hope you are looking forward to coming along to our National Rally later this month over the late Bank Holiday weekend, we will be having a great get together. With over 200 of our members units already booked in with us, and with some fabulous evening entertainment over the 5 nights, I hope it will be one to remember. Please note the closing date for booking your place is noon on the 12th May. If you are not able to book before this date, don’t worry you can still come and join in, you will just have to pay a little extra if you just arrive at the gate. Not a problem, you will still be made welcome.
The AGM will take place over the weekend and if you would like to consider joining the Council of Management team please make yourself known to us. We would welcome some new talent to our small group of volunteers.
As always enjoy our time away.
Happy travels.
Reydon Business Park, Reydon, Suffolk IP18 6DH
Publisher/Editor: Mark Shreeve T: 01502 725839
mark.shreeve@micropress.co.uk
Advertising: Sinead Taylor T: 01502 725865 E: sinead.taylor@micropress.co.uk
Magazine/Handbook : Sue Pilkiw (07837 386104) suep@themotorcaravannersclub.co.uk
SECRETARIES CONTACT LIST
Jan Wilcox 07833 625740
Health & Safety Officer:
Keith Poole (07736 544490) keithp@themotorcaravannersclub.co.uk
CLUB OFFICIALS
Casual Campsites:
Kate Jones (07747 000587) katejone@googlemail.com
Financial Officer: Paul Maguire (07973 827506)
Junior Leaders: Maria Hill & Gill Crosby juniors@themotorcaravannersclub.co.uk
Head Show Marshal: Mick Pilkiw
Webmaster: Anna Billson webmaster@themotorcaravannersclub.co.uk
To email a member of the Council of Management please use first name & first letter of surname followed by @themotorcaravannersclub.co.uk ie jaccid@themotorcaravannersclub.co.uk
Jo Smaje 07528 845553 sussex@themotorcaravannersclub.co.uk
All opinions expressed in these pages are those of the Editor and his contributors and do not necessarily represent official Club policy. All Material copyright. The Motor Caravanners’ Club Ltd 2024. All Rights reserved. While every care is taken when accepting advertisements neither the Club nor the Publisher can accept responsibility for unsatisfactory transactions which arise. Printed by Micropress Printers Ltd.
The opinions, advice and information contained in this publication are offered solely to inform members as to matters which will be of assistance to them.
The Motor Caravanners’ Club and Countrywide Publications accepts no responsibility for any opinion, advice or information expressed by any person in any article contained herein and members should seek their own counsel on matters before acting or relying on any opinion, advice or information.
Club News
LATEST NEWS FROM YOUR COUNCIL
National Rally 2025
We are entering into the last few days to book a pitch at our National Rally being held at Hatton Country World either on-line or by phoning our Head Office. Please remember that advance booking is for three nights or more. But if you don’t book and want to come along at the last minute, you can pay at the gate.
The Sammy Snail Club will be offering some fun-filled activities for our Junior members, from 0- to 16-year-olds, (note that 0-2 years must be accompanied by a responsible adult). No need to book, just collect forms from Reception tent and sign them up. These activities, together with the close proximity of Hatton Country World, make this venue a good place to bring your younger family members. Why not treat the younger members of your family and bring along your children and grandchildren.
Older members are not forgotten as there will have be Craft Activities for adults as well! Bring along your crafting hobby to chat
This year's National rally venue is a great place to bring the kids
to others; learn a new craft. Sign up when you arrive. Most activities are free, though some workshops (such as the Wine Goblet workshop and Wool Fairy Workshop) will have a
Ferry Good for Al-ko
nominal charge to cover the cost of materials.
Online shop
Have you visited the Club’s online shop yet? It’s just the place to visit to add a Club t-shirt, fleece or cap to your wardrobe. And if you’re thinking of treating a junior member, take a look at the Sammy Snail collection. Visit www.mccshop. co.uk
Members’ Discounts
Remember to check our website for Members’ Discounts – log-in to our members’ area/Information Area to check for offers. You will also find a direct link to Warners’ Shows (note there is no MCC area at the Campervan Campout Festival).
Get in touch
If you have a query about Warners’ Shows, Haven, Casual Campsites, Cls, Magazine or the Homecraft Competition please contact the member of CoM or Supporting Officer responsible for them. All the contact details are listed on the Club Contacts page.
The HPC Hydraulic Levelling System is truly a step ahead for motorhome owners. Covering all requirements expected from a levelling system. it is simply and quickly operated using the on-board touch-screen controls or operated remotely from an iPhone 5 and above or an Android phone via a Bluetooth free app. Accompanied by the AS Air Suspension system, all your suspension and levelling needs are catered for. At AS Air Suspension UK Ltd, we seek to continually improve and stay ahead of our competitors. Using innovative materials to reduce the weight of the systems, without any compromise to quality.
JOIN US AT THIS YEAR'S NATIONAL RALLY
AT HATTON COUNTRY WORLD, WARWICKSHIRE 22-27 MAY
Our 62nd AGM will be held at 2pm on Saturday 24th May 2025 at Hatton Country World, Dark Lane, Hatton, Warwick, CV35 8XA. If you are attending the AGM but not camping with us, please ensure that you have given your vehicle registration number at the reception as the venue operates a vehicle recognition system. If you don’t register your number you may receive a fine. And please remember your membership card as you cannot attend the AGM without it.
If you are camping with us, there’s plenty to do on and around this year’s venue. There is a full programme of activities on site, including 5 nights of live professional entertainment, a table top sale, silent auction, Fun Dog Show, craft sessions, quiz and much more over the rally period. Party Night is a chance to dress up and join in all the fun of the Circus! Add all this to having Hatton Shopping Village, Hatton Adventure World and Warwick nearby plus a
free shuttle bus service to Stratford on Avon on Sunday (provided you have collected a ticket) and you should find plenty to do.
Feeling hungry? You will be able to indulge in a cream tea on Sunday, as tickets will be on sale for scone, jam, cream and a cuppa; buy early to avoid disappointment! The Grub Hub will be there every day serving up breakfasts from 7:30am and during the evening from 4pm till late with a varied menu each day. >>
to Orkney and Shetland and Spot
Discovering the Northern Isles has never been easier with NorthLink Ferries.
The comfortable and reliable service offers sailings from Aberdeen to Lerwick, Shetland, with regular calls into Orkney’s capital of Kirkwall. Alternatively travel to Orkney’s port of Stromness from Caithness. This 90 minute journey on MV Hamnavoe is the only sailing to Orkney which passes the iconic sea stack, the Old Man of Hoy.
Operated by
northlinkferries.co.uk
Shetland
Orkney
You have just a few days to send your entry for the Homecraft Competition to Selma at homecraft@ themotorcaravannersclub.co.uk.
Closing date for entries is Friday 9th May 2025. Items made in the workshops can be entered at the rally. Categories are listed below, for full details and entry rules see p67 of this year's Club Handbook.
1. Photograph Theme:
2. Drawing Theme: Any member of the cat family wild or domestic
3. Painting Theme: Flowers 4. Wood Craft: Bug house 5. Paper Craft: Gift box 6. Materials: Rag craft
First time National ralliers
We will be holding a 'gathering' on Thursday for you to come along to ask any questions about the National rally, meet other First timers from different Groups and meet some representatives from the Council of Management.
There will be a second first-timers drop-in session on Saturday, for those who arrive after Thursday and to give all first time National ralliers another chance to come back with any questions that may have arisen. Of course, you can ask those questions at any time – your Group Marshalls and the National Rally Working Team will be happy to help.
Chance to meet with people who hold various responsibilities in the MCC:
• Scribes: come and meet Mark, our magazine editor and Sue, our Magazine and Handbook co-ordinator
• Enjoy rallying? Two meetings for you to come and find out more about:
• Casual Campsites: meet Kate Jones our Casual Campsite organiser
• Camping Abroad: Steve Wynn will be there to answer any questions about our rallies abroad
• Health and Safety: Are you responsible for Health & Safety for your Group? Or are you interested in the issues? Come and meet Keith Poole, our Health & Safety Officer.
• Disability: A chance for anyone to come and discuss Disability issues with Keith Poole, our Disability Advisor.
Top-class entertainment
We have 5 nights of top-class entertainment lined up:
MINISTRY OF SOUL are an awardwinning, highly experienced, ninepiece party band. Their repertoire covers Soul, Motown and disco classics from 60s to the present day. They ensure everyone gets involved and have even been known to invite willing participants to get up on the stage!
PARTY NIGHT
FLASHBACK
BAND started rockin’ away in April of 2016. The band is known for its energetic instrumentation and stunning vocals. They play a variety of 80’s Arena Rock tunes, with a repertoire of music covering bands like Journey, Boston, Van Halen, Foreigner, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard and the like.
electrifying performances and unforgettable evenings that will get celebration started with a bang! Wired2Party perform their own unique blend of floor-filling covers from the soulful 60s, to Motown and disco through to 80s – 2020s pop and classic rock. They pride themselves on providing high energy, feel-good, floor filling classics for a great party atmosphere. They have a genuine love of what they do and make sure you have the best night of your life!
WIRED2PARTY is a passionate party band dedicated to delivering
KRIS STEEL is a recording artist & vocalist based in the Midlands. Covering artists ranging from Pink, Duran Duran, Kings of Leon, Killers, Alison Moyet, Olly Murs, Elton John, Christina Perri, The Beatles, Elvis, Bon Jovi and so many more. Performing regularly across the UK, bringing a range of songs from the 60's to today. Kris really brings the party with her!
OBITUARY
Dave Couldrick
S&W Wales Group are sad to announce the death of Dave Couldrick on March 2nd at the age of 84. Until recent years both Dave and his wife, Pam, were long serving, very active members. For many years Dave was our Group Treasurer and a very keen rally supporter. We send our deepest sympathy to Pam and all the family at this sad time.
APOLOGY
In our 'Where to take the Kids' feature in last month's magazine we listed Oakwood Theme Park as one to visit in our Wales round-up. Thank you to Club member Chris who got in touch to let us know this theme park is now, in fact, closed. Apologies Ed
CASUAL CAMPSITES
Do you know somewhere a casual campsite could be held? All that is needed is a location where vans can be parked legally and safely. We average 40-80 units but smaller sites will still be considered. Public transport from close to the site to other places of interest would help.
The venue could be a school, field (sporting or otherwise) or a commercial campsite. Electric hookup is welcomed by many but not essential. What is essential, however, is somewhere to get water and to empty an Elsan.
Hosts are always required for these Campsites, duties involved include checking members in and providing a focal point for the Campsite. It is good to be able to
provide a tea tent as a place for members to gather and socialise but this is not essential. If you are interested in hosting or have suggestions for locations please contact me (see p4 for details).
Bookings are now being taken for Hendra, please email me at katejone@googlemail.com with your name, membership number, van registration, nights required (multiples of 7 preferred) and arrival date. It would also be appreciated if you could inform me if you intend to visit us in Cookstown.
STEP BACK IN TIME AT RETRO FESTIVAL
FAVON RALLIES
or the first time ever, the MCC has reserved pitches at the Retro Festival, a festival that promises a weekend like no other. Retro Festival rolls into Newbury Showground from 8th-10th August 2025! This vibrant festival celebrates the very best of the 1920s to 1960s, with an incredible lineup of live music, classic vehicles, vintage fashion, and retro entertainment. Across three themed music venues
2025! This vibrant festival an
–The Black Hangar, Ricky Tick,
–The Black Hangar, Ricky Tick, and Spitfire Pavilion – you’ll be transported through the decades with performances covering Swing, Ska, Northern Soul, and Rock ’n’ Roll. Dance the night away, soak up the festival atmosphere, and enjoy a packed programme of entertainment.
In order to support our members, and not lose popular venues, the existing rallies booked by Avon Group, excluding Abbey Hill Steam Fair which is being run by West Wessex, will now go ahead under the umbrella of Members Casual Campsites. As such your new point of contact will be Kate Jones (see p4 for details).
We have hosts for some of these events but any volunteers will be gratefully accepted.
KEEP IN TOUCH
For motoring enthusiasts, the Classic Vehicle Show is a mustsee, with stunning vintage cars, motorcycles, and military vehicles on display. Add to that a traditional funfair, military re-enactors, vintage shopping village, and great food and drink, and you’ve got a weekend full of nostalgia and fun.
As a Motor Caravanners’ Club member, you’ll have the added benefit of camping in our own dedicated area,with our own Marshals on hand and surrounded by fellow club members. Special pricing means your pitch is just £120, with adult tickets at £50 each – a £25 saving! Plus, children under 18 go free.
Whether you’re a die-hard retro fan or just love a great festival atmosphere, Retro Festival is the perfect summer getaway. Book your place today and experience the sights, sounds, and style of a golden era!
