Innehållsförteckning för November 2018 från Practical Motorhome

Minions, Cornwall WHY TOUR HERE? Cornwall has long been a popular tourist destination, and for good reason: there’s just so much to see and do in the beautiful county. That presents its own problems, of course: with such a plethora of places to go, it’s hard to decide what to do first. So to help you decide, this month we’ve brought you a comprehensive guide to the best attractions in Cornwall: whether you’re a foodie, adventurer or history lover, there’s something for you. To find our guide, turn to page 27. WHAT MOTORHOME? Auto-Sleeper Fairford PHOTOGRAPHED BY Phil Russell…

I really love my job, but there’s one issue each year that’s both the best and the worst one to work on – and that’s the issue in which we reveal our Motorhome of the Year award winners. Put simply, there are so many great models revealed each year that it’s both a real challenge and an utter joy to sort through them and work out which should take one of our gongs. There’s a huge amount of deliberation among our judges, right up until the time we go to press, and always a disagreement or three. This year has been no different, but I’m delighted to report we’ve emerged (relatively) unscathed, with a winners’ list in hand – you can read about all of our fantastic victors from p57.…

Over the past few issues, we’ve been running a competition to find your greatest campsite views. There’s still time to enter! Pictured here are some winners from our monthly ‘Holiday Hotshots’ round-up, so you can see the kind of thing we’re after. Send us your snaps and we’ll put the top ones forward to be judged in our December issue, on sale on 18 October. The winning entry will receive a Manfrotto Befree Advanced camera tripod worth £174.95, with a choice of lever leg locks or twist leg locks. What we’re looking for: send us your favourite shots from tours in the UK and abroad, together with the exact location and a sentence or two on why it’s your favourite view. IN ASSOCIATION WITH To enter, and to view the…

Way to go From Camberley Secure Storage we took the M3, the A303 and the A30. Tehidy Holiday Park is off the latter. When to go School holiday time is very busy. Although you should aim for a break in the spring or autumn if you prefer to have a less crowded stay, this part of the country will be beautiful at any time of year. Where we stayed • Tehidy Holiday Park Harris Mill, Illogan, Redruth, Cornwall TR16 4JQ Tel 01209 216 489 Web www.tehidy.co.uk Open 5 April-2 November Pitches 28 Charges Pitch+2+hook-up £19-£29 • Polmanter Touring Park St Ives TR26 3LX Tel 01736 795 640 Web www.polmanter.co.uk Open 30 March-27 October Pitches 240 Charges Pitch+2+hook-up £19-£34 • Trevedra Farm Sennen, Penzance, Cornwall TR19 7BE Tel 01736…

Fancy giving surfing a go? It’s a great way to take advantage of Cornwall’s position jutting out into the wild Atlantic Ocean. With hundreds of miles of coastline, you really will be spoilt for choice when it comes to finding a spot to surf. Wherever you stay in the county, you’ll be no more than 20 miles from the sea. One of the most popular surf beaches is Fistral Beach in Newquay, where all major UK surfing competitions are held. Surfers flock here for their fix of the big waves, created by a funnelling of the water between two impressive headlands at either end of the golden sands. If you want to avoid the crowds, though, there are quieter beaches that still get great surf if conditions are right. Gwithian…

Part of Cornwall’s infamous history is that its many coves – Prussia Cove, for example – were perfect for the smuggling trade. Such dastardly deeds have been recorded in Daphne du Maurier’s classic novel, Jamaica Inn, published in 1936. Smuggling of one sort or another has existed since customs duties were established in the 13th century, but the ‘trade’ reached its peak during the 18th century. Bleak Bodmin Moor was taken advantage of as an unmonitored route, and the smugglers moved their contraband across the moor on their way up-country for selling on. Jamaica Inn is infamous as a stop-off point for smugglers travelling this route, and is steeped in tales of treachery, debauchery and scallywags. When I visited Cornwall, I crossed the moor to this wild spot – by…

YOUR TOUR Iberia and France RAPIDO 7090F DURATION 45 weeks WHEN 2017 Giving up the rat race and enjoying life from the comfort of a motorhome You can spend a lifetime planning your great escape and then, just when you think all the stars are aligned, life gets in the way. It might be an illness, a surprise grandchild, a tempting job offer or simply inertia – a feeling the time isn’t quite right. For us, our own ‘escape’ had been a topic of conversation for as long as we’d had a motorhome – about eight years. In that time, our weekend breaks in the ’van became more frequent and the holidays abroad progressively longer until, in the summer of 2016, we made ourselves a promise. “On 10 April, 2017,…

Auto-Sleepers’ Symbol has been one of Britain’s most enduringly popular van conversions since it was launched, combining a lounge with a side-facing sofa and a forward-facing travel seat for an extra passenger - all within the 5.41m-long Peugeot Boxer. But our judges were most impressed with the version Auto-Sleepers has just brought out, which makes everything just that little bit more spacious. The Symbol Plus takes that lounge but puts it in a longer, six-metre Boxer - and uses the extra space for the rear kitchen from the now discontinued Stanway. So, along with that comfortable front lounge, you get a spacious L-shaped kitchen, with a pull-out flap above the fridge, a triangular sink, a three-burner gas hob and a microwave. There are lots of neat touches to be found…

