The Club Support For Disabilities Scheme

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By William Coleman

The Caravan and Motorhome Club have just announced that they are now supporting the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower scheme for both members and employees across its UK campsites network.

The caravan world is a community that very much loves to help and contribute when and where possible, so it is great to see the Club demonstrating their dedication to the community they have helped build and preserve.

Disabilities come in many different forms and each one is unique from person to person. Some people who have unfortunate ailments sometimes strive for independence and do not want to be defined by their disabilities, this is where the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower scheme comes into play.

Not all disabilities are openly visible and are worth highlighting without causing any discomfort to those who may come into contact with someone who does not openly display signs of disability. The scheme’s concept is simple; people with a hidden disability can wear or display a sunflower product, such as a colourful lanyard or car sticker, so others are aware they need support.

The Club is introducing lanyards, pins and stickers on its Club campsites for people with hidden disabilities to wear and campsites will also display the scheme’s posters to help spread awareness and understanding.

Nick Lomas, director general of the Caravan and Motorhome Club said: “All of us at the Caravan and Motorhome Club are delighted to be supporting this excellent scheme that enables us all to be a little more understanding of each other’s needs. We hope that Club members and staff alike will embrace the scheme whether they have a hidden disability or can offer support to someone who does.”

Paul White, CEO Hidden Disabilities Sunflower said: “We’re really excited that the Caravan and Motorhome Club is introducing the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower scheme into their UK community, for staff as well as members. This can only help people who have hidden disabilities get the most from their time in the great outdoors.”

The scheme is supported by a number of high profile organisations across the UK, including M&S or Sainsbury’s, and is now receiving international recognition. To find out more, visit www.hiddendisabilitiesstore.com

There are a large number of hidden disabilities out there that we may come across every day without noticing, and those who have them may not want to highlight them and suffer in silence. It is great to see an organisation recognizing this and dealing with it so those affected do not have to worry about dealing with the alone.

Morris Leisure Hope To Ludlow Holiday Home Dream Come True

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By William Coleman

Opportunities to own a dream holiday home on the edge of the thriving medieval market town of Ludlow are few and far between.

Properties are in hot demand in the pretty South Shropshire town, which is regularly named in the list of best places to live in the UK.

Now Shropshire-based Morris Leisure is in a position to make dreams come true. The company has 15 pitches available on its new Ludlow Holiday Home Park, which nestles between the River Teme and the town centre.

Five pitches have already been sold on the first phase of the park, which is situated alongside the A49 near Richards Castle, just a five-minute drive or a bus ride from the town centre

The park has been developed alongside Morris Leisure’s successful Ludlow Touring Park and the available pitches are well spaced to offer privacy. Holiday home hunters will discover that the park is located perfectly to explore Ludlow and the beautiful South Shropshire countryside.

One of Ludlow’s greatest attractions is its location, within an hour’s drive of Birmingham and the West Midlands.

The historic town centre and the 11th century Ludlow Castle are situated on a cliff overlooking the River Teme. Renowned as the gastronomic capital of England, the town had poet John Betjeman waxing lyrical about “the loveliest town in England”.

With its buzzing market and popular food and arts festivals throughout the year, Ludlow is an architectural gem and an excellent base for walking and cycling, with the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty nearby.

Ludlow richly deserves its reputation for quality, artisan food and drink, with many excellent restaurants and cafes serviced by local producers. This is showcased every September when Ludlow Food and Drink Festival attracts food lovers from far and wide.
Walkers can explore the South Shropshire Hills of Longmynd, Caer Caradoc, the Stiperstones and Wenlock Edge, while to the west awaits the unspoilt countryside, towns and village of Mid Wales.

Morris Leisure’s managing director Edward Goddard said: “Ludlow is a very special place to live and visit. We are delighted to have been able to develop a caravan holiday home park alongside our successful touring park to bring even more sustainable tourism to the town.

“People who love visiting the area now have an opportunity to own an affordable holiday home in Ludlow and we hope many of the touring caravan and motorhome owners who regularly stay on our touring park will be encouraged to invest.

“We have holiday homes available from £30,000 to £75,000 and finance packages can be arranged for people who wish to exchange their touring caravan or motorhome.”

