Touring Magazine February – March 2021

touring 

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2021 

www.touring.co.uk 

FORWARD 

THINKING 

INSPIRATION FOR TOURING FREEDOM 

MICRO TOURS / BUDGET TOURING / POP TOP CAMPERS / VAN REVIEWS

Micro Tours 

Welcome 

touring 

Editor 

Caroline Mills 

Advertising 

Mark Galbraith 

Designer 

Barbara Prada 

Marketing 

Olivia Sewell 

Commercial Director 

Lwin Millar 

Editorial Director 

Felix Blakeston 

Touring Magazine is published by 

Information carried in Touring Magazine 

is checked for accuracy but the views 

or opinions included herein do not 

necessarily represent those of 

Rosevine Media Ltd. Attractions and 

destinations mentioned herein should 

only be visited when it is safe to do so in 

accordance with government guidelines. 

It shouldn’t be difficult for an editor to string a few words 

together. But, where to begin and what to write during the 

current climate of lockdown and travel restrictions, daily statistics 

and never quite knowing what’s around the corner makes the 

flow of sentences a little more challenging. 

So we’re back to virtual and armchair travel again, a 

continuation of dreaming and planning future activities. It may be that 

you were one of the many that realised the appeal of camping and 

touring during 2020, bought yourself a tent, caravan, campervan or 

motorhome and ‘the dream’ has remained in storage or on your driveway 

ever since. Here at Touring Magazine, we really feel for you – please 

persevere, when you do finally get to use your new purchase, we’re sure 

that you will love the new freedom that, by its very nature, is a sociable 

friend to social distancing. 

For now, we’ve plenty to inspire. Yorkshire, England’s largest county, 

is our focus with it’s new Walkshire campaign that will last all year, 

showcasing some of the county’s most beautiful places to go walking. 

Enjoy the stunning images now and make your plans to see the locations 

later in the year. When you do get to head off on your travels, small-scale 

adventures may well be your preference initially, so we champion a series 

of wonderful micro tours, all between 3 and 90 miles-long, perfect for 

walking, cycling or touring. 

The last couple of years has seen motorhome manufacturers launch a 

whole host of van conversions with rising/pop-up roofs. These are a great 

way to add extra beds without the need to purchase a longer vehicle. 

If you’ve not yet bought your means to go camping, or you’re ready to 

trade-in your existing vehicle, have a look at these. If you’re looking for 

something a little ‘grander’, we also take a detailed look at a brand new 

A-Class, integrated, motorhome, introduced for 2021. Finally, there’s 

plenty of advice on ways to keep the cost of touring down. 

Long-term readers and subscribers to Touring Magazine (formerly 

Discover Touring) could well have quite a collection of back issues on 

file. While any kind of celebration is somewhat muted at the moment, 

it’s with great pride that we can say that Touring Magazine celebrates 

its 10th anniversary this year. We look forward to keeping you inspired, 

whether sat on the sofa at home with a frothy coffee or enjoying a glass 

of wine watching the sun set at a favourite campsite – one day soon. 

Meantime, keep safe and well, 

www.touring.co.uk 

discovertouring@rosevinedigital.com 

Front cover image: © searchforsites.co.uk 

Caroline Mills, Editor 

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2021 touring magazine 3

For everyone 

who loves 

the great 

outdoors 

Browse and buy the latest 

models and accessories, 

and watch webinars from 

the experts – all from the 

comfort of your sofa. 

VIRTUAL 

SHOW 

27- 28 February 2021 

27 - 28 February 2021 

Sponsored by 

In association with 

Find out more and book your free ticket at: 

www.caravanshowscotland.com/virtual

Inside 

80 

Contents 

32 

38 

38 

8 POP-TOP VANS 

32 REVIEW: AUTO-TRAIL GRANDE FRONTIER 

38 INTERVIEW: SEARCH FOR SITES 

44 MICRO TOURS 

70 A-Z OF BUDGET TOURING 

80 WALKING IN YORKSHIRE 

98 VANLIFE: WORK 

104 HISTORY: OLIVER CROMWELL 

106 FORAGING WILD MUSHROOMS 

112 SHOPPING ESSENTIALS 

104 

8 

92 


News 

Taking the scenic route 

Touring Magazine editor and lifelong camper, caravanner and 

motorcaravanner, Caroline Mills has written the ultimate guide 

to road trips in France and Germany – for families, couples, and 

social bubbles. 

Published by Bradt Guides, Camping Road Trips France & 

Germany: 30 Adventures with Your Campervan, Motorhome or 

Tent is a unique guide to lesser-known and off-the-beaten-track 

destinations 

Caroline says: “The purpose of this book is to encourage 

travellers of all ages that anything is possible, to get out and 

explore. It’s as much about slowing down, getting to know 

places and spending time on foot, by bike or boat as it is about 

spending time on the road. These are not journeys to be rushed.” 

Congratulations Caroline, we can’t wait to grab a copy of our 

own! In the meantime the Touring team have been lucky enough 

to have a sneak preview of the contents: 

‡ 

Includes a description of the Route 

Napoléon, France’s first ever signposted 

tourist route, created in 1932 and replicating 

Napoleon’s trek through the Alps and his return 

to France from exile. 

‡ 

Explores the grand canyon of France, the 

Gorges du Verdon, regarded as one of the 

most beautiful and dramatic in Europe. 

‡ 

Discovers Dordogne’s annual strawberry 

festival, where a strawberry tart 8-feet wide 

is devoured. 

‡ 

At 508 metres long, the pier at Heringsdorf, 

a ritzy bathing resort on the German island 

of Usedom, is the longest in continental Europe. 

You can also walk into Poland from Heringsdorf 

along an eight-mile-long seaside promenade. It’s 

one of many things to do on a road trip along 

Germany’s coastline. 

Camping Road Trips France & 

Germany: 30 Adventures with Your 

Campervan, Motorhome or Tent is 

out February 5 priced at £16.99 and 

is available to order now at 

www.bradtguides.com/product/ 

road-trip-france-germany/ 

6 touring magazine JANUARY FEBRUARY –– FEBRUARY MARCH 2021 2021

News 

The show must go on! 

The Scottish Caravan, Motorhome 

& Holiday Home Show is going 

virtual this year between February 

27-28.. 

Touring Magazine is delighted to 

be a media partner to the online 

weekend show that will be packed 

full of all the latest vans, expert 

advice and everything you need for 

your next adventure. 

As with the usual physical show, 

attendees will have the chance to 

meet with dealers and chat about 

their requirements on their online 

stands. 

And please do come by Touring 

Magazine’s stand – we would love 

to chat to our readers and listen to 

any feedback or suggestions you 

may have for the magazine. 

There will also be a host of 

speakers from the industry’s 

leading organisations including the 

Camping and Caravanning Club, 

and the Caravan and Motorhome 

Club, who will take part in exclusive 

webinars to give technical advice, 

tips and tricks and destination 

inspiration. 

Darren Brechin, Group Show 

Director of the Scottish Caravan, 

Motorhome & Holiday Home Show 

said: 

“Although 2020 was a 

challenging year for everyone, it 

encouraged us to appreciate more 

of what’s on our doorstep and 

that’s the whole ethos behind a 

caravan or motorhome vacation. 

Unfortunately, due to ongoing 

restrictions we aren’t able to hold 

our usual event at the SEC but 

by going online we are able to 

offer new and previous visitors the 

chance to see the latest caravan 

and campervan models and help 

them plan their next trip. 

“We hope to see all our usual 

friends visit us online and hopefully 

we’ll be able to welcome everyone 

back to the SEC in 2022.” 

Tickets for the show are free, but 

they are limited so book early to 

avoid disappointment and we look 

forward to meeting you there! 

Find out more and reserve a ticket at: 

www.caravanshowscotland.com/virtual 


VOX

POP 

COMPACT LEISURE VEHICLES WITH POP-UP 

ROOFS ARE PROVING EVER-MORE POPULAR. 

TOURING MAGAZINE PICKS OUT SOME OF 

THE BEST ON THE UK MARKET

In Focus 

The rising roof has been the 

domain of small campervans in 

recent years, whether front, back 

or side raising or, in the case of 

classic VDubs, an all-round ‘poptop’. 

Sometimes it’s to offer extra bed space, in 

other models to simply provide better standing 

room in a smaller van with a lower overall 

height. It’s not always been exclusive to smaller 

campervans, though; larger motorhomes of 

yesteryear have included raising roofs, such as 

Weinsberg’s conversion of the Fiat 238 fifty years 

ago. 

But, over the past couple of years, there 

has been a steady increase in the number of 

larger van conversions – or compact leisure 

vehicles/compact utility vehicles (CUVs) – on 

long-wheel-based Fiat, Peugeot and Mercedes 

that have added pop-up roofs. And, for the 2021 

season, that steady increase has become an 

explosion of new models with almost every van 

conversion producer adding at least one pop-up 

roof option to its range. 

Without the need to use a raising roof to 

gain height for standing room in these van 

conversions, all of these pop-up roofs allow extra 

sleeping berths. 

They’re ideal for couples that might have 

the occasional use for extra berths, such as 

grandchildren visiting during a camping holiday, 

or for families that would prefer a compact 

vehicle for quick and easy weekend getaways 

rather than expanding to a larger-framed, longer 

coachbuilt motorhome. 

Touring Magazine picks out some of the best 

on the market:

Pop-Top Vans 

Adria Twin 

Sports EDITION 

Combining the best features of the award-winning Twin Supreme layout with a 

fully integrated pop-top roof, Adria has been able to introduce the Twin Sports 

640 SGX, with accommodation for up to four people. 

Adria’s exclusive designed SunRoof® includes a midi-Heki roof light in the rear, with 

the option for air-conditioning, and a roof-mounted awning while retaining Adria’s 

renowned panoramic front window for natural light. The roof construction is lightweight, 

by comparison to others on the market, yet sturdy enough to mount solar panels and 

also includes roof rack rails for extra luggage capacity. 

The ‘cabin loft’ is made from an acrylic-based tent material that’s removable for 

cleaning and storing, and is breathable, water resistant and insulated. Side mosquito 

screens are fixed while a front screen can be opened independently of privacy windows 

for ventilation. The loft sleeping space includes storage, USB ports and reading lights. 


In Focus 

AUTO-TRAIL 

ADVENTURE 55

Pop-Top Vans 

Based upon the ever-popular Fiat Ducato – the most utilised model for 

coachbuilt and van conversion motorhomes – you get the very latest, 

increasingly environmentally-conscious engine and, in the cab, touchscreen 

display with, among other gadgetry, Western European ‘motorhome specific’ satnav 

and a colour reversing camera. In fact, for 2021, there’s a choice of cab styles 

– Cab Plus, as standard, which increases the cab headroom through an integrated 

curved ceiling, or Panoview, a cost option that incorporates a large panoramic 

roof skylight. There’s more external colours available for 2021, too, with a choice 

of seven to select from, including the modish Expedition Grey and exclusive 

‘Adventure’ exterior graphics. 

