Indholdsfortegnelse for July 2019 i Practical Motorhome

ON-SITE SMART CAR CHARGING IN EUROPE I am thinking of purchasing an electric Smart car to use when we are abroad with our motorhome. Before we buy, however, I need to find out if I will be able to charge the Smart car from the three-pin 240V socket in the garage of my Auto-Trail Delaware S 2018 while the ’van is plugged in to the mains. Or perhaps from the normal charging point where I would plug in the ’van on a campsite? Dave Calvert Jack replies I’m not a qualified electrician, so the following is simply a general answer from a fellow motorcaravanner. I don’t think you will be able to recharge on many seasonal European sites if you intend using the ‘slow’ charger that is supplied with the…

Motorhome hire We hired our VW California Ocean from Clark Commercials Edinburgh for £105 per night (high season), with a 10% deposit at time of booking. Web www.clarkcommercials.co.uk Where we stayed • Applecross Campsite Web www.applecross.uk.com/campsite Tariff Adults £11, children aged 12-16 £6 (under-12s free), electric hook-up £5.50, dogs free • Sands Caravan and Camping Park Web sandscaravanandcamping.co.uk Tariff Motorhome and two adults £19, electric hook-up £4, additional adult £8, additional child (aged 5+) £2.50 • Glenmore Campsite Web www.campingintheforest.co.uk Tariff Two adults and two children £26 Find out more • Applecross Inn Award-winning, locally sourced food, green ethos, seating inside and out, children’s and vegetarian menu, live music events, bar. Web www.applecrossinn.co.uk • Applecross Walled Garden and Potting Shed café Web www.applecrossgarden.co.uk Tel 01520 744 440 Brought to public…

CLAUDIA DOWELL “I love the look of this campervan. With its Wolfrace alloy wheels – and they are proper alloy wheels, not pretend ones – sidebars and discreet branding, it’s a ’van I would definitely want to be seen with.” SARAH WAKELY “Putting raising-roofs up, and in particular fastening them down again, can often be more complicated than it looks. With the system in this ’van, it was simplicity itself – as long as you remember to leave the straps somewhere safe when the roof is up.” PETER BABER “The folding spotlights, drinks holder and wireless charger at the back of this ’van just encourage you to spend long hours reading in bed. Not good in terms of current thinking on sleep, but nice all the same!”…

Now the Masters Collection is almost complete, and this newest model might just prove to be the best of the lot. West Yorkshire’s Richard Baldwin Motorhomes names its special-edition vehicles after famous artists these days – and the latest, Caravaggio, is its first foray into the campervan sector. Unlike other coachbuilts and van conversions in the line-up, which come from Elddis, the Caravaggio is built to RBM’s specification by specialist manufacturer Hillside Leisure. Based, fairly loosely, on Hillside’s Birchover, it takes the Masters portfolio to 10 models. There are plenty of significant differences in this camper. It’s available in high-top and elevating-roof variants, and it’s the latter we review here. You get a standard VWbased camper side-furniture layout. Hillside’s pedigree is such that the main fittings are top-notch – for…

Never far away from talk of acquisitions, buyouts, mergers, links with major manufacturers here and abroad – but always based in Yorkshire. West Yorkshire, to be more specific. That’s Wellhouse Leisure, the firm set up by David Elliott in 2003 to specialise in producing and selling campervan conversions. David is very much the driving force behind the company, which could conceivably call itself the UK’s leading campervan specialist – thanks in particular to its links with Hyundai and Ford, and projects with an array of other base vehicle suppliers, as well as bringing pre-owned vehicles from Japan to convert into lower-priced campers. The firm has also become the only UK converter to boast Ford’s QVM – Qualified Vehicle Modifier – status. Mark Cadet (pictured above) is the firm’s aftersales manager.…

Price.......................................£47,999 Berths....................................................4 Belts........................................................2 Base vehicle......................................... .......Peugeot Boxer/Al-Ko AMC Engine....2.0 Blue HDI, 130bhp Length/width/height....................................................7.57/2.28/2.76m Payload.....................................558kg Overall expenses................None Previous reports ...April 2019, May 2019. Live-in test: June 2019…

