIFORNIA BEACH

2009 HYMER B654 CL

2013 ELDDIS MAJESTIC 175

Price: £32,995 Berths: 4 Travel seats: 5
Base vehicle: VW Transporter T5
Engine: 2-litre turbo-diesel (140hp)
Length: 4.90m

Price: £37,995 Berths: 5 Travel seats: 4
Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
Engine: 3-litre turbo-diesel (157hp)
Length: 6.99m

Price: £39,995 Berths: 2 Travel seats: 2
Base vehicle: Peugeot Boxer
Engine: 2.2-litre turbo-diesel (130hp)
Length: 7.20m

For many motorhomers, a Hymer B-Class
(confusingly an A-class in normal motorhome
terminology) is something to aspire to, a dream
machine, even. After all, Hymer pretty much
invented this type of vehicle in Europe.
Here we have one not only resplendent in silver
but powered by a 3-litre motor. It has everything
you’d expect of a luxury ’van, from the full-width
cab with captain’s chairs to the separate shower in
the rear corner. The French bed alongside might
be out of fashion but it allows a sub-7m overall
length – and there’s a second double bed that
simply lowers from the cab ceiling.
Also included here are a huge two-door fridge/
freezer, an oven/grill, solar panel, TV aerial and
reversing camera.

If you want plenty of space but don’t need extra
travel seats or a fixed bed, here’s a very British
take on two-berth motorhoming. It majors on a
supersized lounge with settees that are long
enough to become virtually instant single beds,
while that also means plenty of room to invite
friends in if you’re the sociable/rallying type. If
you like to camp away from full-facility sites,
this layout could also appeal for its generous
across-the-rear bathroom, complete with large
separate shower.
More usually called an Autoquest 175, the
fact that it’s a Majestic means it’s a dealer
special edition originally sold by Marquis
Leisure, so it has a silver cab and other bells and
whistles. Spec includes a microwave, reversing
camera, solar panel and towbar.

Some might argue that this is not really a
campervan. It’s not the fully fledged Ocean (or
California SE as it started out on the T5), but
the decontented Beach. But it is still a VW
campervan built entirely in-house at VW. So,
the quality of all the fittings is assured, there are
loads out there and residual values are strong.
It doesn’t have a kitchen but few limos will
match the Beach for rear passenger space and
it’s a five-seater. The full-width bench seat also
means you get a much bigger bed than in most
VWs, while there’s a second double in the roof.
Spec even includes a couple of outdoor chairs
neatly integrated into the tailgate, while there
are a number of removable kitchen pods
(including some from Reimo) that can turn the
Beach into more of a campervan.
DEALER Camper UK,

DEALER Webbs Motor Caravans,

DEALER Choose Leisure,

Lincoln
camperuk.co.uk

Reading
webbsmotorcaravans.co.uk

Canterbury
chooseleisure.co.uk

❯❯
whatmotorhome.co.uk | 43

Buying advice

£40K – £50K

£30K

In this price bracket, you start to find real choice of both campervans and
motorhomes at dealers. Look for well-respected brands (especially in
Volkswagen-based campervans) and remember that accessories added by a

2014 DEVON AZTEC
Price: £42,995 Berths: 2 Travel seats: 2
Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
Engine: 2.3-litre turbo-diesel (130hp)
Length: 5.99m

previous owner may add appeal (if professionally fitted) but they should rarely
increase the price. Automatics are always sought after, though, and can often sell
quickly at a premium price.

2012 HOBBY TOSKANA
EXCLUSIVE 750
Price: £44,995 Berths: 4 Travel seats: 4
Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato Al-Ko
Engine: 3-litre turbo-diesel (157hp)
Length: 8.05m

2009 NIESMANN ARTO 69G
Price: £45,995 Berths: 4 Travel seats: 4
Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
Engine: 3-litre turbo-diesel (157hp)
Length: 7.17m
Tell your friends you’ve bought a Niesmann +
Bischoff Arto and they might wonder if
you’ve forgotten to inform them of your
lottery win – a new one will set you back
upwards of £200k. Back in 2009, however,
this German brand was in the premium
sector, but not quite as premium as it has
become now.
Here, we have an A-class that’s not too big
but can easily accommodate four in two
double beds – a transverse one over the large
rear garage and a drop-down one in the cab.
Its lounge has sumptuous leather upholstery,
there’s an oven over the large fridge/freezer
and it comes with gas and electric heating
(some German ’vans of this age are gas only).
A towbar and awning are included, too.

It doesn’t take long to appreciate the appeal of
a campervan like this, which is why they are so
popular with UK couples. When the weather is
a bit, well, Welsh, you can stretch out with
your feet up on those long settees and relax.
But when it’s more Mediterranean you can
fling open the back doors and enjoy the
warmth without the sunburn.
There are no rear travel seats, so this is
purely a two-person ’van but it’s easy to drive
as it’s only 6m long. Despite that, you have a
proper washroom with cassette loo and
shower (plus a dated tip-up basin) and the
kitchen includes an oven and grill. Then, at
night, you turn your lounge into a spacious
bedroom, with a choice of single beds or a
giant double.

Few motorhomes at any price can match the
eye-catching appeal of this Hobby Toskana;
even fewer come close at less than £45k. With
its long, low-profile body, six wheels, curved
sides and burgundy lower panels, this is such a
striking-looking ’van that you wonder why
Hobby doesn’t make anything like it today.
If it did, you’d probably be looking at three
times the cost, especially as this example has
the potent 3-litre engine and automatic
transmission (albeit the Comfort-Matic, which
takes some getting used to). It also comes with
a bike rack and the essential reversing camera
for manoeuvring something this big.
Surprisingly, for a motorhome that shouts
‘long-term touring’, it has only 28k miles on the
clock. Inside, there’s a large front lounge and a
rear French bed.

44 |

DEALER Webbs Motor Caravans,

DEALER Richard Baldwin Motorhomes,

DEALER Camper UK,

Reading
webbsmotorcaravans.co.uk

Halifax
richardbaldwinmotorhomes.uk

Lincoln
camperuk.co.uk

| APRIL 2024

Buying used

You’ll even find luxury brands and A-class motorhomes (such as the
Niesmann A-class featured below) in this price band if you’re prepared to go for
a slightly older vehicle.

2014 BAILEY APPROACH
AUTOGRAPH 765
Price: £47,995 Berths: 6 Travel seats: 6
Base vehicle: Peugeot Boxer Al-Ko
Engine: 2.2-litre turbo-diesel (130hp)
Length: 7.45m

Remember that condition and service history (both for base vehicle and
habitation) are more important than the year of registration and check out the
details of the warranty the dealer is providing.

2014 DETHLEFFS ESPRIT T7090
Price: £47,995 Berths: 3 Travel seats: 4
Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
Engine: 2.3-litre turbo-diesel (148hp)
Length: 7.31m

2016 AUTO-SLEEPER
BROADWAY EK TB LP
Price: £49,995 Berths: 2 Travel seats: 2
Base vehicle: Peugeot Boxer
Engine: 2.2-litre turbo-diesel (130hp)
Length: 6.28m

You can often count on Dethleffs for a bit of design
pizazz and that’s certainly true here. With its
metallic red cab and bold new grille (replacing the
OEM Fiat design), this is one eye-catching
motorhome. With its overcab sunroof and stylish
interior, you’d never guess it was a decade old, but
it has only done 28k miles.
Inside, it’s a French bed layout but not quite in
the usual format. Rather than having its washroom
alongside the bed, here it runs behind the
bedroom, along the back of the ’van, creating a far
more spacious ablutions department. And that’s
not to the detriment of the lounge up front, which
looks quite sumptuous with its curvy L-settee on
the nearside and a straight sofa opposite.
There’s a desirable engine upgrade, sat-nav and
reversing camera here, too.

Some motorhome manufacturers change their
designs, colour schemes and even model names
on a regular basis but, down in the Cotswolds
(home of Auto-Sleepers), things evolve more
gradually to suit the brand’s conservative
clientelle. So, if you like the latest Broadway,
arguably you’ll like this one even more as it
costs £36k less than one with a new 73-plate.
Webbs’ example has hardly seen much use,
either – it’s only got 15k on the clock.
Not too big to put off first-time buyers, this
is a model with a generous front lounge with
long settees that are all-but-instant single beds
at night. At the rear, the washroom has a swingwall to make a good-sized, semi-separate
shower, while the kitchen includes an oven,
grill, microwave and even the original AutoSleeper crystal wine glasses – cheers to that!

If you want an example of how popular
motorhomes retain their value, how about
this? In 2014, the list price of Bailey of Bristol’s
biggest family ’van was £47,450 – almost
exactly the price of this one (37k miles and a
decade later)!
The appeal is still the same, though – lots of
space for family motorhoming. There are
lounges front and rear, each making into a
double bed, while a third bed lowers from
above the front dinette.
And the beauty of a Bailey is that you don’t
have to seek out one with this or that option
– they were all built exactly the same, from the
black cab and lowline Al-Ko chassis to the six
seatbelts and Alde’s superb ‘wet’ central
heating (a rare and very desirable find in such
an affordable ’van).
DEALER Choose Leisure,

DEALER SMC Motorhomes,

DEALER Webbs Motor Caravans,

Canterbury
chooseleisure.co.uk

Newark
smcmotorhomes.co.uk

Reading
webbsmotorcaravans.co.uk

❯❯
whatmotorhome.co.uk | 45

Buying advice

£50K – £60K
With most brand-new motorhomes now starting at £70,000 or more, you may
prefer to purchase a pre-owned vehicle, rather than busting the budget – then
you can spend the savings on diesel, campsites and ferry crossings instead,

2014 BÜRSTNER IXEO TIME
IT 590
Price: £50,495 Berths: 4 Travel seats: 4
Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
Engine: 2.3-litre turbo-diesel (130hp)
Length: 5.99m

which might sound like a plan!
Purchasing pre-owned, you can also benefit from driving away in the
vehicle you’ve seen just a few days later, instead of waiting for an all-new

2017 CHAUSSON WELCOME 610
Price: £52,995 Berths: 4 Travel seats: 4
Base vehicle: Ford Transit
Engine: 2-litre turbo-diesel (135hp)
Length: 6.96m

Some motorhomes seem almost TARDIS-like
– bigger on the inside than their external
dimensions should allow. That’s certainly the
case with this just-sub-six-metre Bürstner.
Despite its campervan-sized length, there’s a
spacious and comfortable front lounge with
room for friends to join you. The bathroom is
just as impressive, with a separate shower and a
wardrobe that makes it a changing room, too.
The kitchen comes with a big fridge/freezer and
an oven/grill but, best of all, at night you just
pull down your double bed from the ceiling.
All this ’van lacks is a garage but it does have
a tall external locker on the offside. It also has a
solar panel, awning, TV aerial and reversing
camera, plus this one’s an automatic.

2017 ROLLER TEAM
AUTO-ROLLER 747
Price: £54,995 Berths: 6 Travel seats: 6
Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
Engine: 2.3-litre turbo-diesel (130hp)
Length: 7.35m
It’s always good to see a motorhome that has a
long history in its manufacturer’s portfolio and
the Auto-Roller 747 has been around non-stop
since 2016. It proves an ongoing popularity that
should help with resale value – as well as easing
the search for a good used example.
With a front pullman dinette and a rear
U-shaped lounge, the 747 offers plenty of room
for family holidays – or space to have separate
eating/relaxing zones on site. There are six
seatbelts and a drop-down bed up front (in
addition to beds made from each lounge), as
well as a separate shower in the washroom.
With alloy wheels, an overcab sunroof, an
awning and solar panel, this 25k-mile example
is ready for adventures with the kids.

Here’s the most fashionable motorhome layout
right now, but without the price tag of a brandnew ’van. Save £20k and enjoy the fact that this
Chausson – the origin of this species – has only
done 20k miles. Even better, it’s an automatic,
which always adds enormously to the
desirability of a secondhand motorhome. That’s
especially true because Ford’s six-speed ’box is
smooth and the Transit drives so well, with a
great driving position.
That layout? Well, it features a big front
lounge with an electric drop-down double bed
above. The kitchen is amidships and includes a
big fridge/freezer. But the star feature is the
full-width changing room/bathroom right
across the back and including the biggest of
motorhome wardrobes – under which is a fullsized garage!

46 |

DEALER Camper UK,

DEALER SMC Motorhomes,

DEALER Choose Leisure,

Lincoln
camperuk.co.uk

Newark
smcmotorhomes.co.uk

Canterbury
chooseleisure.co.uk

| APRIL 2024

Buying used

model to be delivered (some motorhomes have very long lead times of a year
or more from the factory).
Make sure that any late used ’van is not overpriced by comparing it with the

cost of an equivalent brand-new one to the same spec. A year ago, discounts
were thin on the ground but, as supply improves, we’re starting to see the
return of special offers, end-of-season sales, free accessories, etc.