Downstairs, the living and sleeping areas are divided in two. At the rear are two 

parallel sofas – very comfortable for daytime lounging – or eating indoors should 

you erect the pedestal table between. These can be made into a 4’5”-wide double 

bed. Side windows plus the ability to open the rear barn doors (also with windows) 

means there’s plenty of natural light.

Taller folk might prefer the option of sleeping ‘upstairs’ in the 

rooftop bed as, though narrower, it’s longer at 6’7”. The mattress 

here is comfortable, laid on a platform of springy mesh ‘fingers’ 

for extra give. The canvas sides of the pop-up roof incorporate 

windows, including an opening mesh-gauze for ventilation. LED 

spotlights here allow reading in bed. 

The rooftop bed is accessed via a ladder, stored during the day 

in an alcove above the cab, at the front of the van. Below, the 

swivelling cab seats turn to meet the two ergonomically-moulded 

front-facing passenger seats and a dinette table, useful for allowing 

kids to spread out their belongings on long journeys and a great 

area for adults to stay up and lounge if putting little ones to bed in 

the rear. 

14 touring magazine FEBRUARY – MARCH 2021

Pop-Top Vans 

Bürstner 

Eliseo 

While the respective vans from Adria and Auto- 

Trail mentioned above include a pop-up roof 

as standard, it’s an option for Bürstner’s brand 

new Eliseo. But, there are four layouts from which to 

select and add your pop-up roof to, from 5.41m to 6.36m 

long and with a choice of a transverse double bed or 

longitudinal twin single beds in addition to the doublesized 

loft bed. Plus, with a choice of four upholstery 

materials, including leather, and 11 external paint finishes, 

you’ll receive a very personalised van. 

Three of the layouts – the C540, C600 and C641 – 

include a half-dinette at the front of the van, which, 

coupled with the rotating cab seats, provides room to 

make up an extra bed; allowing five sleeping berths in all. 

That’s pretty good for a vehicle that could be less than 

5.5m long. 


In Focus 

DREAMER 

D43 UP ADDICT 


Pop-Top Vans 

All of the compact leisure vehicles from French 

brand Dreamer, a part of the renowned Rapido 

Group, are insulated and designated for use all 

year round with the vehicles tested to below -15°C. That 

includes the new Dreamer Fun D43 UP, a vehicle that’s 

just 5.41m long yet is suitable for family getaways thanks 

to the pop-up roof. There’s also a panoramic Skyview roof 

window as standard. 

Inside you’ll find a transverse double bed in the main 

living area along with a longitudinal double bed in the 

heated pop-up roof. There’s also a practical washroom with 

shower. and kitchen with hob. 

White is the standard external colour but we love the 

exuberance of the Red Addict paintwork, for when you 

really want to stand out from the crowd. 


In Focus 

Elddis 

Autoquest CV80 

Compass 

Avantgarde CV80 

Erwin Hymer Group UK introduced its new range 

of, now award-winning, ‘CV’ van conversions 

for the 2019 season. For 2021 the company has 

extended the range by adding a model with a popup 

roof, the CV80. It means that, what could only be 

2- and 3-berth layouts, now increase to four sleeping 

berths. 

Both the Elddis Autoquest and Compass Avantgarde, 

are almost identical in technical specifications (Fiat 

250 Ducato Euro 6D engine, 3500kg MTPLM, 399kg 

payload, 5.99m long), layout and price, which, at 

£47,669 is very competitive, especially as an On-The- 

Road price that includes first year road tax. 

Where the two differ is the interior finish and 

upholstery design: opt for the Elddis Autoquest for 

the pale-coloured ‘Ashton’ cabinetry and beige ‘Sevilla’ 

upholstery, or the Compass Avantgarde for the slightly 

darker ‘Salinas Ash’ cabinetry and ‘Syracuse’ soft 

furnishings with trendy checked patterns. 

Either way, you’ll get Whale’s CompleteHeat 

underfloor heating and combined water system, an 

underslung LPG gas tank, fully functioning washroom 

with shower and cassette toilet, and kitchen with oven 

and grill. 

These are budget-priced bargains, so choice is 

minimal (two external paint colours of white or 

metallic grey, for example, and no additional choice of 

furnishings), but there are plenty of extras to add, such 

as alloy wheels, solar panels and air-con if your budget 

affords. 


Pop-Top Vans 


In Focus 

HYMER 

FREE 540 

We’ve picked out two van conversions from German brand Hymer, 

synonymous with quality. The first – the Hymer Free – helps to keep 

costs down as it is based upon a Fiat Ducato; few would realise they 

can get a brand new Hymer motorhome for less than £45k on the road. At 5.41m 

long, it’s also a really compact vehicle, yet, thanks to the optional pop-up roof, can 

sleep up to five people. 

That includes a rear transverse double bed and a half-dinette with two belted 

seats (therefore four passenger seats in all – your fifth-berth person will need to 

meet you at your destination) in addition to the pop-up loft space with double 

bed. There’s a compact shower/washroom cubicle and small galley kitchen, too. 

For a little extra space, opt for the 600 or 602, both of which are 5.99m long. 

As for the pop-up roof, it’s available in an external paint colour to match the 

colour of the van, or in white, to offer a rather cool two-tone effect (unless you 

choose to go for an all-white van, of course!) 


Pop-Top Vans 


In Focus 


Pop Top Pop-Top Campervans Vans 

HYMER 

Grand 

Canyon S 

This is Hymer’s premium camper, 

based on a front-wheel-drive 

Mercedes Sprinter. Aside from 

Mercedes’ reliability, you’ll also find 

premium furnishings inside the four-berth 

Grand Canyon S – a choice of leather 

upholstery on the cab and rear-passenger 

dinette seats, for example. 

The pop-up roof with double bed is an 

optional extra – without, the Grand Canyon 

S is a two-berth that includes a transverse 

double bed at the rear. Storage is excellent, 

including beneath this rear bed, accessed 

from the rear barn doors. More so, if you’re 

the ultra-adventurous sort and planning 

a trip ‘off-piste’, the Grand Canyon S is 

available with optional four-wheel-drive. 


In Focus 

Knaus Boxstar 

600 Street 


Pop-Top Vans 

Knaus have really gone to town with its new pop-up roof, 

introducing options to include it in both the Boxstar and 

Boxlife variants. Whichever you select, the pop-up roof 

remains the same spec, that, once up, includes a cosy interior 

with ambient lighting, reading lights and heating vents. There 

are ventilation channels for the mattress to prevent moisture 

formation and there are integrated pockets in the roof sides for 

books and ‘phones. 

Opening windows in the pop-up area include a mosquito net 

and a shade, so sleeping up here will really feel like tent camping 

with all the luxury of a heated motorhome. There’s even the 

option of an air-conditioning system for the roof area. 

We’ve opted for the Boxstar 600 Street as our pick of the vans, 

with its fresh, contemporary design. It’s 5.99m long, includes 

a transverse rear double bed, small galley kitchen, shower/ 

washroom and half-dinette with passenger seatbelts for two. 


In Focus 

MALIBU VAN 

FAMILY-FOR-4

Pop-Top Vans 

Malibu, a brand of German manufacturer Carthago, has developed 

and manufactured its own pop-up roof in house, with a sandwich 

structure that includes a robust GRP roof lining (providing 

protection from hail), a breathable microfibre covering on the inside and an 

insulating core. It means that many of its popular tried-and tested two-berth 

models can now be used by families or groups of friends. 

There’s plenty of choice with the new family-for-4 van conversions, with no 

less than 9 layouts, utilising 5.99 and 6.36m-long Fiat Ducato base vehicles. 

These can include transverse rear double beds or longitudinal twin single 

beds and all feature a half-dinette with forward-facing belted passenger seats, 

kitchen and integrated shower/washroom with cassette toilet. 

Opt for a ‘GT Skyview’ variant and you’ll have exactly that – panoramic 

views from a window above the cab.

In Focus

Pop-Top Vans 

Pilote 

V600G/V600S 

Pop-up roofs are an optional extra with 

French manufacturer Pilote. What’s 

more, all but three models in its van 

conversion range are available with a pop-up 

roof, providing plenty of choice – four floorplans 

and 18 variations to be precise, with standard 

and premium external finishes. That allows you 

to have a 5.41m-long van with four berths if you 

wish, keeping things compact, or a 5.99m-long 

van when you’re looking for a little extra floor 

space. 

We’ve picked out the V600G and V600S, 

both 5.99m-long motorhomes. The V600G 

offers, like many illustrated here, a rear 

transverse double bed with a large storage space 

beneath for holding bulky items and a halfdinette 

area at the front. 

A table here extends in order for diners in 

both rotating cab seats to also be able to 

reach it. 

Pilote’s gem, though, is the V600S; with a 

pop-up roof it offers a whopping six sleeping 

berths, all in a van less than 6m-long. 

You still get kitchen, washroom with shower 

and cassette toilet, and the half-dinette seating 

area (so four belted seats in all). But, at the rear 

are two double bunk beds in addition to the 

pop-up roof bed. 


In Focus 

Westfalia 

James Cook AD 

Westfalia, one of the oldest-established and renowned brands of 

compact leisure vehicles, also offer six-berth vehicles. 

The company uses both smaller campervan-sized base vehicles for 

conversion, such as the Volkswagen T6 for the Kepler, and the larger Fiat Ducato 

and Mercedes Sprinter for motorhomes such as the Columbus and the iconic 

James Cook, which has been produced for more than 40 years. 

We love the James Cook AD, perhaps the wish-list pinnacle of compact 

leisure vehicle van conversions with a pop-up roof. Based on a Mercedes, it’s just 

5.93m-long, keeping things nicely compact for driving and ease of parking. But, in 

addition to the pop-up roof with double bed, the James Cook AD has a slide-out 

system whereby, in less than 40 seconds, a module moves outwards in the rear 

of the motorhome, creating a large, luxurious bedroom. Thereby, you don’t lose 

living space taken up during the day by a fixed bed. 


Pop-Top Vans 

www.adria.co.uk 

www.auto-trail.co.uk 

www.buerstner.com/uk/ 

motorhomes/ 

www.dreamer-van.co.uk 

www.elddis.co.uk 

www.hymer.com/uk/en/ 

www.knaus.com/en-uk/ 

www.malibu-carthago.com/en/ 

www.pilote-motorhome.uk 

www.westfalia-mobil.com/en/

First Look 

GRANDE 

MASTER

Step inside the new Grande Frontier, 

the only A-Class motorhome to be 

manufactured in the UK → 

Auto-Trail Grande Frontier

Strap A 

Auto-Trail know a thing or 

two about manufacturing 

motorhomes; they have been 

doing so for more than 38 years. 

But even ‘old hands’ are always 

crossing boundaries and trying 

something new. For 2021, new 

means the introduction of Auto-Trail’s Grande Frontier, 

an A-Class motorhome, and the only one to be 

manufactured in the UK. 

