Caravan and Motorhome Club Magazine – March 2021

MARCH 2021

HIGH NOTES

Why the Scottish Highlands should be on everyone’s touring wish list

MIND YOUR MANORS A selection of Club sites on big country estates

CL OF THE YEAR It’s time to nominate your favourite five-pitch spot

AROUND THE GOLF We test the latest version of the iconic Volkswagen

All designed around you.

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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

Gary Martin says: Culloden Moor, Chatsworth Park, Battle Normanhurst Court – the list of Club sites with links to Britain‘s captivating history goes on and on.

This month, Andrew Ditton provides two articles with a focus on the past. First up, he heads to the north of Scotland, roughly tracing the now-famous North Coast 500 route. There, he uncovers tales from the Jacobite rising and the dark period of our past known as the Highland Clearances.

eyes, no doubt, are “onYour the date that you can

Brochures on Club services 01342 327410 Technical advice 01342 336611 Club Magazine editorial 01342 336640

get out touring again

Legal helpline 01275 378728 Advertising enquiries General number 01342 336817 Commercial Manager Ian Lea 01342 336753 ian.lea@camc.com Business Development Manager 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

Later in the issue he visits a trio of sites based within the grounds of famous estates, each with a story to tell. Did you know that a liaison at Longleat may have prompted Shakespeare to write Romeo and Juliet? Or that a boxing kangaroo once lived at Tredegar House?

While we hope you enjoy these historical odysseys, your eyes, no

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

MARCH 2021

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

MARCH 2021 TOURING: TESTED: SPECIAL :

Patron: HRH The Prince Philip President: Thomas Coke, 8th Earl of Leicester Chairman: Grenville Chamberlain OBE Director General: Nick Lomas

HIGH NOTES

COVER IMAGE:

Why the Scottish Highlands should be on everyone’s touring wish list

www.camc.com

www.camc.com

”

doubt, are on the date that you can go touring once again. We will of course let you know as soon as we are able to open our UK sites and help you enjoy adventures overseas, but in the meantime this issue is packed with great ideas, whether you fancy an adventure on the Isle of Wight (p19) or getting away from it all at one of our Certificated Locations (p82-84).

On pages 44-46 you can learn about our fantastic independent motorhome tours of America’s Deep South and Alaska (planned for 2022) and how the post-Brexit travel rules won‘t stop you having a fantastic time on the Continent.

Here‘s to the future!

MIND YOUR MANORS A selection of Club sites on big country estates

CL OF THE YEAR It’s time to nominate your favourite five-pitch spot

AROUND THE GOLF We test the latest version of the iconic Volkswagen

'Gus taking in the views of Skye' by Carol Seaman

March 2021 3

CONTENTS

60

INSIDE THIS ISSUE MARCH 2021

TOURING 22 32

34 38

UK SITES Andrew Ditton embarks on a virtual journey around the north of Scotland DIRECTORY UPDATES Updates to your Sites Directory & Handbook ACTIVITY BREAKS Jonathan Manning experiences the high life by climbing the O2 FOREIGN TOURING Lee Davey provides a beginner’s guide to touring in France

TESTS 68

CAR Volkswagen Golf

NEWS 12 18 44

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

SPECIALS 8

CLUB MATTERS Director General Nick Lomas offers his thanks to members and looks to the future

4 March 2021

10

22 60

64

74

78

84 86

MIND YOUR MANORS Andrew Ditton takes a closer look at three Club sites on country estates CYCLE ROUTE Jonathan Manning rides from Min Y Don AS in North Wales MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Rob McCabe looks at innovations that have transformed caravanning WHAT S NEW? Nick Harding takes a look at six new motorhomes CL OF THE YEAR Nominate your favourite A WHOLE NEW WORLD A family extols the virtues of rallying

REGULARS 7

DIRECTOR GENERAL’S VIEW Nick Lomas reflects on the diverse interests of Club members

YOUR PHOTOS The best photos from your touring adventures 42 PRODUCT SHOWCASE Get your outfit looking good and ready to go with these items 48 THE CAMPERVAN COOK Start your day the right way with gluten-free granola 50 MEMBER OFFERS Save money on a variety of motoring and touring products 53 LETTERS Your comments and views 56 COUNTRY MATTERS David Chapman throws a spotlight on the elusive weasel 66 ASK YOUR CLUB Your questions answered 82 PRACTICAL Sammy Faircloth explains the attraction of CLs 88 CROSSWORD A chance to win great prizes 90 PUZZLES Three pages of brainteasers 93 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS To advertise, call 01342 336817 106 TAIL LIGHTS The wonderful world of touring 107 CYCLING SPECIAL Jonathan Manning picks his top five waterside routes from Club sites

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COMMENT DIRECTOR GENERAL

OPINION Nick Lomas says:

camc.com/enquiries 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.

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We Club members are a diverse group of people. But we are bound together by some golden threads. We love the countryside and share common passions such as sightseeing, visiting houses and gardens and, unsurprisingly, walking and hiking.

We haven‘t been able to enjoy the outdoors as much as we would have liked over the past year or so, but it‘s interesting to reflect on what we get up to in more normal times.

During the autumn of 2018 we asked you about your pastimes and perfect stays. The range of activities you talked about was as fascinating as it was diverse

“

Walking seems to work up an appetite for local eating and drinking opportunities!

”

– from antiques hunting for a few, to photography for many, and exploring the countryside for almost all.

Pastimes such as cycling were popular, while swimming, surfing, canoeing and fishing – or simply relaxing and sunbathing on the beach – featured in your feedback. Walking was the biggest interest of all, though, which seems to work up an appetite for local eating and drinking opportunities!

Over the past few weeks I’ve particularly enjoyed watching the BBC Four series, Winter Walks, featuring many beautiful spots in Yorkshire. Of course, it boasts two National Parks – the Yorkshire Dales (which, surprisingly, for quirky reasons of historic expansion and conservation, also stretches into part of Cumbria) and the North York Moors.

As a Yorkshireman, I was particularly enthralled by Selina Scott’s ramble in the lush and verdant dales and by the Reverend Richard Coles, who visited Sutton Bank (please don’t drive up with a caravan) and headed to the incomparable and magnificent Rievaulx Abbey.

I found myself getting carried away by the gorgeous scenery, which was captured in a unique way as each presenter used a 360˚ degree camera for filming, and drones flew overhead as they walked.

Baroness Warsi showed us picturesque Wharfedale, and Lemn Sissay took a journey through more remote Dentdale.

I made a mental note to stay at some of the sites close to the locations featured – Wharfedale, Hawes, Kendal, North York Moors and The Howard, Rosedale Abbey are all great options if you fancy retracing the celebrities’ steps.

I leave you with a quote representing one member’s view of their perfect day...

“A room with a view... of the sea, mountains and forests; to hear nature... birds, the sea, the trees. Privacy and seclusion, a place to get away from it all.

Easy access to beautiful walks and beaches and quaint historic towns. A safe haven to go back to at the end of the day.”

I couldn’t have put it better myself!

March 2021 7

Keith Hedley

SPECIAL CLUB MATTERS

Lewis and Harris

“

We love Club sites...

Can’t wait to get back out when we can Tammy Hobson, via Facebook

”

Leading the way Director General Nick Lomas offers his thanks to members and looks to the future...

A

s I write, we have once again been forced to batten down the hatches due to the high levels of Covid-19 across the country. But as the vaccination programme begins to gather pace, there are glimmers of light on the horizon and hopefully it won’t be too long before we can welcome you back on to our sites.. (You may be interested to know that, as during previous lockdowns, we have kept a small number of locations open to provide safe harbour for keyworkers or those who have been unable to return home.)

Government guidance permitting, we will open the entire network for as long as we can, as soon as we can, with a full complement of site staff. Our staff are completing their training programmes remotely as I write, so they are ready to help you enjoy your holidays right from the off.

Now is a good time to give you an update on what the Club has been up to over the past year or so, and our plans for the future.

8 March 2021

Firstly, I would like to say how grateful we have been for your support. You have been renewing your memberships throughout this difficult period, giving us the confidence to make important investment decisions.

For example, without your contributions we would not have been able to initiate current redevelopment projects such as the pitch improvements at Brighton, River Breamish, Teesdale Barnard Castle, Moreton-in-Marsh and Wharfedale, and the introduction of new service points at Coniston Park Coppice.

We are also aware how important connectivity is to you while you are on tour, which is why, in last month’s magazine, we announced our new partnership with BT to upgrade Wi-Fi at more than 100 sites during 2021. Again, this would not have been possible without your help.

As a thank you, we are giving you an even bigger advance window during which to book your breaks – at this moment in time you can reserve your pitches right up

until the end of April 2022 (see p18 for more information)!

We’re expecting a boom in domestic holidays when restrictions are eased and for sites to be busy in the near future (especially as the season will have been condensed) so make those bookings as soon as you can.

As for foreign travel, the future is looking brighter. Following the conclusion of Brexit negotiations, rules surrounding travel to Europe are clearer (turn to page 46 for more details) and, if you fancy heading farther afield, we have a wide range of exciting tours planned for later in 2021 and into 2022. And, of course, you can travel with confidence thanks to our ABTA and ATOL affiliation.

I’d like to close by saying how heartening it has been to hear about your holidays (when touring has been possible), see your fantastic photos (a selection of which feature on these pages), and to receive your numerous messages of thanks. One thing is clear, the community spirit of the Caravan and Motorhome Club is alive and well. www.camc.com

Eric Ness

Willingcott Club site

Lake District

“

Looking forward to visiting lots of sites when it’s appropriate ... Keep up the good work

”

Widget – ready for the off!

Dudley, West Midlands

198 2.3k 310 The number of Club and Affiliated Sites on the UK network

www.camc.com

Tom Gaskell

John Roberts

Derek Blanshard, via Facebook

There are 2,260 Certificated Locations across the UK (as of January this year)

You can book pitches with us at more than 300 sites across the Continent

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

See camc.com for the latest site information and follow official UK (gov.uk) as well as local government guidelines at all times. We also recommend that you check with businesses/ attractions regarding opening times/restrictions.

March 2021 9

SPECIAL MEMBER PICTURES

YOUR PHOTOS Your most memorable touring moments caught on camera

DOG, MONK HOUSE

CALDER OVER THERE?

Haughmond Abbey on the outskirts of Shrewsbury.

(Nearest site: Love2Stay AS.) Jacquie Lloyd

Views across the Calder Valley towards Stoodley Pike, taken a five-minute walk from Little Nook Farm CL. Gareth Hughes

Shropshire

West Yorkshire

LAYLA’S LEAP Beautiful Broadsands Beach in Paignton. We are lucky to live nearby and this is my wife, Issy, and Layla the labradoodle. We are missing trips in our van but are still able to walk on the beach. (Nearest Club sites: Ramslade and Hillhead.)

Stephen Knight

Liguria

Devon

ON THE ROCKS Manarola, one of the Cinque Terre towns, north-west Italy.

Brian Frisby 10 March 2021

Highlands

PADDLE UP

Beautiful Glen Etive... it looks like a great place to go stand-up paddleboarding!

(Nearest Club sites: North Ledaig, Bunree.)

Tracey Cormack

COLD SNAP

Nottinghamshire

Brrr...a winter photo of Greasley Church and graveyard, Moorgreen near Nottingham.

(Nearest site: The Firs) Helen Leach

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

Lake District Peak District

’WORTH A PICTURE Chatsworth Park in all its autumnal glory – the Club site lies nearby.

Felicity Smith

www.camc.com

FELL FOR A VIEW Getting a different perspective on things! Mid-way up Stone Arthur overlooking Grasmere. (Nearest Club site: Coniston Park Coppice.)

Sarah Broadbent

March 2021 11

NEWS CLUB AND INDUSTRY

Headlines Susan Patrol

The latest stories from the touring world

Book stays up to April 2022

UK SITES APP ENHANCED

Remember we have zero deposits and free cancellations and amendments – so it’s never too early to plan and book your favourite trips away. The great news is that right now you can book UK Club campsites for stays throughout 2021 and up to the end of April 2022, including the 2022 Easter holidays.

All our Club sites are Covid-Secure and meet Visit Britain’s ‘We’re Good to Go’ industry standard – and we have changed some of our procedures to ensure we keep members and staff as safe as possible. Book now at camc.com/ukholidays.

CARAVAN AND MOTORHOME CLUB MAGAZINE MARCH 2021 TESTED: VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SPECIAL : SNOWDONIA CYCLE RIDE

HIGH NOTE S

Why the Scottish Highland s should be on everyone’s touring wish list

www.camc.com

12 March 2021

SCOTLAND

We love to feature your pictures in the Club magazine, and often use them to illustrate articles – but this month we’re delighted to have one on the cover.

The picture in question was taken

by Carol Seaman, who has been a member for 22 years, and it shows Carol and husband Steve’s four-year-old cocker spaniel, Gus,

TOURING: NORTHERN

COVER STORY

enjoying a day out with views of Skye – a slight detour while they travelled along Scotland’s popular North Coast 500 route.

Bedfordshire-based Carol, Steve and Gus (pictured together at John o’ Groats) set off along the route in their Bailey Autograph 75-4 in April 2019, and were fortunate to have good weather for most of their 14-day trip.

Carol tells us that Gus loves to travel and is at his happiest on a beach. “I think he was a surfer in a past life and people always laugh at his ‘surfer dude’

MARCH 2021

MIND YOUR MANORS A selection of Club sites on big country estates PASS p1 Cover.indd

CL OF THE YEAR It’s time to nominate your favourite five-pitch spot

AROUND THE GOLF We test the latest version of the iconic Volkswagen

1

hair,” she jokes. “He doesn’t settle when he sees the motorhome on the drive until we are on our journey.”

In fact, there are more of your stunning images in our north of Scotland article on p22, and we think you’ll agree... they look as great as Carol’s cover photo!

We know that many of you like to manage your bookings via the UK Sites App. If you haven’t tried it before, you can download it for free via the Apple App Store or on Google Play.

The UK Sites App is straightforward to use, offering you the ability to search quickly, make bookings and manage your future trips.

This year we’ve made it even better – the app now opens in a map view for easier searches; it’s more stable than ever and we’ve fixed the bugs that you’ve been telling us about.

There are lots more changes to come this year and beyond – we’ll let you know about these as soon as we can! Visit camc.com/ siteapp for further information.

n If you would like to submit a picture to the Club you can do so via the website (camc.com/inspiringadventures) or you can email it to magazine@camc.com. We can’t guarantee that it will be used but we do look at all the pictures we receive! As a rough guide, portrait shape is the best for covers, and ideally pictures should be taken with a minimum 8-megapixel camera or phone camera (the higher the megapixel number the better). The image should be supplied as an RGB jpeg and should be at least 4MB in size. www.camc.com

VOLUNTEER SITE MANAGERS NEEDED Have you ever wondered what it would be like to run a Club site? If so, we are currently looking for Volunteer Site Managers at Slinfold Club site in West Sussex (right) and Aberbran Club site in Powys (far right).

Slinfold is close to the South Downs and the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, while Aberbran is on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Volunteer Site Managers (usually couples) look after the operational running of the site for a period each year. These two sites are currently scheduled to open to Club members around mid-March and, at present, the season is due to end in September for Slinfold and

November for Aberbran. The roles involve meeting and greeting Club members, booking in, taking payments and carrying out maintenance of the grounds. While ‘on duty’, volunteers are provided with a dedicated pitch with water and electricity free of charge for the duration of their stay. In addition, a mileage allowance is paid for travel to or from the site on

Club business. Applicable training will be given and Club uniform and PPE is also provided.

If you would like more information please email volunteer@camc.com and our Site Operations team will be in touch. This is also an ideal opportunity for those thinking of applying for a permanent position with the Club, as it offers first-hand experience of a managerial role.

Following lengthy negotiations with Blenheim Palace Estate, we are sad to report that the current lease at Bladon Chains Club site will be terminated in September 2021.

The Club is disappointed at the prospect of leaving Bladon Chains, but we would like to assure you that we are actively looking to find an alternative campsite in the area.

Bladon Chains Club site will remain open, when possible, for members until 6 September 2021, and we will keep you informed of any further developments. www.camc.com

Val Crean

BLADON CHAINS

You recommend...

Start Bay Club site Members review this beautiful spot on Devon’s south coast “Well maintained, mostly hardstanding pitches and grounds. Wardens were helpful and welcoming. Walks all around, but also had a day in Dartmouth.

Perfect for motorhomers that the buses stop right outside the camp and great views all the way.”

(Review date: October 2020) “The beach at Torcross [pictured above] is a short 20min walk, is dog friendly, and it is just about

impossible for you to not find your own quiet spot. Try the fish and chips from the Start Bay Inn.” (July 2020) “One other place to mention is the Stokeley Farm Shop and the Tap House which is right next door to the site heading towards the beach – the farm shop is well stocked and there is a cafe (which we didn’t try).”

(October 2020)

As many members are aware, the Club has supported the Prince’s Countryside Fund (PCF) for a number of years, recognising the vital work that the organisation carries out in many areas across the UK. We are pleased to be able to continue that support during a period of time that is, for many individuals and rural businesses, particularly difficult.

The PCF was established by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2010, and exists to improve the prospects of family farm businesses and the quality of rural life through a number of different endeavours.

The Fund also celebrates and promotes the value of the countryside through its partnerships and events such as National Countryside Week. If you would like to read more about its work, please see princescountryside fund.org.uk.

FUEL FINDER

Members could save money on the road by using a new app that lists nearby service stations and the prices of fuel on offer. The myAutomate app is free to download and boasts an inventory of 12,000 charging sites for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles while also allowing users to easily locate car washes and car parks. There is also a function to set reminders for vehicle tax renewals, MOT, servicing and insurance.

To find out more visit myautomateapp.co.uk.

13

NEWS CLUB AND INDUSTRY

CENTRES STAY ACTIVE

Despite the latest lockdown and the pause in normal rallying activities, many of the Club’s Centres have managed to stay busy.

For example, Mid-West Yorkshire Centre raised a terrific £2,098.44 for The Thomas Bothamley Defibrillator Fund, a charity that carries out vital defibrillator work in local communities while honouring the memory of Thomas, a talented footballer who died at the age of 13. The charity was delighted to receive the funds from the centre, particularly during a year in which many of its usual fundraising activities had stalled. Well done to all who contributed to that fantastic sum.

Meanwhile, more than 20 members of South Essex Centre took part in a Zoom quiz in January, answering six rounds of questions based on Trivial Pursuit categories. It was a close match, but Trevor and Caroline Powell won with an impressive 61 points out of a possible 70. Top of the class!

PURR-FECT HOLIDAYS? If you are thinking of taking your cat (or cats) with you on trips this year, the RSPCA has produced some helpful tips for caravanners and motorhomers.

The animal welfare charity points out that most cats would prefer to stay at home while their owners are away, due to their territorial nature. However, for those that are more suited to going on holiday (or if finding someone to look after them is a problem), there are important factors to consider to ensure they stay safe and happy.