2017 KNAUS SKY TI 650 MF

2014 FRANKIA A680 PLUS

2021 CARADO A464

Price: £55,995 Berths: 4 Travel seats: 4
Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
Engine: 2.3-litre turbo-diesel (130hp)
Length: 6.99m

Price: £56,995 Berths: 4 Travel seats: 4
Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato Al-Ko
Engine: 2.3-litre turbo-diesel (130hp)
Length: 7.06m

Price: £58,995 Berths: 6 Travel seats: 6
Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
Engine: 2.3-litre turbo-diesel (140hp)
Length: 7.25m

Don’t just look at the obvious makes and models
when perusing dealer websites, as you might
come across something else that’s worth closer
investigation. Something like this Frankia,
perhaps, which has the hallmarks of the company’s
super-luxury A-class models but in an overcab
body. An overcab that incorporates twin single
beds (with steps, not a ladder)!
If that wasn’t enough to tempt you, then how
about the deep double floor for unbeatable
winterisation and extra storage, plus a large garage
with an extra door in the rear wall? There’s a really
comfy rear U-shaped lounge, too (not something
you associate with German ’vans), and separate
toilet and shower compartments. With Alde
heating, you’ll tour in luxury all year round, but
you’ll need a C1 licence for this 4.5-tonne ’van.

Here’s a motorhome that’s less than three years
old and from a German marque that’s got a
strong reputation for practical, solidly built
’vans. And this is the sort of vehicle that’s
begging for an active, outdoorsy life with that
big garage to accommodate all of your bulky
sports gear.
It’s a six-berth, too, but with just a pullman
dinette for on-site seating, it’ll work better for a
2+2 family. Or a couple could have a double bed
each, one over the cab, t’other above the garage.
It comes with alloy wheels, a bike rack and
awning and a generous kitchen featuring a
conveniently placed oven and a huge fridge/
freezer. With a separate shower, too, you’re set
for comfortable touring but, with so much
storage, you might need to consider uprating
the 3,500kg gross weight.

The French bed layout might not be as
popular as it once was, overtaken by island
beds these days, but it can still be worth
considering if you want a fixed bed ’van that’s
not too long. And especially when it comes
from a top-quality German brand, like
Knaus. Even better, this 43k-mile example
had just had a grand lopped off the screen
price in a winter sale.
This 6.99m-long German motorhome has
the added versatility of seatbelts for four but
the second bed is made from the lounge
seats, so it’s best to see this as for occasional
use only. That said, the lounge is a good size
and feels bigger still, thanks to the large
overcab sunroof.
With its metallic grey cab and alloy wheels,
the Sky TI still looks bang up to date.
DEALER Choose Leisure,

DEALER SMC Motorhomes,

DEALER Camper UK,

Canterbury
chooseleisure.co.uk

Newark
smcmotorhomes.co.uk

Lincoln
camperuk.co.uk

whatmotorhome.co.uk | 47

PUZZLES

WIN

£50

There’s a £25 prize each for the crossword
and sudoku puzzles, so get your thinking
cap on and you could be a winner!

Crossword

When you have solved the crossword the coloured
squares highlight a motorhome-related anagram
ACROSS
1
8
9
10
11
13
14
17
19
21
22
24

Looks after number one in times of trouble? (5,4,4)
Collaborator (7)
U-shaped piece attached to a cattle yoke (5)
Mariner’s challenge (4)
Container for still-wanted meal leftovers (5,3)
Jacket (6)
Shipworm; a boring insect? (6)
Letters, symbols used in a writing system (8)
Raw, cracked patch on skin (4)
Interrogate (5)
Type of car hire (7)
Issue instructions authoritatively (3,4,3,3)

DOWN
1
2
3
4

Small intake (3)
Manifold (7)
Basis of arenaceous soil (4)
Constricted (6)

5
6
7
10
12
15
16
18
20
23

Of a material, more easily squashed or compressed (8)
Brochette (5)
Email forum (9)
Russian port on the White Sea (9)
Art of incised carving (8)
Moral (7)
Homily (6)
Participating in the knowledge of something secret (5)
Scottish name for an island; unit of length (4)
Knot with two loops and loose ends (3)

Sudoku

Just for fun

When you have solved the
sudoku you will have three
figures in the coloured
squares, reading from the
top to the bottom

Find the 23 road-related terms

Enter the numbers for sudoku and
the anagram for the crossword on the
online form (see below).
The closing date for both the
crossword and sudoku is
4 April, 2024. For T&Cs go to
warners.gr/compterms

Your scribbles

HOW TO ENTER Go online to enter the crossword & sudoku for free.
Good luck! outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/competitions
April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk 115

Tech help!

TECH HELP EDITOR

Our panel of motorhome-owning experts are
here to help you solve your motorhoming
problems, however small

Q

Will my airbag
ECU fail again?

I wrote some time ago regarding the airbag
warning light on my 2018 Fiat Ducato. As
there is no Fiat franchise garage near me, I
had a scan done at a reputable garage,
which deals with lorries and motorhomes.
The scan showed the codes B0102-00
(connection to ECU grounding) and
B0127-13 (driver’s seatbelt switch). I was
going on holiday, so I booked it into the
garage on my return.
It removed the ECU and sent it for
repair. However, the report then came back
that it was unrepairable, so I authorised a
new one to be coded and refitted at a cost
of £700. When I collected the vehicle, I
asked what warranty it came with it and
was told if the vehicle battery dropped low,
it would blow the ECU and any warranty
would not count.
I always keep the ’van plugged in at
home and the display shows both batteries
to be charged. I also have a 100W solar
panel fitted.
The ’van never fails to start on first turn,
so do I need a new battery or is the garage
just trying to wriggle out of the warranty?
What legal protection do I have if it fails
again (I can’t face another £700 bill)?
And, finally, how can I tell if the solar
panel and/or the electricity supply is
charging both batteries? If the ECU is so
temperamental that a mere drop in voltage
can blow it, why has it never been a recall?
The garage suggested buying a smart
charger and plugging it into a socket then
connecting it to the vehicle battery with
crocodile clips but, with the battery being
in the floor, this seems such a faff.
David Wright

Nick Fisher
Base vehicle expert

A

Your problems and service from your
chosen garage do seem to be extreme,
and I feel you may not be getting the best
service, advice or price. For example, a
new Fiat ECU unit is less than £300 and
would come with an unconditional
12-month warranty. Coastal Motorhomes
(on Ebay) sells them for £250.
There is no history that low starter
battery voltage damages the ECU. Also,
your hook-up and solar set-up should be
sufficient, providing they trickle-charge
the starter battery once the leisure battery
is charged.
Without knowing what conversion you
have it is difficult to check if this feature is
present, but on a 2018 vehicle I would
expect it to be present. Even so, it is not
difficult to add a Battery Mate or Battery
Master to provide this feature.
A digital multimeter connected across
the starter battery to measure voltage
after a night connected to the mains
hook-up is all you need to check this. If
this voltage is above 13V, then it is getting
some charge. You don’t need another
smart charger.
The fault code suggesting that the
ground wiring should be checked out is
worth following up by a Ducato expert.
Clive Mott

In the majority of cases that I have heard of
over the last few years, the ECU has not
been repairable and I suspect that the ones
that have been may not have been faulty.
In David’s case, the garage should have
been looking into the wiring and devices
that fault codes had been created for.
A trapped or broken cable going to
earth would have explained these faults
and would be an inexpensive repair. If you
get strong clues from plugging in a

diagnostic tool, you must follow them up.
In most cases, where a device such as
an airbag controller has actually failed,
there would likely be no response from it
when interrogated or would simply
display a generic fault code.
The amount of times that I have heard
that airbag units need to be ‘coded’ to the
vehicle is also alarming.
They do not require coding. They do
require being introduced to the vehicle
through the CAN bus system using a
suitable diagnostic device, which will be
required in any case in order to delete the
fault codes produced by the previous unit.
The procedure is known as proxialignment and this cannot be done ‘off the
vehicle’.
There have been enough of these letters
regarding airbag unit repairs to have
aroused both mine and Clive’s suspicions
and for me to once again appeal to our
wonderful readers.
Please help us by participating in a
short survey, if you have a Fiat/ PSA
vehicle and have had a problem with your
airbag control unit. You can fill in the form
online at
motorhome.ma/airbags
Alternatively, send an email to us at
mmmtech@warnersgroup.co.uk to
request the questions.
Thank you so much in advance for your
help. I will get back to you all in a couple
of months with the findings.
Nick Fisher

NEED AN ANSWER TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTION? Just email MMM’s team of experts
who are here waiting to help you mmmtech@warnersgroup.co.uk
116 Need technical advice? | mmmtech@warnersgroup.co.uk April 2024

Tech Help TECHNICAL
MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS

Andy Stothert

Clive Mott

Mike Hill

Barry Norris

Ian Hill

Andy Harris

General advice

Electrical expert

Bodywork expert

Technical & legal advice

Cleaning & chemicals

TV & 12V expert

Q

Does my gas tank need
replacing?

Giving you a heads-up!

We have a motorhome just coming up to
10 years old and it is fitted with an
underslung 25-litre gas tank. I have been
reading that, apart from a standard
service of gas appliances, the gas tank
needs to be recertified.
Can you clarify what the requirements
are to comply with the new regulations?

For those with issues
seeing the Fiat van’s
speedometer, I found this
head-up display (HUD) resolves all of my
issues. The Fiat display is poorly lit and
has the kph markings in a very small
font on the inner ring, just blocked for
me by the steering wheel rim.
The HUD here is around £10 to £20
and is held by an inexpensive sprung
clip on the binnacle top; it is powered
by a USB connection and cable. It shows
my mph, and with a push of a button my kph, in large

Jeff Armstrong

A

Underslung gas tanks tend to suffer
from rust as they get pebble dashed
by grit off the roads; they are nearly
always fitted in line with the wheels. We
had an underslung tank fitted to an earlier
motorhome, and also fitted a rubber mud
flap immediately in front of the tank as a
barrier to stone chips.
A careful visual inspection by laying
underneath will soon reveal this. If you
have any rust other than a very slight
dusting, then replace the tank. There are
special stone chip-resisting paints to
protect gas tanks available.
Previously, under current UK and EU
law, private end-user owned refillable gas
bottles or gas tanks did not need to be
legally tested every 10 years, unlike
normal refillable gas bottles such as Calor.
To be safer than sorry, many suppliers
recommend that they are checked and
inspected 10 years after first use or install.
However, all this changed in 2011 and
today, under the UK Transportable
Pressure Equipment Directive, privately
owned refillable gas bottles or gas tanks
now need to be legally tested every 10
years, the same as normal exchange-type
gas bottles.
The reality is that testing is not
possible or financially viable in most
cases, so replacement with either new or
recertified cylinders is the only sensible
solution. I am advised that currently there
are no test houses operating in the UK.

Top Tip

clear green numbers.
I have no doubt it has saved me many a continental speed fine! Be aware that
GPS HUDs such as this can display the exact road speed and not the slightly under
read of the van-based display. Following the instructions, we calibrated it easily to
read slightly over our actual road speed to ensure a safe margin.
It also emits a loud beep every hour to remind the driver to take regular breaks.
Simple to fit, it’s low cost and MoT compliant; I do not remove it for the test.
These are very easy to source via the internet. The one in the image has covered
over 6,000 miles and has been found to be both accurate and reliable.
For reference, before you write in, these pictures were taken by the passenger!
Tony Backhouse

I think that whether you have issues seeing your instruments clearly or not, any help
you can get to see a clear display of your actual speed has got to be a good idea. It’s
potentially double my normal budget, but allowances sometimes have to be made!
Nick Fisher

WIN £150 OF LEISURE CHEMICALS
including standard p&p (UK mainland only)
Send us your top tip  MMM Motorhome Advice,
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40shot & PROshot
leisure products

However, as well as fitting an
underslung LPG tank to one of our
motorhomes and the following
motorhome, our current motorhome has
two refillable Alugas bottles in the gas

locker, which are easy to take out should
inspection and testing or replacement be
required. They are also far less likely to get
pebble dashed and corrode.
Clive Mott

April 2024 Need technical advice? | mmmtech@warnersgroup.co.uk 117

Q

Should we upgrade the rear leaf springs on our
motorhome’s suspension?

I have a 2014 Fiat Auto-Trail Tracker RB motorhome. I want
to replace the rear springs, currently double leaf. I drive the
motorhome fully loaded and, on researching Jones Springs, it
is suggesting a three or four-leaf replacement. I would
appreciate your views on this.