For those new to motorhomes, A-Class might 

seem like more jargon to learn. Put very simply, rather 

than the body of a motorhome sitting on top of an 

existing chassis and cab – a coachbuilt – an A-Class 

motorhome appears to look as one, seamless and 

integrated with the cab so that you cannot tell the 

cab from the body of the van. They tend to represent 

luxury and are aimed, mostly, at couples. The Grande 

Frontier, while undoubtedly aimed at couples, actually 

sleeps four people, potentially opening up the world of 

A-Class living to families. 

There are three layouts to the Grande Frontier, 

all of which are on an Al-Ko chassis (regarded as a 

premium chassis for motorhomes that, being lower, 

can allow extra storage) with the latest, ever-more 

environmentally-conscious Fiat Ducato engine. The 

GF70 is the smallest, at 6.96m long, while the GF88 

is the longest at 8.8m. The GF80 sits in between, at 

8.07m. Both the GF80 and GF88 have an MTPLM 

of more than 3500kg, placing them out of reach of 

drivers with a driving licence since 1 January 1997 

without a C1 category. We focus here on the GF70; 

with an MTPLM of 3500kg it allows anyone with a 

driver’s licence to enjoy touring. 

EXTERIOR 

Take a first glance at the Grande Frontier. It’s beautiful! 

Well, we think so. The design team should be very 

proud of their achievement. On style alone, it’s a 

winner, with its large panoramic windscreen (a classic 

signature of an A-Class motorhome) that, owing to the 

graphics, has the appearance of wrapping seamlessly 

around the cab and along the sides of the van. The 

monotone black-and-white look is classy, with a hint of 

gold defining the van graphics. 

On the cab roof is a large, tinted panoramic skylight, 

which aside from allowing natural light to flood into 

the interior of the van, helps to break up the large 

expanse of white cab roof that also tends to define an 

A-Class. High-level electric coach-style mirrors blend in 

to the design. 

But slick style isn’t everything. There has to be 

substance to make this a functional van. So, you’ll 

find an external door on the nearside rear for easy 

access to a storage area that’s suitable for an al fresco 

folding table and chairs (also accessible internally, 

too) and access to the toilet cassette. There’s also 

a fully integrated awning, a gas BBQ point and an 

external cold shower unit, useful if you need to hose 

down a muddy dog or wellies after a saunter in the 


Auto-Trail Grande Frontier 

countryside, and a 100W solar panel for those that like to tour off-grid. On 

the rear panel is the discreetly housed, but easily accessible, spare wheel. 

LIVING & SLEEPING 

Couples have plenty of space to sprawl on the two parallel sofas in the 

front of the van. And, if you’re entertaining guests, a cosy lounge can be 

created by rotating the two cab seats to face the interior. A wrap-around 

faux-leather skirt edges the tinted privacy windows while thermal pleated 

blinds, including an electrically-operated blind on the windscreen, and 

ambient low-energy LED lighting helps to create a toasty atmosphere 

on winter evenings. Reading lights are positioned accordingly. Attention 

to detail is evident in the stitching of the upholstery, with a choice of a 

smoky black faux leather or a white true leather. Armrests on the sofas are 

lacking, though, for those who like to kick off their shoes and stretch out 

lengthways. 

At night, a pull-down double bed above the cab creates a nest-like 

cocoon that leaves the living area below clear for those that prefer to stay 

up longer, or get up earlier. → 


Strap First Look A 

while an easy wipe-down splashback covers the wall 

area behind the kitchen unit. On the nearside, directly 

opposite the oven, is a tall, slimline 171-litre fridge 

with separate freezer compartment. Deep cupboards 

beneath the sink provide storage space for nonperishable 

foods. 

However, families of four can utilise these sofas to 

create an extra double bed, and slumbering folk over 6’ 

tall may also prefer this bed as it’s 6’8” long, while the 

pull-down bed is 6’1” long. 

KITCHEN 

The L-shaped kitchen, in the middle offside of the van, 

is a really user-friendly workspace. There’s lots of room 

for food preparation between the sink, with elegant 

chrome swan-neck tap, and four-burner hob (3 gas 

rings and 1 electric). Beneath the hob is a full oven, 

separate grill and a pan store. An 800W microwave 

sits above. There’s a 3-pin socket for a kettle or coffee 

machine suitably positioned above the workspace, 

WASHROOM 

We particularly like the GF70 layout for its washroom, 

which, but for the storage compartment situated 

on the nearside (accessed externally or from the 

washroom) stretches across the rear of the van. This 

allows a good-sized dressing area, with a large shower 

cubicle, enclosed with bi-fold doors, to one side and 

an electric-flush toilet adjacent to a handbasin with 

chrome mixer tap. There’s plenty of shelving and 

storage space for potions, and two elegantly lit mirrors. 

An opening roof light provides natural light and 

ventilation. 

STORAGE 

Airline-style lockers run the full length of the living 

area above both sofas, with stylish two-tone doors, 

finished with a chrome strip. Storage of bulky items is 

also possible beneath the sofas, while there are useful 

cubby holes above the windows either side of the 

cab. A wardrobe stands next to the habitation door 

alongside a dedicated space for the freestanding dining 

table. 


Auto-Trail Grande Frontier 

Auto-Trail VR Ltd 

www.auto-trail.co.uk 

FINAL SAY… 

This is a stylish and elegant motorhome with a very 

practical internal layout. With Grade 3 insulation and 

a Combi gas/electric heating and hot water boiler 

(different to the GF80 and GF88, which both use Alde 

heating), it’s usable all-year-round. There are plenty of 

features fitted as standard that, on other motorhomes, 

would generally need to be purchased additionally, 

such as a Media Pack with Avtex television, colour 

reversing camera, motorhome WiFi and motorhomespecific 

Western Europe Sat-Nav, together with a 12V 

roof fan and cab air conditioning. 

One concern is the payload – occupants will need 

to travel extremely lightly! With very limited payload 

and limited options for externally accessed storage, 

this is not a van for adventurers that require lots of kit. 

It is better suited to couples that can limit the amount 

of materials required on tour, and those that like to 

stay long-term on campsites where facilities, including 

electric hook-up, are readily available to avoid the need 

to travel with water on-board or weighty gas bottles. 

For drivers with a C1 category licence, it is possible to 

upgrade the Gross Vehicle Weight to 3650kg free of 

charge, providing an extra 150kg of payload. ● 

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 

BASE VEHICLE CHASSIS: 

Fiat Ducato Multijet II Euro6D 140bhp 

(optional upgrade to 160 or 180bhp or 

Fiat fully-automatic 9-speed gearbox) 

MASS IN RUNNING ORDER (MIRO)............3250kg 

GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT.............................. 3500kg 

(with upgrade option to 3650kg) 

MAX PAYLOAD.....................................................250kg 

EXTERIOR LENGTH............................................6.96m 

BODY WIDTH.........................................................3.10m 

HEIGHT...................................................................3.04m 

BERTHS........................................................................... 4 

DESIGNATED TRAVEL SEATS................................... 2 

COST...............................................from £76,345 (OTR) 


Area Belvedere 

at Castefondo, 

Trentino, Italy - 

beautiful views 

and very quiet 

La Si pritra dentiaestari til 

haciorbit. Onocchi, conventiam 

in se, se num que 

SEEK AND YOU 

SHALL FIND 

ALL IMAGES ©WWW.SEARCHFORSITES.CO.UK UNLESS MARKED 

38 touring magazine JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2021

Campsites 

Touring Magazine chats to Ian and Jill Curtis, 

keen motorcaravanners and founders of 

campsite web portal, searchforsites 

How did you get into 

motorcaravanning? What do you 

love about it? 

The main reason we have a motorhome, and previously 

a caravan, was simply so that we could take our dogs to 

the continent with us. 

We got our first motorhome over 10 years ago, after 

previously owning a caravan and tents before that, so 

we’re long time campers. 

We first thought about a motorhome after arriving at 

a site in France with our caravan, struggling to reverse 

it onto a pitch, spending the next two hours unpacking 

everything, fighting with the awning etc. Then when we 

had finally finished, we sat exhausted and watched as 

a motorhome pulled up onto the pitch opposite; they 

simply turned off the engine and they were pitched and 

kettle on within five minutes. 

So when we got home, we went to the next available 

motorhome show (at Shepton Mallet) with the intention 

of just looking, definitely not buying and definitely 

nothing new. We came away with a brand new Auto- 

Trail motorhome and the adventures began! 

We love the freedom a motorhome gives – the ability 

to travel around without having to pre-plan everything 

like a military operation. We now just get a ticket for the 

Eurotunnel and that’s it; nothing else planned. 

How and why did you 

set up searchforsites? 

The first time we travelled to France in our motorhome 

we had also joined the France Passion scheme, which 

promotes stopovers at private properties usually at 

vineyards, but we found the book difficult to use as, 

at the time, it didn’t include co-ordinates and only had 

basic notes for directions. This usually created a lot of 

’tension’ between navigator and driver. So I decided to 

see if there was a better way of finding stopovers. 

searchforsites first started in 2013 as a hobby site. I was 

keen on learning how to build websites and thought this 

would be a great project to start. My wife Jill - and she 

will be the first to admit this - is useless at reading maps 

and we found it difficult to find the idyllic stopovers that 

we had seen in glossy magazines. So I decided to try 

and map the locations in an easy to use format. → 

IAN & JILL CURTIS 


Strap A 

“We love the freedom 

a motorhome gives. We now 

just get a ticket for the 

Eurotunnel and that’s it – 

nothing else planned”

Cimolais - also in 

the Dolomites, 

north of Venice 

in Friuli-Venezia 

Giulia, Italy 

Strap B

Reipoltskirchen 

- lovely quiet 

village stopover 

in the Rhineland- 

Palatinate, Germany 

How has the site 

grown over the years? 

searchforsites has grown from being just a simple 

website to a complete integrated solution with 

the offline app and downloads for satnav devices 

all synced to the same database. We currently 

have nearly 150,000 registered members and the 

website has been viewed over 16 million times. In 

June 2018 we launched the first version of the iOS 

and Android apps and these have been a great 

success with over 120,000 downloads. 

In the Dolomites 

at Cinq Torre, 

Italy - highly 

recommended if 

you like mountains 

It’s community-based – 

so how does it work? 

When a user registers (which is free for the 

website) any user can either: 

1. Add their review of a location 

2. Add photos to a location 

3. Submit a new location 

4. Edit an existing location 

5. Create lists of locations (ie favourites, places 

to stay, places they have stayed etc) 

We also encourage users to add extra value 

to their added content by completing their 

User Profile showing the type of campervan 

or motorhome they drive (a site that suits a 

campervan may not be suitable for large A-class 


Campsites 

Stratton Arms - 

popular pub stop 

in Turweston, 

Northamptonshire 

motorhomes) and also complete a traveller profile (i.e. are 

they a young family with children or a senior couple). This 

detail can been viewed against each review they leave. 

www.searchforsites.co.uk 

What’s your favourite country 

to visit in a motorhome? 

This changes regularly but our current favourite country is 

Germany for its diversity of landscape, friendliness of the 

people and the sheer amount of very affordable dedicated 

motorhome Stellplatz stopovers that are available, usually in 

great locations. 