According to the RSPCA, owners should ensure that the van contains everything the cat needs, including access to a scratching post, litter tray, food, water, beds and toys. It is also important to create hiding spots in your outfit, especially high up.

The RSPCA recommends all owners get their cats microchipped and ensure that their contact details are up to date.

Owners are also reminded never to leave cats in a caravan or motorhome on a hot day, so planning ahead is vital when you intend to go off site.

14 March 2021

Pooky, a well-travelled cat, has covered more than 15,000 miles in member Alastair Town’s van Alice Potter, the RSPCA’s cat welfare expert, said: “Caravanning and motorhome holidays can provide a great opportunity to experience freedom and exploration – a desire many cats will share. But think carefully about whether your cat would enjoy the holiday – life on the road may not be right for every cat.” www.camc.com

CLASSIFIED ADS

Margaret Holland

LOOK OUT FOR CLUB WEEK

Wild celebrations This June, why not join around 650,000 other people and take part in 30 Days Wild, The Wildlife Trusts’ annual celebration of nature? It’s a great way to make the most of the wildlife on your doorstep or during trips away – and there are activities, free downloads and a 30 Days Wild app to enjoy.

On 1 June the Wildlife Trusts will be launching the Big Wild Breakfast – encouraging people to record the wildlife they spot during 30 minutes outdoors with a morning cup of tea and toast! There’s also a live online event with advice on setting up widlife webcams at home, work or school.

For more information, please see wildlifetrusts. org/30dayswild.

Penny Dixie

Did you know that the Club runs classified ads online at camc.com/ classifieds? There, you’ll find a variety of new and used models to suit all budgets and needs and, as part of our partnership with the Friday Ad Group, all listings also appear on the caravansforsale. co.uk website.

Unfortunately, the team at Caravans For Sale has seen a rise in scams taking place on many different marketplaces.

We offer regularly updated advice online at caravanclub.co.uk/ caravan-clubclassifieds/scamwarning that can help you ensure that the advert you’re looking at, or your potential buyer, is legitimate.

As there is no Camping, Caravan and Motorhome Show in Birmingham this February (the big NEC shows are expected to return from October 2021), the Club will once again be holding a ‘virtual’ Club Week. That means there will be lots of fun activities and informative videos on our social media channels featuring the likes of TV presenter and avid tourer Matt Alwright and former Great British Bake Off contestant Karen Wright.

Club Week will run from 22-26 February – you can take part via facebook. com/candmclub and twitter.com/candmclub.

We look forward to seeing you there!

BARNARD CASTLE Please note that between April and September 2021 we will be carrying out redevelopment work at Teesdale Barnard Castle Club Site (see p18, Feb 2021 issue).

All works are being carried out in the adjacent field and are subject to planning.

Unfortunately this means the dog field will be out of use for the 2021 season; however, guests are reminded that there is a smaller, enclosed dog exercise area on the main site.

While we will do our very best to keep noise to a minimum during this time, occasional noise may be heard from the adjacent field.

Thank you in advance for your patience. www.camc.com

Gaer Hyfryd correction

PEMBROKESHIRE LAKE FACILITIES GET BOOST Llys-y-Frân Lake in Pembrokeshire is set to reopen this spring with a brand new visitor centre, cafe, outdoor activity centre and more, following a near-£6m investment. The attraction, a few miles north-west of Haverfordwest, will also include a food stop, changing facilities and cycle hire.

Outdoor attractions such as fishing, sailing, kayaking, canoeing and stand

up paddleboarding can also be enjoyed at the lake. On dry land there will be over 14km of trails to explore on two wheels or by foot, while visitors can also partake in archery, crossbow-firing and more.

The nearest Club sites to Llys-y-Frân Lake are St David’s Lleithyr Meadow and Freshwater East.

Please note that the email address for Gaer Hyfryd Affiliated Site appearing at the bottom of p238 in the latest Sites Directory & Handbook is incorrect.

The correct email address to use for the site is gaerhyfrydcaravansite@ outlook.com. Our apologies for any confusion caused by the error.

March 2021 15

NEWS CLUB AND INDUSTRY

FROM THE ARCHIVES Stories from the Club’s Collection Seventy years ago, the Festival of Britain promised to draw an influx of tourists into London, and to accommodate visitors the Club joined forces with the Camping Club (as it was then known) to offer a temporary caravan site close to the capital. This was to become the Club’s first official site at Crystal Palace, also known for many years as ‘Caravan Harbour’.

Designed to boost post-war morale in the UK, the Festival of

16 March 2021

Britain was a collection of exhibitions and events held across the country, celebrating the nation’s arts, design and industry.

The key attraction was located on the South Bank in London, which alone attracted 8.5 million visitors in five months.

Located only six miles from the centre of the capital, the Caravan Harbour site was developed on the northern section of the former Crystal Palace, which itself had been

home to the Great Exhibition of 1851. Caravanners flocked to the site and, in a time when some privately owned caravan sites were still little more than fields, visitors enjoyed comforts such as a lavatory block with wash basins and waste water points. Milk, bread and daily newspapers were delivered, while regular bus and train services made travel into Central London simple.

The popularity of the site (pictured left in 1957) was so great that it proved London would benefit from a permanent haven for caravanners, and London County Council granted permission for it to continue operating after the festival year. The current Crystal Palace Club site is located only a short walk away from the original Caravan Harbour.

Discover more about the Club’s celebrations during the 1951 Festival of Britain at nationalmotormuseum. org.uk/blog.

Angela Willis

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.

Satellite Navigation for Caravans & Motorhomes • 7” Frameless Display (pinch-to-zoom) • New Dual Core processor for complete enhanced performance • Enhanced Specific routing for Caravans & Motorhomes – Customised routes created for the size and weight of your caravan or motorhome.

– Camper specific speed limits tailored to your vehicle.

• Road Warnings – Caravan / Motorhomes specific road warnings for bridge heights, weight limits, sharp curves, steep grades, narrow roads and more.

– Elevation map tool – be prepared for upcoming steep gradiants.

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

NEWS UK SITES

Book Smart When it comes to planning, booking and enjoying your stays on UK Club campsites, we are here to help...

To make sure you have the best experience possible while you’re planning, booking and enjoying a stay at one of our UK locations we have implemented a new ’Book Smart‘ initiative.

Based on your feedback, we’ve introduced some improvements – and there are a few simple things you can do to help everyone too...

What we’re doing to help you We’ll ensure you’re always able to book a year ahead, and sometimes even further; for example, right now you can book for stays until the end of April 2022. We’ll be in touch with well-timed information and reminders in the run up to your trip to help you plan and prepare for your stays.

We’re also enhancing our Late Availability web page 18 March 2021

(camc.com/lateavailability) so you’ll be able to see pitches that are still bookable every day of the week, not just at weekends.

Campsites will also be displayed on a map for easier navigation – and it all works really well on a mobile or tablet.

We’re doing everything we can to avoid cancellations, however sometimes unforeseen circumstances make this unavoidable. When we do need to cancel your bookings, we’ll do our best to give you as much notice as possible.

How can you help?

We would kindly ask that you make considered bookings and only request the pitches you need to ensure there is availability for other

members. We appreciate that plans sometimes have to change, and that’s okay – just let us know as soon as you can so that a fellow member can enjoy your pitch if you are unable to do so yourself.

Staying in touch We hope you enjoy our UK holiday emails, which are filled with news, inspiration and updates about UK touring. If you don’t think you’re currently receiving these, log into the ‘My Profile’ section of the website and check your preferences.

Let’s Book Smart and work together to make 2021 a great year for touring!

Handy tips to help everyone get the most from their membership: n Book the pitches you’d like well in advance n Check your bookings in good time, to ensure you are still able to stay n Amend or cancel (for free) as soon as possible if your plans do need to change n Check our Late Availability page to find last-minute pitches www.camc.com

ISLE OF WIGHT BREAKS There are many reasons to stay at Southland Club site, including our special Sail & Stay offer

STAY SAIL & TS IG 4N H FRO M

150

Once again, working in partnership with ferry operators Red Funnel and Wightlink, we’re able to bring you an exclusive combined deal on holidays to the Isle of Wight.

Our Sail & Stay offer starts from just £150 for two people staying four nights on a standard pitch at Southland Club campsite, including a return ferry crossing. Children between the ages of five and 17 can be added to your booking from just £2.10 per night (under-fives go free!) Take a look at the full details on our four- or seven-night* combined deals at camc.com/iowoffer. To book, call our Contact Centre on 01342 316101.

ISLE OF WIGHT TOP FIVE

*Extend your stay!

Coming soon!

We are pleased to report that this year will see the addition of fantastic new ‘safari tent’ accommodation at Southland Club campsite, brought to you by Experience Freedom. We will have more details in the April issue of the Club magazine but, in the meantime, remember that Club members save 10% on Experience Freedom camping and glamping breaks all year round, and friends and family of Club members can also save 10%! Further info can be found at caravanclub.co.uk/uk-holidays/ alternative-accommodation. www.camc.com

1. The island basks in an Travelbild/A lamy

You can extend your stay to up 21 nights. The ferry price won’t change if you stay longer – just add the extra pitch and per-person fees for the additional site nights onto our *seven-night combined deal for the dates you want.

Robertharding/Alamy

Southland Club campsite Sail & Stay offer

£

average of 1,860 hours of sunshine each year – making it one of the top five sunniest spots in the UK!

2. There are 14 sandy beaches, and 11 of these have the Environment Agency’s highest rating for bathing water quality.

3. Enjoy the rides and roller coasters of Blackgang Chine and a day out at Tapnell Farm, where you can make a splash in the Aqua Park.

4. There are many superb walking and cycling routes, or you might like to try paragliding, sailing or kayaking.

5. Crossings take from as little as 45 minutes.

Wightlink discount Travel any day of the week with Wightlink Ferries and, as a Club member, you could save a massive 50% (travelling by motorhome) or 20% (travelling with caravan) on economy fares to and from the Isle of Wight. See caravanclub. co.uk/membership/ member-offers/wightlink for more information.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

See camc.com for the latest site information and follow official UK (gov.uk) as well as local government guidelines at all times. We also recommend that you check with businesses/attractions regarding opening times/restrictions.

March 2021 19

NEWS UK SITES

GREAT DAYS OUT Use the Great Savings Guide to take advantage of discounts at a variety of attractions, eateries and more The Great Savings Guide gives Club members the opportunity to save money while enjoying days out at some of the UK’s top attractions, as well as lesser-known gems. As well as featuring a variety of deals on admission to venues, the guide also includes discounts for eateries, outdoor activities and plenty more besides.

We have been working hard to secure as many savings as possible this year. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many attractions are currently closed; as a result we are not publishing a printed version of the guide this year. However, the Club website is being updated regularly with all the fantastic offers as soon as they are confirmed – see camc.com/greatsavingsguide for the full range.

We encourage members to keep visiting the website to stay up to date – thank you for your understanding during these tricky times. While we appreciate that many places are currently closed, we have selected five superb attractions below that, hopefully, you will be able to visit soon.

East Lancashire Railway

Details: This heritage line in England’s north-west runs between Heywood in Greater Manchester and Rawtenstall in Lancashire. Why not travel in vintage style?

Offer: Two for the price of one with a ‘Freedom of the Line’ ticket Club site: Burrs Country Park

Highland Safaris, Perthshire

Holkham Hall, Norfolk

Details: This attraction combines Land Rover safaris, scenic boat trips on Loch Tay and a Red Deer Centre with walking and cycling activities.

There’s even an opportunity to pan for gold and gems!

Offer: 10% off any one activity. Pre-booking is required, see camc.com/ greatsavingsguide for details Nearest Club sites: Clachan, Maragowan

Details: Visit this stunning country house, the home of Thomas Coke, 8th Earl of Leicester (and Club President).

Admission includes Holkham Stories Experience and Walled Garden.

Offer: 20% off standard entry fee Nearest Club sites: Sandringham, Incleboro Fields, Seacroft

The Cotswold Arms, Oxfordshire

20 March 2021

Devil’s Bridge Falls, Aberystwyth

Rhian Graves

Details: Recommended by site staff, this traditional inn in Burford (pictured) has a garden terrace and serves real ale and homecooked food. Friday night is burger night – yum!

Offer: 10% off your entire bill when ordering food Nearest Club site: Burford

Details: Stunning waterfalls and nature trail in the Cambrian Mountains that inspired William Wordsworth to write the poem To the Torrent at the Devil’s Bridge in 1824.

Offer: 20% off entry Nearest Club site: Gwern-y-Bwlch www.camc.com

A fabulous vintage music & dance HOLIDAY, for all

Caravanners and Motorhomers

FREE

BROCHURE

www.twinwoodfestival.com

AVAILABLE

sic Acts Over 100 Top Live Mu to the 1970s. s al journey from the 1920

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tifully ritage site with 15 beau he rb pe su a at e ac pl s ke inwood ta scinating museums. fa Now in its 19th year, Tw ith w ng alo d, an dl oo esque w themed venues, in pictur

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16 amp electric hook-up available.

•

Restaurant Huge Dance Floors Great Food & Bars, including Indoor s) Hair & Beauty Salons Vintage Shopping Village (150 Trader

TWO PEOPLE

5 NIGHTS CAMPING

•

A fabulously fun and friendly mini holiday, for

(NON-ELECTRIC)

4 DAYS ENTERTAINMENT

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£298

• Comedy &rksCabhopares t • Dance Wo all the family.

Call 01234 824773, or click

27th to 30th August 2021 Bedfordshire MK41 6AB

www.twinwoodfestival.com For TICKETS, INFO and our FREE BROCHURE.

TOURING UK SITES

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

See camc.com for the latest site information and follow official UK Government (gov.uk) as well as local government guidelines at all times. We also recommend that you check with businesses/attractions that are listed regarding opening dates/restrictions.

“

Ross Gilmore / Alamy

Along the way we learn some of the rich, sometimes dark, but always fascinating history of Scotland.

”

Breathtaking scenery abounds in northern Scotland

22 March 2021

www.camc.com

In the

loop Scotland’s North Coast 500 route consistently receives rave reviews within the touring community. Avowed fan Andrew Ditton explains why...

A

roats

circular route of 516 miles, the North Coast 500 loops around the north of Scotland, taking in the most stunning scenery. While it has brought benefits to local communities, there has been criticism that many visitors are in a rush, and spend too little time in one place.

Fortunately, the Club has sites dotted close to the route, so to redress the balance, we suggest a slow and relaxed three-week tour, if you can, with two or three nights at each of the sites suggested. However, such is the beauty of the region, you might wish to stay longer! Along the way we learn some of the rich, sometimes dark, but always fascinating history of Scotland.

Sadly, the lockdown of early 2021 sees me writing this from the comfort of my own home, drawing on experiences of previous years. Allow me to take you on a ‘virtual’ journey, in the hope that we will soon be able to do it for real.

Altnaharra

www.camc.com

Contributed by Eric

Ness

J A Photography / Alamy

ann ck ay near ohn o

FIELD NOTES

We start in Inverness, the ‘Gateway to the Highlands’.

A few miles out of town you’ll find the popular Culloden Moor Club site, offering a full facility block and great views from many pitches. Motorhomers in particular like to take advantage of the half-hourly bus service into the city; dog owners and ramblers delight in the forest next door.

To kick off the history trail, we head a couple of miles down the road to Culloden Battlefield, where the final conflict of the 1745 Jacobite Rising took place. In addition to the vast and open battlefield, you’ll find a visitor centre March 2021 23

TOURING UK SITES

“

There has been criticism that many visitors spend too little time in one place

1

Culloden Moor Club Site

Full-facility site offering mostly hardstanding pitches in a choice of pitching areas. Adjacent forest is popular with dog walkers.

Pitches: 77 Tent camping available here.

”

Member view “The surrounding area has many places to visit including Loch Ness, Inverness, Nairn (good beach) and Elgin. A trip to Chanonry Point to see the dolphins may also be worthwile.”

Dewfg

Food & drink Black Isle Brewery, Black Isle IV8 8NZ Contact: blackislebrewery.com, 01463 811871

Inverness Botanic Gardens

Ness Islands, Great Glen Way, Inverness IV2 4RT

For the family Loch Ness by Jacobite (boat trip), Dochgarroch Lock IV3 8JG Contact: jacobite.co.uk, 01463 233999

24 March 2021

lin Keldie VisitScotland / Co

hosting an informative and intriguing interactive exhibition, which details the fast and intense battle and the circumstances surrounding the event. It does a very good job of smashing a few misconceptions with proven facts.

After learning about the fierce, bloody fighting, a trip to the Inverness Botanic Gardens will calm the nerves and soothe the soul. It’s free to enter although a voluntary donation is encouraged and appreciated. In the UK’s most northerly botanic garden you’ll

Efrain Padro / Alamy

Outdoor fun

/Gett y

Inverness Castle Viewpoint, Inverness Contact: highlifehighland.com

Inverness by night

Matthäus Rojek

Ross Gilmore / Alamy

Culture Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, Castle Wynd, Inverness IV2 3EB Contact: highlifehighland.com, 01349 781730

discover a satisfying combination of tropical plants in the hot house, succulents in the cactus house, and native outdoor plants.

Beware that there is a nursery tempting the green-fingered to part with their cash; fatal if you are as weak-willed as me!

The on-site cafe will also try to draw you in, but if you find yourself exploring the city, www.camc.com

2

Kinlochewe Club Site

A rural site offering all hardstanding pitches and an amenity block with drying room.

Dog walk and dog shower on site.

Pitches: 56 Tent camping available here.

Member view “The local hotel (circa 250 yards away) has a brilliant selection of real ales (5 on last time I was there) and an eye-watering range of malt whiskies. Their food is good, based on local seasonal produce and again the prices are pretty user-friendly.” colinkeenan

Food & drink

The Gorse Bush

The Gorse Bush, Old Village Hall, Kinlochewe IV22 2PE Contact: thegorsebush.com, 01445 760423

er Meager Contributed by Pet

Culture Russian Arctic Convoy Museum, Birchburn, Aultbea IV22 2HZ Contact: racmp.co.uk, 01445 731137

Applecross

www.camc.com

son Contributed by Sally Dick

my personal recommendation is the Velocity Cafe in Crown Avenue. The food at this cycling-themed, dog-friendly social enterprise is tasty and fresh, and the combination of good service and a chilled vibe makes it hard to leave.

Stay another day to visit the organic Black Isle Brewery, a few miles north of the city.

Scotland may be famous for whisky, but the

Outdoor fun

Ceannabeinne

Torridon Estate, The Mains, Torridon, Achnasheen IV22 2EZ Contact: nts.org.uk, 01445 791368

For the family Gairloch Marine Life Centre & Cruises, Pier Road, Gairloch IV21 2BQ Contact: porpoise-gairloch.co.uk, 01445 712636

March 2021 25

TOURING UK SITES

3

Altnaharra Club Site

A remote site on the banks of Loch Naver – it’s ideal if you want to completely get away from it all. No toilet block, firm grass pitches, some EHUs. Pitches: 24

Member view “It is the ideal location for walking etc and spotting all sorts of local wildlife (eagles on the hillside and red deer who come down very close to the site some evenings).”

