Discover Touring – September-October 2020

touring

SEPTEMBER – O CTOBER 2020

DISCOVER

M O T O R H O M E , C A R A V A N A N D C A M P I N G I N S P I R AT I O N

CAMPING DE LUXE THE LUXURY ISSUE

INSIDE

POSH CAMPSITES UK VINEYARD TOUR

GOURMET MUSHROOMS LUXURY ‘VANS AND MUCH MORE...

EDITORIAL

Welcome touring DISCOVER

Editor Caroline Mills Advertising Mark Galbraith Designer Barbara Prada Marketing Olivia Sewell Commercial Director Lwin Millar Editorial Director Felix Blakeston

www.discovertouring.co.uk

Discover Touring is published by

Information carried in Discover Touring is checked for accuracy but the views or opinions included herein do not necessarily represent those of Rosevine Media Ltd. discovertouring@rosevinedigital.com Front cover image: ©Morelo

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uxury is very subjective. One person’s ‘luxury’ might be to enjoy a night under the stars in a tent that doesn’t leak and a bag of marshmallows with friends and family. For someone else luxury might represent money-no-object opulence that most won’t even bother dreaming of, it’s so far out of reach.

For me, luxury isn’t measured materially; it’s about experiences – an outstanding view seen with a dawn sunrise and a day spent outdoors will suit me fine.

Whatever your version of luxury is, this issue covers it. We’ve provided you with a selection of fabulous campsites that are a notch above your average (and some).

We venture to Southeast England to experience a tour of some of Britain’s finest vineyards and cultural locations. There are so many English vineyards producing outstanding sparkling wine to rival champagne, that you can venture from vine to vine, tasting delicious wines, handing the keys to your vehicle for someone else to drive.

Did you know that even King Henry VIII went camping? It was luxurious camping, of course, so you can be immersed in his extravagant camping festival 500 years ago with our feature on the Field of the Cloth of Gold.

We also look at buying a luxury motorhome or touring caravan – from entry-level luxury to the most exclusive of ‘liners’ with palatial interiors – and offer a selection of some of the very best ‘vans from which to choose your personal palace on wheels.

However you like to indulge, keep safe and well.

Caroline Mills, Editor

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WHAT ’S INSIDE

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Contents 6

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6 LUXURY ‘VANS 28 DEALERSHIP SPOTLIGHT: CHELSTON 32 UK FIZZ! ENGLAND WINE TOUR 54 FIRST LOOK: AUTOTRAIL FRONTIER DELAWARE 60 POSH CAMPSITES 74 MOTORHOMING IN EUROPE 86 CAMPING FIT FOR A KING 92 SAFARI IN BOTSWANA 96 FORAGING GOURMET MUSHROOMS 102 CANAL CAPERS: A HISTORICAL SAUNTER

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BUYING

LUXURY LINER THE MORELO HOME ©Morelo

Life of Luxury 6

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LUXURY ‘VANS

Discover Touring looks at top-of-the-range motorhomes and touring caravans to find luxurious living that would rival any penthouse suite →

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MANY LUXURY MOTORHOMES HAVE HUGE, PANORAMIC WINDSCREENS ©Morelo

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here are some who like all the comforts of a five-star hotel. So why not have them – and still have the freedom to roam wherever you wish? Lavish living is perfectly possible with many top-of-therange motorhomes and caravans providing the appearance of boutique apartments.

And, if you desire to stay within your own, private and personal space to maintain social distancing, sleeping in your own bed while on holiday, there’s never been a better time to purchase a luxury ‘van.

W H I C H M A N U FAC T U R E R ?

Luxury is fairly subjective: one person’s idea of indulgence can be at odds with that of another; the luxury category can, itself, be divided into entrylevel, mid-market and high-end luxury. Visit a show dedicated to showcasing motorhomes and caravans, though, and it can be fairly obvious which are the

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‘luxury’ ‘vans – they tend to have a rope across the entrance barring general onlookers from doing little more than taking a sneaky peek through the door. You have to be invited in, and if you have to ask the price, well, it might not be the ‘van for you.

On the other hand, there are plenty of manufacturers, such as Auto-Trail, Auto-Sleepers, Adria, Hymer, Dethleffs and Knaus, that make high quality motorhomes and/or touring caravans to provide more than comfortable living accommodation, especially when opting for their top-of-the-range ‘flagship’ models.

Then there are the manufacturers aiming all their products solely at the higher end of the marketplace, such as van conversion specialists IH Motorhomes and Vantage Motorhomes, motorhome manufacturers Carthago and Frankia, or caravan manufacturer Airstream, rather than providing budget-priced, midmarket and flagship ranges.

Perhaps, what most people associate with opulence, →

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LUXURY ‘VANS

FRENCH MANUFACTURER RAPIDO

CARTHAGO CITY, IN SOUTHERN GERMANY

©Rapido

©Carthago

SOME LUXURY LINERS INCLUDE SPACE FOR A CAR ©Morelo

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THE AIRSTREAM CARAVAN’S LUXURIOUS INTERIOR ©Airstream

sumptuous comfort and the very pinnacle of luxury are the manufacturers that specialise in giant ‘liners’, the large cruisers that don’t look out of place parked next to a sleek and slender superyacht or private jet, from manufacturers such as Niesmann+Bischoff, Concorde and Morelo. German manufacturers certainly have the monopoly on high-end luxury liners.

W H AT TO LO O K O U T F O R Most ‘vans that are produced for the upper end of the market tend to be two-berth, aimed at couples rather than families, or four-berth with the intention of it being utilised as a two-berth most of the time. You will find the occasional six/seven berth motorhome, such as Bürstner’s ever-popular Argos A747-2G that has been in manufacture for years, while brands such as Itineo include family motorhomes at the ‘budget’ end of luxury.

Many utilise the fully integrated A-class style of ‘van with huge panoramic windscreens, particularly the larger liners. An alternative popular style is the lowprofile coachbuilt motorhome, providing aerodynamics for long-distance touring but offering all the comfort of larger A-Class ‘vans. However, it’s perfectly possible

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to pick up a smaller van conversion that has been transformed to a high level of specification with top quality manufacture and furnishings. After all, if you want to park up conveniently in town, length of ‘van is everything.

With the exception of the unique Airstream caravan, there are few touring caravan manufacturers that specialise solely in the luxury market. UK manufacturers tend to have a luxury range within their stable; look out for Bailey’s Alicanto Grande range, Coachman’s Laser range, the Elddis Crusader, and the Buccaneer, which includes the Aruba, a top-of-therange six-berth family tourer.

A HIGHER-GRADE SPEC Luxurious living in a motorhome or touring caravan is not about making a bed up every night (though necessary in some smaller van conversions), or ‘making do’ with basic camping facilities. Much like opting for a budget chain motel or selecting the finest five-star spa, step into any ‘van that’s aimed at the upper end of the market and you’ll generally feel the difference, an immediate sense of pampering (think rainfall shower heads in washrooms), the creation of

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LUXURY ‘VANS LUXURY CATEGORY CARAVANS WILL HAVE A HIGHER LEVEL OF SPECIFICATION AND EXTRAS ‘AS STANDARD’, SUCH AS THIS 100W SOLAR PANEL FITTED TO AN ALICANTO GRANDE CARAVAN ©Bailey of Bristol

an ambient mood and the chance to ‘fine dine’ with friends; for entertaining is very much an integral part of most layouts in this field. But, try to look beyond the cocktail cabinet complete with mood lighting. For much of the quality of a top-class ‘van lies in features and a specification that you can’t necessarily see immediately.

First things first – with a motorhome, take a look at the base vehicle and the chassis. While the majority of motorhomes tend to use the Fiat Ducato or the Ford Iveco these days, several flagship models switch to the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter; liners use the MercedesBenz Atego or Atrusco. Engine size will naturally be important for the larger ‘vans to ensure it has enough oomph to drive without labouring but look out for additional features such as eight- or nine-speed gearboxes, automatic transmission, and higher spec air suspension.

There are often enhanced safety features too. A low-level Al-Ko chassis allows for a double floor, providing extra insulation and storage. Ask about the construction of the walls; higher spec ‘vans often utilize different processes to create stronger and sturdier walls that still remain lightweight.

Touring caravans in the luxury category often utilise 8ft-wide bodies to allow for additional internal space, will be manufactured using much higher-specification materials, include state-of-the-art mod-cons, and likely to offer many extras, such as a motor-mover or selflevelling system, that you would otherwise be expected

to pay for additionally when purchasing a lower-spec ‘van.

Once inside any motorhome or tourer, take a look at the construction of the furniture. You should see carpentry with immaculate joints and attention to finishing. Check out aspects such as kitchen worksurfaces and drawers, which should be sturdy and use soft-close mechanisms. Catches, hooks and handles should not be flimsy and will have more of a designer feel than mass-produced contract parts. Any luxury ‘van will ooze individual craftsmanship while seating and soft furnishings will demonstrate flawless stitching utilising the finest upholstery fabrics and leather.

BEDROOM OR BOUDOIR? Aside from comfortable seating and plenty of space to lounge, it’s perhaps the sleeping area more than any other that can sell a ‘van.

A bedroom that feels more like a boudoir rather than a cramped bunkhouse is the order of the day. →

MANY LUXURY MOTORHOMES UTILISE DOUBLE FLOORS, PROVIDING ADDITIONAL INSULATION AND EXTRA STORAGE SPACE, WHILE REMAINING LIGHTWEIGHT ©Rapido

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LOOK AT THE QUALITY OF THE BED FURNITURE FOR ANY SPECIAL BED SYSTEMS THAT MAKE A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP EXTRA COMFORTABLE ©Morelo

A BEDROOM SHOULD BE MORE BOUTIQUE BOUDOIR THAN BUNKHOUSE; THIS CONCORDE DIAMOND LINER OOZES SUMPTUOUS COMFORT

TRY TO LOOK BEYOND THE GLITZ AS MANY OF THE TOP QUALITY SPECIFICATIONS WON’T NECESSARILY BE SEEN IMMEDIATELY, AS HERE, A CUT-OUT OF THE PADDING USED IN THE MORELO HOME LINER ©Morelo

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But, like the cabinetry, look at the quality of the bed manufacture for sprung slats, specialist bed systems and memory or Cold foam mattresses.

Likewise, higher spec ‘vans will utilise higher quality furnishings.

But comfort is not skin deep. Look beyond the real leather, suede and finest of furnishing fabrics to see the construction of the soft furnishings.

These should have properties that will help seat cushions keep their shape for years to come, and upholstery should be treated to prevent stains and dirt.

In all but the smaller van conversions, washbasins and toilets are likely to be separate from the shower area. Take a look at the quality of the taps – both in the washroom and kitchen; make sure they’re secure with no movement from the base.

Many of the luxury liners provide the option of a fixed waste toilet tank rather than a cassette.

U N I Q U E TO YO U Reaching the upper end of the market often allows for bespoke features and a greater list of options on engine size, furnishings or even changes to the layout. Companies that offer a bespoke service include Auto-Sleepers, Auto-Trail, IH Motorhomes, Niesmann+Bischoff and Concorde.

DOES IT WORK? After all the glitz, the gloss, shiny lights and glamour has swayed your decision, check for functionality. It is still a leisure vehicle after all. So aspects such as the ease to fill up with fresh water, dispose of waste water, a safe entrance and storage should all be considered.

Likewise, what a motorhome is like to drive, or the stability of the caravan being towed; higher-spec caravans tend to have additional safety features for better towing. ●

Prefer to hire a piece of luxury?

Many motorhome rental companies offer entry-level models as hire vehicles, with a low specification in the attention to detail, the standard equipment supplied and the quality of finish. However, there are options for hiring a luxury motorhome.

Rent Easy is the premium rental franchise within the Erwin Hymer Group of companies; the base in the UK is at EHC Travelworld, based in Shropshire.

The focus is on quality in all areas of the business and therefore Rent Easy enables those new to motorhome touring to experience all motorhome styles from highspecification campervans right up to the most luxurious and spacious of A-Class motorhomes.

Rent Easy only uses new vehicles from Hymer and Carado (Germanmanufactured vehicles renowned for their quality) so your experience

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should be first class and because Travelworld also sell these vehicles, they have significant knowledge of the brand and the models. Hence, a transition from rental to purchase will be seamless.