Island beds set high at the back to allow more room for a garage below are as common as oven-less kitchens among Continental manufacturers. Until this year, they were yet to have much impact in home-grown firms; but now several have been trying out the idea, including looking at use of the area under the bed and even the steps leading up to it for storage – with varying degrees of success. One manufacturer that seems to have pulled this off is Auto-Trail. The high-level bed format is now available in two of its Frontier models – one of which is the Delaware – but it’s the new twin-axle Comanche HB that really got our judges talking. If you have the C1 category on your driving licence, and your budget…

It’s entirely appropriate that a prize for a luxury ’van should go to one that is the work of two brands synonymous with quality – Hymer and Mercedes-Benz. The B-MC (B Class Modern Comfort) is the result of two years’ work by them, designing a motorhome that is stable and comfortable on the road, capable of carrying all the necessities, and lightweight enough for those without a C1 licence to drive it. Hymer has made use of the 177bhp variant of Mercedes’ new front-wheel-drive Sprinter, which the company developed specifically for motorhome conversions, and teamed it with its own SLC lightweight chassis. That chassis includes a garage that can hold 450kg – enough for a scooter – but extensive use of GRP means the vehicle’s overall weight is roughly 16%…

It’s almost time for the Motorhome & Caravan Show 2018 – the annual event where visitors can see the very latest models for themselves. Manufacturers have been busy launching their 2019 models over the past few months, and this is the first chance for many buyers to see the brilliant new ’vans in the metal! If you’ve never been to the NEC Show, you’ll be surprised just how much there is to see in the halls of the Birmingham exhibition centre. There are so many models to view, it pays to plan your day – there’s nothing more frustrating than discovering a ’van you really wanted to see is in the hall furthest from where you are! That’s where our comprehensive guide comes in. Over the next 16 pages, we’ve…

STAND 7-20 Address Trigano House, Genesis Way, Europarc, Grimsby, Lincolnshire DN37 9TU Tel 01472 571 000 Web www.auto-trail.co.uk Auto-Trail’s stand will include all bar one of its new models for this season. So if you are after a budget-priced transverse bed ’van, take a look at the new 736G. Or if you always fancied the Frontier Dakota, make a beeline for the Tracker EB, which has the same end-washroom layout as the deleted Dakota. This year Frontiers have Alde heating as standard, and the Basic Media Pack. And you can see one of two new Auto-Trail models with a high island bed. The twin-axle Comanche HB impressed the judges in our Motorhome of the Year awards (p67), but its single-axle sibling, the Delaware HB, will be on show. Must-see ’van…

STAND 9-05 Address Carthago Ring 1, 88326 Aulendorf, Germany Tel 00 49 7525 92 000 Web www.carthago.com Carthago’s main focus for 2019 has been thoroughly overhauling its Chic C-line. This now has a larger double floor, which can accommodate special storage boxes; a new, more bus-like front panel; and rear panels that incorporate an instantly noticeable ‘C’-for-Carthago logo. The cab has been made more car-like, too, and many models feature a rather clever ‘TV wall’ in the rear bedroom, which lets you slide the set over to the centre if you prefer. Look out for a couple of new models as well, including the Chic C-Line 5.3, with parallel sofas, and the C-Tourer 141 LE, with its flexible washroom. Must-see ’van LINER FOR TWO 53L Admittedly its £125k price puts…

STAND 20-39 Address Explorer House, Delves Lane, Consett DH8 7PE Tel 01207 699 000 Web www.elddis.co.uk Major changes from Elddis this year are the revival of the Compass motorhome brand, and the extension of Compass and Elddis into van conversions. The Compass range, the Avantgarde, mirrors Elddis’s Autoquest range, and both names are retained for the two van conversions in each brand – the two-berth CV20 and four-berth CV40. Further up the ranges, all Encores are now graced with new brown side panels, LED reading lights and darker Cassino Ash furniture. The more compact Accordo line-up also gains LED reading lights, and other tweaks such as new locker handles. Must-see ’van COMPASS AVANTGARDE CV20 Come and see what Elddis has made of both the van conversion format and the new…

STAND 9-83 Address Helmut-Knaus-Strasse 1, 94118 Jandelsbrunn, Germany Tel 00 49 8583 211 Web www.knaus.com/en-uk Some eight models will be on display on the Knaus stand at this year’s NEC. Apart from one of them, the overcab Live Traveller 650 DG, all are low-profile motorhomes. The ’vans on show for 2019 include four Sun Ti Platinum Selection models, which have a double floor that is designed to withstand the worst of the winter weather, and the CaraSuite 650 MF. This is a drop-down-bed model from Knaus’s budget range, Weinsberg. In addition, there will be two new models that are based on the Volkswagen Group’s MAN chassis – a new departure for Knaus this year (see p108). Must-see ’van VAN TI 650 MEG PLUS If you haven’t been bowled over by…

