Caravan and Motorhome Club Magazine – August 2021

AUGUST 2021

MAGICAL MIDLANDS The Malvern Hills are the highlight of our spellbinding seven-site tour

DRIVE, BIKE, SAIL...

Mixing it up on an Isle of Wight adventure

MAKE IT SNAPPY How to take travel pics and mobile masterpieces

HAPPY HOLIDAYS Safety on Club sites is our number one priority

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COMMENT EDITOR

WELCOME

camc.com/enquiries Editorial Editor Gary Martin Deputy Editor John Thynne Assistant Editors Stuart Egan, Stephen Hollis Design Michaela Millar

Postal address Caravan and Motorhome Club Magazine, East Grinstead House, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 1UA Club contact details For comprehensive contact details, see camc.com/contact Membership services and magazine circulation 01342 318813 (calls may be recorded) Site booking (members only)/ UK Club sites advance booking 01342 327490 Cover Caravan 01342 336610 Insurance (Devitts) Car/motorhome 0345 504 0334 Home/contents 0345 504 0335 Travel Service 01342 316101 Red Pennant (Overseas Holiday Insurance) 01342 336633 Brochures on Club services 01342 327410 Technical advice 01342 336611 Club Magazine editorial 01342 336640 Legal helpline 01275 378728 Advertising enquiries General number 01342 336817 Commercial Manager Ian Lea 01342 336753 ian.lea@camc.com Commercial Executive Jason Clarke 01342 779368 jason.clarke@camc.com Commercial Executive Adam Johnson 01342 336742 adam.johnson@camc.com Production Controller Tara Erroll 01342 779371 tara.erroll@camc.com

David Chapman “provides a masterclass in

”

travel photography

Combe (within easy reach of Baltic Wharf, Bath Chew Valley and Longleat sites) – see pages 56-58.

Taking things (slightly) easier is Nick Harding, who shares his tips for enjoying music festivals while using a touring vehicle as a base on pages 48-49.

It’s important to keep a record of your exploits, so on pages 86-88 David Chapman provides a

Editions of your Club magazine – with lots of extra content – are also available via an app on iPhone/iPad and Android tablets and phones.

ON TEST: VOLVO V60 RECHARGE, ADRIA ALTEA DART, BAILEY ADAMO 69-4

COVER IMAGE:

MAGICAL MIDLANDS The Malvern Hills are the highlight of our spellbinding seven-site tour

www.camc.com

DRIVE, BIKE, SAIL...

Mixing it up on an Isle of Wight adventure PASS p1 Cover.indd 1

www.camc.com

masterclass in travel photography, while Jane McGowan picks out kit designed to help you take better pictures on your mobile phone (pages 64-65).

If you aren’t ready to spread your wings too far, what about joining one of our Club Centres on a ‘rally’ (see pages 10-11)? Usually taking place over the course of a weekend, these laid-back events are a great way to get away (especially when main sites are busy), meet new friends and pick up tips from more experienced members of the touring community.

However you decide to indulge your spirit of adventure, please make sure you stay safe at the same time!

AUGUST 2021

TOURING: MIDLANDS SITES AND CLS

President: Thomas Coke, 8th Earl of Leicester Chairman: Grenville Chamberlain OBE Director General: Nick Lomas

I hope you enjoy this issue, which is dedicated to ‘adventure’ and exciting exploits that have taken our writers off the beaten track.

For example, Jonathan Manning embarks on a ‘bike-packing’ trek to the Isle of Wight, where he tries out the new Southland Club site safari tents (pages 78-83). He also dials up the speed – and the adrenaline factor – on a go-kart race day at Castle

CARAVAN AND MOTORHOME CLUB MAGAZINE AUGUST 2021

Digital Advertising Co-ordinator Vicky Powell 01342 779378 victoria.powell@camc.com

Gary Martin says:

MAKE IT SNAPPY How to take travel pics and mobile masterpieces

HAPPY HOLIDAYS Safety on Club sites is our number one priority 07/07/2021 14:04

Overlooking an Iron Age hill fort and the Malvern Hills.

Nicholas Jones / Alamy

August 2021 3

CONTENTS

26

INSIDE THIS ISSUE AUGUST 2021

TOURING

26 UK SITES

A tour of the West Midlands taking in the Cotswolds and Malvern Hills 37 DIRECTORY UPDATES

Updates to your Sites Directory & Handbook 40 FOREIGN TOURING

Heidi Fuller-Love discovers a quieter side to the Costa Blanca 56 ACTIVITY BREAKS

Jonathan Manning feels the need for speed as he tries go-karting

NEWS 15

22

44

HEADLINES Club and industry updates SITES The latest from around the network OVERSEAS Plan your worldwide and European breaks

TESTS

66 CAR

Volvo V60 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid 70 MOTORHOME

Bailey Adamo 69-4 74 CARAVAN

Adria Altea Dart 4 August 2021

SPECIALS

48 HITTING THE RIGHT NOTES

How music festivals and touring can be the perfect combination 51 HERE TO HELP

Details of how weve made getting in touch with us even easier 62 STATELY CYCLES

A selection of rides taking in majestic manor houses 78 TRAVELLING LIGHT

Jonathan Manning experiences bike-packing on the Isle of Wight 86 COUNTRY MATTERS

Tips for taking fantastic holiday photos

REGULARS 7

DIRECTOR GENERAL’S VIEW Nick Lomas explains how the Club is well placed to cater for UK holidaymakers demands 10 CLUB MATTERS

What to expect on a Centre rally 12 YOUR PHOTOS

A selection of the best entries from our Find Your Happy Place competition 53 LETTERS

Your comments and views

64

48

60 MEMBER OFFERS

Fantastic offers on dog-related kit and more 64 PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Mobile phone photography 84 ASK YOUR CLUB

Your technical questions answered 90 PRACTICAL

Helping you stay safe on site 92 PUZZLES

A selection of brainteasers 98 CROSSWORD

A chance to win great prizes 99 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

To advertise, call 01342 336817 114 TAIL LIGHTS

The weird, wacky and wonderful world of touring 116 CYCLE ROUTE Jonathan Manning rides the Red Squirrel Trail from Southland Club site on the Isle of Wight

JOIN US FOR OUR BIGGEST DISPLAY OF CARAVANS. SPECIAL DEALS AND OFFERS THROUGHOUT AUGUST. LET US HELP YOU FIND YOUR HOLIDAY INSPIRATION.

THROUGHOUT AUGUST

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COMMENT DIRECTOR GENERAL

camc.com/enquiries The Caravan Club Limited, which trades as Caravan and Motorhome Club, is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for general insurance and credit activities.

This magazine is also available as a page turner on the Club website and an app free of charge for members.

For non-members who download the Caravan and Motorhome Club Magazine app, each issue costs £2.29 (Google Play) or £2.99 (App Store).

Readers are asked to note that the Caravan and Motorhome Club cannot accept responsibility for the quality, safe delivery or operation of any products advertised or mentioned in this journal. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply any form of approval or recommendation. Advertisements or other inserted material are accepted subject to the approval of the publishers and their current terms and conditions.

The publishers will accept an advertisement or other inserted material only on the condition that the advertiser warrants that such advertisement does not in any way infringe copyright or contravene the provisions of the Trade Descriptions Act. All copy is subject to the approval of the publisher, who reserves the right to refuse, amend, withdraw or otherwise deal with advertisements submitted to it at its absolute discretion and without explanation.

All advertisements must comply with the British Code of Advertising Practice.

Mail order advertisers are required to state in advertisements addressed to the public, their true surname or full company name, together with the address from which the business is managed.

Calls to phone numbers starting 084 and 087 cost up to 7p per minute plus your service provider’s charge.

350,264

Circulation: Jan-Dec 2020

Printing by Walstead Bicester

www.camc.com

OPINION Nick Lomas says:

The British holiday industry is going through an interesting time, with some sectors seeing a welcome boom as a result of, or in spite of, the pandemic.

Although there are very few inbound visitors (a major concern for many operators), government restrictions over the past few months have led millions more people than usual to book holidays in the UK (rather than abroad).

But capacity is finite – it’s not easy to increase hotel space, or indeed the number of camping and caravanning pitches, with just a few months’ notice. Especially in locations that are already popular.

“

Millions more people than usual have booked holidays in the UK

”

However, the Club has an advantage over many organisations. Not only is our main site network the largest of its kind but we also have the benefit of 2,300 Certificated Locations (CLs) across the UK. These five-van sites (run by private landowners) give members exclusive access to slices of the British countryside, and they are often havens of peace and tranquillity. You can search for details of these on the Club’s UK Sites app, at camc.com or in the dark green section of your Sites Directory and Handbook.

Meanwhile, Club Centres (there are 64 across the UK and Ireland) are a source of very competitively priced

weekend breaks or longer holiday rallies. Typically Club Centre volunteers run hundreds of events every month – you can search for rallies by date and location (and download a pdf of the entire rally calendar) by visiting camc.com/centres. Find out more about our Centres and rallying on pages 10-11 of this issue.

The Club is also hosting pop-up campsites this year at Retrofestival in Newbury, Beale Wildlife Park beside the Thames near Pangbourne and on the Beaulieu Estate in the New Forest. All are close to some great attractions, and temporary toilets and showers are available should you need them. Visit camc.com/popups to find out more.

If Club sites are for you, and youre not tempted to try some of these other options, our Late Availability section on the website (camc.com/lateavailability) has been updated so that you can now search for space during the week as well at weekends. Its worth checking back regularly.

Wherever you choose to pitch, please stay safe and enjoy your holiday.

August 2021 7

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SPECIAL CLUB MATTERS

RALLYING Fancy sharing your passion for the great outdoors with newfound friends?

W

e are delighted to learn that large numbers of new members to the Club are joining our ‘Centres’ – like-minded groups of caravanners and motorhomers spanning areas as diverse as the Highlands, Devon and Cornwall, Suffolk and West Wales. Each of these Centres organises a calendar of weekend gettogethers – better known as ‘rallies’ – to which every Club member is invited!

Often held at national parks, stately homes, sports clubs, within school grounds or in farmers’ fields, rallies give members the chance to meet new friends, join in at social events or enjoy meals and entertainment. And although the social side of rallying is a little different at the time of going to press (each Centre is required to follow Covid protocols), most of the Centres are up and running again, hosting mini-breaks in beautiful locations.

Dumfries & Galloway rally,

by Julie Irving

Leicestershire Centre rally at Copt Oak, by Vince Mott

East Hampshire rally, by Mark Heffer

10 August 2021

www.camc.com

CALL So if you are thinking of trying something a little different – or if you can’t find a pitch at your favourite Club site, CL or pop-up campsite – why not give rallying a try?

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT ON A RALLY? n First of all – good-value fun! Rallies are meant to be enjoyable gatherings and participants can join in as much or as little as they want. n To use of your onboard facilities.

Although some rally venues will offer electric hook-ups, you should expect to make use of your onboard washroom and cooking equipment. n Entertainment. Your rally fee will often include entertainment provided by professionals or a three-course meal or an activity such as a quiz night or sports competition. Sometimes the rally might be themed – you could find yourself nextdoor to a vintage steam festival or dressing to impress at a 1960s disco...

Virtual VE Day Rally,

by Pauline Burgin

64

The number of active Centres within the Caravan and Motorhome Club www.camc.com

n Direction from a rally officer or marshal. Centres appoint members to organise individual rallies – and these (often very experienced) individuals are your first port of call should you encounter a problem.

WHERE I CAN GO?

Although it’s great to be a member of your local group (we have heard great stories of lasting friendships over the years), you do not have to be a member of a Centre to go on a rally. Each Centre has its own website, on which you will find its rally calendar.

Many Centres are now offering an online booking service – but if you are new to rallying we recommend you check details with an official contact before taking the plunge. You can also search for Centre contacts and through an annual list of rallies at camc.com/centres.

It’s free to join your local Centre and you can get involved as little or as much as you like - log into the membership area at camc.com to join or call our Contact Centre on 01342 318813

Rallying kit

It helps to be a little more self-sufficient on a Centre rally. Check out this selection of great-value products available through Club Shop (shop.camc.com) Cadac BBQ Safari Chef 30 QR LP – member price £121.50 (RRP £135) This fantastic lightweight barbecue has four interchangeable cooking surfaces, giving you excellent versatility.

Butane and propane compatible, it features push-button piezo ignition and has folding legs for compact storage.

Milenco Triple 2 Levelling Ramps (pair) – member price £35.06 (RRP £38.95) If your rally pitch isn’t flat, these levelling ramps offer the perfect solution for your caravan or motorhome. The Triple 2 incorporates a heavy-duty lattice upper tread and pockets the wheel at one of three heights. A solid base is designed to prevent sinking on soft ground or sand.

Truma Gas LevelControl Monitor – member price £117.00 (RRP £130) The LevelControl attaches to the bottom of steel gas cylinders using magnets (or to aluminium cylinders using clamps, sold separately) and measures the amount of gas remaining using ultrasound technology.

The results are fed directly to your phone via Bluetooth and can be monitored via a special app.

Terms and conditions apply to all Club Shop purchases – see shop. camc.com for details

2k 1910

The Club’s Centres run about 2,000 rallies between them every year

The year the first two rallies took place – at Hounslow in London and Coulsdon in Surrey August 2021 11

SPECIAL MEMBER PICTURES

YOUR PHOTOS C

Here are some of the best pictures entered in our Find Your Happy Place competition

ongratulations to Joanna Wisniewska, who won our Find Your Happy Place competition with this stunning photo of Derwentwater in the Lake District.

We received a whopping 2,297 entries in total, with members sending us happy place images taken across the UK and further afield. It was a tough job to whittle the entries down to 10 finalists, but Joanna’s image taken from the shore near Keswick was a clear winner when it was put to a members’ vote.

Joanna, whose prize is a week’s stay at a Club site, said: “I am totally over the moon. I love taking pictures and I’m so glad that my image has been noticed.”

The other finalists were Michelle Blaken, Nigel Terry, John Hughes, Nigel Ward, Paul Dyson, James Nevill, Mark Humpage, Alastair Morrison and Steven Mills – a selection of their photos is shown here.

SHORE THING

Winner

The Lake District is a happy place for our family as there is a never-ending list of beautiful nature spots and activities.

(Nearest Club site: Borrowdale) Joanna Wisniewska

Cumbria

LUCKY DIP

An evening swim in a tidal pool overlooking Cape Cornwall, near Land’s End. (Nearest Club site: Trevedra Farm) Michelle Blaken

France

TAKING IT EASY

Cornwall

12 August 2021

Taken on the Tarn Gorge campsite in France where the June weather is warm and the silence is beautifully restful.

Nigel Ward www.camc.com

Stirling

LAKE BREAK

Killin is a place that makes our hearts smile and our minds relax. A place that offers a sense of freedom and pure tranquillity. (Nearest Club site: Maragowan) James Nevill

WARM GLOW

Yorkshire

We had taken a rowing boat along the river... On our way back to the CL, I captured this perfect sunset through the Knaresborough Viaduct.

(Nearest Club site: Knaresborough) John Hughes

Cornwall

Want to see your photo in a future issue? Send your images to camc.com/inspiring adventures or tag us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using #inspiring adventures

FEELING OAR-SOME Canoeing from Loe Beach on the River Fal. It is so peaceful – takes the stresses of the day away. (Nearest Club site: Carnon Downs) Nigel Terry

www.camc.com

Mid Wales

SLICE OF PARADISE Mid Wales – time to reflect.

Paul Dyson

August 2021 13

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Headlines

NEWS CLUB AND INDUSTRY

The latest stories from the touring world From left to right: Phil and Jacqui Prestwood (Assistant Site Managers), Derek and Lillian Shaw and Paul and Ffiona Wrigley (Site Managers)

Site staff in sea rescue We know Club site staff are prepared to go the extra mile – but the managers at New England Bay Club site are being celebrated as genuine heroes after coming to the aid of a member in distress at sea.

Derek and Lillian Shaw had been enjoying a break on their seasonal pitch at the site near the picturesque Mull of Galloway when things took a turn for the worse. Derek takes up the story: “I was on the sea in my angling kayak. All was well (although no fish) and I prepared all my gear for my return to the beach. However, a large rogue wave capsized me and flipped me over and under the kayak.

“Unfortunately I was tangled up in rods and lines but managed to get a couple of breaths whilst under the kayak, along with a lot of seawater, but enough to free myself and get to the surface. After several attempts to right the kayak, which failed in the rising swell, I tried to swim ashore but was exhausted. So I decided to keep with the kayak. Luckily, I had a handheld VHF radio so was able to get through to the coastguard and get an emergency call in, even though the signal was very weak... By this time I was getting colder and weaker and was now getting very

worried, when I thought I heard voices. It was a paddle boarder who had quickly made his way from the shore along with Paul [Wrigley] the warden in his inflatable canoe. They were able, with a struggle, to get me out of the water and into Paul’s canoe, which was no mean feat as I was unable to assist as conditions made it very difficult. They made their way to the shore and got me out and onto the rocks.”

Medical assistance soon arrived and Derek was taken to Stranraer Hospital, where he was treated for hypothermia before being transferred to Dumfries Hospital for further treatment due to water in his lung. Paul and fellow manager Ffiona supported and reassured Lillian, providing lifts from hospital and offering to get shopping for her on their day off.

Thankfully Derek made good progress and was able to return to the site. “It may have been only another ‘normal day’ for the wardens but it’s a day that will be etched in our memory for the rest of our lives,” he said. “Both Paul and Ffiona and the assistant wardens went well above and beyond the expectations of a member on site and we can only thank them all from the bottom of our hearts.”

Bike hire available at trio of Club sites Did you know that you can now hire bikes on site at our Moreton-in-Marsh, Ferry Meadows and Cayton Village Club Campsites? Simply download the App-Bike app (available from Google Play and the App Store), register with an email address, and you will be able to rent bikes straight away (subject

www.camc.com

to availability). Charges are applied at the end of the rental period and are dependent on your level or type of subscription within the app.

Please bring your own helmet(s). The app provides full details in an FAQ section, but you can also ask our site staff for more details!

OCTOBER NEC SHOW RESCHEDULED The Motorhome & Caravan Show – commonly referred to as the ‘NEC show’ – has been rescheduled and will now take place from 18-23 October 2022.

Organiser NCC Events made the decision due to a lack of clarity on the rules for large, organised indoor events, while also considering other issues relating to the pandemic and current challenges to the supply chain within the leisure vehicle manufacturing industry. It will instead be concentrating on the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show, which will take place at Birmingham’s NEC from 22-27 February 2022.

If you have purchased a ticket for the cancelled show you can transfer it to the February 2022 or the October 2022 event, or choose to receive a refund.

NCC Events will be sending emails to those affected with more information.

We look forward to seeing members at the February show.

North Ledaig, by Pip Tedcastle

BOOK YOUR 2022 SUMMER HOLIDAYS NOW! You can book now for stays on our UK Club Campsites up to the end of August 2022! Visit camc.com/searchandbook, use the UK Sites booking app or call our team on 01342 327 490.

August 2021 15

NEWS CLUB AND INDUSTRY

DEBRA ATKINSON We are sad to report the passing of Debra Atkinson, a committee member with the Durham Centre, who passed away suddenly at the end of May, aged 53.

Debra, who was serving as the Centre’s Equipment Officer, will be remembered fondly by members.

The Club sends its condolences to her husband, John, and to all of her family and friends.

Campervan and motorhome hire Club members – and their friends and families – can now take advantage of 5% off campervan or motorhome hire plus a free Caravan and Motorhome Club bundle (worth more than £50) with Spaceships Rentals.

Spaceships Rentals offers a fantastic rental package that includes unlimited mileage, free additional drivers and 24/7 free roadside assistance. In addition, it has a dedicated, in-house customer support team and offers safe, contactless 24/7 pick-up and drop-off plus numerous optional extras including use of camping tables and chairs, airport transfers, etc.

All vehicles can be driven on a standard licence and the fleet consists of a range of campervans and motorhomes across three branches (located in London, Edinburgh and Dublin). One-way adventurers are also welcome so you don’t have to loop back to your pick-up branch.

With motorhome hire it’s easy for your friends and family members to join you on your adventures. Head to caravanclub.co.uk/membership/ member-offers/spaceships-rentals to find out more... and spread the word!

SUMMERTIME FUN

Get creative at Beaulieu and on site This summer, families visiting the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, and the Club’s New Forest Centenary site (both in Hampshire) can take part in a range of fun and creative activities.

Families visiting the museum between 26 July and 3 September can collect a Creative Fun activity booklet inspired by a range of themes, for example sustainable motoring, as well as the current exhibitions (‘The Golden Arrow’ and ‘Motoring in Miniature – The Toys of Your Childhood’). The booklet is packed with trails and activities, enabling visitors to discover more about the museum’s incredible collections.

Meanwhile, young visitors to the Club’s New Forest Centenary Site between the same dates can collect a free creative activity bag, filled with fun ideas for things to do while on holiday or at home.

There will also be a trail around the site, on which visitors of all ages can discover more about the history of the Club and the caravan and motorhome holiday.

Don’t forget that Club members are entitled to a discount on admission to the Beaulieu attraction (terms and conditions apply).

Check out camc.com/beaulieu for more information. Please note that activities are subject to availability.

You can also find out more at nationalmotormuseum.org.uk/ learning/creative-activities.

THE CARAVAN HANDBOOK

Long-standing Caravan and Motorhome Club Magazine contributor Sammy Faircloth recently released The Caravan Handbook, a comprehensive guide to all things touring-related.

Packed with advice on everything from buying a caravan and matching it to a towcar to electrical set-ups, gas systems and servicing, this 333-page reference book leaves no stone unturned.

Colour-coded for ease of use and featuring hundreds of photographs, it’s aimed at established caravanners and newcomers alike.

The book is available for £15.99 via shop. alanrogers.com/ guides or ebay. co.uk (search for ‘The Caravan Handbook’).

DIVISION AND REGION AGMS 2021 The following Division and Region AGMs will take place later this year. Further details (or contact details for more information) can be found on each of the websites listed in the table below. We recommend that members wishing to attend check with the Division or Region website in question before setting off, in case there are any late changes to dates, times or venues.

DIVISION/REGION Irish Division Scottish Division Welsh Division

WEBSITE camc.ie thescottishcaravanclub.com cc-welsh-division.co.uk

DATE/TIME 2 October 2021 / 12pm 9 October 2021 / 2:30pm 9 October 2021 / 11am

LOCATION Naas Racecourse, Naas Dewar’s Centre, Perth Llandrindod Wells

South West Region Anglia Region Central Region Home Counties Region West Central Region South East Region Northern Region

southwestregioncc.org.uk angliaregion.org.uk centralregion.org homecountiesregion.co.uk westcentralregion.co.uk southeastregioncc.co.uk northernregion.co.uk

11 September 2021 /2pm 12 September 2021 / 11am 9 October 2021 / 2pm 9 October 2021 / 3pm 13 October 2021 / 7.30pm 16 October 2021 / 11am 17 October 2021 / 11am

Exeter Racecourse, Exeter Chelmer Valley School, Chelmsford Kegworth Hotel, Kegworth Princes Risborough School, Princes Risborough Virtual meeting Oasis Academy, Minster, Isle of Sheppey Ripon Racecourse, Ripon

16 August 2021

www.camc.com

ZIPPER-LESS SLEEPING BAG WINS TOP PRIZE The Sierra Designs Night Cap sleeping bag – which is made from recycled materials – has been named Product of the Year in the UK Outdoor Industry Awards 2021.

The clever zipper-less bag, which features an innovative shoulder section and foot vent designed to help you control your body temperature, won the ‘Sleeping’ category before seeing off competition from the other class winners to clinch the overall title.

The awards process took place online with more than 2,000 outdoor enthusiasts voting for their favourite products. The judging panel, comprising experts from the outdoor leisure industry (including Club magazine Deputy Editor John Thynne), then picked their favourites from the nominations across nine categories.