I have a friend who used to be a car mechanic and he
reckons any one of them would do the same job, but at
different costs, so it’s a question of which one would give the
best performance gain for the money? I would appreciate
your input.

Robin Archer

Ken Octon

I have a 2018 Roller Team T-Line 590 on a Ducato X250
chassis, which has done 25,000 miles. I am generally very
happy with it, having done two long trips to France and
Spain this year.
However, on a recent trip to the northeast and Yorkshire, I
was disappointed with the ride of the ’van when we
encountered bumpy, or poorly surfaced A and B roads,
particularly from the rear end of the ’van.
There was quite a lot of wallowing, pitching and rolling,
requiring a considerable reduction in speed to achieve a
comfortable ride – often down to 30mph on roads with a
national speed limit of 60mph – yet once on smooth roads,
the ’van behaved impeccably and our dog who travels,
harnessed, on the dinette forward-facing bench seat was
much relieved.
I have been looking at possible suspension uprating
solutions which won’t break the bank, but give more stability
to the rear of the ’van on those kinds of roads in future.
These are the items under consideration and I would be
grateful for your opinion on which would give the greatest
benefit:
1. SumoSprings, which replace the ordinary bump stops with
a firmer compound to reduce the bounce (sorry, I don’t
know the technical term)
2. MAD Helper springs for single-leaf ’vans, which fit around
the existing bump stop and, being progressive rate, assist
with reducing the bounce
3. MAD semi-air bags, which appear to be used in
conjunction with the existing bump stops, sitting
alongside them, again to control the bounce

A

I gathered a little more information from both readers
and came up with similar advice for both.
I think that there is a misconception regarding the rear
suspension on Sevel platforms made since 2006. Whereas the
earlier vehicles often had bump stops that came into contact
with the springs and this was considered normal, this is no
longer the case and the two should only come into contact
during serious undulations while driving and never rest
there at standstill.
I pointed out that, for vehicles plated at 3,500kg, there
was an option to have heavy duty springs fitted at the factory.
Because it was so inexpensive (only a £75 option) I always
specified this for our extra-long Maxi vans and conversions
and double-leaf springs were supplied. This gave added
stability and the correct attitude of ‘slightly higher at the
rear’ was maintained even when fully loaded.
The suggestion of having three or even four leaves to the
springs has merit, but would probably be overkill. There is a
limit to how much firmness is desirable and, beyond a
certain point, there would be a severe mismatch between the
feel of the rear and front suspension set-ups. The angle that
the vehicle sits at, even when loaded, will probably be of
concern, too.
Because Ken has a vehicle that is 3,500kg, I suggest that
twin leaf springs would be a huge improvement and really
should have been in place from the outset. Robin’s vehicle is
4,200kg and already has twin leaves, so a third may well be
the answer.
I have used Jones Springs in Birmingham several times
and trust the company’s judgement so I have recommended
both readers to discuss the matter with the staff there and
ask for prices for the springs that they need, along with the
shackle bolts, nuts and washers. The shackle bolts in
particular will need to be longer than the original items and
they should be replaced when springs are changed anyway.
I would not expect the franchised dealer to be able to
supply these items for more than two leaves since they were
not original equipment and, even for twin leaves, the
prospect of getting a Fiat or Peugeot dealer to supply
something different to the original spec does not bear
thinking about!
It also goes without saying that the maximum axle weights
should always be observed and sometimes with larger vehicles
the distribution of loads within the vehicle have to be carefully
considered. A trip to the weighbridge is a good idea when
deciding whether changes to suspension are necessary.
This will show you how the weight is distributed and don’t
forget that heavier springs also have a weight penalty.
Nick Fisher

118 Need technical advice? | mmmtech@warnersgroup.co.uk April 2024

Tech Help TECHNICAL

Q

Can I fix the faulty air ciculation fan in my
motorhome’s heater?

Fitted in my motorhome is a Trumatic S 3002 P heater and the air
circulation fan has stopped working. Can anyone tell me how to
gain access to this fan as I have inspected the area fully and just
can’t see a way to get at it to replace it.
Roy Ellis

A

There are a few reasons why the fan may not be working and
a failure of the fan motor would not be at the top of my list.
More likely it will be a bad connection or a fuse. Perhaps the fan
control knob is faulty?
However, you will need to remove the heater cover to get at
the motor and check out if any voltage is applied to the fan motor

Q

Clive Mott

Is it possible to repair the vinyl interior cupboard doors
in my motorhome?

In the Summer 2023 issue (p121), Andy
Stothert answered a query about which
glue to use to stick the vinyl sheet on a
motorhome cupboard door. I have the
same problem on two or three
cupboard doors.
Could you send details of the repair
procedure and suggest a suitable glue?
On one cupboard door, the vinyl is
beyond repair. I have tried to obtain a
replacement door from Auto-Sleepers,
but it is no longer available.
Do you have any suggestions as to
where I might be able to obtain a
replacement door? My motorhome is a
2015 Auto-Sleeper Winchcombe.
Martin Hickman

A

as part of basic fault finding.
Unplug the mains hook-up lead from
the motorhome first. Ensure that the
heater is cold before attempting to
remove the cover.
The cover is unlocked by pushing the two
locking levers (shown as 1 on the diagram)
outwards simultaneously. It can be swivelled out
and lifted from the lower bearings. Refitting is a reversal of this
procedure, bottom in first, the ease the top in until you hear the
catches click.

As a result of this fault cropping up
so regularly, MMM has compiled an
information sheet on how best to deal
with this, and a copy has been emailed
to Mr Hickman.
Just in case any readers aren’t aware
of what a vinyl wrap problem is, it
refers to the plastic covering on the
furniture doors peeling off the inner
core of the door panels. Where this
occurs, panels are usually made of
MDF, chipboard or a mixture of
materials, which result in a lighterweight door than MDF or chipboard.
In this case the Auto-Sleepers door
is of a composite construction. On all
of these doors, the underlying panels
have a potential to soak up moisture
from the atmosphere, which then
causes the adhesive to fail, and leads to
the outer vinyl covering peeling off.

The furniture in a motorhome has a
hard life in that it is exposed to the
extreme changes in humidity and
temperature changes in winter storage
and then holidaying in hot places. This
exacerbates the problem, with any
weakness in the adhesive around the
edges allowing moisture to enter the
material of the panel, which then
swells slightly, and allows yet more
moisture into the gap.
Information that MMM has been
sending to readers who own a
motorhome with these problems is a
constantly expanding file, due to the
increasing frequency of it occurring
and the differing methods of dealing
with it coming to light.
In this particular case, one of the
vinyl layers on the door has ‘peeled’ to
the extent that the owner feels that it is
beyond repair. The usual repair being
to stick the vinyl back down again. This
isn’t as simple as it may seem.
The easiest and best solution would
be to obtain a replacement door, which
matched those fitted by Auto-Sleepers.
Alas, Auto-Sleepers does not keep a
stock of spare furniture components
for this age of vehicle, and cannot make
another because it uses a lightweight
composite panel manufactured in a
specialised large-scale facility that is
incapable of producing a single door.
The only other way of repairing this
door, where the peeling vinyl has
broken off, will never be perfect. It
entails cutting off the loose bits of vinyl
covering until the joint is sound, then

sanding the bare board up to the edges
of the vinyl that has been removed.
Then touch up this area with paint
that is the closest match to the vinyl. It
will also have to be primed first.
The smoothest finish will be obtained
with an aerosol spray, but it is much
easier with a brush. The brush coats can
also be applied in much thicker layers.
This ‘fix’ will stand out like a sore thumb
to the owner but, if done correctly, will
probably not be spotted by others
without a close examination.
However, I have spoken to the
manufacturers of the doors and it can
still identify the batch of doors from
the build number of the ’van, and will
be able to supply the details of the vinyl
covering on the doors.
If this particular vinyl covering can
still be obtained it is possible that
another smaller scale door
manufacturer could make a single
matching door. I have spoken to one of
these lower-volume door
manufacturers, Crystal Doors, and it
said that it was willing to try. There is
no doubt that there will be several
other door manufacturers in the UK
also capable of providing this service.
All this information, including the
contact details of the original door
manufacturer has been forwarded to
Mr Hickman, and will be included in
the information sheet provided to
readers who are experiencing similar
problems with their motorhome’s
doors and furniture.
Andy Stothert

April 2024 Need technical advice? | mmmtech@warnersgroup.co.uk 119

Q

Can you tell me more about Fiat’s
Comfort-Matic gearbox?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the recent
article (Dec 2023, p166) about the servicing
of the Fiat-based motorhomes. It was a
very practical article and explained many
questions that I come up with.
One thing that I would like your views
on, is the Fiat Comfort-Matic gearbox. I
have a 2017 Hymer motorhome on a Fiat
with the Comfort-Matic. It has only
covered 12,000 miles and is always serviced
annually regardless of the mileage.
Touch wood, the gearbox has always
worked exactly as it should and has never
been serviced, ie, oil changed. I have read
some horror stories about this gearbox
when it does go wrong, and the costs
involved.
Your thoughts, comments and
experience with this gearbox would be
interesting.
Alan Robbins

A

The Comfort-Matic is a difficult
subject. Yes, there is guidance in the
handbooks that stipulates that the clutch
operation fluid should be changed
regularly, but experience has led me to
believe that is not a good idea. It is a
difficult job, even for Fiat dealers, and can
cause other problems.
It is also true to say that some of the
horrific repair estimates that have been
circulating are the result of negligence
and/or incompetence by the workshops
guilty of misdiagnosing problems.
Major items of the control unit are very
expensive, but I have not heard a case yet
that I believed had been diagnosed
correctly.
I am not oversimplifying this when I
say that you have a normal clutch and
gearbox, to which has been attached a set
of hydraulic actuators and a computer to
control it. With inputs from you
(accelerator, brake and gear selector) and
information regarding the engine output,
the computer controls the clutch and
which gear to select.
The difficulties arise when the clutch
wears, or the fluid becomes contaminated
over time.
If the fluid is changed, or the clutch is
replaced, the settings for the position of
the clutch and the actuators change.
These have to be calibrated in a very
specific order, by a Fiat Examiner
diagnostic device. Words are used such as
‘clearance’, ‘purge’ and, well, you get it... it

is not for anyone untrained or without the
correct procedures and diagnostic unit to
attempt.
On the whole, I say leave it alone unless
it shows signs of malfunctioning. Any
anomalies more than an isolated, random
warning light or a reluctance to move into
drive or reverse (the typical trait of
hanging onto first gear for too long when
cold is annoying but a ‘feature’) and it
needs to get looked at without delay.
Preventative maintenance in this case is
not advised.
The next thing to consider is who will
work on it, should the need arise?
In the UK, many of our ambulances are
Fiat Ducatos and most of them are
Comfort-Matics. They are normally
serviced and repaired by Fiat Professional
dealers that are also Iveco Truck dealers.
There is, therefore, a fairly sparse, but
at least an existing network of experienced
workshops that do this stuff regularly.
They have the space, the equipment and
the expertise along with the backup of the
factory to call upon if things get
complicated.
This may be the case in the ROI. I don’t
know. If it is, then it would be a good idea
to locate your nearest dealer and have a
chat with the service manager. It may offer
different advice to mine! The choice is
always yours, of course.
What you tend to find, though, is that
dealers are more sympathetic and helpful
if you have followed their advice. If they
were to recommend that you get the fluid
replaced without delay, let them do it!
If you do ever need a replacement
clutch, the parts for that will be a similar
cost to a manual gearbox, but the time
that it will take to remove and replace the
hydraulic control, then calibrate it and
test it, will add considerably to the cost.
Nick Fisher

120 Need technical advice? | mmmtech@warnersgroup.co.uk April 2024

Q

Can I replace front tyres for
all-season versions?