STAND 10-71 Address Clou-Straße 1, 56751 Polch, Germany Tel 0049 2654 9330 Web www.niesmann-bischoff.com There’s been an interior overhaul at Niesmann + Bischoff, with a new lighter-wood Modern Line style coming in as an option on Arto and Flair models, and as standard finish on the Smove range. Modern Line has a flagstone-effect floor. On many models, there is also the option of jazzing up the exterior, with colour accents running along the sides. New to the Flair range are the 920 EK with fixed single beds and a sideboard in the lounge, and the 920 LB, mirroring the 920 LS but with a second wardrobe. The Arto range is extended with the island-bed 88 LF model. Must-see ’van FLAIR 920 EK The Flair range has always seemed to be…

STAND 7-30 Address Trigano House, Genesis Way, Europarc, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire DN37 9TU Tel 01472 571 000 Web www.rollerteammotorhomes.co.uk Roller Team is expanding in two ways for 2019, and the results of both will be on display. Its Pegaso A-class range (complete with opening cab door on the correct side for UK drivers) has been extended with the compact 590. In addition, it has moved into van conversions with the Taleno range. The two-berth L and four-berth R will be made in the UK on the same production line as Auto-Trail’s Tribute. They look similar, but have different upholstery and specification levels. Zefiros and Auto-Rollers have been upgraded with Truma Combi 6 heating. Must-see ’van PEGASO 590 Coming in at just under £60,000, this compact ’van could be the…

Price From £53,700 Sleeps 2 Belts 3 Base vehicle Peugeot Boxer Engine 2.0-litre 160bhp Euro 6 Length/width/height 5.99/2.26/2.64m(19’8”/7’5”/8’8”) MTPLM 3500kg Payload TBC Water (fresh/waste)69/40 litres Leisure battery 105Ah Gas Permanent underslung 25-litre tank When you have a model as perennially popular as the Symbol, what can you do to improve it and boost its appeal to existing owners? Well, here it is. Auto-Sleepers admits that it has customer demand to thank for this combination of all that’s best about the Symbol – the front lounge – and the Stanway’s L-shaped rear kitchen and washroom. It’s based on the 6m-long version of Peugeot’s Boxer. The Symbol is based on the 5.41m-long Boxer, so this is literally the opportunity for many owners to trade up. Spare a thought for the Stanway, because…

I have always been in awe of the ease with which HGV drivers reverse their articulated lorries. Many motorhomes present a similar challenge, with the limited rear view from the driver’s seat. Rear-view mirrors on many ’vans are redundant and on some, not supplied at all. Some campervans might have see-through vision, but will you be able to spot nasty low-level bollards? So, when undertaking a reversing manoeuvre, the driver has to rely on the wing mirrors, or a precariously placed person – or do they? Reversing cameras have been around for a long time now and, with improved technology, are offering jaw-dropping bird’s-eye views of the space around a motorhome and the view up the road from the rear, all in perfect clarity from the carefully placed monitor. But…

2012 (62) AUTO-SLEEPER STANTON Price now £49,995 Price new £57,695 Base Mercedes Sprinter Engine 2.2-litre, 163bhp First registered September 2012 Mileage 20,062 Berths/travel seats 2/2 L/W*/H 5.94/2.26/2.85m Extras Premium Pack MTPLM 3500kg Payload 643kg + Plus points Mercedes cachet, spacious two-berth, generous specification -Minus points Rolling ride By all means, admire the Mercedes badge on the bonnet and steering wheel – and the comfort inside. Typical of Auto-Sleepers, this is a high-spec offering, and the £4000 Premium Pack was considered essential by the first buyer (automatic transmission accounted for a large part of that price). So you get goodies such as a solar panel, reversing camera, TV aerial, alloys, cab air-con and more. Despite the mountain of kit, there’s a roomy feel to the interior, especially in the twin-sofa lounge.…

In the September 2018 issue of Practical Motorhome, you featured a photo taken by Steve Cocker of an unusual motorhome he spotted while in Paimpol, France. Steve said the windows were too high for him to take a little look at the inside. Imagine my interest, then, when on holiday with my wife in August, we spotted a similar vehicle in a car park at the Grey Mare’s Tail on the A708, near Moffat, in Scotland. It was not the same one that Steve saw, but the owner did invite me to take a look inside – and I showed him Steve’s photo. I was told that these motorhomes are made in Germany. They are four-wheel drive, weigh up to 7.5 tonnes and are very expensive! We parked our two-berth…

“Rick is like a tourist officer,” said Tehidy Holiday Park’s co-owner Julia Barnes of her husband. “It’s that personal touch. We don’t like to recommend anything we haven’t tried ourselves.” Richard had just been telling me about Carn Brea Castle: a restaurant specialising in Middle Eastern cuisine, in a hunting lodge that began life as a 14th-century castle before being refurbished, on the edge of the cliffs at Carnkie near Redruth. “It’s a bit more than your average pub and, when you book, ask for a window seat for the view,” he said. On arrival at Tehidy, you are given a large information pack about Cornwall which includes a map and discount vouchers, and a guide to the campsite, plus a map of the immediate vicinity. If Richard is manning…