UK Budget To Reverse Motorhome Tax Hike

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By William Coleman

This week has been a bit of a crazy one following the Budget reform and has brought some amazing news for the touring industry as the Vehicle Excise Duty on new motorhomes sees a dramatic turnaround.

As I am sure everyone in the caravan and motorhomes world is aware, the VED on new motorhomes was set to increase up to 705%. Something that could have seen a potential collapse of sales and new people to the industry. Not to mention the loss of jobs and possible closure of companies due to people not wanting to buy new motorhomes.

This is all now set to change thanks to the new Budget review that was announced a couple of days ago. This news has been very much welcomed by dealers and manufacturers across the UK. The managing director of a leading Shropshire leisure business as “fantastic news for the industry and motorhome sales”.

As of the 12th of March 2020 the annual VED for most, not all, new motorhomes will be set at a flat rate of £265. This number will increase to £270 from April 1st 2020. Hopefully the £5 jump won’t break the bank too much.

When the the new VED was announced late last year it saw quite a lot of backlash and prompted the #fairmotorhometax campaign by the National Caravan Council (NCC), the trade association for the leisure vehicle industry, which was backed by 85 cross-party MPs.

Following Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Budget statement, the NCC announced that its battle for Fair Motorhome Tax was won. Delighted NCC Director General John Lally thanked MPs, members and the industry for their support.

Mark Bebb, managing director of Shrewsbury-headquartered Salop Leisure, an award-winning caravan and motorhome dealership, said: “The Chancellor’s decision to reverse this extremely unfair tax is fantastic news for future motorhome sales and the leisure industry in general.

“Our thanks and congratulations go to the NCC and partners for working so tirelessly to reverse the huge tax rise which was bad news for British manufacturing jobs and potentially damaging for UK tourism.

“The industry can now look forward to a return of the strong demand for motorhomes which we as a business experienced last year.”

Mr Lally described leisure vehicle manufacturing as a British success story. “The steady growth the motorhome industry had seen up to the time of the tax hike was almost instantly halted,” he said.

“We are delighted that our new Chancellor has so quickly understood that motorhomes and campervans should not be taxed as cars, that he has shown concern about the threats to our industry and taken this action to preserve jobs.

“Motorhomes will now return to being taxed as vans, which is logical as the vast majority are based on a commercial vehicle chassis. This is an amazing result for us, for this vibrant manufacturing industry and for the many thousands who take motorhoming holidays – the vast majority in the UK – each year.”

At this time I can just picture in my mind dealers and manufacturers taking a seat and having a quiet moment to reflect on this enormous win and taking a sigh of relief.

For a while I was totally unsure how the industry would react, and more importantly how the consumers would react to such a gigantic hike in price.

For now though it seems that all is right with the world and things have gone back to the way they used to be. New vans can sell to new owners and sites can fill up with sparkling vans direct from the forecourt.

Is this the end of the chapter? Only time will tell. It is not like the Government to leave money on the table, but in light of current events the UK leisure industry might just be one of the saving graces that we have.

Caravan Park With Fishing Appeal Award Win

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By William Coleman

A family’s Somerset touring park, where a well-stocked fishing lake has a special lure for anglers, has landed a major environmental award.

Coming from a family that grew up with carp anglers and trout fishermen it is refreshing to see a site with such a strong focus on fishing, something I wish a lot more sites would do.

Withy Water park, near Burnham-on-Sea, has been announced as a winner of the prestigious David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level.

The green tourism award scheme was founded 25 years ago by botanist David Bellamy who sadly passed away in December 2019.

Assessors for the award said that business owners Beverly and Jim Baker had created “a wildlife wonderland” on the park which is part of the couple’s dairy farm.

Located near the village of East Huntspill, Withy Water is set in 10 acres of tranquil countryside and provides pitches for touring caravans, motorhomes and tents.

Beverly Baker said that the adults-only park, which first started welcoming guests a decade ago, has a particular appeal to lovers of natural beauty:

“Even though our roots here go back many years, we still feel very privileged to be able to live and work in the beautiful part of Somerset,” she said.

“Perhaps because of our farming background, we’ve always been concerned to manage Withy Water in a sustainable way, so this award is very special to us.