Steg, Liechtenstein 

Do you have a favourite campsite 

or motorhome stopover you like 

to visit? 

This is so hard to decide and we could list favourites for 

each country and type of site whether it’s a motorhome 

stopover or a campsite. But the one we both agree on 

is one of the few sites we have visited more than once 

and is in Liechtenstein, at a rural mountain village called 

Steg. It is a simple car park but in a beautiful location 

with a view across a crystal clear lake towards snowcapped 

mountains and fantastic walking right from the 

doorstep of your motorhome. If you are lucky, you will spot 

or hear a marmot or two as they bark their warning calls as 

you approach. 

The stopover has no facilities but is ideal for a selfcontained 

motorhome. ● 

PHOTO: CLEMENS V. VOGELSANG 


Keep things small and follow 

these short but extraordinary 

road trips. Caroline Mills 

explores 

Not every road trip has to be the 

‘journey of a lifetime’. They don’t 

all have to cover hundreds or 

thousands of miles and take days, 

weeks or months. Across the UK 

and Ireland there are lots of road trips that are a 

mere handful of miles. They all have magnificent 

scenery, though, and, however short, should be 

savoured slowly. 

Here, I pick out some of my favourites. 

Between 1 and 90 miles long, it’s can even be 

worth ditching the van or car in favour of a bike!

UK Touring 

ATLANTIC 

DRIVE 

County Mayo 

11.8 MILES / € FREE

Micro Tours 

This incredible circular route affords some of the finest views of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s 

situated on Achill Island, off the west coast of Ireland, accessed by a short road bridge 

across Achill Sound. The route begins 500 yards west of Achill Sound village, where there’s 

a signpost for ‘The Atlantic Drive’. The initial miles are along the west bank of the sound, 

with views to the Currane Peninsula and passing by Kildavnet Tower, a 16th Century tower 

house that was once used by the infamous Grace O’Malley pirate queen and, inland, historic ‘lazybeds’ 

terraced ridges where potatoes once grew. Turning a corner alongside Achillbeg Island, the views of 

the Atlantic begin, including across to Clare Island, as the drive passes through wild and open bog. A 

gentle climb reaches a viewpoint with stunning views of Ashleam Bay and the rugged cliffs along the 

southwest side of Achill Island before turning inland to return to Achill Sound. 

Stay: Keel Sandybanks Caravan & Camping Park, Keel, Achill Island

UK Touring

Micro Tours 

BOX HILL 

Surrey 

1.6 MILES / £ FREE 

Beloved by cyclists (and used during the London 2012 Olympics as part of 

the road cycling course), the Zig-Zag Road climbs Box Hill with three hairpin 

bends en route to Box Hill Viewpoint. The route is accessed off the B2209, 

just north of Dorking; it’s possible to continue beyond the viewpoint, along 

Boxhill Road but, frankly, it’s better to park (including bike stands) in the 

National Trust car park at the top of the hill and go for a really good wander; there are 

signposted walking routes. A small NT café beside the car park serves snacks. The views 

over the Surrey Hills and the market town of Dorking are astounding. 

This is the busiest of all these micro road-trips; it’s worth an early morning start as it’s a 

very popular beauty spot and, by 10am, the road gets extremely busy. 

Stay: Etherley Farm, Leith Hill, Ockley 

ETHERLEY FARM 



CWM CARN 

FOREST DRIVE 

Caerphilly 

7 MILES / £ FREE

Micro Tours 

Photo: Shutterstock 

Once a heavily industrialised mining area in 

the heart of the Welsh valleys, Cwm Carn 

Forest is now a tranquil park. It’s a popular 

place with multiple mountain bike and 

walking trails but there is also a Forest Drive. 

The 7-mile route was closed in 2014 due to thousands 

of diseased larch trees that needed to be removed. 

Redevelopment of the route has taken place ever since 

and, completely resurfaced and replanted, it is due to 

reopen this spring with impressive views. There will be 

eight new recreational areas along the route that include 

three play areas, a storytelling area, all-ability trails and 

several new seating and picnic spots. The Cwm Carn 

Forest Visitor Centre also offers information on visiting 

the area. 

Stay: Cwm Carn Forest Drive Campsite, Newport 

CWM CARN FOREST DRIVE CAMPSITE 

©Cwm Carn Forest Drive 



FRYUP DALE 

North York Moors 

6 MILES / £ FREE 

I 

love this place for its name alone – it always makes me think of a cracking great 

Full English breakfast. This is actually two dales – Great Fryup Dale and Little Fryup 

Dale – that run roughly north to south off Eskdale. The two valleys, each with a 

diminutive stream, or beck as they’re called here, are split by a giant, long mound 

called Heads; it’s very distinctive. The land along the valley and up the hillsides are 

filled by tiny fields with pretty farms dotted along the way, it’s very scenic. 

The route, from the village of Houlsyke, in Eskdale, crosses the river Esk and runs 

east to Wheat Bank Farm before turning south, along Great Fryup Dale. At Street, 

turn west, along Street Lane and Nuns Green Lane and past the south end of Heads, 

into Little Fryup Dale. At Slate Hill House, turn north again to run along Castle Lane 

and the ruins of Danby Castle. At the ancient Duck Bridge, a 14th-Century packhorse 

bridge, you can either turn right to return to Houlsyke or continue on to the National 

Park Centre at Danby. The route is relatively flat and perfect for a gentle cycle ride. 

Stay: Wild Slack Farm, Leaholm

WILD SLACK FARM 

Micro Strap Tours B


HUNDERTHWAITE 

Co Durham 

12 MILES / £ FREE

Micro Tours 

Five reservoirs high in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding 

Natural Beauty and Teesdale can be seen on this tour. The area 

is famous for its incredible assemblage of wildflowers and some 

of the last remaining upland hay meadows in Britain, hence the 

route is best seen in late May and early June, when the flowers are out but 

before the hay is cut. 

Begin in the gorgeous stone village of Cotherstone and, heading 

toward Romaldkirk on the B6277, take the second left signposted for 

Hunderthwaite. Follow the road through the village, little more than a 

couple of farms, and continue all the way to the end, beside Balderhead 

Reservoir, where there’s a car park and you can step out into the Pennines. 

On the way you’ll pass by Hury and Blackton reservoirs but do stop 

where the Pennine Way National Trail crosses the road and take a wander 

to Hannah’s Meadow Nature Reserve. The hay meadows are granted 

Coronation Meadow status for their importance to the landscape; the 

fields and farm of Low Birk Hatt (privately owned) were made famous in 

the 1980s and the TV programmes about Hannah Hauxwell. 

Retrace your steps and take the first road on your left a couple of fields 

beyond the Pennine Way to Selset and Grassholme reservoirs. The route 

offers fine views over Mickleton Moor and Lunedale, where you’ll end just 

after the road crosses Grassholme Reservoir. This is also a birdspotter’s 

paradise, with black grouse, lapwings and curlews high on the list of likely 

sightings. 

Stay: Highside Farm, Bowbank, Lunedale 

HIGHSIDE FARM 



KIELDER 

FOREST DRIVE 

Northumberland 

12 MILES / £ 3 

KIELDER CAMPSITE

Micro Tours 

This gorgeously remote drive through Kielder Forest, the largest 

expanse of forest in England, is, at more than 1500ft, one of the 

highest roads in the country. The route, on an unsealed forest road, 

begins in Kielder Village where you should pay your fee at the toll 

machine by Kielder Castle. Drivers and cyclists travel east, through the forest 

to Blakehopeburnhaugh, ending at the A68. 

You can really enjoy the sense of remoteness – there’s no mobile phone 

coverage – but note that the route is only open for certain months of the 

year, next reopening on 1st May. You can hire bikes from Kielder Cycle Centre, 

adjacent to Kielder Castle. And, if you want to extend your exploration, walk 

or cycle the 26-mile circular Lakeside Way, which circumnavigates Kielder 

Water. Kielder Water and Forest Park, within Northumberland National Park 

is a national dark sky reserve renowned as one of the best places to go 

stargazing so you should make a point of visiting Kielder Observatory while 

here. 

Stay: Kielder Campsite, Kielder Village


LANGSTROTHDALE 

Yorkshire Dales 

20 MILES / £ FREE

Micro Tours 

This is one of the lesser-known, peaceful dales, yet it joins two of 

the most popular and well-known – Wharfedale and Wensleydale. 

It’s exceptionally beautiful as the road, from the village of 

Buckden, passes right alongside the River Wharfe when it’s 

barely more than a stream tumbling over slabs of limestone. Latterly the 

road climbs up, at Oughtershaw, for lovely views along Sleddale before 

descending to the very picturesque town of Hawes, the perfect place to 

stop for lunch or pick up cheese at the famous Wensleydale Creamery. 

Pull up beside the river for a picnic or enjoy a drink at The George 

Inn, Hubberholme, a quirky (and tiny) pub that sits riverside along 

Langstrothdale. 

Stay: Causeway Caravan Site, Kettlewell or 

Honeycott Caravan Park, Hawes 

HONEYCOTT CARAVAN PARK 



LOUGH NAVAR 

FOREST 

SCENIC DRIVE 

County Fermanagh 

7 MILES / £ FREE

Micro Tours 

If you enjoy trees, and views, this drive will suit you well, for there 

are 2,600 hectares of forest. The route begins by climbing through 

first deciduous woods of oak, birch and beech to the Aghameelan 

Viewpoint, with a ‘low-level’ view over County Fermanagh and Cavan. 

The route continues to climb through pine forest, to the Magho Viewpoint, 

at the top of the Cliffs of Magho that are 735ft high. The views over Lower 

Lough Erne and its islands are outstanding and, on a clear day, you’ll also 

see the Sperrin Mountains, and, to the west, Donegal Bay and the Atlantic 

Ocean. 

The Magho Viewpoint is a popular picnic spot and the long distance 

Ulster Way footpath passes along the cliffs, so there are plenty of 

opportunities to go for a walk. The route then continues past the Old 

Man’s Head, an area of rocky outcrops and beautiful wildflowers before 

passing Lough Achork. The entrance to the forest drive is signposted off 

the B81 Derrygonnelly to Garrison road. 

Stay: Blaney Caravan Park, Enniskillen 

BLANEY CARAVAN PARK 



MARINE DRIVE 

Conwy 

5 MILES / £ 3 

This is an excellent micro tour; one of the most scenic in Wales. Marine Drive is a toll road that 

circumnavigates Great Ormes Head northwest of Llandudno. The road follows the Great 

Orme Heritage Coast, hugging the cliffside with the bulk of the headland high above. It’s a 

one-way route that begins northeast of Llandudno, where you pay your fee at the toll-booth 

before taking a leisurely tour around the headland, arriving back in town. There are places to pull off 

the road but you can also take a spur road to the summit (with free parking) to enjoy the amazing 

views over the bay, showcasing Llandudno’s famous pier and Little Ormes Head, plus Anglesey and 

Snowdonia, too. Keep an eye out, also, for the wild Kashmiri goats that roam the headland. 