1 The EHU inlet socket, sensor and load monitor 2 Check inside ’van behind EHU inlet socket. Dismantle socket, making a note of the electrical connections 3 Cut carefully along the length of the orange cable and separate the (undamaged!) brown wire 4 Pass brown wire through hole in load monitor. Secure with cable ties. Feed brown wire into orange cable and secure 5 Reassemble the EHU inlet socket and test. The load monitor installed 6 Remove black cover from Alde boiler. Locate connection for load monitor plug and attach lead from load monitor. Replace cover; tidy lead with cable ties 7 Turn on the Alde control panel and work through the menu/settings to page four. Check the Load Monitor box and the icon on page two appears in blue…

Owing to their similarities, motorhomes and caravans usually share the same window manufacturers. Some of the most well-known are Dometic-Seitz, Heki and Fiamma. However, older ’vans (like mine) were fitted with windows made by a company called Birkholz, which has long since ceased manufacturing them. A quick look at online forums will highlight the problems this causes when trying to source replacement windows (size incompatibility with current ranges) and spare parts. Catch operation In the main, these windows are quite robust and give long service, but those fitted to my motorhome are of the three-point catch variety, using one central lever to operate all three catches simultaneously. To do this, the lever drives a PVC strip in a channel which, in turn, moves the left and right catches. As already…

JUNE 2010 We celebrated the great British outdoors in our June 2010 issue – from top walks to an interview with Julia Bradbury, we revealed how motorhomes can help you hit the paths on foot! The South Downs had just become one of the UK’s many beautiful national parks, so we couldn’t wait to pay a visit – and from the soaring cliffs to its top walking routes, we loved everything we found The Renault Master had received a major update, so our roving reporter Jeremiah Mahadevan got behind the wheel to find out what it was like. His verdict? ‘Renault has made it very motorhome-friendly’ Insurance is something that affects every motorcaravanner – we took a close look at some of the best deals available, and passed on our…

We bought our Vantage Sol in February 2017, through the NEC Caravan, Camping & Motorhome show, and picked it up from Vantage’s Pym Street site the following April. Since then, we have returned annually for the habitation service. This year, we were due in Leeds in late March. Living more than two hours’ drive away, we stay at Moor Lodge the night before, so we can turn up at Vantage first thing. All went according to plan. After having dropped off the motorhome, we took the 30-minute walk alongside the River Aire into Leeds. About 10 minutes later, we spotted what appeared to be an angler under a metal girder bridge. He was holding a stout rope, which ran over a metal railing then into the river. As I walked…

The Nightstop Scheme is run by us in conjunction with the Motor Caravanners’ Club (MCC), and the sites are certificated locations (CLs); you don’t have to join any club to use them. You’ll need to ring the relevant site to confirm whether there’s space for you before you visit: you’ll find all the information you need to know at http://po.st/PMHNightstops. For further information on the MCC, visit www.the motorcaravannersclub.co.uk. 1 Airman Hotel SG17 5JF 2 The Black Horse Pub HP16 9AX 3 The Seven Wives PE27 5RF 4 The Penrhiwgaled Arms SA44 6LN 5 Railway Hotel SA32 7LQ 6 Belmont Hall CW9 6JA 7 Mousehole Camping TR19 6XB 8 Blenkinsopp Castle Inn CA8 7JS 9 The Castle Inn EX20 4BH 1O The Highwayman’s Haunt TQ13 0DE 11 The Thelbridge Cross…

Way to go We took the Dover-Dunkerque ferry with DFDS Seaways. We travelled north to Belgium, then to Koblenz. From here, we drove on the right bank of the Rhine to Mainz, then into France. Going back to Calais, we avoided autoroutes where possible, travelling through Chaumont, Reims, St-Quentin and St-Omer. Where we stayed We used the ACSI book and card for campsites where possible. • Domaine Château de Dieupart Dieupart 37, 4920 Aywaille, Belgium Email jeroen@dieupart.be Web www.dieupart.be • Knaus Camping Park Rhein-Mosel/Koblenz Flocking Meadow 6, 56070 Koblenz Email koblenz@knauscamp.de Web www.knauscamp.de • Geisenheim am Rhein Am Rheinufer, 65366, Geisenheim Email info@rheingaucamping.de Web www.rheingaucamping.de • Domaine Le Chanet 9 Chemin du Chanet, F25290 Ornans, Franche-Comté Web www.lechanet.com • Camping La Marjorie 640 Boulevard de l’Europe, 39000 Lons-le-Saunier Email info@camping-marjorie.com…