“We’ve received many congratulations from our friends, neighbours and customers – so I’m sure we’ll now be spurred on to even greater things!” added Beverly.

Helping the park to wing its way to David Bellamy’s award are its large areas of wild flowers which provide vital foraging for honey bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

The high nectar-bearing blooms flourish in Withy Water’s wildflower garden, and flowers also feature in upcycled planters such as milk churns and wheelbarrows.

The park’s lake, stocked with many types of fish to challenge angling holidaymakers, also acts as a magnet for a rich variety of wildlife including dragonflies and water fowl.

Award assessors praised the park’s planting of many native trees and shrubs, including a new stretch of hedging which has created additional animal habitats and food resources.

In addition, shielded illumination helps visitors to enjoy Somerset’s starry night skies.

The family was also applauded for its engagement with the nearby community, including fundraising for good causes and welcoming local folk to walk and fish in the grounds.

In addition to its main award, the park also received four extra commendations for protecting honey bees, creating new hedgerows, providing woodland habitats, and planting wild flowers.

Beverly said she hoped that the park’s accolade would also benefit other local businesses by shining the spotlight on what a wonderful area Somerset is to enjoy a holiday.

There is more information about the park on its website a www.withywater.co.uk

Coachman 2020 Lineup Revisited

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By William Coleman

Last year the CaravanTimes team saw the Coachman 2020 line up and it was hard to not like what was on display. As we enter the new season we take another look at what makes these caravans stand out from the crowd.

From the Arcadia to the Laser you will see as many similarities as differences as Coachman firmly believe in having a very high minimum standard across their range. And as I have said before there is not really an “entry level” van in the lineup, despite the differences in price.

Yes, there is a caravan that is an entry level price, the Arcadia 460, but you do get a lot of bang for your buck and anyone looking at a first time van on the smaller and cheaper side should be looking at Coachman.

Each caravan from every range comes from the factory with everything you need for a successful weekend or week away. If you want a much more advanced caravan there are quite a few optional extras with prices ranging from as little as £35 all the way to £3050, which gets you an E&P self levelling system just in case you were wondering.

The Acadia

This is what is considered, but is very different from others at this price, as the entry level Coachman caravan. From what I have seen of this range the only thing that makes this entry level is the price.

There are some manufacturers out there that do a lower price van just to keep up with their competition, but they are very much entry level and more often than not these vans go into the second hand market fairly fast.

The starting price, £21,800, will get you the 460 which is a twin bed 2 berth with a rear washroom and central kitchen.

Showing real innovation and market reach, Coachman have added staggering 10 different models to the Acadia range that have 2 to 5 berth options.

The VIP

The VIP has, for a considerable amount of time, been Coachman’s flag ship van when it comes to sales. Their best seller is a competitive price when you look at the amount of luxury you get on board, not to mention yet more high level of finish.

From the outside the VIP vans may not look as futuristic and overly decorated as some vans on site but this is actually a good thing. For a while now I have been seeing some over the top decals on vans and have grown to enjoy the more simple vans who have stuck to a more traditional look.

2020 brings 5 models to the VIP roster which range from single and twin axles with 2-5 berth options.

Throughout each layout there is quite a lot of space. Both the kitchen and boutique bathrooms are spacious and comfortable and look very modern, think more house than caravan.

One thing that I absolutely love is the addition of a contactless phone charging pad. This shows that Coachman are trying to keep an eye on the tech world without overloading the van and making it look like the inside of an Apple Store.

There are also several other new additions this year:

  • Tibero interior steel chassis including locker design
  • Seitz superior one piece exterior door with high security locker system
  • Domestic style ladder radiator in bathroom
  • High security ibe key locking system

On certain models you’ll find additional under bed access lockers, which is new for this year’s line up as well as a stainless steel sink with glass lid.

There is a lot to look at if you think the VIP is for you and I think the main choice you make will be based on who will be using the van, couples or families.

Your buy in price will be around £25,425, which will get you the 460 2 berth single axle. The highest you’d shell out would be VIP 575 which gives you a double island bed with and a fold out at the front.