Stay: Dinarth Hall Camping, Rhos-on-Sea


PORLOCK CARAVAN PARK 


PORLOCK BAY 

©Deborah Stanyon 

Micro Tours 

PORLOCK 

SCENIC 

TOLL ROAD 

Somerset 

4.2 MILES / £ 2.50 

Porlock Hill is infamous for being one of the steepest inclines 

in England, with a 1:4 gradient. To offer a more gentle 

alternative route for horses and carts, a secondary road was 

built in the 1840s through the Porlock Manor Estate. It was 

dug by hand to provide work for local people following the Napoleonic 

Wars. 

Today, starting in Porlock, some two miles from Porlock Weir, 

the scenic route twists through idyllic woodland, offering glimpses 

through the trees to Porlock Bay. As the road climbs, with a 

considerably shallower gradient than Porlock Hill (never more than 

1:14), it passes the toll house before, ultimately, a panorama of the 

Somerset coast opens up with views across the Bristol Channel. The 

road then clings to the hillside through open moorland, joining the 

A39 by the historic AA box at Pitt Combe Head. There are several 

stopping places and a picnic area along the way. 

Stay: Sparkhayes or Porlock Caravan Park, Porlock 

SPARKHAYES 

FEBRUARY – MARCH touring magazine 65

Strap UK Touring A 

QUEEN’S DRIVE 

Edinburgh 


Holyrood Park is Edinburgh’s royal park, attached to the Palace of Holyrood, where the royal family stay 

on official visits to Scotland’s capital. The scenery is sublime, rugged and beautiful despite its proximity 

to the historic heart of the city. Within the park is Salisbury Crags, a long line of rocky cliffs, and Arthur’s 

Seat, an ancient volcano that stands high above the city. 

Queen’s Drive is a one-way, circular route that, from St Margaret’s Loch car park, passes around the ‘back’ of the 

Crags and Arthur’s Seat along the High Road, with wonderful views over Portobello and the Firth of Forth. There 

are plenty of places to park up and go for a walk or picnic. The road passes Dunsapie Loch then continues around 

the south side of Arthur’s Seat with exposed bluffs smothered in vibrant yellow broom. Latterly, as the road turns 

a corner, views of Edinburgh city centre with Edinburgh Castle standing prominent come into view. The remainder 

of Queen’s Drive continues along the north side of Holyrood Park to the Scottish Parliament building and Palace 

of Holyrood. All roads in the park are closed at weekends during the day. 

Stay: Mortonhall Caravan & Camping Park, Edinburgh 

MORTONHALL CARAVAN & CAMPING PARK 


Micro Tours


SNOW ROAD 

SCENIC ROUTE 

Highlands 


ALL IMAGES ©CAROLINE MILLS UNLESS MARKED

Micro Tours 

By far the longest of the road trips featured here, this could be regarded as far 

from micro either in length or the scale of the views. They’re vast! The Snow 

Road Scenic Route takes you up and over the Cairngorms, through the heart 

of the Cairngorms National Park, from the market town of Blairgowrie to 

Grantown-on-Spey, a gateway town to the mountains. And, while most of these micro 

road trips follow minor and privately-owned roads, this utilises main arteries, the A93 

and A939; it’s also the highest public road in Britain. 

The mountain scenery is outstanding and, on the way, you’ll pass through, though 

you really should stop to look at, the villages of Braemar, Ballater and Tomintoul, 

together with both the Glenshee and Lecht Ski areas. Not to mention passing 

right alongside the Balmoral Estate. Keep a look out for the three Scenic Route art 

installations, positioned carefully at viewpoints that are worth a photo; they even 

position a photo-post for you and a ‘look this way’ sign! Also keep your eyes peeled for 

herds of wild deer that roam free across the landscape. 

Stay: Five Roads Caravan Park, Blairgowrie or Grantown-on-Spey Caravan Park. 

Motorhomes and campervans can also stop overnight and hook-up at the Glenshee 

Ski Area. 

GRANTOWN-ON-SPEY CARAVAN PARK 


Micro Tours 

By far the longest of the road trips featured here, this could be regarded as far 

from micro either in length or the scale of the views. They’re vast! The Snow 

Road Scenic Route takes you up and over the Cairngorms, through the heart 

of the Cairngorms National Park, from the market town of Blairgowrie to 

Grantown-on-Spey, a gateway town to the mountains. And, while most of these micro 

road trips follow minor and privately-owned roads, this utilises main arteries, the A93 

and A939; it’s also the highest public road in Britain. 

The mountain scenery is outstanding and, on the way, you’ll pass through, though 

you really should stop to look at, the villages of Braemar, Ballater and Tomintoul, 

together with both the Glenshee and Lecht Ski areas. Not to mention passing 

right alongside the Balmoral Estate. Keep a look out for the three Scenic Route art 

installations, positioned carefully at viewpoints that are worth a photo; they even 

position a photo-post for you and a ‘look this way’ sign! Also keep your eyes peeled for 

herds of wild deer that roam free across the landscape. 

Stay: Five Roads Caravan Park, Blairgowrie or Grantown-on-Spey Caravan Park. 

Motorhomes and campervans can also stop overnight and hook-up at the Glenshee 

Ski Area. 

GRANTOWN-ON-SPEY CARAVAN PARK 


Budget Touring 

FOR MANY, BUDGETS FOR HOLIDAYS HAVE 

HAD TO BE TIGHTENED. PICK UP SOME TIPS 

FROM OUR A-Z OF WAYS TO TOUR FOR LESS, 

READY FOR WHEN YOU CAN GET OUT AND TRAVEL 

Aires de Service in France, Area di Sosta 

in Italy (and Stellplatz in Germany 

and Eastern Europe); these overnight 

camper stops can make European 

travel for motorhomes and campervans 

economical, especially for longer adventures where the 

budget simply won’t stretch to a campsite every night. 

Use the aires for service facilities, when you need good 

parking and accessibility in large towns or for some 

beautiful views in the countryside, and save staying on 

a campsite for when you need to do the washing. 

Booking ferries and campsites early in the season (or pre-season) tends 

to give greater discounts and many ferries have early-bird discounts 

for 2021 travel right now. The travel industry tends to work on the 

principal of getting the best deals the earlier in advance you book, with 

prices increasing the closer to departure and to match demand so the 

sooner you book, the greater the discount is most likely to be. If you’re a member 

of the Caravan & Motorhome Club or The Camping & Caravanning Club, booking a 

ferry through these organisations is usually cheaper than booking direct and offers 

extra perks such as free amendments. 

JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2021 touring magazine 71

Planning 

Credit cards: using the right credit 

card when travelling overseas can 

save you money (providing you pay 

off the full balance each month). 

Check out 

www.moneysavingexpert.com/ 

credit-cards/travel-credit-cards/ to find the 

best credit cards for using abroad, those that 

are fee free and don’t load hidden charges 

onto your purchases meaning you get a better 

exchange rate with each purchase. Choose to 

pay in the local currency rather than pounds 

sterling if given the option at the till; you’ll 

receive a better exchange rate. 

Diesel prices show no signs of abating for the 

foreseeable future so it pays to find the best 

price possible. Have a look at the Fuel Price 

Index on the Confused.com website (www. 

confused.com/on-the-road/petrol-prices/ 

fuel-price-index) to check the best prices in the UK, either 

in your local area or any other that you may be visiting. If 

you’re planning budget tours in Europe, the cheapest diesel 

is in Luxembourg, Austria and the Baltic States. Go to 

www.theaa.com/driving-advice/driving-costs/fuel-prices 

for monthly fuel price checks across Europe. The UK, 

incidentally, is one of the most expensive! 

Exchange rates of Pound 

Sterling against foreign 

currencies are far from the 

best they’ve ever been right 

now so finding the best rate 

can really make your pound go that little 

bit further. In theory the worst places 

to obtain your Euros is at the point of 

departure/on the ferry. The largest 

high-street banks rarely give the best 

exchange rate, either. Visit https://www. 

compareholidaymoney.com/exchangerate-history/british-pounds-to-euros.php 

to find the best rate on any given day. 



F 

uel economy will save 

you filling the tank 

quite so often so ease 

off on the right pedal 

(every 5mph over 

60mph can reduce your fuel 

economy by 10%), keep the air 

conditioning switched off and the 

windows up if possible, drive in 

higher gears whenever you can 

and keep the tyres pumped to 

the correct pressure; soft tyres 

consume more energy. When 

towing a caravan, check that the 

tow car and van are best matched, 

as this will help with fuel economy. 

Gas bottles can take up a considerable amount of 

weight using precious payload. Losing weight 

helps with fuel economy so load up with a Flogas 

Gaslight cylinder that weighs up to 50% less 

than traditional steel cylinders. Or think about 

purchasing refillable LPG cylinders such as Gaslow. There’s a 

considerable upfront cost initially but the difference in price 

between LPG on the forecourts and pre-bottled gas is huge so, 

long-term you’ll be quids in. They’re easier to manage, too, with 

gas level indicators. And don’t take a hefty full bottle just for 

the weekend save those near empty cylinders for days out. If 

you’re thinking or buying a motorhome, consider purchasing 

one with an underslung LPG gas tank for cheaper fill-ups. 

Hook-Ups can be expensive add-ons 

so avoid using them if you don’t 

need to. Recharge mobile phones, 

camera batteries and other techno 

devices on 12V while on the 

move; make sure your trickle-charge is working 

efficiently to boost the leisure battery when 

driving. If you are hooked-up on site, make use of 

it and save on gas instead! 


Planning 

Insulation doesn’t only 

help to keep you snugly 

warm on a winter campout, 

it helps to reduce your 

heating costs when staying 

in your van. Ensuring that your 

van is manufactured to Grade 

III specification for heating 

and insulation will mean that 

it is fully winterised and help 

keep your heating costs down. 

Ensuring that thermal blinds are 

fitted at the windows will help 

here, too. 

Join a Club to save money on campsites, ferries, 

insurance and products, often recouping your 

membership fee within one trip. Being a member 

of a club gives you access to small Certificated 

Locations (CL) and Certificated Sites (CS) 

throughout the UK that are often cheaper than full-facility 

campsites. Ferry tickets are often reduced when booked 

through a club and many have negotiated rates with 

insurance and breakdown companies if they don’t supply 

their own. Both The Camping & Caravanning Club and 

The Caravan & Motorhome Club provide reduced rates to 

members on Club-owned or affiliated sites and have special 

offers such as 50% off mid-week pitches. Other clubs with 

great benefits include the Motor Caravanners’ Club (www. 

themotorcaravnnersclub.co.uk) and Freedom Camping 

Club (www.freedomcampingclub.org) 

Knowledge of what’s under the bonnet of your motorhome, 

spending a little time getting to know the engine, could save 

pounds on garage servicing and breakdowns. Likewise, 

knowing how to repair your tent instead of throwing it 

away unnecessarily and starting again with a new one is 

good for you and better for the environment. If caravanning, knowing the 

best tow car match for your caravan will help reduce wear and tear plus 

fuel economy. If you lack confidence knowing your drive-belt from your 

alternator-belt, check out basic car maintenance courses often run at local 

colleges, not forgetting of course that a solid service history will add value 

to your van when it comes to parting with it. For matching suitable tow cars 

to caravans, you could use a service such as the National Caravan Council’s 

Towcheck. Visit www.towcheck.co.uk and simply key in the details of car or 

caravan for a match. 