Felix 321

Food & drink

Contributed by Graeme Lewin

The Crask Inn, By Lairg IV27 4AB Contact: thecraskinn.com, 01549 411241 Weavers Cafe, Woodend, Rhitonge, Tongue IV27 4XW Contact: weaverscraftshop. co.uk, 01847 611332

Culture Strathnaver Museum, Clachan, Bettyhill KW14 7SS Contact: strathnavermuseum. org.uk, 01641 521418 Castle Varrich, Lairg IV27 4XE Contact: woodlandtrust.org.uk (for footpath information)

For the family Ferrycroft Visitor Centre, Lairg IV27 4BB Contact: 01549 402160

26 March 2021

pawelosi/Getty

Outdoor fun Hill walking – Ben Hope, Ben Hee, Ben Klibreck, and many others Contact: walkhighlands. co.uk/sutherland/durness.shtml

tipples here are ‘up there’ on the craft beer scale. In the city, the Black Isle Brewery has a bright, open, attractive bar offering an extensive beer menu (I enjoyed the Grisette 2020 Vision) and the best pizza in town — including gluten free and vegan options.

Obviously you cannot drink and drive, so if you need to take away instead, get some cans of Rolling Palace IPA — there’s a cool illustration of a caravan on the can!

ALL ABOUT THE JOURNEY

Heading clockwise as we roughly trace the NC500 route, be prepared for the most jaw-dropping drive to Kinlochewe Club site.

Take it from me, you’ll be glad to spend a few nights at each site on this trip in order to process the surrounding natural beauty – but the vistas on each stage of your actual journey

are just as impressive. Kinlochewe is a relaxed, primarily hardstanding site, which is softened by the lushness of its blooms and plants. Be sure to take in the scenic drive to the Applecross Peninsula with its incredible views over the water to the islands of Raasay and Skye. If you’re feeling brave you can always drive over the ‘Bealach na Ba’ mountain pass — but this is definitely not recommended in a large motorhome or with a caravan!

It’s an even better idea to immerse yourself in this landscape using your own two feet.

Kinlochewe sits on the perimeter of the Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve (NNR), the oldest of its kind in the UK. It was established in 1951 and covers 48 square kilometres, encompassing such celebrities as Loch Maree and Glen Torridon. If you don’t know where to start, don’t worry – a mile from the www.camc.com

“

Kinlochewe is a relaxed, primarily hardstanding site

4

Dunnet Bay

”

Club Site

Stunning sea views are on offer from many of the all-grass pitches.

Direct beach access popular with dog owners. Amenity block offering full facilities.

Pitches: 54 Tent camping available here.

1111IESPDJ/Getty

Member view

Lighthouse in Thurso

“The views are stunning, it was a great place to relax and unwind and forget your worries and look at the wonder of nature. The site was very clean and all precautions taken as required during the pandemic.”

Mrs Mck

Food & drink

Kinlochewe

Smoo Cave in Durness

13threephotography/Getty

Northern Sands Hotel, Dunnet KW14 8XD Contact: northernsands.co.uk, 01847 851200

Culture Thurso Art Gallery, Davidson’s Lane, Thurso KW14 7AF Contact: highlifehighland.com, 01847 896357

Outdoor fun North Coast Watersports, Castletown KW14 8SL Contact: northcoastwatersports. com, 07892 649635

Westend61/Getty

North Coast Watersports)

Helmsdale harbour

www.camc.com

For the family Seadrift Visitor Centre, by the Club site, Dunnet KW14 8X Contact: 01847 821531

March 2021 27

TOURING UK SITES

“

A trip to Gairloch Museum is highly recommended

5

Kittiwake Cottage Certificated Location

Food & drink Stacks Bistro, John o’ Groats KW1 4YR Contact: stacksbistro. co.uk, 01955 611582

Culture Castlehill Heritage Centre, Harbour Rd, Castletown, Thurso KW14 8TG Contact: castletown heritage. co.uk, 01847 821120

Outdoor fun John o’ Groats Ferries and Wildlife Cruises, John o’ Groats KW1 4YR Contact: jogferry.co.uk, 01955 611353

Tony Gage

For the family Puffin Croft Petting Zoo & Farm Shop, John o’ Groats KW1 4YS Contact: puffincroft. com, 01955 611775

28 March 2021

Contributed by Rob Smallshaw

Member view “We stayed here for 2 nights whilst travelling the NC500 in our motorhome. The site is level and offers water in and out, plus black waste disposal area. Basic but everything we needed and a fantastic price.”

TwoHumansOneDog

Contributed by Marguerite Buxton

Delightful ‘back to basics’ adults-only CL offering grass pitches without EHU. Poultry on site, and eggs for sale.

Unsuitable for awnings due to occasional strong winds.

Contact: 01847 851718 Sites Directory & Handbook p515

”

Deer at Lochinver

Applecross wildlife

site lies the Beinn Eighe NNR Visitor Centre, where maps and guides are on hand to help you plan your activities.

Two eminently achievable strolls depart from the centre itself, but for something a little longer and more rugged you might need to drive a couple of miles up the road to the trails car park at Loch Maree. With any luck you’ll catch sight of a red deer, sea eagle, or even a golden eagle. For a history fix, a trip to Gairloch Museum is highly recommended. Set in a former military bunker and opened in July 2019, this delightful museum was a joint winner of the Art Fund Museum of the Year award in 2020. The building is an attraction in itself, while its ever-changing exhibits blur the boundaries between artefact and art.

GETTING AWAY FROM IT ALL

Suitably refreshed and recharged, it’s time to spend another day heading around the coast to Tongue via Durness; then it’s a 10-mile diversion to the next Club site on the itinerary,

Altnaharra. Enjoying a breathtaking location on the banks of Loch Naver, there are just 24 pitches at this non-facility site, and almost half of those are economy pitches without EHU. Make sure you arrive well-stocked as it’s 25 miles to the nearest shop. Fortunately, The Crask Inn serves food (book ahead for dinner), and is ‘only’ 12 miles away.

Walking and relaxing are the order of the day at Altnaharra. The lack of mobile phone signal and Wi-Fi leaves you no choice but to reflect and take stock of what is really important in life. It’s here that the history trail takes a turn towards the darker side. A drive up to Bettyhill will lead you to the fascinating and intimate Strathnaver Museum. As a scholar of Gaelic, the highlight of my visit was learning about the unusual dialect of Gàidhlig Dùthaich MhicAoidh (MacKay Country Gaelic). However, the overriding theme of the museum is the Highland Clearances, and the effect this had on people and landscape. www.camc.com

6

Brora

Club Site Popular site with grass and hardstanding pitches. Amenity block offers full facilities. There’s a path to the nearby sandy beach.

Pitches: 54 Tent camping available here.

Member view

BOOKING INFO

Near Bettyhill

Contributed by James Rowe

“... a walk along the beach takes you into the small fishing village of Brora. A history trail around the village will keep you exercised and enlightened to this area’s past. A great little cafe in the village to visit is ‘Linda’s’.”

SLRobinson5755

Food & drink Sid’s Spice, Station Square, Brora KW9 6QJ Contact: sidspice.com, 01408 621467

For the latest details and opening information for amenity block and shops all our sites, please see within a short drive, so it’s a camc.com good place to catch up with the

www.camc.com

laundry and the shopping. A short walk away, the Northern Sands Hotel offers evening meals, which are rated highly by members.

If you’d prefer a more intimate place to pitch, Kittiwake Cottage Certificated Location (CL) is a few miles farther on. This spot offers ‘back to basics’ camping: no hook-up, no amenity block, just a relaxed grass site offering impressive vistas in all directions.

Wherever you stay, make sure you visit the Castle of Mey. It is the most delightful and uplifting place, especially if you remember Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother with the fondness that I do.

COME WHAT MEY

The Queen Mother bought the castle in 1952, and oversaw renovation of the building and gardens. Her Majesty went on to use the castle

Culture Timespan, Dunrobin Street, Helmsdale KW8 6JA Contact: timespan.org.uk, 01431 821327

Outdoor fun Brora Golf Club, Golf Road, Brora KW9 6QS Contact: broragolfclub. co.uk, 01408 621417

Brora Golf Club

In the late 18th century, people were forcibly displaced and forests were felled, thereby providing grazing for sheep and maximising the earning potential of land. Traditional townships were broken up and many people had to move to the coast to find work. Today, it is hard to comprehend the extent to which the Highland Clearances changed the west and the north of Scotland – but the museum is an excellent starting point if you’d like to know more. On your way back to Altnaharra, stop off at the Rosal Clearance Village (forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/rosal), where a series of interpretation boards tell the tragic story of this once vibrant village, where the remains of 70 buildings still stand.

Our tour continues in a clockwise direction to Dunnet Bay Club site, a few miles from Thurso in Scotland’s north-east. This popular seaside site offers direct access to a sandy beach, while striking sea views may be enjoyed from many of the all-grass pitches. There’s an

For the family Star Stables, Mo Dhachaidh Ardachu, Brora KW9 6NG Contact: 07759 335918

March 2021 29

TOURING UK SITES

7

Drumbhan

Certificated Location Compact CL offering sweeping views and EHUs. Hardstanding pads are set in a grassed area.

Poultry on site. Suited to smaller outfits – larger outfits call ahead for advice.

Contact: 01863 766144 Sites Directory & Handbook p514

Member view “Wonderful owners, wonderful views and above all peace and quiet. It’s a working croft so you may meet the occasional sheep or even one of the collies checking out your unit – after all it is their field.”

Pammiedare

Louise Turpin

Crannag Bistro

Food & drink Crannag Bistro, Dornoch Road, Bonar Bridge IV24 3EB Contact: crannag.com, 01863 766111

Culture Dornoch Cathedral, Dornoch IV25 3SJ Contact: dornoch-cathedral.com, 01862 810296

Outdoor fun Balblair Forest, A386, Bonar Bridge IV24 3EE Contact: forestryandland.gov. scot/visit/balblair, 0300 067 6100 (option 2)

For the family

Galen Rowell/Getty

Falls of Shin, Lairg IV27 4EX Contact: fallsofshin.co.uk, 01549 402888

30 March 2021

as a holiday residence in the summer and autumn. Nowadays, it is open to visitors and the tour is highly recommended – some of the anedotes are hilarious. The Castle of Mey left me with a light and happy feeling; you could tell that this was a joyous place full of merriment and warmth.

Naturally, you can’t leave the area without a trip to John o’ Groats and a snapshot next to the famous sign post. Beyond the tourism, you’ll find a smart and contemporary village bursting with style and chic design. It’s the ideal place for a relaxed mooch before a well-deserved cuppa at Stacks Bistro.

For an experience a little more dramatic, head east from John o’ Groats to Duncansby Head. Leave the car in the car park by the lighthouse and head south on foot for a few hundred yards. Take your camera, as you will quickly discover the remarkable view of Thirle Door and the Stacks of Duncansby — beautiful and dramatic rock formations

whose appearance and alignment change with every step you take. If you wish to get even closer to the stacks and to the wildlife of the area, boat tours from John o’ Groats operate during the summer months.

Heading south our route takes us through the village of Helmsdale and on to Brora Club site. Brora is something special; it borders a golf course, which itself lies next to an expansive sandy beach. The light quality here, and the big skies, are amazing. You have an amenity block and a choice of hardstanding or grass pitches, while a gate opens to a path across the golf course to the sea. You’ll often enjoy a personal utopia here, having the expanse of sand all to yourself.

Wrapping up our heritage and historytinged trail, two cultural attractions compete for attention. The best strategy is, of course, to stay a little longer and visit both.

In Brora, the local Heritage Centre (clyneheritage.com) focuses on Brora’s www.camc.com

“

Whatever you do, don’t miss the Falls of Shin

industrial past, documenting the time in the late 19th century when the village was known as the ‘Industrial Centre of the North’. This chapter is inextricably linked with the Highland Clearances: many crofters were moved off their land to unsustainable crofts on the coast, where it was hoped their circumstances would force them into fishing, mining, or industry. Many emigrated, never to return.

The Clearances, and their impact both locally and globally, are also examined at the Timespan Heritage and Arts Centre in Helmsdale, 10 miles north of Brora. Timespan presents history through a fascinating blend of artefacts and art, embracing the digital age and inspiring thought and debate.

The last site on our itinerary is simply the perfect place to spend a few days and digest everything you have seen and done on this stimulating and fascinating tour.

Drumbhan CL is a compact, friendly site where the resident poultry will come and hang around your caravan door in the hope that you’ll scatter a few crumbs from your morning toast their way. The sweeping views from the pitches are quite remarkable. On my last visit to Drumbhan, the friendly owner, Russell Smith, informed me that the site is particularly popular with dog owners and walkers who www.camc.com

”

appreciate the diversity of landscape in the area, from forests to upland hills. I for one recommend a bout of mountain biking at the nearby Balblair Forest, although check ahead as the trails were awaiting maintenance at the time of writing.

Whatever you do, don’t miss the Falls of Shin. You might be lucky enough to catch the thrilling sight of salmon leaping as they try to navigate the tumbling waters. I’ve been fortunate enough to see two salmon leap as early as late May. Reward your patience with a treat at the Mac and Wild Cafe in the Falls of Shin Visitor Centre. This really is something special, and not just your average tourist cafe – the food is outstanding and the atmosphere uplifting.

I couldn’t think of a better place to round off this magical tour. I simply cannot wait until we can get out there and do it all again.

For more information on the NC500 route, including maps and specific guidance for those towing a caravan or driving a motorhome, please see northcoast500.com.

Alex Treadway/Getty

Bonar Bridge is near the North Coast 500 route

The north of Scotland provides some of the most magnificent cycling in Britain, with on- and off-road routes close to the North Coast 500. The Loch Ness 360˚ Trail is a challenging route which provides stunning views of the famous loch. The entire trail is an 80-mile loop but it is simple to tackle smaller sections. Route plan: lochness360.com.

Walking | North Scotland Use the ViewRanger walking app to enjoy a wide range of walking routes in the north of Scotland and beyond.

Following the seven-day free trial, Club members save 12% on a PREMIUM + Ordnance Survey Maps for Great Britain subscription with ViewRanger. See camc.com/ viewranger for details.

Nirian/Getty

VisitScotland / Richard Elliot

Cycling | Scotland

March 2021 31

TOURING CERTIFICATED LOCATIONS

CL SITES UPDATES 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

CUMBRIA

KENDAL (5m W) – High Gregg Hall Lodge, Mr Mark and Mrs Jane Simpson, Underbarrow, Cumbria LA8 8BL. 01539 568674; 07866 690809; stay@bbthelodge.co.uk. 54.318624, -2.823965; 97:SD465917. OAY; 0.75 acre; dogs; adv bkg req; some sloping pitches; levelling blocks req; hdstdng; enhanced – EHU with drinking water; 16A; ideal for families; commercial site adj; views; wkg fm; self-catering acc on site; wc(sh); shwr(sh); dog walk fr site; town in 1m; golf in 5m; fr £20.00 (pitch + all occ).

WALES

WREXHAM

WREXHAM (1.8m SE) – Penyllan Farm, Mrs Sharon Lloyd, Wrexham Road, Marchwiel, Wrexham LL13 0PF. 07842 900797; 01978 262990; sharon lloyd208@btinternet.com. 53.13029, -2.575924; 117:SJ353479. OAY; 2 acres; adv bkg req; sloping pitches; levelling blocks required; unfenced water; waterside; grass; 16A; peaceful; coarse fishing and game fishing CL; views; lawned; wkg fm; disabled facs; shop on site; public trans, town, shop & pub in 1m; golf & watersports in 5m; fr £17.00 (pitch + 2 ad).

UPDATES

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.

214 AMBLESIDE – Keen Ground Farm. Site now open all year.

331 RIPLEY – Upper Hartshay Farm.

New tel: 07488 345891.

515 CHELMSFORD – Little Baddow Hall Fruit Farm. Change of ownership to Mrs C Adams and Nick Marshall (manager); 07890 664886, email: littlebaddowhallfruitfarms@ gmail.com.

712 CANTERBURY – Howletts Farm. New email: jmcolthup@icloud.com.

736 HYTHE – The Spinney.

Handbook correction: Exclusive WC on CL. 758 TENTERDEN – Forge Meadow Caravan Site.

Contact number (01797 270069) in Handbook and on website is correct.

(Tel number also appeared incorrectly alongside Toft Country House Hotel & Golf Club CL).

1486 WADHURST – Stone Crouch Cottage. New tel: 07976 283281.

1871 SANDHEAD – Port Logan Caravan Site. Open all year for 2021.

1896 NAIRN – Allanaha Farm.

Additional tel no: 07729 451749.

1904 GLASGOW – Lochwood Farm.

Handbook correction: Mobile

numbers are 07949 278530 and 07957 662969.

January magazine POULTON LE FYLDE – Pointer Farm. New email: info@farmescapes.co.uk.

Not in Handbook FRESHWATER – The Bungalow. Correction: Site open at The Bungalow, Freshwater Bay Golf Course, Freshwater, Isle of Wight PO40 9TZ. Mr J and Mrs K Whitwam; 01983 752400; kathwhitwam@hotmail.com.

CLOSURES

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.

1243 MUCH WENLOCK – Weston House Please remember that CLs are privately-owned businesses. If you make a booking and subsequently don’t show up, a 20% loss will be incurred by the CL owner if that pitch cannot be resold. So, if you have to cancel a booking, please give the CL owner as much notice as possible. CL owners have individual cancellation policies so charges may be incurred if you cancel or don’t turn up.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

See camc.com for the latest site and CL information and follow official UK (gov.uk) and local government guidelines wat 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.

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR CLS Despite incredible challenges throughout 2020 and into 2021, the Certificated Locations network continues to thrive. Exactly 100 new sites opened their doors to Club members during the year, the highest number to join the network in the course of 12 months for a long time. The network also enjoyed a 13% net growth, giving members a huge choice of amazing sites at which to stay. The future is looking bright as well, with a record number of 410 landowners applying for CL certification at the end of 2020, an increase of 10% on the previous year. We continue to work hard to grow the CL network in order to give you even more options when choosing a small, independent site.

If you or anyone you know is considering applying to become a CL owner then visit camc.com/my5pitchsite.

32 March 2021

Top: Westcroft Stables CL, Hampshire Above: Mains of Machermore Farm CL, Dumfries & Galloway www.camc.com

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Top

ACTIVITY BREAKS ROOF CLIMB

Buckle up and clip in with Jonathan Manning for a thrilling climb over the O2 Arena and spine-tingling views of London

world of the

Up at The O2

A

mid the endless controversy that surrounded the Millennium Dome as we approached the end of 1999, one of the project’s saving graces was never discussed – the view from the top. The great white dome was prematurely condemned by some to being a great white elephant, despite the Government’s promise that, it would be home to “the biggest, most thrilling, most entertaining, most thought-provoking experience anywhere on the planet in the year 2000”.

