Experience Top European Festivals With The Caravan and Motorhome Club

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By William Coleman

The summer is almost upon us, as I look out of the window now all I can see is blistering sunshine. That can only mean one thing, festival season is almost upon us. The Caravan and Motorhome Club have put together a list ot top European festivals based near their sites so you can take your touring holiday abroad.

No matter what tickles your fancy these festivals will have something for everyone from tomato throwing in Spain to tasting devine Dutch cuisine, so do not hesitate.

Here are four of the Club’s most popular festivals to explore on the continent for 2018:

Squash all inhibitions at La Tomatina

Possibly the most well-known tomato throwing festival in the world, La Tomatina returns to Buñol, near Valencia in Spain, on the 29 August. Known as the ‘world’s biggest food fight’, more than 100 tonnes of over-ripe tomatoes are thrown in the streets of this traditional Spanish town which dates back to 1945. With just 20,000 tickets available, the festival is popular amongst local and international visitors alike. With hours of tomato throwing fun to be had and bringing people together from all around the world, the festival also hosts an official pre-party and after-party with some of the coolest Spanish DJ’s – meaning visitors can make the most of their time in Buñol.

What’s more, the Caravan and Motorhome Club offers the perfect place to pitch up and stay at the Altomira Site. The site is situated in the heart of the Spanish countryside and is surrounded by cycle routes, beautiful walking trails and is only a short train journey from Valencia where visitors can pick up a bus to the festival.

From £17.09 per night based on two people sharing a standard pitch

Celebrate Swiss love and freedom at Zurich Street Parade

Taking place on the streets of one Switzerland’s greatest cities, the Zurich Street Parade takes the Berlin Love Parade as inspiration. Taking place on 11 August, the festival is a celebration of freedom, love and tolerance – great for those looking for nothing other than a feel-good, chilled time! Featuring house and techno music, Zurich Street Parade attracts roughly one million people each year and revellers march around the natural beauty of Lake Zurich accompanied by ‘Love Mobiles’ blasting uplifting music. The Swiss answer to Glastonbury, the festival originally started in 1992 and continues to grow every year drawing crowds from all around the world.

For the ultimate Swiss escape, why not stay remove – (we want people to stay longer than one night) at the Sempach Site. Recently voted one of the top 100 campsites in Europe, this site is great for those wanting to immerse themselves in the great outdoors and spend time with nature. It offers some great cycling trails, walking routes and plenty of time for water based activities, as the site is situated on the edge of Sempach Lake and is only just over an hours drive to Zurich and just 18 km from the historic city of Lucerne, making it a good pitstop after a day of exploring.

From £43.20 per night based on two people sharing a standard pitch

Go Dutch this summer with a Taste of Amsterdam

This June the streets of southern Amsterdam become a hotspot for foodies from across the globe. The Taste of Amsterdam food festival is a celebration of the cities cuisine and will welcome 20 restaurants to its line-up – from seafood delicacies to vegetarian specialists, there is something for everyone. Held 1-3 June, visitors can sample tasting menus, try fine wines, watch live cookery demonstrations from high-acclaimed Dutch chefs, take part in culinary workshops and take a stroll through the Farmers Market with local fresh produce available to purchase every day.

Start at the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s Koningshof Site which is only 43 km from Amsterdam. The site is located in Rijnsburg and is perfect for families, dog-lovers and active adventurers too, as it is only a 30 minute cycle to the beach. The site offers something for the whole family with a games room, tennis courts, playground, paddling pool, fishing and entertainment (high season only) available on site.

From £26.82 per night based on two people sharing a standard pitch

Rock out at Doolin Folk Festival

Now in its sixth year, the Doolin Folk Festival celebrates everything Irish. Located on the west coast of the Emerald Isle, the festival showcases a selection of traditional Irish bands and singers. Held 15-17 June, the festival is held in intimate settings of local gardens and pubs, leaving the audience and musicians embracing the communal spirit. Doolin Folk Festival attracts visitors from around the world with its niche music combined with a traditional Irish knees up!