“Sierra Designs’ Night Cap bag impressed us greatly with its innovative, versatile and eco-conscious design,” said judge and outdoor writer/editor Matt Jones.

“Combining the advantages of a mummy-style sleeping bag with the convenience of a quilt, this unusual zipper-less bag offers both comfort and warmth.”

The winners were announced at the Outdoor Trade Show, held at Exhibition Centre Liverpool at the end of June.

THE WINNERS IN FULL Accessories – Petzl IKO CORE (rechargeable headlamp) Backpacks/Travel Luggage – Osprey Talon Pro 30 Camping Equipment – Vango Radiate DLX Chair Climbing – Petzl Switch System (interchangeable crampon system) Clothing – Helly Hansen Odin 9 Worlds Infinity Shell Jacket Family – Keela Puddlebug Suit Footwear – Craghoppers Locke Packaway Shoe Sleeping – Sierra Designs Night Cap Tents – Robens Chinook Ursa S Product of the Year – Sierra Designs Night Cap

TENT CAMPING Encourage your friends and family to pitch up and enjoy a night under canvas at one of our 80+ tent camping sites across the UK. Our tent camping sites are open to non-members, so offer a great way to holiday with friends and family who do not own a tourer. Electricity and hot showers are included in the pitch price, so all they need is a tent and a love of the great outdoors. Tent pitches start from £7.60* per night.

See camc.com/camping for more information. (*Price based on one adult and one pitch at New England Bay Club Campsite.) www.camc.com

August 2021 17

NEWS COUNTRY CLUBMATTERS AND INDUSTRY STAR PHOTOGRAPHY

NEWS CLUB AND INDUSTRY

You recommend...

Gowerton

Your views on a site near Swansea and the Gower Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty “Excellent base for exploring the Gower. We hired a car through the Club for three days and it only cost £49! The access road to the site from the traffic lights is narrow at first so care should be taken.

Large motorhomes should ensure they follow the directions avoiding the low bridge.”

(Review date: October 2019) “Tesco Express a 10 min walk away and plenty of supermarkets within 15 minutes by car. Lovely cycle ride to

the Mumbles or Swansea. Both about eight miles and mostly flat each way.

Easy ride towards Llanelli as well...

Oxwich allow dogs on the beach.”

(May 2021) “Excellent cut through into the playing park where dogs are welcome... This area has the third highest tidal range in the world, and it is quite interesting to watch the river outside the campsite flowing one way and then the other.”

(October 2020)

VOLKSWAGEN READY TO TEE OFF WITH CADDY Volkswagen has announced a new addition to its California campervan range – the Caddy California. As the name suggests, it’s based on the Golf-derived Caddy MPV. It’s the smallest ‘Cali’ to date and more of a camping-car than a full-blown campervan.

Two size versions will be available when order books open this October (finished models are expected early in 2022): a short wheelbase and the longer Maxi, with choices of a 114PS petrol engine or 102PS/122PS low-emission diesels, as well as manual or automatic transmission (engine-dependent).

Prices start at just under £30,000 for the short wheelbase petrol-powered model, and top £36,000 for the top Maxi version.

The Caddy has five seats for travel, while camping kit includes a fold-out double bed and a slide-out kitchen unit. There are also two folding chairs and a free-standing table (for outdoor use). Volkswagen hopes to be able to offer two awning options.

The Caddy will be sold exclusively through Volkswagen’s network of Van Centres. Find out more at volkswagen-vans.co.uk.

Nick Harding 18 August 2021

ON THE APP

The Club Magazine App includes extra content each month and can be downloaded for free from Google Play and the App Store. The latest issue features a video review of the Bailey Adamo 69-4, a cycle route from Southlands Club site and more.

www.camc.com

See Dutch Bulb Fields in 2022 Our Dutch Bulb Fields escorted tours are now on sale for 2022 – a great chance to visit the beautiful Keukenhof Gardens and also enjoy other trips to The Hague, Delft, Amsterdam and more. Prices start from £815 based on two adults plus an outfit departing 12 April 2022, or from £829 departing 19 April 2022. For more information please visit camc.com/ europeantours or call 01342 488101.

The Caravan and Motorhome Club Singers are searching for a pianist who loves to get out and about in their motorhome or caravan.

The Singers are looking for an accompanist for rehearsal weekends and performances. The group consists of about 70 people who meet up around five or six times per year and hold weekend rehearsal rallies, with a view to performing concerts at Club events. Members come from all parts of the UK, so rallies tend to be held in the Midlands area. If you would like to join please see camc-singers.co.uk or email secretary.ccsingers@gmail.com for more information.

SHOWTIME AUGUST

6-8 Norfolk: The Norfolk Motorhome & Campervan Show, Norfolk Showground, Norwich (Warners Group, call 01778 391000 or see outandaboutlive.co.uk) 20-22 Worcestershire: The Western Motorhome & Campervan Show, Three Counties Showground, Malvern (Warners Group, details as above)

SEPTEMBER

CL OF THE YEAR AWARDS There’s still time to nominate your favourite site in our annual CL of the Year Awards!

As many members are aware CLs (Certificated Locations) are small, five-pitch sites in diverse locations, from bustling city centres to remote cliff tops and tranquil lakesides.

Our awards are designed to recognise the very best sites and hard-working owners who deliver a great member experience. Like last year, in 2021 there are three national CL awards, as well as recognition for the Best Newcomer (all CLs that have opened in the

last two years will be considered). To nominate your favourite CL, please visit camc.com/clnominate or fill in the nomination form on this page, and return it to us by 12 September 2021 (please note this is two weeks earlier than the date previously published).

As a thank you for your nomination, we are giving you the opportunity to be entered into a prize draw for the chance to win a five-night stay at your favourite CL. For the prize draw, normal Club terms and conditions apply – see camc.com/competitions.

CL OF THE YEAR 2021 ENTRY FORM

Please complete this form and send it to: CL of the Year Awards 2021, Caravan and Motorhome Club, CL Department, East Grinstead House, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 1UA. Closing date is 12 September 2021. One nomination per category per membership number. No photocopies will be accepted.

NOMINATION FOR CL OF THE YEAR Site name.............................................. County and postcode .........................................

NOMINATION FOR BEST NEWCOMER CL Site name.............................................. County and postcode .........................................

YOUR DETAILS Name.....................................................................................................................................

10-12 Somerset: The South West Motorhome & Campervan Show, Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet (Warners Group, details as above) 17-19 Devon: Motorhome & Campervan Show, Westpoint Exeter, Exeter (Apple Tree Exhibitions, call 01805 603943 or see appletree-exhibitions.co.uk) 24-26 Lincolnshire: The Motorhome & Campervan Show Season Finale, Lincolnshire Showground, Lincoln (Warners Group, details as above)

Address .....................................................................................

Note: details subject to change and pre-registration may be required – please check websites and telephone event organisers in advance for up-to-date information.

IʼD LIKE TO ENTER THE PRIZE DRAW:

www.camc.com

The Cheltenham Owners Club is celebrating its 71st anniversary at the Pavilion Rooms, Ledbury Rugby Club from 3 to 8 August.

The main open day is Saturday 7 August from 11am and there are plans to display caravans from the 1950s to 1980s as well as classic cars and towcars.

For more information see cheltenhamowners club.co.uk.

....................................................................................................

#

Pianist wanted

CALLING CHELTENHAM OWNERS

Postcode...................................................................................

Membership number...............................................................

Please indicate below whether you would like to enter the prize draw Yes/No

August 2021 19

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NEWS UK SITES Tower Bridge and The Shard at sunset

CAPITAL IDEAS Looking for a summer break that combines the chance to relax and recuperate with the opportunity to take in the sights and sounds of our amazing capital city? Then we have a Club site that’s perfect for you*!

Abbey Wood, Alderstead Heath, Commons Wood, Crystal Palace and Wyatts Covert Club campsites all offer excellent transport links into central London, while retaining that ‘get-away-from-it-all’ feel that our visitors are used to.

Unusually, this summer could be the best one ever to visit the capital, with visitor numbers dramatically down due to the effects of Covid-19.

Speaking about London’s incredible array of attractions, Bernard 22 August 2021

Donoghue, Director of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), has said: ”You are likely to never see them so quiet again and be able to get so close to wonderful art, animals and performances. Our museums and galleries, historic houses and gardens, cathedrals and palaces, castles and zoos, safari parks and heritage sites, theme parks and churches need your support more than ever before.”

LET’S DO LONDON

If you need some ideas for days out on your trip, it’s well worth checking the Visit London website (visitlondon. com/things-to-do/lets-do-london).

Here you can explore the capital using the ‘What’s On’, ‘Shopping’, ‘Food and Drink’ and ‘Nightlife’ menus.

From a trip on the London Eye to a sail on the Uber Boat, and from a day at the Natural History Museum to a

warm evening at an open-air cinema, there is truly something for everyone in the metropolis this summer.

OUR SITES

ABBEY WOOD** From: £18.10† Tent pitches, camping pods and glamping pods available here see experiencefreedom.co.uk Offering a surprisingly rural feel, this lovely site is just a short walk and train journey from the Big Smoke.

Greenwich and its famous park and National Maritime Museum are just seven miles away – you could even catch the Uber Boat from Greenwich Pier (next to the Cutty Sark), perhaps cruising all the way to Westminster via iconic Tower Bridge.

What you say: “We will definitely be back. Once you’ve stayed here you’ll put this at the top of your ‘I’m gonna return here’ list.” Hucks, 12 May 2021

ALDERSTEAD HEATH From: £16.40 † Tent pitches and glamping pods available here see experiencefreedom.co.uk Surrounded by beautiful rolling countryside and woodland, yet within easy reach of the M25, this site offers the best of both worlds. Merstham station, from which you can catch trains directly into the city, is less than 10 minutes’ drive away.

What you say: “Great site with good facilities. Staff friendly and knowledgeable of the area. Large site but is nicely spaced out. You don't feel squeezed in like some sites when they are busy.” Breezy67, 2 June 2021 COMMONS WOOD From: £16.40† Although you are based in quiet Hertfordshire countryside backed by the woodlands that give the site its www.camc.com

Check well in advance if youre still able to travel and stay

Amend as soon as possible (for free) if your plans need to change

Use our updated Late Availability checker to find last-minute pitches

Commons Wood

Alderstead Heath

CRYSTAL PALACE** From: £17.90† Tent pitches available here see camc.com Crystal Palace is a great place to visit in its own right. Not only can you peruse the ruins of the iconic palace and see the famous ‘dinosaurs’ within the huge park next door, but the ‘triangle’ with its pubs, shops www.camc.com

SEASONAL AND STORAGE PITCHES We will soon be opening bookings for ‘seasonal’ and ‘storage’ pitches during 2022.

SEASONAL PITCHES

Fancy leaving your outfit at one of our Club sites and visiting it at your leisure without having to worry about towing or manoeuvring it? Then a seasonal pitch could be for you! More than 70 sites across the country offer this fantastic facility.

STORAGE PITCHES

There are now more than 40 Club sites across the network providing secure storage facilities. Some have 24-hour CCTV in operation as well as controlled access and staff on site.

Hyde Park by Jo Kristie

name, a 30-minute train journey from nearby Welwyn Garden City takes you directly to King’s Cross.

From here, why not pay a visit to the British Museum, Regent’s Park or Madame Tussauds?

What you say: “We would not hesitate to visit again, it’s great for access to London – either 40 minutes’ drive or 30 minutes on a fast train to King’s Cross.”

ScreenNameAF52E2EDFC, 16 June 2021

Laurie Noble/Getty

Book Smart

and restaurants is within easy walking distance. It’s simple to catch a bus into central London, or you could cycle into the city using Route 23 of the National Cycle Network from nearby Dulwich.

What you say: “Site very clean, and rural considering it is so close to Central London.” tstaff, 5 May 2021 WYATTS COVERT From: £17.70† You can reach Marylebone in about 40 minutes from Denham station, which is just two miles from this leafy Club site. On arrival in the big city, you are a short walk from either Regent’s Park or Hyde Park – perfect for a picnic.

What you say: “Just spent eight nights at Wyatts Covert. The site is kept spotless, a credit to the wardens... Great location for visiting London.” sainsworth, 3 May 2021

*Summer pitches available at time of going to press. **This site is within the London Low Emission Zone, so depending on your car or motorhome’s emissions, age and weight, you may need to pay a daily fee to drive it within this zone. You can check whether you need to pay by visiting tfl.gov.uk/ modes/driving/check-your-vehicle/. † Lowest price for each site for stays throughout August and September 2021, based on one adult and one standard pitch.



DON T MISS OUT! Remember that our Late Availability checker (camc.com/lateavailability) shows available pitches at all UK Club campsites across the network for the following three weeks – you can filter by date, region and site.

Please note that, as in previous years, we will be running a ballot system to ensure all members are treated fairly and have an equal chance of securing their preferred location(s).

Look out for full details on how to make a booking in your September magazine.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

See camc.com for the latest site and CL information and follow official guidelines at all times.

August 2021 23

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NEWS UK SITES

London lowdown If you’re planning a visit to the capital, don’t forget that Club members can claim discounts on a range of attractions and activities The Great Savings Guide, sponsored by MAYDAY UK Breakdown Cover, provided by Green Flag, contains discounts on admission to venues across the UK – including a number in or around London. It also enables you to make savings at cafés and restaurants, and with outdoor activity providers. Here we take a look at the choice available in the capital for Club members. Please visit camc.com/greatsavingsguide for more details on all the offers mentioned.

CULTURAL CONNECTIONS

London is, of course, packed full of cultural attractions. If you are heading to the West End, perhaps consider the Mall Galleries (close to Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square), where two Club members can enter for free. Home to the Federation of British Artists, the Mall Galleries (pictured below) consist of three spaces exhibiting art works from established artists as well as young, up-and-coming painters, printmakers and sculptors.

If you find yourself in pretty Richmond-upon-Thames, be sure to check out The Museum of Richmond, which covers the area’s pre-history, rise to royal residence and its modern status as a centre of arts and fashion.

Entry is free and members can save 25% on purchases at the museum shop.

History buffs may also want to consider Crofton Roman Villa in Orpington – a 20-minute train ride from London; members get two-for-the-price-of-one on entry. Inside, the remains include tiled floors.

www.camc.com

ACTIVE DAYS OUT

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

See camc.com for the latest site information and follow official guidelines. We also recommend that you check with businesses/ attractions regarding opening times/restrictions/ pre-booking arrangements.

We have arranged some great discounts with a variety of activity providers across London, so if you’re feeling energetic why not leap into action and try one of the following?

Club members can take advantage of a 10% discount when choosing a Go Ape experience (above) – so how about zooming down a zip-wire or tackling a Tarzan swing at one of the company’s London locations, such as Alexandra Palace?

Look out too for price savings related to falconry, quad biking, karting, hot-air ballooning, paintball and archery. A more active day out could make a welcome change of pace from all the ‘regular’ sightseeing – and you might discover a part of London or the area around the capital that you really like.

OASES OF CALM

We all know that life moves at a fast pace in London, but there are plenty of places to unwind.

If you are staying at Wyatts Covert Club site, for example, try to make time for the The Gotha Garden at Pembroke Farm (pictured above), where you can meander through uplifting formal gardens before enjoying tea and cake in the courtyard.

Club members can get two-forthe-price-of-one on entry.

Meanwhile, Skuna Boats operates fun ‘hot tub’ or ‘barbecue’ boat experiences on the still water around Canary Wharf – private hire is for up to seven people per boat and Club members receive a discount of 10% on these unique experiences.

Visitors to Commons Wood Club site might wish to consider a day at Thornwood Spring Trout Fishery – a complex of lakes and pools dedicated to fly fishing that will serve as the perfect antidote after all those hours spent pounding city streets! One child (under 15) fishes for free with a full-paying adult Club member.

Don’t let a breakdown spoil your great day out! Our MAYDAY UK Breakdown Cover, provided by Green Flag, has been designed with the needs of our members in mind. Find out more at camc.com/mayday.

August 2021 25

Land hope

TOURING UK SITES

of

T

he cross hairs of this tour focus unerringly on the heart of England.

It may be difficult to resist the pull of the sea, but the pulse of the country beats in this central region, with its castle-building history, industrial might and countryside charm. From the splendour of Warwick Castle to the honey-stone villages of the Cotswolds and the dynamism of Birmingham, this Midlands triangle encapsulates the past, present and future.

This journey starts on a farm close to Leamington Spa, where immaculately kept pitches at Harbury

26 August 2021

and

Fields Affiliated Site serve up relaxing rural views.

A quick glance at the road atlas reveals attractions in every direction, from Oxford and its dreaming spires to the screaming engines of Silverstone, via mighty Birmingham, theatrical Stratford-uponAvon and magnificent Blenheim Palace.

The Shakespeare Inn, a two-minute drive up the road in Harbury and with a helpfully large car park to accommodate motorhomes, serves up a fine decision-making pint. Warwick Castle is an easy choice for a first port of call.

Cinematic in scale and atmosphere, the castle is pure Hollywood, from the bowman firing arrows www.camc.com

See camc.com for the latest site information and follow official guidelines at all times. We also recommend that you check with businesses/attractions that are listed regarding opening dates/restrictions.

Chesterton Mill near Leamington Spa

GLORY Jonathan Manning falls in love with the West Midlands, a region that inspired the likes of Elgar and Shakespeare

across the dry moat, to the imposing towers and crenellated walls. A narrow, claustrophobic staircase leads up to the battlements, from where spectacular views open across Warwick and the surrounding countryside. Armoured knights, people in medieval dress and raucous peacocks vie for attention in the grounds, while the state rooms have fast-forwarded a few centuries to focus on a high society ball, hosted by Daisy, 5th Countess of Warwick, in 1895.

FUN FOR ALL

It’s difficult to think of another attraction that offers so much to such a wide age range of visitors, from a www.camc.com

‘Zog’ dragon trail for toddlers and ‘Horrible Histories’ maze for older children, to the gardens, parkland and castle for everyone. All generations converge at the stunning falconry display, a show with its own fictional narrative and music, set against the backdrop of the River Avon.

The focus is on entertainment rather than education, and it succeeds brilliantly, as a barn owl gives way to a Harris's hawk, a peregrine falcon, sea and bald eagles and even a condor with an epic wingspan. The birds fly low above and even between spectators, exhibiting a spatial awareness to render any towcar driver green with envy.

August August2021 2021 27

KARL REDSHAW / Alamy

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

TOURING UK SITES

1

Harbury Fields Affiliated Site

This well-kept site boasts far-reaching views over farmland and an excellent dog walk.

Pitches: 58

Member View Leamington Spa is a good place to visit; there’s a nice park with a nice little café.”

Peter Halford

Site view Lots of visitors go to Blenheim, buy an annual pass and then come back to revisit it four or five times during the year. There’s too much to do in one day.”

Steph Davis

Food & drink The Shakespeare Inn, Mill Street, Harbury, Leamington Spa CV33 9HR Contact: facebook.com/ TheShakespeareInnHarbury, 01926 614123

Culture

GREAT

SAVINGS Blenheim Palace, GUIDE Woodstock OX20 1PP Contact: blenheimpalace.com, 01993 810500 Member offer available: camc.com/greatsavingsguide

Outdoor fun Burton Dassett Hills Country Park, Southam CV47 2AB Contact: countryparks. warwickshire.gov.uk, 024 7630 5592

For the family Warwick Castle, Warwick CV34 6AH Contact: warwick-castle.com, 01926 406610

28 August 2021

Warwick Castle, by Carolyn Holcroft

Warwick Castle is an easy drive from the next site on this tour, Chapel Lane Club site, which sits just minutes from the M42 at the southern gateway to Birmingham. It’s hard to imagine that England’s second city is five miles to the north; deer and foxes roamed the site during lockdown. Situated right in the middle of the country, the site is a popular

stopover point for Club members heading in any direction, but to treat it as a transit location seems a travesty. Chapel Lane has attractions on its doorstep, including the Transport Museum right next door and Beckett’s Farm Shop (10% discount for Club members) a 10-minute stroll away, plus the countless attractions of Birmingham www.camc.com

BOOKING INFO 2

Chapel Lane Club Site

A quiet site, convenient for both the M6 and M42.

Pitches: 116 Tent camping available here

Peacock at Warwick Castle

Mark Andrews / Alamy

For the latest details and opening information for all our sites, please see camc.com

Member View “We wanted a central site with loads of places around that we had never visited.

Bridgnorth, Ludlow and Stratford are all very nice, and the grounds at Coughton Court are lovely.”

Jenny and Geoffrey Brown

Staff View You can come for a week and do something different every day: there’s the Black Country Museum, wildlife parks, all the shows at the NEC, shopping at the Bullring…”

Keith and Tracey Evans

ous Birmingham is fam for its canals

Food & drink Becketts Farm, Heath Farm, Alcester Road, Wythall, Birmingham B47 6AJ Contact: beckettsfarm.co.uk, 01564 823402

Cotswold Vale Alpacas

Culture

Cotswold Vale Alp

acas

Birmingham Back to Backs, 55-63 Hurst Street/50-54 Inge Street, Birmingham B5 4TE Contact: nationaltrust.org.uk, 0121 666 7671

within just a short bus or train ride. The huge NEC arena is home to events such as Crufts and the Motorhome & Caravan Show, while next year the city will host the Commonwealth Games. Other permanent attractions include the retail heaven of the Bullring and Cadbury World; both justify a day out. www.camc.com

BACK IN BRUM

Birmingham was still emerging from lockdown when I visited, which unfortunately meant my first choice of seeing ‘Back to Backs’, a slice of working-class life from the industrial beginnings of the city – literally, houses built back-to-back around a communal courtyard – had not yet reopened.

Outdoor fun Sherborne Wharf Canal Trip, International Convention Centre Quayside, Birmingham Contact: sherbornewharf.co.uk, 0121 455 6163

For the family British Motor Museum, Banbury Road, Gaydon CV35 0BJ Contact: britishmotormuseum. co.uk, 01926 641188 Member offer available: camc.com/greatsavingsguide

GREAT SAVINGS GUIDE

August 2021 29

TOURING UK SITES Cadbury World The Malvern Hills, by An

drew Cole

3 Cadbury's World

Malvern Hills Club Site

A lush, leafy site with views of the Malvern Hills.

Pitches: 204

Member View “We’ve been coming here for 12 years. There’s a lovely pub up the road, we always go into Malvern, which is a quaint little place, we’ve visited Hereford and Hanbury Hall, and we sometimes go to the shopping outlet at Gloucester.”

Dave Allen

Site view “In normal times there are lots of events at the Three Counties Showground, but the Malvern Hills are the main attraction for walkers.”

Heather Plumb

Culture Worcester Cathedral, 8 College Yard, Worcester WR1 2LA Contact: worcestercathedral. co.uk, 01905 732900

Outdoor fun Malvern Hills walk Contact: visitthemalverns.org

For the family Go Ape Wyre Forest, Callow Hill, Bewdley GREAT DY14 9XQ SAVINGS G UIDE Contact: goape.co.uk, 01603 895500 Member offer available: camc.com/greatsavingsguide

30 August 2021

Morgan Motor Company

Food & drink The Swan Inn, Worcester Road, Hanley Swan WR8 0EA Contact: thehanley swaninn.com, 01684 311870

The Morgan factory is near Malvern Hills Club site

Instead, I decided to wander the city’s canals, the arteries that shipped in raw materials and shipped out manufactured goods through the ages. The City Council boasts that Birmingham’s 35 miles of canals stretch farther than those of Venice, although these are waterways for narrowboats rather than gondolas and ice creams. Waterside redevelopments lend a swanky air to many of the towpaths, but the bridges that criss-cross the canals offer regular glimpses of the brick chimneys and factories that generated the city’s wealth.

Traditional manufacturing continues close to my next port of call, the famous Morgan sports car factory being located a few minutes away from Malvern Hills Club site.