Meantime, everything for your camping trip is available to hire, from bedding and towels to child or booster travel seats.

GlamperRV (www.glamperrv.co.uk) also rent luxury motorhomes, with bases in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Northumberland. The A-Class, four-berth ‘vans are fully equipped with crockery and kitchen equipment, outdoor furniture, awning, sat-nav, 4G WiFi and comprehensive insurance for two drivers. Prices start from £599 for three nights.

It’s also possible to hire a luxury Carthago motorhome from Premium Motorhomes (www.premiummotorhomes.com) in South Yorkshire.

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Luxury Van Conversions IH Motorhomes 680CFL www.ihmotorhomes.com Price: £72,895 New for 2020, this 2-berth model is based on a 6.8m-long VW Crafter, with a domestic-style sofa in the front lounge, opposite the habitation entrance door.

Floor space in the lounge is copious for a van conversion, while there’s a rear washroom that utilises the full width of the van. IH Motorhomes’ internal craftsmanship is second to none.

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Vantage Motorhomes www.vantagemotorhomes.co.uk Price: from £63,630 Vantage offers 12 premium models, 10 of which are two-berth. However, opt for the RIO or SKY, both with four travelling seats, a U-shaped rear lounge and three or five sleeping berths respectively.

New for the 2021 season will be four special edition two-berth ‘vans, including the MED Sportivo and the SOL Shadow. Both will offer a choice of bold exterior colours and new interior fabric choices. There will be ‘beachwood’ woodwork and high gloss doors for a modern, stylish look.

Auto Trail V-Line 636SE Sport www.auto-trail.co.uk Price: £52,790 + £1,995 Sports Pack In place of the usual barn doors so often utilised at the rear of van conversions, V-Line’s Sport models offer a GRP-moulded rear panel with a gas-strut boot area. Not only does this make the appearance smarter but the boot space is very user-friendly.

Internally Sport models incorporate a rear U-shaped lounge with central pedestal table. It creates a really comfortable and cosy lounging area.

Elsewhere, there’s a very design-orientated kitchen with upmarket work surfacing and, externally, you get external shower and barbecue points.

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Luxury Low Profile

Adria Coral Supreme 670 DC www.adria.co.uk Price: £67,000 Adria’s Coral has been around for years but the model, with five layouts – all threeberth including two limited editions exclusively for the UK – has been completely updated for the 2021 season. The motorhome has been designed around its panoramic sky-roof beneath which is an atrium-style sky lounge. Our pick is the 670 DC for comfort and practicality. Adria also manufacture an A-Class motorhome, the Sonic Supreme, an even more luxurious premium ‘van than the Coral.

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Auto-Trail Frontier Delaware www.auto-trail.co.uk Price: £76,000 otr One of the Frontier range of luxury flagship models, the Delaware has a permanent island double bed, separate shower compartment and, good-sized front lounge. Based on a Fiat Ducato with new Euro 6D engine, it has a six-speed gearbox with ‘Comfortmatic’ automatic option. There’s a choice of lo-line or hi-line version (which includes an overcab bed). See page 54 for our full review.

Auto-Sleepers Corinium FB www.auto-sleepers.com Price: from £69,800 This is a lovely coachbuilt motorhome with two travelling seats but four-berths; ideal if you’ll have occasional guests to stay. At the rear of the ‘van is a full-sized ensuite bedroom with large washroom across the rear. The whole area is separated from the living area, which offers two parallel sofas, and the galley kitchen by a domestic-style door. The living area at the front offers two parallel sofas.

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Luxury A-Class and Liners Bürstner Elegance www.buerstner.com Price: £117,470 The Elegance, completely revised and updated for 2021, is the German manufacturer’s flagship A-Class motorhome and, as its name suggests, there’s a touch of style to it. Based upon a Mercedes with a heated double-floor chassis, there are two layouts available, with twin single beds or a double bed, coupled with a drop-down bed above the cab.

It might not be the most luxurious element to mention but the Elegance also incorporates Thetford’s new INDUSTM toilet system, which filters grey waste water from the shower, treats it with sanitary additives before using it for toilet flushing, a useful feature when saving limited water resources.

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Itineo www.itineo.co.uk Price: TBC Itineo can best be described as entry-level luxury; the brand, which is a part of the French-owned Rapido Group, specialises in producing A-Class motorhomes and, for 2021, has a choice of 10 layouts in three lengths, including the Nomad at just 6.55m long. Itineo ‘vans are popular with families looking for a little class as they are not all exclusively two-berth; the new five-berth SC700, for example, has a rear bedroom with bunk beds, yet is less than 7 metres long. Another to look out for is the new Traveller MC740, with rear island double bed. Opt for the SPIRIT EDITION for enhanced style and features.

malibu Generation M www.malibu-carthago.com/en/ Price: from £72,110 The malibu brand has really come of age for the 2021 season. What was once a ‘budget’ brand of Carthago, is now more superior than its original concept, stylish and most definitely one to take a look at, having been totally redevised, rebranded and relaunched this year.

We love the new ‘Generation M’ series; it looks modern and sophisticated both internally and externally, and represents excellent quality in the midmarket area of luxury motorhomes. There are eight A-Class and seven lowprofile coachbuilts to select from and all are less than 7.5m in length.

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Knaus Sun I 900 www.knaus.com/en-uk/ Price: TBC So, we’re moving into a different league altogether now – Knaus’s brand new Sun I 900 luxury liner, launched for the 2021 season, includes a spa bath as well as a shower! It’s the only motorhome we’ve come across with one. There’s a choice of two single beds (the LEG) or an island bed (the LX) at the rear, plus a cocoon-like drop-down bed over the spacious front lounge.

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Rapido Distinction i1090 Ultimate Line www.rapido-motorhome.co.uk Price: from £123,000 French manufacturer Rapido specialises in upmarket coachbuilt and A-Class motorhomes and has many models and layouts. It’s fair to say that their model names, categorized by a series of letters and numbers, can be quite confusing and takes a little getting used to understand.

Launched in 2015, the A-Class Distinction now has 7 layouts; the largest is the i1090, with rear ensuite bedroom incorporating an extra-wide double bed above a large garage though, overall, the ‘van sleeps five. The Distinction is based upon a Fiat Ducato with Al-Ko chassis. For a Mercedes-Benz with double-floor Al-Ko Chassis, opt for the M Series, into which a smart, new curved kitchen has been introduced for the 2021 season.

Carthago Liner for Two www.carthago.com/en Price: from £142,000 Carthago specialize in premium-grade motorhomes and the Liner for Two is the very pinnacle of their extensive list of A-Class ‘vans on offer. It’s available on both a Fiat Ducato or Iveco Daily chassis, offering different weight permutations and a double floor.

Internally, it’s the living area where this couple’s ‘van excels, with the wrap-around seating at the rear ready to wallow in while the bedroom, washroom and kitchen offer masses of chic design features – all within 7.83m or 8.5m length, depending on the size of rear garage you require.

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Concorde Credo (and beyond) www.concorde.eu/en Price: from £142,000 With Concorde specialising in the manufacture of luxury liners, the Credo is actually classed as ‘entry-level’ luxury! There are four 2-berth layouts but each one includes a separate bedroom, There’s soft-walk flooring throughout, without steps, for comfort and spacious living accommodation. Kitchens are outstanding. New for 2021 is the special Credo ‘Red Edition’, with coloured exterior design, eye-catching privacy black glazing and a special bi-colour leather interior.

At the other end of Concorde’s spectrum is its brand new liner, the ‘Diamond Series’ special edition. It offers even greater exterior and interior design with exclusive leather upholstery, including around the exquisite bed base; the bedroom is in a league of its own.

Concorde motorhomes are sold in the UK exclusively by Southdowns Motorhome Centre.

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MORELO Grand Empire www.morelo-reisemobile.de/en/ Price: TBC but from €600,000 MORELO also specialise in luxury liners of outstanding quality and specification only. Therefore the company has a range that begins with the ‘entry-level’ (relatively) HOME, followed by the LOFT, through to the PALACE LINER and EMPIRE. These vary in scale with rear garages that can fit anything from a couple of e-bikes to a Mini Cooper or Porsche. For 2021, MORELO has gone one step beyond to introduce its new flagship model, the GRAND EMPIRE, which will be the largest and most luxurious model that MORELO has built to date to reflect customers’ increasing requirements for space, comfort, performance, safety and design.

Features of the new model include a rear garage big enough for a Mini Cooper and a slide-out side wall for the living room, which includes ergonomic lounge chairs that can be adjusted individually at the push of a button, and a kitchen, with domestic quality appliances.

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Luxury Touring Caravans

Bailey Alicanto Grande Porto www.baileyofbristol.co.uk Price: £29,999 Launched for the 2020 season, the Alicanto Grande range is Bailey’s flagship caravan, an 8ft-wide tourer that offers luxurious comfort yet remains lightweight for towing. There are sprung seat cushions and curved corner backrests, larger beds than many caravans with memory foam topped mattresses and numerous features offering the best quality available.

There are four 4-berth layouts; our pick is the Porto, a twin-axle tourer with an en-suite rear island-bed bedroom that’s closed off from the living area; the spacious full-width washroom sits in the middle of the ‘van, making an excellent boutique changing room.

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Adria Adora and Alpina www.adria.co.uk Price: from £23,995 (Adora) and £34,495 (Alpina) Slovenian-based Adria has the largest presence in the UK of all continental caravan manufacturers. The Adora, its best-selling caravan range, has been completely redesigned and upgraded for 2021, to improve comfort, practicality, technology and performance.

There’s an all-new exterior shape to aid towing, with a huge panoramic window at the front for great views. Inside you’ll find elegance coupled with spacious seating areas and technology to control major heating and water functions remotely.

Adria also produces a caravan with an even higher premium spec for all-year-round use, the Alpina, of which there are two four-berth layouts.

We love the Mississippi, which has a luxuriously comfortable and spacious wraparound lounge at the front and an en-suite bedroom at the rear with transverse double bed.

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Coachman Laser www.coachman.co.uk Price from £30,995 Coachman’s flagship range is the Laser, which offers state-of-the-art technology and features such as touch-sensitive LED dimmable lighting, a self-levelling system (new for 2021), remotely programmable heating and hot water systems, and a host of entertainment gadgetry.

Washrooms have the appearance of high-end boutique bathrooms with chrome fittings and fully-lined shower cubicles, while the kitchens offer plenty of top-level spec.

Also new for 2021 are two 8ftwide layouts under the Laser Xcel model range, the 575 with full-width rear washroom and transverse island bed, and the 845 with rear island bed and spacious L-shaped lounge at the front.

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Eriba Nova 590 www.eriba.com/en Price from €36,990 Eriba is the caravan brand of the high-end German-manufacturer Erwin Hymer Group, and, while the Eriba Touring has a ‘cool’ look with a cult following, the Nova is its upmarket, more traditional model range. It still has a characteristic look, however, with extremely high quality materials, manufacturing and specification.

The Nova 590 is new for 2021, a 4-berth tourer with rear en-suite bedroom incorporating a transverse double bed while the front wrap-around lounge is incredibly spacious. Two levels of design spec are available; the Trend and higher Ambience.

Airstream www.airstream-uk.co.uk Price from £78,495 We round up with, arguably, the most globally recognised brand of caravan ever made – the ‘trailer’ that everyone dreams of owning.

The iconic metal-riveted Airstream caravan remains the pinnacle of long-held dreams of outdoor living and style.

All three models offer a fixed double bed and large, sumptuous seating area. The Yukon is two/three-berth, but opt for the fourberth Colorado for the greatest amount of space. The Missouri is also a four-berth unit but, at 6.81m long, is 1.5m shorter than the Colorado.

Lowdhams, with bases in Nottingham and Huddersfield, are the sole official UK dealer for Airstream.

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DEALERSHIP SPOTLIGHT

Spotlight on

CHELSTON MO DISCOVER TOURING CHATS TO MIKE DAVIS OF CHELSTON MOTORHOMES TO FIND OUT WHAT THE SPECIALIST MOTORHOME DEALER OFFERS CUSTOMERS Morning Mike, firstly, tell us how you’re finding market conditions at the moment Extremely buoyant. With the uncertainties surrounding plane travel, the inaccessibility of cruise ship holidays, together with the simple desire to holiday independently in social bubbles, we have never been busier. At one point we thought we might run out of stock, it has been that busy.