Two decades of regeneration have since seen thousands of attractive new homes spring up around the

34 December 2020

dome and new businesses set up base in its shadow, while the structure itself has become the most successful music venue in the world, hosting more concerts and attendees than anywhere else.

Yet perhaps its star attraction twinkled above the on-stage stars for years before anyone realised. ‘Up at the O2’ opened in 2012, a thrilling walkway to the summit of the dome, and a viewing platform with a spellbinding panorama of London.

High above the vast, taut-roofed tent – any caravanner with an awning will be dumbstruck by the tension in the membrane – is also the best place to admire details that would impress the architects of Inca pyramids. www.camc.com

Up at The O2

Main image: the dome boasts 12 steel masts – one for each month Left: made it!

Jonathan on the viewing platform Far left: fun for all ages

The structure has 24 scallops (one for each hour of the day) and 12 steel masts (one for each month of the year), is 52m tall (one metre for every week of the year), and boasts a diameter of 365… well, you get the picture.

TOP MARKS

The climb to the top, however, is challenging. Not a Snowdon or Ben Nevis scale of challenge, but dealing with the 30% gradient and huge exposure does take both effort and nerve. Fortunately, everything is in place to make the roof walk as easy and accessible as possible, and everyone is provided with special grippy boots, a tight-fitting, if-unflattering harness and a strong metal cable and latch www.camc.com

that anchors every climber to the rail up and over the dome. This is no free-for-all – group numbers are limited and the experience is led by an expert.

Nor is this a trampoline, as our guide, George, reminds us. The white membrane of the dome is only 1mm thick (the air inside the dome weighs more than the roof!), so no bouncing. We walk on a springy blue walkway, as steep as a ladder in places, but punctuated by flatter platforms.

Clipping the harness to the rail reminds me of a ‘via ferrata’ climb (see the December 2019 issue for my reflections on this exciting activity), but thankfully the ground does not disappear beneath our feet. Progress is slow and steady, a chain gang slowly shuffling skywards December 2020 35

ACTIVITY BREAKS ROOF CLIMB Safety briefing

Blackpool Tower, Blackpool Gaze down on ant-sized holidaymakers on Blackpool’s Promenade, or look out across the north-west of England to the Lake District. You can even see the Isle of Man on a clear day from the 380ft-high vantage point. Adult ticket £13.95 (online).

Info: theblackpooltower.com Stay: Blackpool South Club site Please check with all venues in advance with regard to opening and other restrictions

36 March 2021

A PP

Learning to use the harness Participants clip on to a rail

Stefan & Sara Venter nt National Wallace Monume

Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth Whizz skywards in a high-speed lift to the View Deck (or The Clouds café, one floor above) to an eyrie with views that stretch as far as 23 miles. The glass floor Sky Walk will test your nerves, while the truly brave can abseil down.

Adult tickets £11.95 (online) Info: spinnakertower.co.uk Stay: Rookesbury Park Club site National Wallace Monument, Stirling Brace yourself and climb the 246-step staircase for an outstanding panorama of the beautiful countryside that surrounds this monument to Scottish hero Sir William Wallace.

Adult tickets £10.75.

Info: nationalwallace monument.com Stay: The Woods Club site

BOOK

ON TH E

Merlin Entertainments

Three more views with a thrill...

Images: Up at The O2

LIFT ME UP

“

The air inside the dome weighs more than the roof!

for perhaps 10 minutes before we reach the wide viewing platform, from which an entire section of the Thames opens out.

CAPITAL ASSETS

The obvious money shot is the skyline of Canary Wharf with its skyscrapers, including the iconic One Canada Square, topped by its pyramidal roof (it‘s the third tallest building in the UK). But then the panels of a 360˚ toposcope identify other landmarks to spot.

To the south-west is the palatial structure of the old Naval College at Greenwich. To the east I can just about make out City Airport, where aircraft seem to take off and land at perilous angles. On the far bank of the river sits Trinity Buoy, London’s only lighthouse, and Container City, a collection of brightly painted shipping containers.

Further north is the distinctive silhouette of the ArcelorMittal Orbit sculpture at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, while below me the tiny, egg-like cable cars of the Emirates Air Line nudge along their high-wire crossing of the Thames. Despite my best efforts, I can’t quite make out Abbey Wood Club site, barely five miles away as the crow flies.

My camera is put to work, while other members of the group pose for selfies or raise a toast. Up at the O2 is clearly a popular location to mark birthdays and anniversaries (I’m guessing proposals, too), and there’s the option to pre-book a glass of chilled bubbly at the summit. In 2019, the last ‘proper’ year, 20,000 visitors enjoyed a glass of Champagne Lanson, about one in six of the 123,000 people who undertook the roofwalk.

A woman from Brixton tells me that she and her friend had decided on the Up at the

”

O2 adventure to make sure they created a positive memory in Covid-struck 2020. It certainly feels like an experience to share, especially when the low winter sun breaks out below a bank of heavy cloud, casting a golden spotlight onto the mirrored windows of Canary Wharf. The offices sparkle like towering glitterballs. Keen photographers should note that Up at the O2 offers three different tickets – daytime, sunset and twilight – revealing the capital at work, rest and play.

Chilled by a biting wind, I’m ready to start the descent, although the walkway down looks more like a runway or giant waterpark slide. In many respects it’s physically harder going down than it was climbing up, with some walkers choosing to go down backwards, or jettisoning their dignity to wiggle down on backsides.

When debate raged in the last years of the 20th Century about what would actually go inside the famous dome, one suggestion was for a ‘big Millennium ride’. The ride never materialised, yet a bigger thrill was there all along. And now, as the dome celebrates its 21st birthday, the view from its peak just gets better and better.

INFORMATION

Jonathan ascended the O2 in accordance with Covid guidelines at the time. See camc.com for the latest site information and follow official UK (gov.uk) and local government rules at all times.

www.camc.com

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SPECIAL BEGINNER’S GUIDE

French lessons Thinking of crossing the Channel for the first time when it’s safe to travel again? Lee Davey has some tips for nervous travellers...

LE CHÂTEAU DU GANDSPETTE (P08) Open: April to September Special offers: 7 nights for price of 6 (excluding 4 July-31 August), free Wi-Fi for stays over 3 nights all season

Relaxing on site

U

nderstandably, it has been hard to make concrete travel arrangements recently – but we have still had lots of fun planning our future European adventures. Hopefully we’ll be crossing the Channel to France again soon.

A first trip to France can be daunting for many. We could certainly have made our first outing easier by working out a clearer route, packing a few pitch essentials and learning some language basics. We were still fine – but we could have done with a few pointers.

If you don’t have any prior experience of towing or driving in France – or even if it has been a while since you last took your caravan or motorhome to the Continent – here is some advice you might find useful while you think about upcoming trips.

WHICH SITE?

Each site bookable through the Club is assessed for quality and suitability, so you can rest assured that every location will be of a certain standard. A good example is Le Château du Gandspette, which is an easy 40-minute tow/drive from Calais – perfect for those unfamiliar with driving overseas. The site staff speak excellent English, but my attempt to remember schoolboy French at check-in was appreciated.

Pitches are large, electrical points fit UK plugs, and on-site facilities include two swimming pools, a restaurant and an area for ball games. Situated near the village of Éperlecques, there is a bakery just a short walk away and, should you wish to do a big shop, the supermarché is just a five-minute drive. Le Blockhaus d’Éperlecques, a V2 rocket base from the Second World War, is within easy reach on foot or bike.

CROSSING THE CHANNEL

Boarding a ferry or driving onto a Eurotunnel carriage seemed like a big deal before our first trip. In reality, it’s a breeze, as the terminals are tightly managed to minimise delays and boost efficiency. Boarding lanes may appear narrow 38 March 2021

www.camc.com

“

We have still had lots of fun planning our future European adventures

Lighthouse at Calais www.camc.com

Michael Dittel / EyeEm/Getty

”

39

MisterStock shutterstock

SPECIAL BEGINNER’S GUIDE

Above: the city of Lille is just over an hour’s drive from Le Château du Gandspette

Below: the site’s swimming pool is a hit; Lee’s son Charlie at the V2 rocket base

at first, but swooping curves make manoeuvres simple, and loading/unloading at each end is supervised by staff.

Booking the site and the crossing together through the Club will save you money – I check all available options when travelling on the Continent and the Club has yet to be beaten on price. What’s more, at the time of writing, the Club offers free amendments or cancellations should the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advise against travel.

Ferry or Eurotunnel? I tend to go with the lowest price at the time of booking, but obviously your destination may be an important factor in deciding.

DRIVING ON THE OTHER SIDE

“Driving in France is much easier than the UK.” Before our first trip to France, this throwaway line from a fellow caravanner seemed as unlikely as me competing in the next Olympics. Clamping the steering wheel with white-knuckle intensity as I left the ferry for the first time, things gradually fell into place and blood quickly returned to my strained fingers. Driving on the right may be daunting when it’s a new experience, but the road networks surrounding the French ferry and tunnel terminals are unchallenging, and most vehicles will initially be travelling in the same direction as you. There is always the option of pulling over after you disembark to let other vehicles pass.

GAS AND ELECTRICITY

Should you use Calor (or similar) in your caravan or motorhome, plan in advance, as there are no supplies on the Continent.

40 March 2021

A pair of 6kg propane bottles (or 7kg butane) will be more than enough for a typical family break. If you’re travelling during the warmer months, most of your gas will probably be used by the barbecue. Hardy European travellers may have Gaslow or Safefill systems, which allow LPG station fill-ups during extended tours.

In terms of electricity, a European adaptor and a polarity checker (both available online for under £10 each) are handy items to pack when travelling abroad, but your standard hook-up cable will fit the majority of European bollards, including at Le Château du Gandspette. Remember that some sites offer 6A electric points (with 3A not unheard of).

INSURANCE

See p46 of this issue for information about Global Health Insurance Cards and European Health Insurance Cards. Make sure your travel insurance covers your needs. To drive in France, you must carry a ‘Green Card’ (which your vehicle insurer will issue) and display a GB sticker (see gov.uk for more detailed information on travelling in France and other countries).

FINAL THOUGHTS

I hope the pointers above will help ease any nerves you may have about heading to France. Let’s hope things improve and restrictions are removed soon – maybe I’ll see you on site. Remember there is lots more useful and in-depth information available at camc.com/overseas-holidays and in the Club’s overseas touring guides. Bonne chance! www.camc.com

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caravanclub.co.uk. Lightweight and hardwearing the LevelCheck features an integrated LED torch for night-time use. Please note that this item is not suitable for plastic or refillable gas cylinders, gas tanks or butane cylinders (Campingaz).

RRP: £61.99 from Prima Leisure (available for £55.79 through Club Shop; see shop.camc.com for details and terms and conditions) Contact: truma.com

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ACTION? Jane McGowan checks out products designed to help you prepare for your next break OXO Long Reach Dusting System No spring clean would be complete without a comprehensive dust, and this clever bit of kit should help you clear the grime from every nook and cranny of your caravan. Featuring three interchangeable, pivoting heads – microfibre for shelves, corners and hard-to-reach surfaces; a cobweb duster with dust-trapping bristles that can be rinsed after use; and a closed-loop duster for walls and ceilings – the OXO system has you well and truly covered. The robust steel pole extends up to 8ft, collapsing down to a mere 3ft for easy storage.

RRP: £40 Weight: 1.8kg Contact: available at johnlewis.com

42

Halfords Rapid Digital Tyre Inflator

This portable inflator is a useful item should one of your car tyres let you down (literally). The inflation process takes just under three minutes and the device automatically cuts off once the desired pressure is reached. You can change the measuring units on the digital display, while the in-built torch makes it easy to use at night. It has a 3m power line that plugs into your vehicle’s 12V socket, and a range of adaptors to suit other inflatables.

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Fancy window cleaning with a bit less elbow grease? Why not give this lightweight Kärcher window vacuum a go? Once you have washed your windows, its powerful suction is designed to prevent drips and streaking, leaving your windows gleaming.

A single charge lasts up to 35 minutes; once finished, simply pour the dirty water away. Comes with a cleaning head, 1x 20 ml glass concentrate, 1x spray bottle and 1x charger (not pictured) RRP: £60 Weight: 0.6kg including battery Contact: kaercher.com (for info); available from B&Q (diy.com)

Shark Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner Judging by online reviews, this twin-battery handheld vacuum is a winner with customers. Its many useful features include a 16-minute run time, a lightweight body and multifunctionality that enables it to be used on hard surfaces or soft furnishings using a range of

accessories (a pet tool is included). Its sleek design means it won’t take up much space and to recharge you simply slot it into the base unit.

RRP: £179.99 Weight: 0.6kg Contact: sharkclean.co.uk

RRP: £15 for Caravan Waterless Wash Starter Pack from Prima Leisure (available for £13.50 through Club Shop; see shop.camc. com for details and terms and conditions).

Contents: 2 x 300ml of Waterless Wash; 1 x reusable trigger (twist and click); 2 x microfibre cloths (machine-washable at 40˚C) Contact: drysparkle.com

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March 2021 43

TOURING OVERSEAS TRAVEL

Thrills and chills

Shutterstock/f11photo

wildlife spotting in the glacial wonderlands of Alaska... when it’s safe to travel again we have the perfect independent motorhome tour for you

RHYTHMS OF THE SOUTH Mississippi aboard a paddle steamer or a trip to the swamps!

Afterwards, you will head northwards towards Memphis, stopping along the way in Jackson, Mississippi (visit the The Old Capitol Museum, Governor’s Mansion and the Capitol Building) and Tupelo – birthplace of Elvis Presley.

Bruce Yuanyue Bi/Getty

Jazz, blues, country and rock ‘n’ roll – the themes of this ultimate tour through the history of American music. Following your flight to Atlanta, Georgia, you will embark on an odyssey to iconic locations such as New Orleans (pictured above), Memphis and Nashville in a fully-equipped Cruise America Compact RV. Visits to Montgomery (Alabama‘s state capital) and Mobile (home to the fascinating Condé-Charlotte Museum) are on the schedule as you make your way southwards to New Orleans – the birthplace of jazz.

If you choose to stay at the French Quarter RV Resort you will be within walking distance of the centre. Make sure you visit historic Jackson Square to watch the open-air artist colony at work and visit the nearby New Orleans Jazz Museum, where the story of the city and its music is brought to life. There is, of course, a multitude of jazz clubs from which to choose – consider The Davenport Lounge at the Ritz Carlton and Preservation Hall.

Other diversions during your stay in New Orleans might include a cruise on the

WALKING IN MEMPHIS

Talking of the King, if you decide to stop at our recommended campsite – Graceland RV Park & Campground – you‘ll be just a short stroll from the great man‘s legendary home. While you are in Memphis you should also take the opportunity to visit musical landmarks such as Sun Studio (where Elvis recorded many of his hits) and Beale Street, known as the ‘Home of the Blues’. On a more

sombre note, the National Civil Rights Museum (built around the former Lorraine Motel – the site of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr) provides a thought-provoking experience.

COUNTRY FILE

Our musical odyssey now takes you to Nashville, the famed home of country music. Here you will have the chance to visit the ‘Opry House’, home to the Grand Old Opry Show, the longest-running radio broadcast in US history. Performers at the venue over the years have included the likes of Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Johnny Cash. Aficionados should also make a beeline for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

On your way back to Atlanta, our recommended stop is at the Raccoon Mountain Campground, the perfect base for exploring the attractions around Chattanooga. Discover the likes of the vertiginous ‘Incline Railway’ up Lookout Mountain, the Southern Belle riverboat and more, before a short journey back to the motorhome depot concludes this epic trip.

Duration/type: 21 days/ independent motorhome tour Departures: April to October 2022 NEW Price: from £3,199 per person, based on two sharing Price includes: Flights from the UK to Atlanta, all transfers, two nights in a centrally located hotel in Atlanta including breakfast, RV hire for 18 days including unlimited mileage, Statutory Liability Insurance up to $1,000,000, unlimited generator usage, personal kits including sleeping bags, towels and pillows, vehicle provision kits including cutlery and crockery.

For more information on this tour please visit camc.com/worldwide or call 01342 488059 44 March 2021

www.camc.com

Shutterstock/Tomasz Wozniak

Kenai Fjords National Park

Find out more at: camc.com/ worldwide

Denali National Park

recommended – as well as a variety of birdlife, there is a chance you might spot wolves and bears.

Travelling southwards once again, you now head for Paxson and Glenallen, where the Copper River offers world class salmon fishing as well as opportunities for hiking, rafting and more.

HEAVENLY HIGHWAY

o a or e

A spectacular drive on the Richardson Highway now awaits. Passing Worthington Glacier and the waterfalls of Keystone Canyon, you will arrive in beautiful Valdez, located at the tip of a fjord on Prince William Sound.

Road to Anchorage

er oc

Nature in all its glory is the focus of this once-in-a-lifetime trip to the northernmost state of America.

Towering mountains and ancient glaciers provide awe-inspiring backdrops in a landscape shared with bears, caribou, moose and wolves. You might even see the aurora borealis or midnight sun depending on the season!

Following a couple of nights in a four-star hotel in Anchorage you will pick up your motorhome from the depot and head for Palmer, enjoying views of the towering Chugach and Talkeetna mountains along the way.

Days five and six are spent in the breathtaking Denali National Park – the home of America’s tallest peak, 20,310ft Denali (formerly known as Mount McKinley). We recommend travellers take the seven-hour Tundra Wildlife Tour into the park to truly appreciate this natural wonderland.

Your next destination is Fairbanks to the north, where we recommend you stay at River’s Edge Resort RV Park beside the Chena River. Again, a wildlife tour is highly

Shutterstock/Joe Borg

THE BEST OF ALASKA

On Day 13 of your epic adventure you actually get to cross the sound itself aboard the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry to Whittier. From here, you head for Seward via Portage Glacier (hour-long boat cruises on Portage Lake give you the opportunity to see this natural phenomena up close) and the Begich, Boggs Visitor Centre, where you can walk through a simulated ice cave and view live ice worms!

As you make your way back to Anchorage there’s still time to immerse yourself in the beauty of the Kenai Fjords National Park, which boasts some of the most pristine glacial vistas in North America. The waterways here are home to a diverse array of marine life – perhaps you could head off on a Wildlife & Glacier cruise to mark the perfect finish to a spectacular journey.

Duration/type: 17 days/ independent NEW motorhome tour Departures: May to September 2022 Price: from £3,899 per person, based on two sharing Price includes: Flights from the UK to Anchorage, all transfers, two nights in a centrally located hotel in Anchorage including breakfast, RV hire for 13 days including unlimited mileage, Statutory Liability Insurance up to $1,000,000, unlimited generator usage, personal kits including sleeping bags, towels and pillows, vehicle provision kits including cutlery and crockery.

For more information on this tour please visit camc.com/worldwide or call 01342 488059 www.camc.com

March 2021 45

TOURING OVERSEAS TRAVEL Beautiful castles and villages overlook the River Dordogne

Shutterstock/Nataliia Budianska

TRAVEL UPDATE

FRENCH FOCUS Consider the Dordogne as you plan your future breaks...