JOIN THE CLUB ON A SPANISH HOLIDAY
The Club are organising a twocentre holiday in Spain later this year and would like you to join them. Beginning at Camping Playa Tropicana, Alcossebre, Comunidad Valenciana (21 Sep - 5 Oct) we will then move to Camping Lo Monte, Pilar de la Horadada, Comunidad Valenciana for the second half (5-19 Oct).
The holiday is a fixed four weeks (14 days at each site) and will cost £825 per unit (two people). This does not include crossings although these can be arranged via our travel provider if required.
Each site has EHU (with Tropicana being 10A and Lo Monte
16A) and a range of facilities. In both cases, dogs are allowed but may be subject to a local charge on arrival (we can advise on this).
The sites are approximately 3½ hour drive apart on good toll-free road. For an overview of each sites please visit:
Carvynick Holiday Park, nestled in the heart of the Cornish countryside, offers the perfect base for exploring Newquay’s worldfamous beaches and beyond. Our well presented hardstanding pitches are ideal for motorhomes, caravans and campervans and come fully serviced with water, electric and waste outlets. Guests can also enjoy use of our on-site shower facilities as well as on-site pub. Pets and families very welcome.
A booking form is now available to any members that are interested – or if you would like more details, please drop an email to stevew@ themotorcaravanners club.co.uk
Alcossebre beach.
Pilar de la Horadada.
HOLIDAY PARK
Elnagh is back…big time! Pictured on test: 2025 Baron 579 on Peugeot Boxer chassis-cab
BRILLIANT BARON
consists only of low-profiles, all of which are underpinned by the Peugeot Boxer. 573 and 579 are the largest of the UK Baron range. The 573 features twin permanent longitudinal single-beds at the rear, over a commodious garage. ‘Our’ 579 replaces the single-beds with a permanent peninsula doublebed. The forward lounge is ahead of a centrally-located kitchen, plus a nearside washroom. A separate walk-in shower cubicle is across the central aisle. We suggest that you keep three ‘figures’ in mind when you read this review and/or inspect
available for a fiver under £70,000 OTR.
OTR (on-the-road)
Our own 2018 coachbuilt is on the ‘Boxer beat’ and I’ve owned several similar over the years. This one was equipped with the latest 140bhp turbo-diesel to Euro 6D(Final) emissions standard. Transversely mounted engine has a displacement of 2.2-litre against our own Euro 6 one at 2.0-litre. Subjectively, the larger did feel as though it had more oomph, but no performance testing against the stopwatch was
Boxer’s engine bay. The driving game-changer was that it was mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. A long time coming on the Boxer…Auto gear mode change is via a traditional fascia-mounted lever, not by rotary dial or touchscreen.
undertaken. Instead, I luxuriated in the two pedal drive. Yes…no typo…this Boxer had an eight-speed automatic gearbox…and very good
Gentleman Jack evaluates an elegant Elnagh…
Forward lounge seats five for socialising or dining.
Panoramic (opening) cab rooflight lets the light flood in. The glazing in the habitation door helps as well.
A few nips and tucks on the instrument nacelle. I found the gear selected indicator (top of central information column) too small to read easily. Automatic transmission couldn’t be faulted, plus the 140bhp 2.2-litre engine pulled strongly and confidently.
it was as well. It’s been a long time coming (30 years), but now it's here, automatic transmission will be a popular extra-cost option among
Forward facing double-seat secures two passengers and includes isofix.
Inset: Embroidered identifier on cab seat headrests added panache.
purchasers. The steering wheel has changed shape, also the instrument nacelle and head-unit has had a few nips and tucks. Most changes add to the driving experience, though my personal opinion is that the digital read-out informing gear selection was far too small, plus I don’t like the current trend (among many manufacturers) of overloading the steering wheel with tiny push button controls. For example, the stalkoperated cruise control on previous models felt much more intuitive to use, than having to locate the correct shiny dot on the steering wheel. Perhaps usability improves with familiarity? Despite the pinsharp windscreen price, the Pug arrives with the Eco Pack including Stop/Start. Also standard are ESC,
holder, cruise control, cab air-con, plus heated door mirrors.
Main salon
The Lounge is at the pointy end. It consists of an ‘L’-shaped offside bench with two dedicated travel seats…complete with Isofix… hooray! This combines with a nearside inward-facing seat and the swivelled (comfy) cab pews. A glazed entrance door adds natural light, and there are some appealing design signatures. The Macaron soft furnishing fabrics and embroidered identifier on the cab headrests number just two, among many. Night-time black-out in the cab is achieved by a set of insulated internal pads attached by suckers. Please note that the TV bracket
hill
wall British sunshine…obviously! There isn’t a 230V microwave as standard. However, as many members undertake a lot of their motorcaravanning off-grid, they might rather have the storage space anyway.
Comfort station
Perhaps that should be comfort stations? The facilities are actually divided among two cubicles, one either side of the central aisle. These can be linked together and made en-suite to the bedroom, but remain separate from the main salon. Another bonus of the divider is adding a dry area in the central aisle…perfect for dressing after a shower. The shower tray is stepped which might benefit those with mobility difficulties. There’s plenty of available storage in the offside cubicle, which is also home to the basin and loo.
(above the fridge-freezer) is part of the extra-cost Adventure Pack (see Tech Talk below), but the TV itself in the demo vehicle is not included as part of the standard spec or Action Pack.
Galley
Located amidships, it majors on coolt with a 'mine’s-bigger-
than-yours' tower fridge-freezer. Cooking very complicated meals might be challenging on the (only) two-burner hob, although there is a separate combined gas-fired grill/oven. We reckon these would be perfectly adequate for most folk, especially as many cook alfresco on a freestanding stove or barbecue…in the endless wall-to-
Berths
Baron’s berths are courtesy of two double-beds. A permanent longitudinal peninsula one at the far rear and a transverse one located above the lounge. Both raise and lower electrically. The permanent bed is flanked by two individual nightstands, each with a half-height wardrobe above. There’s lots of storage in the bedroom…where one would expect to find it…high-level lockers and under the feet-end of the bed, but also where one might not to expect to find it…in the bed access steps, for example. The rear double-bed is above a very spacious garage. More on that in the next section.
As can be seen in the accompanying photographs, after the forward transverse bed is lowered, access to it is via an aluminium ladder. As always with this design, the further forward occupant will have to climb over the other for nocturnal visits to the loo…unless of course they are of a more helpful disposition than the Bancrofts in the early hours! It is
Centrally-located kitchen is split either side of the central aisle. Sink, two burner hob and separate combined grill and oven are on the offside with the…tower domestic-size fridge-freezer on the nearside. Note that the TV above it is not part of the standard spec, nor is it included in the Adventure Pack, although its bracket is part of A.P.
Comfort station is also split either side of the central-aisle, plus it can be made private from the main salon. Walk-in shower cubicle is on the offside, washbasin and loo opposite.
Above: Adjustable- height peninsula double-bed is above the garage. Each partner has their own night-stand, half-height wardrobe and high level locker. Feet end lifts-up for access to underbed storage. Inset: Additional storage (useful for shoes) available under the access steps. Right top and bottom: Transverse double-bed both stored and deployed. Operation is electric and the bed can be left ‘made-up’. It did narrow towards the feet end though.
worth mentioning that because both doubles are dedicated beds, a more restful grade of foam/springing can be chosen. On beds converted from seats, this isn’t the case because a compromise choice between seat and bed ‘firmness’ has to be made.
Knowledge base
Don’t know Elnagh from your elbow? We’ll start by saying that it’s no ‘Johnny-come-lately’, rather it has a long and distinguished history. It was formed in Milan back in 1946 and commenced by making Superflex sprung forks for motorised bicycles. Production changed to complete motorised vehicles in 1954. Caravans were made from the early 1960’s and
Elnagh’s first mass produced items were sprung forks for these motorised bicycles.
Mod cons
Commencing at the habitation entrance. The threshold is low, plus there are inboard steps to aid getting on board. There’s also a flyscreen door and a bin. However, what ‘floats our boat’ is that the
conversion is handed for the UK, with the entrance door on our nearside. Other mainland European converters with `vans costing more than twice-as-much can’t seem to, or don’t want to, achieve this. Before we leave the entrance, the eagle-
motorcaravans since the early 1970’s. They joined Mobilvetta and McLouis to form the SEA group (Societá Europea Autocaravan SpA), which itself became part of the Trigano Empire in 2013. Just one year previously Elnagh had moved from Milan to Poggibonsi, near Siena, in Italy. However, we
Their first motorcaravan was built at their manufacturing site in Milan. Despite subsequently moving to Poggibonsi, they continue to use the Milanese serpent as their logo (Inset).
are pleased to report that they still use their Biscione (serpent) motif…which has been associated with Milan since the 13th century. For many years Don Amott was the importer and main agent, but the marque was dropped in 2009. Now they’re back, thanks to Marquis Motorhomes.
eyed may have spotted a badge on the right of the aperture, just above the grey skirt. It indicates that the conversion has full NCC approval (National Caravan Council). Once again, some other more expensive models don’t have this.
Standard heating for LHD is via a diesel/230V Truma Combi 4. This has been upgraded to a gas/230V Combi 6 on Blighty-bound RHD examples. The full-width rear garage has big doors at either end, power, heat, light, and tie-down cleats. A chassis upgrade to 3,650kg is available F-O-C, but bear in mind that all drivers will require a Group C1 licence.
Access and egress are aided by a low threshold and two inboard steps. See flyscreen inner door-screen, bin, plus (just under the bottom fridge vent) the ‘NCC Approved’ badge.
I would have liked A spare wheel rather than an aerosol can of goo.
Conclusion
Easy to live-in and to live with. Excellent VFM, nicely finished, and with a contemporary ambience. Ten-year body integrity warranty is reassuring. It’s great to have Elnagh back in the UK and that shouldn’t be overshadowed by the ‘stop press’ news that automatic transmission is available on Peugeot’s Boxer… at last!
Garage is spacious, but not spacious enough for my (just visible) Fiat Panda! Light, heat, and tie-down cleats are all standard. Load limit is model dependent but up to 300kg…that’s a serious amount of ‘load lugging’.
Tech Talk Elnagh Baron 579
Base vehicle: Peugeot Boxer LWB chassis-cab
Motive power: 2.2-litre Blue HDI Euro 6D-Final 140bhp turbocharged diesel engine driving the front wheels via a manual six-speed gearbox. As tested: via an automatic eight-speed gearbox
Will it fit? Length: 7.45m/24’ 5.5” Width: 2.35m/7’ 8.5” (+ mirrors) Height: 2.85m/9’ 4” (+ TV aerial)
Kit count: Elnagh: Glazed entrance door, inboard entrance steps, flyscreen inner door, two-burner gas hob, gas combined oven and grill, 137-litre ‘tower’
Elnagh Baron 579 kindly offered for evaluation by Marquis Motorhomes, The Causeway, Great Billing, Northamptonshire, NN3 9EX. Tel 01604 402 888 or Freephone 0800 0267 777. Marquis currently has 12 branches open nationwide. Special thanks to Emma Franklin, Auto Sleeper Group Marketing Manager. E&OE
fridge freezer, Combi 6 gas/230V space and water heating, Isofix rear travel seats. Peugeot: Stop-Start, Eco Pack, ESC, Hill Holder, Cab air-con, cruise control, heated door mirrors
Optional Extras: Adventure Pack (100W solar panel, Pioneer DAB infotainment head unit with Apple Car Play and Android Auto, rear parking sensors, TV mounting bracket): + £2,395. Automatic transmission + £4,000. Chassis up-plate to 3,650kg MTPLM £
F-O-C
Bottom line: Prices from £69,995 OTR. As tested: £76,390 OTR including Adventure Pack and automatic transmission
TAKE THEM OUTSIDE
Frances and Michael Howorth take a look at outdoor accessories most suitable for motorcaravans to discover what works and what does not.
There was a time when sailing, surfing and skiing were our only outdoor activities. But now that sailing boats have given way to campervans and touring has taken the place of surfing, we are finding life in the slow lane less strenuous, very agreeable and rather comfortable.
But rather like sailing and surfing, it is the accessories that you surround yourselves with that can make the difference especially when it comes to enhancing comfort. As motorcaravanners, our outdoor activities tend to centre around cooking, eating and enjoying nature.
The level of enjoyment we get from each activity is enhanced by the accessories we have purchased
over the years and kept. It’s probably not wise to mention those that we purchased and quickly discarded. So, what have been our more successful accessories, or in other words, what do we pack into our van as we begin our summertime adventures?
Cooking
Cooking outdoors is one of the many delights on offer to motorcaravanners. We love it for many and varied reasons. Firstly, you can be more adventurous when it comes to aromas which when confined to the inside of a campervan tend to put an end to the idea of kippers for breakfast. Secondly there is often more space outside than in and thirdly, outside
cooking does, on occasion, impart different flavours to food that is otherwise cooked inside the van.
