February 2021

Practical Motorhome

Britains fastest growing motorhome magazine

Practical Motorhome1 min read
Welcome
Editor-in-chief I type this as England is once again in lockdown, with campsites and dealerships firmly shut for another few weeks. I think most of us expected this to happen, but it doesn’t make the restrictions any easier to live with – it’s frustr
Practical Motorhome1 min read
Where In The World?
45.9894° N, 9.2899° E A trip around the Italian lakes (when we’re allowed to tour abroad again) will have you gasping at the breathtaking beauty of lakeside villas, towns and villages against a backdrop of forest-clad mountains. Varenna is on the eas
Practical Motorhome4 min read
Connect
What great memories were brought back by Gentleman Jack’s ‘From the Archives – the 1980s’ article (issue 240). That was a wonderful decade, with so many new makes and models appearing with their own identities. The annual trip to the Earl’s Court sho
Practical Motorhome1 min read
Hotshots
STAR PICTURE 1 As we couldn’t go to Scotland this year, we explored beautiful Austria. On our way west towards Lake Constance, we crossed the Alps several times, for instance via the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse. Sonja & Manfred Hohl 2 The sunshine
Practical Motorhome2 min read
New Gear
Ideal for removing dog hairs from sofas and beds, just pop the brush into its container to remove the fluff, then empty the container. Price £12.99 Web musthaveideas.co.uk This quirky battery-operated lantern comes in a choice of four colours, and is
Practical Motorhome2 min read
Nightstops
The Nightstop Scheme is run by us in conjunction with the Motor Caravanners’ Club (MCC), and the sites are certificated locations (CLs); you don’t have to join any club to use them. You’ll need to ring the relevant site to confirm whether there’s spa
Practical Motorhome4 min read
Ask The experts
SARAH WAKELY Editor-in-chief sarah@practicalmotorhome.com PAUL CRITCHER Deputy editor paul.critcher@futurenet.com PETER BABER Reviews editor peter.baber@futurenet.com GENTLEMAN JACK Contributor askjack@practicalmotorhome.com CLAUDIA DOWELL Features/t
Practical Motorhome1 min read
Claudia Dowell
At the time of writing, while campsites in Wales and Scotland are open, England is halfway through its second lockdown. Many sites in England and Northern Ireland are poised to open in December, while others doubt this will be allowed to happen. It’s
Practical Motorhome3 min read
This Month
Knebworth House, near Stevenage, Hertfordshire, is hosting a traditional Christmas lunch of turkey or nut roast with all the trimmings. Santa will be paying a visit, with a present for every child. Or perhaps you’d prefer afternoon tea with sandwiche
Practical Motorhome5 min read
The Charm Of West Sussex
Duration Five days When April 2019 Why? Lots to see and do, and all within easy reach Motorhome Hymer coachbuilt My travel companion Pearl and I were looking forward to spending a few days in West Sussex, and booked a pitch at Stubcroft Farm Campsite
Practical Motorhome9 min read
The Lure Of The ITALIAN LAKES
Duration 28 nights (part of a two-month trip to Italy) When June Why? Fabulous villas in exquisite lakeside settings, with an alpine backdrop Meandering along on our approach to the Italian Lakes, our view of Switzerland’s alpine peaks was suddenly e
Practical Motorhome3 min read
Local Authority BODMIN MOOR
I’m Sarah Wakely, editor of Practical Motorhome – I’ve worked on this magazine for almost 15 years now. Bodmin Moor, in eastern Cornwall. I have family living close to Bodmin Moor, and I’ve spent a lot of time there over the years, visiting the many
Practical Motorhome8 min read
A Warm Winter Welcome
It’s been a really tough year for campsites. The second lockdown in England, the circuit-breakers in Wales and Northern Ireland, and the various tier systems, meant some sites that weren’t normally open beyond October - but that had planned to operat
Practical Motorhome3 min read
Road Sense A69
The A69 runs west to east from Carlisle, across the Pennines, through the counties of Cumbria, Northumberland, and Tyne and Wear, ending at Denton Burn, a suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne. The route is 54 miles (87 kilometres) long and has intersections
Practical Motorhome2 min read
The Perfect Gift For Just £34.99
PLUS • This comprehensive kit includes a selection of screwdrivers, reversible ratchet bit driver, combination and long-nose pliers, bits and Chrome Vanadium WallDrive sockets• Tools feature soft-grip handles for comfort and control • Supplied in a p
Practical Motorhome1 min readTechnology & Engineering
Tested
We really need to get better at promoting the green aspects of motorcaravanning. Young people have quickly cottoned on to its social distancing benefits, but judging by the way the government is pressing on so speedily with plans for electric cars, t
Practical Motorhome2 min readAutomotive
New ’vans
Motorhomes could become unaffordable if the Government presses ahead with its plan to bring forward the ban on the sale of new diesel and petrol vehicles to 2030, the National Caravan Council is warning. The proposal to move the date of the ban forwa
Practical Motorhome3 min readAutomotive
Elddis Autoquest Cv80
If there was a common theme to the (limited) launches this season, it was the increasing importance of van conversions. It seems almost everyone has a pop-up model in their stable. Erwin Hymer UK is no exception; it moved into van conversions two sea
Practical Motorhome3 min readAutomotive
Adria Compact Sc Supreme
Compact motorhomes are now increasingly popular. Not to be mistaken for van conversions, they are still coachbuilt, with a fair amount of GRP. But they have some of the advantages of a van conversion; in particular, a smaller width. Of course, a narr
Practical Motorhome3 min read
Industry Faces
■ Tell us about your current role – what do you do? I’m the Director General of The Camping and Caravanning Club. I have the privilege of leading and operating the club on behalf of its members. I’m very fortunate to have an amazing team to work with