A tour of Cornwall means that you get to try some very special produce. Cream teas, Yarg cheese, stargazy pie, crab, hevva cake, Cornish fairings and pasties are all Cornish specialities. Oggy, oggy, oggy! Did you know that the Cornish pasty, or ‘oggy’, has Protected Geographical Indication status, which means that only the pasties baked in Cornwall can be called a Cornish pasty? The pasty provided a substantial lunch for miners. The pastry parcel, which contains diced beef, onion, potato and turnip, is crimped at the top for easier handling. Today, the pasty and its many variations are available across the country. Visit Cornwall put out an appeal to followers on its Facebook page to find the makers of the best Cornish pasty and you can share in the results…

Way to go We took Brittany Ferries’ crossing to Santander from Plymouth in April (£598 with cabin) – our preferred choice when travelling to the Continent. Returning, at the end of February 2018, the best route was Santander-Portsmouth (£469 including cabin). On both trips, the facilities were excellent. We think it’s the most comfortable and convenient way to get to Spain. From Santander, we headed west across the top of Spain via the Autovia de Cantabrico, with the coastline to our right. For our first site, we chose La Paz, at Vidiago. With its spectacular views over the Atlantic to the north, and the Picos de Europa to the south, it’s an ideal spot to start an adventure. Where we stayed Our favourite sites from each country: • Vale Paraiso…

Putting the word ‘innovative’ together with the brand ‘Chausson’ seems to have become de rigueur in the past few years, as the French company has taken a lead in designs that push possibilities just that little bit further. It was the first manufacturer to offer drop-down single beds, and last year, its design for the 716 – with a double bunk at the back coming down over a second, children’s dinette – really impressed us. But what would happen if you moved such a bunk forward, to provide even more space at the back? That’s the thinking behind the new Chausson 634 Flash, and its ingenuity means that, once again, Chausson has romped home with our innovation prize. The two bunks come down neatly without obstructing the door, while a…

With prices for quite basic motorhomes now heading north of £40,000, the chances of finding one costing less than £30,000 seem ever more elusive. So our judges were most impressed to come across this campervan, from new market entrant Ventura, costing just £29,995. There are a host of options to take the Peugeot Boxer-based ’van into the £30,000-plus region, but the standard fitting is fine – as long as you don’t mind no mains hook-up (£595 option). In the standard model, the kit level is impressively high: you get an M1-tested rock-and-roll bed that converts into a rear travel bench with three belts, swivelling passenger seats, Vohringer furniture with a choice of finishes, overhead storage, a leisure battery, and two 240V sockets with USB ports. In the side kitchen you…

Bailey’s all-new, fully revamped Advance line-up – its entry-level range, below the more upmarket Autograph - was launched in February, at the NEC Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show. The new range featured a total of six models – increased from the previous four – with the smallest one being this, the baby of the family: the rear-washroom 66-2. It was our pick of the new line-up from the get-go, with everyone who stepped into it commenting on how Bailey had improved the quality of the Advance interior, while maintaining a price tag that left buyers with plenty of change from £46,000. What also impressed was the fact that it was based on an Al-Ko chassis – unusual at this price point – and provided a whopping payload of 800kg. The…

Frankia isn’t a name that’s hugely well known in the UK, but this Pilote Group brand has a strong reputation in Europe for producing luxurious vehicles – both coachbuilts and A-classes – weighing more than 3500kg. The 2019 season will be no different, and includes the low-profile M-Line T 7400 GD, which was recently launched on the latest Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 516 chassis. This model really impressed all of our judges, offering as it does a tempting combination of luxurious interior, classy base vehicle, a high level of kit and a 1060kg payload. At 7.67m, this is the shortest vehicle in our shortlisted trio, but inside, it simply oozes quality. The layout is a simple one, of fixed single beds over a large garage, with a lounge up front that’s just…

STAND 20-75/77 Address Adria UK, Unit 2, Drury Drive, Woodhall Business Park, Sudbury CO10 1WH Tel 01787 888 890 Web www.adria.co.uk If you step onto Adria’s stand thinking, “They’ve forgotten to upgrade their prices,” you won’t be entirely wrong. This year, the Slovenian Trigano Group subsidiary has decided to freeze prices. It is also including more of its extras as factory-fitted options. In terms of layouts this year, Adria has rediscovered the virtues of wider, more family-friendly front lounges, with parallel sofas that turn into proper travel seats. Look out for this in all A-class and low-profile models with a ‘D’ in their nomenclature, including the one new A-class, the 7.52m-long Sonic I 710 DC with an island bed. Must-see ’van Twin Supreme 600 SGX Still to be unveiled as…