When it comes to BBQs, we are a little undecided as to whether gas or charcoal is the best. Gas is quick and easy to set up and we love our Cadac Carri Chef 40 for that reason. It's lightweight mass packs away into a small bundle making it easy to carry. Generally speaking, it is easier to clean up after cooking but somehow a gas BBQ never quite matches the flavours imparted by smoking coals.
Having said that we do not own a charcoal BBQ, so our choice is only between the Cadac and our wood burning fire pit. Our Takibi Fire and Grill from the Japanese Snow Peak company is a fold flat
WIND SIDE
WIND FRONT
BUDDY CANOPY SIDE SHADE SIDE
modular outdoor cooking system designed for open-fire grilling and campfire experiences. Rooted in Japanese craftsmanship and minimalist design, it’s built for durability, functionality, and ease of use. True, its quality stainless steel construction makes it somewhat heavy to lug about, but it does fold flat for easy transport and storage. We especially like to use it on evenings when, after grilling our meal on it, we stoke it up with wooden logs and sit around it, campfire style and enjoy a wee dram or three! Its other downside is that you cannot put it away in the van having just used it and in many campsites, open fires are not allowed.
The third outdoor cooking device to win our favour is the Blackstone Griddle. Again, a heavy piece of kit, but its solid steel cooking surface is wonderfully quick to heat up and oh-so-good as a huge frying surface. Smashed burgers cannot fall through a grill onto flames, bacon sizzles and provides the fat to fry
the eggs for breakfast and until you have used it to cook fajitas you will never know how wonderfully it performs these tasks.
Camping gas stoves, portable ovens and even American styled smokers are all also perfectly suited to outdoor cooking, but we have no real experience about them to impart. What we do know is that it is important to use good quality pots, pans and utensils and here we must bless those campsites that have wash up stations with wonderfully large sinks and gallons of piping hot washing up water.
Often we cook outside in fading light and when the awning light is not man enough for the job we add a little extra lumens. A dependable
Above and left: Blackstone Griddle
adventures
much
to see. The right glow makes for
light on outdoor adventures delivers so much more than just the means to see. The right glow makes for better memories. It helps revive tired vibes after a long day on the trails and increases the cosiness of every night you spend outdoors.
Claymore, hailing from South Korea, offer a range of outdoor lights, marketing everything from headlamps and portable clip-ons, through to tabletop lanterns. New to the UK this year through WildBounds, Claymore has been a pioneering name in outdoor lighting since 2013. The winner of a Red Dot Design Award, they are behind some of the best ways to gently light up life’s most precious moments for well over a decade now, and have become beloved by van lifers, wild campers and hikers all over the world.
We also like to use a head torch on occasions and the Intensity 580 LED Head Torch from Lifesystems’ lighting collection, is perfect for illuminating the campsite after dark. Its super bright, 580 lumen output with adjustable beam distance offers reliable light for a range of night-time activities, while six lighting modes, including red night-vision, enable you to choose the ideal level of brightness. A rechargeable, lithium-ion battery offers up to eight hours of lighting, or it can also be powered by three AAA batteries. Comfortable to wear thanks to its elasticated head strap, the head torch’s lightweight and shockproof, IPX6 water-resistant body means it easily stands up to wet conditions too – perfect for the great British summer!
Eating
International. It does a really
Eating outdoors is another of camping’s great pleasures always assuming the wasps are kept at bay and the lights we put on don’t attract the mozzies. We like the Mozzi Zappa Lamp from Wolf International. It does a really great job. The blue light has a special wavelength that attracts insects to the high voltage grid where they are killed by an electric shock. The bodies fall through the inside of the lamp and can then be brushed away. It comes complete with a USB
Above: Lifesystems' Intensity
580 LED Head Torch. Below left: Mozzi Zappa Lamp from Wolf International
The Scottish based Vango also have an impressive range of drive away and stand-alone awnings and if its extra space you need then there is a good place to start a search.
ourselves drawn to their stand.
cable for charging, a convenient foldable hook to hang it up with, and a brush for cleaning after use. All in all, the perfect solution for a mosquito free night, When we eat outside we do what most campervans do and use the crockery, glasses and mugs from inside the van but for those who feel the need to have plastic unbreakable plates there are now some really nice examples from Brunner and every time we attend a camping show at the NEC we find ourselves drawn to their stand. For tables and chairs, it is hard to beat the range from Isabella who seem to have thought up a solution for every conceivable need for an outdoor accessory. Little wonder then, that they are one of our first choices for awnings as well.
range to every conceivable need for wonder then, that they are as
Tables, chairs, tableware, crockery cookware, kettles and food containers could also be classed as outdoor accessories when considering eating al fresco and here, our go-to brand is Brunners – the Italian camping equipment company. Available through many outlets here in the UK, the best time to buy is when the company offers showtime prices on their UK distributors stand at the NEC shows in February and October.
Enjoying nature
Perhaps the original outdoor accessory was a tent. They were around long before the motorcaravan was even invented, but they are still in fashion today and can provide extra accommodation when friends and family join in when you are touring
Equally important when choosing outdoor accessories are essentials such as technical clothing, walking poles and boots. With National Walking Month taking place in May,
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When it comes to rainwear that you can scrunch up and leave in a locker, the Crater Light HS Jacket by Mammut is a high-performance all-rounder. It features the new Gore-Tex ePE membrane, which offers waterproof and breathable functionality without harmful PFAS chemicals. Performance-wise, this minimalist model features pre-shaped sleeves for freedom of movement, pockets for essentials, an adjustable hood and a waterresistant Aquaguard front zip.
Alternatively there is the Norrøna Falketind Dri1 rain jacket from Norway. The brand name is
Clockwise from left: The Light & Dry Micro First Aid Kit from Lifesystems; Crater Light HS Jacket; Norrøna Falketind Dri1 rain jacket and La Sportiva TX4 Evo Mid GTX boots.
less well known than other Scandi names like Haglöfs and Fjällräven, but it is a seriously high-spec piece of outdoor kit and should definitely be on your radar. Made from Norrøna’s own Dri1 fabric (100% recycled post-consumer nylon), it is light and durable plus offers excellent breathability to keep you comfortable. 100% waterproof, it has a PFC-free impregnation, plenty of pockets and a helmet-compatible hood.
We always keep backpacks on board our van. You never know when you might need them for shopping or carrying a picnic when you go for a walk. Optimised for lightweight trekking, the Montane Trailblazer XT is a light yet durable backpack packed full of features but only weighs 1170g. The adjustable pack features a body-hugging harness which pulls it close to the body while two Click and Go chest harness straps keep it stable when moving quickly. Multiple pockets including wraparound wand pockets provide convenient storage for
your essentials; while walking poles can be secured using handy webbing loops. The side pockets accommodate water bottles and the pack is also hydration system compatible. Compression straps at the top and bottom of the backpack mean that you can keep your load balanced, even when not using all of its 25L capacity.
Don’t forget to include a First Aid Kit in your list of outdoor accessory essentials. The Light & Dry Micro First Aid Kit from Lifesystems is ideal for trips where you need to keep your pack’s weight to a minimum. But having one on board the van will ensure you’re able to treat minor injuries and ailments while on the move. Weighing only 135g, this comprehensive first aid kit is crammed full with a wide range of dressings, painkilling medication and water purification tablets. Its spacesaving design helps keep your pack light, while a LocTop waterproof inner bag shields the contents from the elements to keep everything dry.
1. Towsure Directors Chair - Blue
A very lightweight but extremely strong flat folding chair with accessory pockets and side table, weighing only 3KG! Handy for keeping your valuables close by. Comes in three colours.
£49.50 | towsure.com
2. Fenwicks Motorhome Cleaner Concentrate
Safe for use on all motorhome surfaces.
£15.00 | fenwickscaravan.com
3. BBL Batteries 84Ah Lithium Leisure Battery Has Bluetooth App to check state of Charge.
£349 (Easter Offer Price) | bblbatteries.co.uk
4. Isabella Shade Screen 200 x 145 Turnable. Creates additional shade beyond the roll out awning. Quick & easy installation.
£130 | Isabella.net/uk
5. Tow A Frame Towglide. The Tow A Frame TowGlide is a lightweight, 9.5kg towing system with an auto-align hitch and advanced proportional braking, offering a user-friendly, safe, and efficient solution for flat towing. Installation available.
£3299.99 | Towaframe.com
6. Oxygen 3 Three Panel Modular Inflatable Windbreaker
A flexible, three-panelled inflatable design that blocks wind up to 4.9 meters. It features a modular, extendable design, with hinged sections and upper windows for optimal views.
£139, while stocks last. www.caravanstuff4u.co.uk
7. Uebler H21 Tow Bar Rack
Designed to carry 2 bikes (to 30kg each) on vans with vertical tailgates and barn doors, allowing full access to rear doors and storage compartments.
£844.95* | www.roofbox.co.uk (*time of going to press)
Privacy Room Classic enclosure suitable for all seasons, the best solution for medium and long term stays.
Post: Motor Caravanner magazine, Countrywide Publications, Reydon Business Park, Reydon, Suffolk IP18 6DH
Deadline: 5th of the month for inclusion in the following month's magazine
32 Motorhomes (28 Anglia, 2 East Midlands, 1 Essex and 1 Chiltern turned up for our St Patrick’s rally at Whittlesey. Everyone was prompt for the 5.30pm start and we had everyone in and parked up by 5.55pm. Team worked like a dream.
Friday night we met in the hall for tea, coffee & biscuits. Keith and Sandra took the fees along with deposits for Christmas and New Year Eve rallies. This was followed by 3 games of Bingo.
Saturday was free to wander into town, visit spoons or get the bus into Peterborough. Then in the evening it was back in the hall for St Patrick’s celebrations. The evening started off with a Irish Stew that had been made by Julie, Paul, Annette & Ben. Then we had an Irish music quiz with a prize for the winning and losing table. This was followed by a Baby Guiness and then some Musical entertainment by some members, Eddie, Mike, Kathleen, Roy you were wonderful. Everyone enjoyed listening to you and your wonderful songs. Sunday morning, we were back in the hall for tea, coffee Bonus ball and raffle.
23 Motorhome (all Anglia) turned up for Ludham. It was our first meeting this year where we parked on grass and what a lovely weekend we picked. The ground was firm and the sun shined all weekend. Friday night started with a quiz done by Terry and this followed by 3 games of bingo which was very profitable for two members who won twice. Saturday was a free day to explore the village, get the bus to Wroxham or meet up with friends. In the evening, we had a Greyhound race night in the hall, the bookies was open and we had 9 races in total. Thank you to Toni & Sandra for doing the bets and race money. Sunday, we met in the hall for tea, coffee and chocolate biscuits. This was then followed by Terry’s Bonus ball and the raffle, with
3 members sitting on the chairs of shame.
With regards to our Christmas rally, Teresa has had a meeting with the chef and he has asked for a £1,000 deposit for our Christmas meal by the end of June. Due to this we have had to bring the date forward as to when the £20 deposits are to be paid by. We now require the deposit’s for both the Christmas and New Years Eve rallies to be paid by the middle of June. Remember paying the deposit secures your place. If you are booked onto one of these rallies and can no longer attend, please let Teresa know as we have a waiting list for both rallies. Thank you to those that have already paid their deposits.
Unfortunately, due to the lack of no-one volunteering to run the Rally at Reydon Sports Centre at Southwold on the 15th May, the committee has had to cancel this rally.
Upcoming Rallies: 5th – 9th June Hunstanton PE36 5BW bookable to Teresa on 07739463321. 12th – 16th June Keiths Farm, Sea Palling NR12 0UL Start time 1.00pm.
AVON
The following former Avon rallies are being run under the Casual Campsites umbrella, all MCC members are welcome to attend the rallies. Booking is not required, just come along. Thank you to the hosts who have volunteered to make these rallies possible.
1 - 6 August Walcot RFC, Albert Field, Lansdown, Bath, BA1 9BJ.
6 - 11 August Bristol Balloon Fiesta, Parsonage Farm,9 Church Lane, Long Ashton, BS41 9LU
18 - 22 September Frome Cricket Club (carnival 20th), 30A Rodden Road, Frome, BA11 2AH.
CHILTERN
It was great to see so many at Cottesloe School, 24 vans attended including 5 visitors. The places were full two weeks before the start. Thank you to our hosts Noreen and Martin who booked us in and had us parked up in short order. The fantastic weather (24 Deg) with bright sunshine blessed us, even though we didn't need it this time as we had use of the school hall.
The first night was a general catch up followed by Noreen setting us a multi answer quiz. Which teased the gray matter!