Practical Motorhome3 min read
Top Gadgets
Paul Critcher picks out some brilliant winter kit Now here’s a novelty item – the idea is that the liquid inside the storm cloud will indicate what the weather has in store for you. It’s full of little crystals that freak out to match the weather. No
Practical Motorhome4 min read
A Welcome Change Of View
IN ASSOCIATION WITH With the children’s half-term break fast approaching, and the threat of a second lockdown looming large on the horizon, I took the opportunity to book a short break at The Camping and Caravanning Club’s Cheddar Mendip Heights Club
Practical Motorhome2 min readAutomotive
Call Of The Ocean
When it comes to VW campervans, there seem to be two schools of thought – those who love them and those who look down their noses, thinking “you’re just buying the name” or “for that kind of money you could buy…”. I’m firmly in the first camp. Yes, I
Practical Motorhome1 min read
Pre-owned
Check out the franchises any dealership holds for new motorhomes, and it’s a pretty good bet that pre-owned models of the same marque will make great buys. Why? Because you can expect retailers to have extra knowledge of that manufacturer and its pro
Practical Motorhome2 min read
Forecourt
A handful of key dealerships have taken on the Adria franchise after being impressed by models they’ve taken in part-exchange. These include Tyne Valley Motorhomes, near Newcastle; GMC Motorhomes, Shrewsbury; Pullingers, Halstead, Essex; Swindon Cara
Practical Motorhome6 min readAutomotive
Showroom Stars
Space-saving and with clever, flexible layouts, overcabs are a great way to utilise limited room, meaning you get the very best out of your ’van. The top-heavy design can have an effect on fuel economy and it might take a bit of a buffeting from the
Practical Motorhome4 min readAutomotive
from the ARCHIVES PART 4: THE 1990s
New Labour, new technology. Gentleman Jack dials up the internet on his Amstrad computer – and is still waiting for the connection! The 1990s can be summarised as a decade of technological advance, especially in the field of human communication. As a
Practical Motorhome4 min readAutomotive
2006-2017 Bessacarr E400 Series
Those of you who are currently searching for a ‘new-to-you’ motorhome might be surprised by the limited range that’s available at some retail outlets. The latter have been a victim of their own success, with many more people than usual deciding to ta
Practical Motorhome1 min readTechnology & Engineering
A Perfect Gift for Everyone On Your List
*including yourself! Every issue of your subscription, delivered direct to your door. Print & digital editions available. Store up to 13 issues of your magazine subscription in a coordinating slipcase or binder. From photography to music and technolo
Practical Motorhome1 min readChemistry
Technical
Some jobs arrive in batches – for example, we can go for months without seeing a fridge problem, then four come in close succession. In recent months, I’ve had to replace the main PCBs on two Thetfords and one Dometic, and a control board on one of e
Practical Motorhome2 min read
Workshop
In general, I’m a big supporter of DIYers – if they have the necessary skills and experience for the task in hand. But sometimes I find myself absolutely baffled by some of the completed projects that I’ve seen. These include fridge vents taped over
Practical Motorhome5 min readAutomotive
Choose A Van Conversion
How do you choose a new campervan from the substantial numbers of conversions from current manufacturers, never mind the enormous production from the past? Perhaps you could visit some local dealerships, or stroll around a motorcaravan show and buy w
Practical Motorhome3 min readTechnology & Engineering
Fit A Tpms
We all know we should check our tyres regularly, perhaps as often as once a week, but how many of us actually do? At best, they might get a cursory glance before a long drive, and that’s about it. Sure, most people will spot when a tyre is flat and t
Practical Motorhome7 min readTechnology & Engineering
Fault-finding And Cambelts
Servicing is certainly the backbone of the regular workload in any workshop, but fault-finding and diagnostics also play an important part. I often take calls along the lines of, “My heater stopped working, what’s gone wrong?” The short answer is lik
Practical Motorhome1 min readComputers
Now It’s Easier Than Ever To Buy Your Dream Motorhome!
On the look-out for a new motorhome? If so, we can help! Just like our inspiring travel stories, expert reviews and useful advice, we think that our online classifieds are the best in the business. You can read our review of your chosen ’van, watch t
Practical Motorhome3 min readAutomotive
A-class Motorhomes
HOW TO USE THE GUIDE We’ve organised our listings by layout, generally the most crucial aspect for buyers. Simply locate the floorplan you like in the guide; then, on the left of it, you’ll find details of every UK model with that layout. Simple! Not
Practical Motorhome1 min readAutomotive
Overcab Coachbuilts
Now featuring 2021 models! HOW TO USE THE GUIDE We’ve organised our listings by layout, generally the most crucial aspect for buyers. Simply locate the floorplan you like in the guide; then, on the left of it, you’ll find details of every UK model wi
Practical Motorhome1 min read
Blast From The Past
No April showers in this ‘new season special’, which was packed with touring information, insider guides and motorhome maintenance tips With the start of the new season came the launch of several new sites, many of which were featured here. Destinati
Practical Motorhome1 min read
Practical Motorhome
Future PLC 1-10 Praed Mews, Paddington, London W2 1QY Tel 020 7042 4000 Website www.practicalmotorhome.com Editor in chief Sarah Wakely sarah@practicalmotorhome.com Deputy Editor Paul Critcher Art Editors Simon Mortimer, Jenny Owen Production Editor

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