STAND 19-25 Address South Liberty Lane, Bristol BS3 2SS Tel 0117 966 5967 Web www.baileyofbristol.co.uk There are developments aplenty at Bailey, some still being held closely under wraps. But we can tell you that the Bailey stand at the NEC will include two new layouts from its revamped Advance range, the 76-2T and the 76-4T (photos weren’t available as we went to press). Both have fixed single beds ahead of a washroom stretching across the ’van at the back, and differ only in the shape of their front lounge. While the 76-2T has parallel sofas - the really fashionable layout this season - the 76-4T has an L-shaped sofa on the offside, so it can include two forward-facing travel seats to become a proper four-berth. Must-see ’van ADVANCE 66-2 What…

STAND 8-30 Address CS 69003, 07302 Tournon-sur-Rhône, France Tel 00 33 4 75 07 55 00 Web www.chausson-motorhomes.com Have you been a bit confused by Chausson’s offerings in the past, with all of its spec levels and base vehicles? Come to the stand this year and you’ll find much has been simplified with, for example, only one choice of base vehicle if you opt for a Flash model. You can see five ’vans sporting the new top-spec Titanium finish, along with the usual innovative designs; they include the 711 Travel Line with its door on either side, and this year’s Motorhome of the Year Innovation award-winner, the 634 Flash, with front drop-down bunks (p58). Don’t miss the two new Twist van conversions, either. Must-see ’van TWIST 594 You must see…

STAND 10-60 Address Holzstraße 19, 88339 Bad Waldsee, Germany Tel 0049 7524 9990 Web www.hymer.com Hymer’s main innovation in coachbuilts has been the launch of its B-Class Modern Comfort (B-MC) range, the result of a two-year tie-up with Mercedes-Benz and the motorhome-friendly, 177bhp version of its new Sprinter. With a 36mm-high double floor that can hold most services, and a 180-litre fresh-water and 150-litre waste-water tank, the B-MCs still manage a MiRO of no more than 2900kg, thanks to Hymer’s lightweight SMC chassis. There are three in the range and two on the stand, including the B-MC T 690. And look out for the special-edition Tramp Ambition, with grey metallic cab. Must-see ’van HYMERCAR FREE 602 This latest model in Hymer’s van conversion range is six metres in length and…

STAND 10-45 Address Via Certaldese 41, San Casciano in Val di Pesa, 50026 Firenze, Italy Tel (0)39 055 80581 Web www.laika.it/en The big star on the Laika stand this year will be the Ecovip 680, the new model that the Italian manufacturer is hoping will go down a storm in the UK. In addition, you’ll also be able to see one example of Laika’s new Kosmo range, which sits between the sporty Ecovip and the more traditional Kreos. The Kosmo 509 has a layout featuring fixed single beds at the back, a central washroom – which you can partition off – and a luxurious, chocolate-toned interior finish. Also on the stand are the Ecovip 309S Toscana Edition, 409 and 419, and the Kreos 4009, 4012, 5009 and 7009. Must-see ’van…

STAND 9-10 Address Route du Demi Boeuf, 44310 La Limouzinière, France Tel 0033 2 40 32 16 00 Web http://groupe-pilote.com The star attraction here is sure to be the Le Voyageur Signature I8.5 GJF, Europe’s first mirrorless motorhome, fitted with cameras on either side of the dashboard to give you a 360-degree view. Much of what’s new about Pilote in general this season involves gadgetry: all 2019 ’vans come with touchscreen control panels to check battery and water levels and more. As an option, you can link this to a Garmin sat nav. On the stand you will find at least five Pacific low-profiles in Essentiel and Sensation spec, four Galaxy A-classes in Sensation and Emotion spec, and three other Le Voyageur Classic models. Must-see ’van PACIFIC P740FC SENSATION The…

STAND 6-31-41 Address Dunswell Road, Cottingham, East Yorkshire HU16 4JX Tel 01482 875 740 Web www.swiftgroup.co.uk The Swift Escape line-up is extended this year, with the addition of a Compact range: three ’vans with the same interior and spec level as mainstream Escapes, but on a body just 2.25m wide. The C205 has a rear transverse bed, while the C402 and C404 have a rear lounge, and are differentiated only by the C404 having a drop-down bed above it. The Kon-tikis now come with a more aerodynamic profile and ‘stargazer’ windows. The Swift Vision system allows you to see down both sides of the ’van while on the move, and underfloor heating also makes an appearance. Check out the new twin-axle 650 and 675. Must-see ’van SWIFT KON-TIKI 675 The…

AUTO CAMPERS STAND 11-110 This Berkshire-based converter already offers its Classic, Leisure and MRV models on Ford and VW base vehicles. This October’s NEC show should be your first chance to see the company’s most flexible model, the Day Van, on a VW T6 base. Previously only available on a Ford, the Day Van comes with a bonded six-rail floor system, modular furniture, clip-on fold-flat seating and a suspended bed. It’s proved particularly popular with dog owners and those who need to use the ’van on a daily basis, too. The demonstrator model has a 150PS petrol unit. Elsewhere, new adaptations to the fold-flat seats on other Day Van and MRV models mean you can also take the seats outside. But the Ford Tourneo-based version of the Day Van has…