Saturday saw many heading to the bus stop for trips to Aylesbury, Leighton Buzzard and Milton Keynes. We were even entertained in the evening when Martin set his music bingo, which had everyone reminiscing.
Sunday was a gentle start with most gathering at 11am for a walk across the fields to a local pub for lunch, those that stayed behind joined together to play skittles on the tennis courts. The evening was occupied with a board games session with many different types which members had brought along. Monday rounded off the rally with a coffee morning and bid farewell to everyone.
Upcoming Rallies: June 12 - 16, 4 nights, Esher RFC, Walton on Thames, KT12 3PF.
EAST MIDLANDS
Marshalls Yard Casino Night rally started on the Friday in glorious sunshine without a cloud in the sky and saw 26 vans including a large contingent from the Anglia area all welcomed and parked up by stewards; Sue & Mick Pilkiw and Ann & Mike Hadlow. Many came into the hall for a welcome tea or coffee and a natter. The evening session started with the rally fee collection, raffle and bingo ticket sales, followed by 3 games of bingo called by Mike and and then a cryptic quiz based on “old money” conducted by Ann.
Saturday saw another beautiful day with members taking a stroll into town for a bit of shopping, a coffee or two or a visit to the local “spoons”. On returning to the site
we could compare notes with each other over another tea or coffee in the hall. The evenings proceedings began with most guests turning out in their very smart dinner suits and evening gowns as befitted the occasion. The Casino consisted of tables holding Roulette, Blackjack, Dice & Find the Joker with gamblers betting with the “Monopoly Money” issued at the start. The winner being the player with the most cash in hand at the close of play. This eventually turned out to be Sue Louch who was presented with a large bottle of bubbly! During the interval we also held the Annual Snail Race for everyones entertainment which proved to be very much an East Midlands vs Anglia competition. The ladies final was between Sue Louch (East mids) & Jan Starsmeare (Anglia) and the mens final between Steve Louch (East Mids) & Mitch Young (Anglia). The winners of each of these then went on to the grand final being between Sue & Mitch with Mitch taking home the trophy on behalf of the Anglia group. The childrens competition was won by Harrison with Thea second and Evie third. Well done to all.
Sunday coffee morning, the closing speech by Vice Chair Sandra who thanked everyone for coming and those that helped before the raffle draw. Everyone set off in the still fantastic weather.
The Country & Western rally at Ingoldmells was attended by 31 vans including 5 from Anglia, 1 from Severn Valley, 1 from SWP, & 1 from Nene Valley. Thursday night was games night including a card game and a bottle game On Friday afternoon a social was held in the hall with tea and cake. Tina Wynters was the professional entertainer on the Friday evening and she kept the dance floor busy all night and enjoyed by all. Saturday evening was bingo and quiz night and cuddly dog donated by Philip & Yvonne from SWP was auctioned for Dementia UK and raised £30 with a further £50 being donated. Thanks to all. The rally ended as usual on the Sunday morning with tea and biscuits, closing speech from Paul the chairman and finally the raffle.
Upcoming Rallies: 6-8 June Beckingham DN10 4QA.
EAST WESSEX
Two rallies to report on this month. At Easebourne, 11 vans, including visitors from Sussex and Nene Valley were warmly welcomed by hosts Larry and Sheila. It was lovely to see some faces we hadn’t seen for some time.
To celebrate St David’s day, the hall was decorated with bunting and inflated dragons, whilst vases of daffodils and leeks adorned the tables. Afternoon coffee was accompanied by Heather’s delicious homemade Welsh cakes.
Most ventured into Midhurst for lunch on Saturday, returning for a demonstration by volunteer Becky from St John’s Ambulance of how to carry out CPR and use a defibrillator. Following this was a short video showing how to use the Fire Safety Sticks, which replaced our fire extinguishers. All agreed that this was an afternoon very well spent.
Chiltern Group
GROUP NEWS
Despite the lovely spring sunshine which made it possible to sit outside for the first time this year, the cold returned once the sun went down. The hall was warm and snug though, and we played deck shuffle (won by visitor Peter), a few games of card bingo and called the raffle. Thanks to all for making it a relaxing weekend.
Our St Patrick’s Day rally at Tadley got off to a tricky start when 15 vans arrived to find that the hall had been double booked, and that we would only have a much smaller classroom for socialising. Still we made the best of what was available and luckily the lack of space didn’t interfere too much with our planned activities.
It was bitterly cold outside, so we appreciated the warmth inside and being able to make ourselves hot drinks whenever we wanted. Even better, keen baker Mick produced a big box of his giant homemade chocolate cookies. Needless to say we soon made short work of them.
Most people headed to Basingstoke to shop and have lunch on Saturday, returning for the evening entertainment of horse racing. Shamrocks and all things green decorated the tables and walls, though sadly Dave’s promised leprechaun outfit didn’t materialise. The racing was a good laugh, with one horse rarely leaving the stables; must be a dodgy dice. Sue’s raffle rounded off the evening.
On another note – we need more volunteers to host rallies. Without someone to book vans in and park them up, a rally can’t go ahead. Sites are so hard to come by these days, we do not want to upset site owners by cancelling. There is always help on hand for anyone who hasn’t hosted before.
Upcoming Rallies: 15 - 20 May: Beehive Field, Trowbridge Road, Bradford-on-Avon, BA15 1UA. Five night field rally. Flat site by canal, good walking area. Bus stop by entrance. £11pupn (£10 singles). Start 4pm, end noon. 28 May - 1 Jun: Royal Victoria Country Park, Netley Abbey, Southampton, SO31 5GA. Four night field rally. Overlooking Southampton water, set in a mature country park with heritage centre and tearoom. £16.50pupn (£15 singles). 1pm start. 20 - 22 Jun: Tangley Village Hall, Wildern Lane, Wildern Andover, SP11 0JE. New venue. Two night field rally. £13pupn (£11 singles). 1pm start.
ESSEX
After many years Essex group made a return visit to Room in the Rodings, Beauchamp Roding, and were not disappointed.
After Pete parked us all up we went to look at the hall, which is also used as a comfortable stylish wedding venue with it's own small chapel. Some members enjoyed the afternoon sunshine on the deck patio area, surrounded by pretty hanging baskets and made use of the urn which had been running since arrival, for tea and coffee.
Friday evening at 6.30pm we met up in the hall for a chat with friends. It was Tony Astall's Big Birthday on the Friday, so he was showered with cards and a chorus of
'Happy Birthday' by all. After a game of bingo, a lucky member won the raffle of a £25 voucher to be used on any rally this year. Music provided by Nick, saw many up and dancing until 11pm.
On Saturday morning there was a committee meeting in the hall, where 2026 venues were discussed and most finalised, subject to booking. Some members made use of the comfortable sofas for a chat and hot drinks.
As the weather was fine on Saturday a few members walked to Fyfield for refreshments or a meal at the pubs there. Others made use of the kitchen at the venue for a shared lunch. Chipping Ongar is the nearest small town near the venue and a short drive away. One couple ventured to the market in North Weald.
That evening we all met in the hall, dressed to impress, to celebrate Tony's birthday with a very generous cheese & wine (beer also provided!) party, followed by birthday cake.
This was enjoyed whilst listening to some very pleasant background music, played by Nick, from Tony's playlist.
Tony and Jacquie then had a photo taken in front of a very sparkly backdrop. We all admired Tony's photos from younger days, which were on display and marvelled at how little he'd changed over the years!
Everyone then joined in Chris's very popular dice game and a fun hour passed quickly before a very happy Sue won the Jackpot! As the rest of Tony's birthday playlist was waiting to be played a planned general knowledge quiz was put off for another day. Our visiting couple Sie & Paul, dressed in vintage outfits, entertained us with some very impressive rock & roll and jives, whilst our new Essex members Mark and Jan showed us some Northern Soul moves. The evening passed very quickly at 11pm.
Tea, coffee and biscuits were available on Sunday morning in the hall. The chairman's chat, included a request for hosts for upcoming rallies in 2025.
If you can host a rally by joining with someone who has hosted before or another couple please put your name down on the list always available at any rally or speak to a committee member.
Upcoming Rallies: May 16-18 Pleshey Village Hall, The Street, Pleshey, CM13 1HE. Start time 2pm
ISLE OF WIGHT
It is still pretty quiet on the Isle of Wight but we will have had our 1st Rally of the season at The Orchards and the weather is looking very good. As is our tradition, The Committee will host the first rally of the season. We have been having monthly breakfast meets since Christmas which have been well attended and welcomed by many of our members.
We have started our preparations for the National Rally at Hatton Park focusing particularly on the circus theme for party night..
Upcoming Rallies: The Old Barn at Sandown 30th May1st June. Comforts Farm at Northwood 6th - 9th June.
KENT
All who came along to our Irish themed weekend in honour of St. Patricks day at Palm Bay school had a brilliant time. All went well with the tricky parking up of 22 vans due to the need to avoid grounding any of the longer vans on the slope into the side playground and so our thanks go to the stewards as they directed the traffic to the right areas as the evening darkness crept in.
Friday night was games evening intertwined with Adam’s quiz on all things Irish and green! We resurrected an old favourite game of wind up the horse or in this case small rhinoceroses with David Missions coming out as the all-round winner! The throw a £1 coin to win the bottle of Irish whiskey was well fought over and we were able to collect a nice sum of money which was given to our club charity the Kent and Sussex Air Ambulance. Some of us took a bus into Ramsgate on Saturday morning while others stayed and watched the rugby in the school hall, thanks go to Dave for making Mark’s technical needs come to fruition. Saturday night was Irish fancy dress, Gill Smith won as anIrish maid and a ‘nice young man’, whose name escapes me, won for the men! We enjoyed a ploughman’s supper followed by music and dancing.
Christmas rally – date and location has changed! The new date is Friday 5th to Sunday 7th December at Oakfield Primary Academy in Dartford. This is a new rally site for us, but we think it will be a good one! It is 20-minute walk to Dartford which has a Saturday market and a Wetherspoons or you can get numerous buses to Bluewater if you need some retail therapy. There is a pub, a Chinese take-away and a fish & chip shop just across from the school gates. We will have access to the hall throughout the day and so perhaps people can get together for some Christmas themed activities. There will be professional entertainment on the Friday night and a Christmas party DJ on the Saturday night with buffet. Booking is required so if you would like to come email Sharon.
So, moving forward I need to let you know about our Upcoming Rallies: Thursday 22nd to Tuesday 27th May – MCC National Rally and AGM – There is a good group of Kent members attending! If you would like to join us please contact Sharon via the details below so we can let you know what our theme will be for the Party night and whether you would be keen to have a gathering over the course of the weekend.
Thursday 6th to Sunday 8th June – Dane Court Grammar School, Broadstairs Road, Broadstairs CT10 2RT. About a 2 mile walk to the lovely seafront and town. This is a bookable rally. Start time 5pm. Please note that due to changes in the school’s booking policy, NO DOGS are allowed on site.
Thursday 26th to Sunday 29th June – Slough Fort, All Hallows, Rochester, ME3 9QF. Victorian fort overlooking the Thames. Hosts Tracey and Rob Lincoln. Please contact Sharon on kent@ themotorcaravannersclub.co.uk for any bookable rallies.
LANCASHIRE
Houghton Village Hall Friday 7th March 2025 at 7.30 pm in the Hall, sale of various raffle tickets and bonus ball, we had a quiz from Barbara and Beattie read a funny short story music was by Carole and Stephen there was also line dancing.
Saturday at 10.30am Janet and Stephen held a Tai Chi session, at 11:am Val did her Crafty Crew all created homemade cards. At 1.00pm there was Curling with Brian doing the scoring, Bob won against Postie Sue. 7.00pm in the Hall we celebrated Mel & Sandra's Golden Wedding Anniversary, a lovely buffet was provided as well as anniversary cake and various drinks, and a great artist, George, he had us all singing and dancing, another Quiz by Val and Eric. A most enjoyable night had by all. Sundays coffee morning, chairman thanked the hosts, helpers and those who parked up 28 vans all Lancashire. The groups chosen charity made £76, he congratulated all winners of raffle prizes, wished everyone a safe journey home and we all applauded Mel and Sandra for letting us celebrate their special anniversary.
Park High School 21st March 2025, Friday in the Hall at 7.30pm, big thanks to hosts Alma, Brian, Allan and Barbara. Sale of bingo and raffle tickets, music by Stephen with Line Dancing, followed by bingo with Allan, Brian did a quiz, and Stephen did a Murder Mystery Van quiz, all had a get together for general chit chat among friends finishing with music. Saturday 10.30am in the hall Janet and Stephen held a Tai Chi session, then at 1.30pm Brian did the paperwork pairing up couples for Curling, winners Roy and Robert.