Laser and Laser Xcel

In the Laser range you will find the top of the mountain when it comes to Coachman and here you also find the new Laser Xcel models which provide so much space they need to be seen to be believed.

Coachman truly feel that the Laser is the benchmark for caravan luxury and really do pack a lot of comfort on board, but it does come with a price.

Across the 5 models you’ll find all the models sit on twin axles and are all 4 berths. So it is safe to say there are no basic features to be found here.

For 2020 Coachman have introduced two 8ft wide models to meet the growing demand for vans that are larger inside without being too tricky to tow.

These new wider vans have some unique features to show off:

  • 8ft wide fully bonded aerodynamic body shell with full width panoramic window
  • Dual locker storage system with designated gas locker
  • E&P self levelling system system
  • Kitchen design with enhanced work space and additional storage

So it is safe to say that Coachman does offer quite a wide variety that will suit the novice user and the seasoned veteran alike. With the rise in popularity of the wider van Coachman have gone the extra mile to make their 8ft vans more than just a van that is bigger than the average.

Things Go Quiet At Devon Park

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By William Coleman

As the touring world becomes more aware of the impact it has on the planet and local environments caravan parks and companies are changing their ways to preserve the only planet we have.

Fossil fuels are slowly but surely being fazed out, which is something that the caravan and motorhome world has yet to openly deal with, and many companies across the world are doing all they can to move away from them and become “Green”.

One park who have totally embraced this green change is Ladram Bay Holiday Park in Devon who are tackling more than just pollution caused by fuels and one use materials.

Ladram are taking the fight noise pollution, which they know they have been creating over the year. So, how is a fairly large site going to reduce the noise created? Electric is the answer, the fleet on site down in Devon is now full electric and almost totally noise free.

This is not the first time the family-run park, winner of the David Bellamy Conservation Award, have swapped fossil fuel vehicles for electric to cut down on emissions.

This new move brings the total number of electric vehicles to 5 in use at Ladram Bay in Budleigh Salterton, and at its sister-park Castle Brake in Woodbury, near Exeter.

Plans have also been announced for electric charging points to be installed at Ladram Bay so that customers don’t suffer from “range anxiety” during their stays.

The move is the latest in a bid by Ladram Bay to become one of the UK’s most sustainable holiday parks where guests can enjoy their stays with a clear conscience.

Recently, the park announced plans to spend around £300,000 this year on a state-of-the-art solar energy system across various buildings in its grounds.

Energy experts forecast that after the work is completed next month, Ladram Bay will be preventing a massive 171 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually from entering the atmosphere.

Ladram Bay director Zoe House, whose family has owned the park since 1943, said that the business’s additional commitment to electric vehicles was a logical next step:

“Our team needs to make a lot of stop-start journeys around Ladram Bay and Castle Brake, and this isn’t an efficient use of petrol and diesel vehicles,” she said.

“We were also concerned about the noise they created, and the effect of the engine emissions on our wildlife as well as the atmosphere generally.

“Electric vehicles are a perfect solution as they are non-polluting and much quieter – something which I’m sure our guests who enjoy a lie-in will appreciate!” added Zoe.

Meanwhile, Ladram Bay is awaiting with excitement next month’s South West Tourism Excellence awards in which it is a finalist in the Holiday Park of the Year category.

The park reached the finals after taking the top gold award last autumn in the Devon Tourism Awards, and was described by judges as “a true leader of holiday parks in the South West.”

Ladram Bay provides a wide range of luxury holiday caravans and holiday lodges to rent or own, glamping pods, and pitches for touring caravans, motorhomes and tents.

As well as outstanding sea views and private beach, guests have use of many attractions such as an indoor climbing, swimming pool and splash zone, and adventure golf course.

There’s also a restaurant and take-away, a beach-side shack where watersports equipment can be hired, and first-class day and evening family entertainment.

Parks Given Safety Consultancy On Hidden Storm Damages

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By William Coleman

2020 has started with quite a lot of storms that have left a lot of homes and businesses in a terrible state. We now seem to have put that extreme weather in our rearview mirror but have they left some unseen issues that will come to light throughout the year?