This tale is about a mode of camping that I developed with my first two Citroën Berlingobased small motorhomes, and how I have tried to stick to it, despite being tempted by bigger vehicles and then trying to return to the basics. On the road in a Romahome In a previous article for Practical Motorhome (Tour that Changed my Life, May 2017) I related how, six years ago, I started camping with a 2003 Romahome Duo Outlook. When I first saw the ’van it was looking a bit sad, with a cracked windscreen, but after some magic by the dealer it became quite presentable. I had some memorable tours in the little Romahome, which really convinced me of the versatility and general usability of the smaller motorhome. This is a…

Al-Ko has manufactured many thousands of vehicles over almost 40 years of building chassis conversions, its torsion bar axle being almost unique within the leisure industry. But how does it work? As the wheel passes over a bump, the torsion bars within the axle tube (basically a metal rod) twist, returning to its original preset position as it is passed. This, combined with shock absorbers, allows a low-line axle set-up that is ideal for motorhomes, providing not only a low entrance line, but also superb handling for the driver. In addition to the many thousands of motorhomes on the road, the same designs of chassis and axles are used in the commercial AMC (Auto Motive Chassis) conversions, which run up hundreds of thousands of kilometres in a short space of…

2012 (62) BAILEY APPROACH SE 620 Price now £34,995 Price new £41,125 Base Peugeot Boxer/Al-Ko Engine 2.2-litre, 130bhp First registered September 2012 Mileage 18,497 Berths/travel seats 2/2 L/W*/H 6.02/2.38/2.94m Extras Bike rack, awning MTPLM 3500kg Payload 718kg + Plus points Roomy interior, Al-Ko chassis -Minus points Rather angular-looking exterior Bailey hit impressive price points when it stepped into the motorhome market. That was in 2011 – it didn’t take long for swathes of owners of its caravans to switch. You can now find pre-owned Baileys for sale. Unsurprisingly, there was an end-kitchen model in the initial Approach SE line-up. If the exterior looks a bit gawky, check out the interior. It doesn’t just feel roomier than its peers, it is, thanks to a wider coachbuilt body. This doesn’t make a…

Parked at the Vauban tower and fort in Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue during my spring trip to Normandy. Cliff Mason The entrance to the Camping Municipal at the Citadel Blaye on the Garonne river, near Bordeaux. The entrance was a little on the narrow side, but also inside were the old metal hinges to hold the entrance door, making it even narrower! Jeremy Horn This is my ’van – Shania – at a campsite near Newtonmore, Scotland. The cloud formation was most unusual – it was clinging to the top of the hills. Hilary Ivinson After years of caravan ownership, my wife and I decided to buy a motorhome. The Swift Escape 685 ticked the boxes for our family. This photo is taken on the banks of…

GRAND TOUR West Cornwall BAILEY Advance 66-2 DURATION 3 nights WHEN Summer 2018 Beautiful beaches, gorgeous scenery and great history – what more could you ask? “ It’s all about the light,” said Richard Barnes, co-owner of Tehidy Holiday Park, the base for our stay in Cornwall (p38). “It’s a very blue light reflected off the sea and the beach. The countryside and light draws in the artists and what appeals to them appeals to the people.” Richard was explaining to us why Cornwall has such an enduring appeal for visitors. It had certainly appealed to me. Temperatures there seemed to be averaging 5-10 degrees cooler than the unbearably hot summer the capital was experiencing at the time of my writing, and any thoughts of getting away from it all…

Cornwall’s heritage dates back to Neolithic times, but one of its most enduring industries is mining, which began in the Bronze Age. Tin, copper and gold have all been the bedrock of Cornwall’s production at one time, reaching their zenith during the Industrial Revolution. Did you know that at the beginning of the 20th century, half of the world’s tin originated in Cornwall? With the demand for metal high, Cornwall’s landscape was transformed by the equipment needed for deep extraction, and the remains of mines are still evident today. This rich industrial history has earned the county World Heritage Status for 10 mining sites. The last working tin mines closed in the 1990s and now draw in tourists. Mining, of course, is the backstory to BBC television’s historical drama Poldark,…

At the moment, the UK van conversion market seems to be incredibly hot. Last year, European firms were buying up UK van converters. This year, some are launching UK-only van conversions. That might make Pilote’s decision to stop selling its van conversions in the UK seem all the more surprising. But I suspect that the French firm has concluded the British market is different from the rest of Europe, so in Britain, it’s better to stick with a known UK brand. It will be interesting to see what happens to Danbury now that the hopes of a major player such as Pilote are resting on it. French manufacturer Pilote has decided to stop selling its line of van conversions in the UK, and instead aims to concentrate on expanding the…