Visitors to the festival can maximise their time on the Green Isle with a stay at the Nagles Doolin site. Set on the dramatic coastline of the Atlantic Ocean, this Site offers stunning coastal walks and is only a short distance from the village of Doolin itself, making easy access to the festival. The site is also a short distance from the ferry terminal making it a great pitstop after exploring the Aran Islands and the cliffs of Moher.

From £20.91 per night based on two people sharing a standard pitch

Salop Leisure MP Visit To Support English Tourism Week

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By William Coleman

Shrewsbury based Salop Leisure are in full swing as they celebrate English Tourism Week, which is from 17th-25th of March. To show his support Shrewsbury and Atcham MP Daniel Kawczynski, as well as country councillors, paid a visit to the leding Shropshire caravan dealership.

There will be a series of events held through the week at Salop Leisure to showcase visitor experiences in England. There will also be holiday highlights that have been a major contributor towards England economy.

Visit England have said that the tourism sector reaches everyone- visitors, residents, businesses and employees: “Tourism in Shropshire is one of the main income generators,” said Mr Kawczynski during his visit to Salop Leisure’s headquarters at Emstrey, Shrewsbury. “Businesses like Salop Leisure who are tapping into tourism generate a huge amount of jobs and prosperity for our county.

“More and more people want to visit the wonders of Shropshire and experience our magnificent countryside. Given the rate of the pound, we have seen record numbers of tourists coming to the UK and I can only see that continuing to expand. I am delighted to support Salop Leisure who have done so much to put Shrewsbury on the map.”

When visitors arrive at Shrewsbury one of the first things they see in the railway station which Mr. Kawczynski has announced recent investments will go towards upgrading the station which will start in June.

Councillor Lezley Picton, Shropshire Council’s portfolio holder for culture and leisure, said: “Tourism for Shropshire is immensely important. Shrewsbury and Shropshire have a huge amount to offer tourists and the more we can do to promote it, the better.”

Tony Bywater, Salop Leisure’s chairman, said: “English Tourism Week celebrates the contribution of the tourism industry, in all its forms, to our local and national economies, to job creation, the environment and our local community.

“Since 2010, tourism has been the fastest growing sector in the UK in employment terms. Britain is forecast to have a tourism industry worth more than £257 billion by 2025.

“I think the tourism industry is going to enjoy its best ever year in 2018. After one of the worst winters for a number of years, I am hoping for a gorgeous, hot summer and Shrewsbury, Shropshire and the Heart of England have so much to offer to people who want to get away on holiday.”. Some very encouraging words indeed.

Tourism is such a massive part of British culture which is the third largest employer in England. On a daily basis there are 2.6 million jobs supported by the tourism sector and is a huge employer of school leavers and youngsters.

Each year the UK economy receives and estimated £106 billion from tourism which helps support thousands of families run businesses. There is also a huge financial impact on the supplier industries such as farming, transport, retailing, sport, museums and galleries. One of the things that makes London so popular, aside from the Queen, is the theatres and performing arts of the West End which draws visitors from all over the world.

Bailey Tour From Bristol To Bosphorus With The Caravan and Motorhome & CaravanTimes

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By William Coleman

Touring is something we all love. Already this year I have visited all 4 corners of the UK on adventures and I do not intend on stopping their. In the next few weeks I will be travelling 5,000 miles through Europe with Bailey Caravans and The Caravan and Motorhome Club. 21 countries in 21 day! Top Gear, eat your heart out.

The leisure manufacturers Bailey of Bristol, who are being supported by The Caravan and Motorhome Club will be embarking on an epic adventure, which will be documented by yours truly, through some of the most picturesque cities and locations all across Europe.

The aim behind the adventure is to inspire holiday makers to travel beyond the borders of the UK and explore new lands in their touring homes. When you own a caravan or motorhome the world really is your oyster and we are going to show how easy and enjoyable it is.