Over the past 3 months storms Ciara and Dennis wreaked havoc all over the UK, they even took the roof off of my house and flooded almost every room. During these rising water levels and high winds a lot of parks have taken a bit of a beating that may see some long lasting hidden damage which owners maybe, innocently, totally unaware of.

With these hidden dangers comes risks to the safety of both employees and holiday makers, warned safety consultants. Along with property damages comes the potential for guests to raise negligence claims should these concealed issues cause harm.

AD Safety Solutions Ltd, which is now an accredited associate member of the British Holiday & Home Parks Association, have raised this as a concern for parks across the UK, especially those most affected by recent adverse weather conditions.

Director Alaric Little said his company had already found evidence of damage on clients’ parks which is consistent with the effects of extreme weather.

Unless remedied, he said, a business could be accused of ignoring its “duty of care” under the Occupiers Liability Act – even though the park owner was entirely innocent of knowingly putting employees and visitors at risk:

“Many parks may have breathed a sigh of relief that their property escaped any real fall-out from the storms which lashed the UK this year,” he said.

“But we have found impacts such as damage to trees, lighting, paving, roofs, drainage systems and roads which are not immediately apparent to the naked eye.

“Even a tree branch which has been bent down by the gales and now hangs less than 17.5 feet above a road could be the basis for an action under Highway Law.”

“That’s why we are urging all holiday and residential parks to prioritise a professional inspection of their grounds as soon as possible,” said Alaric.

His Somerset-based business works with parks and other leisure business across the country, and provides expert identification and analysis of all types of risk.

AD Safety Solutions Ltd also helps clients draw-up and implement inspection policies and regimes that will help protect businesses from possibly financially damaging third-party claims.

Alaric himself draws upon 16 years of providing safety guidance within local government highways departments as well as industry service providers and contractors.

Other members of the company’s team also have experience in helping businesses remain compliant with the ever-evolving regulations and laws governing their premises.

The company’s expertise, says Alaric, can be tailored to the needs of both smaller owner-managed parks and larger park operations with multiple facilities.

The Clubs Motorhome And Campervan Awards 2020

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By William Coleman

The Caravan and Motorhome Club held their annual Motorhome Design Awards in February but this time round the awards had a little twist as judges took the the many dealer and manufacturer stands of the NEC to judge and record breaking amount of leisure vehicles.

This year’s motorhome awards had to share the spotlight with another type of recreational van that has seen a resurgence over the past couple of years. This year the Club added Campervans to the awards title to show recognition of just how popular the camper has become.

If you look at today’s market the campervan has calved out its own sector within the industry with a hugely diverse customer base. It would not shock me to see the campervan sales number catch up with motorhomes with 2 years.

The 2020 awards have 17 different categories and a total of 95 different campervans and motorhomes were entered for judging.

The judging panel, one of which was our very own Dan Cartwright, spent a tremendous amount of time both on the floor of the NEC and the back corridors assessing and handing in their score sheets so the final results can be ready for the Friday evening awards show.

And The Winners Are…

Any Campervan or Van Conversion Dealer Special Award- Vehicles 4 Leisure Elddis Peugeot Prestige CV20

Over Four Berth Coachbuilt Dealer Special Award- Lowdhams Leisureworld Swift Kon-Tiki Sport Grand Prix 596

Three-Four Berth Coachbuilt Dealer Special Award- Lowdhams Leisureworld Swift Kon-Tiki Sport Grand Prix 599L

Two Berth Coachbuilt Dealer Special Award- Vehicles 4 Leisure Elddis Peugeot Prestige 120

A Class over £90,000- Frankia Mercedes-Benz i8400 Plus Platin

A Class under £90,000- Mobilvetta Tekno K Yacht 79

Coachbuilts over £75,000- Swift Kon-Tiki 675

Coachbuilts £60,000-£75,000- Auto-Sleeper Peugeot Nuevo EK

Coachbuilts £55,000-£60,000- Bailey Autograph 69-2

Coachbuilts £50,000-£55,000- Bailey Alliance Silver Edition 66-2

Coachbuilts under £50,000- Swift Edge 412

Van Conversions £55,000- £65,000- Moto-Trek Leisure Treka EB

Van Conversions over £65,000- RP Motorhomes Mercedes-Benz Rebel Slide Twin 4×4

Van Conversions £50,000-£55,000- WildAx Citroën Relay Pulsar

Van Conversions under £50,000- Elddis Autoquest CV20

Campervans over £47,000- Vision Tech Automotive Volkswagen VTA 20/20 Vision

Campervans under £47,000- Ventura Campervans Peugeot Boxer Ventura VR200

Caravan Park Network Adds Super Speed WiFi

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By William Coleman

The wireless internet speeds have been given a supercharged upgrade on this entire site networks so all your streaming needs can be handled with absolute ease.