Guided factory tours show off the traditional craftsmanship that goes into each of the hand-built cars, while a fleet of Plus Four models are available to hire for a full day’s adventure (£235). It’s a golden chance for caravanners to forget MTPLM, kerbweights and jockey wheels, and surrender to the timeless elegance of these beautiful cars. www.camc.com

“

Factory tours show off the traditional craftsmanship

”

4

Rails End Nursery Certificated Location

There are generous-sized pitches with electric hook-ups on this large, sheltered CL, with only birdsong for company.

Contact: 07970 718890 Sites Directory & Handbook p474

Member View “Friendly welcome and relaxed atmosphere... An ideal, restful spot with access to so many places...Tewkesbury (Abbey) and Evesham (riverbank walks and meadows) only minutes away by car.”

Rogjen

Owner view “There are lots of walks directly from the site, and we have laminated routes and maps in the information shed. The circular walk to Bredon Hill is great.”

Jackie Locke

Food & drink The Star Inn, Elmley Road, Ashton Under Hill, Evesham WR11 7SN Contact: thestar-ashton underhill.co.uk, 01386 881325

Culture

PALACE IN THE WILD

Malvern Hills Club site delivers exactly what it says on the tin, with the famous hills that inspired the likes of composer Edward Elgar providing a backdrop.

From the highest point, at Worcestershire Beacon, there’s nowhere closer to the sky due east until the Urals in Russia. In terms of bang for your buck, the panoramas from the tops of the Malverns massively over-deliver on the effort required to scale the slopes.

The poet Benjamin Zephaniah has written touchingly about his childhood holidays spent haring about these hills, a sea of green www.camc.com

replacing the rubble and bomb sites of his post-war Birmingham playground. “In this vast space, I could play on land without fences, breathe in the clear air and run wild over the hills,” he wrote in the Bill Brysonedited collection, Icons of England. “In my Malvern Hills, the hills were mountains; a den made of branches, my palace in the wild.”

From the Club site it’s a fair old trek to the hills themselves, but there are also exceptionally fine walks on your doorstep.

There’s also a handy bus service, about 400 yards away, that heads to the cathedral city of Worcester in one direction and to

Nature in Art, Main A38, Twigworth GL2 9PA GREAT Contact: natureinart.org.

SAVINGS uk, 01452 731422 GUIDE Member offer available: camc.com/greatsavingsguide

Outdoor fun Cotswold Vale Alpacas, Cherry Tree Farm, Sandfield Lane, Evesham WR11 7QS Contact: cotswoldvalealpacas. co.uk, 07702 488118

For the family Evesham Vale Light Railway, The Valley, Evesham Country Park, Evesham WR11 4DS Contact: evlr.co.uk, 01386 422282 August 2021 31

TOURING UK SITES

5

Suakin

Certificated Location This spacious, grassy paddock is located on the edge of Stratfordupon-Avon. Water, but no electric or facilities.

Contact: 01789 292568 Sites Directory & Handbook p466

Member View “There’s so much going on in Stratford, with shows, events and markets, and it’s a lovely little bike ride into town from here.”

Ken Waite

Owner View “Our regulars have been coming for 30 years. They like to relax, go for walks and bike rides, and go to the RSC.” Barbara Magro

Food & drink The Bell, Shottery Village, Shottery CV37 9HD Contact: greeneking-pubs. co.uk/pubs/warwickshire/bell, 01789 269645

VisitBritain/LeeBeel

Culture Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Waterside, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6BB Contact: rsc.org.uk, 01789 331111

Outdoor fun Cycle the five-mile Greenway along the disused rail line from Stratford to Long Marston, passing the historic Luddington Lock.

For the family Hill Close Gardens Trust, GREAT SAVINGS Bread and Meat Close, GUIDE Warwick CV34 6HF Contact: hillclosegardens. com, 01926 493339 Member offer available: camc.com/greatsavingsguide

32 August 2021

Upton-upon-Severn, home of Britain’s biggest free blues festival (scheduled for July 2022), in the other.

Jackie Locke, owner of Rails End Nursery CL, could be excused for singing the blues after deer devoured the trees and rabbits nibbled the flowers that she planted on a site that wins rave reviews for its tranquillity, huge pitches and friendly welcome. The large, grassy paddock lies beyond a terrace of glasshouses, with one particularly good pitch

tucked behind a hedge on a large plot of its own. The information shed deserves a mention, too, with hook-up cables, camp chairs, games and books all freely available to borrow.

MUCH TO DO

Barely 20 miles to the east, Suakin CL is perfectly placed for visiting Stratford-uponAvon. Campers need to be self-sufficient as there are no electric hook-ups on site, but www.camc.com

“

Achingly pretty villages are all worthy of a diversion

”

6

Moreton-in-Marsh Club Site

A popular site on the edge of a beautiful Cotswold village.

Pitches: 184 Glamping available here

Member View “Six nights on site without using the car as plenty of walking opportunities and choice for food shopping in the town.” northernrambler

Site view “The new gate at the back of the site leads straight onto the Monarch’s Way footpath to walk to Batsford Arboretum or into Moreton-in-Marsh.”

Suz Dawson

Food & drink Redesdale Arms Hotel, High Street, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0AW Contact: redesdalearms.com, 01608 650308

Culture

Brian Jannsen / Alamy

Sezincote, near Moreton-in-Marsh Contact: sezincote.co.uk

Arlington Row, Bibury

www.camc.com

For the family

Darcy in the Malverns,

by Martin Grimstead

Cotswold Falconry Centre, Batsford, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 9AT Contact: cotswoldfalconry.co.uk, 01386 701043

August 2021 33

Tony Gage

pitches are very well spaced and there are fun murals from children’s books painted on the perimeter wall. Suakin is only about a mile from Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, the thatched Tudor house where Shakespeare wooed his bride, and it’s an easy walk or bike ride across the race course into town (or just a seven-minute bus ride).

Shakespeare-related sites dominate Stratford, but there are plenty of other attractions to enjoy. Stratford Butterfly Farm

Outdoor fun Batsford Arboretum & Garden Centre, near Moreton-in-Marsh (use GL56 9AT for sat-nav) Contact: batsarb.co.uk, GREAT 01386 701441 SAVINGS G UIDE Member offer available: camc.com/greatsavingsguide

TOURING UK SITES

7

Cirencester Park Club Site

Spread over 35 acres of parkland, this busy site is an ideal base for exploring the Cotswolds.

Pitches: 211

Member View “There are gorgeous walks in the Bathurst Estate, and it’s an easy walk into town.”

Jane Sawyer

Staff View

Illustration: Louise Turpin

“The head of the River Thames is only 10 minutes up the road – there’s a pub there and a canal, too, which you can walk alongside to Stroud.”

Mike and Hillary Ross

Food & drink The Crown, 17 West Market Place, Cirencester GL7 2NH Contact: crownciren.com, 01285 653206

Culture

GRE

AT Chavenage House, SAVINGS GUIDE Tetbury GL8 8XP Contact: chavenage.com, 01666 502329 Member offer available: camc.com/greatsavingsguide

Outdoor fun Cirencester Open Air Swimming Pool, Riverside Walk, Cirencester Contact: cirenopenair.org.uk, 01285 653947

VisitBritain/Cotswold Country Park

For the family Cotswold Country Park & Beach, Spratsgate Lane, Shorncote, Cirencester GL7 6DF Contact: cotswoldcountrypark andbeach.com, 01285 868096

34 August 2021

“

Stratford is a great place to potter, with its timber-framed buildings and wide river

provides a tropical escape from poor weather, while the MAD Museum (Mechanical Art and Design) exhibits unusual contraptions that cleverly combine engineering with artistic flair – think Wallace and Gromitesque inventions. The two green gremlins, one suspended Mission Impossible-style, defacing a portrait of Shakespeare with white paint will delight visitors with unhappy memories of double English classes.

Stratford is also a great place to potter, with its timber-framed buildings, wide river and vast recreation ground. Ken Waite, a regular visitor to Suakin, raves about how much there is going on in the historic town, highlighting the River Festival (July 2022), which brings live music and all manner of stalls to the banks of the Avon.

”

The border between Shakespeare Country and the Cotswolds is blurred, but an easy drive south sees the architecture swiftly transform into the honeyed limestone for which the area is famous.

My destination is the Club site at Moreton-in-Marsh, one of the loveliest towns in the area, with a broad high street and attractive shops (Club members enjoy a discount at Moreton Wine Merchants – just saying!). The site has something for everyone – glamping pods, safari tents and yurts, as well as a parade of A-boards advertising the food businesses that visit: a barbecue truck; a wood-fired pizza wagon; fish ’n’ chips; and a street food van. There’s an option every evening for campers who don’t fancy cooking, “and on warm summer evenings an www.camc.com

ice cream cart cycles around the site,” says Site Manager Suz Dawson.

BRANCHING OUT

Suz has installed a gate at the back of the site that opens directly onto the Monarch’s Way long-distance path. Turn right and it’s a 10-minute saunter into the heart of Moretonin-Marsh; turn left and it’s a mile to the fabulous Batsford Arboretum.

This century-old park features around 1,300 different species of tree, with almost 3,000 specimens labelled to help identification. The kaleidoscopic variety of leaf colour and shape is mesmerising, and I instantly regret missing the spring blossoms of the Japanese flowering cherries (designated the ‘National Collection’) and make a note to revisit later in the year for the riot of autumn hues.

A flat, easy track through the heart of the arboretum makes access easy for all, with steeper trails diving off left and right to explore the woodland. Batsford’s diverse canopy is spellbinding in a neck-crooking fashion, while the Japanese Rest House, and its rooftop dragon, proves an unexpected find in this corner of the Cotswolds.

There are further far-flung influences on the other side of the A44, where Sezincote brings a surprising slice of Indian architecture to the area in the form of a 200-year-old Mogul palace, complete with a green, oxidised-copper onion dome.

distinct character – the Slaughters, Bourtonon-the-Water, Bibury – and all are worthy of a diversion. Cirencester itself deserves exploration, too, the colourfully rendered buildings of its high street giving way to a twist of medieval back streets. The town is located at the junction of the Fosse Way and Ermin Street, two of the most important arterial roads of Roman Britain, and in its heyday was the second largest walled town in the country behind London.

The newly re-opened and revamped Corinium Museum celebrates this Roman past, while on the outskirts of the town centre are the huge (and free-to-visit) earthworks of the second-century amphitheatre, capable of holding 8,000 spectators.

Cirencester Park is a popular Club site, but with its 211 pitches scattered over a spacious 35 acres it feels calm and quiet.

The site is tucked into the corner of the eponymous Cirencester Park, part of the Bathurst Estate, where paths and rides radiate in all directions. Three miles to the south-west, the Thames Head Inn stands close to the source of the mighty river and not far from here you can pick up the start of the Thames Path national trail, which eventually meets the sea on the far side of London. For now, though, there’s a glimmer of blue sky, a table in the Inn’s garden and a pint of local ale to toast a fascinating tour through the heart of England.

Stephen Shepherd Shutterstock/Nigel Jarvis

Corinium Museum

Cirencester

Cycling | The Lias Line A beautiful 24-mile route passing wildlife reserves, reservoirs and canals. Starting in Warwick, you’ll wind your way past Newbold Comyn Country Park before joining the Grand Union Canal. Follow the towpath past the village of Birdingbury to Draycote Water where there’s a five-mile cycle route round the reservoir.

Continuing on a former railway line, you’ll ride through Wildlife Trust sites Ashlawn Cutting and Cock Robin Wood before finishing in Rugby. See sustrans.org.uk/find-aroute-on-the-national-cyclenetwork/lias-line.

ROMAN SOUTHWARDS

Signposts along the A429 south to Cirencester (the full stop of this tour) point to the achingly pretty villages that give the Cotswolds its www.camc.com

Draycote Water August 2021 35

christopher gandy / Alamy

Caroline Jones / Alamy

Classic Cotswolds: Upper Slaughter

Tim Gainey / Alamy

Indian architectural influence at Sezincote

CL SITES UPDATES

TOURING CERTIFICATED LOCATIONS

CL SITES

Also see the CL section of the Club website (camc.com) for the most up-to-date details on all CLs. Pitch fees may be subject to variation – please check with the CL owner before booking.

NOTE: CL entries are identified by a reference/map number in the 2021/22 Sites Directory & Handbook.

They are listed here using the same number, unless otherwise specified.

NEW CLS ENGLAND

CAMBRIDGESHIRE

HUNTINGDON (8.2m ENE) – The Raptor Foundation, Mr David and Mrs Liz Blows, The Heath, St Ives Road, Woodhurst, Huntingdon PE28 3BT. 01487 741140; info@raptorfoundation. org.uk; raptorfoundation.org.uk.

142:TL337758; 52.364374, -0.037711.

Open 1 Apr-31 Oct; 0.5 acre; adv bkg req; some sl pitches; levelling blocks req; grass pitches; ideal for fam; lawned; self-catering accom; wc (sh); shwr (sh); disabled facs; WiFi; shop & rest on site; town & pub in 1m; price fr £15 (pitch + all occ).

CHESHIRE

CHESTER (4.3m SE) – Common Farm, Mr Matthew Walley, Waverton, Chester CH3 7QT. 07974 348325; mw@spittingfeathers.org; spittingfeathers.co.uk.

117:SJ457637; 53.168006, -2.812523.

Open 1 Mar-30 Nov; 1 acre; dogs; grass pitches; 16A; EHU metered; WC (sh); price fr £18 (pitch + 2 ad).

CHESTER (4m E) – Lansdowne Road, Caroline Johnson, Stamford Bridge, Tarvin, Chester CH3 8EL. 07713 198663; LansdowneCL@outlook.com.

117:SJ466678; 53.202565, -2.797361.

Open 1 Apr-31 Oct; 0.75 acre; dogs; adv bkg req; hdstdng/grass pitches; EHU; peaceful; views; lawned; public trans, town & shop in 1m; coarse fishing, golf & watersports in 5m; price fr £13 (pitch + all occ).

FRODSHAM (2.4m NE) – Sutton Fields Farm, Mr Michael Pusey, Chester Road, Sutton Weaver, Runcorn WA7 3EX. 01928 714211; early.paws@mail.com. 117:SJ550797; 53.31289, -2.675744. OAY; 1 acre; dogs; adv bkg req; drive over waste disp for MH; hdstdng enhanced pitches (EHU with water; grey & black waste disp); www.camc.com

Saltburn-by-the-Sea, by Ian Jefferson 16A; max o’fit length: 14mtrs; price fr £25 (pitch + all occ).

CORNWALL

TRURO (5.4m SW) – Badgers Folly, Mr Alastair Smith, Coombe Lane, Hicks Mill, Bissoe, Truro TR4 8RE. 01872 870933; 07816 004661; badgersfolly@ gmail.com; badgersfolly.uk.

204:SW767411; 50.228086, -5.131864.

Open 1 Apr-31 Oct; 1 acre; dogs; grass pitches; 10A; peaceful; WiFi; dog walk fr site; shop & pub in 1m; watersports & shingle beach in 5m; price fr £20 (pitch + all occ).

EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE

HORNSEA (5.9m N) – Samara, Mrs Lisa Higgs, Bridlington Road, Skipsea YO25 8TL. 07834 372312; lisahiggs70@ yahoo.com. 107:TA164556; 53.983483, -0.226082. OAY; 0.5 acre; dogs; drive over waste disp for MH; grass pitches; price fr £16 (pitch + 2 ad).

LINCOLNSHIRE

BOSTON (11m NE) – Holly House CL, Mr Shaun Smith, Wrangle, Boston PE22 9DL. 07831 090236; 01205 270356; hollyhouse1901@ gmail.com. 122:TF423534; 53.059032, 0.122097. Open 4 Apr-31 Oct; 1 acre; adults only; dogs; drive over waste disposal for MH; grass; price fr £12 (pitch + 2 ad).

NORFOLK

DEREHAM (2.3m NE) – Walnut Tree Farm, Mr John Fish, Swanton Road, Dereham NR20 4PT. 07869 121803; office@walnuttreefarmnorfolk.co.uk; walnuttreefarmnorfolk.co.uk.

132:TG011154; 52.699609, 0.976051.

OAY; 0.5 acre; dogs; hdstdng; grass; enhanced-EHU with water & grey waste disposal; 16A; WC (sh); shwr (sh); WiFi; info rm; dog walk fr site; public trans, town, shop & pub in 1m; price fr £18 (pitch + all occ).

LODDON (7.5m E) – Priory Farm, Mr Grant Hardy and Mr Logan Hardy, Beccles Road, St Olaves NR31 9HE. 01493 764400; hello@ prioryfarmleisure.co.uk; caravanparknorfolk.co.uk.

134:TM459994; 52.537172, 1.624838.

OAY; 4.2 acres; adults only; dogs; adv bkg req; grass pitches; 16A; peaceful; pub & rest on site; views; lawned; wkg fm; dog walk fr site; public trans in 1m; coarse fishing, golf, watersports & sandy beach in 5m; price fr £19 (pitch + all occ).

NORTHUMBERLAND

CORBRIDGE (7.6m N) – Well House, Mr Richard Suddes, Colwell, Hexham NE46 4HX. 07752 611020; rjsuddes@ btconnect.com. 87:NZ957745, 55.06502, -2.068165. OAY; 0.5 acre; dogs; adv bkg req; drive over waste disp for MH; hdstdng enhanced

pitches (EHU with water; grey waste disp; washing up facs); 16A; peaceful; views; lawned; wkg fm; dog walk fr site; public trans in 1m; price fr £18 (pitch + 2 ad).

NORTH YORKSHIRE

THIRSK (2.7m E) – The White O’morn, Mr Asa Lee, Moor Lane, Bagby, Thirsk YO7 2PN. 07565 678195; 07495 854368; bernadettesykes@hotmail. co.uk. 99:SE465817; 54.227871, 1.28683. OAY; 0.5 acre; dogs; drive over waste disp for MH; grass pitches; price fr £15 (pitch + 2 ad).

SALTBURN (4.7m S) – Head Farm, Mr Bill and Mr Gary Griffiths, Lingdale, Saltburn TS12 3ET. 01287 650762; 07836 378513; billygriff55@gmail.com; wilsoncottages.co.uk. 94:NZ669164; 54.539802, -0.966547. OAY; 1 acre; drive over waste disp for MH; grass pitches; 16A; peaceful; dog walk fr site; public trans, town & shop in 1m; golf & sandy beach in 5m; price fr £25 (pitch + 2 ad).

SHROPSHIRE

BRIDGNORTH (8.8m SW) – Oldfield Bungalow, Mr Christopher and Mrs Gillian Barker, Derrington Road, Ditton Priors, Bridgnorth WV16 6SQ. 01746 712452; 07792 391076; barkeprior33@yahoo.com.

138:SO612899; 52.506153, -2.577241.

August 2021 37

TOURING CERTIFICATED LOCATIONS Open 1 Mar-30 Oct; 1 acre; dogs; adv bkg req; grass pitches; 16A; peaceful; views; lawned; wkg fm; info rm; dog walk fr site; town & shop in 1m; price fr £16 (pitch + 2 ad).

SUFFOLK

FRAMLINGHAM (3.8m NNE) – Waterpump CL, Sarah and David Munnings, Park Cottage, High Road, Badingham IP13 8ND. 01728 638780; waterpumpcl@gmail.com.

156:TM309673; 52.255532, 1.38252.

OAY; 0.5 acre; adults only; dogs; adv bkg req; waterside CL; hdstdng/grass pitches; 16A; max o’fit length 8 mtrs; peaceful; views; self-catering accom on site; dog walk fr site; pub in 1m; price fr £20 (pitch + all occ).

WORCESTERSHIRE

STOURPORT-ON-SEVERN (2m NE) – New Farm, Mrs Stephanie Bradley, Wilton Top Road, Stourport-on-Severn DY13 9JQ. 07773 607312; stephanie bradley757@gmail.com.

138:SO830727; 52.352286, -2.250482. Open 1 Mar-30 Nov; 1 acre; dogs; hdstdng enhanced pitches (EHU with drinking water); 16A; peaceful; views; lawned; dog walk fr site; public trans, town, shop & pub in 1m; coarse fishing & golf in 5m; price fr £17 (pitch + 2 ad).

WALES

ANGLESEY

AMLWCH (5m S) – Cae Bugail, Mrs Elen Wyn Hughes and Mr Arwyn Hughes, Archer House, Llwydiarth Fawr, Llanerchymedd LL71 8DF. 07800 526780; caebugail@gmail. com. 114:SH422855; 53.343645, -4.370938. Open 1 Mar-30 Nov; 2 acres; dogs; hdstdng enhanced pitches (EHU with water and grey waste disposal); 16A; WC (sh); shwer (sh); price fr £20 (pitch + 2 ad).

Tenby, by Rosalind Thwaites

38 August 2021

CARMARTHENSHIRE

CROSS HANDS (4.6m SW) – Cwrty Cledyn, Mrs Anna Elaine Clayton, Bethel Road, Pontyberem SA15 5NH. 01269 871183; 07548 685423; annaclayton2018@outlook.com.

159:SN514092; 51.762234, -4.153494.

Open 1 Mar-30 Oct; 2 acres; dogs; adv bkg req; hdstdng enhanced pitches (EHU with drinking water); 16A; peaceful; views; lawned; wkg fm; info rm; public trans, town & shop in 1m; price fr £18 (pitch + 2 ad).

CEREDIGION

LAMPETER (1m SW) – Maesypwll Top Oaks, Mr Stuart Mayes, Llanwnnen Road, Lampeter SA48 7JP. 146:SN564475; 52.107265, -4.098063. Open 1 Mar- 30 Nov; 2 acres; dogs; adv bkg req; sl pitches; levelling blocks req; drive over waste disp for MH; grass pitches; peaceful; views; lawned; dog walk fr site; public trans, town, shop & pub in 1m; price fr £12 (pitch + 2 ad).

PEMBROKESHIRE

TENBY (9.2m NNE) – Middleton Farm, Mr David Tubbs, Amroth Road, Llanteg, Tenby SA67 8QF. 07932 139379; Dave. tubbs@uwclub.net. 158:SN173099; 51.758594, -4.648337. Open 1 Mar-30 Oct; 2 acres; dogs; grass pitches; 16A; price fr £17 (pitch + 2 ad).

POWYS

CRICKHOWELL (0.6m SE) – Rheld Farm CL, Mr Richard and Mrs Kelly Bromwell, Abergavenny Road, Crickhowell NP8 1ED. 01873 810245; 07714 916165; rheldfarm@gmail.com; rheldfarm.wixsite.com/rheldfarm; 161:SO226176; 51.852159, -3.123751.

Open 1 Mar-30 Sep; 1 acre; adv bkg req; grass pitches; 16A; peaceful; views; wkg fm; public trans, town, shop & pub in 1m; price fr £17 (pitch + all occ).

RHYDYCROESAU (1.4m NW) – Bwlchydonge, Mr Eifion Jones, Cefn Canol, Rhydycroesau SY10 7JG. 01691 653457; 07790 036440; eifionjones06@aol.com.

126:SJ224318; 52.87821, -3.153179.

Open 1 Jun-31 Oct; 0.25 acres; dogs; sl pitches; levelling blocks req; grass pitches; price fr £5 (pitch + 2 ad).

1909 GLENLIVET – Glenlivet.

Call Megan McHardy only between 10am-5pm.

Oct 2020 magazine YORK – Primrose Bank. Now has EHU. July 2021 magazine MONTGOMERY – Portcullis Antiques and Caravan Park. Correct phone number is 01588 638774.

UPDATES

CLOSURES

IMPORTANT: Nightly fees may differ from those published in the Directory due to a change of facilities or ownership. It is therefore essential to confirm current fees when enquiring or making a booking. Not all CLs accompanied by a pub symbol in the Directory are located on the site of a public house – some are near to a pub (up to three miles away), so please check with the owner before visiting.

285 ASHBOURNE – Roston Inn. New email and additional mobile: sarah.knight83@btinternet.com, 07917 584523.

418 OKEHAMPTON – Crosslands.

New owner: Mr Darren Owen. Tel no still the same as listed.