7.30pm in the hall for Take Your Pick by Allan and Brian, Jackpot winner Beattie, Stephen played Working Man as couples danced, Allan did a quiz, Line Dancers strutted their stuff, and the evening ended with Best of Friends. Sunday coffee morning Chairman thanked the hosts and all who helped to make it a great rally, he congratulated all winners of bonus ball and raffle tickets and van quiz. There were 18
GROUP NEWS
vans, 15 Lancashire, 2 NWMN and 1 NEM, group charity made £15.00. The chairman wished everyone a safe journey home.
MOTORCYCLE
MCG are attending The National Rally this year, 22-27 May at Hatton Countryworld. We have our own area so plenty of room for trailers. We have also started a WhatsApp group for the National so we can start planning our circus theme for costumes and our table decorations. If you are parked with our group and want to join the WhatsApp, please let Martin know.
We have also negotiated an extra night at Hatton Countryworld for anyone at the National Rally already. This is bookable with MCG. This will be followed by an MCG Rally at Uppertown Farm, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 1NR, 28 May - 3 June. This is bookable. Details are on our website MCG website and Facebook page
NENE VALLEY
The Cock at Broom Meet. We had 10 vans, including visitors from Kent, Chiltern and South & West Wales joining us at the ‘pub with no bar’. Our stewards were Mick and Tony with the large, well drained field presenting no problems. The weather was fine but cold in the wind but we did manage two coffee mornings for the hardy. It was nice to see Anne back out with us after repairs to her van. Friday was a free day.
Come Saturday, some took the bus to Biggleswade or took a walk to the nearby farm shop. Saturday evening we gathered in ‘the shed’ where Mick orchestrated a quiz from the mail. Most people had a meal or two over the weekend in the pub restaurant and sampled the cask ales. Our President, Tony and Kathleen had recently celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary and on behalf of the group were presented with a large Hotel Chocolat selection which Kathleen quickly took possession of! Congratulations to you both.
May 8th to 11th sees a 4 day meet as requested by members at Batemans Brewery. There is an historical walk of 4.75 miles published on Google, which may be of interest to some, starting and, more importantly, ending at Batemans Brewery. Tours of the Brewery are available, but must be booked independently.
We now have stewards for the rally, and would like to commemorate VE Day, so early warning - do you have a period dress or uniform to dust off, together with your medals? Can you decorate your vans, and practice the war-time songs for a sing-along, whilst we have a bit of a Street Party. We hope to see you, bookings as usual with John please.
Reports for the newsletter are always written a month in advance so as I write this report spring has definitely arrived with beautiful blue skies and the gardens are starting to come to life. It certainly feels like summer is just around the corner. Many members have been spending the winter in warmer climates. It’s been lovely seeing members travels on the Facebook page and pictures of them meeting up with other MCC members.
The one rally scheduled for March at Kielder was cancelled due to ongoing works on the site which unfortunately meant the site had to be closed.
I’m sure like me you are looking forward to the rally season ahead and we have some great venues for you to enjoy. Your club does need your help to ensure we have another successful season. Currently we still require hosts for the following rallies: Tynedale Rugby Club Corbridge 20th June – 23rd June. Crimdon House Farm near Hartlepool 15th August – 18th August. Alnwick Rugby Club 22nd August -26th August. Backworth Hall near Newcastle 3rd September – 8th September.
If you are new to hosting guidelines can be found on the groups’ website www.mccnortherncounties.co.uk . Hosting can be very rewarding and there is always someone willing to lend a hand. If you are interested and want to know more or are simply ready to volunteer either speak to Susan Lang or any committee member at a rally. Alternatively email Sue at rallyofficer@ mccnortherncounties.co.uk or her contact telephone number is detailed in the rally handbook. Sue works very hard in finding locations for us all to enjoy and it would be disappointing to cancel rallies due to lack of hosts.
This year the National rally is being held at Hatton Country World starting on May 22nd and ending on the 27th May. There is a fantastic line up of entertainment over the 5 nights and a shuttle service into Stratford upon Avon on the Sunday. More details and the booking form are available when you log into www.themotorcaravannersclub.co.uk .
The rally booklet for Northern Counties that was sent to all members provides a little more information about the location of each rally. I would always recommend members check the groups’ website for the most up to date information about rallies. The website will provide details if bookings are required and directions to the venue. The Facebook page Northern Counties MCC may also provide up to date information for any future rallies. Denise Hurst
Upcoming Rallies: 6th – 10th June Stanhope Showground, Unthank Park, Stanhope, DL13 2PQ Start time 12 noon.
20th – 23rd June Corbridge, Tynedale RFC, Corbridge, Northumberland, NE45 5AY Start time 12 noon. >>
5 star quality 5 star quality
N. IRELAND
Omagh Rally Report. A very successful rally was held at Gibson PS in Omagh from 28th to 30th March. The hosts were David and Thelma Kyle-Ewing ably assisted by Robert and Iris McEwan. Friday Evening we were treated to a quiz by Robert McEwan. This was very enjoyable and led to much 'scratching of heads'.
A quick game of bingo followed. A members meeting was held on Saturday morning. Free tea, scones and Jam were served following the very successful meeting. After which most of us went into town to enjoy some shopping. Saturday night fund raising for Chairman's charity (prostrate cancer) was held by rolling pound coins at a bottle of spirit- £102 was raised. The bottle was won by Brian Warnock. This was followed by music from Steve Farlow and lots of dancers on the floor having a jolly time. The usual raffle was held with lots of prizes kindly donated by members. Sunday saw the usual coffee morning well attended. Our chairman thanked the hosts for all their work and Selma and her team for the tea and scone. As it was Mother's Day the generous hosts gave each lady a bar of chocolate. Sam congratulated Eleanor McFadden on her 75th birthday, her and Victor's 56th wedding anniversary, .and it is also a year from Eleanor's knee surgery.
The chairman also congratulated Irene and Robbie Hewitt on their new van. New member Charlie Cororan was welcomed to the club. A total of 41 vans attended the rally. Number plate draw was won by Selma McMullan and Issac Grant. Vouchers for attendance were also handed out to Ruth Ross and Michelle McBride. Hope to see everyone at our next rally. Mary Glenn
Despite the dry few days for the St Patrick’s rally no heat was found but what a warm welcome our hosts Marie and Peter and co-hosts Jane and Harry gave us. 31 vans got parked miraculously considering the difficult space they had to work in.
Friday evening began with Bingo called by Jacqueline (Hurricane) Hutchinson. I believe she managed to go from red category to yellow. Well done. Our dressed to impress hosts in green ran a quiz, getting us up from our chairs to decide who the people in the pictures around the room were. Followed by each table making up a Limerick beginning with “There was a young lady from Cork.” Then Peter regaled us with cheerful Irish music. Playing the guitar and singing, to display two of his many talents. Throughout the evening green coloured shots were given out, was this why I ended up, despite a gammy leg, jigging like the rest of the members who took to the floor?
Saturday morning crafts, saw some finished items for the National, being displayed. In Andy’s absence Peter has now been volunteered, to rally them, as the men’s group was going along very nicely. Following lunch most went to town, shopped or watched the rugby in locals. Some had siestas to prepare for the evenings music and dancing.
Sunday morning a welcome was given to new members attending their first rally: Heather, Derek, Marcus, and Anne. Longstanding member Gerry (20 years in October) given birthday wishes. His wife Anne was sent big hugs. Always welcome were Alfie and Dorothy from Co. Wicklow. Then came time for some to part and others to go on to Downpatrick. 23 vans parked at Downpatrick, which was a ten-minute walk into the town centre. The sun was shining, so much so that some members even had a BBQ on Sunday evening, letting you think spring was on its way. Host Peter had his car with him and ferried quite a few members into the town and back again on Monday. An hour-long parade with vintage cars, Irish dancers, snakes, a dinosaur, and marching bands were all in attendance. At the St Patrick's centre there were stalls, hot food and continuous entertainment. In the packed bars, the staff could hardly keep up with the number of pints of Guinness on order!
On the Sunday morning David Kyle Ewing, previous Chairman, presented a cheque for £915 to Claire Rose of Dementia NI, which was last year's chosen charity. So, here’s to the next rally and craic to come. Irene Hewitt.
NWM&NW
We had 13 vans turn up for our St Patricks Day rally. 9 vans from NWM&NW and 4 visiting vans from East Midlands group. The hosts for the weekend were Shirley and Darren Hill and Phil and Sue Ford.
Friday night started off with bingo. The single lines were won by individuals, but when it came to the full house there were 3 people that claimed full house on each one, which kept Phil busy running around each person. We think the naughty Leprechauns might have had something to do with this as it has never happened before. This was followed by a quiz that was won by Darren, Len and Glenys.
Saturday morning we all met for tea/coffee and toast with a choice of jam or marmalade enjoyed by everyone. Some people then caught the bus into town.
The hosts decorated the hall with a St Patricks Day theme. Saturday night started with a welcome drink, which was followed by an evening of fun,games and a lot of laughter. We start with 6 teams of 4 playing with 2 lots of Bocca. The winners were Cath and Dave Waters and Michelle and Dave Chapman from the East Midlands Group.
We then had a crisp tasting competition where everyone had to guess the 16 different flavors correctly. This was won by Jacob Hill son of Maria and Ian. We had a limerick competition which was won by Pam Wooley. We finished the evening of with Irish music.
Sunday morning we had our usual coffee morning before going home. The weather remained dry and sunny for the whole weekend. We had a good turnout at Telacre, this was a new venue for the group. The stewards for the weekend were Linda and Mike Hastilow. There were 19
vans from NWM&NW, 4 visiting vans from Lancashire and 1 from East Midlands. We also welcomed 2 new members. Everyone enjoyed the local pubs, fair, bakery, chippy and the local amusements. Some took the bus into Prestatyn. Others braved the windy walk along the beach to the light house. Some members went metal detecting on the hunt for buried treasure. Rain held off for the weekend. This event was enjoyed by all that attended.
Upcoming Rallies: 30th May - 2nd June Bramblewood Caravan Park. SY13 4BU. On grass. Cost PUPN With EHU is £17.50. With out EHU it is £12.50. This is a Bookable event. 13th -16th June The Hollies CW5 7QX. On grass. Cost TBC. Dagfields Antique Centre is a short walk away. 27th30th June. Alveley sports and social club. WV15 6LN. Cost £11.00 PUPN.
Please contact Lyn Linay on 07830365577 or email her at lyndalinay303@gmail.com to book Bramblewood Caravan Park.
SCOTTISH
Hello, fellow members, April 4th -7th saw 11 vans, all Scottish, attend our first 2025 rally held at Foresterseat Caravan Park near Forfar.
We were delighted to welcome new member Lynn Williamson to the group for what we hope is her first of many rallies. We enjoyed lovely spring sunshine for the whole weekend and erected tents for the social gatherings.
On Friday night members had a chat and a catch up after not seeing each other during the winter. On Saturday most members walked round the nearby Nature reserve or caught the bus into Forfar. Saturday night Chairman Keith had one of his famous quizzes.
After the Sunday coffee morning some of the attendees had to leave for work etc. Those that remained enjoyed a meal at Sinclairs Kitchen Restaurant which adjoins the Caravan Park.
On the weekend of 18th-20th July at least 200 tall sailing ships will be moored in Aberdeen Harbour. This is the first time the event has visited North East Scotland for thirty years. The Scottish Group have booked a campsite within easy reach of Aberdeen and are hoping to arrange a coach to take members to see the ships and enjoy the events that have been organised.
Places are limited and filling up quickly so if you want to be part of this special weekend. Please book ASAP at scotland@themotorcaravannersclub.co.uk or scotland. rallyofficer@themotorcarvannersclub.co.uk.
We look forward to seeing you there. Eric G
Upcoming Rallies: 16th - 19th May Lathalmond Bus Museum, Dunfermline Fife KY12 0SJ 2.00pm start. Bookable. Museum and Railway Yard will be open during this rally. 30th May- 1st June Knockdhu Distilery Huntly Aberdeenshire AB54 7LJ. Bookable. Limited to 20 vans. Bookings can be made at scotland@ themotorcaravannersclub.co.uk or scotland.rallyofficer@ themotorcarvannersclub.co.uk.
SEVERN VALLEY
Hello everyone, our second rally of the season was at Baron’s Cross Pub and Campsite in Leominster, Herefordshire. Phil and Andrea sent their apologies as were unable to attend this time. We were lucky with the weather, although chilly at times and overnight frosts, being on electric hook up, we remained toasty most of the time. It was fairly sunny, and dry during the day as we have had enough rain to last a life time as I’m sure you would all agree.
It was a chilled-out weekend, where everyone could do their own thing. There were walks to enjoy, or go in to Leominster town to explore the shops/cafés. Morrisons was only 500 yards away if anyone wanted or needed some food. Friday evening was spent in the pub socialising.