It seems the need for a speedy internet connection has become a vital part for a lot of people’s holidays, especially if you have kids or grand kids.

Some will say that sitting on the internet sort of goes against the whole idea of a caravan holiday, but of an evening it is nice to be able to sit and relax in front of a film or have the kids settle with their favourite show. And let’s be honest, Netflix has hundreds of titles and you’re not going to pack that many DVDs so why not take advantage of super speed WiFi.

Guests at Park Holidays UK this year will be among the best connected families in Britain – thanks to a new high-speed WiFi service available from everybody’s armchair.

From now on, says the group, leaving home will no longer mean a bye-bye to freeze-free FaceTime chats with friends, or smoothly streamed box sets from Netflix.

In fact, they say, with speeds of up to 36mb being beamed into holiday caravans and lodges, guests’ WiFi may even outpace their domestic broadband.

The cost over a week’s stay will be about the same as a daily cup of cappuccino – just £15.00 – and up to ten devices can connect with no cap on anyone’s usage.

High-speed streaming is available across all of the company’s 31 coastal holiday parks in Southern England – and Park Holidays UK says the facility is already clicking with customers:

“We always listen carefully to what guests say will improve their experience, and many have said they would happily pay a few pounds a day to access a truly fast service,” said director Tony Clish.

“When free WiFi is offered elsewhere, many customers feel it’s very rarely adequate – so we took the decision to make a big investment in a truly top-end broadband facility.

“It means that our guests will not have to put up with second best when it comes to what is a very important part of people’s lives today.

“Judging by the number of photos of our parks and the surrounding area which customers post on holiday, we feel they deserve an equally impressive WiFi to match!” added Tony.

Among the many attractions which guests enjoy for free are professional entertainment, swimming pools and other leisure facilities, plus a raft of children’s activities.

The holidays themselves are highly unlikely to break the bank either, and current deals include short breaks from £89.00 for up to six people.

Holiday bookings for spring and summer this year are extremely buoyant, says Park Holidays UK, and look likely to smash the record set for visitors in 2019.

This month, it was also announced that the company had been presented with a top platinum award by independent reviews website Feefo for the number of glowing reviews posted by guests.

More information about the group’s parks, and details of holiday offers now available, can be found on Park Holidays UK’s website at www.ParkHolidays.com

Preparing For The Bailey #SaharaChallenge

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By William Coleman

The Bailey Of Bristol Sahara Challenge is just 3 days away and the prep work for myself and the rest of the CaravanTimes team is well under way. But how does one pack and prepare for a tour that will cover multiple continents?

Over the 20 days of the upcoming Bailey adventure several different members of the CaravanTimes will be joining and leaving the tour and covering many different aspects of the trip. We will be sending 3 of our media creative team who will be documenting the trip and myself who will be covering the trip from a media and journalistic angle.

CaravanTimes are no stranger to the Bailey tours as this is the third trip we have documented for the Nation’s Favourite caravan and motorhome manufacturer. You can see the Arctic Adventure and the Bristanbul Part 1 and part 2 which we took part in.

So, by now we should be pretty efficient at getting fully prepped for this tour and would be able to pack with our eyes closed, right? This is not the case!

The reason that we cannot just pack and go is that each Bailey tour is so different from the last that you need to basically start from scratch. A great example of this is the kind of camera equipment we will be taking, not to mention a variety of different clothing and accessories.

Adapting Camera Kit To Different Climates And Countries

Our camera team has to do a heck of a lot or work when it comes to preparing for a normal shoot on a caravan site or inside a motorhome, so now consider how much needs to be checked when we will be crossing several different countries for a 20 day documentary shoot.