Lighting is an all-important part of 

camping, especially if you choose to 

camp all-year-round. Keep your energy 

use (and hence budget) to a minimum 

by making sure that lights within your 

tourer or motorhome use the latest low-energy 

LED bulbs. The same can be said for torches and 

lanterns used in tents. 



Meals prepared in the 

van or on your camping 

stove will save a fortune 

on dining out. Best of 

all, source some goodies 

from a local market or farm shop and 

keep the food miles down. Or for free 

food you could learn what food can be 

foraged! See our feature on page XX for 

some wild food gathering tips. 

National parks might not be your immediate 

thought for a budget camping trip but, if you’re 

planning a trip to Scotland, Loch Lomond and 

the Trossachs National Park operates camping 

management zones for motorhomes and tents. 

These are to prevent people pitching up anywhere they 

feel like (and leaving their rubbish behind) but the zones 

are located in beautiful places and, pre-booked (which is 

essential), cheap as chips. 

Out of season 

offers are a 

regular lure 

to encourage 

use of 

campsites away from peak 

times. Take advantage 

of low season touring 

when you can for cheaper 

overnight stays, and 

cheaper ferry tickets. A 

worthwhile guide for this 

is the Camping Card ACSI 

scheme (www.campingcard. 

co.uk), which allows up 

to 60% savings and is 

accepted at more than 

3000 campsites across 

Europe. 


Planning 

Power – free power that is, 

from the elements will 

keep batteries topped 

up while you’re on the 

move or sat relaxing 

in a campsite. If your van doesn’t 

include a fixed solar panel, or you’re 

tent camping, it’s worth investing 

in a portable solar panel kit, readily 

available from lots of companies now, 

including www.leisureshopdirect.com. 

The company also sell a solar shower 

for little more than a fiver – ideal for 

cheap tent camping at sites without 

facilities. 

Quotation searches for 

insurance to cover your 

motorhome or touring 

caravan can be a dull 

business but with so many 

specialist policies available, it really is 

worth shopping around to get the best deal. 

Many (Safeguard, for example) include 

UK or full European breakdown cover at 

a better rate than purchasing separately. 

It pays to shop around. The Camping & 

Caravanning Club offers specialist tent and 

trailer tent insurance. 

Renting out your van when you’re 

not using it is a good way to fund 

your own travels, if you can bear 

to part with the beloved. There 

are companies who specialise in 

marketing and booking your van while taking 

care of administration issues like insurance and 

payment; you simply have your van ready for 

collection. Have a look at www.yescapa.co.uk or 

www.goboony.co.uk to rent out your van. 

Subscribe to 

Touring Magazine 

to receive your free 

bi-monthly issue 

delivered direct 

to your inbox. The digital 

magazine is entirely free of 

charge and every issue has 

loads of great content on 

touring and camping related 

advice, van and tent reviews, 

together with inspirational 

travel tales and ideas. 



Time is an important part of enjoying your camping 

trips – time to sit and relax, time to explore and 

time to read up on places to visit. Allowing extra 

time when you’re heading from A to B will save 

you pounds on the fuel bill and if you don’t mind 

what time you travel on ferries – away from the most popular 

sailings - you’ll save yourself quite a few pounds too. On short 

crossings, travel at night for the cheapest fares. On longer 

crossings, travel during the day and you’ll avoid the obligatory 

cabin fares. 

UK stopovers are slowly 

increasing in numbers, 

offering places to stay for 

free or at low cost. They 

may sometimes only be 

glorified car parks but they can be useful 

when you want to visit large towns and, 

in some instances, you can use aire-like 

facilities; on a budget they’ll do the trick. 

Northern Ireland and Scotland has a good 

supply of stopovers with others to be 

found in Wales and a smattering of English 

counties. Visit www.searchforsites.co.uk 

for an easy way to find cheap stopovers. 

Vicarious Books (www.vicariousbooks.co.uk) 

publish and sell a great range of guidebooks that 

refer to aires, stopovers & cheaper places to stay 

across Europe such as the France Passion scheme. 

Camperstop Europe covers a large selection of 

aires in many countries while the annual German Bord Atlas 

guide covers more than 3000 sites in Germany. Vicarious’ own 

publication All the Aires France, along with similar All the Aires 

guides to other countries, is a spectacular guide in English and 

covers exactly what it says: every aire has been inspected, and 

essential details are provided with accompanying photographs. 

If you prefer, or are a caravanner/tent camper that can only use, 

campsites, Vicarious also sell the annual European-wide Camping 

Card ACSI off-season discount guide. 


Planning 

Water 

tanks 

full to 

the brim 

and fuel 

economy don’t mix so carry 

the least amount of water 

required for the day or until 

you know you can fill up 

again. Avoid wasting gas or 

electrics to heat hot water 

for showers and washing-up 

in the van when staying on 

a campsite; use the facilities 

instead – you’ve paid for it! 

Xtra-ordinary deals are to be found with the 

competing ferry companies, especially with more 

holiday-makers planned to stay in the UK this 

year, there are spaces to fill. Deals can also be had 

for frequent travellers, short breaks, day trips if 

you happen to be living or touring close to ferry-ports and, in 

the case of Red Funnel Ferries (www.redfunnel.co.uk) complete 

campsite and ferry packages to the Isle of Wight for 3, 5 or 10 

night stays. 

Year of Scotland’s Coast and Waters continues 

into 2021, due to the pandemic scuppering many 

travel plans in 2020. It’s the perfect excuse to 

visit Scotland’s magnificent coastline, or dip a 

toe into one of the country’s spectacular lochs. 

Don’t forget that it’s possible to wild camp in Scotland for 

free, with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. To find out more 

about wild camping in the country, visit www.visitscotland. 

com/accommodation/caravan-camping/wild-camping/. In 

Wales 2021 is the Year of Outdoors, just in case you need to 

find a reason to visit. 

Zero cost. Zilch. If you own a motorhome, stop overnight for free 

throughout the UK using Britstops, small, privately-owned 

locations that allow you to park up overnight. Member locations 

are listed in an annual guide, purchased from www.britstops. 

com, but the cost of the guide is negligible to the money you 

save stopping overnight for free. If you love tent camping and being 

outdoors, helping out on organic smallholdings, you might want to become 

a WWOOFER (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms), camping on 

private property in exchange for helping out with jobs around the farm. 


Step 

Strap A 

out to 

#Walksh 


Yorkshire 

ire 

The beautiful county 

of Yorkshire becomes 

#Walkshire for 2021. 

Get your walking 

boots on for these 

fabulous Yorkshire 

walks 

Yorkshire, the largest county in England 

has a wealth of wonderful walks, 

from short strolls to hilly hikes, some 

challenging, others accessible to all. 

With three national parks, a breathtaking 

coastline, vibrant cities, stunning 

countryside, heritage, delicious dining, perfectly placed 

pubs and amazing arts, it’s a fabulous place to visit 

and step out for a stroll, a saunter, a wander, a hike or a 

hilltop trek. Discover vast, gorgeous green spaces and 

inspiring inner city strolls. Take your family, friends, your 

dog, or just yourself. 

However you like to walk, Yorkshire will have it 

covered with #Walkshire. The exciting event will run 

throughout 2021 with a walk for every day of the year 

promised as one of the many highlights. #Walkshire, 

organised by the official tourist board Welcome to 

Yorkshire, will demonstrate the county’s rich diversity 

of place, landscapes, people, architecture, heritage, 

history, economies, attractions and of course food and 

drink all through the medium of walking, with a strong 

emphasis on inclusion and accessibility. 

You’re invited to participate in Walkshire by sharing 

your own favourite Yorkshire walks and inspire others, 

using the hashtag #Walkshire. You’ll join a whole host 

of happy hikers and celebrated celebrity walkers who 

will also be sharing their favourite walks with daily 

details and GPX maps for all to see. To get one foot 

forward, here are some of Touring’s favourite Yorkshire 

walks, big and small. → 



WHITBY ABBEY 

© VisitBritain/English Heritage

Auto-Trail Grande Yorkshire Frontier 

DISCOVER GHOSTS 

AT WHITBY ABBEY 

Perched on the cliff above the seaside town of Whitby, 

Whitby Abbey is atmospheric at the best of day times; at 

night it takes on another ambience. This is where Bram 

Stoker gained inspiration to write the Victorian novel, 

Dracula. If you don’t much fancy a night wander alone, 

you could join the Whitby Ghost and Dracula Walk, 

hosted by the Whitby Storyteller, Rose Rylands. 

Stay: Lound House Farm, Whitby 

LOUND HOUSE FARM 

© Caroline Mills 



HUG A TREE IN 

STRID WOOD 

A part of the Bolton Abbey estate in Wharfedale, 

Strid Wood is designated as ancient woodland and 

is one of the largest areas of sessile oak woodland 

remaining in Yorkshire. It’s bursting with bluebells in 

spring and is also filled with glorious golden colour 

in autumn. There are many colour-coded nature 

trails through the woods to explore, some of which 

are suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs. 

Stay: Catgill Farm, Bolton Abbey 

CATGILL FARM 


STRID WOOD 

© VisitBritain/Lee Beel 


Strap B 



FLAMBOROUGH LIGHTHOUSE 

© VisitBritain/Lee Beel

Yorkshire 

SEE THE LIGHT AT 

FLAMBOROUGH 

LIGHTHOUSE 

There’s a spiral walk to be had at this working lighthouse sat at 

the end of Flamborough Head, on Yorkshire’s stunning coast. The 

lighthouse, which offers tours to visitors, was built in 1806 and marks 

the headland for vessels heading to the ports at Scarborough and 

Bridlington. If you can’t manage the spiral staircase, you can admire 

the lighthouse while on a coastal walk around the headland. 

THORNWICK BAY HOLIDAY PARK 


Stay: Thornwick Bay Holiday Park 



RIVERSIDE CAMPSITE 


LEARN YOUR CLINTS AND 

GRYKES AT MALHAM COVE 

No visit to Yorkshire is complete without a walk at Malham Cove, 

whether enjoying the impressive sight of the cove from ‘ground 

level’ or admiring the incredible views over Malhamdale from the 

limestone pavement above. Learn your clints from your grykes, 

discover the karst landscape flora and, quite frankly, be blown away 

by the natural beauty of the place. Malham village, with its many 

cafés and cosy pubs is a gem, too. The Pennine Way, England’s 

longest national trail passes through Malham. 

Stay: Riverside Campsite, Malham 


Yorkshire 



DISCOVER A 

LESSER-KNOWN 

DALE AT LITTONDALE 

Wensleydale and Swaledale, Malhamdale and Wharfedale 

are Yorkshire’s most well-known valleys in the Yorkshire 

Dales National Park. But Littondale? It’s a tiny dale that 

runs northeast-southeast like a spur off Wharfedale – the 

River Skirlare is a tributary of the Wharfe. Near the head of 

the valley is the tiny village of Halton Gill, where you’ll find 

plenty of limestone pavement to wonder at. Worth a walk is 

to follow the bridleway up and over the Horse Head Pass to 

Yockenthwaite, in neighbouring Langstrothdale. 