Campervans are incredibly tricky to design: all the kit that the discerning motorcaravanner demands must be fitted into what’s invariably a small space, all while keeping the price as low as possible for the buyer. That’s where the R535 is so clever. Within its 5.4m length, the Trigano Group company has managed to fit a good-sized lounge, a very impressive kitchen and even a small washroom area. What’s more, there are four berths, with the belted seats to match. It’s clever stuff. Marquis Leisure introduced two Randgers to the UK earlier this year, and we loved them from the start. The R535’s sister, the R499, features a more traditional campervan layout, but it was the former that caught our eye. Our judges were impressed by the high level of kit…

Our Best Compact Motorhome category was a closely fought affair this year – but this impressive little model from Swift snuck through to take the gong. It’s compact by name, and certainly compact by nature; it’s also part of an all-new range that the Hull-based manufacturer recently launched for the 2019 season. The Escape Compact is a sub-brand of the wildly popular Escape line-up of coachbuilts, and features three models: two with a rear lounge, and the other with a transverse rear bed. Our favourite from the start was this, the C402. This ’van has a hugely clever layout, which manages to squeeze both a rear U-shaped lounge and a dinette into a vehicle that’s less than 6m in length. The designers have achieved this by making that lounge shorter…

Like its 66-2 sibling (see p69), Bailey’s 70-6 was part of the relaunched Advance range that made its debut earlier this year. We were fortunate enough to get a sneak peek at the line-up before it became public, and we were impressed with what we saw from the start. At launch, the new Advance featured six floorplans – the 70-6 is the longest of them, and has a layout that’s hugely family-friendly. That’s because the generously sized rear lounge – always a firm favourite with UK buyers – is supplemented by a double dinette up front, so there are six belted seats in total. This matches the six berths that the vehicle offers, formed of make-up beds in the front and rear, and a double that drops down over the…

Judging our annual Motorhome of the Year awards is a tricky task: everyone has their own tastes and opinion on what a good ’van should feature, so narrowing down all of our great winners to one overall champion is never easy. Some things aren’t negotiable, though: the victor has to offer excellent value in a really appealing package, with a practical layout and good-quality finish. And that’s exactly what you get in this, the Bailey Advance 66-2. There’s just so much to like about this classy little coachbuilt, the baby of Bailey’s Advance range, which was relaunched to great effect earlier in 2018. The Bristol-based company is well known for its caravans, and the second-generation Advance borrows heavily from its flagship tourer range, in terms of both exterior looks and…

STAND 6-55 Address Auto-Sleepers, Orchard Works, Willersey, nr Broadway, Worcestershire WR12 7QF Tel 01386 853 338 Web www.auto-sleepers.com Auto-Sleepers’ seven Peugeot-based van conversions will be on display, including the Symbol Plus. Peugeot coachbuilts that you can see include the six on the standard chassis – the Broadway EK, EB, FB and EL LP TB, and the Nuevo ES and EK – plus three Coriniums on the Al-Ko chassis. Which Mercedes-based models will be on display was less clear as we went to press – Auto-Sleepers is still awaiting delivery of the new chassis. But the Bourton will be on show, and other strong possibilities include the Burford Duo, Malvern and Winchcombe. Must-see ’van Symbol Plus The Symbol Plus has already wowed the judges of this year’s Motorhome of the Year…

STAND 8-40 Address Weststraße 33, 77694 Kehl, Germany Tel 0049 7851 850 Web www.buerstner.com The German manufacturer’s Ixeo range, launched last year as a fairly upmarket A-class, has now been extended to include low-profiles, many with three options for a sunroof, including an electronic one. Last year’s UK-friendly Harmony Line special editions, introduced on the Lyseo TDs, have been extended to Bürstner’s van conversion City Car range. The extras this entails include an awning, a second cabin battery, dimmable lights in the cab and exclusive upholstery. At Birmingham you should also be able to see special Ixeo TD and Lyseo TD Limited Edition models. Must-see ’van CITY CAR 603 If you’ve ever wondered why you need a front lounge in a van conversion when there are just two of you…

STAND 9-65 Address Arist-Dethleffs-Strasse 12, D-88316 Isny-im-Allgäu, Germany Tel 0049 (0) 7562 9870 Web www.dethleffs.co.uk Get your fingers on the Pulse, four new low-profiles and six new A-classes from this Erwin Hymer Group subsidiary. Two of each type will be at the NEC. With price points similar to Dethleffs’ Trend range, the Pulse has an instantly recognisable exterior, with a rear panel that curves inward at the top. The interior took 18 months to produce and involved experts coming up with three different levels of lighting. Along with the Pulses at the show, there are five Trends, one Esprit, one Magic Edition, two Globebus models, two Globetrotters and, for the first time in the UK, the new A-class Alpa. Must-see ’van ALPA I 7820-2 Dethleffs’ new A-class Alpa completes the…