On Saturday evening most members got together around a table which had been organised for us by the Landlady Nina and her two sons, Harry and Richard for us to enjoy a delicious meal where we welcomed new members Sue and Eddie Prince to their first Severn Valley Rally although not new to Motor homing, they are new to the Group.
Although we didn’t have a traditional Sunday coffee morning, we all managed to see each other to have a natter and say our farewells.
Upcoming Rallies: 16th-18th May Sharpness Dockers Club, GL13 9UN
S&W WALES
Hi everyone, wow! As I write this report the sun is still shining. I cannot remember such a dry and sunny March/ April. Perfect for motorhoming and, if you are like me, gardening, I hope it lasts.
4th-6th April – Danyrogof. This rally in the beautiful Brecon Beacons is in a magnificent setting, especially when the weather is good. This weekend the weather was superb, a bit windy at times, and perfect for our hosts Angie & Glyn and Val & Graham to park up the 23 vans on this well-appointed site. We were delighted to welcome firsttimers Rich & Jo Steer, David & Sylvia Evans and the visitors from Severn Valley, Sue & Simon Brown.,
This weekend starts with the drive to the site through the most amazing countryside from whichever direction you come. Some visited the famous Danyrogof Caves and the Shire Horse/rare breeds farm, while others took the regular bus service north to Brecon or south to Swansea. For the fittest it was a walk up the mountain and an investigation of the wartime aeroplane crash sites and stunning views. It was even warm enough to just sit out and chat which is always a favourite pastime.
The coffee evening on Saturday was very well attended. We had two birthdays to celebrate – May Clayton and Donna Jackson – and, much to her delight, Sabie won several raffle prizes. The lucky van winners were Liz and Colin. We had a rally update from Keith, our rally officer,
who made a plea for more rally hosts. He assured those who had not hosted before that support would be in place to help them and it is a great way to get to know other club members. Sue Howard, our chair, thanked the hosts and looked forward to our future rallies. A big thank you to Sue and Keith who had driven up especially for the coffee evening as their van is currently off the road.
We have a good group of members going to the National Rally at Stratford which is always a good weekend with entertainment and a shuttle bus into Stratford. Our Aberystwyth Summer Party Rally is a perfect follow-on rally. The three and a quarter hour drive there is through the most amazing scenery. For more details see our Facebook page or ring our Secretary, Heulwen, or our National Hosts, Liz and Colin on 01446772940.
Please note that the obituary for Dave Couldrick was omitted by the printers in error from the April magazine; it is printed in this magazine.
Upcoming Rallies: 28th May-3rd June – Aberystwyth Rugby Club SY23 1HL – Very popular Summer Party Rally , showers and Toilets, easy walk to the town centre/ beach – starts 12 noon. 19th-22nd June - Pyscodlyn C.P., Abergavenny, NP7 7ER – showers, toilets, Bus Stop –starts 2pm. 3rd-7th July – Aberaeron Rugby Club, SA46 0JR – Clubhouse, bus service – starts 2pm. 24th-28th July – Chepstow Rugby Club, NP16 5UP – Clubhouse, entertainment, bus stop – starts 12noon.
SUSSEX
The 2025 rally season is now in full swing, with local and National rallies enjoying the improved weather.
Our visit to The Barn at Lancing attracted members from Sussex with visitors from Kent, Essex, East and West Wessex joining us. The hosts were Ted and Jacqui, ably assisted by Jackie’s husband Jim. The van quiz involving drawings of countries around the world exercised our artistic skills to the limit, as did Ted’s Dingbat challenge. Unfortunately,
the weather stopped any lengthy get togethers but as the weekend was mostly on a chill-out basis, we all enjoyed using the site as a base to explore the local area, many using their bus passes to good effect. Jackie provided a range of home-made cakes which went down well, particularly at the Sunday coffee morning. It just goes to show that you don’t need a wide range of activities for members to enjoy themselves.
Upcoming Rallies: May 15-19, arrival time 1.00pm at Loxwood Village Hall, Billingshurst, RH14 0SF to be hosted by Carole and Gordon Bennett. We have use of the hall in the evenings and there's a great walking area along the Whey and Arun Canal, with nearby pubs to quench your thirst. This is NOT a bookable rally, just turn up and Carole and Gordon will welcome you with open arms.
May 22-27 sees the National Festival at Hatton Country World, 5 nights of professional entertainment along with a range of day activities (see the main MCC website for details). Our marshals for Sussex are Mandy Beeke and Carol Bennett, who will welcome you on-site and are also coordinating the theme of ‘old fashioned circus acts’. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for more details.
June 19-22 rally at Little Downash Farm, Hailsham is now CANCELLED due to site double booking. Sorry for any inconvenience
SWP
Our 2nd rally was at Tencreek Holiday Park, March 21-24 2025. Please read the report below from 1st time rally hosts Sandy and Mark. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend and it looks like I missed a great successful weekend. We had 26 vans attend our rally at Tencreek Holiday Park, Comprising 21 SWP, 1 East Mids, 2 Westcountry, 1 West Wales and 1 West Wessex.
On Friday there was a chilly wind blowing from a North Easterly direction we had 25 vans arrive on Friday afternoon and everybody was probably pitched by 3pm. The mood from the members was excitement to be out and about at last, after what has been a long winter season. On Saturday we only had one other van turn up and Linda (SWP Chair) kindly volunteered to hold the fort so myself and Sandy walked into Looe with our friends Keith and Caroline and of course our dogs. The weather on Saturday was chilly but nice in the Sun out of the wind, and it was dry all day! We talked to several members in Looe who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. On arrival back at the site we learned some had walked into Looe down the steep West Looe Hill, some had walked to Talland Bay and Looe or Polperro on the coast path, others obviously used the good bus service (Bus Stop was about a half a mile from the site, this was labelled Pelynt Church on the Bus Timetable). he site Swimming Pool was open and a few went for a swim. The club bar opened from 7pm until 10pm and probably nearly everybody took advantage of this. Everyone seemed in good spirits and were having a good catch up. Linda made a speech and we drew the raffle after this.
• Open March to October • Adjacent to The Pickaquoy Centre leisure complex
• Walking distance to historic Kirkwall town centre • Free wifi
• Perfect base to explore Orkney • Pets by arrangement
• 80 pitches including hardstands and electric hookup
On Sunday there seemed a chilled atmosphere in the group and everyone seemed happy. We had close to 40 of the group who I believe enjoyed the very good Carvery in the Clubhouse. After lunch Some went into Looe again and some braved the coast path from the site and walked either to Talland Bay, Looe or Polperro. It was once again dry but a bit chilly. On Monday everyone said cheerio and thanked us for hosting, which was very much appreciated by us, everyone was so kind and we think it's a great group.
Upcoming Rallies: May 16-20 = 4 nights Little Winnick, Pentewan, St Austell PL26 6DL. May 29-2 June = 4 nights. Veryan Sports & Social Club , Elerkey Lane, Veryan, Truro, TR2 5UW. June 12-17 =5 nights. Bude RFC, Bencoolen Meadow, Bude. EX23 8QG.
WEST COUNTRY
Our second rally of the year saw us yet again fully booked and unable to get any more pitches from the site. It was great to see so many people from other groups joining us.
We had a total of 40 Vans of which Avon 6, Severn Valley 8, SW Wales 3, SWP 4, Isle of Wight 1, W Wessex 1, Sussex 5, Chiltern 5, West Country 9.
There was entertainment provided by site, Weather dry but temperatures variable, the hosts held a raffle and a picture quiz, which was well attended. Members made full use of the bus services into Weston Super Mare and Burnham on Sea as well as walks along the beach even managing to get ice creams.
This is a notification to all West Country members that we will be requiring new committee members this year and without people coming forward we will be unable to form a committee. Please ask any committee member at upcoming rallies what is involved.
Upcoming Rallies: Merry Harriers EX39 5QH. Charity Rally 4th – 8th June Topsham Rugby Club EX3 0LY 17th – 22nd June. Home Farm TA34 6JS 1st – 6th July.
WEST WESSEX
The Rally at South Lytchett Manor was a relaxed 4 night break with fine days but chilly evenings. It was very well attended with 23 vans, including 3 from Kent, 1 West Country, 3 Chiltern, 1 Avon and1 East Wessex joining our West Wessex members. Four were on their first rally with us. The bus stop outside the gate allowed trips to Poole, Wareham and beyond. The craft centre nearby, with the Cowshed Cafe, attracted many ralliers, as did the local hostelries. Everyone enjoyed their stay at this very popular venue. Thank you to hosts, Judy and Roy, and to Babs and Dick.
Upcoming Rallies: 22-27th May: MCC National Rally at Hatton Country World. West Wessex hosts Chris George and Margaret Foreman on 07748661035 5th -12thJune: Bridport Football Club. 10 minute pleasant walk into town, with its shops and market stalls, along the
riverside footpath. It’s a slightly longer walk into West Bay and the Beach.The local garden centre and brewery shop are also well worth a visit. Supermarket across the road from the site and frequent buses in both directions. The clubhouse will be open and showers available. Cost: £15.50 pupn. Please text or ring Judy on 07831420815 to book.
18-23 June: Abingdon Valley CC, OX14 3HP, Cost £10.50 pupn. Basic water and Elsan only. Walkable to town centre and Thames pathway nearby. Hosts, Robert &Ann Hartley 07774674507. All rallies start at 12 noon, please don’t arrive before this time. More details of all rallies are to be found on the West Wessex website.
YORKSHIRE
28th – 30th March Marsden Cricket Club. Marsden was our only rally in March we had an attendance of 20 vans - 18 Yorkshire, 1 N.Counties & 1 Lancashire
The weekend was rather overcast, extremely windy and at times quite wet (but we were in Marsden). Thankfully there was no signs of the recent moor fires that had been occurring over the recent weeks.
On the Friday night we were supposed to be sharing the clubhouse with a local group who had agreed that we join in with their entertainment, but at the last minute their event was cancelled. So, we quickly pulled together some quizzes to keep the members amused and entertained … Rebus, Body Parts and Highway code.
During Saturday most people ventured into Marsden, Slaithwaite (Slawit) or Huddersfield. Quite a few went to the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, either at the tunnel end, or walking down the 3 mile stretch to Slawit. The Cricket ground had a few of the locals doing jobs around the ground in preparation of the new cricket season. There was a junior football match taking place. No future Beckhams were spotted!
On Saturday night the ralliers that braved the inclement weather were entertained again by a number of quizzes: films, catch-phrases and proverbs. Most of the night was just chatting and catching up (oh and drinking). The ladies on the rally were pleasantly surprised by being presented with an early Mother’s Day gift of well-presented buns, very kindly baked by Carol Core. Thank you Carol, and her merry helpers for assisting in preparing for the presentation… I believe a bottle of wine was involved in this exercise.
On the Sunday morning there was a good attendance to a locally organised football tournament, adding to the fact that we lost an hour overnight with the clock change, meant there wasn’t any lying in allowed at all.
The wind had abated slightly so meant it was safe to travel home. Thank you to Steve & Caroline for hosting, a good weekend was had by all.
Upcoming Rallies: 15-19 May Settle RUFC BD24 9RB (Bookable). 30 May – 2 June Pateley Bridge Showground HG3 5BD
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ENGLAND
SUFFOLK: PUNCHING ABOVE ITS WEIGHT
Frances and Michael
Howorth explore the rich culture, natural beauty and quality of life in Suffolk THIS MONTH WE VISIT... EAST OF
Suffolk punches well above its weight in terms of English counties and if history is correct, it always has. Rich in culture, nature and quality of life, it is a county that has managed to retain an essential sense of Englishness and one that goes out of its way to welcome motorcaravanners.
thoughtfully provide ‘motorhome only' parking spaces at the Ram Meadow car park and permit overnight stays. Time your arrival on Tuesday or Friday night and have a night on the town and be in the right place to experience the twiceweekly market on the Butter Market and Cornhill. Take in a show at the town’s theatre and maybe dine in one of the towns many fabulous restaurants. We chose to eat at The
While many other campervans and motorhomes hug the Suffolk coast when visiting, we chose to concentrate on the county’s rural heartland.
We began in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk’s jewel in the crown.
One of Britain’s most charming market towns, it demands much more than just a quick stop while passing through. The town council
Angel Hotel chrisdorney/shutterstock.com
Eaterie at The Angel, a hotel once stayed in by Charles Dickens. Great tasting food served from a varied menu that was so well priced it had us doing a double take. Having toured the market and admired the town’s streets lined with wonderful independent retailers we made our way to meet John Saunders at the Abbey Gate.
