Innehållsförteckning för February 2025 från Practical Motorhome

★ Star picture Email your pictures and their stories (40 words, plus name, address and contacts) to hotshots@practicalmotorhome.com. The best photo will win these guides: All the Aires France; Road Trip Europe – Best of Belgium; All the Aires Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands; Go Motorhoming and Campervanning; Sea View Camping Scotland; Sea View Camping West Country; Road Trip Europe – The Great War and More; and Road Trip Europe – Go Dutch. Note, list of prize books may change depending on stock. All are from Vicarious Books, www.vicarious-shop.com, 0131 208 3333.…

JUMBO CROSSWORD Read down the letters in the shaded squares to spell out a long-running TV crime series (6, 7) ACROSS 1 Vista (6) 4 Goal (9) 9 In the direction of (6) 15 Seat (5) 16 Quits work (7) 17 Reclining (5) 18 Ovum (3) 19 Peek (4) 20 Headland (9) 21 Sport (6) 24 Officials (11) 26 Weekdays (10) 29 Place of worship (6) 31 Type of takeaway (6) 32 Noise (5) 33 Employ (3) 35 Differing (11) 36 Extensive (10) 40 Kept in good condition (10) 42 Focus hard (11) 44 Domestic fuel (3) 45 Rift (5) 47 Stay (6) 48 Pressing (6) 50 Beatrice, Eugenie, for example (10) 52 Type of light breakfast (11) 56 Small river (6) 57 Therapy (9) 59 Tops a cake (4)…

‘The village has its share of ancient buildings, including the 700-year-old New Inn and a 16th-century market hall’ A black and white village? You might wonder how any village has come to be known as ‘black and white’. Those familiar with the village of Pembridge, in Herefordshire, will, of course, recognise the name as a reference to its medieval half-timbered houses, painted black (the wood) and white (the walls), giving it what is a quintessentially English ambience. It was one of a pair of villages (along with Ross-on-Wye) that we were enjoying visiting on a short break. Having been to Spain earlier in the year, we decided that we would tour a bit closer to home during the summer and opted for a trip to the heart of Herefordshire. Black and…

We love nothing better than a road trip in our motorhome and have long aspired to hiring a leisure vehicle in the US to explore new places across the Atlantic. Having previously enjoyed an Orlando holiday in Florida, we were keen to venture beyond the central area and cover the full 450-mile length of the Sunshine State, famous for its beach resorts, key lime pie, and the magnificent Everglades. We might even try a Grouper Sandwich! Florida, the southernmost state in the continental US, with a population of 23 million, is 30% larger in area than England, so there’s plenty to see. Sharon’s daughter and her husband had recently moved to Denver and she was keen to visit them. I was travelling from the UK and we decided to meet…

California “could kill off motorhomes” New regulations in California could kill off the sale of new RVs in the state next year, an industry body warns. The RV Industry Association says California’s Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) regulation, due next year, will create a near total ban on new motorhome sales in the state, and other states that follow the California Air Resource Board rules. The ACT regulations aim to force makers of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to sell a growing percentage of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). But the association says this has led chassis manufacturers to suspend sales of traditional internal combustion engine chassis to leisure vehicle manufacturers, because of a lack of ZEV chassis suitable for motorhomes that could be used to offset the deficit. Hybrid camper under £20k A…

It’s a touring certainty – there will come a time in every motorhomer’s life when there just isn’t enough space for the whole family in the ’van, and someone has to be banished to the great outdoors. This often occurs around the same time that your children (or grandchildren) become teenagers. The girls grow taller, while the boys start to broaden out and stretch, seemingly overnight, to become too big to sleep in comfort in your vehicle’s bunks or beds. I speak from experience – this happened to us, and we spent two weeks in France losing sleep each night owing to the bassy thuds when my teenage son turned over in his bunk and bashed into the wall of our ’van. Luckily, there is a very simple solution to…

Choose Leisure’s sub-£50k video stars I’ve always maintained you can get a cracking used motorhome for about £50,000. Now there’s video evidence to prove it. Kent-based Choose Leisure is so proud of its selection of pre-owned stock at under £50,000, it has released a video starring some of them. Co-presenters are Choose Leisure Handover Technicians Dawn and Mark, who highlight eight very different ’vans, ranging from mainstream makes to an independently converted Nissan NV200 Acenta, for sale at £29,995. There are also two Roller Teams (an automatic T590, £49,995, and an AutoRoller 695P, £39,995); an Auto-Trail Imala 625, a Bailey Alliance 76-2 and a Swift Spirit 604, all also £49,995; a Bailey Advance 635 (£39,995) and a van conversion, an Adria Twin 640PX, for £44,995. Watch the video at chooseleisure.co.uk/video-tutorials.…