Our Fiat-based
Chausson 610
Welcome runs
on 225/75/R16
Continental
CP rated tyres
and have
always been
very
satisfactory.
The rear ones
are quite young
and have lots of
life in them yet.
The front two are
soon due for renewal and we use the ’van
in this country on an all-year-round basis.
Can I fit all-season tyres of the same brand
on the front only?
What are their advantages and
disadvantages please? Do they cause more
road noise, etc?
Steve Bovey

A

The answer is yes. I see fleet vans
regularly now where the driven wheels
are fitted with all-season tyres, if not all.
They do not have to be the same brand,
either, but I would stick with Michelin or
Continental because they have been in
this market for the longest and the tyres
seem durable in the summer, too.
Although you state that you travel in
the UK only, I have to warn you and other
readers here that, in some European
countries, it is not permitted to mix types
or brands of tyre on a vehicle at all. Make
sure that you are compliant for the
territories through which you will travel.
You do not have to get CP-rated tyres.
The load rating that you will be getting (at
least 115) will ensure that the tyre is
sturdy enough for your use.
In terms of noise, they may be a decibel
or two more noisy, but I doubt that you
will notice because the new rubber will be
more supple than your old tyres anyway.
In my experience, all-season tyres will be
only the smallest of margin less ‘grippy’ in
the summer months. Again, you will not
notice this because newer is always better
when it comes to tyres.
If you get your skates on, there are a
few of the major tyre fitting firms offering
discounts on premium tyres at the
moment. This in no way helps to offset the
huge increases in prices over the last two
years... but every little helps.
Nick Fisher

Tech Help TECHNICAL

Q

What can I tow with my
motorhome?

I have an Elddis Autoquest 400RL on a 2004 Peugeot Boxer.
The gross weight is 3,400kg.
I am thinking of towing a small car, but have no idea of the
weight that I am allowed to tow with this vehicle. How or
where do I find out this info?
Bryan Lowery

A

There are two aspects to towing limits, one is what you
are allowed to tow lawfully and secondly what trailer
weight is reasonable to be able to maintain stability and a
reasonable road speed even on gradients.
Your motorhome should have a weight plate or sticker
attached to the vehicle, which you can use to find out the
maximum weight of trailer you can legally tow. The plate is
often found under the bonnet, but can be in the cab area and
I have seen it in a gas locker before now. You may have
several plates or stickers and, in such cases, use the plate
provided by the motorhome converter rather than the
vehicle manufacturer.
This weight plate that will also show the VIN (vehicle
identification number) will be in the format as shown on the
vehicle manufacturer’s plate (pictured). The plate will show
four numbers, which indicate, starting from the top: gross
vehicle weight (GVW), gross train weight GTW), maximum
front axle load, maximum rear axle load. If you subtract the
GVW from the GTW, this will give you the maximum trailer
weight you are able to tow when the vehicle is fully loaded.
The majority of converters provide a weight plate in the
same format as the vehicle manufacturer. However, it’s likely
that for your earlier Elddis motorhome, probably
manufactured by the company then known as Explorer
Group, the converter’s plate may be as the Explorer Group
weight plate shown in the second image, where the top
figure is marked clearly as MTPLM (same as GVW), but the
second figure down is shown as MIRO (mass in running
order) rather than MGTW. Usually if a weight plate does not
contain a figure for GTW and the space is blank, then the

Q

Can I use an air fryer in my
motorhome?

Please could you suggest a weather station
showing indoors and outdoors temperature,
which is suitable for a motorhome? If date,
time, etc are shown these would be a bonus.
Also, have you any ideas about a
suitable low-wattage air fryer? We have
looked online, but are not certain which
are the best choices.
Richard Dymond

A

Firstly, for the weather station, I
presume you do not want the type that
has an external set of measuring devices
for wind speed, etc. Even so, there are so
many to choose from and all require some

vehicle is not approved for towing.
In the case of the ’van with the Explorer plate as shown, the
handbook indicates that the towing limit is 2,000kg, the same
as the figure that can be derived from the vehicle
manufacturer’s plate adjacent to the Explorer plate. This will
not always be the case; sometimes, a coachbuilt manufacturer
will add an extension to the original vehicle chassis to support
a longer habitation area, but without the strength for a towbar
to be attached. So, if your plating is as shown check the
technical specifications in the motorhome handbook.
The towing limit is usually set by the manufacturer as the
maximum trailer weight that can be moved by the fully loaded
vehicle from a standing start on a one-in-eight gradient.
Although the towing limit may be as high as 2,000kg, as it
was on my 2010 ’van, with its 100hp engine I believe it would
have struggled in many situations when towing up to the legal
limit. The good news is that there are many small cars with an
unladen weight not exceeding 1,000kg and pulling a small car
behind a ’van doesn’t give rise to stability issues.
Barry Norris

type of external sensor to measure
temperature and humidity.
The challenge is where you put this
sensor. Most need this to be outside, but
dry. They tend to be battery powered and
communicate wirelessly. Do you really
want to do this? All the data you are likely
to get can be obtained from a smartphone
application, of which there are many.
As for air fryers, these mains-powered
bits of kit can save a lot of time and energy
compared to using a conventional oven.
For a motorhome, though, small is best.
The budget Daewoo SDA2610RD
two-litre single pot from Robert Dyas
comes in at £39.99. The wattage is not
quoted so my guess is up to 1,200 watts.
The Vencier 2L Air Fryer from Amazon at

around £29.99 is rated at 1,000W.
These are fine if you have a mains
hook-up, even with a modest 6A supply,
but without any mains, you will need a
chunky inverter (1,500W for example) and
a robust battery, as this will draw close to
100A from the leisure battery when
powered through an inverter.
Luckily the air fryers are quite fast and
most things are cooked in 15 minutes.
Even so, that is 25Ah taken from your
leisure battery.
Clive Mott
ED If you travel with an air fryer or have any

feedback on weather stations, get in touch
and we’ll pass any information on and print
your suggestions in an upcoming issue.

April 2024 Need technical advice? | mmmtech@warnersgroup.co.uk 121

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122 outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

TECHNICAL

One of the parts of the new system

My project

Robert and Sandy felt the ride on their Bürstner campervan
was too firm so replaced its suspension system

I

n response to the letter from Jim
Rodgers (November 2023, p18)
concerning the harsh ride on his
Fiat Ducato ’van, and why
manufacturers don’t fit suitable
suspension during the initial build, I
asked myself this same question soon
after buying my new camper in 2021.
With the standard suspension it
was very obvious to me my campervan
had very little or no travel on the rear
suspension, which was concerning
when setting off on early trips.
It would continually rattle and
crash about when going over uneven
roads or potholes, which was anything
but relaxing.
I thought there had to be a reason
for this and I came to the conclusion
the suspension hadn’t been designed
for the vehicle to be used as a
campervan, especially as campervans
are fully loaded pretty much most of
the time. When I looked underneath

my ’van, the single metal leaf spring on
each side of the rear wheels was
almost always completely flat and
touching the rubber bump stops. No
wonder it felt and sounded so terrible.
Naturally, dealers don’t point this
out at the time of sale, and many
people just get used to things and put
up with their ’van the way it is.
However, having researched various
solutions, I decided to completely
replace both front and rear suspension
system with a 4C (C for corner) full air
suspension system made by Dutch
company, VB, (similar to those used
on HGVs and ambulances).
Full air suspension is an automatic,
adjustable solution to a suspension
problem, where the existing leaf or
coil spring suspension is replaced by a
full air suspension system. The system
includes air springs, shock absorbers,
height sensors, a compressor and an
electronic control unit.

The air suspension system filters
out unevenness in the road surface,
improving ride comfort. While driving,
the vehicle will constantly remain at
the ride height set during installation.
The standard ride height is the
ideal height for comfort and stability
and is determined by the make and
model of vehicle it is being fitted to.
The drivability and stability of the
vehicle are improved, which, in turn,
increases safety.
The VB suspension system is by far
the most expensive upgrade I have
made to the ’van, but is brilliant in
what it achieves. I now no longer have
a rattling, banging and crashing home
on wheels.
The new suspension really smooths
out bumps and gives a far more
relaxed and comfortable driving
experience. It has also given me more
confidence when cornering and
driving in general as the vehicle just ³

April 2024 Need technical advice? | mmmtech@warnersgroup.co.uk 123

TECHNICAL My Project

What I spent
£8,500 for the system and fitting

How long it took
The company needed four days to complete the suspension swap

Project summary
Like others have already reported, the ride quality of the Fiat
Ducato can be quite firm and we didn’t like it. So, we decided a full
system upgrade from VB-Airsuspension was the best option.
This new system offers a far more comfortable and relaxed
drive, as it no longer crashes and rattles as we drive over uneven
surfaces. We saved for a number of years in order to buy our new
campervan in 2021, in advance of retiring in 2022.
Consequently, we were happy not to hold back on investing
further to make our ’van the very best it could be for touring
during our retirement. So far, our tours have seen us explore all
over the UK, with further plans to visit Ireland, Switzerland and,
hopefully, Greece later this year.
The air suspension system also helps with pitch levelling

feels more firmly ‘planted’ on the road
with it.
Each suspension corner acts
independently of the other and
automatically adjusts (via the
underslung compressor and separate
air tank) according to the weight of
the vehicle as it changes –particularly
effective on my ’van as it has an
inboard 100-litre fresh water tank on
one corner. An example of this is when
stopping to fill up with fuel – the
system will self-adjust when the
engine starts up again to compensate
for the additional weight.
As well as the above, the system
also has an auto-level function, which
automatically levels (within reason – I
still use levelling blocks occasionally)
the ’van at the push of a button. The
system comes with a small remote
control on a lead that sits in the small
cavity just below the steering wheel. It
also has a very useful grey water tank
emptying feature, which leans the ’van
to one side to properly and easily
empty the waste water.
There are a few other really useful
features the VB 4C system has as well,
including one that raises the whole
vehicle to drive (slowly) offroad, and
one which lifts or lowers the rear or
front ends independently according to
need, for example getting on or off of
ferries (this function being more

useful for ’vans with long overhangs at
the rear).
The system was also fitted with an
emergency valve kit, just in case of any
problems. This is in the engine bay,
and allows the system to be
pressurised in the event of a possible
electronic failure or a defect in the
compressor.
With the valves (identical to
standard tyre valves) the vehicle can
be brought up to driving height by
means of an external air supply so that
one’s journey can be continued.
It was always my intention to
research our campervan as much as I
could in advance of buying it, so that
we would purchase a ’van just once
and then spec it up as required.
Although very expensive, I see the
VB suspension system as good value
for money for what it does.
Note: the replacement suspension
has added 53kg extra weight onto my
’van, and this needs to be taken into
account when remaining within
acceptable weight limits. I still visit a
local private weighbridge occasionally
to ensure we are not overweight.
Prior to having VB suspension, the
MTPLM (maximum technically
permissible laden mass) for our
campervan was 3,500kg.
With our new upgraded suspension
I now have the option to replate the

124 Need technical advice? | mmmtech@warnersgroup.co.uk April 2024

campervan to 3,850kg should I wish.
However, although this would only
be a paperwork exercise, it’s not
something I’m going to do at present
as some places have restrictions on
vehicles over 3,500kg.
Our VB suspension was carried out
by vehicle suspension specialist,
Rosmia of Bolney, West Sussex RH17
5QU. Only a VB authorised and
accredited fitter can supply and fit full
VB suspension systems, and Rosmia
just happens to have been doing this
the longest in the UK.
I’ve been advised that, in order to
keep it in tip-top condition, I should
have the system checked and serviced
once every couple of years.
I initially visited Rosmia with my
’van for a vehicle check before
deciding which system to go for (there
are also cheaper 2C options available),
and the staff were very helpful.
What have I learnt along the way
and what would I do differently? That
vanlife can be expensive! We didn’t
have to, or even need to have all of
these upgrades (we also made changes
to the electrical and heating systems).
Also, researching and arranging to
have the work done took a lot of time
and effort (and wasn’t totally stressfree by any means!), but together they
have added greatly to the whole
experience of touring for us.