BEAULIEU SUR DORDOGNE (A21)

Find out more at: camc.com/ confidence PLEASE CHECK THE LATEST FOREIGN TRAVEL ADVICE AT CAMC.COM AND GOV.UK

LE PORT DE LIMEUIL (A16)

Sitting at the confluence of the Dordogne and Vézère rivers, this peaceful site is the perfect base for relaxing, while canoe and mountain bike hire is available for the more adventurous. The pretty hillside village of Limeuil (a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France) with its stone houses and brown, tiled roofs, sits opposite the site.

Special offers (excludes high season 9 Jul-23 Aug): 14 nights for the price of 12 and one dog goes free

If you fancy embarking on a European escorted tour this year, visiting French vineyards, romantic German castles, or spectacular Austrian landscapes, then take a look at camc. com/europeantours for more inspiration or call us on 01342 488711.

Seven ‘Beaux Villages’ are within easy reach of this excellent campsite, including Collonges-la-Rouge –where the buildings are made from red sandstone. Look out for the Church of Saint-Pierre with its conical-shaped steeple, parts of which date from the 11th century.

Special offers (excludes high season 2 Jul-29 Aug): 7 nights for the price of 6 and one dog goes free

LE PARADIS – ST LÉON (D30) This lovely, spacious, family-run site is just 3km from Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère – an old port town and member of the ‘Beaux Villages’. Set in a curve in the river, the town is home to an enchanting 12th century church.

Other beautiful villages within easy driving distance of the site include Domme, La Roque-Gageac and Beynac-et-Cazenac.

Special offers (excludes high season 10 Jul-27 Aug): One dog goes free

Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne

Shutterstock/FredP

There are many reasons why France is such a popular destination with Club members. Easy to get to and with surprisingly quiet roads, it boasts everything from breathtaking mountains and stunning seascapes to cosmopolitan cities boasting ancient architecture and magical, riverside chateaux.

But the country is also renowned for its charming villages – places where you can really unwind and soak up the magic of the ‘real France’. This month we have selected three sites in the beautiful Dordogne region, each of which is located either in or close to a settlement that belongs to ‘Les Plus Beaux Villages de France’ – an association that promotes the tourist appeal of small, rural, culturally rich locations.

When Covid restrictions are eased, getting away to Europe post-Brexit should be fairly straightforward. You won’t need a visa to stay up to 90 days in a 180-day period, but there are a few changes to the rules. Please take note of the following: n Check your passport – it needs to be valid for at least six months on the wday you travel. n We recommend adequate health insurance before your trip but a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is valid until its expiry date (after which it can be replaced with a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)). Note: EHIC and GHIC do not cover travellers to the non-EU countries of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein – we recommend you have adequate health insurance if travelling there. n To drive you will need a Green Card and GB sticker but most won’t need an international driving permit. Depending on the country you’re visiting, you might need an International Driving Permit if you have a paper licence or one issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man. n Pet owners need to get an Animal Health Certificate within 10 days of each trip.

Contact a vet one month prior to the trip to check vaccines required. n You cannot take meat, milk, fruit or vegetables into the EU. There are some exceptions so check the European Commission website (ec.europa.eu).

Please visit gov.uk for the latest info before you travel

For information on touring in Europe and to book sites, ferries or Eurotunnel, see camc.com/overseas or call 01342 488101 46 March 2021

www.camc.com

Join us in 2021

9 GREAT MUSIC WEEKENDERS

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Cook COLUMN MARTIN DOREY

The Campervan

Martin Dorey, campervanner and cook, is at home waiting for the green light to start another adventure. He has also been perfecting a granola recipe he can enjoy in the van

H

opefully, by the time you read I have to say, I’ve enjoyed every minute of this, there will be a sense of planning while the van has been sat on the excitement in the air as we look drive these last few months. I hope you’ve felt forward to sites reopening and able to do the same. for adventure to call us again. Let’s hope that One thing that has helped to keep the everyone who enjoys our beautiful country dream alive during this third lockdown has this year remembers how to do it properly. been perfecting my own granola for those I predict a busy summer! loch-side breakfasts to come.

I’ve been planning trips to Scotland to It is a relatively easy recipe, but does get off the beaten track, using Club sites require an oven, so it’s perfect for making and CLs as a base for the van while we take before you go and then storing in an off on a few mini overnight adventures with airtight container to keep it fresh. a tent, travelling on foot, by bike, stand-up Unlike most shop-bought cereals, paddleboard and kayak. It takes some I’ve used gluten-free planning, of course, to work out how to kayak down a river and then get back to the van! Cycling is less of a challenge, but still requires a little RECIPE NO. 38 thought in terms of what to take and how ambitious to be.

AND FOR A SNACK

Some of the 7Stanes sites, like my favourite at Kirroughtree in Galloway, have bike shops, showers and cafés. There is nothing like a decent cuppa and a slice of cake after a few hours on the trail.

MEMBER SINCE...

Campervanner Martin Dorey joined the Club in 2016

48 March 2021

AND KEEP

RECIPES

Gluten-free granola with cinnamon and e orangOU T 12 SERVINGS MAKES AB

INGREDIENTS e oats 0g jumbo gluten-fre

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METHOD

tly about 150°C (sligh Preheat the oven to ). lower for a fan oven in a large bowl Heat the coconut oil in the honey, x Mi . within a bain marie n so everything mo na cin d an t zes orange nuts and ts, oa the d ad is runny. Now erything ev at co to seeds and mix well . oil d an y ne with the ho

tray with Line a large baking d the rea sp d an r baking pape ng it down lightly ssi pre t, ou re xtu mi flapjack). This helps (like you might with rs. with making cluste until it is golden, Bake for an hour, or ntly a couple of ge er ov it stirring and turning with the ce it is cooked, mix times as it cooks. On a tray to cool. As on t ou lay d an it dried fru crisp up. it cools it will start to into cru Once cool, mble an clusters and store in til it’s un r ine nta co ht airtig . time to go and Serve with yoghurt a for it fru sh fre some super-nutty brekkie on the road. Yum!

nge: Tony Gage

If you enjoy off-road cycling, I recommend taking a trip to the 7Stanes mountain biking centres in in the south of Scotland, which are managed by Forestry and Land Scotland. They offer fantastic single-track mountain bike riding with views a-plenty and varying degrees of difficulty. They are graded like ski runs – from relatively easy to very tough. For more information take a look at forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/ activities/mountain-biking/7stanes.

CUT OUT

Cinnamon and ora

THE COOK RECOMMENDS...

oats and it contains no palm oil, which is good news for the planet. For this version I’ve gone for a little spice with cinnamon and orange, as well as some luxury fruit to give bursts of flavour. All my ingredients are from my local waste-free shop so, apart from the jars, it’s 100% packaging-free – another good reason to celebrate.

All we need now is that green light…

Recommend Recommenda friend a friend Free Free £10 £10 gift gift voucher voucher with with every every friend friend recommendation recommendation*

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camc.com/join camc.com/join *Existing members are required to give their friend/family consent to use their membership number to invite them to join the lub online, on stand or by phone. Your friend/family member will need to add your membership number into the paper form or if using the online join form (after the payment screen) to qualify for the £10 Club gift voucher. Your £10 Club gift voucher will then be automatically posted to you after their membership has been confirmed.

MEMBER OFFERS SPECIAL DEALS

SAVE WITH THE CLUB As we prepare to get our touring seasons underway, check out these fantastic savings on everything from MOTs to tyre pressure monitoring systems. Find out more by visiting camc.com/memberoffers and shop.camc.com

Save with National Tyres and Autocare Prepare your vehicle by taking advantage of a range of savings from National Tyres and Autocare. Club members receive a 5% discount on tyre brands including: Bridgestone, Pirelli, Dunlop, Continental, Goodyear and Michelin.

Other National Tyres and Autocare offers available to customers include: n 50% discount on MOTs – you pay just £27.42 for Class 4 car and van (includes motorhomes up to 3 tonnes); available at over 100 participating branches. n Up to 20% savings on autocare related to the likes of brakes, exhausts, steering and suspension. n Free seasonal safety check (240 branches) covering tyres, exhausts, batteries, brakes and shock absorbers.

For more information see camc.com/ nationaltyres.

FREE BENEFIT WORTH £120 ON E&P SYSTEM

The E&P self levelling system enables you to get your motorhome or caravan level and stable at the touch of a button. Members can receive a free footplate cover worth £120

Save 10% on batteries and accessories Members can enjoy savings of 10% on premium batteries as well as a wide range of accessories, including battery chargers and optimisers, jump packs and jump starters, battery leads, split charging systems and inverters from leading global brands such as NOCO, CTEK and Optimate. Find out more at camc. com/taynabatteries.

on all new installations, complementing the fixed control panel installed within the vehicle. To find out more please see camc.com/EPHydraulics.

Terms and conditions apply to all member offers and Club Shop purchases – see camc.com/memberoffers and shop.camc.com for details 50 March 2021

www.camc.com

10% discount on fully fitted motor movers Members can claim a 10% discount on the Purple Line range of motor movers, including installation. Powered by Quattro technology, the company’s products are capable of moving caravans up to 2,500kg, and can be used on single or twin-axle tourers. Witter Towbars has teamed up with Purple Line for this offer – select from a range of fitting centres across the UK (mobile fitting is also available). Find out more at camc.com/motormovers.

20% OFF TYREPAL TPMS

SAVE AT THE CLUB SHOP Members save 10% when purchasing the new-for-2021 Milenco Aero Platinum Towing Mirrors, which feature a reengineered clamping system specifically developed to securely fit to the tapered mirror bezels found on an increasing number of cars. Go to shop.camc.com and use the discount code CS-0218PRIMA to save up to 10% on all products.

Members can save 20% on TyrePal tyre pressure monitoring systems.

The devices offer you peace of mind by continuously monitoring the pressure and temperature of your tyres, giving clear visual and audible alerts should anything start to go wrong. From the TC215 range to the award-winning Solar Colour Pro systems, there is a solution available for your touring outfit.

Visit camc.com/tyrepal for more information.

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Letters

Your chance to have your say. The writer of our star letter will receive copies of our three overseas touring guides

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.

STAR LETTER

SWISS TIPS RESTORATION REQUEST

INSPIRING JOURNEY While I was undergoing a seven-month course of chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer back in 2012, my husband and I decided that we would treat ourselves to a campervan for a new kind of holiday, which we hoped would help prolong our life together and fill it with fun. I’d been told that I had only a year to live, so we’d already embarked on a number of complementary therapies including exercise, meditation, homeopathy, a drastically altered diet and strategies to reduce stress and increase positive thinking – and our campervan would provide a further therapy and help us towards a more relaxed lifestyle, and adventure.

We found a firm called Urban Campers, where Shaun worked with us to choose all the features which we wanted in our Nissan NV200.

The day we went to fetch ‘Austin’, as we decided to call our van, was a landmark for me, as it was the first time I had driven since becoming ill; I had to follow Austin home in our car.

We joined the Club, and our first holiday was in Wales; as novices we booked the first night at a (CL) site which had no washing up or shower facilities. Neither did Austin, but fortunately there was one loo on site. Since then we have had many holidays both at home and abroad. Scotland is a favourite location of ours, with Club sites like Bunree and Dunnet Bay and their glorious seascapes, and in the summer we head to the Alps or the Pyrenees.

Austin was a small van, and after a while we got tired of sitting down to get dressed or to cook, so we acquired ‘Austin 2’ (pictured), a VW T6 Hillside Birchover with features such as a sink and portable loo. Austin 1 went to a friend, another enthusiastic hill walker.

Eight years on, I am back to full health and strength and have written a book, Shout it from the Rooftops, about my cancer journey. As soon as we are able to after lockdown, we intend to tour the country in Austin 2, visiting new Club sites and going into local independent bookshops with my story of hope for other cancer sufferers.

Lizzie Emery, North Yorkshire www.camc.com

I am at present restoring a vintage 1951 Bampton 14 four-berth caravan, which I understand is quite rare.

I have been given several exterior photos of my caravan dating back to 1954, but unfortunately none of the interior. I wonder if any readers have any interior photos of a caravan of that age (early 1950s) which would give me some insight into the original styles/materials/ colour schemes, upholstery, curtains, etc. It cost £595 originally, so would have been quite an expensive caravan. The outside was painted in Old English White, and the inside woodwork was limed oak in colour.

I have many photos of caravans which have been restored, but obviously they do not now have the original interiors.

I was interested to see that Lee Davey had discovered Switzerland (January 2021) – a jewel of a place. Last March I used the lockdown to catalogue my 35mm slides, going back to 1962. What struck me was the number of pictures from trips to Switzerland.

Over the years I must have covered most of the country, except the north-west. The Bernese Oberland is probably the one I have visited most, although I discovered the less-well-known, but attractive, Appenzell region while working in Bavaria.

Yes, Switzerland is not cheap, but I feel it gives good value for money. Lee does not mention the regional travel passes which provide free travel [for a number of days].

We used Camping Oberai in Wilderswil in 2006, a small site convenient for both bus and train to Interlaken with views of the Jungfrau mountain (pictured). On that trip we did not take the train to the ‘Top of Europe’ station on the Jungfraujoch, but have taken this not-to-be-missed trip on other visits.

We did take the steam train up the Brienzer Rothorn and paddle steamers on both Lake Brienz and Lake Thun.

On a side note, I first came across the parakeets [see Country Matters, November 2020] on a visit to Walton-on-Thames and was told that they had escaped from the filming of The African Queen in 1951.

Phil Brown, Cambridge

Mike Harris, via email

Editor’s note: Thanks for your note Mr Harris – the Club Collection at Beaulieu may be able to help you (visit nationalmotor museum.org. uk). If anyone else has any information, please drop us a line at magazine@camc.com and we’ll pass on your details.

March 2021 53

CORRESPONDENCE YOUR VIEWS

School’s out...

During lockdown I’ve been scanning old slides onto the computer and they have brought back memories.

My parents bought their first caravan in 1960 and joined the Club. In spite of never having towed before or been abroad, they set off for France and Switzerland for the five-week summer holidays as they were both teachers. The total cost of this holiday for five of us was £200!

Over the next few years with myself, brothers, cousins and various friends, they travelled

throughout Europe, including the former Yugoslavia, Greece and twice to Morocco and the edge of the Sahara.

My father had had pre-war cars which tended to boil on climbs, so the bonnet was often lifted on stops to check the engine (see above).

They continued caravanning into their 80s. It must be in the genes as I was a member of the Club in the 1970s and 80s and, after a break, have rejoined and am loving the freedom of caravanning again.

Stephen Sharp, Cockermouth

Look to the future The joy of owning a campervan is the freedom to travel, park up and have a mini holiday any day you choose. Self-contained with kettle, fridge, toilet and games, all you need to do is choose the view; whether it be countryside or seaside, the choice is yours!

We made good use of our 1969 VW campervan last year with a staycation in our garden during lockdown, picnic days out and a couple of weekends away.

Pictured here at the lovely CL, Stubbs Hill, Besthorpe, Norfolk. Let’s hope this year allows more freedom and normality to enjoy our amazingly diverse country!

Tracy Hazelton, via email 54 March 2021

www.camc.com

Go for it!

A year ago we were looking forward to a four-week holiday to New Zealand Worldwide team. They were

We initially flew to Singapore for a two-night

entire holiday. to a motorhome to begin our 19-night adventure.

New Zealand lived up to our

Singapore for a further two

beginning to develop;

took off on time but many So we managed a holiday of a lifetime in a year that ever return to normality we

never driven a motorhome have never travelled that far from home.

G & J Bonner, via email www.camc.com

HERE COMES THE SUN After an enjoyable stay at New England Bay Club site, I thought I would send this photo of one of the amazing sunrises we had during October 2020. Knowing how difficult [it has been] for everyone during the last year, it was great to be able to get away to a quiet and safe area. Enjoyed cycling, canoeing , walking and fishing during the stay.

Barry George, via email

CENTRE LIFE How quickly time passes. I joined the Club with my parents, some 50 years and 1,300 rallies ago (including running or assisting over 100 rallies).

At the age of 74 now, I would never have expected to still be involved in caravanning... Centre Committee for over 30 years and now proud Chairman of the Yorkshire Dales Centre.

How things have changed with centre rallies over the years, but I still enjoy my weekend and holiday rallies.

As 2020 has been a bad year for everyone, let’s hope we can get back to some normal living and get out again in our caravans soon. Thank you to the Caravan and Motorhome Club for my life membership card. See you on the rally field, stay safe.

David Bolland, via email Editor’s note: Thanks David. From an experienced rallier to a relative newcomer – turn to page 86 for an interview with a new Centre member.

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.

March 2021 55

Weasel COUNTRY MATTERS WEASEL

“

Being small has its advantages – weasels are able to follow mice into their tunnels

”

The weasel has a relatively short tail which is brown to the tip

56 March 2021

words David Chapman examines our relationship with a mammal that usually shuns the limelight

A

lthough the word ‘weasel’ crops up frequently in our culture, the animal itself is rarely seen in the wild. Isn’t it strange that an animal can seem so familiar to us when we seldom have the opportunity to make its acquaintance?

‘Weasel’ can be used to describe a sly, cunning or sneaky person, or perhaps a snitch or informer. Someone might ‘weasel’ their way out of doing a task that they don’t want to do by making disingenuous excuses. I can usually come up with a good excuse when it’s time to vacuum the van, for example, though, in my defence, I have noticed that my wife, Sarah, isn’t exactly short of reasons why she can’t clean the toilet cassette.

It’s also possible to ‘weasel’ your way into someone’s affections if you have an ulterior motive, so even if I offer to do the vacuuming it doesn’t get me anywhere because Sarah immediately suspects that I want something or, worse still, I’ve already done something that I shouldn’t have.

Thanks to Shakespeare, we have ‘weasel words’ – ambiguous or misleading language that

Weasels are Britain’s smallest mammalian predators

March 2021 57

COUNTRY MATTERS WEASEL Weasels are agile climbers and often stand on their hind legs

mammalian predator (a male weighs about 115g, and a female only 60g – about the weight of a medium hen’s egg), it has a high metabolism and so needs to eat around the clock. The weasel can put away one-third of its body weight every day.

I’ve no doubt that a weasel would be a slippery character to get hold of, but it is difficult to understand why it has become so imbued with negative connotations. It is undoubtedly a ferocious predator, but the same is true of many other creatures with more agreeable reputations, such as the weasel’s fellow mustelid, the otter.

I wonder whether it is the weasel’s manner of movement that has led to it being regarded with suspicion. I remember seeing my first weasel; it was running in and out of tree roots on a bank only a few metres from me. Though it was David to my Goliath, it seemed absolutely fearless and continued to run around, occasionally standing upright and even leaping across gaps and jumping into the air.

TINY DANCER is used to try and hide the truth. Let me share an example. A delivery company failed to deliver an item to me with the excuse that, “This is due to a part of this order not being in a bookable location when this order was booked.” Expressing puzzlement, I was then told, “They forgot to load it on the van this morning”!