Much of this buoyancy has been fuelled by newcomers to the touring lifestyle that have either not contemplated owning a motorhome before, or have thought about it but not got round to a specific purchase. However, we have also seen customers that have enjoyed using a motorhome in the past and have chosen to return to touring again.

With so many choices available, what does Chelston Motorhomes do to help customers get that initial purchase right?

It’s so important to take the time with customers. We help with advice on layouts and brands. We establish where customers intend to go on tour, how many people are likely to be using the motorhome most of the time and so on. That way, we can ensure they purchase the best possible match of motorhome for their lifestyle.

As motorhome specialists with 35 years’ experience, our sales team know the makes and models extremely well, including pre-owned ‘vans that arrive through part-exchanges, so we can advise with authority. That includes our service and support teams, too, who know the vehicles inside out.

AUTO-TRAIL GRANDE FRONTIER

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Should purchasing a motorhome be an exciting rather than a daunting experience?

Absolutely. We’ve noticed that some of the larger, allencompassing leisure shows can be really daunting for newcomers, with so many brands, makes and models, and so many people.

Hence, we organise our own events here at our Somerset showroom, where customers can browse in a much more relaxed environment, without the pressure from multiple dealerships all vying for that commissioned sale! Our next event will be held throughout October (12th to 31st) and we have negotiated with the manufacturers for whom we are stockists, to have demonstration vehicles of most of the latest models and layouts available for the 2021 season.

So, which brands will be available to view?

We are a main dealer for Auto-Trail, Adria, Bürstner, Carado, Carthago and Swift. This offers customers

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an extremely wide choice, from entry-level models such as Auto-Trail’s Tribute and Swift’s Select ranges up to the highest specification motorhomes and luxury liners offered by brands such as Carthago and Bürstner, with everything in between. With such a great selection of new and pre-owned vehicles, we’ll be able to source a motorhome for all budgets and lifestyles.

Details of which vehicles and models will be available to view during our October event will be on our website.

What else do you offer customers, in particular newcomers to touring?

We try to make the purchasing experience as easy as possible, and to ensure that when a customer leaves our premises either with a brand new motorhome or with a ‘van from our very popular pre-owned selection, they’re completely ready to head off on tour. So, in addition to arranging finance when required, we help out with organising insurance with →

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specialist motorhome insurance providers, some of which offer discounts to our customers.

We also provide a ‘Ready to Go’ package with all new motorhomes that includes all the basics required for easy touring, such as a water hose, levelling blocks, an electric hook-up cable and cassette toilet accessories.

Do you offer motorhome rental for customers not yet ready to make a purchase?

Yes, indeed, and this is an expanding side of our business. For customers unsure whether the touring lifestyle is right for them, or simply for those that currently prefer a change to the type of holiday they usually take, we offer motorhome hire.

It’s a great way to introduce the motorhome lifestyle, and to find out what kind of vehicle is suitable to a customer’s needs. We offer a ‘try before you buy’ discount for customers who latterly purchase a motorhome having hired one from us.

of Outstanding Natural Beauty, but it doesn’t receive quite as many tourists as neighbouring Devon does.

Not least, when making an initial purchase, we always recommend to stay a night or two local to us so that if customers have any questions or concerns, we’re nearby. ●

DISCOVER MORE Chelston Motorhomes Chelston Business Park, Wellington, Somerset TA21 9JE Tel 01823 662075 www.chelstonmotorhomes.co.uk

Finally, where would you recommend newcomers visiting for their first touring experience?

Come to Somerset! This beautiful county has fabulous coastal and inland scenery, such as Exmoor National Park, plus the Quantock Hills and Blackdown Hills Areas

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Caroline Mills tours the vineyards of Surrey, Kent and Sussex to discover a world of vines and wines to rival champagne →

Christopher Merrett

O

ur Gallic friends across the Channel would love us to believe that their famous monk, Dom Pérignon, invented sparkling wine. Apparently the British drink more champagne than any other country except France.

Perhaps, if only subconsciously, we love a glass of fizz because it was actually an English scientist, one Christopher Merrett from Winchcombe, in the heart of the Cotswolds, who, 400 years ago (and 20 years before Dom Pérignon introduced champagne to the world) documented the technique of secondary fermentation – the process by which quality sparkling wines are made today, also known as ‘the traditional method’.

Merrett also helped to revolutionise glass production in England so that bottles could be made capable of withstanding the huge pressures of secondary fermentation; before then bottles would explode rendering the contents undrinkable.

It’s perhaps, little wonder, then, that, along with a warmer climate, English sparkling wines are making notable headway on the world stage to rival some of the very finest fizz.

Regardless, a tour of Surrey, Kent and Sussex, linking up a collection of English vineyards makes a very fine trip indeed.

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Taking in the view I begin my tour, not heading for the first drink on offer, but with an early morning stroll up Leith Hill. At 965ft (265m), it’s the highest point in Surrey and the second highest in Southeast England, making it a fine vantage point from which to view the landscape over which I’ll be venturing in search of vineyards. The cool canopy of pine and birch as I climb gives way to a summit of views: to The Shard and London’s city skyline to the northeast, and a patchwork of glorious countryside to the south.

Not content to visit just one of the viewpoints that make up the heavily wooded Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, I move on to Box Hill, ten miles north on the outskirts of Dorking. The hill’s ZigZag Road is famous for cyclists wincing their way up the sharp incline of the chalk slopes. The hills western slope is also a great place from which to look down upon Britain’s largest single-estate vineyard, Denbies. You can’t miss the rows of vines while on a wander along the National Trust signposted ‘Hill Top Stroll’; autumn, as the vine leaves turn golden, is one of the prettiest times to take in the view. →

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Denbies

Go by train These are not the only superlative views to be had, though, as a tour of Denbies offers an alternative. I catch the little vineyard train (must be pre-booked) that departs from the dominant winery building at Denbies for a tour of the vineyards. Indoor tours of the winery are not running currently, but the leisurely tour by train, complete with a commentary on the vineyard, is particularly pleasant.

The train winds its way through the rows of vines and woodlands on Ranmore Hill to give outstanding views of Box Hill, Leith Hill and the Mole Valley – it’s as good if not better than any vineyard vista you’ll find. I’m taken aback by the beauty and number of wild flowers bursting with colour between the rows of vines on the slopes – something I’ve not seen on my numerous trips to vineyards across Europe.

At the top of the hill, the train stops for 15 minutes and there’s a theatrical pop of the cork as a glass of Denbies’ ‘White Downs’ Seyval Blanc sparkling wine is served.

It’s a lovely spot to enjoy some fizz – and a celebratory introduction to a tour of English vineyards. Accompanying children receive a glass of non-alcoholic grape juice; the whole experience is ideal for families. →

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©Denbies

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The Wine Garden of England It’s just over an hour’s drive to Chapel Down, my next vineyard and the first of a series I visit in Kent. It belongs to a collection of privately-owned vineyards marketed under an umbrella organisation, the Wine Garden of England, which can organise personalised tours. There are seven member vineyards: Chapel Down, Hush Heath Estate, Simpson’s Wine Estate, Gusbourne, Squerryes, Domaine Evremond and Biddenden. Each vineyard offers visitors exciting tours, wine tastings and events.

Chapel Down is the largest wine producer in the UK, producing more than a million bottles of wine a year.

That’s almost half of all UK production, with a thousand acres under vine.

It’s possible to take a self-guided walk along the Red Vineyard Trail but I’d thoroughly recommend a guided tour here. Tom, our tour guide and wine tasting expert for the afternoon, is outstandingly knowledgeable and explains the history of wine production in Britain: what did the Romans ever do for us? They introduced vineyards!

©Chapel Down

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Chapel down Thereafter, we’re taken on a short tour of the vines and, at weekends when employees in the winery are not working, a brief tour to see the wine presses and shiny steel vats, with technical details given about viticulture.

But much of the afternoon is taken up with a tutored tasting in The Wine Sanctuary, a stylish contemporary building with huge glass doors overlooking the vines. Tom is not just a tour guide. He takes us on a tour of the wine glass, explaining how to taste wines as the wine trade does. The systematic, step-by-step tasting is very educational, with the reward of six or seven wines to taste.

Those not dining at the two AA rosette Swan Restaurant on site, can visit the estate shop and pick up a chilled bottle along with some locallysourced gastronomic supplies for a picnic on the lawn. →

©Chapel Down

©Chapel Down

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Apples and pears The countryside in this central part of Kent, in which Chapel Down is situated, is some of the most charming of the county. There are fruit orchards in abundance, lines of hop bines reaching for the clouds, the ubiquitous brick oast house a-plenty, and pictureperfect towns and villages such as Tenterden, Cranbrook and Goudhurst, all of which offer a little tea-room, a delightful pub, or a village pond to sit by.

They’re all worthwhile for exploration in between vineyards; I love Goudhurst, which, as one of the highest villages in the Kent Weald, has some beautiful views. Head along the little footpath beside the war memorial and you’ll come out into open countryside in a matter of yards, with a hilltop panorama as just reward.

After a restful overnight stay at Tanner Farm Park, I continued onto my next Kentish vineyard, Hush Heath Estate. I’m not sure what to expect as I traverse the Kent countryside to reach it, but I leave with a sense that this could be my favourite vineyard. It’s a place you can certainly spend a full, leisurely day at.

The Balfour family bought 400 acres of land by accident! Of that, 100 acres are designated ancient woodland with private footpaths to wander – an added bonus for those that like to work up an appetite for lunch. It’s one conservation aspect that the Balfour family are committed to – a guided tour will take you past 20 acres of wildflower meadows, perfect for pollinating bees that gather nectar for the estate honey and to pollinate the 30 acres of apple orchards, used to make a delicious, sparkling cider.

But it’s the 150 acres of vines and the winery building, completed in 2018, that can’t fail to impress most.

Take a stroll through ‘Nanette’s Vineyard’, a young parcel of vines, for views back that rival Épernay’s Avenue de Champagne. Equally impressive are the views over the vineyard from the balcony of the winery, where I sit for a tutored tasting and a sharing platter lunch of exceptional Kentish charcuterie, cheese and crudités.

Inside the building, a mezzanine overlooks the ‘champagne’ bar below and the huge winery where you can watch the wine-making process.

It’s a shame to have to make a definitive choice from the six wines tasted of the 27 wines made at Hush Heath, but Balfour’s Brut Rosé is the flagship wine of the estate.

It consistently wins gold medals at the International Wine Challenge, was the first English sparkling wine to be served in British Airways first-class cabins, and is also served on the Orient Express. It has some pedigree! →

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Hush Heath

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Simpson’s A village vineyard I could happily stay in the area for longer to visit cultural gems such as Scotney Castle, Sissinghurst and the National Pinetum, but Kent’s backroads, and the little villages along them, are worthy of exploration, too, as I do on my way to another Wine Garden of England vineyard, Simpson’s Wine Estate.

My route takes me east towards Canterbury, cross-country via scenic villages such as Charing, but none prettier than Barham, the little village on the North Downs Way in which Simpson’s Wine Estate sits.

The entrance to the smart, timber-clad winery is directly opposite the pretty village church, a typical Kentish church made of flint under a green copper spire, which can be seen from the estate vineyards. Visitors on a vineyard tour stroll through the churchyard, under the lychgate, past cottage gardens brimming with scented roses and along an old, leafy Roman road to reach one of two vineyards belonging to the estate.

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The three noble grapes It’s a very peaceful spot and a gorgeous sun-trap for growing vines. Much like most of the vineyards of Southeast England, Simpsons grow Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier – the three ‘noble’ grapes used to make champagne. The geology of the North and South Downs is the same as that which runs under the Channel, the Paris Basin and the Champagne region, and the similar soil and terroir, coupled with good amounts of sunshine, has proven to generate excellent wine-growing conditions for English sparkling wine.

The owners, Ruth and Charles Simpson, know a thing or two about making wine – the couple also own a vineyard in the Languedoc region of France. They created Simpsons Wine Estate in Barham from scratch in 2012, planting 85 acres of vines. Their first harvest was in 2016 and, having planted vines based upon certain rootstocks and clones from Burgundy, found they could make excellent still English wine, too, including a Pinot Noir rosé and a Pinot Noir red, with a light clarity similar to that of a good burgundy.