TECHNICAL

What I spent
The Autovox camera kit was £123 from
Amazon and I needed various electrical
sundries, fixings and silicone sealant
from workshop stock, which would have
cost no more than £15

How long it took
Four hours

Project summary
To install a wireless camera system to
monitor the position of our grey water
outlet in relation to a campsite’s
discharge point

The view from the camera is perfect

My project

The wiring was hidden in the over
cab trim

Steve Bovey installs a camera to help position his
motorhome correctly when draining grey water

I

tour mainly just with the dogs now
and neither are very skilled at
assisting with the positioning of the
grey water outlet over a site’s drainage
point! So I decided to install a wireless
camera system and monitor to make
the chore easier.
I used an Auto-Vox T1400 camera/
monitor kit for the following reasons:
1. As the rear view mirror in our Fiat
cab has no function, a clip onto the
mirror monitor was a good solution
and easier to install.
2. The Auto-Vox camera is rated at
IP65, which ensured a good resistance
to water ingress, bearing in mind the
location on the underside close
behind the offside rear wheel.
I started by fitting the camera first.
The rear of our ’van (a Chausson 610
Welcome) has a shallow double floor
near the rear end, making it difficult to
find a cable route from beneath the
floor into the garage. However, the

double floor finishes just before the
rear moulding and it was possible to
drill a suitable hole through the 65mm
floor up into the garage.
The metal structure supporting the
grey water outlet pipe provided a
suitable mounting point and the
camera was secured to it with a
stainless-steel M6 bolt, locking nut and
penny washers. Beneath the floor the
cable was protected with 6mm spiral
binding and was secured with nylon P
clips and self-tapping screws bedded
on silicone sealant to prevent water
ingress into the floor sandwich.
Within the garage the cable was
protected with 16mm by 16mm PVC
mini-trunking before entering the
wardrobe above. The through floor
hole was then also sealed.
I used a domestic two-gang surface
PVC box with a blank cover to contain
and tidy up the various connections
between transmitter, camera and 12V

supply within the wardrobe.
The transmitter was mounted just
outside the wardrobe in the washroom.
The 12V power supply emanated
from a socket in the garage. Isolation
was via DC-rated rocker switches.
The monitor fits nicely over the
redundant rear view mirror and is
secured by a couple of elastic straps. I
decided to hardwire in the supply from
the rear of a USB socket mounted in
the overcab shelf trim. An inline 3A
fuse was used for protection and a 12V
rocker switch for local isolation. All
wiring was concealed in the trim and
exited behind the vanity mirror fixing
bracket, which is also the exit point
for the concealed dashcam wiring.
To finish I fixed a pair of extended
mud flaps to protect the camera as
much as possible from spray and dirt.
Finally, the camera was adjusted to
provide a good view of the grey water
outlet and drainage point.

April 2024 Need technical advice? | mmmtech@warnersgroup.co.uk 125

The hose and brush method for cleaning is
one of the easiest options

Start of the season tips
It’s more than just a spring clean, here’s what you need to do to get your
motorhome in tip-top condition for a full season of touring ahead…
WORDS: Rachel Scholes PHOTOGRAPHY: Barry Norris

W

hen we generally refer to
spring cleaning a motorhome,
it should involve more than
just a deep clean of the inside and
outisde of the ’van. There are several
factors involved in getting your
motorhome ready for the season
ahead, even if you use the ’van
year-round.
We also asked our forum members
at
forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk
for their tips and routines.

LIFE LAUNDRY
While cleaning the motorhome is
pretty important, the first proper step
is to empty your motorhome –
starting from a blank slate in terms of
the storage areas and cupboards will
allow a proper clean and the chance to
reevaluate if you actually need all the
things you have stashed on board.
SteveC176 says, “I get my ’van

serviced, habitation checked and
MoT’d and the ’van gets a good clean
inside and out. I check all my
essentials, putting back only what’s
needed and, what’s not been used in
the last year comes out. Job done,
ready to roll.”
That’s really good advice as
motorhomes have a limited payload
and the idea of packing an array of
things, just in case, may lead to
problems of overloading; more on this
later in the article.
Forum user, HJA, has a similar
approach, but with a little more
paperwork, “Put things back in the
’van that were taken out over winter,
eg, bedding. We have a checklist that
includes absolutely everything, down
to a box of matches. If stuff has been
left in, double-check it is still needed.
“Where do you store breakdown
and club membership cards? Ours live
in the front of the ’van so those need

126 Need technical advice? | mmmtech@warnersgroup.co.uk April 2024

to go back in.”
However, one thing to not leave
home without is a toolkit – depending
on your skill levels, this could be as
little as a roll of duct tape and a
screwdriver, or a pared-down version
of your tool chest at home.
If you’ve taken this out for the
spring clean, remember to check
everything is functional before you put
it back in the ’van.

CHECK AND CHECK AGAIN
Getting your motorhome or
campervan serviced in early spring, or
even late winter, is a great idea and it
gives you the impetus to make sure
everything works, plus also giving you
time to get any of the more simple
problems resolved.
Obviously, if you are still in the
warranty period, the service date will
be defined by these terms, but if

TECHNICAL

Using motorhome-specific cleaners is
always advised
Using two buckets – one has
clean water for rinsing

outside of this, it might be good to
look at your service date and set it to a
time you’re happy with.
One of our regular forum users,
Dennis, says, “Before the big run to the
Costa Blanca, it takes me a week to
ready the ’van. I mechanically check
everything: tyres for screws, etc,
pressures, oil, water, brake fluid and
radiator levels.
“I find starting to prepare at least a
week early saves me forgetting
anything and, when leaving it a couple
of days prior to travel, I found it raining
and not so pleasant to prepare.”
Another forum visitor, Tracker, says
to pay particular attention to the
‘hidden’ areas, “Remove the spare
wheel from the underfloor housing
and check its pressure and condition,
thus ensuring both mechanism and
wheel will work if you need it.
“Also, check for damp or water
ingress in all lockers – especially
hard-to-reach corners.”

CLEANER THAN CLEAN
Let’s tackle the biggest cleaning job
first – giving the exterior of the
motorhome a wash.
It’s not a quick task. If the dirt is
extreme it might take a couple of days
to get rid of the grime, rather than a
couple of hours to wash off recent
build-up.

Make sure soft mitts are clean and free
from grit to avoid scratches

Windscreen gutters can become clogged
with debris

While one big clean a year is
brilliant, it also pays to regularly give it
a quick rinse, as dirt can get baked on
in full sun.
Of course, the temperature of the
water is important – cold is fine, but
the dirt will shift much easier with
warm water – but never make it so hot
you can’t dip your hand in the bucket.
It might be that very hot water
impacts the plastic components, such
as door frames and windows, and side
walls of your motorhome.
The traditional method of bucket
and sponge is not really practical
when it comes to something the size
of a motorhome, and even some larger
campervans, these days.
So, you’ll want something to help
speed up the process. Unless you are
very careful, we don’t recommend
pressure washers. The water jet, used
close and on full stretch, can put stress
on seals, joins and get into vents
causing damage to components.
However, if you have one then dial
down the power and keep the jet well
away from all the stress points.
However, a good middle ground for
many will be a hosepipe and
adjustable nozzle. You can vary the
strength of the water for stubborn
stains, but the same caveat applies; be
careful around joins and vents.
It’s vital that you don’t ignore the
roof, and it should always be tackled

first. Unless you have a solid platform
for this purpose, care needs to be
taken with ladders. They need a stable
footing and insulation around the top
and rungs where it will rest against
the roof. You’ll also need an assistant.
A telescopic brush will come in
particularly useful and, when
connected to the hosepipe, it’s a good
all-purpose cleaning tool.
What is important is, while you are
cleaning, you can also use this as a
chance to inspect rooflights, as well as
the integrity of mounts for solar
panels and satellite domes.
Ensure that any brush or cleaning
mitt is checked regularly and rinsed
thoroughly. Windows are prone to
scratching from grit trapped in cloth
and brush fibres, so make sure the
mitt is clean or, if you have a brush,
make sure it’s a super-soft version.
The other thing to make clean is
that not all cleaning products are
equal. What’s suitable for your car
may react badly to the plastics in
windows, bumpers and locker door
frames, as well as the GRP in sidewalls.
What’s clear from many online
forums and websites is that no one
product fits all.
Dennis says, “I clean the ’van top to
bottom using Autoglym products and
even black the tyres.”
Motorhome-specific cleaning
products are available and won’t ³

April 2024 Need technical advice? | mmmtech@warnersgroup.co.uk 127

A toothbrush is useful for more sensitive
areas around vents and doors

Lift the washer blades off the screen, which
also allows for a quick condition check

Using a squeegee blade should shorten
drying times

Give the step a clean, but be careful
underneath as contacts are sensitive

break the bank. Fenwicks and 40shot
by Qualkem are mentioned on forums,
while others say that Silky does a great
job, too.
Stubborn black streaks, however,
might not be shifted by all-purpose
cleaners, so read reviews before
buying more specialised products.
What’s certain is that things like
domestic washing-up liquid are a
no-no, as is attempting to wash the
’van on a sunny day – this is a cloudy
day job.
What’s also vital is polish or paint
protection – this allows mid-season
dirt to be more easily rinsed of.
If you plan to do this yourself, you’ll
need to factor in a lot of time and
energy, but there are paint-protection
specialists out there – they can even
come to you.

space heaters.
Even if there are not electrical
issues, it’s worth checking the battery,
fusebox and power management unit,
etc. Tracker recommends, “Check all
battery terminals and fuses, and
cables where visible, for abrasion,
damage, corrosion and tightness and
check there is no heat build-up
anywhere when being charged.
“Ensure all the functions of the
habitation control panel work
correctly with no suspicious displays.”
The rest of our advice is about
water tanks and toilets, two very
important issues.
Lots of people half-fill the water
tank with water plus a cleaning
compound and then leave it for a
while and go for a drive.
If you do fill the fresh water tank
with a cleaning compound and water,
then run it through the taps into the
waste water tank to help clean that.
But first check the ingredients of
the cleaner. Any stainless-steel
components in the water system,
including the water heater, may get
affected by chlorine in the cleaning
compound and cause corrosion.
Truma has the following advice for
its Combi boiler, one of the most
common types of heater used in
motorhomes and campervans, “The
water container on the Truma Combi

heater should be regularly sterilised
and descaled. Any standard cleaning
products stocked by specialist
camping retailers can be used for
cleaning, sterilisation and
maintenance. It is important that
products are used according to
manufacturer specifications in the
correct dosage and with the correct
exposure time.”
You can also regularly heat the
water in the Combi heater to 70°C to
prevent the growth of
microorganisms. To do this, set the
water temperature to 60°C (on the CP
plus control panel, HOT setting), leave
the appliance switched on for at least
30 minutes, and do not use any hot
water during this time. Once the water
reaches a temperature of 60°C, the
burner switches off and the residual
heat in the heat exchanger heats the
water to 70°C.
You can use standard descaling
products from specialist camping
retailers, acetic acid or citric acid to
descale the water container.
Add the cleaning or descaling
products in the recommended mixing
ratio to the appliance via the water
intake and allow them to work.
Then flush the Truma Combi as
part of your water system thoroughly
with fresh water.
If this leaves you with feelings of

INSIDE OUT
While it might sound simple, giving
the motorhome a spring clean does
involve more than just a vacuum and a
dust inside.
Making sure everything works is
top of that list. Make sure there’s
power to all appliances that work on
12V and, if you can, plug into the
mains and check all those things, too.
Don’t forget things like lights and
water pumps, ovens, grills and water/

128 Need technical advice? | mmmtech@warnersgroup.co.uk April 2024

TECHNICAL

Covers can be useful to keep dirt off, but
will also need a clean at springtime

A small handheld vaccuum cleaner is great
for interior seats

Windows are susceptible to scratches; you
may be able to buff these out

Motorhome-specific cleaners will help
prevent washroom plastics yellowing

Check wheels and tyres before every trip,
but give them a proper clean every so often

dread about mucking up the doses or
using the wrong product, then there
are a couple of options – you could
just flush with several tanks of water
or do the same as one forum user,
Peter, suggests.
He tells us, “I have never, in 25
years, cleaned my water system (I do
drain down after every trip).”
If you do use chemicals in any
water or waste tank, remember to
flush thoroughly with clean water at
least once.
Also, if you go for a drive while the
cleaning solution is in the tank,
Tracker suggests emptying the tank
the moment you get home, and don’t
give the freed-up dirt a chance to
settle back down.
Domestic cleaning chemicals and
scourers can cause problems with
fridges, too.
Thetford recommends washing the
fridge with a solution of washing-up
liquid and warm water then rinsing
with a second solution of bicarbonate
of soda and water. Then dry.
Toilets could also do with a little
attention. You don’t want to arrive on
a wild camping spot in the middle of
nowhere and find that the blade won’t
open or it won’t flush.
Thetford makes a Duo Tank
Cleaner, which should remove
limescale and more, as well as

recommends using its seal lubricant
spray, as well as replacing the lip seal
every four to six years.
Dennis tells us that part of his
annual routines is to, “lubricate the
blades in the loo and deep clean the
seat and surrounding areas.”
Finally, one thing to mention, if you
use them, is windscreen covers.
External ones are exposed to the worst
of the weather outside, while you are
parked up on site.
However, the material used for
these mean you do need to take care.
Cover manufacturer, Taylormade,
recommends using warm water with a
mild detergent and a soft cloth. Do not
scrub the surface as this might remove
the silver coating.

you need to carry multiple sets of
tools or accessories?
If none of this is possible and you
have a driving licence that allows you
to pilot vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, look
at an uprate – check out our article on
payloads and weights (Summer 2023,
p130).