For me this will be a first. I have travelled the UK in caravans and motorhomes, I was even driven to the south of France on a caravan holiday when I was 17. But I have never been on such a big scale multi country adventure. So you will be getting first hand updates of what it is actually like doing something like this for the first time. I will also be travelling with veteran caravaners who have not been on such an epic trip.

We will be setting off, in convoy, from Bristol on April 9th to begin our 3 week tour. The Bailey To Bosphorus Challenge will start at Bailey’s South Liberty Lane production factory in Bristol as we set off to a ferry to take us across to France.

Nick Lomas, Director General of the Caravan and Motorhome Club said, “Whether people want to travel 5,000 miles or 50 miles, the Club is here to provide support, offer advice, guidance and also to inspire people to try different locations and cultures. We are very proud to be supporting this latest adventure and I am hugely excited to be joining the tour for five days when we will be visiting seven different countries.”

The Caravan and Motorhome Club, who Europe’s biggest touring community with over 111 years of experience, will be teaming with Bailey to make this trip an adventure of a lifetime. For me this will be the highlight of my career so far.

There are some definite highlights that I am looking forward to, so make sure you stay tuned to CaravanTimes and all of our social medias as we will be updating you guys some amazing content. There will be Facebook live videos, site reviews as well as a whole range of different updates throughout the 5,000 mile adventure.

The vehicles we will be using will a Bailey motorhomes and two touring caravans. As you can imagine the we will be seeing a lot of different roads and terrain which will be putting even the most experienced among us to the test. The road conditions will differ from country to country and some of the bends on the mountain areas are a bit heart stopping.

Talking about the forthcoming trip, Bailey Marketing Director, Simon Howard, said, “The forthcoming Bristol to Bosphorus Challenge looks set to be one of the most demanding yet not only because of the distances involved but also because of the sheer variety of road and weather conditions we are likely to encounter. The twenty-one day adventure will also show that you are really only limited by your imagination as to where a caravan or motorhome can take you.”

We will be using Skoda for our towing vehicles. I will not go into too much detail as I have a small surprise arriving at the office tomorrow. During our tour we will be travelling through: The UK, France, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Germany, Belgium and Holland. So as you can see we will have a pretty full on few weeks with a lot of ground to cover.

To keep as up to date as possible make sure you follow the social medias of all the guys going:

Caravan and Motorhome Club: . Web site = https://www.camc.com. Facebook = Caravan and Motorhome Club . Twitter & Instagram= @candmclub

Bailey of Bristol: Facebook = Bailey of Bristol. Twitter & Instagram = @BaileyofBristol and #Bristanbul

CaravanTimes: www.caravantimes.co.uk . Facebook/Twitter/Instagram- CaravanTimes. #CTOnTour

Devon Park Splashed Into The New Season

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By William Coleman

Devon is one of Great Britain’s most loves holiday hot spots. Whether you want to walk the moors, fish the seas or visit a world famous zoo, Devon has it all. As the 2018 seasons gets under way Ladram Bay Holiday Park reopens its doors with a brand new £1m water attraction and many other new fantastic guest facilities.

Not only does the park open with a raft of new features but 2018 marks the parks 75th anniversary. The multi award winning holiday park, based in Budleigh Salterton, believe that the 75th year could be their busiest record breaking year.

This year families will be able to take full advantage of their holiday time at Ladram Bay with all the new site additions. The latest addition to Devon’s most popular park is a multi activity splash zone, located alongside the park’s main swimming pool. The new attraction will have fun activities for both children and adults.

The new splash zone is a 160m square pool that will include interactive water features, spray guns and even a pirate ship for the youngsters to climb aboard and conquer. Something I can see the adults getting carried away with too.

Aside from the water feature upgrades there have been improvements and makeovers all across the park. The amusement arcade, retail outlets and beach shack have all benefited from a new renovation.