John is one of a team of Bury St Edmunds registered tour guides, a highly trained group who have earned the right to wear the coveted Blue or Green Badge symbols of tour guiding excellence. Touring the Abbey Gardens and the medieval town centre with John as our guide, brought to life more than 1,000 years of history. We learned how Viking invaders martyred a young King Edmund and how this then, tiny Saxon settlement grew into one of Europe’s most important religious centres. Our 90-minute tour took in the 14-acre Abbey Gardens as well as the ruins of the 1,000-year-
The historic St. Edmundsbury Cathedral in Bury St. Edmunds
old Benedictine Abbey, which was once one of the richest and largest monasteries in the whole of Europe.
We saw the remains of the High Altar where the Barons met in 1214 to take an oath to force King John to accept the Charter of Liberties. Later that became known as the Magna Carta. From ancient ruins through to hotels frequented by Charles Dickens, you cannot but marvel at the architecture of Bury St Edmunds. It is a visible timeline through centuries of English history and John, our guide, brought the whole thing into sharp focus.
Staying with the town’s history, we then visited the Moyse’s Hall Museum on Cornhill. This medieval
the past. Including the creation and dissolution of the Abbey of St Edmund, Bury St Edmunds prison, the notorious Red Barn Murder, plus fascinating insights into local superstitions and witchcraft. It has a world class collection of clocks and timepieces from Frederic GreshomParkington plus some fine art.
Time for a drink perhaps? Where better to try a glass of the local brew than in the world’s smallest pub. Found on the corner of The
Cambridgeshire
Famous for its historic university, Cambridgeshire also includes many museums and art galleries. The tightly packed city centre is perfect for exploring ancient colleges, cobbled streets and the picturesque “Backs” alongside the river Cam. For a unique way to explore, try your hand at punting.
The Boathouse is a pub in the heart of Cambridge situated on the river. Whether you want a pop in for your favourite tipple, catch up with friends and family over lovingly cooked food, it’s a great place to rest between visiting
Traverse and Abbeygate Street, The Nutshell is one of the town’s biggest or should we say, its smallest attractions. The proud holder of Britain’s smallest pub record (confirmed in the Guinness Book of Records), the pub is just 4.5m long by 2.1m wide. In 1984, and for a recordbreaking attempt, they managed to squeeze 102 people, and a Jack Russel dog named Blob, into this tiny space. The pub is better suited to serving 15 or so people who will have much to view and talk about, including the mummified cat on display, currency notes on the ceiling
other attractions.
There is more to Cambridgeshire than just academia. You can visit a World War Two aircraft hangar at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, admire a Norman cathedral in Peterborough or you can follow the footsteps of one of the county’s most famous residents, Oliver Cromwell, to Ely to treat yourself to views of sprawling wetlands from the lantern towers.
Orchard Lodge is a Club CL open all year round. Owned and operated by Stephen and Linda Cruttenden and located in Huntington, it is a great place to stay.
Moyse's Hall museum
Bury St Edmunds
Michael and John touring the Abbey Gardens
Sixty Images/shutterstock.com
Imperial War Museum, Duxford
and historical photos on the walls. All while enjoying a pint of something brewed by Greene King the local Bury St Edmunds brewery.
The brewery buildings are well worth touring from a historical and social point of view. Rather than a standard “this is how beer is made tour” this one is led by a well-trained beer ambassador who concentrates on the brewery’s history and social conscience that is rather extraordinary as well as exemplary. Beer drinkers need not worry because like all good brewer tours, it ends with a very generous tasting and the
Hertfordshire
With a stunning natural backdrop, Herefordshire is the perfect place for outdoor pursuits. The quintessentially English countryside found in and around the Chiltern Hills boasts an impressive selection of restaurants, pubs and historic market towns.
One of the most beautiful, is Bradenham, a National Trust village with a traditional manor house. There are some great walks. Admire the views from Coombe Hill, Pulpit Hill or Watlington Hill or discover the woodland at Juniper Bank.
The Lee Valley Regional Park, a 10,000-acre 26 miles long linear park,
Nutshell, Britain’s smallest pub
chance to buy discounted beer. Do be warned however, the tour takes in several of flights of stairs, some with open treads.
Our guided tour of the day before, did not include entry into St Edmundsbury Cathedral or St Mary’s
much of it green spaces, is home to its own Camping and Caravan Park. Tucked away next to a fantastic lake, the peacefulness will surprise you and it's a great site to explore from.
For a unique tour, why not try one of the Herefordshire Cider Routes? There are three cider trails one in the north, one in the south, and one in the west each can be enjoyed in a motorhome. The cider orchards here are said to produce over half of the cider consumed in the UK and many farms and producers give tours and talks, and let you sample and purchase directly from them.
Church. So, we chose to do that separately.
With its stunning vaulted ceiling, a visit to St Edmundsbury Cathedral is a ‘must’. Built alongside the Benedictine Abbey dedicated to St Edmund, and overlooking the Abbey Gardens, this church became Suffolk’s only cathedral in 1914. Ironically the town is not classified as a city despite its cathedral and being Suffolk’s only city. St. Mary’s Church lies just beyond the Cathedral and is the final resting place of Mary Tudor, Queen of France and sister of King Henry VIII after whom the Mary Rose was named. The church’s magnificent hammer-beam Angel roof is a hidden treasure.
The
Brewery Ambassador Chris Batten our guide at Greene King Brewery
The monument on the top of Coombe Hill
chrisdorney/shutterstock.com
Bury St Edmunds and its environs were home to many US airmen during World War 2 and within the Abbey Gardens there is the delightful John Tate Appleby Rose Garden, named after one particular American serviceman who wrote what became a bestselling book about his time in Suffolk. In season, over 200 different rose trees make this a most scented commemorative garden and a bench seat, made from the wing of a Flying Fortress aircraft, is a garden focal point.
GI’s based at Bury St Edmunds and Lavenham used the town’s former Corn Exchange for dances. US servicemen also held parties there for local children and paid for them from out of their own pocket. Today the Corn Exchange is home to a pub said to be the most attractive in the Weatherspoon’s chain.
If you do not use the Ram Meadow in-town car park for
overnighting, then we recommend the Kings Forest Caravan and Camping Park out towards the village of West Stow and just a 20-minute
Just a leisurely stroll from the hustle and bustle of Wells town, our 5 star holiday park is situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with golden sandy beaches and the Holkham National Nature Reserve right on the doorstep. TOURING PITCHES AND BEACH HUTS IN STUNNING
SURROUNDINGS
drive away from town. Open from April through to the end of October this flat, well-drained campsite offers peaceful surroundings in an adult
Clockwise L to R: Inside of St Edmundsbury Cathedral; the Corn Exchange, home to a pub said to be the most attractive in the Weatherspoon’s chain
Rob Atherton/shutterstock.com
• Secluded, serviced motorhome and tourer sites including adult only area
• Some hardstanding available
• Good choice of lodges and caravan holiday homes for sale; owner occupiers, close friends and family
• Superb, tranquil, landscaped park and woodland
• Dog walks & cycle trails
• Sandy beach, 100 acres of woods, meadows
• 9 hole compact golf course, 3 hard tennis courts, volleyball, basketball, fishing mid September-mid October
• AA Gold Award 5 Pennant Premier Park
• Attractive lounge, bar and shop
only environment and is the only campsite, that we know of, that allows touring motorcaravanners to bring their own horse with them.
The 40 grass pitch, touring site is directly opposite to the West Stow Country Park and offers easy access to the Kings Forest. Spanning 125 acres, the park is home to heathlands, a river, lake, nature trails and an adventure playground. There’s also the Beowulf and Grendell Adventure Trail. The park encompasses a recreated AngloSaxon village on one of England's important archaeological sites. Here you can explore history and nature, children can dress up as an AngloSaxon, meet the rare breed pigs and chickens and watch films to discover Suffolk's intriguing story which spans the past 1,000 years.
When touring hereabouts, plan a visit to the nearby town of Sudbury
If you are interested in history and the arts or simply want to relax and enjoy quiet, unspoilt countryside, Bedfordshire is a haven of true tranquillity. Full of beautiful little towns and villages, you will never run out of places to explore.
You can find delightful views and plenty of greenery to explore and get lost in at Dunstable Downs, the Chiltern Hills, Greensand Ridge and the Forest of Marston Vale.
The park is situated beside the River Waveney and Outney Common.
• Wooded area & open grass pitches
• On-site fishing • Canoe hire
• Pitches for touring caravans, motorhomes & tents
Open: March - October
The county is steeped in history, with many kings and queens of England holding court and hunting in its great forests, Queen Eleanor's body was rested overnight in Dunstable on her way back to london and a stone cross was raised to mark the occasion, and Catherine of Aragon was incarcerated near the market town of Ampthill during her divorce from King Henry VIII. Use the Club CL at Lower Wood End Farm in Marston Moretaine as your base.
We are a small, family-run site in a walled garden which is sheltered by a belt of large beech trees. Nearby Docking has all the necessary amenities, and there are lovely dog walks around the woods outside the site.
30 pitches (electricity and TV)
Free hot showers
Shaver points and hair dryers
Disabled wash facilities
Dish washing and veg prep
Chemical disposal point
Nearby attractions include Sandringham, National Trust properties, the North Norfolk Coast Adults only
nlmason@tiscali.co.uk www.gardencaravansite.co.uk
Dunstable Downs in the Chiltern Hills
by
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Theodor and Peter Wähning founded WAECO* in 1974 and developed one of the world’s leading companies in Mobile Refrigeration.
11 years after selling to Domestic in 2007, Theodor and his former colleagues from WAECO* realised that new technologies were now available, so they formed myCOOLMAN to bring the latest technology to the market.
These advancements in compressor and thermal efficiency, enabled myCOOLMAN to lead the toughest market for mobile cooling, Australia. myCOOLMAN has expanded its success to the UK and is now available through Milenco.
with market day. Park for free, even overnight, in the lorry park in the centre of town. Bring some bikes and ride the riverside South Suffolk Cycle route 13A to Long Melford and Lavenham.
The River Stour is delightfully tranquil, weaving through the Stour Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It has several natural pools for wild swimming and Sudbury Boat Hire, located at Sudbury Boathouse, rents out canoes, kayaks and stand up paddle boards.
Sudbury however is best known as the birthplace of Thomas
Norfolk
stands overlooking the Market Hill. Gainsborough’s formative years were
The house in which he was born became a museum in 1958 and probably now houses the largest collection of his work in the world.
When Gainsborough was born in 1727, the town was still famous for its wool weaving industry, but from the late-eighteenth onwards, it started to become better known for its silk. Today, over 90% of all Britain's woven silk is produced in Sudbury.
From the bright lights and seaside fun of Great Yarmouth to the tranquillity of the Norfolk Broads and the rich cultural heritage of Norwich, there is much to see and do in Norfolk.
Delia Smith, Stephen Fry, Hugh Jackman, James Dyson and Martin Shaw have, at some stage, called Norfolk their home and we envy them that. We spent a week or so in Norfolk last year enjoying the 90 miles of unspoilt coastline, busy market towns, and seaside resorts, and wrote about our experiences in the February 2023 issue.
We really enjoyed Holkham Hall, a Palladian style mansion, built by Thomas Coke, the first Earl of Leicester, between 1734 and 1764. The village of Banningham with its traditional green surrounded by houses and, a large church with an
Sudbury, birthplace of Thomas
Nearby, Lavenham is another of the ancient wool towns. Nestled in
impressive 15th century tower was another favourite. We strolled from there through the village in search of its infamous snake pit. Locals believe Richard Cromwell, the son of infamous Lord Protector Oliver, had a 14ft pit dug, into which were put ten venomous snakes. He said that any man who had doubts about the morals of his wife had the right to throw her into the pit. If she escaped unhurt
it proved her innocence!
We enjoyed the town of Kings Lynn so much that we wrote a separate feature. We stayed at Mill Cottage Motorhome Pitches, a beautifully laid out and maintained Motor Caravan Club CL run by Sharon and Charlie Hunt. As keen motorhomers they understand the need for safe, comfortable sites in good locations and they offer just that at the CL.
LizCoughlan
Holkham Hall
Reconstructed houses in West Stow Country Park Anglo-Saxon village
Gainsborough
Over 30 years experience in providing restful holidays for families, cyclists, fishermen and wildfowlers
Our 4 star AA approved flagship site offers:
RALLIES WELCOME
we can cater for up to 100 motorhomes
Electric hook-ups • Car charger points • Elsan points • Showers (coin operated) • Toilets • Laundry facilities (coin operated) • Washing up area • WiFi • Kid’s play area • Storage available • Onsite shop selling essentials, caravan accessories, Fishing tackle and bait • Five lakes and private riverbank fishing
Peaceful village location with pubs, golf course and transport links nearby
LeoBay is quite unique as it is a campsite with fitting facilities, so if there’s that little something you need doing from replacing a bulb to a complete conversion we do it all. Our experience goes back 40 years. Our core experience is in auto electrics and vehicle security as well as vehicle diagnostics, we use factory diagnostic software to solve your problems. Trained in both vehicle and mains voltages we can also inspect and test your mains hook up too! Gas that’s no problem either! Now there’s a service that makes life simple, so next time you need help, come and stay at LeoBay, a nice cuppa on arrival, we will sort your problems while you relax on our 1st class site. There’s even a courtesy vehicle to use during your stay at LeoBay!