Tastings are fun rather than pompous. The Tasting Room sits above the winery – and in times without the threat of Covid 19, guests leave via the curly slide! At other times, guests taste the wines in the pressing room, beside the giant grape press and a showcase shelf of oak wine barrels. →

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Gusbourne Coasting It’s a scenic drive through the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to my overnight campsite, though I wish I’d left more time to enjoy the pretty villages of Exted, Elham and Ottinge en route. They offer typical Kentish architecture that’s exceedingly attractive.

I stay overnight at Daleacres, a tidy campsite between the Kent Downs and the coast and a good mid-way stopping point between Simpsons and Gusbourne, the last of the Kent vineyards I choose to visit.

One tenth of the size of Chapel Down, Gusbourne Wine Estate is one of the smaller vineyards on my tour. Its focus is on outstanding quality, selling to outlets such as Selfridge’s, Harvey Nicholls plus Berry Bros & Rudd along with a selection of special still wines only available direct from the vineyard due to the small quantities.

A visit is refreshingly informal; Sue and Matt, tour and tasting guides for the morning, are quickly on first-name terms with visitors as we sit beneath a large canvas canopy overlooking the vines and the winery.

Tall, purple Verbena bonariensis sway in the sunny breeze and thyme and rosemary perfume the air. Sue talks of the staff as we wander the vines, of vineyard manager Jim, winemaker Charlie, Sommelier Laura and tractor driver/frost-buster Darren; all are as important as each other to the quality of the resulting wines.

©Gusbourne

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For anyone whose ampelography skills are unremarkable, a visit to Gusbourne makes life easy. In a nod to French tradition, where roses are planted in the vineyard reputedly to indicate signs of potential disease, the owner at Gusbourne has planted a rose bush at the end of each row of vines: a white rose for chardonnay, red rose for pinot noir and pink for pinot meunier. If the vineyard butterflies that are unrelentingly sipping nectar from the roses are anything to go by, they recommend a bottle of Pinot Meunier! Though, at the tutored tasting led by Matt, it is Gusbourne’s Blanc de Blanc (100% Chardonnay) that is ‘the vineyard wine’, the wine which expresses the vineyard and its maritime location best.

I take a short break from touring vineyards, and, crossing the border into East Sussex, stop in the historic inland port of Rye. My route there is no less scenic than anywhere else I’ve been, through the pretty villages of Appledore and Stone, and alongside the Royal Military Canal and River Rother, which sparkles in the sunshine.

But the hilltop town of Rye perhaps tops all this for its charm. It’s a tiny town that’s brimming with narrow streets and overhanging brick and timber buildings; park on the outskirts (motorhomes can park beside the River Haven Hotel) and wander in on foot. My favourite is the peace of Church Square and the surrounding cobbled streets, where tiny front gardens bloom. The town has a wealth of coffee shops and places to eat; The Fig, at the top of the High Street, is particularly good for brunch and lunch. →

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Going organic For afternoon tea, though, the place to visit is Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard, the first of my Sussex vineyards.

Sedlescombe is reputedly the oldest organic vineyard in Britain, begun in 1979 by Roy Cook, a pioneer in organic wine production who latterly was moved to use biodynamic methods. These are principles which are still in use throughout the vineyard. Sustainability is in evidence across the estate, from the recycled materials used in the attractive new visitor building to the ground source heat pump that sits beneath the vines to heat it.

Sat in the sunny courtyard dappled by giant oak trees and crab apples, it’s a restful spot to sample the vineyard’s organic wines and discover the biodynamic methods used in the vineyard, which includes utilising

the lunar cycle to dictate when certain activities are carried out to the vines.

If that all sounds a little bit fanciful, spending time over a ploughman’s lunch or afternoon tea with a glass of organic fizz will soon bring you round. My choice is a still Riesling-like ‘Old Vine’ wine, made from a 32-year-old Rivaner vine, a grape variety otherwise known as Müller-Thurgau that’s widely used in German and Swiss wines.

1066 and all that. . .

There are plenty of cultural diversions around Sedlescombe, including nearby National Trust-owned Bodiam Castle (where the vineyard also has some vines) and Bateman’s, the former home of writer Rudyard Kipling. I decide to go further back in time,

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to 1066, and the Battle of Hastings. With places like Bayeux Cottage and Battle Gate, it’s fairly obvious what went on in the town of Battle.

While the town of Hastings lies on the coast, William the Conqueror’s battle with Anglo-Saxon King Harold actually took place in fields north of Hastings. You can visit the battlefield site, follow the trail and see where the future of English rule was decided. Access is part of the English Heritage-owned Battle Abbey and grounds.

Take a wander around the town, too. There are plenty of little eateries (the Battle Deli and Coffee Shop offers a good frothy coffee and socially distanced seating booths) and independent shops for browsing.

I opt for an overnight stay at Battle Normanhurst Court, a campsite set in the grounds of a 19th century garden packed with magnificent trees.

It’s all within a vast parkland estate, through which there’s a fabulous walk to the nearby village of Catsfield. Keep a look out – you can’t miss them – for the avenue of giant Western Red Cedars.

Herstmonceaux Castle

There can be few more picturesque brick buildings in the whole of Britain than Herstmonceaux Castle, and few older; it is regarded, built in 1441, as one of the oldest brick buildings in Britain. The castle’s moated setting certainly has a wow-factor as visitors approach down the long drive.

It also provides another cultural interlude from vineyard touring and I spend a lovely morning wandering the 300 acres of woodland and themed gardens. The woods are noted for their 300-year-old chestnut trees, with portly trunks, while the more formal gardens, where vivid peacocks strut amid the rose bushes, offer plenty to occupy a few hours.

But I’m eager to visit the last vineyard on my road trip, the Rathfinny Wine Estate, situated within the South Downs National Park, just a mile from the idyllic and very popular village of Alfriston. →

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Rathfinny

The best view For views, it’s evident I’ve saved the best until last. Climbing up from the vineyard entrance, a turn of a corner and over the brow of a hummock, suddenly, there in the distance is the most incredible view of the Cuckmere Valley leading to the English Channel. It is a view that must be impossible to tire of and one needs a moment to simply stand and stare to appreciate its beauty. If one does tire of it, no matter. For turn to the northeast, and there is no lesser view of the South Downs on which sits the Long Man of Wilmington chalk figure. Turn to the west and you’ll come across views of the South Downs stretching as far as the eye can see.

The Rathfinny Wine Estate is fast becoming the largest single-estate vineyard in Britain; it is soon to overtake Denbies in the acreage of vines planted. It truly is vast – and a remarkable estate – it takes the best part of a mile to reach the Winery and estate shop from the entrance, having passed by acres of vines to get there. At the time of going to press, guided estate tours are not taking place, but don’t let that stop you from visiting. I take myself on a self-guided tour of the estate, along permissive footpaths that make up the Rathfinny Trail. I anticipate a half-hour walk but, such is the beauty of the estate, I spend two hours wandering and watching – for the biodiversity is extraordinary.

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The Rathfinny Estate is not just about vines. There are fields of arable crops and acres left for nature.

I spend much of my time distracted by clouds of butterflies that refuse to sit still to have their picture taken! Within just a small area of the estate I come across fifteen species, each feeding off the extensive assemblage of wildflowers. I could wander for far longer, with direct access to the South Downs Way and its magnificent chalk grassland. But the vineyards call – and my tummy is chattering with

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anticipation at the highbrow seafood takeaway bar set up to quell the hunger of eager visitors alongside pre-ordered picnics served in the vineyard.

English sparkling wine is known to accompany a good old-fashioned portion of fish and chips exceedingly well. Sat overlooking the vines and the South Downs, they taste even better! 

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Discover where Tanner Farm Park An excellent and immaculately kept touring park for motorhomes, touring caravans and tents with both large hardstanding and grass pitches. Smart amenity block plus washing up and laundry facilities. Large play area and dog-walking area though make the most of the 3-mile circular walking route for views of apple orchards and oast houses.

Goudhurst Road Marden, Kent, TN12 9ND www.tannerfarmpark.co.uk

Dalesacres A Caravan & Motorhome Club site that’s open to non-members with hardstanding and grass pitches for tents, tourers and motorhomes. There are also yurts available for hire. There’s plenty of room and you can find yourself a pitch in full sun or beneath a shady tree. Some areas of the site offer wonderful views of the Kent Downs. A convenient site for Eurotunnel and Dover ferries, too.

Lower Wall Road Hythe, Kent, CT21 4NW www.camc.com

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to stay Battle Normanhurst Court This beautiful site is set within a former garden on the formidable Normanhurst Estate. It’s like staying within an arboretum thanks to the magnificent collection of mature trees; there’s nothing overly formal, with pitches set in garden-like enclosures, some hardstanding, others grass. Excellent amenity blocks. Take the one-mile walk through the Normanhurst Estate.

Stevens Crouch Battle, East Sussex, TN33 9LR www.camc.comOckley, Surrey, RH5 5PA www.camc.com

Etherley Farm A picturesque back to basics campsite set over two fields on a working National Trust-tenanted farm surrounded by historic woodland. No set pitches or hookups. Toilets, showers and washing up facilities. Small farm shop on site. Campfires allowed. Direct access with lovely woodland walks to Leith Hill.

Leith Hill Lane Ockley, Surrey, RH5 5PA www.etherleyfarm.co.uk

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DISCOVER MORE Denbies Wine Estate: www.denbies.co.uk Chapel Down: www.chapeldown.com Hush Heath Estate: hushheath.com Simpsons Wine Estate: simpsonswine.com Gusbourne: www.gusbourne.com Sedlescombe: www.sedlescombeorganic.com Rathfinny Wine Estate: rathfinnyestate.com Wine Garden of England: www.winegardenofengland.co.uk Visit Kent: www.visitkent.co.uk Visit Surrey: www.visitsurrey.com East Sussex: visit1066country.com Other recommended vineyards to visit: Kingscote Lodge (East Sussex); Nyetimber (set open days only; West Sussex); Squerryes (Kent); Biddenden (Kent); Domaine Evremond (Kent); Bluebell Vineyard (East Sussex); Greyfriars (Surrey) All images ©Caroline Mills, except where indicated

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FIRST LOOK

An apartment Concerned about staying in a hotel for the foreseeable future? The Frontier Delaware provides your holiday solution →

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AU TO -T R A I L F RO N T I E R D E L AWA R E

on wheels...

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f you’re one of the many people that don’t like the idea of staying in a hotel or holiday cottage, where you can’t be sure how well the rooms or communal spaces have been cleaned prior to your stay, you’ll love the Frontier Delaware, which has all the hospitality comforts of a hotel, but in your own personal space.

It’s a motorhome with as much space as a small holiday apartment that you can call your own, and have the freedom to use over and over again, whenever you choose. No need to sit on a cramped aeroplane to some far-flung destination. You can travel in comfort, style and privacy.

The Delaware is one of seven motorhomes within Auto-Trail’s flagship Frontier model range. There are three layouts to the Delaware collection including two that offer a rear island bed: the Delaware and the Delaware HB, which sits above a large storage ‘garage’, and one, the Delaware S, that offers a pair of parallel single beds at the rear.

All three Delaware layouts are contained within an 8.04 metre-long body, making them slightly shorter than their respective sibling the Comanche, which offers three identical layouts with the exception of a longer living area at the front. The Scout, meanwhile, offers a rear U-shaped lounge.

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EXTERIOR The seven Frontier models, including the Delaware, are based on the Fiat Ducato with the latest Euro 6D engine. In addition to a standard white cab, there’s a healthy choice of five external metallic cab colours with seamless coordinating graphics and 16” alloy wheels and a smart black front grille. But there’s more to the Frontier Delaware than just looks.

The motorhome body sits on a galvanised Al-Ko chassis, regarded as the premium of all chassis in coachbult motorhome design for its increased road handling and improved driving comfort. It also allows greater payloads.

There’s space at the rear of the attractively-styled high gloss rear panel to add a cycle carrier (a cost option) while an external shower unit – great for hosing off sandy feet before entering the vehicle – and gas barbecue point are included.

Plus, if you like the idea of out-of-the-way campsites and staying at places without an electric hook-up, you’ll be able to take some extensive holidays off-grid – there’s room for two 13kg propane gas bottles, and the Delaware is fitted with two leisure batteries and a 100W solar panel.