In the spirit of keeping things local and supporting your local business community Ladram have been sourcing even more produce from South West suppliers for their restaurant, beach shack and take away services. On a personal note the sourcing of locally brewed ales and farm made ice creams that Ladram have been doing is a winning combination.

As the parks enters their anniversary year they can look back at their vast trophy cabinet of accolades. These include being honoured as one of the top free parks in the entire country in the 2017 Devon Tourism Awards.

The park sits on what was once a former farm, which has been owned by the Carter family for many decades. In 1943 the decision was made to begin welcoming camping guest for the first time. At 75 years the park has grown to be a favourite amongst holiday goers from all over the UK and one of Devon’s best holiday locations.

Not only does the park have a whole catalogue of fun and family friendly activities but the surrounding area provides magnificent views, which is a feature that has cemented the parks popularity. Once the park started the build a following the family began to invest in new facilities and accommodation that had made to the park what it is today.

Since then guests have enjoyed all manner of new additions and attractions. For the daredevils among us there is an indoor climbing wall whereas the more competitive guests can have a few rounds on the adventure golf course.

One of the best things about Ladram Bay is the range of different holiday types the site can accommodate. For the tourers there are pitches for caravans and motorhomes, tent and camping spaces for the adventurers as well as holiday homes and lodges.

This winter Ladram have invested in additional accomodation for both sale and hire. The newest of which are high end luxury lodges with private hot tubs that make for relaxing times as you stare across the stunning Jurassic Coast.

Ladram Bay director Zoe House, who is a member of the Carter family, said that everyone was looking forward to a sizzling new holiday season: “We have been creating happy holiday memories here for over seventy-five years, and our guests now include those whose great grandparents first came here as youngsters!” she said.

“That’s a great heritage of which we are extremely proud, and Ladram Bay has always had a policy of investing in new ways to improve our guests’ experiences.

“But what hasn’t changed is our strong commitment to creating a warm and friendly atmosphere, and it’s this which guests mention most often in their reviews,” added Zoe.

The park officially open its doors on Friday 16 March, and forward bookings are said to be “extremely strong”. There is more information about the park at www.ladrambay.co.uk.

8 Reasons to Choose Glamping as your Holiday this Summer

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WIlliam Coleman

The popularity of glamping is on the rise. It is now seen as a fantastic way to combine the best of a traditional holiday spent in a hotel or villa and an outdoor camping holiday. Modular building experts Cleveland Containers, outline 8 reasons why you should pack in the flight to Spain and try glamping in the British Isles this summer.

Experience nature

This is often the most compelling reason to choose a glamping holiday for summer 2018. With so much technology intertwined with our lives, be it smartphones, smart TV’s or the computer screen we stare at all day, many people are choosing to reconnect with nature and remove themselves from the hustle and bustle of modern life.

There really is no comparison between staying in a resort or hotel and being out in the wild experiencing nature. Glamping and being outdoors gives you a sense of freedom you don’t get with other holidays. Plus, with glamping, you won’t find any huge spiders or enormous bugs sharing your sleeping bag with you!

Don’t compromise on comfort

When people think of going on holiday in any form other than a hotel or villa they can often picture staying in a crowded hostel or sleeping somewhere in the wild, unconnected to many home comforts. Unlike camping, with glamping, you don’t have to sleep on a cold and hard floor. You can sleep in a warm and cosy bed. Say goodbye to the back or hip ache you may pick up from a week of sleeping in the outdoors. Whether enjoying the Scottish Highlands or Cornish coast, glamping means you have the feeling of sleeping in your very own bed; when in fact you couldn’t be further removed.

The best of both

Glamping means you can have all the facilities of a traditional holiday whilst also being able to participate in the outdoor activities associated with camping. For example, you can have a refrigerator and electricity whilst having an open fire to BBQ your dinner or toast marshmallows. You can walk and get caught in the rain but return to a warm cabin with fresh, dry clothes. You can step outside your cosy bedroom and look up to see nothing but the night sky. Having the facilities of conventional accommodation but also having the ruralness of a camping holiday is a huge selling point.

