Indholdsfortegnelse for September 2020 i Practical Motorhome

1 This picture was taken overlooking Salthouse, North Norfolk, on our first day out during the initial easing of the lockdown rules. Our first year of owning a motorhome has been greatly restricted, owing to that lockdown! ‘Betsy’ is 22 years old, but in immaculate condition. We love her and look forward to many more great trips with her. Mark and Sue 2 My Trigano Tribute parked for the night by the tranquil Tresta beach, on the Island of Fetlar, Shetland. I had this beautiful beach all to myself, to wander and gaze at the gently lapping sea. A perfect place. Richard Kilbride 3 Just before lockdown, we fulfilled a long-held ambition by visiting the famous Cutty Sark during a city break in London. We really loved the display of…

1 Kitesurfing Norfolk’s always been celebrated for its sandy beaches, but it is pretty good out on the water, too, especially at Hunstanton Beach, which has low tides and is perfect for a variety of sporting activities. Hunstanton Watersports offers tuition and kit for paddleboarding, windsurfing and – for those who like a challenge – kitesurfing. Got what it takes to skim over the waves while flying a very large kite? Now’s your chance! Web www.hunstantonwatersports.com Where to stay Manor Park Holiday Park is a 10-minute walk away from Hunstanton Beach. Web www.parkdeanresorts.co.uk 2 Salmon fishing Scotland is famous for fishing and its largest salmon river, running some 117 miles, is the River Tay. Guided fishing is available, offering fly fishing, spinning and traditional boat fishing or harling. Web www.salmon-fish-scotland.com…

Holidays! After months of being confined to our homes, many of us are absolutely desperate for a change of scenery, but how many actually want to fly and stay in a hotel, or are looking forward to a break on a cruise ship? Fewer than before the pandemic, it seems. Dealerships have been reporting an upsurge in sales of leisure vehicles to first-time customers as people turn their backs on spending downtime in close proximity with strangers. Those who are new to the idea of touring might find themselves a little lost over where to start. Actually, you’ve already done the difficult bit, having agonised over the layout that will most suit you and your family. Now it’s time to seek out beautiful places to explore. When it comes to…

Hooray! After three months of not being able to go anywhere, as we went to press it was looking as though the touring season was finally starting, with caravan parks across the country beginning to reopen from the start of July. It should be good news, of course, but it could be a very different world of motorcaravanning we head out to. With new social distancing measures in place, you could find there’s a queue to reach the site’s toilet block, while the café might not even be open, so you’ll have to make more use of the kitchen in your motorhome. So, is it time to think about trading in your current model for something in which you can be a bit more self-sufficient? Alternatively, if you were about…

The uncertainties over lockdown and lingering concerns about a second Covid-19 spike have persuaded you – no travelling abroad for now. Instead, the safety of a hired motorhome. Good choice! But perhaps you are still a bit unsure about renting? Let us help you dispel any doubts. Rental ’vans are better than they used to be You might have memories of your parents hiring a camper when you were younger, and finding that it broke down or leaked everywhere. But the quality and variety of vehicles you can hire today has improved beyond all recognition. There is even a company specialising in hiring out ’vans equipped as a home office. Glamper RV’s Business Line models come with a central table to use as a desk, mobile Wi-Fi, a Nespresso coffee…

Dealers open up for business The UK’s motorhome dealers weren’t just smart with their opening on 1 June – lots of initiatives have helped them get sales back on course. As a general guide, whichever dealer you visit, expect to see signage, advice on social distancing, sanitiser stations and so on. Here’s what they told me of their plans. Motorhome Dealer Group “We ran a national customer helpline (any customer, not just ours) during lockdown, which was well received. Other key differences to our operation include: Video presentations before customers visit. Locked-door policy to minimise footfall. Customers are offered masks and gloves. After viewing, ’van and keys are sanitised. Unattended test drives. We lead customers on a pre-arranged route. Paperwork completed by email. “The indoor and isolated suite at our…