Back in the early 1900s, the idea of a motorised caravan was first mooted, along with some bizarre designs. Using the principle of coachbuilt bodies, by 1919, the Eccles Motorised Transport Company had begun to produce these on a commercial scale. By the end of the 1920s, however, the car-pulled caravan took the lead and the motorhome rather faded away. Only a few examples were built and, after WWII, the idea seemed finished. But fast-forward to the early 1950s and the birth of the commercial pressed steel van – and especially the VW Microbus – gave a kickstart to the campervan market. In 1952, German caravan maker Westfalia spotted the potential. Using the VW, the company started selling a kit conversion for Microbus owners. Known as the Camping Box, the…

Price £55,995 Sleeps 4 Belts 4 Base VW T6 Engine 2.0-litre 102PS Euro 6 turbodiesel, five-speed manual transmission L/W/H 4.89/2.29/2.04m MTPLM 3000kg Payload 673kg Water (fresh) 60 litres Battery 105Ah Gas 907 Camping Gaz Danbury is still perhaps best known among campervan fans for producing conversions on the old T2 Transporter, imported from Brazil. But it’s always had a good line in modern conversions based on the latest T6. And this year – along with taking on a range of Fiat-based van conversions from its new French masters at Pilote – the Bristol-based company has managed to bring out a new, up-to-date version of its Surf, currently just called the Special Edition. We went for a spin in the nearby Forest of Dean. DESIGN VW’s Transporter is such a favourite…

For 30 years, Concept Multi-Car (CMC) has built a reputation in the UK for camper conversions, mainly VW, that make much use of technology from German firm Reimo – in particular, its raising roof. This is why designs from the Kent-based company have been marketed under the CMC Reimo brand. Now CMC has launched its own brand, HemBil (Swedish for ‘Home Car’). There are three models in the range – one, the Dune, is still to be produced. The Escape, an existing CMC Reimo conversion, transfers to the HemBil name. For our test, however, we chose the all-new HemBil Drift, which has a standard VW-style layout with a rear bench and a side kitchen. It has two sliding doors as standard, allowing the kitchen to swing out so you can…

Price....................................£63,155 .............................(OTR, as tested) Berths................................................4 Belts....................................................5 Base............................Volkswagen ................................Transporter T6 Engine................2.0 TDI 150PS Length/width/height.................................................4.9/2.3/1.99m Payload.................................534kg Miles covered on test......320…

Thoughts of “Not another low-profile coachbuilt import with a rear island bed!” soon turned to “Well, actually…” when I saw this. If you think Dethleffs Pulse T7051 DBM GT is a bit of a mouthful, I wouldn’t disagree. Rather, I’m siding with editor Sarah, who saw the Pulse line-up of four coachbuilts and six A-classes at launch, describing them as “stunning”. This is a very extensive portfolio from the marque, but let’s cut to the quick with this model, badged GT, for Gran Turismo – signifying a £3000 package of styling features, inside and out. My viewing took place at Dethleffs’ longest-serving UK dealer, Lowdhams. The low-profile bodywork gives off ‘premium’ signals – flush-fitting habitation windows, and opening sunroof in the overcab. It’s a wider-than-average entrance (with window), ditto the…

1 Outside temperature sensor and load monitor. Standard Alde touchscreen display 2 Find suitable place to mount sensor and feed plug/cable through floor. Then mount the sensor and secure cable to the floor 3 Remove the black cover from the top of the Alde boiler 4 Locate the relevant connection for the outside temperature sensor plug and attach the plug 5 Switch on the control panel to see the outside temperature displayed. You can make any necessary offset adjustments via the settings pages…

AT A DEALERSHIP Dealerships are great for seeing a lot of used motorhomes in one place in a short span of time. The prices will be higher than from private sellers, but in return, a dealer must tell you about any problems and the cost of rectifying them, and give the ’van a pre-delivery inspection (PDI) before you collect it. You’ll also be offered at least a few months’ warranty on used models, which is something you’re unlikely to get from a private vendor. See as many motorhomes as you can before making your decision; you’ll soon start to get a feel for what represents good value for money. If you can, build up a relationship with a local dealer. If problems arise or if it needs maintenance, the cost…