525 GREAT DUNMOW – Canfield Bury. New email and mobile jonathan.clarke159@gmail.com; 07856 686812 536 MALDON – The Stables. No longer has shared toilets on site.

564 COLEFORD – Brookside.

New owners Mr David and Mrs Rachel McGuinness. Phone: 07590 444249; email: rachelmcguinness@icloud.com.

736 HYTHE – The Spinney.

Correction to SDH – does have toilet and laundry facilities.

785 CLITHEROE – Bank Top Farm Bungalow. Now has EHU and hardstanding pitches.

1074 NORTHWICH – 3 Grange Farm Barns. New owner Samantha Millson, grangefarmbarns@gmail.com; 01508 537175.

1103 WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA – Northgate Hall Farm. Landline removed, use 07990 531127.

1184 CHIPPING NORTON – Larkfield. New mobile 07985 268952.

1276 CONGRESBURY – Orchard Bank. New owner – Sarah Pearson, tel 07735 458977; email salp111@ btinternet.com.

1470 HAILSHAM – Longleaze.

New tel: 01323 847369.

1486 WADHURST – Stone Crouch Cottage. Now adults only.

1817 HOLMFIRTH – Mount Pleasant Farm. Address correction: Meltham Road, Honley, Holmfirth.

The following five-pitch CLs are closed and no longer certified by the Club. This does not affect any other business that a landowner may be operating.

66 CHESTER –Chester Lakes.

151 LISKEARD –Lower Killigorrick Farm.

230 CARLISLE –Dalston Leisure Caravan Site.

246 KIRKBY LONSDALE – Whin Yeats.

296 BAKEWELL –Tagg Lane Dairy.

339 AXMINSTER – Sellers Farm.

398 ILFRACOMBE – Hore Down Farm.

440 TIVERTON – Great Rill Farm.

555 CHELTENHAM – Home Farm.

682 BISHOPS STORTFORD – Golf World Stansted.

1069 NORTH WALSHAM – Parrs Farm.

1096 SWAFFHAM – The Swan Inn. 1138 ALNWICK – Pippins Park.

1261 SHREWSBURY – Sunnyside Caravan Park and Fishery.

1374 TAMWORTH – Bournebrook Farm.

1613 WORCESTER – Elgar’s View.

1624 BRIDLINGTON – Fishponds Farm and Fishery.

1732 RICHMOND – Kilnsey House.

1939 AMLWCH– Bodnolwyn Wen. 2107 HAVERFORDWEST– The Stables.

Nov 2020 magazine LUTTERWORTH–South Lodge.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION See camc.com for the latest site and CL information and follow official guidelines at all times. Please note: routes provided by autoroutes or satellite navigation systems may include roads unsuitable for vehicles towing trailers or caravans. There may also be specific width or height restrictions. For caravanfriendly local routes to Club sites, CLs and commercial sites we would advise using the standard directions published in the Sites Directory & Handbook and on our website.

www.camc.com

NE W

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FOREIGN TOURING SPAIN

PLEASE FOLLOW OFFICIAL TRAVEL RULES AT ALL TIMES – SEE GOV.UK/FOREIGNTRAVEL-ADVICE

Blanca canvas As well as its famous beaches, Heidi Fuller-Love discovers a quieter side to the famous Costa Blanca

Luis Parra Rubio

S Murcia Cathedral

40 August 2021

urrounded by the white, dusty fields from which the town derives its moniker, the arrow-straight A30 road southwards from Albacete (‘alba’ means white) makes for dull driving. But arriving near the lovely city of Murcia, the vistas changed completely and we were glad that we’d made the decision to initially swap the actual coastline of the Costa Blanca (known for its lively nightlife and stunning – but busy – beaches) for a destination further inland, where we hoped to find a more authentic and less-crowded Spanish experience.

Capital of the region of the same name, Murcia lies at the heart of Spain’s ‘huerta’ (orchard) country, and the fertile plains sloping down to the Segura River made a welcome change of scenery.

Even from afar, the striking cathedral tower of this city – founded by the Moors in the 9th century – shone out like an ornate beacon. Soon we were wandering the blissfully shaded old town, along streets whose names spoke of the past, when silversmiths and other merchants plied their trade here. Bathed by refreshing breezes wafting off the Segura, we strolled over to the Baroque cathedral with its lavishly decorated chapels and then climbed the bell tower – the country’s second highest – for panoramic views over the ochre rooftops.

After lunch of ‘pisto huertano’ - the local ratatouille made with peppers, onion and chickpeas - in a bar on the delightful Plaza de las Flores, (the pretty main square), we followed the meandering N 340 road towards our first campsite near the small town of Bigastro. www.camc.com

La Pedrera (Site ref: W27)

This bijou site is a peaceful haven, offering easy access to plenty of hiking and cycling trails.

Touring pitches: 40

Getty Images/Juan Maria Coy Vergara

1

Site view “This is a really peaceful site nestled in the centre of a national park but is still within easy reach of the beaches. The site, which is located near to the small town of Bigastro, has a small snack bar and restaurant too, as well as a relaxing pool area.”

Sergio Sabater Gallego, Owner

Food & drink La Tasca del Barrio, Carrer Llauradors, 22, 03002 Alacant Contact: latascadelbarrio.com, 0034 865 64 34 71

LAID-BACK BASE

Surrounded by forest, Camping La Pedrera is a peaceful site. Centred around a swimming pool and laid-back restaurant, it made the perfect base for our off-the-beaten-track Spanish break.

Up early the following day, we made a beeline for nearby Orihuela, a city in the midst of olive groves and flanked by mighty mountains. Boasting streets lined with flamboyant 17th- and 18th-century mansions and sparkling waterways criss-crossed by ornate bridges, Orihuela is like a bite-sized version of everything that Spain does best.

Heading over to the cathedral we were thrilled to see that the city’s Sacred Art Museum contains The Temptation of St Thomas by Velázquez, among other important artworks.

After an absorbing hour here, we headed for the Museo de Semana Santa (Holy Week www.camc.com

Museum) to see the frighteningly life-like winged La Diablesa statue made by famous 17th century sculptor Nicolás de Bussy.

By 7pm we were hot and hungry. On the recommendation of the campsite’s helpful staff, we sought out Casa Pepe, a traditional bodega (cellar)-style restaurant with hanging ham hocks and a long wooden bar in Calle Pedro Maza. Here, we filled up on bite-sized ‘montaditos’ bread rolls stuffed with ham and local cheese, along with ‘ensalada de pulpo’ (octopus salad) and other tapas dishes served with the local ruby-red wine made from Syrah and Monastrell grapes. We finished up with the richly delicious local nougat and custard dish, ‘natillas de turron’, for dessert and our bill came to less than 30 euros.

Eager to work off some of those calories, the next day we got out our mountain bikes and pedalled over to the nature reserve a few

Leeroy Agency

Peach fields of Cieza, Murcia

Culture Sacred Art Museum, Calle Ramón y Cajal, 03300 Orihuela Contact: museodeartesacro.es 0034 673 425 681

Outdoor fun Elche old town, Elche

For the family Santa Bárbara Castle, Mount Benacantil, 03002 Alicante Contact: castillodesantabarbara.com, 0034 965 14 71 60

August 2021 41

FOREIGN TOURING SPAIN

2

Alannia Costa Blanca (Site ref: W05)

Illustration: Louise Turpin

This large, modern campsite is close to some of the Costa Blanca’s best beaches. There are plenty of shaded pitches and a good-sized pool.

Touring pitches: 1,200

Site view “This wonderful resort has everything you could wish for.

There’s a whole host of facilities, which includes wonderful pools, a spa and gym and a fabulous bar and restaurant. From here you can explore the Costa Blanca and don't forget to visit Alicante.”

Javier Martinez, Manager

Food & drink

Luis Fernando Talavera

Casa Pepe, Calle Pedro Maza, 4, 03300 Orihuela Contact: 0034 966 26 98 36

Culture Holy Week Museum, Calle Soleres, 1, 03300 Orihuela Contact: semanasantaorihuela. com, 0034 966 74 40 89

Outdoor fun Embalse de la Pedrera (La Pedrera Lake), Orihuela

For the family Playa de la Glea (beach), 40 minutes’ drive from campsite

42 August 2021

kilometres from the campsite. We cycled all afternoon, following well-signposted trails fringed with Aleppo pine and sweet-scented rosemary, until we reached a cool, green lake (Embalse de la Pedrera). Here, we picnicked on ‘bocadillos’ – baguette-like rolls – stuffed with ham and cheese and dipped our feet in the water to cool off, before riding back through sweet-scented pine forest to the campsite.

COSTA CAPERS

Up early the next morning we headed for our second campsite. Instead of taking the busy main thoroughfare we decided to make a coastal segue, following smaller roads via a string of pretty villages, to Guardamar del Segura. With its lush forests and 14 kilometres of dune-backed, powder-sand beaches, this lovely seaside resort, which sits at the mouth of the mighty Segura River, was a wonderful place to unwind.

After lazing on the beach in bright sunshine, we bought a picnic lunch in one of the city’s ‘panaderias’ (bakeries) and sat on a bench in lush and lovely Reina Sofía Park, feeding our leftovers to the peacocks, before following a web of roads inland to the Alannia Costa Blanca campsite (part of our Long Stay Winter Sun programme – see camc.com/ wintersun for details).

Just 15km from the popular coast, this vast site is lively and very modern. We loved using the excellent facilities, which included an extensive pool complex, spa and gym.

From here it was an easy hop to some of the

area’s best-known sites, and the following days flew by as we cycled out to explore the El Hondo reserve (with its ponds and salt marshes dotted with pretty pink flamingos), or drove out to explore the neighbouring town of Elche, with its vast palm groves and old town.

On the last day we headed for the port city of Alicante, just an hour away by car. We hopped on the little tram, which carried us along coastal paths to visit a string of charming villages between San Juan and Altea. Back in town we took the lift up to the castle, where we spent several absorbing hours visiting the dank, dark dungeons and then gasping at spectacular views from the ramparts.

As the sun set over the city, we made our weary way to La Tasca del Barrio, a tapas bar along a cobbled side street in Alicante’s old town. Sitting at a terrace table, devouring plate-loads of fresh anchovies and the garlicky shrimp dish, ‘gambas al ajillo’, while watching the world go by, was the perfect way to end our trip through this glorious region of sunsoaked southern Spain.

MEMBER SINCE...

Motorhomer Heidi Fuller-Love joined the Club in 2017

www.camc.com

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CO

TOURING OVERSEAS TRAVEL

Wild times Images this page: South African Tourism

Our escorted motorhome tours of southern Africa give you the chance to see spellbinding wildlife and scenery.

And remember, when you are ready to travel again with the Club, you can book with confidence – visit camc.com/worldwide to find out why.

View from Lions Head in Cape Town

Duration/type: 38-day escorted motorhome tour Departs: 30 April 2022 and 23 September 2022 Price: from £4,299pp (30 April 2022 departure) based on two sharing

ROADS OF THE RAINBOW NATION Starting in Johannesburg, this incredible tour takes you to the world-renowned Kruger National Park, skirts the east and south coasts of South Africa and concludes in Cape Town. Your holiday is led by experienced local tour guides, who will ensure you get the very best out of your African experience.

After acclimatising in South Africa’s largest city, you will be given a motorhome orientation session and enjoy a welcome dinner, during which you can get to know your tour hosts and fellow travellers. On day four you hit the road – before long you will be exploring the famed Panorama Route, highlights of which include ‘God’s Window’, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and The Three Rondavels.

Days six to eight are spent enjoying Kruger National Park, home to more than 130 mammal and 500 bird species.

This is one of the few places in the world where you might encounter the ‘big five’ – lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant. ‘Eswatini’ (otherwise known as ‘Swaziland’) is your next destination – a country that is home to everything from

Game drive in Kruger National Park

Iconic Table Mountain

Helen and Pierre were excellent guides.

“They were very knowledgeable, kept us safe and were extremely hospitable ” towering mountains and low-lying savannah to rainforest and lush river valley.

You have the opportunity to see more extraordinary wildlife at Bonamanzi Game Reserve or Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park during the next section of your trip, before arriving at the KwaZulu-Natal Battlefields.

By day 20, travellers will have reached the majestic Wild Coast, with its hidden coves, secluded beaches and green hills. Explore a traditional Xhosa village or take a walk on deserted sands – the choice is yours.

Further highlights of your trip include a visit to Addo Elephant National Park – sanctuary not only to elephants but also the southern right whale and great white shark – and a drive along the Garden Route, taking in the town of Knysna and its beautiful lagoon. Your final destination is breathtaking Cape Town, where you will have time to explore the likes of Table Mountain and the gardens of Kirstenbosch at your leisure. Finally, a 14-course farewell dinner gives you the chance to reminisce about your adventure.

Price includes: outfit hire, return flights, all transfers, two nights at hotel in Johannesburg including breakfast, two nights at Cape Town hotel including breakfast, 31 nights pre-booked campsites, welcome and farewell dinners, full-day guided game drive in Kruger National Park, Hippo & Croc Cruise, halfday guided game drive in Addo Elephant National Park, experienced South African guides

For information on these tours, please visit camc.com/worldwide or call 01342 488059 44 August 2021

www.camc.com

Magnificent Victoria Falls

Find out more at: camc.com/ worldwide

“

A TALE OF THREE COUNTRIES This tour begins and ends in the Namibian capital city of Windhoek. After two nights in a hotel, a welcome dinner with your tour hosts and a briefing at the motorhome depot, you’ll be itching to embark on this adventure through three countries.

Early in your trip you will see the incredible sand dunes of Sossusvlei.

Optional excursions include helicopter flights, hot air balloon rides and 4x4 experiences – it’s up to you.

On day seven you can spot seals and dolphins during a cruise from Walvis Bay – fresh oysters accompanied by a glass of bubbly will only add to the on-board excitement. It’s then on to Uis in the heart of Namibia’s unspoiled Damaraland region – the Brandberg area is the place to spot the likes of desert elephant, mountain zebra, springbok and kudu. You will have the chance to see more wildlife in beautiful Etosha National Park, where waterholes attract all manner of creatures.

Next you head for the Otavi Mountains, where you can visit the iconic Hoba Meteorite – weighing

about 60 tonnes, it is the largest ‘space object’ on Earth.

Having traversed Namibia’s narrow but wildlife-rich Caprivi Strip, guests will park their motorhomes in Kasane, Botswana, before being transferred into Zambia and Livingstone – the gateway to the spectacular Victoria Falls. Optional extras here include a Sunset Zambezi Cruise or helicopter flight over the famous cascades.

Botswana’s Chobe National Park is your next destination – an area combining lush floodplains and marshland. A game cruise

on the Chobe River is included, offering the perfect opportunity to see diverse wildlife.

Further highlights of your African adventure include two nights at Crocodile Camp on the banks of the Thamalakane River, a trip to the Moremi Game Reserve and Ghanzi – where an optional excursion gives you the chance to learn about the San Bushmen.

Following a nights stay at Zelda Guest Farm, you return to Windhoek where you can reminisce with your fellow travellers over a farewell dinner.

Spot incredible wildlife

Price includes: outfit hire, return flights from the UK to Namibia, all transfers, two nights at a hotel in Windhoek including breakfast, two nights at the David Livingstone Safari Lodge and Spa in Zambia including breakfast, one night at the Kalahari Arms Hotel in Ghanzi including breakfast, Seal and Dolphin Cruise, game drives in Etosha National Park, game drive and game cruise in Chobe National Park, experienced South African tour hosts

Shutterstock/e2dan

”

Ian Lewis, Club member

Duration/type: 33-day escorted motorhome tour Departs: 7 June 2022 and 1 November 2022 Price: from £5,199pp for 7 June 2022 departure based on two sharing

Namibia Tourism Board

This is not a trip, this is an adventure. You are not just in tourist destinations – you are seeing parts of real Africa

For information on these tours, please visit camc.com/worldwide or call 01342 488059 www.camc.com

August 2021 45

TOURING OVERSEAS TRAVEL

RED PENNANT

Red Pennant Overseas Holiday Insurance protects you should you experience a mechanical breakdown or become sick on your holiday.

See camc.com/redpennant.

STAYING IN EUROPE Remember, British tourists can stay in EU countries for 90 days within a 180-day period without the need for a visa. For more information visit camc.com/brexit.

With you all the way

Colmar, France

When the time is right to travel again, the Club can help you to enjoy a fantastic winter break We know that many of you are itching to get away – please be assured that when it is safe and appropriate for you to do so, the Club will be with you every step of the way. Not only are our European campsite partners Covid-secure (complying with local guidelines) but we’re ABTA protected. To find out more please visit camc.com/confidence.

For when the time is right, why not plan a winter getaway at one of the following sites?

Sportcamp Woferlgut (Club ref: G06) Austria

Find out more at: camc.com/confidence PLEASE FOLLOW OFFICIAL TRAVEL GUIDELINES AND SEE CAMC.COM FOR FURTHER ADVICE

holidaymaker’s dream come true.

The recently built wellness and pool area boasts five pools (including a 50m indoor facility) as well as a 100m-long tube water slide. After a workout in the large, well-equipped gym, why not unwind with a massage in one of the treatment rooms or enjoy a Finnish sauna and steam bath (charges apply and payable locally)? Winter activities include snow shoe hiking and ski lessons, while in the warmer months hiking and cycling are popular activities.

Break up your journey at: Kleinenzhof (Club ref. G23) in Germany

Camping de lIll Colmar (Club ref: J12) France

Situated in the picturesque village of Bruck, and within easy reach of the magnificent Zeller See (lake), Sportcamp Woferlgut is an active Ohai Nazaré (W25) Sportcamp Woferlgut (G06) L’Escale (M07)

This lovely site sits beside the river in Colmar, north-eastern France, just 12 miles from the border with Germany.

The town is home to many canalside cafes and restaurants and is home to the magnificent Unterlinden Museum.

If you visit at the right time of year you can also visit a selection of atmospheric Christmas markets – perfect for picking up that extraspecial gift. On site facilities include a bar, restaurant and shop as well as bicycle hire. If you fancy venturing further afield, the magical Black Forest is within reach.

Break up your journey at: Heumens Bos (Club ref: H01), Netherlands

L’Escale (Club ref: M07) France

Close to the centre of the village of Le Grand Bornand in the Aravis mountains, this beautifully presented site is also just an hour from the tourist hotspots of Geneva and Annecy. On site you will find a great covered pool as well as an excellent traditional restaurant (specialising in the likes of fondues and raclette) and games room. During the winter season guests have free use of the local shuttle bus to ski lifts (including La Clusaz resort).

Break up your journey at: Camping de Paris (Club ref: P18)

Ohai Nazaré Outdoor Resort (Club ref: W25) Portugal Within reach of long, white sandy beaches, this Portuguese site boasts an outdoor pool, indoor spa area, water slides and a large adventure playground for the children. Stroll the streets of nearby Nazaré and visit the port with its colourful buildings, restaurants and cafés. If you are looking to explore farther afield, the site arranges tours to the likes of Porto and Lisbon.

Break up your journey at: La Motte (Club ref: D33), France or El Molino de Cabuérniga (Club ref: E28), Spain

To view all our winter site options and to plan your route, visit camc.com/wintersun or call 01342 488101 46 August 2021

www.camc.com

NE W Simply enter the size and weight of your motorhome or towing outfit and the Avtex Tourer Two (Caravan and Motorhome Club Edition) with its new advanced Dual Core Processor will guide you to your destination avoiding height, width and weight restricted roads.

Providing you with route warnings such as sharp bends or steep hills, the Avtex Tourer Two will even advise you of traffic jams and offer alternate routes when available.

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– Camper specific speed limits tailored to your vehicle.

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Unlimited updates for Safety camera alerts.

• Find the right campgrounds and stopover places with Tourer Two EXCLUSIVE data bases – Exclusive pre-loaded Caravan and Motorhome Club Site rich data bases including Certified Locations and Overseas Sites with detailed information.

– Trailer’s Park’s database of 8,500 of cost-free motorhome parking places across Western Europe (NEW).

– 17,000 NKC customer rated campgrounds and stopover places in 38 countries.

– 9,000 European campsites inspected by ACSI every year and search results based on amenities.

– Get information about prices, facilities, terrain, maximum number of places and more and filter by amenities. Contains pictures of most of the sites.

– Easily pan the map to search for Campgrounds (NEW.) – Shows camp sites, rest areas, attractions or fuel stations up ahead and milestones along your route.

• Free European map updates via PC, Mac or WiFi • Free Digital Traffic • Hands-free features include Bluetooth® calling, smart notifications and voice-activated navigation • Navigate Complex Interchanges with “spoken turn-by-turn” directions and active lane guidance • TripAdvisor Travel POIs with ratings • BC™30 and BC™40 Wireless Backup Camera compatible

Available with exclusive member discount from: shop.camc.com

for further information call

02920 847670 avtex.co.uk

SPECIAL FESTIVALS Thumbs up for Wychwood Festival

A brief rundown of some of the festivals I have enjoyed over the years: n Cambridge Folk Festival A long-running favourite. The nearest Club site always books up way in advance. n Glastonbury Festival Completely unique, and everyone should go at least once in their lifetime. n Green Man Festival Folk and indie music with a fantastic Brecon Beacons backdrop. n Reading Festival Popular with teenagers and attracts big-name bands. n Shepley Spring Festival Traditional folk and more near Huddersfield. n Sidmouth Folk Festival A week-long folk event in the East Devon seaside town. n Tenby Blues Festival Every November, at venues across the popular Welsh resort. Perfect for an out-of-season experience. n Wychwood Festival A great family-friendly festival in Gloucestershire. Not too big, not too small – just right.

48 August 2021

TOP NOTES Music festivals and the touring lifestyle can go hand in hand.

Nick Harding reflects on his experiences and offers a few pointers

I

f you’re looking for a new way to holiday with your caravan or motorhome, why not incorporate a weekend music festival into your touring plans?

Though most festival-goers will take their tents, there is often a designated field for live-in vehicles or there will be a site nearby, meaning you can enjoy all the daytime (and night-time) fun and return to your safe haven whenever you wish. The camping period often extends beyond the music days, or you can sometimes pay extra to stay on site longer, giving you time to settle in and explore your surroundings.

Festivals are incredibly diverse – 241 had been planned for 2020 prior to the pandemic – and enjoyable on so many levels; there really is something to suit every taste. Even the smallest festival will be an escape from everyday life, and the biggest create whole other worlds.

There’s something special about seeing your favourite artists, or indeed acts you’ve never

heard of before, performing live outdoors. But the atmosphere is just as important as the music, and there are usually all sorts of sideshows, stalls, and foodie experiences on site to make a truly memorable weekend. Festivals also present a great opportunity to meet up with old friends, and make new ones!

NEW EXPERIENCE

Before attending a festival, it’s useful to understand how the camping experience differs from that on a Club site. Although I have enjoyed many fantastic events over the years with my outfit, I have made my fair share of mistakes.

Camping amenities and set-ups – everything from the provision of toilets and showers to space between units – can vary a lot from one event to another.

Most will offer gas exchange, but unless you’re very lucky, there won’t be ‘luxuries’ such as mains hook-ups. And it could be a hike to any fresh or waste-water points, as well as to www.camc.com

My festival: views from the field Wickham Festival It’s so local

Wychwood Festival Where I met my hero!

Location is important. Wickham is near me, so I don’t need to drag myself miles away and then back again at the end of the gig.

This festival is also very close to the town of Wickham. You can nip out and get supplies (there is a very good butcher, for example) or visit the local pubs. There are often things going on in the town around the festival, like walking tours and breakfast in the village hall etc. They also have some big screens which means you can watch the bands outside if you don’t want to mix it in the mosh pit!

Dr John Ball (regular attendee) Info: wickham festival.co.uk Dates: 5-8 August 2021*

I loved Wychwood so much in 2018 I went for a second time the following year… that’s when I met Steve Davis. It’s a little known fact he’s a brilliant DJ as well as being a former snooker world champion! After festivals (I’ve been to a dozen around the UK – look out for me in my white and orange Volkswagen T2 campervan), I love snooker.