PLUS DIGITAL ACCESS TO 130+ ISSUES** FIND YOUR PRACTICAL MOTORHOME SUBSCRIPTION AT www.magazinesdirect.com/PRM/H22Z SUBSCRIBE TO PRACTICAL MOTORHOME TODAY CHOOSE YOUR PACKAGE P L U S DIGITAL ACCESS TO 130+ ISSUES** PRINT MAGAZINE, PLUS DIGITAL ACCESS £20.55 every 6 months! ■ NEW! Digital access to 130+ issues when you subscribe to print!** ■ DIGITAL MAGAZINE ONLY ■ £16.44 every 6 months! Terms and conditions Offer closes 4 February 2025. Please allow up to 6 weeks for the delivery of your first subscription issue (up to 8 weeks overseas); the full subscription rate includes postage and packaging. *Savings are based on the cover price. Payment is non-refundable after the 14-day cancellation period. **Access to the digital library will end with your subscription. For full terms and conditions, visit www.magazinesdirect.com/terms. For enquiries and…

Zgornje Jezersko, Slovenia What3words //prodding.proposition.immigration Why tour here? Slovenia has become a popular destination with British motorhomers, who are no doubt keen to explore the country’s many scenic locations. And given its position in central Europe – bordered by countries such as Italy, Hungary, Croatia and Austria, all of which are well known for their exceptionally beautiful landscapes – it’s really not surprising that it should be so fortunate in its stunning countryside and coastline. Over the years, Slovenia has also gained a reputation as a manufacturer and converter of motorhomes and campervans. Notably motorhome manufacturer Adria, which has a factory in Novo Mesto in the south of the country and employs over 2000 people. Don’t miss… While many visitors understandably gravitate to the exquisitely beautiful Lake Bled and the…

£15 and under Motorhome bauble Your loved one will look forward to hauling the decorations out of the loft if you add this festive motorhome to their collection! Price £11.50 W limitedabode.co.uk Vinsani packing cubes Make a loved one’s life easier with these handy packing cubes, which feature mesh panels for easy use, sturdy zips and carry handles. The set comes in seven colours and includes three sizes of packing bag plus three flat zip pouches. Price £7.99 W amazon.co.uk Phone holder Great for a long road trip, this sturdy phone holder makes driving more relaxing. The adjustable holder works with all mobile models and can be mounted on the windscreen or dashboard with the integrated suction cup. Price £10.99 W halfords.com Camping lights Brighten up your outdoor set-up with…

Winter illuminations across the UK ■ Beecraigs Country Park, Linlithgow, Scotland To 23 December 2024 The Starry Nights Experience will enchant Christmas visitors to this lovely country park in Scotland. There’s a glittering Christmas arch, interactive entertainment and Scotland’s longest immersive lighting trail. Expect Singing Trees, a magic Fairy Forest and a Snowball Blizzard. Tickets are £17 for adults, £16.50 for children (aged two to 15). W starry-night.co.uk/beecraigs-country-park Stay at Beecraigs Country Park W westlothian.gov.uk/beecraigs ■ Margam Country Park and Castle, Port Talbot To 31 December 2024 Stroll the mile-long Winter Light Trail in the gardens of Margam Country Park and Castle. Along the way, you can see amazing installations with interactive elements, enjoy mulled wine or toast marshmallows over the fire pit. Tickets from £15 for adults and £10…

Austria or Slovenia, which is the most beautiful country? Take your pick, but hear us out first. Late summer saw us embarking on our latest tour – over two weeks and 2500 miles of pure campervanning through Austria and Slovenia, also using Luxembourg (sorry, Luxembourg, you’re beautiful, too, and we’d happily stay longer next time) as a stopover for our journeys out as well as back. Kicking off in Austria Sure, that meant plenty of driving, but as a general rule, I’d say European roads are simply more comfortable than what we’re having to put up with in the UK. Or were we simply more relaxed because we were on holiday? The Austrian leg of our summer tour began at Ferienparadies, Natterer See. We found our site, just – our…

The deep valley of Glencoe, in the Highlands of Scotland, is rightly considered one of the most scenic parts of the UK. It was formed by volcanic activity and glacier movement in the last Ice Age and is a place of majestic mountains, stunning hiking trails, Highland cattle, fertile gullies and bubbling rivers, most notably its namesake, the River Coe. Visitors come for the walking and the wild landscapes, and to appreciate the historical and cultural importance of the area. This was the scene of one of Scotland’s most infamous historical events, the Glencoe Massacre in 1692, when members of Clan Campbell killed members of Clan MacDonald under orders from William III. Here, and at nearby Glen Etive, film fans come to see the locations for Hollywood blockbusters such as…

Damp - a little word, but one that can strike fear into any motorhome owner. Once it has taken hold in your vehicle, it can be joined by the equally dreaded mould and mildew. But there are some steps that you can take to avoid having to deal with those unwelcome problems. The starting point, of course, is to do all you can to make sure your vehicle is always well ventilated. That will certainly be a good way to prevent damp. But in addition to this, the use of an efficient dehumidifier in your ’van can help to lower the risk on a shorter-term basis. Powered units When you shop around for a dehumidifier, you will find both electric and non-electric options. Non-electric motorhome dehumidifiers are more budget-friendly, relying…