1 CAMPER FANTASTIC We’ve loved putting this issue together – particularly the pages on the history of the campervan. Don’t miss our colourful article on p48! 2 SPAIN IS SO SPECIAL Spain may be a fair drive away, but it’s worth the effort – we really think you’ll want to go after you’ve read our feature on p20. 3 GERMAN BEAUTY Dethleffs’ new Pulse coachbuilts are stunning – you’ll find our full review on p90. 4 QUICK FIXES If you own an older motorhome, you’ll know that parts can and do wear out. If the windows and locks on your vehicle are past their best, don’t despair – we’ve got a couple of straightfoward fixes for them, from p102. 5 SUPERB SWIFTS Swift’s Rio models – complete with rear opening…

Solve the puzzle Price £13.70 (Amazon) Web www.armchercards.comArmcher Productions produces numerous fun gifts and products that are perfect for motorcaravanners – they feature the cartoons of Armand Foster, which realistically (and amusingly) reflect the outdoor lifestyle very well. One of the latest products is Caravan Chaos, a 1000-piece jigsaw that provides a charming snapshot of campsite life (Rules: ‘No noise, no anything – enjoy your stay’). It’s made by Gibsons and features sturdy pieces from 100% recycled board - we’re halfway through it as we went to press! SW Squeaky clean Price £79.99 Web www.bosch-do-it.comWant to keep your motorhome windows and washroom squeaky clean? Try the Bosch GlassVac bundle! This clever kit includes a compact yet powerful vacuum, with battery life that should last for 35 windows, large and small…

Readers who use our Nightstop network will be pleased to note there are now two in Scotland. The latest addition is on the north coast, seven miles from John O’Groats – see our report opposite. With VisitScotland promoting routes such as the NC500 and the NE250, we hope more businesses will be encouraged to join the network. Meanwhile, reader Emma Leask and her family hired a VW California campervan to tackle Scotland’s Bealach na Bà mountain pass – at 626m above sea level, the single-track road is the third highest in Scotland. Read about Emma’s adventure on p54.…

Way to go We took the ferry from Portsmouth to Santander, then drove east to Zaragoza before driving south to Caspe and the Motorland Aragón Race Circuit. From Caspe, we headed north to Soria, then to Burgos and on to Santillana del Mar, before taking the A8 west to La Franca, where we parked the Broadway. We then continued on our motorbike to Tineo, to take part in the rally. We returned to the UK on the ferry from Santander to Portsmouth. Where we stayed • Camping Municipal Ciudad de Zaragoza San Juan Bautista de la Salle, 50012 Zaragoza Email info@campingzaragoza.com Web www.campingzaragoza.com • Camping Lake Caspe 500700 Caspe, Zaragoza Email lakecaspe@lakecaspe.com Web www.campinglakecaspe.com • Camping Fuente de la Teja Ctra de Madrid, KM 223, 42005 Soria Email camping@fuentedelateja.com Web…

GETTING AROUND Things to do 1 Durham Castle 2 High and Low Force Waterfalls 3 Beamish Museum 4 Auckland Tower Visitor Centre 5 Durham University Visitor Centre 6 HMS Trincomalee 7 Barnard Castle 8 The Bowes Museum 9 Diggerland Durham 10 Castle Eden Dene Where to stay 1 Finchale Abbey Touring Park 2 Strawberry Hill Farm Caravan & Camping Park 3 Daleview Holiday Park 4 Barnard Castle Camping and Caravanning Club Site 5 Thorpe Farm Centre 6 The Paddock Touring Park 7 The Crown at Mickleton CL 8 Parkdean Resorts Crimdon Dene Holiday Park TOP EVENTS Durham Regatta Soak up the atmosphere of the 186th Durham Regatta, with stalls and entertainment lining the banks of the River Wear. The real drama, though, is on the water; watch the rowers battle…