For Wychwood, the possibility of a shower without queuing for hours (if you get the timing right) and hot water for hand washing in the arena is a luxury. Also, because it’s at Cheltenham Racecourse, the camping is on particularly flat ground.

Lin Oakley (regular UK festival-goer) Info: wychwood festival.com Dates: 3-5 June 2022*

Glastonbury Festival It’s the greatest

Top to bottom: Nick (left) and friends at Wychwood; Shepley Spring Festival; serious music... and a chance to have fun! designated chemical toilet disposal areas. If you can, it’s well worth filling up with fresh water before you arrive. Not all sites have demarcated pitches (although we are now all quite used to social distancing!). Take all your usual kit, just in case; and be aware that the ground may not be flat, so levelling ramps may be needed. Grip mats could also be a good idea should the ground become slippery.

Most importantly, don’t pitch too close to the toilets, and bring wellies and sunblock! The British weather may be unpredictable, but that shouldn’t scupper your fun if you are prepared for all eventualities. Try and get to a festival next year; I guarantee you’ll love it!

MEMBER SINCE...

Motorhomer and caravanner Nick Harding joined the Club in 2002

www.camc.com

Glastonbury has to be seen to be believed! I first went 14 years ago and more recently I’ve worked there as a volunteer. You don’t get the full idea of the scale of the place from TV coverage.

Lots to see, do and eat, catering for all tastes. Such a variety of people attend, from the young, beautifully made-up folk who are out to impress, wearing whatever they believe the year’s festival wear to be, to the ageing hippies who might not be wearing anything at all!

Fantastic memories and friends made here and a chance to look around the site before the paying guests come in is even better.

Rowan Tanner (volunteer) Info: glastonbury festivals.co.uk Dates: 22–26 June 2022*

Lechlade Music Festival Mains hook-ups, dogs welcome Ten years old this year, it’s grown to boast five stages, comedy and cabaret, great food, real ales and free workshops.

A dedicated field hosts just over 200 live-in vehicles, with electrical hook-up available at time of booking. Dogs on leads are welcome (with a gentle reminder about keeping your pooches away from the loudest music), with plenty of picturesque walks alongside the river and the town just two minutes’ walk from the festival field. Our laid-back festival is an ideal way to start the season and a perfect starting point for touring the region.

Jennie Turner-Maskell (co-founder and organiser) Info: lechlade festival.co.uk Dates: 27-29 May 2022*

*Please note: dates of festivals correct at time of going to press. We recommend that you check dates/restrictions with the organisers of events mentioned on these pages prior to attending. Please follow official guidelines at all times.

“

You don’t get the full idea of the scale of Glastonbury from TV coverage

”

August 2021 49

MILENCO Sold Secure is the toughest approval rating NEW High Security Steering Wheel Lock +

The NEW + version comes supplied with protective steering wheel soft pads and a carry bag. Gold Sold Secure. Compact in size, easy to fit, yet extremely resistant to all types of attack. Fits all vehicles.

NEW BC Lock encases and Super Heavy Duty Hitchlock locks the brake and clutch pedals, rendering them inoperative. Being the only pedal locking device on the market that is Sold Secure Gold approved and Police recommended.

Secured By Design

have been engineered to be the strongest Hitchlocks on the market. Superior shielding locking system.

Sold Secure Caravan Gold and Police recommended.

Secured By Design

12V

9.5L

NEW NE

Wraith Wheel Lock

Exceeds Sold Secure Gold Standard Corrosion resistant plastic cover Fits all caravan steel and alloy wheels Constructed from the highest quality steel

Mirror Protectors Protect your mirrors against accidental damage. Can also cover existing damage. Easy to fit. Fits Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer and Citroen Relay. Black or White.

MGI Double Plastic Steps available in 2 sizes.

These steps conform to the Caravan Safety Standard EN1645. Incredibly stable with Non-tip durable design with non-skid treads.

Extra heavy duty.

by Leisure-Tec Germany, the creator of the MyCoolman brand with over 30 years of experience of innovating portable cooling. Is now available in the UK. • 9.5L Capacity (12x 330ml cans) • Cools up to 18°C below ambient temperature • Warms up to 40°C above ambient temperature • Near silent operation • Built in cupholders • Super compact • USB charging socket • See www.milenco.com for full details

Products you can trust

www.milenco.com

SPECIAL CONTACT CENTRE

“

Help us to deal with more enquiries, more efficiently Altnaharra Club site

”

Here to help you Website, app or Contact Centre... we provide all the services – and answers – you need

W

e know that many people enjoy the speed and simplicity of going online to make bookings, arrange insurance, update membership information or find answers to technical queries. As a result we have improved our website (camc.com) so you can do even more at the touch of a button.

While you are visiting the Club website, you can also take advantage of a huge number of informative articles designed to help new members and seasoned caravanners and motorhomers alike.

To help us deal with more enquiries from members, more efficiently, especially during busier times, why not try having a look on the website first? If you can’t find what you are looking for there or would rather speak to the Club, a friendly member of staff from our award-winning Contact Centre is always on the end of the line to help.

Here is a rundown of some of our existing and new features to help you find answers to all of your questions...

www.camc.com

n A redesigned ‘Members area’ on the Club website featuring links to UK and overseas site bookings, a new Members’ section and updated membership management pages (see below), insurance information, exclusive offers and the handy late availability checker. You can find all of this by clicking on the ‘Club members area’ heading under the ‘Membership’ tab on the website home page or by going directly to caravanclub.co.uk/membership/ club-members-area. n A redesigned ‘My membership’ page (caravanclub.co.uk/ membership/my-membership) where, once you have logged in, you will be able to view, amend and cancel bookings, renew membership, update your outfit details and check out a range of membership benefits. n An improved new members’ section – at caravanclub.co.uk/ uk-holidays/start-a-newadventure – packed with information and advice for those new to the Club or touring in general.

n An online Live Chat service with one of our experienced Contact Centre agents is available from 9am to 9pm, Monday-Friday. n A new automated chat facility is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When prompted, simply type in your question – if an answer is available our ‘AI chat bot’ will suggest an answer or the next course of action. Between January and May our automated chat facility answered 62,182 questions from members. Every time a question is asked, our ‘AI chat bot’ adds it to a list of the most popular queries. This ensures it can

answer the same or a similar question for another member even quicker– so many of the answers you need are close at hand! n This summer we will be launching a new Contact Us tool on the website. This will initially provide answers to frequently asked questions, but you will also be able to direct your enquiry to the most appropriate department – via a simple online form. n Remember that you can search, book, amend and cancel site bookings using the UK Sites App (available via the App Store and Google Play).

Beautiful Kinlochewe

August 2021 51

What could be better than a hassle-free, perfectly level motorhome in seconds?

Automatic levelling systems have fast become THE ‘must have’ motorhome accessory.

We provide the high quality HPC Hydraulic Self-Levelling System at a competitive price.

This system works to provide the convenience of a level and stable motorhome in less than 90 seconds, leaving you free to do anything else.

Benefits of the HPC Hydraulic SelfLevelling System: • Level in just 90 seconds • Lightweight just 40Kgs • Aluminium anodised jacks will not rust • Easily change a tyre or fit snow chains • Smart phone app control • Modern touch screen operation panel • 4 different level settings (level 1, level 2, tank drain, stabilise) • No rocking on the suspension • 12V or 24V • Intelligent diagnostic history logging • Take the weight off the wheels • Doesn’t get stuck in the mud • Lift up to 30 tonnes • Maintenance free for 5 years (oil change)

Having a level motorhome means you won’t have any more shower drainage issues, uneven cooking surfaces, and no rocking if windy or from walking around the motorhome.

It also avoids the problem of driving up ramps and sinking the driven wheels into the mud.

Through this system, you can choose from four different levelling positions (level 1, level 2, tank drain, and stabilise), benefiting from a touch-screen control panel, as well as manual adjustments to extend and retract. You can even download a special smart phone app to control it through a touch of a button.

The HPC motorhome automatic levelling system is extremely light weight, featuring jacks made from anodised aluminium.

It also features an emergency pump handle, so you can be sure never to find yourself stuck in a tricky situation with

your motorhome.

Manual mode in the control panel (or on the app) simplifies activities such as changing a wheel, fitting snow chains, or operating the system from outside for any other reasons.

For more information or to arrange to see our demonstration vehicle, simply contact a member of our team directly.

We will be pleased to advise how you could benefit from our HPC fully automatic motorhome levelling system.

Available from:

LNB Towbars & Vehicle Extras Ltd. www.lnbtowbars.co.uk | 0117 969 4955

SGM Towing www.sgmtowing.co.uk | 02920 236 121

Glide-Rite Products www.glide-rite.com | 0151 638 8002

Hedley Towing Centre www.hedley-towbars.co.uk | 0191 386 3972

Jacksons Leisure Satellites www.jacksonsuk.com | 01924 848 966 The Motorhome Depot www.tmdmotorhomes.com | 01527 656 50

Newport Caravans www.newportcaravans.com | 01633 843 066

UK Distributors of HPC Hydraulic Self-Levelling System

1151-1152 Aztec West Business Park, Almondsbury, Bristol, BS32 4TF 0117 9694955 sales@lnbleisure.co.uk

Letters

CORRESPONDENCE YOUR VIEWS Send your letters to: enquiries@camc. com or magazine@ camc.com.

Please note: Star Letter prize will be posted as soon as possible.

Your chance to have your say. The writer of our Star Letter will receive a copy of our fantastic new Touring Europe guide

MOVER MANOEUVRE

STAR LETTER

TREASURED MEMORIES I have recently joined the Club after a few years out. My parents were members many years ago and used to travel to rallies with their Sprite and later their Thomson Glendale caravan.

Sadly my parents have passed away. While tidying I found these in a cupboard and thought I would share with you. There are so many happy memories held in each of these locations and lots of new friends were made during this time, some of whom are still friends today.

My father always said that I must have had a terrible childhood, because when we went away at weekends they never saw me from our arrival on site on a Friday evening until we went home on a Sunday afternoon. In fact, it was the exact opposite. I had a fabulous childhood spent playing, exploring and making new friends and couldn’t thank them enough for giving me that freedom and new experiences. I had a wonderful time and treasure the memories I hold. I hope to make lots of my own memories in the next few years!

Claire Middleton, via email

INSPIRING READ Thank you for your article on a holiday in the North West of England where we live (February edition). It was nice to read about places we know, most of which we have visited at some time or other. I don’t really think of ourselves as living in a touristy area, but it brought home to us all the great things on offer in the North West, and virtually all of them are within an hour of home. It has inspired us to visit some local places again now restrictions are lifting.

Julie and John Lowe, Cheshire www.camc.com

LOVED THE LIFE It is with great sadness that I am having to sell our caravan as a result of the passing of the love of my life at the end of 2020 and my own doubtful health.

Having been a member since 1968, I would like to give my absolute gratitude to all of the Club staff over the years that have made caravanning such a joy. My wife and I truly loved the life, from the early days of rallying with friends when the children were young and happy to be around us older folk, to wandering the UK with other friends as we all became older.

Thank you all. May the Club continue and prosper.

Tony Durley, via email Editor’s note: Thank you very much Tony – the Club will miss you. It’s great to hear that caravanning has given you so much pleasure over the years.

We have just returned from five lovely days at Bromyard Downs Club site. On our arrival we were duly shown to our pitch by site staff. As soon as I started to move the caravan into position, the mover packed up and I was unable to disconnect the mover from the wheel. My wife went to the office to ask for help. John the site manager came along with his tractor and pushed the van into position. Later John came along with his tool box to look at the mover. On inspection he realised the mover had broken and that we would not be able to get off the pitch on departure, whereupon he kindly disconnected it. This was, in our opinion, above and beyond the call of duty and it saved me a lot of hassle. The upshot was, next day we booked the van in for a new mover to be fitted. A special word of praise for the helpful site staff we often encounter on Club sites.

Peter and Eve Billson, Birmingham

A JOINT EFFORT We have just returned from a two-week tour of Scotland in our trusty campervan and I just wanted to say a big thank you to all Club staff that made this possible.

The staff on all of the sites worked tirelessly to create a pleasant, Covid-safe environment for us all to enjoy. I have immense respect for them and the work that they do with such passion and dedication.

It is clear that a lot of work goes into making the sites Covid-safe; from the organisation’s well thought-out policies and procedures, to the implementation of these by site staff.

Mostly the systems worked well, but I was dismayed to see some people ignoring the guidelines. Please can we all show respect for the hard work of Club staff, for each other and for the communities in which these sites are situated by at least trying to follow instructions.

Helen Glover, Greater Manchester

August 2021 53

CORRESPONDENCE YOUR VIEWS

CAVALIER FAN

I read with interest David Hartridge’s letter (June edition) about his first holiday in their Cavalier caravan which, judging by the picture, was a 4-40GT like ours. My parents bought this caravan new just two weeks before I was born – the invoice I have shows delivery on 24 August 1973 for the princely sum of £746. I’m pleased to say that I’m still its custodian nearly 48 years later, albeit with a rebuild in the early 2010s.

I have so many happy memories of this caravan (grey and white, with single glazing like David’s) and the holidays we went on, that even when the roof was damaged and left leaking by a break-in, I spent many hours renovating it structurally and cosmetically. The upholstery is original, but much of the walls, ceiling and frame structure had to be replaced. As I’m the same age as the Cavalier, we have shared much of life’s ups and downs together and I

could never part with it, particularly since my father died.

When the rebuild was nearly finished, I happened to see a 1978 Cavalier 4-60GT (the one with the orange bottom and avant-garde, plastic double-glazed windows) for sale locally. Cavaliers are very rare these days so, of course, I had to buy it!

David is correct in that the Cavaliers

were quality caravans of their era. I hope that when the caravan and I approach our 50th, 60th and maybe even 70th year together we’re both still able to enjoy the odd weekend away.

Richard Feetham, Derbyshire

PLEASE KEEP YOUR DOGS ON SHORTER LEADS We have just enjoyed our first holiday of the year, two weeks in our caravan at a lovely CL in beautiful Lancashire.

Our stay was enhanced by watching the antics of the lambs in the adjacent fields and the two hens that roamed the CL. I think the hens thought that the CL occupants were there for their entertainment and the CL owner said that they had certainly missed

the caravanners when they were unable to open. One day during our stay a motorhome arrived with two large dogs, which were on very long leads. A hen wandered off towards the motorhome and was immediately attacked by one of the dogs. Please dog owners, try to keep your dogs close to your outfit on short leads to prevent an innocent creature suffering.

Edna and David Green, via email

Your mag needs you!

We would love to hear about your previous adventures and plans for the future!

Please email us at magazine@camc.com.

54 August 2021

www.camc.com

PICTURE QUIZ

We recently joined the Club and have just got back from 10 days’ touring Suffolk and Norfolk. We were really impressed by the four CLs we stayed at during our travels – Priory Farm at Carlton Colville, Red House at Thurne, Sycamore Farm at West Caister and The Station at Attlebridge.

All had fabulous hosts and each had its own character and unique features.

For our last night we stayed at Cambridge Cherry Hinton Club site in Cambridge.

We are really happy we joined up and look forward to many more stopovers at fabulous CLs. Can you guess which CL the photograph is from?

Carl Broadis, Caroline and Albert the dog, via email

FELL IN LOVE In early June we attended our son and daughter-in-law’s wedding at the top of Lingmoor Fell in the Lake District. It was an intimate wedding with just the bride and groom and two sets of parents (and not forgetting their dog, Isla!).

This picture is the wedding party climbing down after the event – bride in full wedding dress and walking boots, of course!

Greg Skyte, via email

HELPING HAND I would like to thank the site staff at Shawsmead Club site for their help when I collapsed in New Quay, Wales, and was taken to hospital. My wife was brought back to the site by the coastguard, leaving my car in New Quay. John, the site manager, kindly went to New Quay and brought my car back to the site, and when I returned that evening from Aberystwyth Hospital he emailed a letter to Green Flag explaining that I would not be able to drive for seven days. Green Flag arranged for a taxi to take myself and my wife, Sheila, home that day, a four-hour drive. The car and caravan followed a couple of days later on a low-loader. Without such excellent service from Green Flag we would have been stranded in New Quay.

Mike Ludden, via email www.camc.com

August 2021 55

ACTIVITY BREAKS GO-KARTING

“

It's fast, furious fun; an addictive adrenaline hit

56 August 2021

”

www.camc.com

Fast track Ready for a change of pace?

Jonathan Manning has to learn quickly behind the wheel of a 200cc go-kart

I

s it the car or the driver? Every Formula 1 fan must surely wonder whether results would differ if every driver piloted an identical vehicle. Would tail-enders develop a taste for podium fizz if the only differentiator on the grid were their driving skills? Go-karting can create a more level playing field – it’s a high-octane, no-excuses sport offering an exhilarating sense of speed and wheel-to-wheel excitement. The karts are straightforward to drive; there are no gears to worry about, no DRS boosts or pit lane radios, just a 200cc Honda engine (on my experience day anyway), a brake pedal under the left foot and an accelerator under the right.

How hard can it be?

SKILL AND BRAVERY

Very hard indeed, is the short answer. Yes, it’s fast, furious fun; an addictive adrenaline hit. But it also demands skill and bravery, and it takes barely five minutes at Wiltshire’s Castle Combe karting circuit – a twisty, 350m track with challenging corners and a perimeter wall of tyres – to discover that I’m woefully short of both qualities. No one likes to admit they’re a lousy driver, but too much time checking the mirrors of a towcar and driving cautiously around corners has clearly taken the edge off whatever recklessness I may have had as a teenager.

Frankly, the writing was on the wall as I signed in at the clubhouse to pick up my overalls and helmet. Other racers were dressed from head to toe in their own kit, including racing boots. “Do you race here often?” I ask a fellow competitor, who had arrived with a group of friends. “No,” he replies. “We usually race at Thruxton – my mate over there has his own racing kart.”

The safety briefing, including a run-down of flags that might be waved and their meanings, whizzes by in a blur, www.camc.com

August 2021 57

ACTIVITY BREAKS GO-KARTING

“

Agood start is essential – overtaking is tricky

TRACK STARS Three more go-kart tracks to try

BOOK

ON TH E

A PP

”

ANCASTER KARTING Lincolnshire Long straights, a wide track and technical chicanes make this a thrilling track for go-karting.

Info: ancasterleisure.co.uk Stay: Wagtail Country Park AS

CAREW KARTING Pembrokeshire Drive this 500m-long floodlit circuit in 390cc ‘Thunderkarts’.

There are races of varying lengths, and options for adults and children.

Info: carewkarting.co.uk Stay: Freshwater East Club site

before groups of eight set off for a familiarisation drive. The power surge is instant, the steering pin-sharp and the braking brutal. It’s only when I’m stood on the viewing platform above the clubhouse that I overhear conversations about the best lines to take around corners, the treacherously damp sections of track and the key spots for overtaking. None of these, it’s fair to say, have crossed my mind.

The format of the event is simple. All drivers compete in four heats, from different start positions on the grid. First to the chequered flag after five laps gets the most points, and so on.

Points are totalled after the heats, leading to a series of finals at the end of the day.

BLUR OF WHEELS

COAST 2 COAST KARTING Cornwall Get a group of four together, enjoy a five-minute warm up, then race eight laps, all for £20 each.

Info: coast2coastkarting.co.uk Stay: Godrevy Park Club site

See camc.com for the latest site information and follow official guidelines at all times.

58 August 2021

Watching the first heat, two things become obvious. First, a good start is essential – overtaking is tricky. And secondly, for a non-contact sport there’s an awful lot of contact as drivers edge rival karts out of the way. Minutes later I’m sat in fourth place on the grid waiting for the starting light to turn green, Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain running through my head. Then we’re off, screaming engines and a blur of wheels hurtling towards the first corner. The kart in front of me spins. I slam on the brakes to avoid T-boning it, and the two karts behind me overtake. Fortunately, the kart that spun is wedged into the tyre wall, and by the time it’s freed I have enough of a lead to keep fifth place to the end.

Heat two, and I’m starting from the back of the grid. At least there’s an excuse for finishing last, even if this is the sort of position from which fearsome F1 drivers weave through the field to reach the podium. Not me. Laps take about 30 seconds, with the karts capable of 40mph and recording an average lap speed of about 30mph. But I fear I’m closer to Driving Miss Daisy than dicing with danger. The race is over before I’ve begun to get a feel for the kart

or the racing line, and, sure enough, I’m last to take the chequered flag.

Between races I’m envious of the other groups – friends, brothers, possibly a stag do – who can analyse the key incidents and action from each heat with one another. This would be so much more enjoyable with friends of a similar driving ability.

Heat three, and I’m in pole position.

Unfortunately, the heavens had opened about 10 minutes earlier and, unlike in Formula 1, there’s no time for a tyre change. Five of the six karts spin at the first corner, and we all end up facing the wrong way on the slippery track. I’m slowest to react, dropping from first to sixth place in a flash, and my fifth-place finish is due only to the fact that another kart has spun and wedged itself into the tyres.

It’s no surprise to find myself 43rd out of 44 drivers at the end of the heats, which means my last race of the day is the ‘slow coach’ final.

I improve my position by one place (by passing a crashed kart), but that’s the end of the road for me. It’s been a humbling experience, but incredibly good fun! n Jonathan took part in the ‘Public G Karting Grand Prix’ run by Drive-Tech SAVIRENAT GS GUIDE at Castle Combe Circuit. Members save 10% on Drive-Tech driving experiences.

Pre-booking required – visit camc.com/ gsgcodes to access your member discount code, which you will need to provide when booking directly with the venue.

Terms and conditions: Booking office open Monday to Friday.

Available on selected weekends.

www.camc.com

MEMBER OFFERS SPECIAL DEALS

SAVE WITH THE CLUB We constantly bring you great offers covering a wide range of interests and activities.

Here is a selection of products that are perfect for you and your canine companion

Home comfort for your four legged friend Ivy & Duke offers a range of products designed specifically with portability in mind. Providing support and comfort, they ensure your pet travels with you in style.

As well as contemporary, hardwearing and waterproof designs, the company also offers a bespoke customisation service should you have a specific size or style requirement for your caravan, motorhome or tent. Visit camc.com/ivy&duke for more information and a 10% discount.

Savings from Naturediet Naturediet believes that a happy tummy makes a happy dog. The company creates simple meals designed to nourish your dog and be gentle on the digestive system. The recipes, which come in recyclable packaging, contain no artificial colours, flavourings or preservatives. Members save 15% on their first purchase and 10% on subsequent orders.

Find out more at camc.com/naturediet.

SAVE 15% WITH DOGGY BAG

Doggy Bags are made from a super-absorbent fabric that allows you to dry your dog quickly, while mud, sand and dirt are all contained thanks to the zip-up design. The material dries out much faster than regular cotton – so often you’ll just need to give the bag a shake outside before using it again.

For more information visit camc.com/doggybag.

“We are delighted with our Doggy Bag purchase!

It is helping to keep our vehicle and home clean and our spaniel loves it too! Plus saving over £10 was the cherry on the cake…thank you CAMC!” Hayley Randoll

Terms and conditions apply to all member offers and Club Shop purchases – see camc.com/memberoffers and shop.camc.com for details 60 August 2021

www.camc.com

SAVE 15% ON DOG BUOYANCY AIDS You can protect your pup around water with the new Red Original Dog Buoyancy Aid, which is designed to support their body and allow them to swim naturally. It also features a ’no-pinch’ clip, engineered to stop the harness catching your dog’s fur or skin, four different grab handles, reflective detailing and a stainless steel lead attachment.

Visit camc.com/redoriginal to access your discount code.

YOUR

SAVINGS Have you or your dog benefitted from our Member Offers? We would love to hear from you! What have you purchased, and how much did you save?

Please email your Member Offer stories or photos to memberoffers@ camc.com.