There is also an old expression – ‘catch a weasel asleep if you can’. I recall it cropping up in a television programme in which a police officer described the chances of finding a villain in his hideout. It is a reflection on the activity levels of the weasel: although it is our smallest

MARCH

LOOK OUT FOR n Did you know there is a moth called the March Moth? You’ll never guess when it can be found on the wing! n Stoats are a more common sight than weasels; look out for the black tip to the stoat’s tail. n The first migrant birds are now back in the country – look out for sand martins over the next few weeks.

58

Weasels are known for performing a ‘dance’, which is thought to be their way of bamboozling or even hypnotising large prey, such as baby rabbits. I suppose this strategy could be regarded as sly or cunning, but weasels more commonly hunt mice, voles and rats, which you might think would make us more sympathetic towards them.

Being small has its advantages. Weasels are able to follow mice into their tunnels and take over the mousehole, sometimes even using the fur of their prey to line their own nests! Since much of their hunting is done underground, they can avoid the outside world for long periods, which explains why we tend to see fewer of them than their close cousin, the stoat.

The weasel and the stoat are similar in colour and pattern, but the former is smaller and has a proportionately shorter tail that lacks the black tip seen on the stoat. The population of both species in Britain is about half a million, but stoats are seen much more frequently. However, weasels can be found in many different habitats; so long as they can find food and places to hide away, they will be happy.

Talking of happy, while I’ve been writing this article Sarah has done the vacuuming and dusting. So all I need to do is empty the loo and then I can try weaselling my way into her affections to get her to cook tea...

MEMBER SINCE...

Motorhomer David Chapman joined the Club in 2000

www.camc.com

“

It is difficult to understand why it has become so imbued with negative connotations

”

59

SPECIAL HISTORICAL SITES

“

The affair is said to have played a part in prompting Shakespeare to write Romeo and Juliet Longleat House

”

60 March 2021

Chatsworth

k

Tredegar House

Billy Stock / Alamy Stoc

See camc.com for the latest site information and follow official UK Government (gov.uk) as well as local government guidelines at all times.

We also recommend that you check with businesses/attractions that are mentioned regarding opening dates/restrictions.

Tony Gage

C R Hitchings / Alamy

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Mind your manors Several Club sites are based on country estates with fascinating stories. Andrew Ditton steps back in time...

T

nattanan726/Getty

ravel with your caravan or motorhome can go beyond the highway – you can also journey through time!

Choose a Club site on or adjacent to a country estate, and history is literally on your doorstep. Rich, multi-layered stories simmer below the surface at these venues, some of their truths being stranger and more fascinating than fiction.

Longleat is home to diverse wildlife

Petej/Getty

Seat of the Marquess of Bath, Longleat House is regarded as one of the finest examples of Elizabethan architecture in the UK. The house was built by Sir John Thynne (not to be confused with John Thynne, deputy editor of this magazine!) and completed in 1580.

Sir John’s grandson, Thomas, secretly married his bride Maria the day he met her, when they were both 16. Maria came from a family the Thynnes bitterly opposed, and the affair is said to have played a part in prompting Shakespeare to write his tragedy, Romeo and Juliet.

The house itself sits within 1,000 acres of parkland, designed by Britain’s most famous landscape architect, Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. Thousands of acres of farmland and woodland complete the Longleat estate and, nestled within the latter, is the Caravan and Motorhome Club site, which has been a popular part of the network since 1982.

Longleat, though, is perhaps best known for its safari park. “The Sea Lion Lake is near the Club site,” says site manager Gail Cooper. “In the evenings, members enjoy hearing the sea lions, lions and koala bears. In the morning you might hear the wolves.” She suggests pre-booking if you wish to visit the house, as only ticket-holders may walk the 200 yards from the site directly to the house entrance. Gail also recommends

Tony Gage

LONGLEAT

XX

SPECIAL HISTORICAL SITES

THE REST IS HISTORY

62 March 2021

The opulent interior of Chatsworth House

“

So interesting was the life of Georgiana that it was dramatised for the 2008 film, The Duchess

visiting between November and January when the Festival of Light usually takes place, and also in September for the “amazing” Sky Safari balloon festival.

CHATSWORTH

Renowned for its extensive and diverse collection of art, Chatsworth in Derbyshire is the seat of the Duke of Devonshire and has been home to the Cavendish family for almost 500 years. Today, 25 rooms within the main house are open for ticket holders to explore. Overall, the main estate covers some 12,000 acres, which include the park surrounding the house, properties in the adjacent villages and, of course, the popular Club site.

Just like Longleat, the services of Capability Brown were enlisted during the 18th century for garden design, and, like Longleat, there are some interesting characters in the house’s past. One of the most famous was Georgiana Spencer, great-great-great-great aunt of Diana Spencer, who of course became Diana, Princess of Wales.

Georgiana married the 5th Duke of Devonshire, but the union proved to be eventful and… let’s just call it ‘complicated’! So interesting was the life of Georgiana, it was dramatised for the 2008 film The Duchess, many scenes of which were shot at Chatsworth House.

Despite being 500 years old, the 105-acre gardens continue to evolve. Modern art installations feature in Project Arcadia, the biggest redevelopment of the gardens in 200 years. Dogs are welcome to explore the gardens and the park with you, if they are on a lead.

TREDEGAR HOUSE

”

Tredegar House in Wales is a grand country estate with an engrossing past. Redevelopment of the striking red-brick house was completed in the late 1600s by Sir William Morgan, with the financial assistance of his wealthy wife, Blanche.

During the 1830s, the influential Morgans, became a target for the ‘Chartist’ movement, which campaigned for increased political rights for the working classes., but perhaps the most interesting story surrounds Evan Morgan who was renowned for holding extravagant parties and for his interest in the occult. He kept a menagerie of wild animals, which apparently included a boxing kangaroo, and even had his own 'magik room'.

Evan, the last Viscount Tredegar, died in 1949, leaving behind a financial burden that led to the sale of the house soon after.

The Club has been operating a site in the grounds since 1999, and in 2012 the National Trust took over management of the estate. Since then, it has opened up the house and the 90 acres of garden and parkland for all to enjoy.

Tredegar House and CountryPark / Alamy

n Bolton Abbey Club site The Club site sits within the Bolton Abbey Estate in the Yorkshire Dales, which boasts 80 miles of footpaths through fabulous scenery. Must see: the ruins of the 12th-century Bolton Priory. n Huntly Castle AS site Built in Aberdeenshire by the Earl of Fife around 1190, a fascinating history lies behind the castle’s ruins.

It was lost to the powerful Gordons after the Battle of Bannockburn, and subsequently rebuilt and embellished in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Club site is less than a mile away. n Battle Normanhurst Court Club site Prior to its demolition in 1951, this East Sussex house had an interesting life. It served as the home of the successful Brassey family, a military hospital during the First World War, a girls’ school, and a Second World War prisoner of war camp.

Nowadays, it‘s the location of a popular and tranquil Club site. n Clumber Park site The former seat of the Duke of Newcastle, Clumber House in Nottinghamshire was demolished in 1938. The 3,800 acres of parkland, heath and woods remain for all to enjoy.

Albert Knapp / Alamy

Four more sites in historic locations

Tredegar House

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Member Offer

Hitting the heights SPECIAL CYCLING

Jonathan Manning is rewarded for tackling a series of lung-bursting climbs with sensational views and a thrilling descent back into Harlech

I IMPORTANT

See camc.com for the latest site information and follow official UK Government (gov.uk) and local government guidelines at all times.

64 March 2021

n 2019, Ffordd Pen Llech, a street in Harlech, was named the steepest in the world.

A gradient of 37.45% saw it take the crown from Baldwin Street in Dunedin, New Zealand, for nine months before it had to hand it back when the rules were tweaked.

This route sensibly avoids such a brutal climb and settles instead for an ‘easy’ one-in-four ascent almost from the start. Harlech, it seems, is a town that does not want cyclists to leave although there are reasons beyond just gravity to keep riders here, including the lovely coastal setting, magnificent castle and immaculately maintained Min Y Don Affiliated Site.

The rewards for the muscleburning beginning to the ride are

spectacular views, starting with the seascape that opens up as the town disappears, and followed by a wonderful ridgeline as the road turns skywards again for the climb into the Rhinogydd mountains in Snowdonia National Park.

This is a big dipper of a route – giant ascents followed by whiteknuckle descents as your fingers grip tightly on the brake levers. It is not just the effort of battling gravity that will take your breath away though.

The scenery is spellbinding with panoramas over gnarled mountain tops, velvet-flanked hillsides and shallow rivers that race below a canopy of ancient woodland.

The highlight is undoubtedly Llyn Cwm Bychan, a lake high in the hills backed by rocky peaks. The lake

marks the halfway point and provides the perfect spot for a picnic.

Avoid over-indulging though as the return starts with another out-of-the-saddle effort. The good news is that it’s quiet, with only sheep, cattle, rooks and buzzards to break the peace.

Returning to Harlech there’s a fabulous bird’s eye view of the campsite before a spine-tingling descent into town. This is not a route to take on when the weather is wet and roads are slippery but on a dry day there are views here to rival any in Britain. So check your brakes, recharge your e-bike batteries and enjoy with caution! n You can find more cycle routes from Club sites on our Magazine App www.camc.com

DOWNLOAD THIS ROUTE AND OTHERS TO YOUR GPS DEVICE FROM OUR STRAVA PAGE AT STRAVA.COM/ ACTIVITIES/4232331681

Start/finish: Min Y Don Club site, Beach Road, Harlech, LL46 2UG Distance: 14.25miles/22.8km Time: 2 hours.

Level: Suitable for very fit cyclists and e-bike riders.

Terrain: Asphalt all the way but sections are in poor condition. A road, mountain, hybrid or e-bike would be fine but expect to push your bike uphill in places.

Landscape: Vast, sweeping seascapes and dramatic mountain scenery, with rocky outcrops, waterfalls and a heavenly lake.

Refreshments: None except in Harlech at the start and finish of the route.

Visit Wales/Peter Morgan

ABOUT THE ROUTE

Harlech Castle Watch a video of this ride and others from our Club sites via the magazine app – see camc.com/magazine for more details

DIRECTIONS

Llyn Cwm Bychan in the Snowdonia National Park

Peter Watson/Alamy

1

From Min y Don Club site turn left towards Harlech. At the T-junction turn right, crossing the railway line, then take the first road on the left with the warning sign ‘25%’. Climb the hill, called Twtil, to reach a crossroads with a shop on the left and Snowdonia Soap opposite.

1km – Turn right at the junction and continue for 250m before turning left, signposted to Parking and Bron Y Craig. Stay on this road and when you meet bollards turn left.

Sensational sea views open to the right. Continue for 1.3km looking out for a turn on the left.

2.7km – Turn left, signposted to Cwm Bychan, climbing the long hill for 1.8km to reach a crossroads.

4.6km – Turn right at the crossroads, signposted to Cwm Bychan. The road descends all the way to a T-junction.

7.5km – Turn left at the T-junction, signposted to Cwm Bychan, eventually joining a river on the right.

Stay on this road as it twists and turns, eventually rising to meet the lake of Cwm Bychan on

2

3 4

5

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the right. After stopping to admire the views, retrace your tyre tracks back down into the woodland, looking out for a turn on the right.

15.7km – Turn right by the ‘no lorries’ sign and climb the steep, narrow road, passing through a series of livestock gates. Continue to reach a T-junction.

19.3km – Turn left at the T-junction and soon start

6 7

descending. When you reach the crossroads from point 4, turn right signposted to Harlech. Continue the descent (it becomes very steep) into Harlech to reach the crossroads from Point 2.

21.9km – Go straight across the crossroads and descend to a T-junction. Turn right, cross the railway line, then take the first left to return to Min Y Don on the right.

8

The Caravan and Motorhome Club Magazine recommends the use of Ordnance Survey maps – your ideal passport to navigating Britain

© Crown copyright 2021 Ordnance Survey Media 051/18

March 2021

65

PRACTICAL Q&A

When the time comes...

Q

How can we best prepare for an unpredictable start to the touring season?

A

t the time of writing, the country was in lockdown, with campsites everywhere closed (except for a few providing accommodation for key workers and others).

It is not yet clear when sites will reopen, but open they surely will. As soon as leisure travel resumes, it’ll be vital to

66 March 2021

ensure that your vehicles are in roadworthy condition and that your journeys are safe.

The advice below reiterates much of that given after the first national lockdown in 2020, but it merits repeating.

You probably haven’t taken your car, caravan, or motorhome too far for the past several months. If any of the vehicles is due a service, try to get it done.

If not, at the very least carry out some routine checks on things like tyre condition/pressures, fluid levels, lights, etc, before travelling again. Automotive service and repair outlets should be open; those in the leisure sector currently vary

Jarek Kilian/Shutterstock

ASK YOUR CLUB

The Club’s technical team answers your pressing questions

from business to business.

Many connected with retail outlets have shut for service and repair too – see if they are at least taking bookings.

Specialist service and repair centres and mobile service agents are more likely to be operating, including many in the Approved Workshop Scheme (approvedworkshops. co.uk). Some fixed-base workshops may offer collection and delivery, while mobiles will of course come to wherever your vehicle is.

If taking your vehicle for a service, check ongoing travel restrictions to ensure that such journeys are considered reasonable. It’s usually permissible to travel to businesses which are allowed to be open, but keep journeys local and take service booking details with you in case of challenge. If you’re in a vulnerable health category, consider whether your travel is a reasonable risk. Always follow Covid-safe protocols in any interaction with service agents.

If you have access to your leisure vehicle at home or in a storage facility which is open (check – dedicated facilities are more likely to be open than site-based ones while sites

remain closed), make sure everything’s working – eg battery, heating, water pump, etc. Speaking of water, do sterilise the water system thoroughly just before first use.

When you can get back on the road, you might be a little out of practice yourself. Do be careful when manoeuvring, parking, or overtaking on the motorway – all those things that are a little different with a caravan behind you or when driving a campervan or motorhome. Take it steady too, especially down hills.

Everyone will be keen to get back on the road, but remember that you’re travelling for leisure.

Leave plenty of time, and plan journeys properly, allowing for stops. Check weather and traffic details and change route or journey timing if required.

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

TEST VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R-LINE 2.0TDI 150PS 7SPD DSG

Going strong The re-designed Golf incorporates smart new technology, but how does it perform as a towcar? Lesley Harris investigates...

Above: the Golf Mk8 has a lower-slung bonnet and deep front bumper

68 March 2021

I

remember when the Volkswagen Golf first arrived on the scene. Amazingly, that was over 45 years ago, and the number of sales since then – 35 million worldwide, and counting – is testament to just how well-loved this car is. Now in its eighth generation, has the new Golf retained its practicality as a family-friendly towcar? Let’s take a look...

COMFORT

While it has grown in size over the years, the shape of the Golf has remained fairly consistent... until now. In this new guise the front sports a lowerslung bonnet to aid aerodynamics and reduce fuel consumption. There are also narrow LED headlights (standard across the range) and a deep, dynamic looking bumper. The familiar shoulder-line crease has been extended through to www.camc.com

the newly contoured C-pillar. At the rear, there’s new, central ‘Golf’ lettering that sits under the revised Volkswagen badge, along with updated tail light clusters.

However, the biggest transformation has taken place inside. The first Golf, launched in 1974, was equipped with a mono radio, featuring two rotary knobs, Medium Wave and VHF selectors, and no more. Step into this new iteration and you might www.camc.com

feel like you need a degree in computer technology. The slick, new dashboard is devoid of any physical buttons (much to my dismay).

Instead, two 10in, high-resolution digital displays are operated by a host of touch sensitive panels and sliders for key functions.

While this futuristic dash looks great, some features just aren’t particularly easy to use. The touch panels are super sensitive and not always intuitive, making simple tasks such as turning up the volume of the radio or adjusting the temperature frustrating. You can use voice and gesture control, although these too are not without their problems. However, the graphics are nice and crisp and you can connect your iPhone wirelessly (owners of Android-based phones still need a cable). You also get a built-in sat-nav.

There’s more groundbreaking technology on offer with this Golf. It’s the first Volkswagen to feature Car2X technology, exchanging information with other similarly-equipped vehicles – and traffic infrastructure systems – to alert you to road hazards ahead.

In terms of the rest of the cabin, not much has changed from the outgoing model. There’s still a good measure of soft-touch material on offer and nice, shiny trim. Our R-Line spec car was equipped with ‘Sardegna’ cloth sport seats with ‘Art Velour’ inner sides and bolsters, which are really comfortable.

With plenty of adjustability for both seat and steering wheel, you’ll find your perfect driving position easily. And, if you want to make your surroundings a bit more personal, the Golf has up to 30 different mood-lighting colours from which to choose!

Passengers aren’t short-changed either; there’s still plenty of head, leg and foot room for all, as

Clockwise from inset left: the Golf sports new rear tail light clusters; solid towing performance; smart cockpit; clear displays; plenty of tech; a comfortable driving position is easily achieved

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

March 2021 69

TEST VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R-LINE 2.0TDI 150PS 7SPD DSG

TECHNICAL

Price as tested

£36,470 Insurance

Group 23 Club insurance

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

Engine

1,968cc, 4-cyl, in-line turbo diesel Power

148bhp (110kW) @3,500rpm Torque

360Nm (266lb ft) @1,600rpm Transmission

7-Speed DSG Spare wheel

Tyre sealant Kerbweight

1,459kg Gross vehicle weight

1,960kg Gross train weight

3,560kg Noseweight limit

80kg Towing equipment

Detachable towbar (£735 inc fitting) Tank/econ

10.99gals (50litres)/62.5mpg (solo)/30.7mpg (towing 1,322kg) CO2

122g/km

RATINGS

well as reasonably sized door bins and a pull-down armrest with cup holders. The seat backs have large pockets for stowage plus two that, handily, are phone-sized. The Golf has three Isofix mountings – two in the rear and one on the front passenger seat.

DRIVING

Our test car was fitted with the newly updated 2.0-litre TDI engine offering 148bhp. There’s also better insulation, so it’s much quieter on the move.

The Golf has always been a good car to drive and that’s still the case. Whether mile-munching or pootling around in town, it remains one of the most comfortable cars in its class. This R-Line model has a lowered sports suspension as standard, and our car came with the optional Dynamic Chassis Control (£785), which adapts the suspension as you drive and can be tailored to your preferences.

Around town, light and precise steering makes life very easy, and large windows allow great visibility. On faster roads, the Golf is relaxing and quiet, and the ride is nicely cushioned, with the suspension doing a good job of smoothing out most of the imperfections. When it comes to twistier roads, being able to mix and match the car’s settings is a bonus.

TOWING

90%

COMFORT

90%

DRIVING

87%

TOWING

89%

OVERALL

70 March 2021

This 2.0 TDI engine is a firm caravanning favourite, so I had no hesitation hitching up to a caravan with an MTPLM of 1,322kg [this was a little heavier than the Club’s 85% of towcar weight recommendation – but fine for an experienced tower such as Lesley]. Out on the road, the engine was strong enough to haul the caravan up steep

Top: the test car was a little hesitant when pulling away Above: Versatile load space

inclines without huffing and puffing, and the 7-speed DSG gearbox – with its smart new gearshift – delivered smooth and effortless changes. However, it was a little hesitant when pulling away and a tad jerky when parking.