Security in mind

Keeping your loved ones and valuables safe whilst on holiday is everyone’s number one priority. With glamping, the accommodation will have effective locks, so you don’t have to worry about leaving your valuables in a tent or locking them in your car. Overall, glamping offers you, the holiday goer much more security than you might think.

Less hassle, less stress

One of the most laborious tasks you have to do on a camping holiday is setting up your sleeping quarters for the week, and one of the most miserable tasks is packing up your tent at the end. With glamping, there is no setup and no packing away. This means the end of fumbling around setting up a tent in the dark if you arrive in the night and no attempting to squeeze an enormous tent back into a tiny bag at the end of the holiday. Glamping means you can simply turn up and leave at your own pace – no stress.

Affordable family experience

Glamping and staycations are becoming extremely popular with families. Taking a whole family abroad for the summer holiday can become incredibly expensive; flights, accommodation, travel money and experiences all add up. This makes a family break abroad this summer increasingly unaffordable for many people. Glamping offers you a viable alternative to travelling abroad with less travel time, reduced travel fees and often cheaper activities whilst you are there.

Photo opportunities

Both in Britain and abroad there is no denying there are some beautiful parts of nature to be discovered. By going glamping, you are often placed right in the middle of these amazing areas of natural beauty. Whether you are an amateur with aperture or slick with an SLR you can be sure to find some great sights to capture on your holiday. Modern phones mean that most people can take wonderful pictures and snapshot treasured family memories in the blink of an eye.

Festivals and events

The majority of music festivals now offer glamping as an option. Many music fans can often be put off attending festivals by the idea of staying in a crowded campsite, with loud and disruptive drunken revellers. Or knowing that they will not be able to wash or have a shower for 5 days. Glamping gives the festival fan the option of staying in their own private living area on a quieter part of the campsite. Every morning you can have a shower and a cup of tea before heading out to see some of your favourite bands with your best friends. Therefore, glamping is a great option to consider if you want to visit a festival in comfort, luxury and style.

With so many incentives to give glamping a try this summer, why don’t you consider mixing up your regular summer holiday and book your family a glamping holiday? Kick start your outdoor adventure, this many people can’t be wrong. For some really interesting glamping home designs check out Cleveland Containers.

Loch Ness Site Named Park Of The Year

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By William Coleman

Loch Ness for me was always something plunged in legend, and as a child I was sure I spotted ‘The Loch Ness Monster’. As I grew older I realised that the shores of Loch Ness have so much more to offer than scary stories. Recently the Loch Ness Shores Camping and Caravanning Club Site has been crowned the Scottish Caravan Park of the Year by the Scottish Caravans and Motorhomes magazine.

Due to the sites great team, warm welcome and top notch site facilities the Loch Ness Shores took the prestigious award. The picture perfect site boasts 100 pitches, which are located on the south eastern shores of the beautiful Loch Ness. Open all year round with breathtaking views of the loch as well as the North West Highlands. If you have spent any time in the wilderness of Scotland you know just how amazing the landscape around these parts are.

The site is visited all year round by thousands of guests who pick the park due to its direct access to the loch and wide range of activities it offers. For those of us who enjoy fishing and boating this spot may just be perfect for you.

Loch Ness Shores is no stranger to award wins. The two time ‘Loo of the Year Award’ winners also hold a 5 start certification with VisitScotland and a Gold Green Tourism Award when it came top in the Best Environmental Management Category. Their facility block has been fitted with solar thermal panels and cutting edge water-to-water heat pumps. As well as having 56 hardstanding pitches the site also features glamping huts with 4 Wigwam cabins which are available for hire. Once you have the accommodation pitched you can choose from a range of motor boats and kayaks to go monster spotting, or fishing.

Lyn Forbes, who runs and owns the Camping and Caravanning Club Franchise site with her husband Donald, said: “We are very proud of this award because we didn’t know about it until it was announced we were being considered.”