ON THE SCALES
Once you’ve cleaned the ’van and
refilled cupboards, it is also worth
taking it off to the weighbridge before
your first spring trip. We would load it
up with your big holiday essentials,
too, such as outdoor furniture,
barbecues and bikes.
If you are overloaded and need to
trim the kit you carry, then take a
fresh look at what’s under those seats
or beds and in cupboards – can you
pack lighter chairs, do you need the
safari room sides for your awning, do

FINAL NOTE
If you are new to motorhoming, the
important part to take away here, is
that cleaning products you use in the
home may not be suitable for many of
the surfaces in your motorhome.
If you are an experienced
motorhomer, then it’s still worth
checking your manuals and check
what the recommended products are
so you don’t inadvertently damage
your pride and joy.

PLEASE NOTE
Any advice given by consultants and contributors
within MMM is designed to be by way of
suggestion only and does not negate a reader’s
responsibility to obtain professional advice
before acting upon it. Any such advice is not a
recommendation on behalf of the Editor or
publishers and is followed entirely at the
reader’s own risk. Consequently, the Editor,
consultants and publishers shall not be
responsible for any loss or damage incurred by a
reader acting upon such advice.

April 2024 Need technical advice? | mmmtech@warnersgroup.co.uk 129

Buyingadvice
Aftermarket and dealer warranties
When buying a used motorhome, it’s important to
understand the warranty options available to you

WORDS: Barry Norris

© Oaktree Motorhomes

I

n an ideal world, we could all afford to
buy a brand-new motorhome and
drive away into the sunset with our
perfect, trouble-free home from home.
Well, life isn’t so simple and even new
motorhomes not infrequently come with
problems.
But, if buying used, then there’s a
chance that, due to ageing of
components and the possibility of
neglect by the previous owner, you will
hit problems sooner or later. In recent
years there has been an upsurge in the
availability of aftermarket warranties,
some offered by dealers and some bought
directly by owners. But what do they
offer and how worthwhile are these
warranties?

DIFFERENT TYPES OF
WARRANTY
There are two fundamentally different
types of warranty: warranty insurance
and warranty guarantee. The difference
is behind the scenes in terms of who
signs off on a claim and who pays
(underwrites) the bill.
The most noticeable difference for
customers is, in the event of a claim, an
insurance provider might require a
claims assessor to review a claim before
it’s paid.
A warranty guarantee scheme pays
according to the contractual terms and
conditions (T&Cs) and can be approved
immediately.
The way a customer can tell the

130 outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/for-sale April 2024

difference is an insurance warranty will
have the term ‘Policy’ and a warranty
guarantee will use the term ‘Contract’ in
its documentation.
It’s worth noting that, with new
vehicle warranties, it’s usually the
motorhome manufacturer or base vehicle
manufacturer which directly underwrites
the guarantee.
Most aftermarket warranties sold by
dealers or included in their sales
packages will be warranty guarantees
underwritten by a warranty guarantee
company.
One exception to this is the Marquis
Leisure warranty guarantee, which is
administered by a warranty company but
is underwritten by the dealer.

BUYING
WHAT’S THE PURPOSE OF A
WARRANTY?
You could say they are all about risk
management and peace of mind. When
you’ve just shelled out a load of money,
maybe with a loan, the last thing you
want is unexpected workshop bills or
delays to planned holidays. While
warranties are worthwhile, they are not
the complete solution to achieving peace
of mind; you have to consider them in the
fuller picture of the buying process.
With a new motorhome you will have
a warranty for the base vehicle which is
usually comprehensive, covering most
aspects for two or even three years,
subject to the exclusion of consumable
items and servicing in accordance with
the manufacturer’s schedule. The
habitation area coverage is not so
comprehensive, with some components
covered for only a year or maybe two. You
also have your statutory consumer rights
which are very useful, especially for the
first six months of ownership.
You still have consumer rights when
you buy a used vehicle from a dealer
under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, but
the emphasis will be different. Whilst the
“fit for purpose” and “as described”
requirements are still grounds for
describing the vehicle as faulty, the
satisfactory quality is now one of what
you’d expect for its age, mileage, price
and type.
Hence, having a warranty will
potentially take out the uncertainty of
who’s responsible for a repair which
could or could not be expected in a

You can relax on holiday if there’s a problem, when a
warranty doesn’t need ou to return to the dealer

© Motorhome Depot

three-year or older ’van. Once you’ve paid
out the warranty fee you are covered and
the warranty will pay out irrespective of
age, as long as the item for repair is
covered in the T&Cs.

ARE AFTERMARKET
WARRANTIES WORTH IT?
Aftermarket warranties specifically
tailored for motorhomes covering the
base vehicle and habitation area can be
bought by an individual directly from a
warranty company, usually subject to
evidence of some servicing records.
Dealers also sell third-party warranties to
extend the period of their own or
outsource the warranty from the point of

© Approved Workshop Scheme

Most warranties require base vehicle and habitation service checks to be kept

sale to warranty guarantee companies.
Many dealers include the cost of the
warranty within the sale price and
sometimes will offer an enhanced
package for a fee.
Warranty guarantees differ from how
vehicle road insurance works, so instead
of automatically paying the full cost of a
repair less any excess, a warranty will
normally pay up to a relatively modest
maximum amount, which may or may
not cover the cost of repairing a failed
component.
A common maximum limit for an
individual warranty claim is £500,
although there is usually no limit on the
number of individual claims that you can
put in for further equipment failures.
Some warranty guarantees have higher
limits, often £1,000 or £2,000, but the
annual fee will also be larger.
When deciding what financial limit
package to take on, you need to consider
the risk you are willing to accept for the
cost of potentially more serious problems
occurring where the repair cost may
exceed the maximum warranty limit. On
the positive side, a £500 limit will cover
many basic repairs, especially in the
habitation area, and it also does soften
the blow when a £1,000 repair becomes
necessary.
Obviously, the older the motorhome
the more likely the risk of problems
occurring. This is reflected in the
packages warranty companies offer.
Many will have staged offerings,
whereby the cover reduces the older the
motorhome and the higher the mileage.
Some warranties will not cover ’vans over
15 years old or with more than 100,000 ³

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/for-sale 131

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BUYING
A Combi boiler replacement is likely
to cost well in excess of £1,000

Most warranties are not too expensive
and, even though the payout limit may be
relatively low because the limit is per
repair, they can offer good value for
money.
Again, it’s all down to what is in the
terms and conditions, do check them
rather than go for the cheapest. Dave
Murden at Oaktree Motorhomes reckons
you need to spend £1,000, plus to expect
a reasonable three-year warranty.

PROS AND CONS OF
WARRANTIES
Small items like replacing a
pump will almost certainly be
fully covered in a warranty

miles on the clock at the time of taking
out the warranty.
As always, you need to carefully check
the T&Cs to see what components are
covered and balance that against the
higher risk of component failure and
your wish and ability to accept the
possibility of paying out further along the
line for repairs.
Some warranties will also offer the
benefit of breakdown cover, which may
be pointless if you are already covered
with other organisations. However, if you
don’t have breakdown cover elsewhere,
this inclusion could be worthwhile as
combining recovery and repair may offer
a more seamless experience to getting
you back on the road.
The key to the worth of a warranty is
the terms and conditions. Many of them
have similar conditions, such as the need
to have evidence that your motorhome is
in good condition before taking you on
and you may need to have the
motorhome serviced in accordance with
the manufacturer’s schedule throughout
the contract.
There may be some conditions
governing servicing arrangements;
Marquis Leisure asks that the annual
habitation check is undertaken by a
member of the Approved Workshop
Scheme or the selling dealer. Others will
accept servicing at any workshop as long
as it is carried out by a VAT-registered
workshop.
Regular servicing is a reasonable
condition and a good way to reduce the
risk of untoward problems occurring or
at least finding a problem before it gets
too extensive, such as with water ingress.
However good a warranty is, the sensible

thing is to avoid the hassle of faults
occurring during your ownership.
It’s important to note the exclusions;
batteries, tyres, hoses and brake pads are
reasonable as being consumable items.
There may be blanket exclusions or cover
for only 50% of the cost of certain repairs
like cab sat-navs.
Even if your payout limit is higher
than £500, it may limit the payout for, say,
a snapped cambelt to just replacing the
belt rather than repairing the substantial
damage that can occur when such a belt
snaps on the road.
Also, there may be a low financial
limit for investigating a problem and,
when it’s one of those difficult engine
faults that needs a main dealer to
diagnose, they can be costly.

A dealership will often provide a
third-party warranty guarantee on the
basis of nationwide sales and therefore
wanting to provide backup to its
customers without the need for
inconvenient back-to-base repairs.
These schemes also provide enhanced
benefits for local customers as repairs
often go wrong when you’re on holiday
and even in Europe. But do check that
your warranty will cover you for Europe.
Repair costs are sometimes paid
directly by the warranty company to the
repairer; although, for repair in Europe,
it will normally be paid on the basis of
reimbursement.
Sometimes reimbursement for repairs
in the UK is the normal procedure and,
even where a warranty company is
willing to pay direct to a workshop, you
may find the workshop is unwilling to
undertake work on this basis because of
previous problems with payouts.
If there’s an argument about who ³

There’s plenty that can go wrong in the engine

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/for-sale 133

BUYING
pays the bill, the repairer is entitled to
retain the vehicle until the bill is paid.
A few warranties will cover certain
faults, but are only prepared to pay for a
repair on the basis of national labour
rates. This can be a problem, especially if
you need to use a main dealer.
Other schemes will simply have a
financial limit and they will they pay up
to the limit irrespective of what the
labour rate is.
Engineer Aftercare Warranty has an
agreement with the Approved Workshop
Scheme (AWS) to pay a higher hourly
rate to deliver its habitation repair
service in the UK, covering 95% of all
AWS workshops to avoid such problems.
Being able to pay the going rate is
important as many new motorhome
owners have found that, whilst UK
manufacturers permit warranty work to
be undertaken by any AWS workshop,
often workshops will refuse on the basis
that manufacturers pay low labour rates.
This approach means owners are forced
to return to their selling dealer for
rectification.
One small dealer I spoke to had given
up on third-party warranties because of
the hassle its customers had getting
payments from their warranty company.
It’s possible this experience reflected the
lack of financial sway a small dealership
had on the warranty companies.

© Motorhome Depot

Insist that the dealer or selling agent covers all aspects of the warranty contract

However, Motorhome Depot, a
nationwide company which facilitates
the private buying and selling of
motorhomes, has also had problems with
the warranty packages it sold in the past.
Its brokers now offer a warranty package
from Engineer Aftercare Warranty, which
has run successfully since 2019.
Oaktree Motorhomes opted to choose
the well-established RAC organisation to
provide its warranty service with a
combination of good pre-sale
preparation of vehicles.

SO SHOULD I INSIST
ON A GOOD WARRANTY
WHEN BUYING A USED
MOTORHOME?

Some warranties limit the cost of
some repairs like entertainment
and sat-navs to 50%

It’s always worthwhile having a warranty,
certainly in the first year of ownership
when any underlying problem is likely to
surface. Longer-term warranties are
beneficial for your peace of mind and
financial planning.
You need to remember that a topquality warranty is no substitute for
buying well.
Buying privately or using a third-party
facilitator can save many pounds over a
dealer-bought ’van, but it is a matter of
buyer beware, you only have any
comeback if the seller misled you.
Always look for a service history; a

neglected engine is storing up trouble for
the future and undetected damp in a
coachbuilt will be expensive to put right.
Be especially cautious of any dealer
offering any short-term warranty, say
three to six months, particularly at the
end of the camping season.
Buying at the end of season when
there may be good deals on offer
becomes a false economy when the ’van
is hardly used before going into storage
for the winter, only for faults to appear in
spring when your warranty has run out.
One dealer told me it costs around
£3,500 on average to prepare a used
motorhome ready for sale, which
includes providing a full base vehicle and
habitation service. Oaktree Motorhomes,
as part of its preparation of used
motorhomes, replaces the cambelt if
change is due within the three-year
warranty period. Such detailed
preparation is taking away a known and
not inconsiderable replacement cost
which would not be covered by the
warranty.
What a dealer or other seller should
do at handover is go through the ’van and
demonstrate the operation of the
on-board kit so you know everything is in
working condition. Even if the warranty
covers any subsequent repair of nonfunctioning kit, it doesn’t cover the
hassle of rectifying the issue.