COMPETITION

TIME

To celebrate International Dog Day we are running a competition from 23 July to 26 August giving you the chance to win the ultimate prize bundle for the pooch in your life!

Find out more at camc.com/paws.

PORTABLE DOG ACCESSORIES

Visit camc.com/ colapz to access your discount code

Colapz offers a range of flexible, eco-friendly and durable products for you and your dog. Club members can enjoy 10% off kit, including: n Portable outdoor dog shower kits – with container ranging from eight to 35 litres and rechargeable by USB. The battery will provide 55-65 minutes of flowing water at a rate of three litres per minute. Note: site users are responsible for catching waste water and emptying via the on-site waste facilities. n Collapsible twin dog bowls – take your dogs on the road with this pair of collapsible bowls (above left). One for food, one for water, they are integrated with their carry case for portability. n Portable dog water bottle – this versatile water and/or food bottle (above right) is perfect for daily walks or adventures.

The bottle comes with an integrated fold-out silicone leaf which creates the perfect bowl for water or dry dog food. A handy plastic clip allows you to attach it to a bag or your trouser belt loop while on the move.

Visit camc.com/colapz to access your discount code.

15% OFF ADVENTURE BRANDS n Mountain Warehouse – Not only does Mountain Warehouse offer a vast range of clothing and equipment for multiple outdoor activities, but it also has accessories and toys for your dog. Find out more at camc. com/mountainwarehouse. n Cotswold Outdoor – supplying everything from walking boots to waterproof jackets, wherever your adventure takes you Cotswold Outdoor has the latest in outdoor technology and style. Access your discount code at camc.com/ cotswoldoutdoor.

Terms and conditions apply to all member offers and Club Shop purchases – see camc.com/memberoffers and shop.camc.com for details www.camc.com

August 2021

61

CYCLING STATELY HOMES

HOME RUNS

Jonathan Manning has been cycling routes from Club sites since 2016.

Here he picks his five favourite rides which visit historic properties Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire This ride captures the start and end of Sir Winston Churchill’s life; his birthplace at magnificent Blenheim Palace and final resting place in a humble grave in neighbouring Bladon. Blenheim has been home to the Dukes of Marlborough since Queen Anne gifted the estate to John Churchill following his victory at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. The park, gardens and palace are spectacular, with walks taking in famous film locations (Spectre, Harry Potter, Mission Impossible) and to landmarks such as the Temple of Diana, where Sir Winston proposed to Clementine. Bladon Chains Club site is actually within the estate grounds, although the ride heads into the rolling farmland of the nearby area. Please note, the Club’s lease for Bladon Chains ends in September, so visit before it’s too late.

Start: Bladon Chains Club site Distance: 18 miles /28.5km

62 August 2021

Belton House, Lincolnshire Formal gardens and a handsome fallow deer park make 17th-century Belton House the ideal mid-point for this relatively flat, peaceful ride through the Lincolnshire countryside.

Run by the National Trust, the house itself is fairly modest compared to some of the huge stately piles in this selection, but there are still exquisite riches inside to make a visit more than worthwhile. Plus, of course, a reliably good Trust café for a cuppa and piece of cake before continuing your ride.

The route starts and finishes at Wagtail Country Park, an Affiliated Site with a pretty fishing lake at its heart, and passes through picturesque stone villages of which Hough-on-the-Hill is the pick, with its striking church and appealing The Brownlow Arms.

Start: Wagtail Country Park AS Distance: 20 miles/32km www.camc.com

Blenheim

Churchills birthplace: Blenheim Palace

“

One spellbinding panorama sweeps into another

”

The Grange at Northington, Hampshire Eight colossal pillars prop up a façade that looks more Ancient Greek than local Hampshire at The Grange at Northington. The free-to-visit mansion (outside only) was transformed from a 17th-century brick building into a replica temple in the early 19th century.

Whatever the architectural subterfuge, the landscape is timelessly beautiful, making The Grange the perfect mid-ride stop for a picnic.

This is Jane Austen country, a gorgeous chunk of the South Downs, where one spellbinding panorama sweeps into another and each achingly pretty village seems more attractive than the last. There’s even competition among the stately homes, with the ride passing through the grounds of privately-owned, 17th-century Avington Park, where ginger-fringed Highland cattle graze by a lake.

Start: Morn Hill Club site Distance: 25 miles/40km The Grange at Northington

CYCLING VIDEOS

See all these routes and more at youtube. com/Caravanand MotorhomeClub

Felbrigg Hall, Norfolk It seems counter-intuitive to take a holiday on the north Norfolk coast and then turn your back on the vast sweep of sea and sand to head inland. But there are rich rewards for exploring the whisper-quiet roads as they pass through villages of flint-walled cottages and churches.

The highlight of this route is Felbrigg Hall, a lavish stately home set in 500-plus acres of park and woodland, criss-crossed by walking trails. The building itself, managed by the National Trust, houses exotic collections from around the world, including opulent furniture, Dutch oil paintings and rare Chinese wallpaper.

Modern highlights include the carrot cake in the café, sure to be popular with any cyclist! The second half of the ride heads back to Cromer and then follows the coastline to the Club site at Incleboro Fields.

Start: Incleboro Fields Club site Distance: 13.4 miles/21.5km www.camc.com

Broadway Tower, Worcestershire There are two magnificent attractions on this ride through the Cotswolds that starts from the Club’s Broadway site. The first is Snowshill Manor, a National Trust property which houses an eccentric collection of curiosities, from stringed instruments to masks, armour and models of Samurai warriors, gathered from around the world by the compulsive collector, Charles Paget Wade. If Snowshill seems peculiar, the mix of attractions at Broadway Tower, a few miles along the route, is positively mind-blowing. Above ground is the late 18th-century ‘Saxon’ tower, perched on a dramatic outcrop and claiming a 16-county panorama on a clear day from its top. Below ground is a Cold War nuclear bunker, decommissioned in 1991, which is open to visitors at weekends. And sitting between the two is the very fine Morris & Brown café. Throughout the ride are dreamy Cotswold villages of golden limestone cottages, separated by steep-sided hills cloaked in ancient woodland; a landscape as eye-catching as any man-made stately home.

Start: Broadway Club site.

Distance: 10.4 miles/16.6km

DOWNLOAD ALL THESE ROUTE TO YOUR GPS DEVICE FROM OUR STRAVA PAGE – SEARCH CARAVAN & MOTORHOME CLUB August 2021 63

PRODUCT SHOWCASE PHONE PHOTOGRAPHY

Make it

snappy Jane McGowan takes a quick look at smartphone camera accessories

Joby Beamo Mini Would-be vloggers will love this lightweight, compact LED light designed to bring a more professional finish to your images or video. The Beamo Mini has a number of handy features, including its magnetic backing, which removes the need for any complicated clips.

This robust device is ideal for outdoor adventurers and can even be used up to 30 metres under water. It offers a five-step dimmer button and can emit a maximum of 5100K. Joby claims that, when combined with the provided diffuser, it creates “flawless, natural skin tones – as if under the daylight sun”.

RRP: £59.95 Contact: joby.com

64

Manfrotto PIXI Smart The PIXI Smart is part of the latest range of camera accessories from Manfrotto. Compatible with most smartphones via its “universal smartphone clamp with multiple 1/4in thread attachments”, it can be used either as a sturdy tripod to capture that all-important shot or as a ‘grip’ when taking selfies or video. Made from stainless steel

with a comfortable non-slip grip, it weighs just 220g and is just 10.2cm in length when folded, making it light and compact enough to pop into your daypack or even coat pocket.

RRP: £44.95 Contact: manfrotto.com

High Quality 100mm HD Phone Camera Super Macro Lens This clip-on product from Apexel is a good, affordable investment for those hoping to enhance their smartphone photography. Suitable for iPhones and many Android devices, the macro lens has a shooting distance of 40mm– 70mm – great for those close-up nature snaps or detailed craft images. It fixes easily to your phone and can be used with front- or rear-facing cameras.

RRP: £28.89 Contact: shopapexel.com

Smartphone Photography in easy steps Over the last decade or so the smartphone has worked its way into most aspects of our lives.

Whether you use it for work, games or to watch films, there is seemingly no end to its capabilities. One of its most Guy Corbishley useful features, though, is its camera, and this 192-page guide provides a raft of tips and tricks designed to help you take the best images possible. Areas covered include lighting, composition, portraiture, editing, sharing and creative techniques, all presented in a clear and easy-to-follow manner.

RRP: £10.99 Contact: ineasysteps.com

While our camera phones enable us to capture all of life’s wonderful moments, incessant snapping leads to the inevitable problem of where and how to keep all those magic memories safe. The iXpand Flash Drive from SanDisk is available in 32GB, 64GB, 128GB and 256GB storage options, the largest version being able to hold up to 37,600 photographs. Designed specifically for iPhone and iPad, transfer of your images to the drive and then on to your Mac or PC (should you wish) is via Lightning connector and USB. RRP: £34.99 (32GB) to £95.99 (256GB) Contact: shop.westerndigital.com

Guy Corbishley/Alamy

SanDisk iXpand USB Flash Drive

Red Original Waterproof Pouch This versatile and robust pouch will ensure you can take pictures regardless of your location.

Made from sturdy ‘Armour Tech’ material, it will safeguard your valuables from bumps and scrapes, while a removable, padded internal pocket provides further protection. The YKK Aquaseal zip is designed to prevent water ingress – so you could even take your phone out kayaking or paddle boarding.

RRP: £64.95 Member offer: save 15% (see camc.com/ redoriginal for details and terms and conditions) Contact: redoriginal.com

ER ME MB OFFER LE AB AVAIL

65

TEST VOLVO V60 RECHARGE PLUG-IN HYBRID T6 AWD R-DESIGN

CLASS WINNER

Plug and play Lesley Harris tests the towing capabilities of a double-award-winning, plug-in Volvo

Portrait-style touchscreen is flanked by stylish air vents

66 August 2021

V

olvo’s V60 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid T6 AWD R-Design walked away with two gongs from the virtual Caravan and Motorhome Club Towcar of the Year 2021 awards. The stylish estate comfortably won its class – Caravan Weight over 1,700kg – and picked up first place in the Family Towcar category into the bargain. But it’s not the first time a V60 has topped its class – in 2020, the V60 Cross Country took the 1,500kg-1,700kg Caravan Weight crown.

Let’s find out how this Plug-in Hybrid version performs as a towcar...

COMFORT

Volvo is making great strides in the electrification of its range. Committed to mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure electric vehicles, the company has already started phasing out diesel engines, and is due to launch five new, fully electric cars over the next five years.

The V60 has its wheels parked in the premium mid-sized estate sector, with rivals including the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes C-Class estates. On the outside, its clean uncluttered lines, broad grille and distinctive T-shaped front lights give it a sharp appearance. At the rear, the huge L-shaped tail lights have the same effect. www.camc.com

Sharp looks: broad grille and T-shaped lights

Distinctive L-shaped tail light cluster

“

As expected, there is a host of safety features

”

Impressive towing performance Inside, those clean lines are again in evidence.

The interior of our R-Design model is both classy and comfortable. Swathes of leather, glossy black trim and aluminium inlays adorn the cabin, giving the V60 a premium feel. The seats are supportive and offer plenty of adjustment – lumbar and under-thigh extending squab.

The nine-inch portrait-style touchscreen looks great and is flanked by stylish air vents. The tablet-inspired system has full pinch, zoom and swipe functionality, making it easy to navigate.

However, without physical buttons, some systems are long-winded and tricky to operate, especially on the move – and you still have to fork out for smartphone mirroring as an option. www.camc.com

Behind the wheel you’ll find a 12.3-inch digital display, which is standard across the range.

While the high-resolution screen is clear and can be customised, I found the petrol/electric gauges a little confusing at first.

As expected, there is a host of safety features too – Oncoming Lane Mitigation, City Safety and Run-off Mitigation, to name a few. Our test car was also fitted with the driver assistance pack which includes Pilot Assist, adaptive cruise control, the Blind Spot Information System and cross traffic alert.

The excellent optional 360˚ parking camera, with a towbar visual for easy hitching, would represent money well spent.

This column: clear graphics, black trim and aluminium inlays give the Volvos interior a premium feel

With thanks to Chichester Caravans, Uckfield, for the loan of Towcar Test caravans. See chichestercaravans.co.uk, call 01825 764151 or email uckfield@ chichester-caravans.co.uk

August 2021 67

TEST VOLVO V60 RECHARGE PLUG-IN HYBRID T6 AWD R-DESIGN

TECHNICAL

Price as tested

£54,530 Insurance

Group 42 Club insurance

The Club’s Car Insurance is guaranteed to beat your renewal premium by at least £25*.

Engine

1,969cc, 4-cyl, in-line/ petrol (+ electric engine) Power

250bhp (186kW) @5,500rpm (+ 87bhp (65kW) @ 7,000rpm) Torque

400Nm (295lb ft) @2,200rpm (+ 240Nm (177lb ft) @ 3,000rpm) Transmission

8-speed, automatic Spare wheel

Tyre sealant Kerbweight

2,005kg Gross vehicle weight

2,550Kg Gross train weight

4,550Kg Noseweight limit

100kg Towing equipment

Retractable towbar (£1,175) Tank/test econ

13.2 gals (60 litres)/ 36mpg solo/22.4mpg towing 1,585kg CO2

41-46g/km Figures from manufacturer’s literature

RATINGS

85%

COMFORT

85%

DRIVING

87%

TOWING

86%

OVERALL

68 August 2021

Plenty of room for adjustment at the front; Right: Transmission tunnel affects foot room; pull-down armrest For the most part, rear passengers get the same plushness as up front.

However, the Volvo V60 does have some limitations. The large transmission tunnel eats into already compromised foot space and, disappointingly, it’s clad in hard, scratchy plastic. That said, both legroom and headroom are generous, even with the optional panoramic sunroof. A pull-down armrest houses two cup-holders and offers a small amount of stowage.

DRIVING

This Volvo offers the best of both worlds. The 65kW (87bhp) electric engine is claimed to power the V60 for 34 miles – enough for an average commute. While the 2.0-litre petrol engine (250bhp/400Nm of torque), takes care of those longer journeys. In Pure mode, the V60 is supremely quiet and ideal for driving in town, while in default Hybrid mode, the engine and electric motor operate together to provide the best performance and efficiency.

Whichever mode you’re in, the Volvo V60 is comfortable and easy to pilot, although there are a couple of blind spots to contend with due to large pillars. Once on the open road, the V60 cruises along nicely, offering decent grip and little body roll. A standard eight-speed automatic gearbox is fitted, which in the main is fine, although it’s slightly hesitant when pulling away.

Charging the V60 to around 80% from a three-pin plug will take roughly three hours, while a 7kW wall box will reduce this to just over an hour. There’s an option to hold your charge until you need it, while the Charge mode uses the engine to partially recharge the battery

when driving. Strangely, that’s not a default setting, so you have to remember to set the Charge function through the touchscreen.

TOWING

With 26 miles of charge in the bank, I started my journey in Pure mode. Not surprisingly I only managed 11 miles with a caravan hitched before the petrol engine kicked in smoothly and I felt an immediate increase in power. After that it was plain sailing. It did get a little bumpy over rougher surfaces, and there was more movement when passing lorries than expected. But as a longdistance cruiser you won’t be disappointed.

A power tailgate is standard and there’s a decent load bay. There’s no load lip to hoick your caravanning equipment over, and the floor is flat.

VERDICT

The Volvo V60 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid is certainly worth consideration if you’re looking for a mid-sized premium estate with green credentials. Short solo trips in Pure electric mode will save you money, and the powerful petrol engine will haul your family caravan easily when needed.

We guarantee to beat your insurance renewal premium by £25*. See camc.com/insurance or call 0345 504 0334 to get your quote

*Premium Saving Guarantee. Subject to proof of existing renewal, including cover and price (eg a copy of your renewal notice), when cover is on a like-for-like basis. Please note, terms and conditions, eg excess(es), may vary from your current insurer. Courtesy car is subject to availability. Subject to terms and conditions and the Insurer’s acceptance of the Risk. The Club’s Car Insurance is arranged for the Club by Devitt Insurance Services Limited, Insurance Brokers. Caravan and Motorhome Club is a trading name of The Caravan Club Limited. The Caravan Club Limited and Devitt Insurance Services Limited are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

www.camc.com

TEST BAILEY ADAMO 69-4

Base JUMP I After a decade of building motorhomes, Bailey has branched out with a trio based on the Ford Transit. Nick Harding tests the most popular so far

To read more vehicle reviews and see video tests, visit camc.com/blog 70 August 2021

t’s hard to believe that Bailey’s first motorhomes made their debuts almost 10 years ago. Up to now, everything has been based on Peugeot’s Boxer with an Al-Ko chassis extension. Now, though, it’s Ford’s turn to get the Bailey treatment with the introduction of a trio of Transit-based coachbuilts that are a bit more continental in their layouts than some rivals. So far, it’s the end-washroom, drop-down bed, four-berth 69-4 that’s been the most popular – and that is what we are going to take a look at here.

BUILD QUALITY

Bailey’s Alu-Tech construction method is used, featuring GRP outer and inner skins, roof and

underfloor, along with composite plastic framework.

This all comes with a transferable, six-year body integrity warranty. The white bodywork is complemented by metallic silver for the cab. There are mounting points for a bike rack at the back, near-flushfitting side windows and an 80W solar panel. Brackets can be fitted for an awning. The MTPLM is 3,500kg, with a decent 410kg payload.

DRIVING

Bailey specifies all its Fords with the 158bhp engine and six-speed automatic transmission. It’s a happy combination, making for relaxed driving, and there’s no trouble keeping up with other road users. Limited mileage on this test meant it was hard to gauge an www.camc.com

This page (top to bottom): pedestal table height can be altered electrically; drop-down bed is great; Ford’s user-friendly cab

DAYTIME

The cab seats are very easy to swivel (the handbrake’s drop-down action is a big help), contributing to a generously proportioned lounge.

There’s a step down from the cab to the main living quarters, with the settees starting immediately behind the cab area. Another typically continental touch is the fixed pedestal leg table. The settees aren’t the longest – certainly not long enough for adult-length single beds. As for the table, I like its electrical height operation and the fact it can be folded but it’s not the sturdiest and, in my opinion, it’s a little too big.

Storage space is mixed. There’s a sizeable garage accessed from both sides at the back and a massive wardrobe/clothes store in the washroom above this. But elsewhere it’s a bit restricted. The drop-down bed precludes any upper lockers in the lounge, and settee storage space is curtailed by the travel seats. In fact, I do wonder if this vehicle is better as a two-berth – leaving out the rear travel seats (or making them an option) would potentially save pounds and give you more storage space.

NIGHT-TIME

“

If there’s just the two of you, you’ll love the fact that the main bed can be lowered to a point where it’s easy to just hop in

”

accurate miles-per-gallon figure, but 30 or better should be well within reach.

Ford’s cab is particularly user-friendly – I like everything from the chunky steering wheel with lots of controls to other car-like features ranging from air conditioning to electric heated door mirrors, rainsensing windscreen wipers, automatic headlights, USB ports, lots of different storage pockets and more.

The central stereo/information system stretches to a rear-view monitor and radio with FM/AM/DAB – but there is no sat-nav.

Overhead is an opening sunroof with open shelving all round. If you want to take a full complement of four on your travels, the two rear seats, which are housed in the settee bases, are easy enough to pull into position. www.camc.com

If there’s just the two of you, you’ll love the fact the main bed can be lowered to a point where it’s easy to just hop in. A ladder is supplied if you want it higher, for example if you need to make a second double from the lounge seating (not the easiest of procedures). The main bed doesn’t obstruct access to the habitation door, plus it’s possible to leave your duvet on it when it glides back up to its daytime position. There’s also a manual override should you have an electrical problem.

The six lights on the underside of the bed were very bright so a dimmer function would have been great.

There’s lots of ambient lighting elsewhere, plus reading lamps. Heating is via Truma’s trusty Combi 4 system.

TECHNICAL

Price as tested

£59,999 OTR Engine

2.0-litre, Euro 6.2 Power

158bhp (118kW) @ 3,500rpm Torque

288lb ft (390Nm) @ 1,750-2,500rpm Transmission

Six-speed automatic, FWD MRO

3,090kg (60.82cwt) MTPLM

3,500kg (68.89cwt) Payload

410kg (8.07cwt) Overall length

22ft 11in (6.99m) Overall width (mirrors folded)

7ft 10in (2.38m) Overall height

9ft 4in (2.85m) Max internal height

6ft 11in (2.12m) Fuel/tank/econ

Diesel, 15.4 gals (70 ltrs), 28-30mpg Figures from manufacturers literature

Vehicle supplied for testing by Bailey of Bristol Contact: baileyofbristol. co.uk, 0117 966 5967

Reviewed at Burford Club site

August 2021 71

TEST BAILEY ADAMO 69-4

Clockwise from above: well-equipped kitchen has fold-out section; shower with Ecocamel head; Thetford swivel-bowl toilet with counter-top basin

RATINGS

77%

BUILD QUALITY

84%

DRIVING

85%

DAYTIME

80%

NIGHT-TIME

74%

KITCHEN

74%

WASHROOM

84%

DETAILS

80%

OVERALL

KITCHEN

Cooking facilities are covered by a Thetford full cooker – three gas rings, electric hotplate, separate grill and oven. A microwave is a popular option but think carefully about the locker space you lose. There’s a handy worktop extension, and a large cutlery drawer as well as a decent amount of locker space (although the gas locker impinges on the room under the worktop).

Two mains sockets are close by, with one at right angles to the other – a clever touch –while the fridge is a slimline 142-litre Thetford model with automatic energy selection.

WASHROOM

There’s a small step up from the kitchen to the washroom, accessed via a tambour door that’s an effective space-saver. The shower cubicle is plastic lined, with two plugholes and an Ecocamel water-saving showerhead. I’d have preferred a deeper shower tray.

On the nearside is a Thetford swivel-bowl toilet and countertop basin, while the rest of the room is taken up by the wardrobe, which is one of the biggest you’ll ever get in a motorhome. The hanging space might not provide a full drop but there’s extensive shelving to three sides.

along with open shelving and coat hooks. All three doors feature central locking.

The garage area can be accessed via a sliding door in the washroom and features lashing points, a strip light and 230V and 12V sockets.

Despite the 69-4’s competitive price there are plenty of luxury touches including concertina blinds and flyscreens and a Status 550 TV aerial.

On the negative side, the gas locker set-up doesn’t make it easy to change cylinders while a heating outlet in the step between the kitchen and washroom would have been ideal for instant warmth when you get out of bed.

VERDICT

This is far better as a two-berth than a four as the travel seats steal vital storage space and the second double bed isn’t that easy to make. Apart from that, this motorhome works on so many levels, with a decent specification at the right price.

Added to that, the Ford Transit base is certainly impressive.

DETAILS

There’s an extensive list of features in the Adamo.

The reading lamps on stalks in the lounge have USB ports and two levels of illumination. There’s a television holder just inside the habitation door (which has a flush-fitting window and flyscreen),

You can insure this motorhome with the Club for £523.58* per year. Please see camc.com/insurance or call 0345 504 0334 for further details

* Quote (correct as of 21 June 2021) is for the model tested worth £59,999 with factory-fitted alarm and immobiliser. Based on 55-year-old male living in Sheffield, with a maximum no claims bonus (unprotected) coming from a vehicle of similar value/experience, who has no accidents, claims or convictions and keeps the vehicle on a drive, 3,000 miles a year, with £250 damage, fire and theft excess. Subject to underwriting. The Club’s Motorhome Insurance is arranged for the Club by Devitt Insurance Services Limited, Insurance Brokers. Caravan and Motorhome Club is a trading name of The Caravan Club Limited.

The Caravan Club Limited and Devitt Insurance Services Limited are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

72 August 2021

www.camc.com

Top Product Picks Club Shop

from Club Shop

This year’s most exciting new and popular products are available online at Club Shop, where members save up to 10% on thousands of leisure accessories and spare parts.