LIVING & SLEEPING As we’ve mentioned before, you can treat the Delaware like a small holiday apartment – there’s that much space!

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The floorplan is such that there’s a free walkway from the cab, with its rotating captain’s chairs, and lounge area where you’ll find comfortable parallel settees, right through to the kitchen and rear bedroom.

The settees, with a choice of faux or real leather upholstery and coordinating scatter cushions, are sumptuously comfortable and, at 4’ in length, are long enough to snuggle up on. These make up an additional 6’8” long transverse double bed at night. A freestanding, foldaway table can be placed in between to dine in comfort.

But the beauty of any Auto-Trail motorhome is the option to transform the layout. Opt for the lo-line version with panoramic skyline window, cab seats plus parallel settees and this is a boutique hotel suite on wheels for couples. Opt for the hi-line version (a matter of a few centimetres taller) and add optional belted rear seats, and you’ve got a spacious family ‘van seating and sleeping up to six between the overcab bed, the made-up front double bed and the rear island bed.

This rear double bed is in its own en-suite bedroom, which can be closed off from the remainder of the motorhome with a domestic-style door. With a deep, sprung mattress and soft padded headboard, together with pleated blinds and curtains at the windows, you’re sure to get an excellent night’s sleep.

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K I TC H E N The self-contained L-shaped kitchen is well equipped to cope with feeding a hungry family. There’s a full oven/grill beneath a four-ring hob (three gas, one electric) together with a stainless steel 800W microwave. The Thetford fridge with separate freezer has a whopping 167-litre capacity, providing ample space to avoid the need for a daily trip to the shops.

The design has allowed for a good amount of preparation space and plenty of storage, including a dedicated pan store beneath the oven. For those that like a tipple in the evening, you’ll find a cocktail cabinet, too.

WA S H R O O M With all this space, there’s room enough to offer a washroom with electric flush cassette toilet and washbasin on the offside, and a separate, fully-enclosed shower cubicle on the nearside. There’s also a storage cabinet for toiletries and a useful foldaway drying rail in the shower. As the washroom is within the rear bedroom area, with the door closed this can create a spacious washing and changing room. However, as it is thoughtfully positioned between the lounge/kitchen and rear bedroom, the washroom can also be used by those sleeping or using the overcab and lounge area without pushing past slumbering folk in the rear bed. →

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FIRST LOOK

STO R AG E There’s plenty of storage space in the Delaware, with lots of overhead airline-style lockers behind stylish two-tone gloss and wood doors. You’ll also find underseat storage in the living area and, thanks to the low-level Al-Ko chassis, an underfloor storage locker in addition to storage with exterior access.

If you need to store bulkier items, for example bikes that you don’t want to place on an external cycle rack, you might want to think about the Delaware HB, which has a large storage ‘garage’ beneath the rear bed.

F I N A L S AY… This is a really lovely motorhome with a lot of space and comfort, made to a high specification that’s too numerous to list in detail here (the Auto-Trail website provides a full spec).

It does, however, incorporate a ‘Media Pack’ as standard (many motorhomes have to purchase packages like this as an extra), which includes a touchscreen infotainment unit with a motorhome-specific sat-nav system, digital radio, CD, Bluetooth, colour reversing camera and a

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widescreen TV with DVD player.

With a gross vehicle weight of 4,500kg if you gained a driving licence since 1 January 1997 you’ll also need to pass an additional test to drive the Delaware, or you may prefer to look at Auto-Trail’s Tracker range, which has motorhomes below 3,500kg. ●

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Base vehicle chassis: Fiat Ducato Multijet II 2.3 Euro 6D 140bhp (automatic gearbox as a cost option) on Al-Ko chassis Mass in Running Order (MiRO) ����������������������������3,750kg Gross Vehicle Weight �����������������������������������������������4,500kg Max Payload. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 750kg Exterior Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.07m Body width. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.35m Height. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.03m (Lo-Line); 3.10 (Hi-Line) Berths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 (6 in Hi-Line) Designated travel seats ������������������������������������� 2 (4 option) Cost: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . from £76,000 otr

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DISCOVER MORE Auto-Trail VR Ltd www.auto-trail.co.uk

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UK TOURING

Pamp

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TOP OF THE WOODS, PEMBROKESHIRE

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LUXURY CAMPSITES

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Discover Touring selects 10 fabulous places for posh camping and glamping →

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UK TOURING

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amping comes in all shapes and sizes. For purists, anything but a tent in the wild with a singleburner camping stove is not ‘proper camping’. For others, something more than a field and a back-tobasics approach is the preference.

Campsites and touring parks have moved on quite considerably in the past few years. There has been a shift towards opening upmarket sites with luxurious facilities for those that like to go camping but prefer the facilities of a boutique hotel. There are plenty of sites across the UK from which to choose and we’ve selected some of the finest here.

We’ve mentioned lots of great facilities that are ordinarily available at these sites, though do check ahead to see what’s open and what’s not during the current pandemic.

Concierge Camping

West Sussex www.conciergecamping.co.uk There are not many campsites in the UK that serve Bollinger champagne by the glass – but that’s what Concierge Camping offer guests from its campsite, situated on the Ratham Estate near Chichester.

The current owners, Lord and Lady Hodgkin, purchased the parkland estate, situated within the South Downs National Park, in 2011 and, in 2015, the couple created a luxury touring park that’s multi-award-winning. There are 27 fully serviced, hardstanding pitches – far larger than most – each framed with hedging for seclusion and privacy.

Emperor Pitches, 15m x 8m, have day Safari tents for your exclusive use sat beside your motorhome or tourer, housing a fridge/freezer, dishwasher, sink unit with granite worktops, dining area and log burning stove.

Washrooms, with complimentary toiletries, are a world apart from your average campsite amenity block, while the on-site shop serves fresh, local produce and morning pastries.

Safari Lodges are also available to rent, as are e-bikes.

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Back of Beyond

Dorset www.backofbeyondtouringpark.co.uk It’s all about the natural environment at Back of Beyond. The camping and glamping site is exclusively for adults, offering 30 acres in which to relax and unwind. The park encompasses a large area of woodland and heathland, with wildlife lakes and a river at the boundary.

Most touring pitches measure 10m x 10m with larger

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pitches also available. Glamping options include two superior shepherd huts, together with a luxury yurt; all are kitted out to an exceptional standard, with a woodburner for cosy evenings, though during the pandemic guests must bring their own cooking utensils, crockery and bedding. There are also three Hobbit-like cabins and two wooden lodges.

The on-site shop sells local produce such as meat from an award-winning local butcher, homemade honey and sweet treats, breakfast goodies and local English sparkling wine, beer and gin.

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UK TOURING

Sandy Balls

Hampshire www.awayresorts.co.uk/sandy-balls There’s no camping or touring pitches available at this site on the edge of the New Forest. That’s because a £210m investment has been spent on the luxurious glamping facilities, which include, our favourite, The Zen. Hidden away in the most natural environment of the park, amid the forest trees, The Zen holiday homes offer a calm and naturally restorative way to

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relax – even if that is in your private hot tub under the trees. Furniture and furnishings are soothingly plain and simple, deliberately, though anticipate a plush washroom with his-and-hers basins and a double shower, a snug wraparound sofa and sumptuous kingsize bed.

Elsewhere on the park you can be pampered to your heart’s content at The Retreat with a wide range of treatments and therapies from aromatherapy massages to luxurious facials. Otherwise, nip to the gym, sink into the Jacuzzi, warm up in the sauna or take a dip in the choice of indoor and outdoor pools.

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LUXURY CAMPSITES

Lincoln Farm Park Oxfordshire lincolnfarmpark.co.uk

Nicely positioned for visiting both Oxford, 13 miles away, and the Cotswolds, Lincoln Farm Park – which has no connection to a farm despite its name – is situated right in the centre of the gorgeous village of Standlake, brimming with picturesque Cotswold stone houses.

The nine-acre park can accommodate tents, tourers and motorhomes, including large-scale liners and RVs on large, hardstanding and fully-serviced pitches. The amenity block offers a full family bathroom to book alongside usual shower cubicles.

You can add a touch of luxury, however, by booking the private use of two indoor swimming pools, complete with spa, sauna and steam room, along with private changing rooms and a gym.

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LUXURY CAMPSITES

Top of the Woods

Pembrokeshire www.topofthewoods.co.uk For some, luxury is all about the location, ambience, space and (re)connecting with nature. If that’s you, Top of the Woods, an eco-luxury camping and glamping site on the edge of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, should be top of your list.

Top of the Woods provides endless space; guests are not crammed in side by side. There’s ‘Meadow Camping’ , teeming with wildflowers and glorious views, for tents and an exclusive private

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campervan pitch (the site does not accept caravans or motorhomes) with firepits allowed. Otherwise, opt for a boutique Safari Lodge, or one of the amazing geometric Nature Domes with huge bay windows.

Both offer bespoke handmade furniture, luxurious feather bedding, rugs and Welsh wool blankets.

There are fabulous foodie treats in store, too, freshly prepared using local ingredients; a mobile Pembrokeshire fishmonger drops by each week and you can opt for a pop-up woodfired pizza, arrive to a Friday night ‘Drive Time Stew’ or have a Barn-BQ. We love the thought of a Wild Gin Making Weekend, though!

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UK TOURING

Love 2 Stay

Shropshire www.love2stay.co.uk There are campsites and then there’s a camping resort like Love2Stay, which has transformed the way to look at camping – it’s on another level!

Salop Leisure, a large touring caravan and motorhome dealership with accessory store close to Shrewsbury, owns Love2Stay; the owners know a thing or two about camping and wanted to create a luxury site that they’d wish to visit themselves.

Everything has been thought of, down to the last detail.

So there are not just fully-serviced touring pitches and glamping lodges at this 22-acre resort; it’s

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regarded as state-of-the-art camping, where luxury and service are standard.

There’s a fitness suite with spa treatments and thermal bath, a natural swimming pool and water gardens with hot springs, a barefoot sensory walk, army-style assault course and, slowing down, yoga, Pilates and meditation classes. There’s also a recreational fishing lake if you don’t want to hop across the road to the River Severn.

If you’re unsure what to do or where to visit in the area, head to Concierge, who’ll book something for you.

And, while you stay, why not book a private bathroom, a personal trainer, the dog salon, an e-bike or, for those daily essentials, use the automated toilet cassette cleaning station?

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LUXURY CAMPSITES

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Catgill Farm

North Yorkshire www.catgillfarm.co.uk The Yorkshire Dales don’t require a hard sell to attract visitors; they are, unquestionably, one of Britain’s finest landscapes.

And it’s the Dales where Catgill Farm sits – in Wharfedale, to be precise.

The views from the camping fields, for tents, trailer tents and small campervans (caravans and motorhomes not accepted) are a luxurious feast to the eyes. If you’d like some glamping comforts, opt for the choice of woodland-themed bell tents and timber pods, each one in a secluded location and with its own private log-fuelled hot tub, fire pit, pizza oven and comfy chairs.

For extra comfort, try one of the two giant bell

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tents, fitted out to the highest standard with private toilet and shower, log burner, electrics and king-size driftwood beds.

You could also order any number of extras, from a Luxury Celebration Pack (bubbly, gold balloons, bunting, fairy lights and homemade chocolate brownies); a Chocolate Fondue Fountain package with fresh fruit and marshmallows; or a bouquet of flowers.

However you choose to stay, don’t miss the short walk to the atmospheric 12th-century ruins of Bolton Abbey, sat beside the River Wharfe.

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The Quiet Site

Cumbria (Lake District) thequietsite.co.uk As campsites and glamping sites go, The Quiet Site, is one of the best – it has regional, national and International awards galore to prove it. This includes the recently received Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development; the first campsite in the UK to receive such an award.

Sustainability is at the heart of everything The Quiet Site does – and yet it still manages to offer an

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indulgent experience. With its remote location above the shores of Ullswater, the views and prospect are outstanding, especially from the touring and camping pitches. There are glamping options, too – we love the underground living Hobbit Holes that disappear into the local scenery.

Facilities are outstanding, from the ultra-modern but sustainable Zero-Waste Shop to the quaint and quirky Bar, housed in an old barn. Here you’ll also find two giant map rooms that are perfect for spreading out your good old-fashioned sheet maps of the fells, ready to plan your walks and cycle rides.