NEED ADVICE ON BUYING A MOTORHOME? Send your questions to MMM’s experts
and we will provide you with all the relevant information mmm@warnersgroup.co.uk
134 outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/for-sale April 2024

IN DIVISION WITH PREMIER FURNISHINGS

BEFORE

AFTER

Please contact us for all your
enquiries and one of our dedicated
team will be more than happy to help.
www.premierfurnishings.co.uk
casey@premier-furnishings.co.uk
Tel 0115 931 6940

EMBROIDERY

Tel: 07971 654936
The Original Mirrorguard.
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Reluxe Furnishings by Premier Furnishings offer a personalised bespoke
service if your upholstery interior is looking tired and needs a new lease of life.
An in-house embroidery machine is available and a wide range of different
fabrics and leather options are on offer.
Hook up is available on site so you can stay over and also on offer is a courtesy
car while you stay. We pride ourselves on quality and customer service.

www.mirrorguard.co.uk

BIG ENOUGH TO COPE, SMALL ENOUGH TO CARE
April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk 135

Vintage ’vans
Expert advice on buying and running an older motorhome
THIS MONTH Martin Watts goes on the hunt for spares

Martin Watts...
...now has a 1984 VW T25
Westfalia Joker high-top. It is
on the road with MoT, but
requires tidying

I

t is inevitable that spare parts for classic
motorhomes become harder to find.
Manufacturers used to keep parts in stock
for around 15 years, after which time, they
were either scrapped or sold off.
Motorhomes and campervans produced
during the 1950s, 60s and 70s did share some
mechanical parts with saloon cars from the
same marque. This practice of sharing
certain parts between cars and light
commercials within the same marque made
sense in terms of economics.
As motorhome base vehicle manufacture
has progressed over the years, this parts
sharing has become less practical, especially
given that some brands have amalgamated,
such as the Sevel group with their Peugeot,
Citroën, Fiat collaboration.
The owners of the much older classic
motorhomes such as the Standard Atlas,

Austin-Morris J2 and J4, Bedford CA and
Ford Thames are well versed in having to
scour classified adverts and owners’ clubs,
with hours walking around autojumbles to
find that elusive part required.
Those with a Rootes/Chrysler Commer
have been rather fortunate to have the
services of RJ Grimes and, more recently,
Speedy Spares to fulfil their need for spares.
They also had the services of an independent
trader in Yorkshire supplying new body
panels and new rubber door seals and trim.
Sadly, both have now ceased trading,
leaving Commer and Dodge Spacevan
owners joining the ranks of the older vehicles
already mentioned. Commer/Dodge
Spacevan owners around the world have
been rather spoilt in recent years with the
array of ‘new’ old stock and remanufactured
parts and panels from various sources.

Classic corner
I am going to assist the owners of the
much older classic motorhomes who
struggle to locate spares.
Although the internet and social media
are great places to start, autojumbles can
prove to be a goldmine of old stock spares
for owners of older models.
For those unfamiliar
with autojumbles, they
are jumble sales for
classic vehicle owners.

Usually held at weekends, they can be a
treasure trove, and I have had plenty of
success tracking down parts that I was
unable to find via the internet. An
autojumble is also a great day out!
To find out where and when they take
place, try these links below in addition to
the various monthly classic car magazines.
jonniejumble.co.uk/classic_car_
events_and_shows/autojumbles_
upcoming.shtml

carevents.com
classiccarweekly.co.uk

SHOW OFF YOUR CLASSIC! Tell everyone about your vintage ’van: post to MMM
Vintage at the address on the Next Month page or email mmm@warnersgroup.co.uk
136 outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

BUYING
ON THE MARKET
This month, Martin looks at a pair of modern
classics, spotted on
outandaboutlive.co.uk

AUTO-SLEEPER LEGEND

There is still hope that a buyer for the
stock from Speedy Spares and the body panel
supplier in Yorkshire will be found and, if
that happens, I will update you.
I have mentioned various base vehicles
from the classic motorhome era so far that
owners will have some difficulty in obtaining
spares, but what of the modern classic
examples? Owners of the Talbot Express/
Ducato variants are currently well catered
for with several suppliers, including a couple
of specialist vehicle breakers.
Owners of the MkI Renault Trafic are, I
believe, just about managing to source most
parts, if not in the UK, then at least on the
Continent. Owners of Mercedes models from
the 80s and 90s also find themselves able to
obtain many parts both here in the UK and
from sellers on the Continent.
Classic VW owners probably wonder what
all the fuss is about when it comes to
sourcing spares, as they are in the enviable
position of being able to buy most parts from
numerous suppliers, both in the UK and
around the world.
The explosion of social media sites in
recent years has been a huge help to owners
of classics, not only in terms of information
sharing, but also for locating spares. There
are now Facebook groups for just about
every arm of the motorhome fraternity you
align yourself to, from classic base vehicles
to conversions, past and present.
Social media does get a bad press from
time to time, but it is certainly a huge help if
you require an obsolete vehicle part, body
panel, or simply some help with a restoration
task on a classic ’van.

THE ARCHIVES
The Renault Estafette
Touriste campervan, by
Coachwork Conversions,
was the only model offered
in the UK based on the
Renault Estafette van.
Built on the basic van
platform and a factory
low roof, it featured a
compact two-berth interior,
with a dining area and
rear kitchen, which was
accessed via the standard
three-way opening rear
doors and tailgate.
The Estafette was made
from 1959 to 1980, but
the Touriste was only for
sale here in the mid-60s.

£ 21,995
Year: 1998 Mileage: 84k
Base vehicle: Ford Transit Berths: 2

Martin says...
A beautifully presented classic Auto-Sleeper,
based on the sought-after ‘smiley’ Ford
Transit with a diesel power plant. This model
will appeal to those who prefer a rear lounge
layout, which transforms into a large double
bed. It also has a central washroom and
wardrobe, with kitchen opposite. This Legend
comes with a habitation check, fresh MoT,
side-mounted awning, rear cycle rack and
roof rack with ladder access.

AUTOCRUISE STARFIRE



ON THE WEBSITES

A recent trawl on the
classics section of eBay
revealed three examples worth
a mention.
First, a nice Bedford CF
Dormobile pop-top, fitted
with the economical 1.6-litre
petrol engine. In very usable
condition with a lovely vintage
wooden interior, the asking
price was just £7,995.
Next was a 1978 Leyland
Sherpa Auto-Sleeper with its
original interior and being
sold as a project, requiring
some welding and mechanical
restoration. The price was a
realistic £2,250.
Finally, a real rarity in
the form of a 1975 Toyota
Hiace Camper model by Ci/
Autohomes. It’s had just two
owners from new and there’s
only 32k miles on the clock.
Always garaged and in lovely
condition, it has an asking
price of £17,995.

£18,995
Year: 1999 Mileage: 48k
Base vehicle: Peugeot Boxer

Berths: 2

Martin says...
A lot of bang for your buck is how I
would describe this late-90s classic from
Autocruise. It has a genuine mileage of
under 50k, is built on a proven base vehicle,
and is beautifully presented by the dealer.
It has a built-in roof rack and rear access
ladder, double rear cycle rack and a wind-out
awning. The interior is a pleasant wood-grain
finish with modern upholstery, and features
a rear kitchen and corner washroom, plus a
good-sized wardrobe.

April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk 137

BUYING

ACCESSORIES

A round-up of the latest gear and gadgets
DINING

CLOTHING

LIGHT MY FIRE TABLEWARE

TIERRA LIDDO JACKET

With echoes of the Take That
song in my head, I started to
write about these new plates
from this Swedish company.
This is no traditional floral
pattern, or melamine, or even
the latest bamboo. It’s
something different that is OK
to use in a microwave
(bamboo isn’t). And, while few
motorhomes have dishwashers, you can clean these in the
dishwasher at home, too. That’s because this Swedish-made
tablewear is made of bioplastic called Ecozen, a biomass-based
transparent copolyester, which is claimed to be scratch-resistant,
as well as BPA-free.
There’s various types but we like the Ramen plate, which is
like a shallow bowl (20.4cm diameter). They are stackable, too
with a choice of two colours (sage green or cream). Or you can
choose two sizes of rectangular plates or a one-litre food storage
box. Prices start from £7.95 for the Ramen plate and Small
Platter, £8.95 for the Medium Platter and £17.95 for the box. You
can also buy the plates in a pack of four for £29.95.
UK supplier, Berry Useful has free delivery on orders over £30
– if you order direct from Light My Fire only orders over €200 get
free shipping to the UK and you’ll be liable for customs duty.

Back in 1982, the year
Swedish pop sensation,
ABBA, split up, fellow
countryman, Anders,
went on a trip to the USA and encountered a new material
called Gore-Tex. He immediately ‘had a dream’ and on his
return to Scandinavia decided to ‘take a chance’ on using this
breathable, waterproof fabric to make clothes for outdoor
activities. Tierra was born and the public loved it – ‘gimme,
gimme, gimme’ they would exclaim! (That’s enough ABBA puns
– Ed). Fast-forward 40 years, and ABBA are back (virtually) and
Tierra is still going strong, still using Gore-Tex.
The Liddo is a Gore-Tex Paclite rain jacket that provides full
protection from the rain and wind but is stripped down to the
bare essentials to make it as light as possible, without losing
any performance. Fixing tape around the edge of the hood
helps it keep its shape, while the front and rear drawcords
make it easy to adjust.
Other features include a microfleece chin guard, two-way front
zip and bottom snap for easy ventilation and a large chest pocket.
Available in the UK from outdoor retailer, Trekitt, for around
£150, this is perfect to keep in the ’van and light enough to
stuff into your backpack if you’re off for a walk on the hills. So,
do I like it? I do, I do, I do, I do, I do… (You’re fired – Ed)

trekitt.co.uk

berryuseful.co.uk

FURNITURE

CLEANING
SOLBIO

OLPRO DIRECTOR’S CHAIR
You know the saying, the whole world’s a stage, and we’re all
players. Well, now’s the chance to take charge from your very
own director’s chair from Olpro.
If you’ve been blissfully unaware of this type of camping
chair, it’s one of the simplest to unfold and provides a sturdy
pew for your outdoor relaxing and dining options. A side table
with built-in cup holder (to protect against accidental knocks)
folds up and there’s also a fabric pouch on the other side –
for your phone or glasses, etc.
When folded, it’s pretty flat
(10cm high), so you can stash this
7.5kg chair securely behind a cab
seat or even under a sofa.
Colour options include
‘suits all’ grey, ‘understated’
green and black or ‘stand
out from the crowd’ orange
and black.
The price of one is £60;
however, at time of print
through Olpro direct, you
can buy one for £45 or two
for £85.

olproshop.com

Solbio is perhaps the best known of
the eco-friendly toilet fluids, and its
claims are remarkable. This is a
toilet ‘conditioner’, which can be
used as a toilet fluid, waste tank
deodoriser and toilet flush additive.
In addition to these applications,
the company rep I spoke to also
said that Solbio can be used as a
refreshing drink! He didn’t actually
use the word ‘refreshing’, but you
get the drift – it is so
environmentally neutral that it can
be consumed without any harm to the person thirsty
enough to pour it down their throat.
The opportunity to try this didn’t arise whilst we were away in
Spain solely for the purpose of testing toilet fluids. It’s veganfriendly, too. However, and perhaps more importantly, the Solbio
worked very well as a ‘toilet odour restrainer’. Though this could
be something to do with the lack of a built-in dosing system,
which inevitably led to overly generous amounts of Solbio being
spilled into the cassette, and a quite quickly empty ‘pouch’.
A 20-dose pouch costs £18.49, whilst 40 doses cost about
£25. If ‘it’ really hits the fan you can buy a 10-litre box for £119.

solbio.co.uk

138 outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

www.mad-suspension.co.uk

T: 01386 882997
FIT MAD SUSPENSION
FOR A SMOOTHER,
SAFER LEVEL RIDE
MAD Helper Springs, Air Suspension, Front Lift Springs

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Motor dealer since 1963,
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Replacing your mirrors with two HD 1080P cameras and HD monitor system allows
you to have a greater view around your vehicle increasing the safety of you,
your passengers, other road users and also reduce fuel consumption
HD technology provides a sharp and detailed image in all conditions Day & Night
Increase your driver’s visibility manoeuvring around traffic and increase their
confidence knowing they have the Full vision and safety of others.
Reduce Fuel Consumption, Increase Safety.

CSP Technology Ltd
t. + 44 (0) 1724 276557 _ e: sales@c-s-p.co.uk _
www.c-s-p.co.uk

WildAx dealers

New stoc
k
on site

- free
refreshm
ents

Aldbrough Road, Flinton, Hull, E Yorks, HU11 4NA
April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk 139

ACCESSORIES

NEW
CATALOGUE
ISSUE 16

Rubber seals and trims for caravans & motorhomes
FREE, fully illustrated catalogue please visit our website or call

01425 617722 Email: sales@sealsplusdirect.co.uk
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140 outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

£15.95

CLASSIFIEDS
AIR SUSPENSION

BEDDING

Ferry Good
for Al-ko
★★★★★

The HPC Hydraulic Levelling System is truly a step
ahead for motorhome owners. Covering all requirements
expected from a levelling system. it is simply and quickly
operated using the on-board touch-screen controls.
Accompanied by the AS Air Suspension system, all your
suspension and levelling needs are catered for. At AS
Air Suspension UK Ltd, we seek to continually improve
and stay ahead of our competitors. Using innovative
materials to reduce the weight of the systems, without any
compromise to quality.