Two pedigree brands this month, Auto-Sleepers (our oldest volume motorcaravan converter) and Volkswagen – the largest German car and light commercial vehicle manufacturer. We enter our specified time-slot to find there is already a VW Auto-Sleeper coachbuilt in production… and it had been for many years. Clubman is its name, and ‘Clubmen’ just flew out of the showrooms. The body and layout were similar to those found in the Gatcombe, although the style of furniture was very different. Gatcombe was launched at the opening of the new century and is, in essence, a facelifted Clubman. Both are built on T4 and T5 versions of VeeDub’s iconic Transporter. Clubman/Gatcombe’s entrance is towards the rear on the nearside, and brings you into the kitchen – which takes up two-thirds of the rear…

Motorhomes are not normally equipped with grab handles by the door, although even able-bodied motorcaravanners can find it a bit tricky to get in and out. But if you have limited mobility, I think you would be especially well advised to fit the large, fixed, metal handles made for the purpose. Car roof handle I spent some time researching on the internet to find a suitable general-use handle, but those I came across all had a domestic appearance. I eventually realised that a car ceiling grab handle would be ideal – compact, folding and neutral grey in colour. A typical car ceiling handle might cost about £50 new, but online I found three reclaimed Hyundai i10 roof handles for under £12, including postage. If you are reclaiming the handles from…

Why tour here? Norway’s west coast, with its fjords, forests and mountains, offers a road trip of truly spectacular scenery, breathtaking ferry crossings and one or two hair-raising roads. Best of all, Norway is motorhome-friendly, with plenty of overnight stopping places. Don’t miss… A day spent in Bergen for its wonderful eating places, a trip on the scenic Flåm railway, the architecture of Alesund, and the beaches and picturesque villages of the Atlantic Road.…

Luxury hamper It’s picnic season, and what better way to celebrate than this classic hamper? It has an insulated inner and comes with a smart rug. Price £115 Web www.fortnumandmason.com Lumi-Mosi mosquito killer This LED lantern and UV midge/mosquito killer should enhance nights in the awning. It charges via USB and has three light settings. Price £24.99 Web outdoor-revolution.com Two-way family radio Keep the family in touch on site or during cyce rides and hikes with this set of four walkie-talkies, with a range of up to 3km. Price £59.99 Web www.argos.co.uk Fold-away camping stool The Danish-designed Sitpack Campster stool folds down to the size of a water bottle; online crowdfunding is now live. Price From £64 Web https://bit.ly/3iyvF9k Inflatable mattress When you need an extra bed, this mattress is…

From now If you are planning a tour of Italy and want to experience the culture, food, drink and scenery first-hand, Agricamper Italia (www.agricamperitalia.com) can help. This new scheme works in a similar way to France Passion – an annual subscription gives you a directory of participating artisans, farmers and vineyard owners who allow free overnight stays on their land (1). The €29 annual subscription for the Agricamper Italia card, available as an app on your phone, gives you access to the current network of 140 hosts across the country. The National Trust, which this year celebrates its 125th anniversary, owns and manages more than 500 historic properties. It is opening up more parks, gardens and car parks every week and hopes to open some houses in the near future.…

Duration Seven to 10 days When May to June and September to October (great weather and not so busy) Distance 683 miles Norway is well known for its natural beauty, with lush forests and national parks, the intense peaks that adorn every vista and of course, the deep blue fjords. It’s a country that is ripe for exploration and although its picturesque cities often sit a stone’s throw from that natural beauty, it would be a shame to miss out on some spectacular sights. That’s what makes the west coast route so compelling, because it can take you through some of Norway’s cultural hotspots and number one tourist destinations, in addition to guiding you around some awe-inspiring views. This road trip will let you glimpse incredible panoramas from atop some…

Every time I set off on a cycling adventure – and there have been a fair few over the years – I am reminded of Ernest Hemingway’s words:“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best.” Not once have I ever had reason to disagree with him, even if some of those contours have been considerably more challenging than others. Cycling allows us to go faster and see more of our beautiful world than walking, but not so fast that we fail to submerge ourselves in the landscape. It’s not just the sights, but the scents and sounds that arouse our senses and add texture to experiences that become etched into our minds in ways simply not possible when passing through any part of…