When we went on the Arctic Adventure with Bailey the kit had to be weather tested to see how it would handle extreme sub zero temperatures. In some cases the kit just does not hold up in such harsh conditions that a lot of extras are needed to ensure they survive the trip.

This time round we are facing the polar opposite of weather. We will be trading snow for sand, which presents it’s own list of challenges.

As any traveller knows, sand will find its way into every nook and cranny imaginable so we need to make them “sand tight”, not a technical term.

One very important aspect that the camera crew needed to consider, having learnt from past experience, is to look at the style of travel and locations we will be driving to. This trip is going to be heavily focusing on outdoor living and the nomadic lifestyle of areas like Marrakesh and the Sahara. This means that the kit needs to be slim lined to make mobility a lot easier.

During the trip there will also be a lot of outdoor activities taking places that require video documenting so bringing several large camera cases, battery packs and tripods will make the whole process quite difficult, not to mention time consuming. So a lot of time has been spent splitting the kit into a mobile set up and a static set up.

Different Countries Different Clothing

The trip will start, as always, at Bailey’s HQ on Sunday 8th of March and will end Bilbao, Spain, so as you can imagine between Bristol and the Sahara there will be quite a lot of different temperatures and environments.

With a multitude of changing environments comes the need for a good variation in clothing. In keeping with the true nature of nomadic living there will be times where some of the crew will be sleeping in tents, especially when we get to Marrakesh and the Sahara.

Once the sun sets in the desert the temperatures plummet and your nighttime garments need to be able to keep you warm, but then when you wake up you need to ensure your shorts and t-shirts are ready to go.

For this trip I will be having a mixture of shorts, jeans, boots and loose fitting t-shirts that can get me through several hours of driving without getting uncomfortable.

Permits, Passports & Paperwork

Anyone who is an international tourer knows the sheer importance of having your paperwork in order. On the previous tour we had an issue with electronic forms of paperwork when entering non EU countries that lead to quite a few hours spent just sitting on the border of countries. These occasions where border control staff took their time getting their heads around what they were looking at added many hours to what we’re supposed to be short driving days.

If you are thinking about following the footsteps of this tour or any before it be sure to pop to a post office and get an International Driving Permit, or IDP for short. Different countries fall under different permits so always mention to the person behind the counter where you are travelling to and to look at the lists of different permits. Each permit is £5.50 so for the sake of £11 you know you will be totally covered.

As always, make sure you keep all your car’s paperwork, passports and driving documents all together in the glove box. I have been in situations where I thought it would be ok to not stick to this and ended up throwing away my car’s registration document out with a hand full of empty fast food wrappers. Easily done but has a huge impact on the rest of your trip, especially if you are crossing border checks or are topped by local authorities.

Off Road Driving And Towing Expectations

One thing you can only prepare for mentally is what you think you may encounter, which I guess is always worth doing as thinking ahead is the whole basis of pre-planning.

I for one foresee some very tricky roads, especially in the Atlas mountains, where there is a chance the convoy of two caravans and one motorhome may have to slow to a crawl. Ahead of this all you can do is mentally prepare and use Google maps to try and see as many of these paths as possible before driving them.

When it comes to normal day to day or weekend towing I feel confident and comfortable getting from spot to spot. Now throw in mountain roads, in parts of the world which are not known for their road safety, and you’ll end up with a possible bead or two on your brow when towing.

It is the driving side of the trip that we do need to be most aware of when it comes to the tow cars and caravans. We will be driving very well made Ssangyong tow cars and we know how durable Bailey’s motorhomes and caravans are, but this does not mean that the uncharted territory we will be driving will not throw some curve balls at us.

To ensure we do not get stranded in the desert Bailey have support staff from their factory on the trip who can carry out repairs should any damage occur and we also have a support vehicles following the convoy to ensure everything runs smoothly.

As aspect that the whole team have been made aware of prior to leaving is the crowds in central Morocco and rural Sahara. Seeing as we will be in a convoy with heavily sign printed caravans and motorhomes we may stand out a tiny bit. It is here where you would need to be able to deal with crowds flocking to the van, both while driving and parked up.