Stay: Causeway Caravan Site, Kettlewell 

CAUSEWAY CARAVAN SITE 



LITTONDALE 

© VisitBritain/Matt Cant 

Yorkshire 


WHITE SCAR CAVES 

© Welcome To Yorkshire

Yorkshire 

WALK UNDERGROUND 

IN WHITE SCAR CAVES 

The area of Yorkshire around Ingleton, close to the border 

with Lancashire, is known for its underground caverns. 

Ingleborough Cave, near Clapham, is one of them and can 

only be approached on foot – it’s a notable walk just to reach 

the cave entrance. The other, northwest of Ingleborough, 

is White Scar Caves. It’s the longest show cave open to the 

public in England and on your walk you’ll witness plenty of 

weird and wonderful geological creations. You’ll have walked 

about a mile underground by the end of the tour. 

Stay: Stackstead Farm Certificated Location, Ingleton 

WALK UNDERGROU 

STACKSTEAD FARM 




ROWNTREE PARK CARAVAN 

& MOTORHOME CLUB SITE 



Yorkshire 

GO MEDIEVAL ALONG 

YORK’S CITY WALLS 

One of the best ways to view the beautiful city of York is by 

walking along the 13th Century town walls that surround the 

historic centre. You can do so free of charge, and pick up an 

online guide of the York City Walls Trail from the Friends of 

York Trails. At present, you can walk the walls in a clockwise 

direction only. Spring is a great time to visit, when the ancient 

banks on which the walls sit are blooming with daffodils. 

Stay: Rowntree Park Caravan & Motorhome Club Site, York 



WOLDS WAY CARAVAN & CAMPING 


SEE OUTDOOR ART IN THE 

YORKSHIRE WOLDS 

It’s the landscape of David Hockney. His giant canvases have seen many a 

Wolds landscape become famous. The 79-mile Yorkshire Wolds Way National 

Trail takes in these landscapes between Filey (where the trail links up with the 

Cleveland Way) and Hessle, just west of Hull. You’ll see spectacular dry valleys 

carved out of the chalk rock, gentle rolling countryside that’s notably different 

to the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales, and pass through extremely 

picturesque villages like Thixendale and the deserted medieval village of 

Wharram Percy. 

Stay: Wolds Way Caravan & Camping, Malton 


Yorkshire 

WOLDS WAY NATIONAL TRAIL 



Vanlife 

HEART & 

Vanlife is a universal symbol of 

freedom. Adventure, escapism 

or getting your kicks on the 

famed Route 66 is in every 

roadtripper’s mind with the 

Eagles song, Hotel California, or, 

Born to be Wild, by Steppenwolf 

in everybody’s mental soundtrack, as they get ready 

to hit the road. The romance of 

travel, new meetings, new sights... 

What other experience offers these 

possibilities and more? 

Travelling by motorhome or 

caravan also allows people to see 

many beautiful places at very low 

cost. Affordability, self-sufficiency 

and the ability to camp anywhere, 

are the oxygen and adrenalin that 

powers vanlifers. 

I was fortunate to see such beauty 

while motorcaravanning myself, and 

working with vanlifers in France this 

summer of 2020. 

I worked in the vineyards and 

vegetable fields, in the Dordogne 

region, in Corbara, Guienne, Leognan, all to the south, 

and east of Bordeaux, France. Later, I worked in the 

corn fields in the region of Landes, and in vineyards in 

Eastern France, near Montrachet/Puligny, Burgundy. 

Previous to this summer of 2020, I had never done 

any caravanning. If I had ever remotely thought of 

caravanning at all, it was based on past conversations 

with friends, and with friends who had camped out. 

It also came from viewing silly road films like We’re 

the Millers with Jennifer Aniston, or Paul starring Nick 

Frost and Simon Pegg. 

I never thought this lifestyle would apply to me in 

the slightest way. 

I came into this world in early May 2020, after two 

and a half months of stasis and confinement, with 

my wife, in my flat in the hills in Mombaroccio in Italy. 

I was feeling low from the seemingly never-ending 

repetition of confinement and worried about how we 

were going to pay the bills, as we didn’t have much 

money coming in from anywhere. 

My wife teaches English, but 

lockdown meant she had lost 

some pupils in the move to 

online lessons, so our income was 

limited to a few online students 

and our savings. 

BRIGHT IDEA 

Finally the stagnation ended, 

when my brother-in-law 

Domenico, suggested that we did 

caravanning and agricultural work 

in France. He had done it in 2018, 

and he had enjoyed it immensely. 

In addition, he stated that living 

in tents and campervans allowed 

one to save lots of money, which is what we both 

needed. Domenico, in order to earn money to buy 

a motorhome himself, which he was able to do 

halfway through the season, and me to help pay my 

mortgage and my debts. 

Thus, we both feverishly scanned the Internet. The 

search initially seemed elusive, but finally Domenico 

and I received an offer to work in a vineyard in the 

Guienne region of Aquitaine, not far from Langon, 

France. The adventure was about to begin! Little did I 

suspect what I was letting myself in for… → 

DICKON PLAYFAIR 


Work 

GRAFT 

DICKON PLAYFAIR ON HIS WHIRLWIND 

INTRODUCTION TO A HIDDEN WORLD WHERE THE 

SPIRIT OF FREEDOM MEETS TOUGH LABOUR 

JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2021 touring magazine 99

(TOP) DOMENICO’S MOTORHOME AND (BOTTOM) 

DICKON’S NO-FRILLS “ROULOTTE” ACCOMMODATION 

DICKON (RIGHT), WITH HIS 

BROTHER-IN-LAW DOMENICO 

We departed Mombaroccio and Pesaro, Italy, by train 

on the 31st of May 2020, all tense and frightened. The 

Italian and world media had led us to understand that 

if we didn’t have the correct travel documents and a 

work contract, we would be refused entry to foreign 

countries, even countries in the European Union. From 

Pesaro, we went to Turin, Italy, and then onwards to 

Bordeaux via Paris. At the Italo-French border our fears 

were dispelled by the cursory glance of our papers by 

the border gendarme. The check was finished in 30 

seconds. Phew… we got through! 

GETTING DOWN TO WORK 

Finally, at Bordeaux train station we got picked up 

at midnight on the 1st of June, by the very friendly 

farmer’s wife. She took us to her farmhouse in Corbara, 

Gironde, Aquitaine where we pitched a tent in her 

family’s garden, and started work the next day. 

After three days of sleeping in tents there, my brother 

in law and I were moved a few kilometres away, 

to an open sided metal roofed barn structure. This 

L-shaped open barn faced onto a dirt courtyard, and 

a field of vines, with a road with many campervans 

and motorhomes parked up. We were to camp here 

with our fellow workmates, all motorcaravanners. We 

all received electricity, cold water for showers, barn 

lodgings and wages from the farmer, in exchange for 

our agricultural labour. The cold water shower – a basic 


Strap Work B 

“JUST AN INCH OFF THE TOP” – DICKON 

GETS A TRIM FROM ONE OF HIS COLLEAGUES 

garden hose, hooked to an outside tap – was much 

needed, and very refreshing after the many hot, sweaty, 

summer days clearing up rows of vines. 

A NEW WORLD 

There, while staying in the barn, for the first time 

in my life, I saw my other workmates’ caravans and 

specially adapted cars, and I marvelled at their compact 

organisation. I asked each of them, whether they lived 

full-time in their vans/cars, and ‘yes’ was the universal 

response. Inside the vans, I saw compact beds, tiled or 

wooden floors, a cooker with a gas tank and a fridge. 

All perfect for a life on the move. I could see why my 

brother in law was attracted by vanlife. 

Another man, an Argentinean, whom I met later on 

in the summer, showed me his car-cum-campervan. 

He had a bed installed in his back car seat, and a 

cooker installed in the boot of his car. He would 

happily boil up coffee, in his Italian coffee pot, and 

tell me stories of life as a sound engineer in Spain 

and Argentina. Indeed, I met many sound engineers. 

The lack of concerts and gigs had spurred them on to 

become seasonal agricultural workers. 

I spoke my thoughts aloud to him over our shared 

coffee and asked whether he was truly comfortable 

with his small space, and if he had a dining area too. 

With a conspiratorial smile, he showed me a folding 

table attached to his car door, and that with his boot 

cooker, he could cook, plate and then eat his meals 

on it. 

Other vanlifers had converted/small transport cube 

vans or lorries. One such chap, had two bunk beds, a 

sofa, a fridge, a portable cooker with a butane tank, 

and a fold up dining table. He also had a metal awning 

attached to his cube van, which allowed him to enjoy 

the shade while dining, drinking or smoking in the 

evenings. All this in an ex-freezer type of lorry. 

Yet another group of men, two Italian twentysomethings 

from the Puglia region of Italy, had a 

camper exquisitely designed with an upper level bed 

above the front driving cab, and a lower level fold-up/ 

fold-down bed that could be converted into a dining → 


Vanlife 

DOMENICO’S 1989 FIAT DUCATO MOTORHOME 

table. An interior cooker, fridge and an inside toilet at 

the back, added to the magic. This motorcaravan also 

had a large tank that could hold a substantial volume 

of water for showers, provided that it was kept regularly 

filled with water. 

These twenty-something guys shared something in 

common with many young people today. They loved 

techno and to dance, get stoned and then sleep off the 

party fatigue the next day, all before getting back to 

work on Monday. 

THE BIGGER PICTURE 

Many motorcaravanners eagerly craved fun in any form 

they could get it! A heady brew of liberty, equality, and 

fraternity, being offered to and for all people who could 

live and let live, roughly served up, no-holds-barred. 

In short, many people in reaction to increasing 

mortgages, increased living costs, and a need for 

minimalism and freedom, seek new ways of living and 

new frontiers. 

One thing is certain, new worries about our viability 

on this planet, will lead many people to rethink much 

of their lifestyle, jettison excess, and choose the 

camper or caravan as their new dwelling. 

If it was said previously, that an Englishman’s home 

was his or her castle, then nowadays, the new castle of 

many Brits, and indeed, Europeans is their campervan 

or caravan. Long may this spirit of freedom exist! 