Adria Matrix Plus 670DC Was £72,255 Now £64,995 Saving £7260 Where Becks Motorhomes Web becksmotorhomes.com With an island bed and parallel settees, this 7.5m-long low-profile manages to include two travel seats that fold out of the settees and face different directions. The 2.3-litre, 150bhp Fiat Ducato engine here has Fiat’s Comfort-matic gearbox. Bailey Alliance Silver Edition 59-2 Was £48,999 Now £47,999 Saving £1000 Where Lowdhams Huddersfield Web www.lowdhams.com This two-berth in the upgraded Alliance range, an end-kitchen model with corner washroom, comes with a roll-out awning and reversing camera as standard. As a Silver Edition, it also has the cab in silver. Swift Select 174 Was £50,260 Now £48,265 Saving £1995 Where Brownhills Web www.brownhills.co.uk A three-berth, the 174 comes with a rear transverse double bed that folds to allow…

SoundLink Color Bluetooth speaker II £129.95 Enjoy the smooth sound of a Bose speaker while on tour. Tough, water-resistant and colourful, the SoundLink weighs only 0.54kg, and has a soft-touch silicone exterior and a built-in microphone for calls. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery gives you up to eight hours of playing time. Web bose.co.uk Air Pix £109.99 Forget selfie sticks: now is the era of the drone. This pocket-sized ultralight camera, which has 8Gb of on-board memory, can capture superb aerial photos of your whole group. It also has an autonomous flight setting, so it can even fly by itself! Web airselfiecamera.com Kokoon sleep headphones £315 The ultimate lullaby delivery system, these soft, comfy headphones are designed to be worn while you sleep and are made from flexible silicone wrapped in…

In the previous issue, we took you through the many bargains you can find if you look carefully at fixed-bed motorhomes that have wowed our reviewers in the past. The only problem is, as caravan parks reopen with social distancing restrictions in place, you might find that fixed beds are a luxury you can do without. The campsite café and many other amenities will probably remain closed to guests, so you could well find your whole party having to resort to the inside of the motorhome far more often than you might be used to. And that means a rear-lounge layout is a really good choice. If you are up for changing to one of these before you head off this summer, here’s our choice of some current bargains. Auto-Trail…

Some years ago, I fitted an Alde Smart Control unit to our ’van. This enabled us to control the heating remotely, using my mobile, and I must admit, after my cynicism wore off, it was used to great effect, especially in cooler months. Perhaps the best memory, for me, was a visit to the October Caravan & Motorhome Show, when I camped on the C&MC’s temporary site. The EHU was only 6A, so if I wanted the heating to work effectively, I would need to make use of the gas, too. Anyone who uses Alde heating on gas will know that it consumes fuel at a fair clip. With Smart Control, though, I could turn off the heating when I went out in the morning, then turn it on again,…

letter of the month This is the 1981 motorhome my wife and I bought to tour Australia. It was our pride and joy. But we made two miscalculations! First, it had no air-con. Second, despite a full mechanical check before buying, we found we had a broken head gasket on arrival in Alice Springs. So began our (unplanned) month-long stay in the searing sun! Thankfully, we had NRMA cover (like premium AA roadside assist). The moral of this tale is: If you plan to tour Australia in summer, buy a motorhome with air-con. Make sure you have good breakdown cover – our NRMA insurance was affordable and paid for an air-conditioned hotel while we were stuck in Alice, saving our sanity, our bank balance and our pale skins! Lisa Best…

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO CLEAN CASSETTE TOILET FLUSH TANK? My 2011 coachbuilt motorhome has a Thetford cassette toilet, but recently when I’ve been flushing it, a load of black bits come through into the toilet as well. We usually use the specialist pink fluid that you can buy online, but I’ve also tried flushing it through with plain water, and this doesn’t seem to have helped much. Could you please advise what we can do to clear it, and prevent this from happening again in future? Chris King Diamond Dave answers… Algae formation in toilet flush tanks is not an uncommon problem and is mostly caused by water sitting in the tank for long periods. Some pink fluids seem to make it worse. When it happened to our toilet…