Upgrade your summer with bestsellers from trusted brands at the Club’s dedicated shop and use code CS-0218-PRIMA to access these exclusive member savings.

SAVE

SAVE

5%

10%

Milenco Aero Platinum Towing Mirrors

Avtex WiFi

£94.96 full price

£349.99 full price

Newly launched this year, redesigned and tested for peak performance and a perfect fit on all modern cars, Milenco’s new Platinum Mirrors offer unmatched reliability for towing.

£85.46 for members

Get online anywhere with a dedicated WiFi unit from leisure tech experts, Avtex. A SIM card with a flexible unlimited data package designed for touring is included in the box (the router is also unlocked for use with any network).

£332.49 for members

SAVE

SAVE

Image is for illustration purposes.

Cylinders should be stored upright in the locker provided by the caravan or motorhome manufacturer.

10%

10%

Cadac BBQs

A meal on the BBQ can be the highlight of summer trips away. Cadac’s range of gas grills are lightweight, compact, easy to clean, and a joy to cook on.

BBQs from £135.00 full price

£121.50 for members

Truma Gas Level Control

This small yet powerful device sends accurate gas level readings directly to your mobile or tablet. No need to worry about running out of gas again!

£130.00 full price

£117.00 for members

Explore even more at Club Shop:

Buy online now at: shop.camc.com Club Shop offers are subject to change at any time and are available while stocks last.

TEST ADRIA ALTEA DART

OBJET D’ART Rob McCabe admires an attractive, good-value addition to the Adria family

I

can’t help but smile every time I wander up to a new Adria – the latest generation of models to come out of the Slovenian factory have fantastic-looking bodyshells and this new, fixed-island-bed Altea Dart is no different.

Would-be buyers may well smile too, when they see that such a fine-looking vehicle comes in at under 21 grand. Will the smiles still be there after seeing what awaits inside? Only one way to find out.

BUILD QUALITY

The Dart’s polyester sidewalls are attractively sleek – and the ability of such a material to resist all sorts of damage, from carelessly abandoned bikes to stones thrown up from the road, means those sleek good looks should last a very long time. The modular construction offers great resistance to water and, as with all Adrias, the Dart comes with a 10-year water ingress warranty.

On our test example, I was impressed by the fit and finish inside – it’s a well-presented vehicle. The lack of any visible handles on the lockers is a nice design touch that really lifts the ambience. I did have one ‘here we go again’ moment when the big, single-piece 74 August 2021

front window blind crumpled on one side the first time I used it. I managed to smooth it all out again, but I remain ambivalent about these fitments.

TOWING

The hefty body does come with strings attached – stick the Altea on the scales and the needle whizzes around to 1,454kg unladen, so it’s bigger towcars only for this one. The extra-long A-frame you get on Adrias is a boon to stability, and there’s also the helping hand of the expected hitch stabiliser. Al-Ko’s ATC electronic trailer control system doesn’t come as standard on the Altea range, although you can ask the dealer to fit it when placing your order.

DAYTIME

The Dart offers very agreeable living quarters indeed.

The combination of the wraparound seating’s restrained but smart blue upholstery and quartet of differentcoloured scatter cushions looks great, and the absence of a front chest means you can lounge deep into the front corners. There’s plenty of room for four to recline in comfort – it’s a fine set-up for entertaining. www.camc.com

TECHNICAL

Price

£20,995 (OTR) Beds

Front double: 6ft 11in × 5ft 6in Rear fixed double 6ft 5in × 5ft Heating

Truma blown-air Fridge/freezer

Thetford tower Toilet

Thetford electric flush MRO

1,454kg (28.62cwt) MTPLM

1,650kg (32.48cwt) User payload

196kg (3.86cwt) Overall length

27ft 2in (8.29m) Overall width

7ft 7in (2.30m) Overall height

8ft 6in (2.58m) Clockwise from opposite: comfortable living quarters; wraparound seating; easy-build front bed; sleek-looking bodyshell The arm rests on the edges of the sofas nearest the kitchen and entrance door respectively are cunningly attached to the backrests by concealed – and very powerful – magnets, meaning you can comfortably lean into the nearside one, which doesn’t have any furniture to support it. It’s a good idea, well executed.

That huge panoramic sunroof gets a handsome pleated blind – it would look first-rate in the evenings if the front window underneath it had one too.

On caravans minus a front chest, the pop-up shelf you get in its place is often a bit of an afterthought. Not here, though – it’s usefully large and substantialfeeling, so should be fine for serving up snacks and drinks. The freestanding table’s bespoke compartment is in the bedroom at the back.

Like most fixed-bed models, the Dart will mainly sell to couples looking for the much-desired en-suite accommodation; and there’s plenty of on-board storage for two. The huge space under the double bed is the headline act. In our test caravan, it gave a home to the loose-fit carpet (still tightly wrapped, so I left well alone). The flooring is certainly smart enough to remain uncarpeted, maybe with a couple of fluffy rugs www.camc.com

as a finishing touch. The front seat lockers are fiendishly awkward to access from above due to the heavy upholstery and lack of any hydraulic support for the bases: thankfully, the nearside one has a wide exterior hatch, which is definitely the better way in.

There are two TV viewing points – on the deep front window ledge and in the bedroom – while opening one of the overhead lockers reveals pre-installation for a stereo.

Again, the dealer can supply a unit or you can just fit your own. Adria’s Media Controller comes as standard – it’s basically a Bluetooth system that allows you to play your own tunes from your phone or tablet through the caravan’s built-in speakers, but there are also auxiliary and USB ports so you can attach a device directly.

Max headroom

6ft 5in (1.95m) Figures taken from manufacturer’s literature

“

The lack of any visible handles on the lockers is a nice design touch

”

NIGHT-TIME

There’s much to like about how the bedroom has been planned. Either side of the island bed are the familiar wardrobes, each of which has a neatly designed open hatch that serves as a huge and totally secure bedside table. The bed itself – a generous 6ft 5in long – is firm, supportive and all-night comfortable, and is backed by a headboard that is as handsome as it is substantial.

August 2021 75

TEST ADRIA ALTEA DART Good washroom facilities

Rear island bed with twin wardrobes

Smart L-shaped cooking set-up

RATINGS

91%

BUILD QUALITY

84%

TOWING

93%

DAYTIME

90%

NIGHT-TIME

85%

KITCHEN

91%

WASHROOM

87%

LIGHTING

89%

OVERALL

With thanks to: Test caravan supplied by South Lincs Leisure, Bridge Farm, Holme Road, Kirton End, Boston, Lincolnshire PE20 1PB. Contact: southlincsleisure. co.uk, 01205 723718.

substantial. The only mains socket in here is at the TV point on the front wall – it would have been good to see one accessible from the bed.

The room closes off from the centre corridor by means of a sliding door, which is surprisingly devoid of a magnetic latch to secure it in the closed position. As such, it leaves a tiny but irritating gap – I’d certainly be looking for this to be sorted out before taking delivery.

The double bed that results from rearranging the front lounge is outstanding – playing-field vast, tightly fitting and firmly comfy, once you’ve rearranged the prominent knee rolls to be at each extremity. And hey – no slats, thanks to the two base sections that pull out from under the sofas.

KITCHEN

Doesn’t it look great? The one-piece, L-shape, stainless-steel hob/sink structure is lovely to behold.

Lifting the dark hob cover reveals a ‘Three Bears’ trio of gas burners – a little one, a middle one and a big one, all three of which will get your porridge to the desired temperature. Or you could cook it in the microwave that lives in the locker directly overhead. Another sharp dresser is the glossy, piano-black, built-in fridge-freezer that wouldn’t be out of place in the smartest designer kitchen.

Two compromises: the oven/grill is a combination job and it’s a bit small, which may not be too much of an issue when cooking for two. And the paucity of work/preparation surface will underwhelm those who like to get creative at mealtimes.

WASHROOM

Walk through the caravan from the lounge and you’ll come to the little corridor in the middle that contains the washroom with loo and wash basin on the left, the shower cubicle on the right. Fully open the door that closes off the loo and it snicks into place to close off the corridor to the front – this is how you’d configure it if you had family or friends overnighting. The sliding door is already closing off the bedroom (well mostly; see above).

It’s a well-thought-through arrangement.

The facilities themselves are excellent – the shower cubicle is nice and roomy, with a foot shelf big enough to host toiletries, although I can’t figure out why you would fit a shower screen that isn’t completely frosted or opaque. The washroom is fresh and modern-looking, with decent storage provision. There’s a wall mains socket in the corridor, easily within hair-straightening distance of the mirror in the washroom.

LIGHTING

It’s a perfectly functional set-up that stops short of offering the near-bewildering lighting permutations of some other caravans. The lounge has to make do with just two reading lights, bolstered by above-locker strips and a trio of little roof-mounted lamps that can also be directed towards the kitchen. Not that the cooking area needs extra illumination, mind – the LED strip on the underside of the lockers does a brilliant job of lighting the whole area.

The washroom and shower each have a powerful ceiling lamp, while the bedroom is well served by above-locker strips and, of course, a pair of bedtime reading lamps.

You can cover this caravan with the Club for £391.68* per year. See camc.com/caravancover or call 01342 336610 for further details

VERDICT

If you’re looking for a centre-washroom/ end-bedroom caravan and have a car with the necessary towing heft, I can think of no reason why you wouldn’t want to include the Adria Altea Dart on your shortlist. If your final decision comes down to a beauty contest, here’s your winner.

*Based on standard new-for-old cover, cover limit of £20,500 (caravan and equipment), £500 contents cover and £100 voluntary excess. Includes 4 + years no claims discount (not protected). Legal protection is an optional extra charged at £9.75 for the year. Subject to underwriting – a copy of the cover wording, including benefits, limitations and exclusions that apply, is available on request. Caravan and Motorhome Club is a trading name of The Caravan Club Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for general insurance and credit activities.

76 August 2021

www.camc.com

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Get yourself award winning cover visit camc.com/caravancover or call 01342 488 338 for a quote today.

Caravan Cover is provided directly by the Caravan and Motorhome Club.

SPECIAL GLAMPING BREAKS

Adventure

ISLAND Jonathan Manning packs his panniers for a biking and glamping mini-break

W

ild flowers decorate the verges alongside the clifftop road above Freshwater Bay on the south side of the Isle of Wight. Down at sea level, waves nibble at the white chalk cliffs, while gulls drift effortlessly across the flawless blue sky. With similar freedom I freewheel downhill, en route to my pitch at Southland Club site, but with neither a caravan nor the walls of a motorhome in the mirrors.

It’s great to have things so easy for once; no need to turn off the gas, empty the waste water, close the skylights, or undertake any other of the myriad checks and procedures before hitting the road. Cycle touring really can be as simple as ‘hop on the bike and go’ – and packing as easy as grabbing a wallet, toothbrush and clean underwear. Indeed, with the advent of glamping it’s possible to travel as light as a feather.

Not that I’m in any danger of being blown away by a decent gust. Stuffed into the panniers on either side of my sturdy Haibike Trekking e-bike are a change of clothes, as well as a washbag, camera, phone and charger, chunky bike lock, plus a waterproof jacket – it may be midsummer, but this is England! There’s also a spare inner tube and pump, precautions against a puncture strike – although the bike’s beefy tyres are more than capable of coping with the 80-mile, two-day route I’ve planned.

The itinerary programmed into my sat-nav will guide me from beautiful Black Knowl Club site in the New Forest (I’ve made my way here ‘traditionally’, by motorhome), to Lymington,

78 August 2021

from where I’ll catch a ferry to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight, cycle halfway around the island and camp in a safari tent at Southland, before pedalling back to Black Knowl.

And so, after a nine-mile ride past dozing New Forest ponies, I roll up to the small ferry terminal at Lymington, where Wightlink Ferries prove to be brilliantly flexible for cyclists – just roll aboard the next available crossing, regardless of the ticket time you’ve booked.

Sailing across the Solent feels like liberation after months of claustrophobic lockdown – does this count as an overseas holiday? – and barely 40 minutes later I’ve toggled the e-bike motor to its ‘Eco’ setting and set out along a leafy, disused railway line that runs alongside the River Yar. Wading birds peck at the mudflats, and walkers and cyclists offer cheery hellos. Life already feels more relaxed – even more relaxes than in the New Forest.

WIGHT MATTER

Despite the Isle of Wight’s modest size (just 22½ miles/36km by 13½ miles/22.5km), the island’s network of quiet roads makes it easy to plot great rides with optional spurs. So as I reach Freshwater town I temporarily divert from the Round the Island cycle route (cleverly waymarked with a white bike on a blue background for clockwise and blue bike on a white background for anti-clockwise), and follow signs for Alum Bay. I’m heading for the Needles, those jagged

“

Down at sea level, waves nibble at the white chalk cliffs

www.camc.com

”

Stay: Southland Club site, Isle Of Wight Safari tents from £39 per night for up to five people (minimum two-night stay applies)*. Members receive a 10% discount on Experience Freedom glamping – friends/family also receive a discount if staying on the campsite at the same time. *Price valid for stays Monday-Thursday between 27 September and 21 October 2021.

August 2021 79

SPECIAL GLAMPING BREAKS

JONATHAN’S ITINERARY TUESDAY

AM - leave home and drive to pick up Bailey Adamo 69-4 motorhome from Hassocks, West Sussex.

PM - Visit Brighton Club site to inspect glamping accommodation.

PM – Drive to Brockenhurst in the New Forest in motorhome for overnight stay at Black Knowl Club site (below).

WEDNESDAY

AM – Leave motorhome at Black Knowl and ride e-bike to Lymington to catch the ferry to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight.

PM – E-bike from Yarmouth to Southland Club site and stay overnight in safari tent (below).

THURSDAY

AM – E-bike to Yarmouth for return ferry crossing to Lymington. E-bike to Black Knowl to pick up motorhome.

PM – Drive to Hassocks to return motorhome (below).

Return home in car.

80 August 2021

The safari tents well-equipped kitchen

“

The pitter patter of light rain on the fairy-lit porch only adds to the atmosphere chalk stacks that bite into the sea off the west of the island. A footpath leads to the first Needle, but I’m anxious about leaving the bike and panniers unattended, so I settle for the panorama from the viewing platform at The Needles Landmark Attraction, silently cursing the soundtrack blaring from the neighbouring theme park.

The music is nothing compared to the wall of sound that transfixed half a million hippies in 1970, when Jimi Hendrix performed one of his final concerts at the legendary Isle of Wight Festival, just a few miles up the road.

Peace reigns the instant I leave the coast road and pedal inland. There are contours to conquer (easier with the boost of an electric motor) and villages to visit, each dotted with pretty thatched cottages and attractive pubs – the Sun Inn at Hulverstone is the loveliest. Equally lovely is the road surface, a flawless ribbon of asphalt that provides such a contrast to the broken roads and potholes of mainland England. Three cheers for the island’s highways department.

The Round the Island route eventually rejoins the coastal road in time to visit the intriguingly named Blackgang Chine, the UK’s

”

oldest amusement park, before the compass needle heads north via Ventnor. This is arguably the pick of the island’s sunny east-coast towns, but the drop from the top road to sea level is steep and I don’t fancy the pedal back up, so I ride on, past the shell of Appuldurcombe House and up to Southland Club site, where a treat awaits.

HOME COMFORTS

For once, pitching involves no reversing, lowering of the steadies or marriagethreatening awning construction. Instead, I unzip the door of a magnificent safari tent and flop onto the crisp, cool double bed. This is one of the Club’s new Experience Freedom glamping options, with proper beds for five guests, a sturdy wooden table and chairs, sink, double hob, kettle, toaster and fridge. There’s even a pile of fluffy towels (an optional extra).

Everything, to facilitate lightweight packing.

A couple of days earlier I’d visited the glamping pods at Brighton Club site, perched on a hilltop with far-reaching views from their private terraces, and this accommodation feels just as exciting. The only question to resolve is www.camc.com

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SPECIAL GLAMPING BREAKS Covered porch is a great place to relax

HAIBIKE TREKKING 4 LOWSTEP

Price: £2,449* Frame: Aluminium Battery: Yamaha InTube 500Wh Drive unit: Yamaha PW-TE System, 60 Nm Weight: 26kg Room for five

whether to rustle up dinner in the kitchen, use the barbecue, or nip out for a bite to eat.

Guests in the safari tent next door have fired up their barbie and the mouthwatering smell of sausages cooked over charcoal makes up my mind.

I eat outside, sat on a sofa on the raised decking, gazing out over the site. The pitter-patter of light rain on the fairy-lit porch only adds to the atmosphere. The Club promotes these tents as handy accommodation for friends and family of touring members, but on occasion I would happily relinquish my ’van to the relatives and make use of the Experience Freedom option.

Day two dawns on the island and I’m quickly back in the saddle, ready to explore the Red Squirrel Trail, a converted railway line that runs from the coast to Newport, the principal town.

Shanklin and Sandown feel a little down on their luck, although mile after mile of gorgeous beach and charming beach huts raises the spirits.

Inland, the trail cuts through farmland without a single contour to climb, before I follow the River Medina up to Cowes. I’m sorry to leave the coastal views and head inland, following a B-road back to Yarmouth. www.camc.com

Ferry access with a bike was easy

Members can save 5% on Haibike Trekking, HardSeven, HardNine and FullSeven models, meaning a £122.45 reduction on the Trekking 4 Lowstep (discounted price of £2,326.55). See camc.com/haibike.

(Panniers not included.)

Glamping pods at Brighton

By now the bike’s battery is running perilously low, so I eke out the last miles of electric assistance before the ferry whisks me back to Lymington and the ride back to my motorhome, still parked on its pitch at Black Knowl. Winding up the hook-up cable, closing the roof lights and turning off the gas, I smile at the bike and panniers, and reflect on a liberating glamping and bike touring adventure.

To find out more about the Club’s glamping options, see experiencefreedom.co.uk

IMPORTANT

See camc.com for the latest site and CL information and follow official guidelines at all times.

August 2021 83

PRACTICAL Q&A

ASK YOUR CLUB

The Club’s technical team answers your pressing questions

Q

What should I look out for when deciding where to buy a second-hand caravan or motorhome?

A

Currently, as manufacturers are still recovering from last year’s pandemic-related disruption, it’s harder than usual to buy. Deliveries of new caravans and motorhomes have been rising steadily since February 2021, but they’re still well down on pre-pandemic levels, largely due to the parts supply issues discussed in last month’s Ask Your Club (July issue). New delivery delays means a shortage of trade-ins of older models.

With stock levels low and demand high, second-hand prices have risen markedly, with desirable three-year-old caravans being advertised at dealers for more than their original selling price! If you can find a secondhand model at a mainstream dealer for a fair price, that’s probably the safest way to buy – you should be able to have confidence in the outfit’s condition and good consumer rights protection.

“

Use search tools like Google Maps to find the dealer’s location 84 August 2021

”

However, you may find the second-hand stock available at dealerships (both mainstream ones and secondhand specialists) is older than normal and choice is limited.

Check the condition carefully, and budget accordingly for servicing and repairs/ refurbishment before first use (eg new tyres).

A pre-purchase inspection is useful, especially on a highervalue vehicle, and can help with negotiating a better price.

ONLINE PURCHASES If browsing online, be aware that there are fake dealer websites around that appear to have stock at tempting prices. If you’re not familiar with a dealer, always check its legitimacy, especially if asked to place a deposit to hold an outfit for later viewing.

Use search tools like Google Maps to find the dealer’s location, and check our ‘Scam dealerships’ discussion on Club Together. Never pay a holding deposit prior to viewing (especially by bank transfer) unless you’re 100% sure of the dealer’s legitimacy.

Classified ads and auction websites can be the source of good prices and real bargains.

A private seller who is giving up touring (often for reasons such as illness or bereavement) may sell their well-maintained outfit with all the accessories you’ll ever need for a very fair price, which is fantastic for a beginner.

Just make sure these vehicles haven’t stood unused for a while – budget for a little recommissioning.

Shutterstock/kenary820

Buyer beware

Be especially careful online – and check any dealership’s legitimacy

Unfortunately, even well-run online services can attract scammers. The scam warning tips on the Club’s Classified webpage (camc.com/classifieds) are worth reading before using this or any such service.

GOLDEN RULES There are perhaps three golden rules when buying second-hand: 1. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.

2. Don’t part with money before seeing the vehicle unless you’re 100% sure you trust the seller.

Even then, pay by credit card to increase your consumer protection rights.

3. Check the legitimacy of the vehicle (stolen status, outstanding finance, previous insurance write-off, etc) using a service like CRiS for caravans (cris.co.uk) or HPI for motorhomes (hpicheck.com), and don’t forget the Club’s own stolen caravan register, Theftcheck (free checks via 01342 336885).

Please address your questions to:

Technical Information, Email: technical@camc.com Tel: 01342 336611 ...and quote your membership number

camc.com/advice www.camc.com

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SPECIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

PICTURE

Henley Four Oaks

STAY AT

The Henley Four Oaks Club site is within walking distance of Hambleden Lock (pictured here); North Yorkshire Moors Club site is the nearest to Robin Hood’s Bay (overleaf); Wheal Owles (also overleaf) is at Botallack, a short distance from Trevedra Farm AS.

North Yorkshire Moors

86 August 2021

THIS

David Chapman focuses on his top travel photography tips

T

he number one rule for taking photographs of places is to plan your visit to coincide with the best light. This generally means visiting early or late in the day when the sun is low in the sky. But when we’re on holiday we usually take photos as we go – and we call this ‘travel photography’. While we can’t control the light, we can follow some basic rules to capture holiday memories in the best way possible.

COMPOSE YOURSELF

The mill building is the main focal point in this photo of Hambleden Lock, on the River Thames, so I set it off-centre and used the sweep of the weir to lead the eye into the frame

The rules of composition remain the same regardless of the light. Here are some tips: 1. Look for diagonal lines to lead the eye in from the bottom corners of the frame.

2. Position the main subject one-third (or one-quarter) of the way in from the top and side of the photo.

3. Place the horizon in the top third – unless there are reflections, in which case a central position might work better.

4. Try framing the view by looking through (for example) a gap in trees or down a narrow street.

5. Look for striking colour combinations: red subjects draw attention and blue skies look great, so fill the frame with colour for high impact.

August 2021 87

SPECIAL PHOTOGRAPHY Robin Hoods Bay: both of these photos were taken from the same spot. The main picture was shot in ‘HDR’ mode with the camera held at rockpool level (I also cropped some people out!). The inset image was captured from standing height

It is important that your photograph has a focal point, but that is usually the easy bit. Once the focal point has been determined, you need to compose the shot by moving around to fill the frame in an interesting way.

Let’s say you are taking a picture of a lighthouse. If the subject is positioned in the top-right third of the image, that leaves a big space in the bottom-left which needs to be filled with something in the foreground. It might just be a rock in the sea, or it could be a person.

LOOK OUT FOR AUGUST n Green sandpipers can be seen at pools, rivers and estuaries as they migrate south. n Look for the tangle of the parasitic plant ‘common dodder’, particularly on gorse around the coast. n Silver-washed fritillaries are found in the woodlands of Wales and England (except the north-east).

88 August 2021

A WAITING GAME

It might not be possible to wait until sunset or come back at sunrise but, if the light is not ideal, take some photos and then try to revisit later in the day – the sky may become bluer, or the sun might come out.

Sometimes, waiting just a few minutes is worthwhile, and you may capture a particular moment. Wait for the steam train to come into view, or a wave to break on the rocks – or even just for that big red van to be driven out of shot.

GET DOWN

It’s a mistake to take every photograph from standing height. Vary the height of your camera to see what impact it has. Often, positioning your kit on the ground can give a completely different feel to an image. The ‘live view’ screen on modern digital cameras makes this process even easier ((Mobile phone cameras are great for low-angle photography). As well as getting the camera down to the ground, you can also try turning your phone through 90˚ or 180˚.