Beyond this wish, may this freedom also carry us to 

a new awareness, a new tolerance, a new appreciation, 

and a new love and respect for all of the people, the 

animals, and the environment on our planet. ● 


touring.co.uk 

MOTORHOME, CARAVAN AND CAMPING INSPIRATION

History 

THE STRANGE 

TALE OF 

CROMWELL’S 

HEAD 

Horace Ricardo Wilkinson 

(HR) was born in Seal 

Chart, near Sevenoaks, 

Kent in 1871 into a welloff 

family; his father, also 

called Horace, was a stock 

broker. The young Horace 

got his middle name from his great grandfather 

Dr Josiah Henry Wilkinson, a physician, who 

was a friend of David Ricardo (1772 to 1823), 

an influential political economist credited with 

systemising economics. The young Horace 

went to Trinity College, Cambridge and took 

a BA before entering the Church. He married 

Edith Bosanquet in 1896 and the following 

year assumed the living of Stoke by Nayland 

in Suffolk. The couple had three children – 

Kathleen Courthope, Naomi and Horace Norman 

Stanley but sadly their mother died in 1908 

and the vicar had to bring them up alone. But 

not without help… in the census of 1911, the 

Reverend Wilkinson had five live-in servants viz. 

a cook, a parlour maid, a governess, a lady’s maid 

and a housemaid. In the house with him during 

his 17 years living in Suffolk was an oak box 

containing the head of… Oliver Cromwell. 

The Lord Protector had died in September 

1658 and was buried in Westminster Abbey. He 

was succeeded by his son Richard, who was 

deposed by the Army the following year which 

led to the Restoration and Charles II becoming 

king in 1660. Charles’ Parliament ordered the 

disinterment of Oliver’s body together with 

those of two other regicides, and the grisly trio 

were then hung at Tyburn. After that bizarre 

ritual, their heads were cut off and skewered 

with 20-feet long spikes and displayed above 

Westminster Hall. 

They remained there until 1685, when 

Cromwell’s head was blown down in a gale. It 

was retrieved and passed through a number 

of hands until HR’s great grandfather took 

possession of it in the same year as the Battle of 

Waterloo, 1815. 

From then on the gruesome object was 

considered a Wilkinson heirloom and was 

passed down the male line until HR’s son Horace 

acquired it in 1957. Horace had no children to 

pass it on to so he arranged in March 1960 for it 

to be buried in some secrecy still in its oak box 

in the ante-chapel of Sidney Sussex College, 

Cambridge, Cromwell’s alma mater. 

There is a photograph of the head along with 

his death mask. The latter shows clearly his facial 

wart which was the origin of the Protector’s 

instruction to the painter Peter Lely (later the 

court painter to Charles II who knighted him): 

“Paint me warts and all”. ● 

Chris McCooey owned a motorhome for a 

number of years and his Swift 600 was a great 

way for him to explore Kent and Sussex and 

research his books. This extract is from Tales, 

Titbits and Trivia of Kent and Sussex. Details 

of all of his books and talks can be found on 

his website www.chrismccooey.co.uk or contact 

him at chris.mccooey49@gmail.com. 


Oliver Cromwell 


Scarlet 

A study in

SCARLET ELF CUP MUSHROOMS NOT 

ONLY LOOK FABULOUS, BUT THEY'RE 

ALSO DELICIOUS. TOTALLY WILD 

TAKES US FOR A CLOSER LOOK

Winter is a time when people 

think there’s nothing to forage 

and especially not a time to go 

looking for mushrooms. But, 

there’s a lot more to forage 

than you’d expect. You can 

find microgreens, a few lingering seeds and yes you 

can find mushrooms in winter!!! 

There are 3 types of edible mushroom to look for 

in the depths of winter and I’m going to tell you 

about my favourite one– The Scarlet Elf Cup. 

Picture yourself walking along a canal or river 

path where there’s lots of willow specifically willow 

branches that have fallen to the ground and 

covered with moss, you spot a bright red thing in 

the distance on one of those logs. Now you’ll be 

forgiven if you walk by thinking it’s a bottle cap 

as that’s the only look alike you’re going to find 

for this edible mushroom. But if you investigate 

further you will likely spot hundreds of small red 

mushrooms as scarlet elf cup usually grow in large 

numbers. 

To recognise a scarlet elf cup you’re looking for a 

round concave bowl shaped mushroom, that has 

a short (less than 1cm) stem that attaches itself 

to the wood of rotting willow. The outer flesh is 

a pinkish brown and leathery smooth. There’s no 

gills or pores to this mushroom, the spores are 

released from the scarlet red surface in the bowl of 

the mushroom. If you gently blow across the top of 

the bowl you can sometimes see the white spores 

blowing away. → 


Wild Mushrooms 

“Scarlet elf cups are a great beginner mushroom to 

forage because they’re super easy to spot being bright red 

and there’s nothing that you can mistake this 

mushroom for that is toxic” 


Foraging 

Vietnamese Mushroom Pho 

Ingredients 

SOUP 

▶ 1½ ounces dried mushrooms, such as shiitake, 

porcini, and/or chanterelle, rinsed and drained 

▶ 1 cup chopped white onion 

▶ 1 cup chopped celery 

▶ 3-inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced or a handful of 

fresh magnolia flowers 

▶ 6 cloves garlic, sliced or a handful of chopped wild 

garlic 

▶ 4 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce 

▶ 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder 

▶ 4 ounces dried brown rice noodles 

▶ ½ cup frozen shelled edamame 

▶ 2 heads baby bok choy,halved lengthwise or wild 

greens of your choice 

▶ 1 cup scarlet elf cup mushrooms 

TOPPINGS 

Fresh coriander or basil leaves 

Sliced spring onions 

Bean sprouts 

Method 

Scarlet elf cups are a great beginner mushroom 

to forage because they’re super easy to spot 

being bright red and there’s nothing that you can 

mistake this mushroom for that is toxic! The only 

catch with these mushroom is they get quite 

muddy growing close to the ground on buried 

logs etc so the need a good scrub, I tend not to 

tell people to wash mushrooms with water as they 

absorb the water and become mushy but in the 

case of these they can cope with a rinse and I use 

a small tooth’s brush to clean them. 

Scarlet elf cups are a fabulous edible. They have 

a great firm texture and they keep their red colour 

when cooked adding a great visual to your dish 

and work in most dishes, everything from pizza to 

pasta to stir fries. ● 

▶ Combine the dried mushrooms, onion, celery, ginger, 

garlic, 6 cups water, soy sauce, and five-spice powder 

in a large pan. 

▶ Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to 

medium-low. 

▶ Cover and simmer for 1 hour. 

▶ Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve lined 

with a cheese cloth, discard solids. 

▶ Return the liquid to the pan and return to a boil. 

▶ Stir in the noodles and edamame; simmer, uncovered, 

for 2 minutes. Add the bok choy, fresh mushrooms, 

and cook for 3 minutes more or until noodles are 

pliable. 

▶ Divide soup into bowls, and serve with toppings and 

lime wedges for squeezing 


Wild Mushrooms 

Scarlet Elf Cup Pizza 

Ingredients 

▶ 1 pizza base 

▶ Handful of spinach or wild greens such as dandelion 

leaves 

▶ 4 leaves of wild garlic 

▶ Cheese of your choice(I use grated mozzarella for the 

base a lumps of riccota on the top) 

▶ Handful of cleaned Scarlet Elf Cup mushrooms 

▶ Tomato pizza base sauce 

Please note: Picking 

and eating wild fungi 

can be dangerous 

and there is a risk of 

poisoning. If in any 

doubt you should 

consult an expert 

to correctly identify 

any fungi before 

consuming, and discard 

any fungus that cannot 

be positively identified. 

Method 

▶ Cover the base of the pizza with a thin layer of 

tomato sauce 

▶ Sprinkle a thin layer of grated cheese on the base and 

then scatter your greens and wild garlic and either 

whole or sliced mushrooms on the top. 

▶ Add any extra cheese 

▶ Cook for 10 mins on 220 degrees C or until the 

cheese is golden brown. 

Totally Wild 

Totally Wild is a foraging company offering courses with expert 

foragers thoughout the UK and sustainably harvested high quality 

ingredients. The Foragers' Cookbook by James Wood is priced at 

£14.99 and available at 

www.totallywilduk.co.uk 


Shopping 

The list... 

Essentials from 

www.leisureplusdirect.co.uk 

THULE WANDERWAY T6 BIKE RACK 

£430 RRP: £450 

MILENCO CARPETINA 

£29.50 (3m) 

This is a user-friendly ground 

cover from Milenco. This is 

the original woven carpet style. 

Comes in the following sizes 

All are 2.5m deep, lengths are: 

2m, 2.75m, 3.00m, 4.00m, 

5.00m, 6.00m. 

Thule Wanderway T6 bike rack is available for standard 

Volkswagen T6 vans. It carries two bikes and it is possible 

to increase the load capacity to carry up to 4 bikes by 

adding a third and fourth bike extension kit. Alternatively, 

the robust construction lets you carry two e-bikes with a 

combined weight of up to 60 kg.

Product Spotlight 

MILENCO AERO 

MIRROR 3 

£49.00 Twin Pack 

Designed in 2007 the Aero 3 mirror 

has had some minor changes over the 

years. Changes to ensure that Milenco 

and the Aero 3 stay clearly ahead of any 

contenders in the market. This is why 

the Aero 3 is the best selling towing 

mirror in the world. It is able to fit all 

cars, including the very latest. 

THULE OMNISTOR 1200 AWNING 

from £281 

Available in 11 different lengths from 2.30m - 5.50m with a 

projection on the larger awnings of 2.5m depth. 

The Thule Omnistor 1200 awning is stored in a PVC zip-up 

sleeved case hung from a cadre rope style that slides into 

the caravan awning to hold the awning in place. Open the 

zip and manually unroll the awning once fully rolled out. 

Pull out the support legs and then the tension arms to 

enable a simple and fast set up. This awning has a pump 

buckle technology. When this pump buckle is clicked back 

and forth this ensures perfect tension across the awning. 

This awning once erected has the ability to add extras such 

as the Thule 1200 Rain Blocker sides or even the Thule 

QuickFit tent as an optional extra 

THETFORD PORTA POTTI 345 

£89.95 RRP: £117 

If you are looking for a comfortable, practical 

and durable portable toilet that doesn’t require a 

connection to a drainage or water system, Thetford 

has the perfect solution for you: the Porta Potti. 

The Qube 345 is a medium sized portable model 

with easy and convenient emptying 


Shopping 

THULE LEVELLERS 

£27 Twin Pack 

The stable way to level your 

motorhome, with three heights for 

you to get to the required level. Thule 

levels offer a large surface area for 

your motorhome tyre and is ideal for 

the wider tyres in todays motorhomes. 

Maximum load of 5 ton per set. 

AQUA KEM 

BLUE SACHETS 

£14.50 

These are a simple and convenient waste holding tank 

additive for portable toilets. For either your caravan or 

motorhome. You do not have to worry about measuring 

the correct amount, simply drop the sachet into the 

waste holding tank of the toilet. One sachet treats 20 

litres of waste holding capacity. 15 sachets per tub. 

THULE FABRIC CLAMP 

£28 Twin Pack 

The latest Thule Fabric clamps provide a strong 

and secure fastening between the awning fabric 

and the awning Tension Rafter or the Thule Blocker 

Rafter. Certainly stops a lot of the unpleasant 

awning “flapping” when under strong winds. 

The lamps have a Universal Fitting and will fix onto 

most rafter profiles – just click the clamp onto the 

rafter and then tighten down with the handle.

Touring Magazine February – March 2021

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