Duration Four days When August 2019 Why? As sunny as the South of France! Charming villages, beautiful scenery Ile de Ré is a gem of an island off the west coast of France, just perfect for a weekend stopover while travelling to or from your destination, or for a longer, relaxing stay. Its enviable climate (it boasts as many hours of sunshine as the South of France) makes this a popular holiday spot. It can be accessed either by boat or from La Rochelle via the spectacular 3km-long bridge, the Pont de l’Ile de Ré. There is a toll to pay on the way over, but the return journey is free of charge. This small island is just 30km long and 5km wide, so it is possible to explore all…

Norway is a very motorhome-friendly country. As well as campsites, there are plenty of overnight parking spots, many of which are free – handy when you consider the high cost of living. There are various ways to get there, beginning with the ferry from Hull to Rotterdam. You can then drive through the Netherlands and northern Germany to Puttgarden, catch the ferry to Rødby, Denmark, take the Øresund Bridge to Malmo and drive through Sweden. Alternatively, from the Danish port of Hirtshals, take the ferry to Kristiansand in southern Norway or to Larvik, or the ferry from Helsingør, Denmark, to Helsingborg, Sweden, or from Frederikshavn, Denmark, to Oslo, Norway. Speed limits are low in Norway and there is zero tolerance to drinking and driving. Tolls are automated. It’s a good…

October NEC Show cancelled The Motorhome and Caravan Show, scheduled for this October at the NEC, has been cancelled. Organiser NCC Events said it took the decision to cancel the UK’s biggest leisure vehicle show because there was no indication on when the ban on mass gatherings in the UK might be lifted. It added that operating under Covid-19 restrictions would have been difficult. A visitor survey had also suggested attendance would have slumped as a result. Anyone who has bought a ticket will be entitled to a full refund. NCC Events chief executive John Lally admitted the decision to postpone it until 2021 had been “very difficult”. He said, “We know the show plays a critically important role in achieving retail sales each season. To this end, we are…

Tell us about your current role – what do you do? I’m managing director of Adria UK, a subsidiary of Adria Mobil in Slovenia. We run all operations from here in the UK – we define how the products should look for the UK market and we brief the manufacturers in Slovenia. It’s up to us to find out what the UK customer wants. We then bring the vehicles over and they go direct to dealerships. Everything is run through our base in Sudbury, in Suffolk, where we also have a warehouse for parts, so there are no language barriers. I’m from Slovenia but am now a British citizen. So all of the manufacture takes place in Slovenia? Yes, Adria Mobil in Slovenia has the largest factory in the European…

There are some important choices and checks to be made when you pick your next motorhome. Take notes while you are assessing the ’van and use any repairs that are required to bargain the price down. Before viewing, and even if you’re not intending to, ask the vendor if you can have it checked by an AWSapproved technician. If they have anything to hide, they won’t get back to you to arrange your viewing. TRUST YOUR NOSE How does the motorhome smell when you first step inside? If it smells damp or fusty, walk away or take extra time with your damp checks. Be very wary of over-fragranced interiors, or ’vans with the door and windows all open when you arrive. If they’re baking bread, just run! Lounge/dinette Beds/washroom PLAN…

SAFETY FIRST This really has been a very strange year so far in the workshop. Everything started off quite normally but then, of course, Covid-19 kicked off and we all had to shut up shop. The problem for us was that the Government put a ban on unnecessary travel, and realistically, few people would be able to say that taking their motorhome for a service was truly necessary. Added to that, there was also a ban on staying overnight anywhere other than your normal residence, and because many of our customers come from all four corners of the UK (and further afield sometimes), we were left with no choice but to close the doors for the duration. Well, the good news is, we survived lockdown and we’re back open –…

About 20 years ago, I remember swapping out the sidelights in my Mk 1 Golf GTI for newfangled LEDs. They gave a feeble blue glow and rewarded my efforts with an MoT fail. But fast-forward 20 years and the situation is very different, with a variety of retrofit LEDs designed to replace filament bulbs. LEDs’ major advantage is their brighter, clearer light, a great improvement on halogen headlamps. The best ones give a crisp, dipped beam pattern that will not dazzle other motorists. They also last far longer than filament bulbs. Fitting a replacement LED bulb is a doddle, but before you rush out and buy them, there are a few legal aspects to be aware of. Part of the testing for legal conformity is to test the lamp holder…