Danbury has been making campervan conversions for more than 50 years; originally in Essex, but more recently in a factory in Yate, north of Bristol. The company had built a reputation for converting old VW T2 Transporters, but now it concentrates mainly on new T6 vehicles. In recent years it has branched out too, with the well-received Ford Transit Custom-based Go! and Fun! models. And since it was taken over by the Pilote Group two years ago, it also now distributes a range of Fiat-based Avenirs – although they are made in France.…

BASE VEHICLE Chassis Volkswagen T6 SWB Highline Engine 2.0 TDi Bluemotion, 102PS Euro 6 Power 102PS @ 3000rpm Torque 250Nm @ 1500rpm Transmission Five-speed manual Features include Power steering, twin cab airbags, antilock brake, electronic stabilisation, hill hold assist, automatic post-collision braking, parking sensors, reversing camera CONVERSION Wolfrace alloy wheels, sidebars, EU6 windows, solar panel, Skyline raising roof LOUNGING AND DINING RIB rear seat with two travel seats, both cab seats swivel, foldaway table, Bluetooth speakers, three mains sockets, five striplights, three USB sockets, two individually switched adjustable spotlights, Eberspächer diesel heater KITCHEN Two-burner gas hob, sink, 50-litre compressor fridge SLEEPING Main double 1.85 x 1.20m (6’1” x 3’11”) Roof double 1.80 x 1.10m (5’11” x 3’7”) EQUIPMENT Eberspächer diesel space heater, three mains sockets, three USB sockets, external shower…

Ask Rolling Homes boss Mark Cooper to describe his latest creation – the Edition 10, designed to celebrate his company’s 10th anniversary as a bespoke camper producer – and he simply says: “Ridiculously expensive.” Few would disagree. It has its origins in the Columbus, starting from £44,495, but the Edition 10 is special. Very special. Just look at those wheels, for a start. Imported from California (the state, not the VW), these 22in low-profiles (21in is usually the maximum for a T6) have been machined to perfection to complement the bodywork. Full adjustable suspension from Bilstein takes care of ensuring the Edition 10 is the same height as a standard elevating-roof camper. The paintwork is two-tone – the lower half is a non-VW Ruby Light Red, the upper, a VW…

There’s no official definition of what actually constitutes a campervan, which doesn’t make things easy for potential purchasers. To me, a campervan is a vehicle defined mainly by its elevating roof, which invariably (but not always) houses a bed. Below this, the usual format is a furniture unit along one side, offering basic kitchen facilities (typically, two-ring hob, sink and fridge – usually a compressor model), plus a variety of storage. A bench seat folds out to make up the double bed. More often than not, the ’van will be based on a VW Transporter – but there are other base vehicles. Simple? Exactly. Move up the scale if you want a van conversion (most often a high-roof Fiat Ducato with a washroom offering toilet and shower facilities). Coachbuilts are…

1 Ask yourself why Do you really want a campervan? What are you going to use it for? I still reason that a campervan is a totally different proposition to a coachbuilt motorhome. The former is more suited to daily driving and occasional (but as regular as you want) camping; the latter is better suited to long-term touring and spending more time in. 2 Do your research The camper market is disparate, to say the least. You could supply your own vehicle to a company for conversion to your specifics, or buy something more mainstream. There are plenty of good folk out there, but just a few wrong’uns to watch out for, too. And, well, it’s your hard-earned money. 3 Seek out the experts This really goes hand-in-hand with carrying…

Price.....................................£61,325 Berths.................................................3 Belts.....................................................4 Base..............................Fiat Ducato Engine.......2.3, 150bhp, Euro 6 Length.....................................7.50m Height.....................................2.85m Payload..................................436kg Faults........................................None Expenses................................None Previous reports.................................. March, April, May, June 2019. Live-in test: April 2019…

An outside temperature sensor and a load monitor are well worth fitting. The latter is especially useful if you tour abroad, where electricity supply can vary a great deal. Before starting either job, make sure the 230V mains and 12V battery are disconnected from the motorhome, and the Alde system is turned off. Temperature sensor Tools required for the job are: ■ Screwdriver ■ P-clips ■ Small screws and cable ties First, find a suitable place to mount the sensor, ideally away from any heat source but close enough for the lead to plug into the Alde boiler unit. Extension leads are available from Alde if the latter is difficult. I mounted ours under the floor just inside the skirt, at the bottom of the sidewall, and under the front…