“Exceedingly comfy and
worth every penny”
Jacqueline, Duvalay Customer

AS Air Suspension UK Ltd. 131 Chester Road,
Warrington, Cheshire WA4 6ET
info@as-airsuspension.co.uk www.as-airsuspension.co.uk
T 01925 740666 • M 07874 046643

CONVERTERS

THE COMPLETE CONVERSION COMPANY
EMAIL US info@millgarageduns.co.uk

dragons’
den

or CALL 01361 883744

millgarageduns
Est.
1974

DUVALAY LUXURY SLEEPING BAGS • TRAVEL TOPPERS • CUSTOM MATTRESSES • AND MORE

MOTORHOME CONVERSIONS • SALES
• WORKSHOP - Full Service Facilities
• BODYSHOP - All Accident Repair &
Painting Service
• MOT Class 4 & 7
• All makes and models converted to
your specification

•
•
•
•

Part Exchange on Motorhomes & Cars
All types of roofs supplied & fitted
Classic restorations also undertaken
Updated stock on website

Order online or by phone

duvalay.co.uk
01924 600 757

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

www.millgaragecoachworks.co.uk

INSURANCE

Award winning Motorhome
& Campervan insurance

Best motorhome
insurance provider

Winner 2023

Get a quote

0800 433 4985
caravanguard.co.uk/mmm

Remember to mention
your MMM subscriber
number to get a a
£20 discount*

*£20 subscriber discount is only available by calling. Not available in conjunction with other offers. We reserve the right to withdraw offers at any time. Terms and
conditions and minimum premiums apply. Caravan Guard Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

INSURANCE

JOIN THE MOTORHOME COMMUNITY
Sign up to our email newsletter to get a
FREE digital issue!

SIGN UP HERE

motorhome.ma/signup22
April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk 141

INSURANCE

d
se
Ba
s
ew
vi
re

That’s why at Adrian Flux, we don’t just treat your motorhome
like any other vehicle. We find motorhome insurance tailored
to you, whether you need cover for travelling abroad, your
personal belongings, or for breakdowns.

00
,0
25
er
ov

A motorhome is so much more than a vehicle.

on

Insurance for your home
away from home

Policy benefits can include:
 Agreed value cover
 European breakdown cover
 Discounts for limited mileage policies
 Awnings and camping equipment cover
 Discounts for owners club members

Call our UK team on 0800 587 5482
adrianflux.co.uk
Authorised & regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
Trustpilot rating checked on 30th January 2024

CLASSIFIEDS
REPAIRS & SERVICING

Insurance approved specialist motorhome repairers and
re-finishers since 1987

Motorhome
Body Repairs & Body Maintenance

ACCIDENTAL DAMAGE REPAIRS • INSURANCE CLAIMS • HABITATION SERVICING

All makes & models catered for

www.motorhome-bodyrepairs.co.uk

Please leave a contact number when sending an enquiry

Motorhomes bought for cash

• Motorhome, RV & Caravan Body Repairs & Maintenance
• Major accident damage repair
• Repair most panels, no need to purchase new ones
• Fabricate obsolete panels
• Extensive colour library
• Resealing windows, doors & skylights
• Wash & polish
• Window scratch removal

170 Stafford Road, Cannock, Staffs, WS11 4AH
Tel: 01543 572686 www.motorhomerepairs.co.uk

Chacombe
Banbury,
Oxon
OX17 2EW
01295 711233
07831 157209

Motorhomes & Caravans bought for cash, any age or condition

REUPHOLSTERY

IS YOUR

MOTORHOME

READY FOR THE SUMMER?

Regal
Furnishing

Start your holiday with peace of mind

SERVICES START AT ONLY

£200
+ VAT
including FREE MOT!
New

Habitation checks
now available

motorhome specialists
Leeds Road, Huddersfield HD1 6PD

Tel: 01484 420935

“A friendly service from a
dedicated local family
run business”

Excellent customer service
continuously awarded since 2007

SATELLITES
Family run business
with over 50 years
experience.
Based in Wakefield

07801 843332



www.jacksonsuk.com
rpjackson@tiscali.co.uk

JLS

ROBERT JACKSON

JLS

Satellite supply & repairs on all systems
Oyster and SatSeeker main dealer
Visit our all new website:

www.jacksonsuk.com

Please call for a quote

regalfurnishings@yahoo.co.uk
www.regalfurnishings.co.uk
Tel: 0115 932 9988 • Fax: 0115 932 6451
Unit 4 Merlin Way,
Quarry Hill Industrial Estate,
Ilkeston, Derbyshire DE7 4RA



THE trusted name for over 35 years supplying and NATIONWIDE FITTING.
High quality system fittings that work Europe wide and also in
Spain and Portugal and back-up is second to none.
Look at our testimonials on the forums!

Luxury quilted covers
High density foam interior,
Curtains made to measure,
Cab seats completely
re-upholstered,
Small family business,
Electric hook up for
overnight stays

SOLAR PANELS
One of the South’s leading
installers of quality accessories

We offer a
huge selection
of solar and
alternative
charging
products.

Gaslow is a
fantastic
touring
accessory. Up
to 2/3 cheaper
than Calor.

Levelling
systems for
motorhomes /
caravans.

www.solarsolutionsltd.co.uk

Air suspension
systems for
Motorhomes,
Vans & Pickups

Manufacturer /
TUV approved
Towbars.

Tel: 01202 632488

CAR
-A -TOW
Folding Towing Frames
The CAR-A-TOW towing
system is the most versatile on
the market. We are able to
install to a much larger range of cars than any other system.
you do not need to be limited to a tiny city car but tow
something a little bit bigger.
Don't be fooled by the legality
claims suggested by others. Call
US to get honest unbiased advice
before making the wrong choice.

Tel: 01202 632456 www.caratow.com
April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk 143

CLASSIFIEDS
TOWING & TRAILERS

WANTED

TOP PRICES PAID
CASH TRANSFER ON COLLECTION
Fuller

fuller

FULLER

FULLER

FULLER

We’re always looking to buy stock and
have customers ready and waiting.
If you’re looking for the BEST PRICE to sell
your A-Class, Coachbuilt, Low Profile, Hi-Top
Motorhome or Campervan

FREE NATIONWIDE COLLECTION
ALL MAKES & MODELS REQUIRED
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CALL US NOW 0115 966 4401

A6097 Lowdham Rd, Gunthorpe,
Nottingham, Notts, NG14 7ER

www.fullerleisure.com

Open 7 days a week.
We’re waiting for your call...

Telephone...
0115 966 4401
April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk 145

WANTED

VOLKSWAGEN

CAMPERS
WANTED

• Bilbo’s models, California’s
• Other recognised
conversions considered

SPRINGFIELD
MOTORHOMES
Yorkshires top buyer
of motorhomes

WANTED
WANTING TO SELL
YOUR MOTORHOME?

• Vehicles under 10 years old
and under 70k miles only
• Excellent prices offered
for good quality vehicles
• Immediate bank transfers
• Collection possible

Distance no problem!
Pickup and payment usually
within 48hrs!
Top prices paid for quality
Motorhomes!

Call Bilbo’s Sales Team
01342 892499 or
Email: sales@bilbos.com
Eastbourne Road,
South Godstone,
Surrey RH9 8JQ

CALL MARTIN OR ANDREW ON

01262 674748 / 07970 588465
Warehouse 8 Boundary Road,
Bessingby Industrial Estate, Bridlington YO16 4SD

ZZZVSULQJÀHOGPRWRUKRPHVFRXN
ZZZVSULQJÀHOGPRWRUKRPHKLUHFRXN

www.bilbos.com

       
 


      

  
     
       


  
    

PHONE US FOR
THE
BEST
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Please contact Mike or Callum
 



WE WI
LL
NOT BE
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Brickfields Industrial Estate, Kiln Lane, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 1NA 146 outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

www.southernmotorhomes.co.uk

CLASSIFIEDS
WANTED

st Motorhome Buyers
UK Coverage
Same day Collection/Payment
Finance settled with all major lenders

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April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk 147

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WANTED

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Please
Call 01159 303 140
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motorhomes

  
  


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148 outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

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www.wellsbridgemotorhomes.com

01487 812901 | 01487 815511

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info@wellsbridgemotorhomes.com

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For more information CALL 01636 704201
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DREAM TOURS We’ve got four bucket list adventures to tempt you,
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largest motorhome, the Globetrotter XXL. At the opposite end of the scale,
we’ve spent a few days assessing the unusual VW Transporter-based
Knaus motorhome
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April 2024 outandaboutlive.co.uk 153

Contents subject to change

MMM is published by: Stephen Warner

My view...
Ian Pedley is inspired by a
centenarian campervanner

I was chatting with our
decorator one day sitting on the
garden wall and he happened to
mention that a fellow customer of his
also had a motorhome. I was
subsequently astonished to learn that
he was still camping regularly at the age
of 100! So, I decided to ring him and ask if I could pay him a visit
and find out what his secret to his longevity was.
When we (myself and Mrs P) arrived at Stewart’s house, his
camper was sitting there gleaming on the drive, and he was
waving from his porch. He ushered us inside and immediately
started sorting some refreshments out.
What an inspirational and fascinating gentleman he is. When
they made him, they must have used all the best bits.
Over the next couple of hours, we chatted about his life and
love of camping, with me asking questions and Mrs P doing her
best to get it all written down. Stewart had laid on some mince
pies and made us some tea to wash them down!
He told us that he only decided to take up motorhoming at
the age of 92! Prior to that he and his family were keen tent
campers. One day he decided to swap his canvas tent for a ‘tin
tent’ (as his family christened it).
He still goes camping regularly. In season he’s usually away
one week in four. He doesn’t bother much in the winter months,
but, when he feels like it, he puts his tent up in the back garden
and spends a few nights out there.

I guess a lot of it must come from his wartime training.
During the war he flew Dakotas for the RAF and did his training
in Canada where he learned to fly in Tiger Moths.
Upon returning from the war, Stewart married his childhood
sweetheart and they both enjoyed many days away camping.
Things were different in those days – no sewn-in groundsheets,
and you had to make very sure that nothing touched the inside
of the canvas, or it would start leaking at that spot. They took
forever to dry out if you got caught in a shower at the wrong
time and if you put them away damp, black mould would take
hold and ruin the fabric.
Eventually he and his wife progressed to a trailer tent.
He got his first campervan when he was 92 (after his wife
died). It was a pop-up roof type. Unfortunately, it was rear-ended
in a crash and written off.
After that he got his present campervan. It is based on a
(pre-owned) Fiat Doblo and was converted by Compact
Campers in Leeds. He has serviced it himself up until recently
and uses it as his daily vehicle.
He usually covers five to six thousand miles a year. He first
pitched a tent 65 years ago (his son got mumps, so they put it up
in the house for him).
When his wife was too ill to journey, they would camp in the
summerhouse at the bottom of the garden and pretend they were
out in the wilds somewhere. The summerhouse is festooned with
all the pennants they have collected from different sites around
the UK. They all hang from the roof like stalactites!
During his life, he has camped from Land’s End to John o’
Groats (and all the places in between). He and his wife have
received letters from the late Queen congratulating them on
their diamond wedding anniversary and Stewart again, from
Charles and Camilla, on his hundredth birthday.
Stewart is planning trips to Scotland and Wales this year in
his ’van and is a member of The New Companions Camping Club
( for solo campers), which has two major rallies each year.
His favourite place to camp is the Lake District. He always
likes to plan his routes using proper maps and doesn’t use a
sat-nav. Old school!
Finally, I asked him the secret of his longevity… he told me the
NHS! What a great guy he is – an inspiration to us all. I
wish him many more happy miles and kind weather.

TELL YOUR STORY Funny, poignant or annoyed – tell readers about your motorhoming
experiences and you could earn £80 motorhome.ma/myviews
154 outandaboutlive.co.uk April 2024

Gold Award

SUPPLYING DEALER - PRE-OWNED MOTORHOMES

Somerset Motorhome
Centre
The Owner Satisfaction Awards are run
in association with The Camping
and Caravanning Club.
The full Owner Satisfaction Awards 2024
report was published in issue
281 of Practical Motorhome

PMH OSS 2024 certificatesGGSM.indd 55

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