By now I can safely say that both myself and the rest of the team are fully prepared to embark on yet another epic adventure with Bailey. All I need to do now is pack enough socks and pants for my time abroad and then off we go!

Travelworld Add Aircon Service To Stafford Site

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By William Colean

The one stop shop for all things motorhoming has now added yet another asset to their already impressive and ever expanding services list at their state of the art location is Stafford.

The UK has one exclusive HYMER motorhome dealer, the Erwin Hymer Centre Travelworld, who have just celebrated their first birthday since being rebranded and given Erwin Hymer status, are celebrating a new cool announcement. This dealership is not just state of the art but is also one of the best service centres in the UK for all things motorhomes.

Following their first birthday Travelworld has announced it has become a regional air-conditioning machine service and repair centre for automotive air conditioning leaders, WAECO.

As part of its bid to offer customers a more comprehensive choice of air conditioning repairs and service needs, the company has invested in two new WAECO machines.

EHCT factory-trained staff can now service, repair and regenerate the air conditioning gasses of customer motorhome vehicles, be that chassis, roof mounted or industrial refrigeration units. F Gas certified technicians can retrieve any residual air-con gas from the system, refresh the gas or install brand new gas, so air-con systems can work correctly and efficiently.

Erik Baxendale, EHCT Operations manager says: “Legislation changes in recent years mean we presently have two types of air-con gas in use for motor vehicles, either R134a or R1234, the former has been used for around 20 years and the latter was introduced only recently as a more environmentally friendly refrigerant. The way in which the machines extract, recycle and reinstall the gasses are different and it was important that we cover all eventualities for customers.”

Air-con re-gassing can also be performed on cars, vans and lorries, and rooftop air-conditioning re-gassing can be carried out on Dometic; Truma; Telair air-conditioning units, once the unit is outside its normal warranty period.

In line with chassis manufacturers’ recommendations for air-con servicing, EHCT is offering customers the opportunity to have their chassis air-con serviced every two years and roof mounted air-con units serviced every three years.

The centre points out that air-conditioning gas degenerates if not used for at least five minutes per month, including the winter months, therefore reducing both efficiency and output. They also advise that it is illegal to release air-conditioning gasses into the atmosphere.

Erik added: “WAECO machines are the air-con units favoured by most motorcar manufacturers, who insist on using the brand exclusively in their workshops. As we are a Centre of Excellence for Dometic Group, a global market leader in branded solutions for mobile living, and of which WAECO forms part of, it means we can go one step further in helping our customers take premium care of their motorhomes and accessories.”

Part VW Beetle Part Motorhome

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By William Coleman

We have stumbled across a rather impressive hybrid/bespoke/tailor made motorhome that has been mounted on the back of the classic VW Beetle. This just shows how diverse the world touring vehicles can be when someone creative puts their mind to it.

Over the years we have seen some weird and wonderful caravan and motorhome creations but I can safely say this is the first time I have ever seen a mobile living space physically attached to the back of a small day to day car.

The initial idea for this wacky and wonderful motorhome started way back in 1970’s California and has been aptly named the “Super Bugger”. The company who came up with the idea for the unique conversion thought that using an iconic car like the VW Beetle would have such a stand out look that it would take the world by storm and thus created the Super Bugger.

The specific VW refurb in this article has been very carefully curated and put together over the past 10 years or so. Over the decade almost every part of the VW has been added to or restored from the paint and body work all the way to the body work to prepare it for its new life as a mobile dwelling.

Not wanting to move too far away from its original set up most of the VW’s parts have been kept with updates and changes being made where necessary.

Adding such a motorhome style shell to the chassis is not really what Vaulxwagen had in mind when they first put together their Beetle range so the retrofitting had to be done by a mechanical professional to ensure it is road worthy.

The Super Bugger features a four speed manual gearbox, for all you speedsters out there, which is paired with a 1.6 liter four-cylinder engine in the rear, which will get you about 60bhp.

Considering the tiny size on board the refurb team really has made a very comfortable space to live in, I know some modern vans that can’t say this. The 2 berth motorhome features a two burner stove, sink and a dinette table. It will have to be the bushes for the toilet if you go off grid.

To view a gallery of this cute little wonder Click here.