The Wheal Owles building used in the filming of Poldark. For this photo I held my camera at ground level and used the thrift flowers to add a second point of interest in the frame

COMPARE AND CONTRAST

Your camera may naturally focus too much on dark areas within a frame, causing over-exposure and making the whole image too bright. If this happens, try using ‘exposure compensation’. On compact, bridge and SLR cameras, look for the ‘+/-’ button and set this to a negative number, say ‘-1’. This will make the image darker. On phone cameras you usually tap the screen to set focus then slide your finger down on the exposure slide. (If the image is too dark, do the opposite.)

If it is very bright outside there might be too much contrast for the camera to cope with.

Many modern cameras, including phones and compacts, have an HDR (high dynamic range) facility within the menu to help with this problem. Using this should put a bit more detail into the whites and blacks within the image.

I hope these tips have helped - why not send your top travel images to camc.com/ inspiring adventures?

MEMBER SINCE...

Motorhomer David Chapman joined the Club in 2000

www.camc.com

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PRACTICAL SITE SAFETY

You can see more tips from the Club at camc.com/ advice

SAFE

Sammy Faircloth shares important advice – for children and adults

HAVENS I

t may not be the most exciting topic to talk about as you prepare for your big getaway – but safety is a vitally important element of your holiday. And if, like me, you have children who are old enough to go off exploring on their own, they too need to be aware of the site rules designed to protect them. Here are some health and safety pointers that will help ensure your time on site is a happy one (there is lots more information in your Sites Directory and Handbook).

ARRIVAL

When you arrive on site, a staff member will check you in and provide you with a map that identifies the pitch layout, facilities such as wash blocks, play areas, service points and muster points, as well as an information leaflet that explains what safety guidelines are currently in place. These can change from month to month, so please ensure that everyone in your party reads and understands them. Safety information will also be displayed in the information room. A word of warning – if there is a barrier at the site entrance, never walk or cycle underneath it. And don’t be tempted to ‘tailgate’ – this has

90 August 2021

resulted in extensive damage to both barrier and vehicle in the past!

COVID SAFETY*

To support government contact tracing, all guests must scan the site’s QR code on their phones; this can be done most easily using the NHS COVID-19 app in England and Wales or the Protect Scotland app in Scotland. If you can’t scan the code, you can complete a form and return it to reception.

The QR code should be scanned daily.

(Procedures at AS sites may differ – please check with individual sites if you have any questions. Visitors to Drumaheglis AS in Northern Ireland should check procedures with the site prior to arrival.)

Face coverings must be worn (unless you are exempt) in any shared indoor facilities, such as reception blocks, toilet blocks, laundry rooms, dishwashing areas, information rooms and shops. Hand sanitisers will be dotted around the site at key locations, so use them, especially after you have touched any shared surfaces, such as doors, bins or gates. And always remember to socially distance.

As this issue went to press, toilet and shower blocks were running at reduced

7

capacity to avoid overcrowding.

They are also being cleaned more regularly, so always plan around cleaning times.

For the 2021 season, a wristband system is in operation to manage numbers.

Wristbands are provided in a bucket of sterilising solution outside the block – you should take a band and place it on a hook on the wall before entering. On leaving, remove a band and return it to the bucket.

If all the hooks have bands on them, you need to wait until someone leaves.

Remember to wear a face covering, unless you are exempt.

Finally, before you set off on your holiday, check the site’s arrival time. If you are too early, it may be difficult for others to leave. This can have a knock-on effect on staff, who need time to complete the cleaning process designed to keep everyone safe.

DRIVING ON SITE

A 5mph speed limit is in place on all Club sites for all vehicles (including scooters and bikes).

Please take note of the restriction – it is in place to protect you as well as children (please supervise young children who may not have very good road sense). Many sites also operate

www.camc.com

2

1

3

5

4

6

8

10

9 a one-way system, which again applies to anything with wheels.

PITCHING AND FIRE SAFETY

There must be a gap of at least six metres between the walls of adjacent caravans/ motorhomes, and a minimum clear space of three metres between adjacent outfits in any direction (there should be nothing in the clear space – this includes cars, awnings, sleeping tents etc). This is a requirement for fire safety, and falls under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960.

Ignoring the pitching rules could mean you are asked to move your outfit – no fun if you have already put an awning up.

To make things easier, on Club sites you will see numbered marker pegs that denote the centre of each pitch. If you reverse onto the pitch, then the offside (driver’s side) rear of your caravan or motorhome needs to align with the marker (towcars should be parked alongside their accompanying tourer on the pitch). If you pitch nose-in then the nearside (passenger side) rear of your caravan or motorhome needs to line up with the marker.

As well as a smoke alarm, consider investing in a fire extinguisher (we recommend a 1kg www.camc.com

AFFF (aqueous film forming foam) one manufactured to BS EN 3) and a fire blanket (made to BS EN 1869) in case of emergency.

Fire extinguishers are available on all Club sites but you should also familiarise yourself with the muster points, which will be marked on the site map issued at check-in.

Get your caravan or motorhome serviced annually by a qualified engineer. The service should include an inspection and test of your outfit’s electrical systems to detect and rectify defects; you should also have your gas pipework, heating and cooking appliances similarly inspected and tested.

CARBON MONOXIDE

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odourless, colourless, highly poisonous gas produced by any fuel that burns or smoulders – so make sure you keep barbecues, gas barbecues, gas heaters and other fossil fuel-burning appliances out of your leisure vehicle, awning or tent.

A faulty, poorly installed/maintained/ ventilated indoor appliance can also produce CO so it is a very good idea to purchase a CO alarm for your outfit; they are not expensive.

The alarm should be ‘Type B’ and compliant with BS EN 50291. Alarms need to be tested

1. Make youngsters aware of site rules before they go off to explore 2. Hand sanitiser is available at key locations around site 3. The latest safety guidelines are displayed in the information room 4. Barriers can come down with some force! Never walk under them 5. There are systems in place to control the number of people using toilet/shower blocks 6. There is a 5mph speed limit on all Club sites that applies to all vehicles 7. Remind children where they can and can’t ride their scooters/ bicycles – it’s for everyone’s safety 8. Regularly test your smoke detector and CO alarm 9. Familiarise yourself with the fire safety equipment located around the site 10. Children must be supervised when using play areas

regularly and should be assessed as part of the annual service.

CHILD SAFETY

Some Club sites boast super play areas with swings and climbing frames, but some may not be suitable for younger children. It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to keep an eye on youngsters while they use Club facilities. Children who are old enough to explore the site on their own need to understand the site safety rules before they set off. Scooters, skateboards and bicycles are not permitted around the toilet/ shower blocks and on some connecting pathways – not just for the children’s safety, but for their fellow campers’ too.

FINAL THOUGHTS…

Safety rules are in place to protect the Club members and to ensure that everyone has a good time in a safe and secure environment.

For more information, consult pages 632-634 of the Sites Directory and Handbook and visit camc.com/advice. *This magazine went to press in early July. See camc.com for the latest site information and follow official guidelines at all times.

August 2021 91

LOVE SUDOKU

PUZZLES BRAINTEASERS

Can you solve this selection of teasers? The answers are on the side of each page

SUDOKU EASY All you have to do is place a number from 1-9 in each empty cell so that each row, each column and each 3x3 block contains all the numbers from 1-9.

Solution

SUDOKU MEDIUM All you have to do is place a number from 1-9 in each empty cell so that each row, each column and each 3x3 block contains all the numbers from 1-9.

Solution 92 August 2021

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Payment taken at point of order. We aim to deliver within 3 working days from dispatch, stock subject to availability. We comply with Consumer Contract Regulations; you have the right to cancel your order no later than 14 days after the day on which you receive your goods. Inform us of your wish to cancel in writing, by letter or email. Returns are not free, full details are on your delivery note. Return goods within 28 days of cancellation. Calls to 0844 numbers will cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge. £3.99 UK standard delivery. International delivery, see website for prices. Offer applies to purchases in GBP only. Exception is Ireland orders which will be charged in EUR at the set conversion rate. Prices quoted are correct at time of production but can vary. One promotion per order.

Marketing and Promotions: We want to make sure you don’t miss out on our great products and offers, so we will keep you informed by post. If you do not want to hear from us, please let us know. I do not want to be contacted by: Post We take your privacy seriously. For details of our privacy policy and full terms and conditions visit cottontraders.com.*Last 3 digits on back of card. This is mandatory to process your order. Offer ends 31.01.2022.

PUZZLES BRAINTEASERS

MISSING LINKS HOW TO PLAY The answer to each clue is a word which has a link with each of the three words listed. This word may come at the end (eg HEAD linked with BEACH, BIG and HAMMER), at the beginning (eg BLACK linked with BEAUTY, BOARD and JACK) or a mixture of the two (eg STONE linked with HAIL, LIME and WALL).

ACROSS 8 Glasses • Singer • Soap (5) 9 Grant • International • Weapons (7) 10 Baby • Long • Rent (7) 11 Field • Main • Track (5) 12 Double • High • Trading (9) 14 River • Shaft • Web (3) 15 Eyed • John • Skin (3) 16 Bunker • Herd • Siege (9) 19 Drain • Hose • Pan (5) 21 Mushroom • Needle • Socks (7) 23 Chess • Delaying • Military (7) 24 Deck • Lift • Wheel (5) DOWN 1 Electric • Outboard • Starter (6) 2 Conference • Power • Responsibility (8) 3 Back • Bare • Low (4) 4 Chequered • Path • Politician (6) 5 Cable • Volcano • World (8) 6 Emerald • Fair • Sceptred (4) 7 Filing • Nervous • Solar (6) 13 Bliss • Help • Science (8) 14 Hyper • Mass • Temperature (8) 15 Editor • Head • Manager (6) 17 Beach • Camp • Colony (6) 18 Greek • Natural • Pot (6) 20 Back • Drill • Horse (4) 22 Basmati • Paper • Pudding (4)

Solution 94 August 2021

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FUTOSHIKI

PUZZLES BRAINTEASERS

HOW TO PLAY Fill the blank squares so that each row and column contains the numbers 1 to 5.

Use the given numbers and the symbols that tell you if the number in the square is larger (>) or smaller (<) than the number next to it.

Solution Solution 96 August 2021

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Motorhome and Campervan Insurance when you need it

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With our award winning cover, our Members come back to us year after year. Over 90% of customers renewed between 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020. And if you switch to us, we’ll beat your current renewal premium by at least £25.*

Get yourself award winning cover visit camc.com/insurance or call 0345 504 0334 for a quote today. *Premium Saving Guarantee. Offer applies to new customers only and is subject to insurers’ acceptance of the risk, their terms and conditions and cover being arranged on a like-for-like basis.

To benefit from the price saving guarantee you will need to send us proof of a current renewal quote from your existing insurer, including details of cover and price. Breakdown and Legal cover are excluded and will need to be purchased separately. Caravan and Motorhome Club’s Motorhome and Campervan Insurance is arranged for the Club by Devitt Insurance Services Limited.

Caravan and Motorhome Club is a trading name of The Caravan Club Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for general insurance and credit activities.

PUZZLE CROSSWORD

CROSSWORD £90 in Club gift tokens to be won

£50 in Club gift tokens will be won by the sender of the first correct solution opened on Monday 23 August 2021. Four runners-up will each receive £10 Club gift tokens.

Due to the current situation, please clearly photograph/scan your answer grid and email to crossword@camc.com. Please do not include any other correspondence with your entry.

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NAME: ADDRESS:

ACROSS 1 General knowledge tests (7) 5 Call off (6) 8 Do away with (7) 10 Remainder (4) 11 Jotting down a memo (6) 12 Language or jargon (5) 14 Solidify (3) 15 Self-assured (9) 16 Seldom seen (4) 17 Male deer (4) 19 Wash and iron (7) 22 Showy feather (5) 24 Left out (7) 26 Untamed (4) 28 Very steep (5) 29 Chewy sweet (6) 31 A violent quarrel (4-2) 33 Make tidy (6) 35 Network of burrows (6) 38 Hen sound (5) 39 Impulsive thought or fancy (4) 40 An old soldier (7) 43 Just right in every way (5) 45 Distribute the mail (7) 47 Fine spray of liquid (4) 49 Detestable, base (4) 50 Uncivilised person (9) 53 Mongrel (3) 54 Rascal (5) 55 Wood (6) 56 Lives of a cat? (4) 57 Non-existence (7) 58 Most recent (6) 59 Hermit (7)

DOWN 1 Pleasingly old fashioned (6) 2 Nothing (4) 3 The devil (5) 4 Tree which produces nuts in a prickly casing (8) 5 Middle (6) 6 Without affectations (7) 7 Raspberry-blackberry cross (7) 9 Not working (4) 13 Undress (7) 15 Pal (4) 17 Ostentatious (5) 18 Pleased (4) 20 Hard of hearing (4) 21 Arm or leg (4) 23 Dig up and expose (7) 25 Go in (5) 27 Salad plant (7) 28 Twirl (4) 29 Battle vehicle (4) 30 SOS rocket (5) 32 By chance (10) 34 Police informer (4) 35 Chatterbox (7) 36 Genuine (4) 37 Clever (5) 39 Moderately hot (4) 41 Time for a cuppa (3,5) 42 Kiln (4) 44 Friendly, good-natured (7) 46 Concealed information (6) 48 Specimen (6) 51 Steals from (4) 52 Interior (5) 54 Flog or tout (4)

POSTCODE: For full terms and conditions of entry, please visit our website at camc.com/competitions

MEMBERSHIP NUMBER:

July solution: Across: 1 Double bass 6 Scribbling 11 Wafer 12 Prescription 14 Dash 16 Mood 17 For 18 Taste 20 Feeble 21 East 22 Louse 23 Riviera 25 Rum 26 Lantern 28 Slay 29 Repulse 33 Eyewitness 35 Clementine 38 Depends 41 Reef 42 Starchy 45 Use

98 August 2021

46 Chassis 48 Nurse 49 Veto 50 Hot dog 52 Corgi 54 Tot 55 Tier 57 Earl 59 Welterweight 60 Arnie 61 Supporters 62 Excitement Down: 1 Downfall 2 Unfortunate 3 Lard 4 Amphibian 5 Shelter 6 Socks 7 Raise 8 Battle-axe

grid E

9 Loom 10 Good-tempered 13 Nostril 15 Age 19 Tricycle 20 Felt 24 Isle 27 Rings 29 Remit 30 Pen 31 Headquarters 32 Espresso 34 Inn 36 Inheritance 37 Semi 39 Preview 40 Decorator 42 Synthetic 43 Rung 44 Seat belt 47 Shingle 51 Our 52 Carve 53 Reeds 56 Reap 58 Late

JUNE WINNERS £50 first prize: Terence Elliott, Lancashire. £10 r-up: Stewart Pickford, Derbyshire; Leanne McMahon, Kent; L Duthie, Co Antrim; Alison Going, Cumbria.

Please note: prizes will be posted as soon as possible.

Take a photo or scan your answers and send to crossword@camc.com with the subject heading August Crossword.

Please do not include any other correspondence with your entry

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Dealer Marketplace

brought to you by the Caravan and Motorhome Club

OWNERS The leading pre-owned motorhome SURVEY and VW campervan specialist SATISFACTION

Motorhome Dealer Group is a multi-award winning family owned business with outlets in Hampshire and Dorset.

We have more than 80 price checked motorhomes and campervans for sale at our twin site located in St. Leonards, near Ringwood, Hampshire: Countrywide Motorhomes and the VW Kamper Centre.

Three Counties Motorhomes in Poole, Dorset, deals with all vehicle hand-overs, servicing and repairs.

Countrywide Motorhomes Main A31, 215 Ringwood Rd, St. Leonards, Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 2QB Tel: 01202 881089 Prices from £20,000 to over £60,000.

All vehicles supplied with a National Warranty. We are a Family owned business, run by motohome enthusiasts, and stock everything from two berth compacts to six berth family models.

VW Kamper Centre 215 Ringwood Road, St. Leonards, Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 2QB Tel: 01202 855531

Coachbuilt, Low Profile and A-Class motorhomes. Campervans and Conversions, all types and sizes. Part-ex always welcome, best prices paid. We follow all the latest government guidelines to ensure you can Browse & Buy Safely.

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Three Counties Motorhomes 46 Hatch Pond Road, Nuffield Industrial Est, Poole, Dorset, BH17 0JZ Tel: 01202 673735

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Please Quote C-and-M Club when contacting us

Open Weekdays: 9am-5.30pm, Poole branch appointments only at weekends Hampshire branch Sat: 9am-5pm,Sun: 10am-4pm

Dealer Marketplace brought to you by the Caravan and Motorhome Club

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DESIGN IT YOUR WAY Personalisation is at the heart of the award-winning Ventura VR200 letting you create your campervan to suit you. Regardless of which model you choose you can customise it to your hearts content. Choose from a wide range of nishes for your cabin furniture, carpet colours, upholstery colours and much more.

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WINNER: BEST BUDGET MOTORHOME

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TAIL LIGHTS

Your observations on the fun and unusual world of touring

SMILE AND THE WHOLE WORLD SMILES WITH YOU Club member Mark Humpage submitted this happy picture in our recent ‘Find Your Happy Place’ competition, but it’s also a perfect fit for Tail Lights. “Our Eriba Troll caravan is our special happy place. So happy he smiles,” says Mark. Here, the Eriba is enjoying the view at St Agnes Beacon Club site in Cornwall.

ROAD ’HOG Janice and Richard Vernon spotted this little hedgehog at Dockray Meadow Club site in Cumbria. The couple confirm that it was definitely adhering to the 5mph speed limit on site!

114 August 2021

Stripe approval While staying in North Yorkshire, members Ron and Judith Bly came across this unusual paint job. Perfect for a safari in... Knaresborough town

centre. The name of the van is Martha, and it has ‘Martha and the Van Dwellers’ stencilled on one of the sides!

BEST OF THE NESTS

Thank you to everyone who has submitted pictures of this temporary birds nest at Incleboro Fields Club site in Norfolk – some of you have even been lucky enough to see the resident blue tit feeding her chicks. The photo shown here (below left) is from Elizabeth Masterman, who kept a respectable distance away while watching the bird come and go. She says that it probably wasn’t expecting the sudden increase in the toilet block’s popularity when it reopened!

Meanwhile, at Balbirnie Park Club site in Fife, Mike Gibbon had a shock when he opened his bonnet at the end of his stay to find this nest and eggs (below right).

Happily, Site Manager Jo Barker was able to confirm that the mother successfully returned after the nest had been removed. Proof that it’s always worth a quick check under the hood before setting off!

If you see something unusual on a Club site, CL or while you’re out and about, please send a picture to magazine@ camc.com or tag @candm club on Instagram and we’ll print the best www.camc.com

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CYCLING ISLE OF WIGHT

Wight stuff

E H T

Jonathan Manning enjoys the best of country and coast on a memorable ride that takes in the Red Squirrel Trail and Sandown seafront

T

he blissfully quiet byways, bridleways and inland roads of the Isle of Wight make the island a wonderful place to cycle. This ride sets out from Southland Club site, one of the sunniest spots in the UK, and heads out to the coast along the traffic-free Red Squirrel Trail, which follows the route of a former railway line.

It’s peaceful progress all the way to the small resort town of Sandown, from where a fabulous stretch of sandy beach, backed by all the opportunities any cyclist could want to buy ice cream, candy floss or tea, stretches two miles south to Shanklin. The busy esplanade is accessible to cyclists, creating a proper seaside route with beach huts and sandy cliffs on one side and the Channel on the other.

From Shanklin, a steep initial climb soon leads to another section of the Red Squirrel Trail (look out for the tame deer), before quiet roads take you past the magnificent shell of English Heritage’s Appuldurcombe House (with grounds landscaped by Capability Brown) and back to the Club site.

August 2021

DIRECTIONS Turn left from the gates of Southland Club site and ride through Newchurch village, passing the pub and church before going downhill. At the foot of the hill, just beyond a small bridge, turn right along a track, signposted Public Right of Way NC9 to Sandown and Alverstone.

Continue on this track for 3.7km, crossing two roads, before arriving at a T-junction, with Fairway Holiday Park on the right.

5km – Turn right at the junction and continue for 600m to reach Sandown train station on the left. Turn left here, signposted Red Squirrel Trail, Town Centre, Esplanade, immediately riding through an underpass and staying left to reach a T-junction in 100m. Turn left at the junction, and ride for 100m to a crossroads.

5.8km – Turn right at the crossroads along Station Avenue. Continue for 200m to another crossroads with Broadway Stores on the opposite corner. Go straight across, signposted to Town Centre and Beach, staying on Station Avenue for 700m to a T-junction.

6.5km – Turn left at the T-junction, following the one-way system, and in just over 100m turn right

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The Caravan and Motorhome Club Magazine recommends the use of Ordnance Survey maps – your ideal passport to navigating Britain

Main image: Sandown Pier; bottom left: the Red Squirrel Trail; bottom right: keep your eyes peeled for tame deer

© Crown copyright 2021 Ordnance Survey Media 051/18

ABOUT THE ROUTE

Start/finish: Southland Club site, Winford Road, Newchurch, Sandown, Isle of Wight PO36 0LZ. Distance: 13.3m/21.4km. Time: 2 hours (without stops).

Level: Suitable for all. More than half the route is traffic free, and apart from one steep climb in Shanklin, it’s level all the way.

Terrain: A mix of bridleway, seaside esplanade and roads.

Landscape: Rural countryside and a fabulous two-mile beach.

Refreshments: Lots to choose from in Sandown.

See this route and more at youtube. com/Caravanand MotorhomeClub

along Victoria Road to reach a small roundabout. Turn right at the roundabout along the High Street (the road opposite is No Entry and a one-way system operates along the Esplanade). Stay on the High Street for 500m.

7.2km – Turn left down Pier Street, immediately after Lulu’s Tea Rooms, and in 60m turn right along Pier Street, with the pier and sea on the left. Continue onto the Esplanade and ride for 2.5km, beach huts and cliffs on the right, sea on the left (this is a shared path, so ride cautiously). Continue to Shanklin, eventually reaching a car park and the South East Beach Café.

9.7km – Turn right up the steep hill, signposted Red Squirrel Trail Town Centre. Continue up Hope Hill and Hope Road to reach a set of traffic lights.

10.1km – Take the second left at the lights, along North Road, and in 250m, immediately after a set of traffic lights, turn right along Clarendon Road. Continue to a crossroads with a large Co-op store diagonally opposite.

10.6km – Turn right at the crossroads along Landguard Road, and in almost 300m, before the Lidl store, turn left into Lower Hyde Holiday Park. Just

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©visitisleofwight.co.uk

CYCLING VIDEOS

before the entrance to the holiday park take the Red Squirrel Trail on the left, and follow the old railway line.

Look out for the tame deer on the right. Stay on the trail for 4.3km, until it ends just before some houses.

14.9km – Turn left at the end of the trail, signposted Red Squirrel Trail Wroxall. In 100m at the T-junction turn right, and in 150m at the crossroads turn right, still following the Red Squirrel Trail signs. In 150m at the T-junction turn right, and in 50m at the next T-junction turn right again, with a church on the right. Continue for 400m, then turn left along Appuldurcombe Road, signposted to Appuldurcombe House. Stay on the road as it bends to the right, becoming Redhill Lane. Continue to a T-junction.

17.7km – Turn right at the T-junction, then almost immediately left along Lessland Lane.

Continue to reach a crossroads.

20.4km – Go straight across the crossroads, along Watery Lane, passing the garden centre and zoo on the left , and stay on this road for almost 1km to reach a T-junction. Turn left and the Club site is immediately on the left.

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DOWNLOAD THIS ROUTE AND OTHERS TO YOUR GPS DEVICE FROM OUR STRAVA PAGE:

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August 2021

Here for you, whenever you need us.

Hope Valley, Peak District

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A sample MAYDAY UK Breakdown Cover policy booklet including the limitations and exclusions that apply is available upon request. Caravan and Motorhome Club is a trading name of The Caravan Club Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for general insurance and credit activities.