LeoBay is a site in a million, completely built by us and independent, so all are welcome whether you’re a club member
or not. We have drawn on our 25 years as motorhomers, collating all the best bits from the many sites we have visited over the years. The pitches are all wide hardstanding, with a 10amp hook up and your own grass area to spread out on, the site sits up on a hill over looking the sea with amazing views. On site facilities include a unique summer kitchen, where everyone can chat, relax and eat under cover, there’s a barbeque and pizza oven for you to use, or sit and relax by the open fire with a bottle or two. We like to make sure you’re warm and comfortable so the shower block is heated, with two large rooms, and to top it off the gardens are just splendid. Pets are welcome; the dog walks along the shore are great, there’s plenty of wildlife to watch. So as you can see it’s well worth a visit at just £25 per night all in.
best-preserved medieval villages in England with narrow streets lined with timber-framed buildings.
Of most interest is perhaps the town’s most famous building, the Crooked House. It is said to be the inspiration for the famous nursery rhyme, There was a Crooked Man. While its iconic exterior has made this one of the most-photographed houses in the world, for the married couple Alex and Oli Khalil-Martin, who live there, it is their home. The pair take great pleasure in sharing the space and currently host immersive events alongside selling art and gifts. Their Crooked House story is a bookable, one-hour tour guiding guests through four historic rooms and over six centuries’ worth of stories. Meanwhile, the couple’s black-tie dinners are sellout evenings.
experience special attractions.
are Newmarket Nights, a series of after-race summer concerts which in the past, have attracted the likes of Kylie Minogue, Tom Jones and Kaiser Chiefs.
in the lorry park at Sudbury, we
If you are not overnighting in the lorry park at Sudbury, we recommend staying at Church View Caravan Park in Barrow. Perhaps the most child-friendly campsite we have ever seen, it has mini golf, an archery range, escape rooms, and a petting zoo. It is a good base from which to explore Newmarket, home of British horseracing.
offer an exclusive opportunity
Discover Newmarket is the town's official tour guide. They offer an exclusive opportunity to go behind the scenes and
Essex
Essex offers a mix of history, countryside, coastline, and vibrant towns. Seaside highlights include Southend-on-Sea, home to the world’s longest pleasure pier and Mersea Island, famous for its fresh oysters and scenic beaches. We stayed at and can recommend, the campsite at Chigborough Farm. Nestled among 130 acres of arable land and fishing lakes, it is a rural oasis on the outskirts of Maldon. The tranquil, lakeside setting provides the opportunity for a calm, countryside retreat. The site is a well-situated location
Take a tour of The National Stud or visit Palace House and immerse yourself in an impressive collection of art and sporting memorabilia celebrating a rich history and heritage of Royal patronage and sport. Explore the prestigious Jockey Club Rooms or go behind the scenes during a day at the races. We visited the National Horseracing Museum and thoroughly enjoyed it despite not having a great knowledge of horse racing.
There is always plenty to do in Newmarket with bars and restaurants, plus, there
on Crouch from there. Tollesbury marina with its iconic red lightship (pictured above) is a great place for walkers and nature lovers. The
In town two butcher shops, Musk’s and Powters, have been making Newmarket Sausages for generations. A protected regional specialty, these sausages are made from high-quality pork and a unique blend of spices and are rather delicious.
Nearby, cheeses such as Suffolk Gold a rich and creamy semi-hard cheese are made and Baron Bigod, a creamy, Brie-style cheese is made at Fen Farm Dairy in Bungay. Buy some and enjoy them washed down with a pint, or three, of Aspall Cyder – but be warned, like Suffolk itself, it too punches above its own weight.
village sits at the mouth of the River Blackwater and the swirling saltmarshes there were used to film the Apple TV series, The Essex Serpent.
Another highlight of our visit to Essex was a visit to Tiptree Tea Room, Museum and Jam Shop. There we tucked into high tea for two, beautifully presented and served on a 3-tiered, china cake stand with your own choice of freshly made sandwiches, afternoon tea includes freshly baked sultana scones, Cornish clotted cream and Tiptree jam along with a selection of fresh pastries.
Fela Sanu / Shutterstock.com
The Crooked House in Lavenham
abcbritain / Shutterstock.com
Trying a race horse simulator at the National Horseracing Museum
MEET YOUR HOSTS
Frances and Michael Howorth tour the countryside talking to owners and operators of motorcaravan campsites. This issue, they get to meet Jane Spencer and Leigh Jarrett from Kings Forest Caravan Camping Park in Suffolk.
How did you become involved with this campsite?
We bought the land and converted it into a horse training camp with stables and a riding school. As the riding school business began to diminish, and the horse training became more important to us we sought to diversify. So, nine years ago we set up a 5 pitch CL. The council came to inspect us and told us of a need for touring sites in the area and inferred they would not block any applications we made to expand the site so that is what we did!
How did you go about that?
Initially we increased to 20 pitches adding toilets and showers. That
AT A GLANCE
Campsite:
Kings Forest Caravan Camping Park Address: Wideham Farm, Icklingham Road, West Stow, Bury St Edmunds, IP28 6HE Website: www.kingsforestholidays.co.uk Email: kingsforestleisure@outlook.com Telephone: 01284 729657
proved to be so successful that we expanded again to our current total of 40 pitches. In the early days we were a family park, but we quickly discovered that horses and very young children when
not supervised are not good companions. That led us to make the site an adult only site and it has succeeded, all the more so, having made that decision
What is special about this site?
Located on the edge a quiet village our 90-acre farm is a relaxed and quiet place to stay. We enjoy immediate access to the Kings Forest, and we are just 5 miles from Bury St Edmunds and 12 miles from the horse-racing town of Newmarket. Just across the road, is the West Stow Country Park and its famous Anglo-Saxon Village and we have got some great pubs and restaurants nearby. Another great feature is that the site sits astride
a ley line that helps bring an air of tranquillity to it. We have visitors who come to stay overnight and manage to sleep the whole night through without waking.
Do you have a motorcaravan of your own?
No, we don’t. The problem is that we are so busy running the campsite that we do not have time to just take off in our own van. But that is not to say we would not want one.
Where in the world did you last spend your own holiday?
We went to Egypt and recharged in the sunshine doing very little more than reading books and chilling out.
What special qualities do you bring to the site?
We are nature lovers who fully embrace all that nature has. Our vegan lifestyle allows us healthy and approach to everything this rural outlook offers from foraging to growing our own food. Because of that we relate to our fellow outdoor
loving friends and customers and many of our customers have become our friends.
What is the funniest thing that has happened at the campsite?
When we created an area that allowed horse owners to drive to and park their horse box while they rode in the Kings Forest, we named the facility ‘Park and Ride’. One day a chap parked his car in the field and wanted to know when the bus for Bury St Edmunds would turn up. If that wasn’t funny enough, a few days later a council official turned up wanting to see the coaches, we were operating the service with!
How often are you fully booked?
Most bank holidays are booked several weeks, if not months, ahead but at other times we can nearly always find someone a spot to pitch up in. We are both softies when it comes to a good sob story so even when we are chocker block full we will offer you a pitch of grass to camp on. It might not have EHU or running water, but you will be safe
Quick fire questions
Are you a morning or nighttime person? Morning
What did you eat for breakfast? Soup
What TV shows do you watch? Netflix
Where do you most like to watch TV? In front of our log burner
What's your favourite food? Vegan with an Indian twist
Where in the world would you like to visit? Nicaragua and Costa Rica
What kind of car do you drive? Range Rover
What are your favourite clothes? Jeans and Shirt
Do you have any pets? Doberman called Ruby
What is your best childhood memory? Sleeping untroubled by life
What superpower would you like? Peacekeeper
Do you have any pet peeves? Hot food served on cold plates
What have you done spontaneously recently? Bought our friends some nice watches
Do you have any faults? Jane can be a little clumsy at times
What’s your guilty pleasure? A glass of red wine
What is your worst habit? Believing we have limitations
overnight and have a base from which to enjoy our facilities.
What’s your top tip for any visitor? Bring binoculars if you are into bird watching, good boots if you want to hike or your own horse and horse box if you want to go hacking. When you get back, we have all the facilities you will need to look after your horse after a ride. We are so close to some of the area’s most famous Roman roads and history itself surrounds us. But don’t necessarily believe us when we point out the tumulus and AngloSaxon burial grounds we have on site. Instead ask yourself where we might have pushed the soil aside when we were creating such a welldrained campsite
What are your hobbies?
We love anything to do with horses
What else can you do here?
Once you are done with the walking, exploring, hiking and generally enjoying nature, you could watch the horses going through their drills or drive into Newmarket and watch them train. You cannot come to this part of Suffolk and not visit Bury St Edmunds with its bi-weekly markets and a stunning cathedral.
If you could invite three guests to a dinner party, who would you choose and why?
Not a frivolous question for us. We have a virtual board of directors made up from friends, people from history that we admire and former business advisors sadly no longer with us. We consult them when we have difficult decisions to make. True, we don’t always heed their advice, but it is incredible how often matters become clear when you ask yourself what your friends might have thought of an idea. With that in mind, we would invite Neil Diamond, Abrahm Lincoln and our Grandparents to join us for dinner.
Tea break teasers
See page 69 for solutions
Codeword
Crack the code and fill in the grid. Each letter of the alphabet is represented by a number from 1-26. Two letters are given as a starter, can you decipher the rest of the code to discover all the words?
Sudoku
The objective is to fill a 9x9 grid so that each column, each row, and each of the nine 3x3 boxes contains the digits from 1 to 9. A cell is the smallest block in the game. A row, column and region consists of 9 cells and the whole game consists of 81 cells.
Wordsearch
Crossword Puzzle
Precision (8) 9 Freezing Compartment (6)
Baste (3) 11 Drown Aunt Enid in a fluster (8) 12 Former UN Leader --Annan (4) 16 Tuscany Province (5) 19 Out of shot (3,6) 21 Throughout the world (15) 22 Perceptive (5-4) 24 Pigment made from Cuttlefish ink (5) 27 Gets the point (4) 31 Drive out (8)
33 US Confederate general (3) 34 Fine plaster (6)
Postponing (8)
1 Scrutinize (4)
2 Hit the sack (4,2)
3 200 milligrams to a jeweller (5)
4 What I normally see in the mirror (6)
5 Fruit-bearing Chinese vine (4)
6 Hit this to get going (4)
7 Dance (4)
11 Inborn patterns of behaviour (9)
13 Venn diagram common area (7)
14 No matter what (2,3,4)
15 Twits (6)
17 Far-out (7)
18 First light (6)
19 One end of a fallopian tube (5)
20 Cooked in oil (5)
23 Beneficiary of Primogeniture (6)
25 Unfold (6)
26 Posed (5)
28 Corrodes (4)
29 Fortified white Spanish wine of old (4)
30 Drama Framework (4)
32 Characteristic carrier (4)
Tea Break Teasers
Private sale advertisements
ACCESSORIES
A FRAME, SUPPLIED BY ARMITAGE
Complete with keys, lockable tow hitch, electrics and fixings. Reason for sale: sold motorhome. £110 ONO. 07806 779268, North Somerset.
BIKE CARRIER, THULE
Tow bar mounting, two bike rack. Used once only, like new. £670, will
FOLDING ELECTRIC BIKES, excellent condition, soft-saddles fitted, folding pedals, basket, rain cover, lights. £850 for one, £1600 for both. Somerset 01278 663869 / 07867 545140 Celeacottage@aol.com
Members'private sale advertisements
Club members are entitled to a FREE classified lineage advertisement of up to 30 words. To be included, please send your listing along with this form to: Motor Caravanner, Countrywide Publications, Fountain Way, Reydon Business Park, Reydon, Suffolk, IP18 6DH or email: bazaar@themotorcaravannersclub.co.uk.
If you wish to include a photograph, please enclose a cheque for £12 inc vat payable to Countrywide Publications.
Please indicate whether your item is: FOR SALE WANTED
FREE ADVERT ADVERT WITH PHOTOGRAPH
I enclose my cheque payable to Countrywide Publications (please write name and address on back of cheque)
(£12 inc. VAT)
PLEASE NOTE:
• Advertisements will be placed in the next available issue.
• Emailed listings that include photos will not be used until the cheque is received.
• Listings will not be used unless a valid membership number is provided
Name:
Address:
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Sudoku - Medium
Sudoku - Star Crossword Puzzle Wordsearch
Classifieds
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