North Lincolnshire manufacturer Auto-Trail has been making motorhomes since 1982. The Sevel-based Scout was first produced around 35 years ago and has been in continuous production ever since. Our featured generations began with the introduction of the (then) all-new Ducato X/250 in 2007. Delaware launched a year later as the first Auto-Trail with a permanent island double bed. Both were members of the flagship Frontier range. Their overall length of 7.74m (25’ 4.75”) placed them in the middle of the range sizewise. Standard motive power was the 2.3-litre 130bhp Multijet turbodiesel mated to a manual six-speed gearbox. A 3.0-litre 160bhp (Iveco) engine was a cost option, as was ComfortMatic (automated) transmission. Scout has a forward seating area immediately behind the driver’s pew. Its default layout featured a double Pullman dinette,…

Just as waistlines tend to expand with age, a similar issue is affecting motorhomes. They’ve been getting tubbier and heavier. In this case, however, it’s not age that’s the culprit. The issue is that more and more kit has been added to the base vehicles – mainly in response to safety and environmental legislation – making it increasingly difficult for manufacturers to keep vehicles under the all-important 3500kg maximum authorised mass (MAM). Why does keeping under this weight limit matter? Well, a motorhome that is under 3500kg can be driven on a regular B category car licence. Go over 3500kg and you’ll need to have the C1 category to be able to drive the vehicle – which, if you’re over 70, means more hassle. While the over-70s have to renew…

CAMC opens storage-only site The Caravan and Motorhome Club recently announced it has acquired Sherwood Caravan Storage, to serve as its first storage-only facility. The expansive 15-acre site will offer more than 1150 hardstanding spaces, making it a handy location for Club members to store their motorhomes, campervans and caravans securely when they are not in use. Just three miles from Worksop in Nottinghamshire, Sherwood Caravan and Motorhome Club Storage offers excellent access to major routes, including the M1 and the A1. The facility has developed a solid reputation over the past 20 years, recognised as a Gold-rated site by CaSSOA, the Caravan Storage Site Owners’ Association, underscoring its commitment to high-security standards for vehicle protection. Security is clearly a top priority at Sherwood, with 24-hour access provided alongside robust…

‘As well as the grandeur of the building itself, there are the sporting venues which, of course, include the famous motor racing circuit and the equally famous Glorious Goodwood racecourse’ Never being one to miss an opportunity, when husband Ro was given the very special gift of a flying experience at Goodwood Aerodrome this summer (yes, this was one of those ‘big’ birthdays with a zero included!), I decided to book us into Concierge Camping in nearby Chichester, where we could enjoy a few days of camping in luxury. I had read about the site in Practical Motorhome and when I realised it was so close to Goodwood, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to see it. Besides, if it was to be a weekend of birthday treats, what better than…

Le Voyageur’s Héritage range was introduced for the 2022 season, to replace the Liner and Signature. It also marked Le Voyageur’s return to the base vehicle it was using when its vehicles first came to these shores at the beginning of the previous decade – the Mercedes Sprinter, this time with an Al-Ko chassis. In recent years, Le Voyageur vehicles have become more available in shorter lengths. This one, at just over 7.5m, could possibly fit on your drive – but you still need a C1 licence to drive it. They have gradually become more family-focused, too – this season, for the first time, Le Voyageur Héritage models come fitted with travel seats. Outside, you still get the same superb construction, including the hail-proof polyester roof, the 38mm walls on…

The cost of a new clutch So, as described (see left), we’ve removed the slave cylinder. If the vehicle has a DMF, this will also need to be replaced, even at low mileage, for the simple reason that they do fail and if you don’t change it while the ’box is out and it subsequently fails, then the whole job has to be done again. The purpose of the DMF is to reduce vibration from the engine. It is made of two main parts – one is bolted to the crankshaft, the other is the friction surface, which is mounted to the first on a bearing so it can rotate around the first. The two parts are connected with a spring, so rotation between them is limited to a few…

Many motorhomes don’t have their wheel arches insulated on the inside. This can make a really big difference to the cosiness of your vehicle, especially for those who like to tour in the autumn and winter, because the thin, plastic wheel arch liner offers very little in the way of a barrier against those often freezing temperatures outside. My friend Rod Farrendon, keen to keep costs down, is not one to waste gas and battery power on unnecessary heating, so has added extra insulation. 1 In most leisure vehicles, the wheel arches are easily accessible via one of the cupboards or underseat lockers. Some, however, are located directly under the shower unit and these can be a bit trickier to gain access to. The existing wheel arch liner is only going…

How to use the guide We’ve organised our listings by layout, which is generally the most crucial aspect for buyers. Simply locate the floorplan you like in the guide; then, on the left of it, you’ll find details of every UK model with that layout. Simple! This month, we’re looking at van conversions (aka campervans). HIGH TOP, FIXED ROOF how to buy… Choosing a layout People’s needs from their vehicle will differ, and your layout choice will depend very much on your touring companions and how you are planning to use your motorhome. To understand the types of layout available, it’s a good idea to try, if you possibly can, to spend a day at one of the big shows, where manufacturers and dealers will be displaying their latest models.…