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Ballyness Caravan Park Co Antrim, Northern Ireland www.ballynesscaravanpark.com

Less than a mile from the sublime Antrim coast, Ballyness Caravan Park is close to some of Northern Ireland’s finest attractions, including the Giant’s Causeway, the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Bushmills Distillery, The Dark Hedges, and the Royal Portrush Golf Course.

One of Ireland’s best campsites, the touring park offers five-star facilities and is immaculately kept with plenty of open spaces. The large touring pitches, all fully serviced with hardstanding, are sited in three landscaped areas, around a pretty lake. The central amenity building is designed in the style of a traditional cottage and houses wet-room style hot showers, a disabled shower and a family room with bath and showers.

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Blair Castle

Perthshire www.blair-castle.co.uk/caravan-estate If you’re going to stay at a ‘posh’ campsite, you might as well stay at one within the grounds of a sumptuous castle and, to boot, the only castle in the UK to host its own private army! Blair Castle and the Atholl Estate offers the visitor much.

That may be a pampering session at the Atholl Beauty Room on site, a chance to explore the area on a silent segway or head into Cairngorms National Park on a mountain bike – both segways and bikes are available to hire from the campsite.

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A visit to the castle and its gardens – a five-minute walk from the caravan park – is a must but the estate roams over 145,000 acres and there are plenty of activities to enjoy: you could book an off-road safari or tractor tour to see the red deer and Highland cattle roaming freely (both temporarily suspended at the time of going to press due to Covid 19), or get involved in various country sports – the estate offers some of the most scenic salmon fishing in Scotland.

Back at the caravan park, besides touring and tent pitches with panoramic views, the newest addition is a collection of eight camping pods, with riverside and mountain views. Each pod sleeps two and offers electric and heating.

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searchforsites The easy way to ďŹ nd the best motorhome stopovers and touring campsites in Europe

Find us on the web at searchforsites.co.uk or follow us at facebook/searchforsites You can also download as an app to use oine

EUROPE

THE GAP DECADERS SHARE THEIR TOP 5 DESTINATIONS FOR MOTORHOMERS READY TO BEGIN PLANNING AN ADVENTURE ON THE CONTINENT →

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his is a country of two halves if ever there was one. The north is wealthy, laden with art and architecture from every important period in history, and home to one of the most picturesque regions on earth, Tuscany. The south is markedly poorer, and troubled by corruption. Yet head south and you’ll fall in love with eclectic Sicily and and gently charming Puglia... less spoiled but no less exciting than the big hitting tourist attractions in the north. Motorhoming in Italy is definitely a little different to the other big European motorhome destinations. Italy’s version of the aire is called a sosta, but the two are not made equal. Basic, usually commercially, rather than civically run, and often without a full suite of facilities, you’ll pay twice as much for the privilege

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of staying in one. You may also find that the roads, especially in the countryside as you head further south, are not to the same standard as elsewhere in Europe.

Yet all of the niggles that come with motorhoming in Italy are far, far outweighed by the sheer beauty and charisma of the country, which will take your breath away. From the sun-drenched pale stone of Assisi dominating the skyline as you approach, to the impossibly picturesque jumble of pastel painted houses tumbling towards the sea in Positano, this is a country full of light, colour and rich, rich history. Add this to the wonderful food and wine lovingly produced and served across the country and you have a pretty special combination for a motorhome tour.

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Italy

AN AERIAL VIEW OF THE STUNNING AND HISTORIC MONTE CASSINO ABBEY, LAZIO, ITALY

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Portugal

A FIERY SUNSET AT THE SAGRES LIGHTHOUSE, PORTUGAL

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his tiny country packs a real punch with its fabulous coastlines and two of the top must-see cities in Europe. The southern coast of the Algarve enjoys some of the highest temperatures and longest hours of sun during Europe’s winter and as a result, this tiny area of just 5,000 square kilometers can feel busy with motorhomes.

Visit in spring after the long-stayers have departed north and enjoy the beauty of Portugal as it bursts into life and hurtles towards summer. Hike the Rota Vicentina from Sagres, the southernmost tip of Portugal and experience the spectacular Atlantic waves as they pound the cliffs and vast beaches of

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the western Algarve and Alentejo regions. Further north, the picture-perfect Lisbon will captivate you, with its charming tangles of cobbled streets and white washed buildings, overlooked by the iconic seven hills which spread across the skyline like defenders of the city.

Further north still is Porto, a city of such contrast it could ensnare you for days. Stately bridges compete for span and design with their modern neighbours as they cross the river Douro, life blood of the city.

Cutting-edge restaurants sit alongside centuries old port lodges and colourful street art blends with ancient azulejos (hand painted tiles) in this compact and fascinating city.

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France

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rance is a rite of passage stop for motorhomers venturing across the water looking for their first taste of European adventure, and is a perfect country for those new to the continent; you will be welcomed with open arms. The most visited country on the planet, France has embraced motorhome culture with a passion and has solved the UK issues of motorhomes overcrowding popular tourist spots and parking illegally, with the creation of aires. The French aire is a designated place for motorhomes to overnight and there are over four thousand of them dotted around France. Usually on the edge of towns and villages, aires are sometimes free but always cost considerably less than a campsite. Aires provide a safe overnight stop, fresh water, facilities for grey and black waste and sometimes electricity and sanitaries. Stay on one and you’ll be supporting

the local economy when you buy your morning croissants or enjoy an evening glass of local vino.

Outside of the important business of where to park for the night, France is an eclectic country offering changing landscapes, weather systems and cultures across its vast interior and coastlines.

From the mighty peaks of the Alps and Pyrenees, to the gently sloping Mediterannean beaches and lavender carpeted hills of Provence, this country has something for everyone. If you prefer your motorhome touring on roads less travelled, head for the interior where you’ll find pretty medieval villages, vineyards basking in the summer sun, crystal clear rivers and peace away from the madding crowds. If outdoor adventure is more your thing, the Pyrenees offer spectacular hiking within a few hours of the Cote d’Argent, a 200km beach where surfers flock for the raw power of the Atlantic waves.

ON THE ROAD IN GRAND EST, FRANCE

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Spain

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pain is by far the best country in which to overwinter in a motorhome. Snowbirds head south for the colder months from many northern European countries, bringing a cosmopolitan feel to the resorts of the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca. With an appealing cost of living, Spain’s own version of aires and value for money deals on longer campsite stays, you’ll enjoy a lively winter in Spain with like-minded motorhomers, all seeking the best of the sun.

Culture vultures will find plenty to explore in the grand southern cities of Andalucia, where some of the best Moorish architecture in the world is on display.The Mezquita in Cordoba and the Alhambra Palace in Granada will delight you with their rich past and colourful stories. The hidden gem of this

region is Cadiz, a sea city full of beguiling faded grandeur and more millennia of history than any other city in Europe. Across the huge and deserted interiors, where the roads will be as empty as the abandoned villages, you’ll find green Spain, a stretch of four regions which follow the northern Atlantic coast from the border with France to the border of Portugal. Forget the crowded beaches of the Costa’s and explore the historic cities and wild shores of España Verde. Green Spain is an areas for ‘bests’; some of the best hiking in Spain in the small but perfectly formed Picos de Europa mountains, undoubtedly the best seafood in Spain, fresh off the boat in Vigo and some of the best dramatic beaches and coves, such as As Catedrais beach, with its splendid cathedral like arches.

OVERLOOKING THE TURQUOISE RIO GUADALFEO IN ORGIVA, SPAIN

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Germany O

ften under-rated, Germany will surprise new visitors with its particular brand of beauty and charm. With roads just perfect for a motorhome tour, and its own version of aires called stellplatz, Germany offers a lot to entice and excite motorhomers.

Fairytale castles, medieval villages and woodland landscapes are a German speciality and you’ll find these in abundance in the southern half of the country. So iconic are these places that routes and road trips have been named in their honour; the Romantic Road, the Castles Route and the Fairy Tale Road visit the best of these destinations and

follow well-trodden paths through the German countryside. Head north, past the vast central industrial belt of the country for more destinations straight out of the same mould, but without the visitor numbers or traffic to mar the view.

In the northern half of the country, the cities have been shaped by their religious and trading heritage and make great stopping off points on a motorhome tour. Rustic and low lying coastal landscapes offer peace and bracing air which is good for the soul, and you can take a day trip out to islands that you’ve never heard of, but that will leave you wishing you could stay longer.

THE VIEW ACROSS THE EIBSEE TO THE ZUGSPITZE, GERMANY’S HIGHEST MOUNTAIN

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Izzy & Phil aka The Gap Decaders quit their highflying jobs and sold their house and almost all of their possessions to travel full-time in Europe in a motorhome for two years. Their plans changed when they realized that going back to the hamster wheel was not an option, and their grown up gap year became a way of life instead. The Gap Decaders Motorhome and Road Trip Travels blog www.thegapdecaders.com was born and Izzy & Phil share information about destinations, travel tips, road trip itineraries and practical motorhome tips they have learned during their life on the road.

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PLACE IN FOCUS

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THE FIELD OF THE CLOTH OF GOLD

Camping fit for a king 500 YEARS AGO KING HENRY VIII OF ENGLAND MET KING FRANÇOIS I OF FRANCE. THEY WENT CAMPING AND CREATED THE MOST LUXURIOUS CAMPING FESTIVAL EVER, SAYS CAROLINE MILLS

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he year 2020 marks the 500th anniversary of an historic meeting between two rival kings – Henry VIII of England and François I of France.

In the summer of 1520, the pair met near Calais for an astonishingly grand European festival, designed

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to improve relations between the two great rival kingdoms. It was a defining point in the reign of Henry VIII. The competing royal dynasties, along with thousands of their courtiers, enjoyed a lavish 18 days of feasts, tournaments, masquerades and religious services.

But the two kings didn’t select an opulent fortress or lavish château set amidst abundant landscaped grounds. →

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They went camping – in a field. The specially built – and incredibly elaborate – tents, banqueting houses and ‘portable palaces’ were so magnificent, the occasion became known as The Field of the Cloth of Gold or, in France, Le Camp du Drap d’Or. It was, and remains today, arguably the most luxurious camping festival there has ever been.

The exact location of the Field of the Cloth of Gold was on neutral ground between the then English-owned Guînes and the French town of Ardres. The English erected hundreds of tents, built a tournament arena for jousting and armed combats, and constructed a vast temporary palace for the King and Queen. Meanwhile, the French employed an army of tentmakers to construct magnificent pavilions from the finest fabrics off-site. When they finally pitched camp, the result was spectacular. At the centre of the campsite was a 120ft tall tent covered from top to bottom in gold.

After King Henry and Queen Catherine sailed from Dover to Calais – a journey which so many camping enthusiasts make today – in the late afternoon on 7th June 1520, the English and French camps processed from Guînes and Ardres towards the Val d’Or (the Golden Valley) to seal a new spirit of friendship between their countries; a friendship which, they hoped, would bring an end to the wars that had made them enemies for almost 200 years.

Tensions were rife until the last moment. As the two camps lined the valley, the French mistook the English attendants glittering gold coats for armour. Fearing that Henry was about to double-cross them, the French paused until they were reassured it was safe.

As they approached each other, Henry and François tipped their caps and, dismounting from their horses, embraced like brothers.

The English and French entourages watched as their kings walked together arm-in-arm into a golden tent to begin their meeting.

THE BEST CAMPING F E S T I VA L E V E R The scene was now set for 18 days of celebrations and tournaments at which Henry and François, aged 28 and 25-years respectively, could show off their skill, wealth, and sophistication. The tournaments consisted of jousting, combat on horseback, and combat on

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foot, along with wrestling matches and archery. Both Henry and François were accomplished sportsmen but to save embarrassment and injury, the two kings fought on the same side against teams of volunteers.

However, as with all great camping festivals, it rained!

Together with Henry’s sister Mary Tudor and François’s mother Louise de Savoie, Queens Katherine and Claude hosted the feasts, dances and theatrical entertainments that filled the evenings. Katherine entertained François in the English camp while Claude hosted Henry in the French camp.

Though the festival was deemed a huge success, peace between the two countries didn’t last and war broke out the following year, with successive conflicts for years to come. However, both Henry and François reflected back to the glory of the festival and both kings commissioned paintings of the Field of the Cloth of Gold to remind them of a defining moment in their lives.