STAND 9-30 Address Harald-Striewski-Strasse 15, 24787 Fockbek/Rendsburg, Germany Tel 00 49 4331 6060 Web www.hobby-caravan.de/en Nine motorhomes – one overcab, five low-profiles and three van conversions – will be on the Hobby stand at the NEC this year. The low-profiles include the new T 70 GQ De Luxe, a 6.99m-long island-bed model. It and two other De Luxes on the stand will be sporting a new rear panel, with Audi-style dynamic indicator lights. Inside, you’ll find them equipped with USB sockets. Make time to see the new Vantana van conversions, too – they now have a spec level hierarchy that matches Hobby’s caravans. Must-see ’van VANTANA K 65 ET PREMIUM Van conversions by German manufacturer Hobby are often unjustly overlooked, especially because, at the Premium level, you get 16-inch alloy…

STAND 17-05 Address Sherdley Road, Lostock Hall, Preston, Lancashire PR5 5JP Tel 01772 337 628 Web www.lunarcaravans.com Lunar’s motorhomes are on the same stand as its range of caravans, so they are some way from the rest of the main motorhome action at this year’s NEC show. But it’s worth the effort of making a detour to take a look at them, because you should get to see the Esterela, a new model from Lunar Campers, the tie-up between Lunar and Wellhouse Leisure. There should also be the full range of Lunar’s coachbuilt motorhomes, including both the three-strong Cassini range and the four-strong Roadstars, plus the Landstar van conversion. Must-see ’van LUNAR CAMPERS ESTERELA Even now it’s unusual to see a van conversion based on a Renault Trafic, so Lunar’s…

STAND 7-40 AND 12-155 (DREAMER) Address 414 Rue des Perrouins, CS 20019-53101 Mayenne Cedex, France Tel 02 43 30 10 70 Web www.rapido-motorhome.co.uk This year, any model number ending in ‘86’ has parallel sofas in the lounge. You can see this on two ’vans: the 686F low-profile island-bed and the 8086DF, an A-class with single beds in the back. Sister brand Itineo has expanded well beyond A-classes, as you will see from the low-profile PM740. But do have a look at the A-classes, including the compact FC650 with end washroom, and the TC740 with transverse bed. The Dreamer brand is on a different stand, among the van converters. New highlights here include the Camper Van XL Select and the Cap Land Select. Must-see ’van DREAMER CAP LAND SELECT Campervans with…

New motorhomes Peter Baber Le Voyageur’s new Liner Le Voyageur used the Caravan Salon to launch its latest 7.5-tonne Liner. A total redesign has seen the vehicle’s overall height drop by 60mm, but its interior height increase by 95mm, thanks to lowering of the chassis. The interior also benefits from a completely flat floor, while lockers doors are gloss white on a mid-tone wood surround. Knaus gets MAN-ly Knaus showed off its new low-profile Van TI Plus models, built on a MAN TGE chassis, including the Van TI Plus 650 MEG (pictured opposite), with fixed single beds. The MAN chassis has front-wheel drive as standard, although rear- and even all-wheel drive are also options. Right-hand-drive models are to be included in the first production. The MAN cab does feel a…

Fuel consumption is an ever-present issue with almost any motor vehicle, and motorhomes are no exception. In fact, because a motorhome is usually larger and heavier than your typical family hatchback, its fuel consumption will always be worse. Although modern vehicles are more fuel-efficient than ever – and more powerful to boot – the size and weight of a motorhome is always going to be the killer where fuel consumption is concerned. This month, I’ll pass on advice about how you can save fuel – and therefore money – when you’re on the road. One fact worth bearing in mind is that the average motorhome does relatively low annual mileage, so its fuel consumption isn’t such a problem – perhaps. Our own motorhome has done less than 2000 miles a…

2007 (57) ELDDIS SUNSEEKER 115 Price now £25,995 Price new £29,000 (est) Base Peugeot Boxer Engine 2.2-litre, 100bhp First registered October 2007 Mileage 20,707 Berths/travel seats 2/2 L/W*/H 5.71/2.20/2.77m Extras Reversing camera, electric step, swivel cab seats MTPLM 3300kg Payload From 473kg + Plus points Special-edition upgrades -Minus points No passenger airbag or exterior-access storage This is a dealer special from Somerset’s West Country Motorhomes, based on the Autoquest, by Elddis. Autoquests of this era were typically low on kit, but the special edition has quite a bit more to admire. On this Sunseeker, the blown-air heating is uprated to mains electric and gas, the upholstery is superior to the standard model’s, and there are lots of extras. The 115 floorplan has been around forever. Indeed, it’s the same today,…

These motorhomes were manufactured at 59 Old Wareham Road, Poole, in Dorset – a famous address for touring enthusiasts. Originally the Bluebird caravan factory, they also manufactured Bluebird Highwayman coachbuilts (see From the Archives, p11), CI Motorhomes and, more recently, Autohomes. The latter were for many years the UK’s biggest volume production ’van converter. After Autohomes folded, Herald rose, phoenix-like, employing many of the old workforce, but focusing on more upmarket conversions. Their aim was to build ‘up to a quality, not down to a price’. Not just any old Ford Transit chassis-cab was used, but a bespoke version, built for them by Ford’s Special Vehicle Engineering Division. This featured lowered chassis-rails, full box-frame outriggers and a unique body-mounting system that provided an amazingly silent ride. Special cab seats were…