At speed, the Golf performed well and kept pace with the rest of the traffic, although there was a bit more movement when passing lorries that expected.

The boot is the same size as in the outgoing model; 381 litres of space allows for a decent amount of luggage, and there’s a handy ‘ski hatch’ for carrying longer items.

VERDICT This new Golf is still a great choice as a family towcar. I managed a respectable towing figure of 30.7mpg and a very impressive 62.5mpg solo on my test route. However, overly complicated technology could put some buyers off.

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.

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1961-2021

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87%

of customers renewed We’ve been arranging cover for members’ caravans since 1972 and over 87% of members’ renewed their cover between 1 January and 31 October 2020.

And thanks to our members’ votes we recently won Best Caravan Cover Provider at the Insurance Choice Awards for the third year running. So why not relax and trust our award winning Caravan Cover to be there for you when you need it.

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 CARAVAN INNOVATIONS

Swift unveiled its SMART construction system in 2013/14

The

MAGNIFICENT

SEVEN

Rob McCabe looks at caravanning innovations that changed our touring holidays forever

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t’s easy to forget how much caravans have developed over the past few decades, both inside and out, making our lives easier across all price brackets. From advanced construction techniques to fitted microwaves, I take a look at seven areas that revolutionised the industry and made our caravanning holidays much more of a pleasure (and negated some of the associated chores).

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It’s easy to forget how much caravans have developed over the past few decades 74 March 2021

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ADVANCED CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES of the industry, and owners would I suppose I should call these ACTs, often send me photographs of given that their arrival heralded a flurry caravans barely a couple of years old of acronyms. It’s only fair to start with with alarming water damage. Problems Bailey, given that it set the ball rolling are far less prevalent today – and a with Alu-Tech in 2009. We then had conscientious regime of annual SMART from Swift, SoLiD from the servicing not only helps in the Elddis family (then known as Explorer Group) and ABC from Coachman. detection of issues but protects the All these processes use no timber, lengthy body warranties that accompany these new techniques. or much less of it, and far fewer exterior fasteners than traditional methods, giving the manufacturers the confidence to claim that water ingress – ‘damp’, in old money – had been dealt a near-fatal blow.

Nothing is perfect, and I’m aware that some owners will still have had issues to deal with, but who would want to turn the clock rted back? Water ingress a ley s lu ech k ck sta up used to be the scourge the construct on shake

www.camc.com

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THE ENSUITE PERMANENT BEDROOM A quarter of a century ago, chief among caravan layouts was the full-width end washroom, complete with separate shower cubicle. While that configuration still ticks a lot of folk’s boxes, said washroom is now expected to sit behind (or even in front of) a dedicated bedroom that rivals the one at home for comfort.

Twenty-five years ago, there wasn’t a single UK-built caravan that offered a permanent bed, even though tourers on the Continent had had them for years. By the turn of the century, they’d started to make an appearance, but they remained bit-part players in most manufacturers’ line-ups.

That was merely a tentative start on a journey that has culminated in near-total domination of the market that shows no sign of abating, with fixed single beds also now proving to be a big-selling

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option. It’s anybody’s guess how many people have been persuaded to buy a caravan for the first time – or to continue to buy them – because they can fall into a proper bed at the end of the day.

THE FITTED MICROWAVE I can’t remember the last time I stayed in a caravan and didn’t use the microwave.

More often than not, it’s simply to extend the lifespan of a mug of coffee at the push of a button – but it is easy to take such convenience for granted.

It’s a convenience that was denied all but a select few on the caravan sites of the mid-1990s – on some premium models, a microwave was available only as a cost option. Even then, it

would be a big, noisy thing – in the way that a lot of electrical kit back then was big, heavy and noisy.

They were expensive, too. The ubiquity of microwaves in modern caravans is down to cost: you can pick up a good one now for less than £60, so the cost price for a caravan manufacturer buying in thousands of them is Not Very Much.

Oh, and by the way – mushrooms are brilliant microwaved.

4 CENTRAL HEATING When I took my first, tentative steps into the caravanning world, you could have any space heater you liked so long as it was a Carver, and then Truma got in on the act. By the middle of the noughties, blown-air central heating was becoming a more common fixture, leading to a mass outbreak of ‘where’s the heater?’ queries on dealers’ forecourts across the country.

As well as neatening caravan interiors, this technology also did away with appliances that I remember as being sometimes difficult to ignite, and ignition/control dials that were prone to failing more often than I’d have liked.

Some less expensive caravans had gas-only heaters – one of which I had on test during a cold winter. With no gas bottle. Them were the days.

And now look: blown-air systems from Truma and Whale live on, with some ranges benefitting from Swedish Alde wet central heating, which – just like at home – pumps fluid into concealed radiators in all areas of the caravan and eliminates the dreaded cold spots. All set-ups are quiet, efficient and reliable; and, in tandem with the exceptional insulation properties of modern caravans, they make year-round touring a comfortable experience even when the weather’s at its worst. Gone are the days of having to wear two pairs of socks from October through to March!

March 2021 75

SPECIAL CARAVAN INNOVATIONS

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LOOSE-FIT CARPETS Don’t get me wrong – there’s definitely a place for fitted carpets. But that place isn’t in a touring caravan. Removable carpeting is another innovation with its roots in continental caravans, huge numbers of which don’t have carpets at all.

The appeal is obvious: they look almost as good as a fitted carpet when they’re in place, but you can fold each section back or remove completely when you’re loading up the caravan while wearing dirty shoes.

You can leave some sections in place and have some exposed flooring, just like you might do at home – many caravan floors are attractive enough to carry off that look. And regular readers may be waiting for me to get this in, so here it comes – I will never understand the notion of having a carpet in a toilet. Remove! Remove!

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You can fold each section back or remove completely when you’re loading up the caravan while wearing dirty shoes

LED LIGHTING Caravan lighting 25 years ago was fairly gloomy. Back then, caravan testers routinely advised owners to take along a table lamp or two from home to help lift the ambience of an evening. Some tourers had a couple of mains-powered lamps that did make a difference; otherwise, you were largely left in the incapable hands of three or four horrible 12V strip lights.

Compared to that, recent caravans are a revelation. The LED (light-emitting diode) is cheap, versatile and night-intoday efficient. Entire rows of tiny LED bulbs can be attached to flexible strips and placed just about anywhere – and caravan designers have taken full advantage, siting them underneath overhead lockers to give kitchens lighting to rival an operating theatre, and on top of the lockers to provide supplementary ‘mood’ lighting. Dimmer switches, two-stage touch lights, night lights, flush-fitting downlighters, backlit washroom mirrors – you’ve never had it so good.

76 March 2021

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THE USER-FRIENDLY MOTORISED MOVER The mover of the early- to mid-1990s was an unwieldy beast that called for a great deal of commitment on the part of the owner just to bring it into use.

It was a separate wheeled unit that, at best, attached to the hitch.

Otherwise, you had to wind down all the corner steadies, remove the jockey wheel (no enclosed ones back then), fit the mover into place, do your moving, wind all the steadies back down again, remove the mover and refit the jockey wheel.

And because a jockey-wheelmounted mover put more strain on one side of the A-frame than the other, chassis manufacturers expressed concern that it could cause distortion in extreme cases!

When you consider that you can buy a perfectly good mover now from about £500 (plus fitting), it seems like money well spent. Pass me the mover’s remote-control handset, would you?

www.camc.com

Motorhome and Campervan Insurance when you need it

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£25* guaranteed

With our award winning cover, our Members come back to us year after year. Over 90% of customers renewed between 1 July 2019 to 30 June 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.

SWEET

SPECIAL NEW MOTORHOMES

dreams

Nick Harding puts the spotlight on six vehicles you might like to add to your wish list

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re you still harbouring dreams of buying a new motorhome this year?

Well, I have some good news, even if you are very much in the ‘dreaming’ stage – there are some fabulous new models on the market that are worthy of your attention.

Briefly, in terms of trends, campervans are all the rage while van conversions are becoming ever-more

Adria Twin Sports 640 SGX

Boasting all the facilities of a coachbuilt but within the confines of a panel van (with added windows), high-top van conversions are providing much of the action in the motorhome market at the moment.

And Adria is one of a growing band of manufacturers now offering an elevating roof option, such as in this Twin Sports 640 SGX model. Clever design work has allowed for a sunroof at the front as well as 78 March 2021

popular and their designs are evolving. In the coachbuilt sector, the better-looking, more aerodynamic and low-profile models may be the favourites – but that hasn’t stopped some manufacturers returning to overcab designs. Things are even picking up in the A-class department.

Below and on the following pages, I've picked out half a dozen new motorhomes you might like to keep an eye on for the rest of this season.

space at the back to add a roof-mounted air conditioner. Typical for this sector, it’s based on Fiat’s Ducato – the extra-long, 6.36m version in this instance.

As well as the full-size bed up top, Adria has really gone for it with an electricallyoperated, height-adjustable transverse double bed at the back. You can optimise the luggage space here (perhaps taking bikes and more) while still having the most comfortable of beds to slip into at night.

Price: from £55,900 Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato Key selling points: clever use of limited space, two proper double beds Contact: adria.co.uk www.camc.com

Auto-Sleepers Nuevo Limited Edition

These aren’t exactly ‘new’ (the first Nuevo coachbuilts rolled out of the Auto-Sleepers factory in 2001), but do look out for the latest, celebratory Limited Edition versions.

These special variants want for little in terms of kit (and include rather plush soft furnishings) and come based on Peugeot’s Boxer, with top-of-the-range 165bhp engines.

The Nuevo is as compact as ever – a diminutive 5.75m long – making it easy to manoeuvre, but there’s still decent living space, especially for couples. Choose between the two-berth EK or four-person ES. It’s the former that’s always been more popular, boasting an end kitchen and corner washroom, plus a front lounge with twin settees that make into single beds or a transverse double.

Price: from £62,395 (including Premium and Winter Packs) Base vehicle: Peugeot Boxer Key selling points: established strong seller, Limited Edition kit, good residual values Contact: auto-sleepers.com

AUTO-TRAIL GRANDE FRONTIER GF-70

I had the sneakiest of previews of this all-new A-class at the tail end of last year and was sworn to secrecy. But that was enough for me to learn about the depth of research that has gone into the three new models carrying the ‘Grande Frontier’ tag.

It’s the smallest of those three, the sub-7m long GF-70, that’s first out of the blocks. A two-berth as standard, it has a full end washroom and generous front lounge, complete with that A-class must-have: a drop-down double bed. You might just about get away with it on its standard 3,500kg chassis (upgrades are available) if you’re happy with the 230kg payload.

Price: from £76,345 Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato Key selling points: Auto-Trail pedigree, British-designed Contact: auto-trail.co.uk

www.camc.com

March 2021 79

SPECIAL NEW MOTORHOMES

Bailey Adamo 75-4 DL

When Bailey announced the launch of its three-model Adamo line-up at the end of 2020, it represented the first time it hadn’t offered motorhomes on a Peugeot Boxer platform.

Each of the three newbies is based on Ford’s Transit with 160bhp engine.

This also means you can have a Bailey motorhome with automatic transmission – again, for the first time.

Indeed, it is standard issue.

It’s a clever layout at a competitive price (a shade under £60,000). Fully four-berth, there are fold-out travel seats in each settee base and dropdown double beds over the front and back lounges. The latter is located forward of the actual rear of the vehicle (there’s locker storage beyond), allowing for a sizeable garage below.

Price: from £59,999 Base vehicle: Ford Transit Key selling points: Ford base with auto as standard, two double beds, space-efficient floorplan Contact: baileyofbristol.co.uk

Elddis Autoquest 150

This is another example of Elddis at its best – producing motorhomes with keen-as-mustard prices.

This addition to the ever-popular Autoquest line-up represents a rare entry into island-bed territory for Elddis (although its more upmarket Encore stablemate has the same floorplan in a slightly longer body).

Accommodation is four-berth, with the lounge (twin settees in daytime mode) also home to two pop-up, forward-facing travel seats. The longitudinal island double is extendable and flanked by wardrobes.

Look out for the same vehicle, badged Compass Avantgarde 150, as well as high-specification, special edition variants from leading Elddis/ Compass dealers.

Price: from £48,369 Base vehicle: Peugeot Boxer Key selling points: competitive pricing, island-bed comfort, healthy payload Contact: elddis.co.uk

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Wellhouse Blighty

How can you go wrong with a name like that? This vehicle’s appeal lies not so much in the fact that the Vauxhall Vivaro Elite base vehicle and the Wellhouse conversion work combine to make this very much a British-made campervan, but its highly competitive pricing.

In fact, even the longwheelbase variant with 178bhp

engine and automatic transmission costs under £50,000.

And good news for greener touring: there’s an electric power version on its way.

Price: from £46,000 Base vehicle: Vauxhall Vivaro Elite Key selling points: price for spec, British-made Contact: wellhouseleisure.com

www.camc.com

MILENCO

New for 2021 The Aero Platinum Mirrors

Since its launch in 2006 the Aero Towing Mirror has offered class leading quality, versatility, ease of use and unrivalled anti vibration performance, making it the worlds best selling towing mirror.

Building on continuous improvements since its introduction, we are pleased to announce the launch of the all new for 2021, Aero Platinum Mirror.

The Aero Platinum Mirror is a radical new design, every component has been specifically developed to securely fit the extremely tapered mirror bezels now found on increasing numbers of modern vehicles.

One of the key developments is the new flexible, rubber faced, sprung loaded gripper plates and being 50% larger than the standard Aero 3 pads, enables the pad to ‘form’ to the shape of the vehicle mirror, this significantly increases the contact surface area dramatically improving grip and stability.

Highest quality automotive chrome glass Aerodynamic balanced head to minimise vibration 50% larger mirror pads compared to Aero 3 pads Sprung loaded, stainless steel gripper plate that forms to shape of vehicle mirror

Larger clamp body with increased depth for more versatile and secure fitment Enhanced rubberised surfaces on clamp and pad Fits all vehicles including Range / Land Rovers and BMW X series models

For full details see www.milenco.com

Sold Secure is the toughest approval rating Wraith Wheel Lock Exceeds Sold Secure Gold Standard Stops wheel rotation Corrosion resistant plastic cover Fits all caravan steel and alloy wheels Constructed from the highest quality steel

High Security Commercial Steering Wheel Lock Is a Gold Sold Secure powerful theft deterrent.

Designed to be compact in size (length 76cm) easy to fit yet, extremely strong and resistant to all types of attack. Fits all vehicle Steering Wheels.

Products you can trust www.milenco.com

PRACTICAL CERTIFICATED LOCATIONS The Family Faircloth

You can see more tips from the Club at camc.com/ advice

GREAT ESCAPES Sammy Faircloth (with a little help from her friends), explains the attraction of Certificated Locations and offers a few tips on making the most of them

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stablished Club members will already be well acquainted with the term ‘Certificated Locations’ (commonly referred to as ‘CLs’). But some members, and especially newcomers, may not be familiar with these five-pitch set-ups – or understand why access to them is so handy.

This article is designed to clear up the issue!

Open solely to Caravan and Motorhome Club members, CLs can be found in diverse locations across the country, from working farms to golf courses, and fisheries to the grounds of public houses. In fact there are more than 2,200 such sites, each of which will have been inspected by representatives from the Club.

If you are looking for a CL in a particular region, or with specific facilities or attractions

82 March 2021

nearby, there is a search tool on the website to help you find the right spot (visit camc. com/cls). To book your CL pitch you will need to contact the owner directly – details can be found on the website or in your Sites Directory and Handbook.

The facilities available on CLs vary considerably, so double check before booking that a location meets your requirements.

Some offer electric hook-up and washroom facilities, while others encourage back-tobasics camping. All, however, offer access to drinking water, a chemical waste emptying point and refuse disposal.

Be aware that the ground on some CL sites can be quite undulating (look out for notes within individual entries in the Sites Directory), so make sure you pack levelling equipment such as ramps and chocks.

Pitches can sometimes be soft too, so grip

Lyndor CL in Herefordshire

tracks/mats will help you get your motorhome or towcar away at the end of your stay and corner steady pads can help prevent a caravan from sinking into the ground.

The beauty of CLs is that they add versatility to your touring holiday – they're perfect if your favourite Club site is booked up, or as ‘stop-over’ locations on your way to more far-flung destinations.

WHY WE LOVE CLS...

We are quite an ‘outdoorsy’ family, so often pick CLs that offer peace and tranquillity off the www.camc.com

1. Layhead Farm CL is set in perfect walking country 2. Be prepared in case the ground is undulating 3. Essential kit – ramps and grip tracks 4. Corner steady pads help prevent your unit from sinking 5. Some CLs boast very orderly service points 6.Working farms make great CL sites

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The Bainbridge s

ect for Lyndor is perf iasts us th en ng ei cano beaten track and the opportunity to enjoy our favourite leisure pursuits, such as canoeing, cycling and walking.

One of our favourite sites is Lyndor in Herefordshire. It is positioned next to the River Wye, and is a super spot from which to launch the canoes and sedately paddle to Ross-onWye – a real adventure for the kids. It is also adjacent to the Wye Valley Walk and within easy reach of the Forest of Dean, which we explored on bikes.

Another great CL is Layhead Farm near Settle – it was perfectly situated for one of our walking challenges (the ascent of Ingleborough, the second-highest mountain in the Yorkshire Dales). A wonderful working farm, it was a joy to relax there after a hard day’s walking and be entertained by lambs in www.camc.com

the next-door field. We want our children to grow up appreciating the natural beauty around them – and CLs certainly fit the bill.

CLs offer the perfect opportunity to escape to the countryside. But don’t just take our word for it. Our friends, the Bainbridges, only recently started visiting these five pitch sites. Here are their views...

THE BAINBRIDGES

"We have been caravanning for 23 years, but hadn’t tried a CL until last year. Being creatures of habit, we always tended to opt for the Club sites with their washroom facilities, electrical hook-ups and hardstanding pitches – you know what you are going to get!

"In 2020, a friend encouraged us to step out of our comfort zone and try a CL. The gauntlet was laid and without further ado we booked a pitch at Crakehall Watermill CL near Bedale in North Yorkshire.

"The site was beautiful, with a gurgling stream and a field of sheep – extremely peaceful and relaxing. The owners were very friendly and welcoming. We felt that this was what caravanning should be about and

reminded us why we enjoyed it so much.

"We would definitely go back to this particular CL and explore others."

FANCY RUNNING YOUR OWN CL?

Do you know anyone with some spare land who might be interested in opening a CL and earning some extra income? You can find out more and apply for a site meeting by visiting camc.com/my5pitchsite.

Nominate your favourite CL in our CL of the Year competition – find out more on page 84 March 2021 83

TOURING CL OF THE YEAR

SUPPORT YOUR FAVOURITE CL Nominate your favourite five-pitch Certificated Location for our annual awards – and you could win a break in our prize draw

It’s time to nominate your favourite site in our annual CL of the Year Awards!