N E W E X H I B I T I O N AT H A M P TO N CO U RT PA L AC E Henry VIII’s famous painting of the event, entitled Field of the Cloth of Gold will be one of the notable displays on loan from the Royal Collection at a new exhibition to be held at his royal residence, Hampton Court Palace.

In 2021, Historic Royal Palaces will be celebrating the anniversary of the legendary meeting with a special exhibition at the Palace exploring the drama, diplomacy and discord behind the dazzling spectacle. Though no final date has yet been confirmed for the exhibition (which was postponed from earlier this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic), it is likely to be situated at the heart of the Tudor palace, in the very rooms built for Cardinal Wolsey, one of the principal organisers of the Field of the Cloth of Gold. The exhibition, Gold and Glory: Henry VIII and the French King, will contrast the pageantry with the story of those who toiled behind the scenes to make this grand camping festival a reality.

If you’re heading to France post-pandemic, there’s not much to see where the 1520 festival actually took place between Guînes and Ardres in France – it has reverted back to a field. La Tour de l’Horloge, a small history museum in Guînes, six miles from Calais, does have a permanent exhibition on the event and is a popular museum with young families. →

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PLACE IN FOCUS

10 facts about The Field of the Cloth of Gold  The Field of the Cloth of Gold, which took place from 7th to 24th June, ended on Midsummer Day. Henry VII paid for bonfires to be lit around the English encampment to celebrate the date.

3 porpoises. They also took nearly 200,000 litres of wine and 66,000 litres of beer. Some of this ran through the wine fountain that stood in front of Henry’s temporary palace. That’s some festival!

 In 1520 the town of Calais and the area of countryside around it (known as the Pale of Calais) was English-owned. Henry and François’ first meeting at the Field of the Cloth of Gold happened on the land border between the English Pale of Calais and France so that neither king was a guest in the other’s country.

 It is estimated that around 12,000 people attended the Field of the Cloth of Gold.

 At the centre of the French encampment was a tent covered in gold cloth that was 120ft tall at its centre. However, the tent blew down in high winds!  The English built a temporary palace or banqueting house from canvas and wood, painted to imitate stone. Each side of the building was 100 metres long and there was so much glass in the windows that the French nicknamed it the Crystal Palace.  The French had a banqueting house of their own that looked a little like the Globe Theatre in London (but predated the Globe by nearly 80 years).  The English food supplies for the event included 98,000 eggs, more than 2,000 sheep, 13 swans and

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 There were three kings and three queens present at the festival. As well as Henry VIII and François I, together with their wives Katherine and Claude, it was also attended by Henri, King of Navarre, and Henry VIII’s younger sister Mary Tudor, who was the dowager Queen of France.  On the penultimate day of the meeting a dragon flew across the sky – yes, really! This dragon was a spectacular kite drawn on a rope behind a horse and cart. Fireworks inside the dragon kite made its eyes glow and its mouth roar. Created by the English, the dragon combined François’ salamander emblem with Henry’s Welsh Tudor dragon in a tribute to the new friendship between the two sides.  The Italian sculptor Giovanni da Maiano, who made the terracotta roundels at Hampton Court Palace, also made a similar set of terracotta roundels for the English palace at the Field of the Cloth of Gold.

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THE FIELD OF THE CLOTH OF GOLD

DISCOVER MORE

La Tour de l’Horloge: for opening times, go to www.tour-horloge-guines.com.

For more information on visiting Hampton Court Palace and for the announcement of 2021 dates for the new exhibition, go to www.hrp.org.uk/Hampton-court-palace.

Stay: Chertsey Camping and Caravanning Club Site www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk, seven miles from the Palace and situated on the banks of the River Thames.

Stay: Domaine de La Bien-Assise www.camping-le-bien-assise.com/en, a 5-star campsite based in the grounds of an old chateau in Guînes, six miles from Calais.

With thanks to Historic Royal Palaces for providing the information and statistics on The Field of the Cloth of Gold

DOMAINE DE LA BIEN ASSISE IS A FIVE-STAR CAMPSITE SITUATED IN THE GROUNDS OF A CHATEAU SIX MILES FROM CALAIS. IT IS CLOSE TO THE SITE OF THE FIELD OF THE CLOTH OF GOLD ©Le French Time

OPPOSITE: THE FAMOUS PAINTED DEPICTION OF THE FIELD OF THE CLOTH OF GOLD, COMMISSIONED BY KING HENRY VIII, WILL FEATURE IN A NEW EXHIBITION AT HAMPTON COURT PALACE IN 2021. Royal Collection Trust © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020)

LEFT: CHERTSEY CAMPING AND CARAVANNING CLUB SITE SITS ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER THAMES, AND IS AN IDEAL SITE FOR VISITING NEARBY HAMPTON COURT PALACE ©Caroline Mills

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OVERSEAS TOURING

Does this count as camping in the bush?

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erhaps the most telling part of how the next two days were going to unfold was as we came into sight of the runway in the middle of the Okavango Delta. It was a particularly turbulent flight in the Mack Air Cessna Grand Caravan Ex, the largest of our light aircraft flights with 12 passenger seats available. We were aiming, near enough, for the dusty runway. The second attempt, coming into land sideways, with the wind sock blowing East, or West – by this time I wasn’t too interested in the direction of the wind, rather the three wheels being firmly on the ground. Regardless, our plane came into land “second time lucky”, arriving at Pom Pom camp and to the welcome faces of our guide, Thabo and our tracker, Skills (aptly named as we would find out later from his driving abilities whilst tracking an elusive Rhino).

This camp was to be ‘tented’. Somehow or other, maybe after one too many G&T sundowners at our previous camp, naively (later described as bravely), I had volunteered myself to go in the single person tent.

Alone.

When I say this was to be the ‘tented’ part of the safari, this must have been the finest tented accommodation in Botswana. With a raised wooden balcony so the whole thing was on stilts. A reception room with a writing desk and two huge comfy armchairs, then going through into the bedroom – fully furnished with wooden doors, cupboards, wooden trunks at the end of the bed, electricity, running water and to the back an outdoor shower. There were no plug points, but with no internet and no signal, my phone might actually last the whole day without my usual 2pm recharge. At this point I was fairly happy to have the ‘tent’ to myself.

As I sat on the huge double bed looking out onto

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JENNIFER SEWELL GOES ON SAFAR THE RUGGED LUXURY OF POM POM BALANCE BETWEEN COMFORT AN

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BOTSWANA

RI IN BOTSWANA AND FINDS M CAMP STRIKES A PERFECT ND WILDERNESS

the Delta through the mosquito fabric doors, I saw the resident baboon family I had been told about sitting on my balcony and heard them playing in the tree above.

The occasional bounce off the canvas roof meant I was kept entertained, watching and listening to their activities during the first hour and a half of settling in.

It was later in the day when one of the ladies at the camp told me: “now just don’t let them intimidate you.”

Naturally, and immediately, I had visions of a baboon invaded room, sleeping outside and seeing the majority of my belongings scattered over the watering hole which lay before our camp. Typical that mine was the tent with such friendly neighbours. “They nest at night” I was told, so I would be fine. I was.

Surprisingly, I promptly forgot about the family in the tree as I went to bed that night. Escorted from the main camp back to my room by Thabo, in case of cats he said. It was one of the best night’s sleep I may ever have had. It was February, so summer in Botswana, →

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which also means wet season. For me, it was the perfect temperature and the mosquito screens allowed a light breeze through, so none of the stuffy tent air I had been imagining on our hairy flight in.

Upon meeting each of our guides, three altogether as there were three different camps, there was almost nothing they hadn’t seen or heard before. From tracking for just four months to guiding for over twenty-three years, our guides had seen everything.

Thabo and Skills met us for our afternoon drive at 4.30pm. We were lucky to see rare wild dogs within just twenty minutes of our drive. Rare because they were hunted by farmers, and as they all share food, disease spreads quickly.

Being wet season, we expected to have rain occasionally so as the clouds drew in no one was particularly worried.

The sky was a dusty orange and the wind was beginning to blow quite hard. This wasn’t rain. This was a huge sandstorm. It looked apocalyptic. There was no point waiting for the storm to pass so we drove on. At times everyone in the truck had our eyes closed and scarves wrapped around our faces.

We headed North.

This was when I really began to appreciate what went into being a guide. Visibility was perhaps two to three metres at best, yet Thabo and Skills carried on, shouting

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BOTSWANA

out every now and again when a waterbuck was on the left, a kudu on the right – which of course we strained to see through tightly wrapped scarves and sunglasses.

Forty minutes of driving through thick sand swirling around us, we came out onto a vast plain. Still with limited visibility Skills pointed ahead. Lions.

A pride of fifteen lions lay in the middle of the open plain, sleeping and resting while the storm began to settle. We were in awe of Thabo and Skills’ driving, tracking and guiding and the fact that when we had suggested we would love to see some cats they were able to find fifteen of them all in one place in the middle of the biggest sandstorm either of them had ever witnessed. Here we spent the next half an hour just observing.

All of this was followed by some very animated sundowner drinks and a night drive back to camp.

Only then did we realise that the shower situation was outside, and the remnants of the storm couldn’t be washed away with a couple of trusty makeup wipes. In theory I love an outside shower. When I was faced with sharing it with a troop of baboons, I was not so sure.

Twice I asked if the baboons would get me if I had a shower after supper. Twice I was reassured they would not, like they said earlier “they nest at night.” This didn’t stop me from taking two towels out with me. One for me, and one for the baboons as a decoy. Luckily only one was needed and I survived the shower, being told the next morning what I really should have been worried about were the leopards up in the trees! 

“Twice I asked if the baboons would get me if I had a shower after supper. Twice I was reassured they would not”

DISCOVER MORE Pom Pom Camp www.underonebotswanasky.com

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FORAGING

Prize Porcini

by Totally Wild forager Hazel Mayow

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sk anyone, and they’ll tell you I’m really not a winter person. I hate the cold and dark - so why then do I get so excited as summer heads to autumn , and why am I so eager to get outdoors after a rain storm or a drop in temperature? Well, as a forager this time of year is all berries and bounty, and the shifting weather conditions are just what gets my antenna twitching for a mushroom hunt. That particular edible fungi can be so unpredictable and hard to track down just adds to the thrill of the chase - fungi can be very fussy about habitat and climate, fruiting some years and not others. Sometimes it feels like they are capricious artists, releasing a few limited edition treasures on their own schedule, dropping an exclusive event at short notice when the weather is just right. And if a forager is lucky enough to have inside knowledge of a location for something special, they’re sure to keep it a closely guarded secret invitation only!

After a bit of a strange summer constrained by lockdowns and travel restrictions, just getting out foraging feels like even more of a treat than usual.

Escaping my hot city house, stressed housemates and noisy neighbours, out into clean air, rustling leaves and dappled shade - Bliss! This is my little luxury - the luxury of time spent in nature, leisurely strolls by myself or maybe quality time with family or a relaxed open air meet with a friend, as we spread out under the trees to cover more ground. Even if nothing particularly exciting catches my eye, I’m bound to go home with fruit, berries, herbs and seeds for my kitchen anyway, refreshed and ready to concoct some delicious food and drink ideas.

Yep, I’d say September into October is actually my favourite time of year.

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WILD MUSHROOMS

Please note: Picking and eating wild fungi can be dangerous and there is a risk of poisoning. You should consult an expert to correctly identify any fungi before consuming, and discard any fungus that cannot be positively identified.

So if mushroom hunting is my luxury day out, what better subject for the Luxury issue than to focus on Porcini, also known as Cep or Penny bun, Boletus Edulis, king of mushrooms? Not only are these a much sought after delicacy throughout Europe, they are also a safe and easy to identify mushroom for a beginner forager to keep an eye out for. They’re prized for their size and solidity - one mushroom can often feed two people. They also cook well – if you get your frying pan really hot before adding the mushroom it will crisp nicely instead of going soggy like you sometimes find with ordinary mushrooms, and the chunkiness means big slices can be grilled and barbecued without falling apart.. Finally, they taste amazing! – It has a strong mushroom flavour with undertones of nuttiness; it can simply make a simple dish like a risotto or pasta something Extra.

F O R AG I N G S A F E LY Many people are wary of eating wild mushrooms they’ve found themselves - and with good reason, there are many poisonous species and some delicious edible ones need a fair level of expertise to tell apart safely. Luckily for us though, Porcini are a good beginner mushroom with a lot of unique features to help tell them apart. Just be safe, always double check the mushroom in front of you against the description in a reputable book and if you are only 99% sure what you have rather than 100%, don’t risk eating it. If you treat every find as a learning opportunity, keep a sense of curiosity and investigate any mushroom you find, you’ll quickly find you start to understand the key features and spot the differences. I know some people that dont even like eating mushrooms, but are hooked on finding and identifying all the different species anyway! These days there are various apps to help you identify plants and mushrooms using your phone cameras. While we at Totally Wild think these can be a great learning tool, they are definitely not accurate all the time on all species, and can’t take into account crucial features like smell - so if you’re foraging using an app, always double check with a good guide book, and never, ever eat something based on an app or internet ID alone . Best of all, if you’re serious about learning your mushrooms, there’s nothing better than to go beyond the screen, out on a course with an expert who can show you how to trust your nose, touch and taste alongside your eyes. →

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FORAGING

Photo © Sam Webster

F O R AG I N G S U STA I N A B LY Mushrooms aren’t the whole fungus, they are actually just a fruiting body made to release spores. So picking them doesn’t damage the main body or mycelium of the fungus - thats safely buried underground. You can think of it like picking a fruit off a tree - as long as you don’t break the branches, the tree takes no harm and will be able to produce more next year. The equivalent with mushroom hunting is that you should take care not to disturb the habitat by trampling or digging up the ground, damaging trees or setting fires. Its considerate not to take everything you find though - leave some for other foragers and for wildlife to eat - and by far the best thing you can do to ensure there will be plenty more Porcini in the future is simply to tread lightly and protect the woods they grow in.

W H E R E A N D W H E N TO LO O K Porcini are prized across Europe from Italy to the Baltics, Britain to Bulgaria and beyond all the way to China. They like temperate climates and established woodlands, where they form a mutually beneficial relationship with the trees - often growing with Oak, Beech or Pine. I found my first one this year at the beginning of August, just after a drop in temperature and some rain - that often triggers many species of mushroom to fruit so when it rains after a heatwave, grab your basket and get out there! They could keep coming up well into the autumn, so don’t be afraid to come back and check the same spot a few times throughout the summer and into November.

The mysterious mycelium could be there all along minding its own business under the soil, and it will put up its sought after mushrooms only when its good and ready...

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H O W TO I D E N T I F Y T H E M Heres your guide to look at every part of the mushroom. if you can tick every feature on this list, you could be in luck - and I’ve starred with italics all the things that would mean its definitely not a Porcini.

The family grouping Boletus Edulis belongs to - the boletes - are a good group for beginners, because none of them are deadly poisonous and even the ones that might give you tummy trouble all have some red or blue colouring somewhere.

If its got spongy pores underneath the cap rather than gills, and its brown with no trace of red or blue - then even if it’s not a prize Porcini you’re going to be pretty safe.

The cap is a medium brown, 8-30cm across, looking a bit like like a bread roll, hence the English name Penny Bun. It should be smooth, with a white line around the edge. *if Stem - creamy white, usually very bulbous and often wider than the cap in young mushrooms. The surefire feature to look for is a slightly raised white-on-brown net pattern, called reticulation,around the upper half. If the reticulation is brown on white, you might have found a Bitter Bolete instead - but don’t worry, these aren’t dangerous , they just don’t taste very nice! *The crucial features here are that along with the spongy pores under the cap, edible boletes have no ring on the stem. so if you see one, or it looks like the mushroom has emerged from a bag or egg structure, best leave it be.

Smell - pleasant, savoury mushroom smell. Sometimes you can catch the scent even before you see them! They give this extra flavour and scent to anything you cook with them So there you are, happy hunting! For me the process of walking slowly through the forest, slowing down my pace and taking time to cast my gaze around, noticing the trees, the gound, subtle differences in colours, textures and smells - its all a wonderful exercise in mindfulness and is its own reward whether I come back empty-handed or not. But if an onlooker were to hear a shout of delight and maybe a forager doing a happy dance, they can bet that meditative forage has found some treasure to elevate that mindful state up into some very exclusive foodie joy! ●

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Photo © Sam Webster

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Totally Wild Totally Wild is a foraging company offering courses with expert foragers thoughout the UK and sustainably harvested high quality ingredients. www.totallywilduk.co.uk

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RECIPES

Penny bun and sausage pasta This pasta dish is really wholesome and highlights the nutty flavours associated with the penny bun and other edible boletus mushrooms, ultimately any wild edible mushroom can be chucked in to the mix. It’s actually fairly quick and easy to knock up and is a real crowd pleaser.

Ingredients: 4 good quality pork and apple sausage, chopped in to 3cm chunks 300g penny bun, other boletus fungi, or whatever wild fungi you have, roughly chopped 2 medium red onions, peeled and sliced 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped 1tsp mixed herbs 100ml single cream Cooked pasta – enough to serve 2

Method: Heat a pan to high heat with a little oil and fry off the sausage for 3 minutes until lightly brown Add the onions and mushroom and continue cooking on a medium heat for 10 minutes Add the garlic, mixed herbs, cream and cooked pasta and cook for a further 2 minutes, mixing and tossing thoroughly until everything is covered with sauce.

Enjoy with chunky buttered bread and a grating of parmesan cheese.

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Mushroom Pate This recipe is fantastic because you can use it with a whole range of mushrooms that you find out on your forage.

Think Porcini, fairy ring, any edible bolete, horse mushrooms, field mushrooms, even chicken of the woods. It’s delicious and creamy – enjoy!

Ingredients: 250g wild mushrooms – diced 250g cream cheese 1 medium red onion – diced 1 spring thyme – chopped 1 sprig mugwort – or sage – chopped 1tsp seaweed salt – or regular salt 1tsp ground alexander seeds – or pepper 30g butter 1tsp salt pickled wild garlic or 2 garlic cloves – chopped

Method: Melt your butter in a hot frying pan and add the onions, cook for 4 minutes until lightly softened Then add you mushrooms and continue cooking for a further 8 minutes, until nice and soft without too much juice.

Add everything but the cream cheese and cook for a further minute Place in a food processor and blitz until smooth Pop it in a bowl and put in the fridge to cool for 15 minutes – then stir in your cream cheese, crack a little more pepper on top and enjoy with nettle bread or crackers and of course elderberry red wine!

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HISTORY

CANAL CAPERS

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ROYAL MILITARY CANAL

CHRIS McCOOEY TAKES US ON A HISTORICAL SAUNTER ALONG THE BANKS OF THE ROYAL MILITARY CANAL

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t’s not often that you get to walk alongside a white elephant. But you can in Kent. I’m not talking about taking a pachyderm for an amble in John Aspinall’s wildlife park at Port Lympne, but walking beside the canal that runs along its perimeter. Starting to the east of Hythe, the Royal Military Canal can be followed some 28 miles to beyond Rye, as it skirts Romney Marsh.

By definition, it’s flat and easy walking, and great for exotic wildlife: egrets and kingfishers, for example, are common and then there are the frogs. These are large and bright green and hopped over from the Continent some 70 years ago. And they laugh. I’m not joking. In season, they chuckle away to themselves. One group comes up with a funny and they pass it along to their mates until it seems as if the whole of the marsh is sharing some wonderful rib tickler.

D E F E N S I V E BA R R I E R But back to the white elephant. The Royal Military Canal was constructed 200 years ago when a short Corsican was threatening to invade. The British Prime Minister, William Pitt the Younger and a former Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, knew that the Emperor had amassed an army of over 130,000 troops and a flotilla of 2,000 boats near Boulogne. Ideas to defend against invasion were discussed: a string of defensive forts (Martello towers) around the Southeast coast, to flood the whole of Romney Marsh, to construct a canal to serve as a defensive barrier.

In the event, ideas one and three were adopted. Many of the 74 Martello towers are still in place (the French nicknamed them “bulldogs”). In October 1804, over 1,500 navigators, or “navvies” for short, tough and unruly men who traveled all over the country for work, began digging the canal by hand. With Nelson’s victory in defeating the French navy at Trafalgar in 1805, the threat of invasion was greatly diminished but, in the same spirit as the quizmasters today - “I’ve started, so I’ll finish” - the project continued. “Mr Pitt’s Ditch” was finally completed →

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HISTORY

in 1809 and had cost £224,310, a staggering amount in Georgian England, the equivalent of more than £18 million today.

Of course, as history knows, it was never put to the test. Quite what Napoleon would have thought of a channel averaging about 20ft wide and 9 ft deep is open to conjecture anyway; he had after all led his army across other water courses. The Rhine, for example, to name but one. However, this extraordinary feat of military engineering is more subtle. As you walk beside it today you notice that the inland bank is quite high to give protection to troops marching along its foot, and that every few hundred yards there is a dog leg bend to allow cannon and rifle to fire along its length as well as across.

SA XO N S H O R E WAY A fine circular walk is from Appledore, a village of attractive Georgian brick houses with a good tea shop and pubs, alongside the Royal Military Canal to Warehorne. The return is on the higher ground a bit further inland following the Saxon Shore Way. Back in Saxon days much of the marsh was under the sea.

Indeed the Vikings and then the French sailed right up to Appledore, then sited on the bank of the tidal river Rother, and sacked the place.

Those who know the marsh marvel at its moods – in summer the big skies with towering cumulus crowds stretch from horizon to horizon and the fields are a patch work of green and, later, golden wheat and startlingly bright yellow rapeseed. In winter, there are the mists rising off the dykes and ditches that criss-cross it, with sheep strewn across the grassland as flat as a billiard table. In fact, some of it is like the smooth, green woolen cloth – vast fields given over to the growing of lawn turf.

If you like churches then you are in for a treat. Many of the Marsh ones are in locations where they are grazed right to the entrance porch. Notices request visitors to make sure they shut the door, both entering and leaving, to keep woolly worshippers out. St Thomas a Becket, Fairfield sits in splendid isolation, like a wooden sailing ship on a green sea. Because of the flooding of not so long ago churchgoers often had to get to it by rowing boats. It has box pews and a curious three-tiered pulpit.

Brookland has its wooden shingled spire beside the main body of the church. There are a number of theories

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as to why this should be. The one I like best is that the belfry jumped off the roof in amazement on the day that a virgin came to be married. At Old Romney (used as the backdrop for the smuggling film Doctor Syn made by Disney but based on the book by Russell Thorndike), the grave of painter and filmmaker Derek Jarman is in the churchyard. His unusual pebble and driftwood garden surrounding his fisherman’s cottage can still be seen on the shingle between Lydd-on-Sea and Dungeness. And you’re in for a treat too if you like good old English fish and chips. The crispiest batter, the most succulent and flaky flesh of cod and proper chunky chips can be had at The Pilot right where the road from Lydd meets the sea just north of Dungeness. But for real ale and real pub games of another generation go to the Red Lion at Snargate – it’s the only place I know where you can have a go at Toad Tossing. The same family has owned this pub for 100 years.

If you want to take good seafood home with you stop off at Suttons, Sea Road, Winchelsea. The family is the last to practice keddle net fishing in Rye Bay. The good natured proprietor, Hugh Sutton, will tell you: “Keddle net fishing came over with the Normans. You set the nets at low tide on the sand. The sea comes in and covers them and when it goes out the fish are trapped in the bell end.” He makes it sound disarmingly easy…

Nearby Hugh’s emporium is another edifice constructed because of fear of invasion. Not Camber Castle built to order of Henry VIII and everything a castle should be – solid, squat and brooding – it was abandoned in 1640 when the course of the Rother changed and left it high and dry. No, something more prosaic – a pill box, one of hundreds hurriedly placed in strategic positions, usually on the London side of a stretch of water (in this case the same Royal Military Canal) in the summer of 1940 when a diminutive Austrian dictator threatened to come over, like Boney, and sort us out … ● Chris McCooey owned a motorhome for a number of years and his Swift 600 was a great way for him to explore Kent and Sussex and research his books.

This extract is from Tales, Titbits and Trivia of Kent and Sussex. Details of all of his books and talks can be found on his website www.chrismccooey.co.uk or contact him at chris.mccooey49@gmail.com.

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