CLs (Certificated Locations) are small, five-pitch sites in diverse locations, from bustling city centres to remote cliff tops and tranquil lakesides. Many members use them as bases to indulge their passions – whether you’re into golf, fishing, country houses, birdwatching, fell walking (or simply unwinding) there is a site for you on our network. What’s more, by visiting a CL you are helping to support the local economy.

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 will be 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 (left), and return it to us by 26 September 2021.

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.

Sharon and Dean Philpin, owners of last year's CL of the Year, Woody ln arm p ctured below

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 26 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.....................................................................................................................................

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

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

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

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

84 March 2021

Emily and Matthew Horton of Goodleigh Hill CL, Worcestershire, named Best Newcomer CL in 2020

www.camc.com

ADVERTISING FEATURE

By Purple Line Ltd.

Is it worth getting a motor mover for your caravan?

Exploring the world of movers, the advantages and if it would make the easy life even easier!

Marvin Foster shares his thoughts Although I still consider myself a novice to the caravanning world, I have now got a few trips under my belt and the next thing I needed to do was to figure out was how to not crash into next door's fence (again) when reversing our caravan ‘Bertie’ up the drive.

The drive is sloped so pushing a thousand or so kilos up there was not an option. I’ve tried to reverse with the car however the gap between the fence and our house is too small.

Not to mention the stress of getting onto our pitch without running over a loose dog or our new neighbours awning that has been erected as close to the boundary as possible...

I decided that I needed a motor mover that was easy to use, safe, reliable and from a reputable company.

I’d tried out another mover which came free on a friend's van but wasn’t convinced, so I needed to once again seek the expert advice from Paul at my local dealership.

Paul mentioned that Purple Line, the same company that make the Fullstop Nemesis Ultra wheel lock that I purchased also make a range of movers. The wheel lock is fantastic so I was instantly taken by the chance of getting a mover from the same trusted UK firm.

Reputable company, tick.

Paul showed me the range of caravan movers that Purple Line manufactured, and a few

of the names including the Titanium rang a bell. However it was the unique twin rollered Quattro Diamond that caught my eye. Paul explained that the twin roller design meant there was more traction than traditional single roller movers and less stress put on the tyre. He also mentioned that despite being one of the lightest movers of its kind, it could move up to two and a half thousand kilos of weight - Although Bertie, fully loaded weighed just short of fifteen hundred kilos, it reassured me that the Diamond was more than capable of the task.

Safe, tick.

The Quattro Diamond with twin drive rollers At this point Paul handed me the Quattro Smart Handset - It had a small yet clear screen at the top which displayed the handset and leisure battery levels, along with a little smiley face which indicated that the mover was ready to go and a rollerball in the middle. Paul talked me through the process of getting the mover to automatically attach to the tyres of the caravan, despite it being so easy I think my dog could have done it. ‘Now this is where the fun begins’ chuckled Paul.

Very gently, I pushed the rollerball forward, the van began to creep along. As I gained confidence, I pushed the ball further and the more speed the caravan gained until it

reached walking pace. ‘Variable Speed control’ Paul said winking. After just a few minutes I was able to move Bertie backwards, around a tight corner and in a complete circle on the spot - it was so intuitive! The handsets that I had used before involved a lot of stoping and starting when moving. However thanks to the Smart Handset's fluid movement technology I continued to manoeuvre my van in ways I didn’t know possible, and got a bit carried away. Paul mentioned that it was lucky that the Diamond was the most efficient mover on the market as others would have ran Bertie’s battery down long ago!

Easy to use, tick.

Now the last issue was reliability, I couldn’t think of anything worse than being stuck helpless like I had read on some of the online forums. Well they’ve got nationwide engineers and 5 star feedback on Trustpilot, they all mention how great the service is. ‘Not that you’ll need it’ Paul grinned, they offer a market leading 7 year warranty with all of the Quattro range! This instantly filled me with confidence that the Quattro was the mover for Bertie.

7 years of guaranteed reliability, tick.

Getting hands on with the Quattro Smart Handset confirmed that I had made the right choice. After the year we’ve had, the time and stress saved using our new mover will be worth every penny!

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SPECIAL CENTRES

Centres meet up across the country every weekend during more normal times

A whole new world

Amanda Kemp and her family discovered a passion for rallying after joining their local Centre

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hey say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. While we are all missing out on lots of the things we love during these uncertain times, Amanda Kemp is longing for the day when she can jump in her motorhome once again and head off rallying with her family.

Amanda is relatively new to the touring lifestyle, having purchased her first vehicle less than two years ago. The 44-year-old and partner George, 49, admit they had “no idea” what they were doing after becoming proud owners of an Elddis Autoquest, so decided to join the Club and sign up to their local South Essex Centre.

To say they have not looked back since would be an understatement. They instantly fell in love with rallying as it proved perfect for their young family, which included seven-year-old Ben and two-yearold Shannon.

“My father passed away in December 2018 and we decided to spend the little bit of money we got to give our family freedom by buying a motorhome,” said Amanda.

“We’d never been caravanning or motorhoming before so didn’t know anything to start with.

We joined the Club, and as part of our membership discovered we could join a local centre, so that’s what we did.

“We went on our first rally to High Ongar in August 2019 and had an absolute blast. We didn’t have any idea what to expect or what the

86 March 2021

people would be like but everyone was so friendly and we felt at ease straight away.

“I was concerned the children wouldn’t enjoy it if there weren’t many other kids but it wasn’t a problem. They had the freedom of the field and the best bit was that you could let them go and not worry as everyone else was looking out for them.”

After that initial taste, Amanda and her family wanted more. They upgraded to a larger motorhome and squeezed in as many weekends with the South Essex Centre as possible – fireworks in Billericay, Halloween in Southend, Christmas in Chelmsford... – before lockdown brought things to a shuddering halt.

“It opened up a whole new world to us,” said Amanda. “We did go to Devon in our motorhome a few times but travelling such long distances with young kids is not so great so we decided to stick to rallying. It’s great to visit places close to home that I’ve never been to before. It’s also a cheap way to have regular breaks. We can afford to do it every couple of weeks.

“It gets the kids away from the TV and off their devices and we get to meet so many nice people and enjoy all the social events. It’s a shame that younger families don’t seem to go rallying as much these days. I definitely recommend they give it a try.”

Rallying is great for all age groups – Amanda and family haven t looked back

To find out more about rallying with your local centre (when it is safe to do so) visit camc.com/centres. www.camc.com

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 Friday 26 March 2021. Four runners-up will each receive £10 Club gift tokens.

Due to the current situation, please clearly photo raph or scan and ema l your answer grid to crossword@camc.com. Please do not include any other correspondence with your entry.

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POSTCODE:

88 March 2021

DOWN 1 Dense tropical forest (6) 2 In good order (4) 3 A mistake (5) 4 Congratulations (4,4) 5 Produces offspring (6) 6 Get better (7) 7 Kitchen machine (10) 9 Capricorn symbol (4) 13 Plane station (7) 15 Shallow leisure craft (4) 17 Light fittings (5) 18 Pimple (4) 20 Aperture (4) 21 Slender (4) 23 A single showing of a TV serial (7) 25 Emission from sun (5) 27 Hooligan (7) 28 Close by (4) 29 Pantomime role (4) 30 Corn stalk (5) 32 Bank vault (10) 34 Quiet pause in activity (4) 35 Of a gale or wolf (7) 36 Extended (4) 37 Foul odour (5) 39 Huge (4) 41 Unsuccessful (8) 42 Sense by touch (4) 44 Gossiped (7) 46 Unit of temperature (6) 48 Ingenious (6) 51 A dogged toil (4) 52 Muck (5) 54 Ill-mannered child (4)

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February solution: Across: 1 Restaurant 6 Peppermint 11 Spots 12 Subscription 14 Oboe 16 Rein 17 All 18 Easel 20 Pellet 21 Verb 22 China 23 Scuttle 25 Air 26 Wedding 28 Sour 29 Starlet 33 Cancelling 35 Competitor 38 Umpteen 41 Wood

ACROSS 1 The administration of law (7) 5 Denied entry (6) 8 Fugitive from national calamity (7) 10 House entrance (4) 11 A surfeit of baggage (6) 12 Acute pain (5) 14 False statement (3) 15 Allowed (9) 16 Plunge into water (4) 17 Not as much (4) 19 A fist fight (5-2) 22 Residue, sediment (5) 24 Gusher (3,4) 26 A portion (4) 28 Unpleasant sound (5) 29 Leave in the lurch (6) 31 Mix at a party (6) 33 Captain . . . (comic) (6) 35 Leading strap on a horse (6) 38 Group with common interests (5) 39 Slit in a jacket (4) 40 Migratory bird (7) 43 Pre-metric weight (5) 45 Totteringly drunk (7) 47 To fold under (4) 49 ...... and hearty (4) 50 Holding a grudge (9) 53 Stomach (3) 54 A fighter in the ring (5) 55 Public speaker (6) 56 Animal’s den (4) 57 A tramp (7) 58 The centre (6) 59 Moorland shrub (7)

42 Bagpipe 45 Ill 46 Undress 48 Lemon 49 Gala 50 Cobble 52 Spree 54 Alp 55 Avid 57 Tags 59 Manslaughter 60 Laugh 61 Evaporated 62 Department Down: 1 Research 2 Stool-pigeon 3 Also 4 Abseiling 5 Tablets 6 Packs 7 Phial 8 Extrovert 9 Moor

10 Thunderstorm 13 Netball 15 Bee 19 Exterior 20 Paid 24 Cook 27 Nylon 29 Sepia 30 Ant 31 Acquaintance 32 Snowdrop 34 Eve 36 Tape measure 37 Boss 39 Pilgrim 40 Equaliser 42 Booby-trap 43 Pale 44 Snapshot 47 Scented 51 Leg 52 Smart 53 Rigid 56 Damp 58 Slot

JANUARY WINNERS £50 first prize: Deborah Hutton, Birmingham. £10 runners-up: David Cook, W Sussex; Carol Robertson, E Sussex; Richard Tasker, W Yorks; Sara Shave, Leicestershire 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 arch Crossword .

Please do not include any other correspondence with your entry

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PUZZLES BRAINTEASERS

LOVE SUDOKU Can you solve this selection of teasers? The answers are on the side of each page

KILLER SUDOKU

The normal rules of Sudoku apply. Place a digit from 1-9 in each empty square so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains all the digits from 1-9. In addition, the digits in each inner shape (marked by dots) must add up to the number in the top corner of that box. No digit can be repeated within an inner shape.

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 90 March 2021

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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 Park • Recurring • Tune (5) 9 Reed • Sedge • Willow (7) 10 Match • Play • Team (7) 11 Appeal • Day • Flanders (5) 12 Broad • Rub • Sloping (9) 14 Bin • Deadly • Original (3) 15 Above • Crew • Glass (3) 16 Bathrobe • Nappy • Terry (9) 19 Gas • Parking • Water (5) 21 Canary • Channel • Desert (7) 23 Judgement • Nature • Price (7) 24 Cooker • Mountain • Rifle (5) DOWN 1 Flag • Hail • Rolling (6) 2 Baby • Pickled • Red (8) 3 Phone • Pixel • Store (4) 4 Inch • Months • Noon (6) 5 Grant • Indecent • Marriage (8) 6 Cat • Jack • Mud (4) 7 Box • Drawing • Wax (6) 13 Agent • Festival • Works (8) 14 Jenny • Money • Top (8) 15 Angle • Speed • Video (6) 17 Dumb • Head • Wine (6) 18 Choir • Singer • Truth (6) 20 Bar • Force • Master (4) 22 About • Mud • Sky (4)

Solution www.camc.com

March 2021 91

PUZZLES BRAINTEASERS

CODE WORD HOW TO PLAY This puzzle has no clues in the conventional sense. Instead, every different number printed in the main grid represents a different letter (with the same number always representing the same letter, of course). For example, if 8 turns out to be a ‘V’, you can write in V wherever a square contains 8.

Solution 92 March 2021

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TAIL LIGHTS

Your observations on the unusual world of touring

ARCTIC ADVENTURE

Club member Wyndham Llewellyn spotted this unusual vehicle in Aberavon recently (see Tail Lights, January 2021). So imagine our surprise when we discovered that the owner of the converted Iveco Eurocargo camper, Kevin Hancock, had driven it, along with partner Nadine Huguet, all the way from comparatively sunny South Wales to the Arctic Circle. Mr Hancock’s van – formerly a mobile police office that took two years to convert – withstood temperatures as low as -27°C as well as snowy and icy conditions, rolling along on Falken tyres (and thanks to Falken for the picture). What a trip!

Slow and steady

Peter Bell came across this eye-catching outfit at Camping Groenpark in Zele, Belgium.

Apparently the driver actually towed using the tractor back home to the Netherlands. Many thanks for the picture, Peter!

SLEIGH RIDE

Many thanks to John Kane for this picture of Santa’s new outfit (during a brief stopover in GoringBy-Sea). John assures us that the caravan is not overloaded!

106 March 2021

HOME SWEET HOME

Carole Drabble has been busy in the kitchen during lockdown – with this fantastic snowy gingerbread caravan among the results.

“Looking forward to being able to use our ‘real’ caravan,” says Carole. Hopefully not too long now!

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 @candmclub on Instagram and we’ll print the best www.camc.com

If I pass away

Canine Cared For

If I move to a CcaarreedhoFmore Canine is s o n g ia d g in g n a h c e If I receive a lif nine Cared For Ca

Make sure your dog is cared for with a Canine Care Card from Dogs Trust You’ve always done what you can to protect your four-legged friend, and that shouldn’t change when life does. With a Canine Care Card, you won’t have to worry about what’s next for them, because Dogs Trust will look after and rehome them at one of our 20 rehoming centres across the UK.

dogstrust.org.uk/ccc Email: ccc@dogstrust.org.uk Call us directly: 020 7837 0006

Apply online now to get your FREE Canine Care Card at: Please quote “334756”, or complete the coupon below:

Please send me a Dogs Trust Canine Care Card application form (Please fill out in block capitals) Title

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Surname Address 334756

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Postcode

Registered charity numbers: 227523 & SC037843

CYCLING WATERSIDE RIDES

Shore things

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

Here he picks his five favourite waterside rides

Kielder Water, Northumberland (main picture) It’s not simply the sense of wilderness amid the deep forest, nor the well-made, undulating Lakeside Way trail that circumnavigates Kielder Water that make this such a special route. The highlight is a series of amazing sculptures that create the perfect opportunity to stop, admire the views and inspect the artwork. The most eye-catching is the two-storey wooden skull, Silvas Capitalis, while the giant rotating Janus Chairs are big enough to allow an entire family to sit and choose their view while they enjoy a coffee or picnic. In summer, keep your eyes peeled for the ospreys that nest here. More experienced mountain bikers can add a dash of adrenalin by pedalling off-piste to tackle one of the dedicated biking trails that range from the blue-grade Osprey Trail to the hair-raising Black Grade Trail.

Start: Lakeside View car park.

Nearest Club site: Lidalia.

Distance: 27 miles.

March 2021

Borrowdale, Cumbria Not all shoreline trails are mountain bike tracks, as this magnificent Lake District road cycling route demonstrates. At its hub is spellbinding Derwentwater, a three-mile long stretch of water peppered with wooded islands. Cycling its circumference is a real treat with some of the national park’s finest fells, including Cat Bells and Skiddaw, dominating the skyline beyond Keswick. On the western flanks of Derwentwater the road rises high enough to turn boats on the lake into ant-size objects, while Keswick provides the perfect halfway point for coffee and cake. The return half of the ride down the eastern side of Derwentwater is much closer to the shoreline, with a number of small car parks giving access directly to the water’s edge. While not hilly by Lake District standards, this ride still has enough rises and falls to let you know you’ve been in the saddle for a couple of hours, while the memories of the views will last a lifetime.

Start: Borrowdale Club site.

Distance: 10 miles. www.camc.com

CYCLING VIDEOS

See all these routes and more at youtube.

Lindisfarne, Northumberland com/Caravanand Even without the spine-tingling causeway to Holy Island, this MotorhomeClub out-and-back route would stand up as a gorgeous coastal trail. Within a few hundred yards of the Club site, perched above Berwick-upon-Tweed, a coastal bridleway leads cyclists south through dunes and moorland. Epic sweeps of sandy beach interrupt small rocky coves, with the North Sea (and often a blustery wind) your constant companion to the start of the paved causeway crossing to Lindisfarne. Flags and posters provide warnings of the dangers of crossing when the tide is coming in, so please take the risks seriously. The rewards for getting your timings right are outstanding; an almost surreal experience of parting the sea as you cross to Holy Island. The tiny island is home to a ruined priory, small castle and rich history as a launchpad of Christianity in northern England, and it remains a centre of pilgrimage and tourism. This means there’s also a handy array of cafés and pubs on the island to refuel before tackling the ride home.

Start: Berwick Seaview Club site.

Distance: 26 miles.

Holy Island

www.camc.com

Kielder Water and Forest Park

Rutland Water, Rutland This trail provides all the ingredients for a great ride for cyclists of all abilities and fitness levels. For those who just want a quick blast of exercise, the wide track is ideal for brisk progress and the optional Hambleton peninsula adds a few contours plus half a dozen extra miles to get the heart pumping. But to hurtle around England’s largest man-made reservoir is arguably to miss the point. Bird watching hides offer the opportunity to gaze at the wildfowl; while ospreys migrate here in summer (there’s an osprey watching centre at Lyndon Nature Reserve). Play parks give children the chance to burn off more energy while adults enjoy a coffee. There are also a couple of bike hire centres in case you need any running repairs. And throughout there’s the tranquillity that arises from riding in a giant basin, surrounded by hills, with woodland, fields and water for company.

Start: Whitwell car park.

Nearest Club site: Rutland Caravan and Camping AS. Distance: 17 miles (23 miles with Hambleton peninsula detour).

Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire Take a lakeside cycle trail, banish traffic, sprinkle in wildflowers and rich bird life, then punctuate with a couple of cafés and a pub, and this route ticks every box. The reservoir truly sparkles in sunshine, but there’s more than enough here to hold your gaze in any weather. Grafham Water has been a Site of Special Scientific Interest for 35 years, recognised for its over-wintering populations of tufted duck, great crested grebe and coots, while late summer brings an influx of moulting mute swans.

A lagoon, dragonfly pond and reed beds provide the ideal habitats for a wide variety of insects and birds, including migrant species that use Grafham as a stopover en route to foreign climes. The route is easy to follow, clearly waymarked on the rare sections where it diverges from the shoreline, and with a broad, level and flat track, it suits all ages and fitness levels. There is also a hire centre on the eastern shore.

Start: Grafham Water Club site.

Distance: 10 miles.

DOWNLOAD ALL THESE ROUTE TO YOUR GPS DEVICE FROM OUR STRAVA PAGE AT STRAVA.COM/ATHLETES/27202656 March 2021

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