Bob Hill, Sites Director at The Camping and Caravanning Club, said: “In the four years since it opened to the public, Lyn, Donald and the team at Loch Ness Shores have worked tirelessly and invested in on-site facilities to offer a camping experience unlike any other in the region.
“The award bestowed on it by Scottish Caravans and Motorhomes magazine is very well deserved.”

With the season well and truly upon us, not that you would notice with all this heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures, this site certainly seems like a must visit location. If you love views, great pitch variety, glamping and access to water sports then this site is for you.

Willerby Release Their Luxury Juniper Lodge

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By William Coleman

Static caravans bring an unrivaled level of comfort and luxury. I love touring caravans because of the variety of location they can provide, but sometimes a nice week away in a static can be just what the doctor ordered. With the all new Willerby Juniper Lodge you can staycation is absolute luxury.

The new lodge gives customers the option to tailor their own one of a kind model. The addition of a new super durable wall system gives you the option to expand your decorating needs which is just one of the new innovations WIllerby revealed at the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show at the NEC. I was there and was totally blown away by the Willerby display, they literally had a whole village of homes on display.

The ‘Juniper’ is part of Willerby’s luxury Botanical Collection. At the core of this ranges design is configurability. The lodges give owners multiple options to shape the holiday home they have always dreamed of. Some of the many features include panoramic bi-folding doors, two colour schemes and a four bed layout. There are also wheelchair friendly options as well as bathroom adaptations.

The customisation goes beyond just the decorating. You can also decide how to utilise the third room. If you have no need for the room to be a bedroom you can convert it into a study or a utility room.

At the NEC show, the marker leader also unveiled a unique new wall system. Impressive in its high durability, the Oslo Wall SystemT can be painted, plastered and wallpapered again and again. It is also much stronger than plasterboard, with up to 40kg hanging from a single nail, meaning owners can hang pictures and mirrors wherever they like*.

The Oslo Wall SystemT, exclusive to Willerby, is also highly insulating and proven to improve heat retention by 20 per cent. This is yet another benefit for those purchasing the new Juniper model.

Willerby’s Marketing Director Kirsten Bolton explains: “We are extremely proud to be unveiling the second model in our Botanical Collection. Both the Juniper and our new wall system are a response to the growing desire of our customers to be able to shape their holiday homes to suit their own needs and tastes. Owners can now create the space, look and feel that works for their lifestyle.”

To celebrate the launch of the new Juniper lodge, Willerby has made a pledge to support the plight of the Juniper berry that has faced near extinction in recent years, by planting Juniper bushes in a number of holiday parks across the UK.

Earlier in 2018, Willerby also launched another first for the holiday home industry, with the UK’s first ever pet-friendly option that was unveiled at The Caravan and Motorhome Show in Manchester. The new Simply Pawsome pack, designed especially for dog lovers, allows Brits holidaying with their pets the chance to add features such as a ‘pup gate’, stable door, and outdoor tap to stop mucky paws bringing in the dirt.

The launch of the Juniper follows the success of the Mulberry lodge that was launched in 2017 as the first model in the Botanical Collection.

Favourite Adult Only Site Named

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Favourite Adult Only Site Named

By William Coleman

Readers of two top touring magazines have voted a hideaway Somerset touring park as their favourite “adults only” holiday spot – for the ninth year. Bath Chew Valley Caravan Park won its title in the face of stiff competition from scores of other UK parks offering a totally grown-up holiday experience.

Based in Bishop Sutton near Bath, the family-run park’s triumph came after it polled the highest number of votes from readers of Practical Caravan and Practical Motorhome.

The magazines’ annual “Top 100 Sites” survey asks caravan and motorhome enthusiasts to give their verdict on the quality and hospitality of Britain’s 3000-plus touring parks. In their opinion, the spotless facilities, friendly staff, and picture-postcard surroundings at five-star Bath Chew Valley Caravan Park are unequalled at any other “adults only” park.

But the honours didn’t stop there because, as the votes were counted, Bath Chew Valley emerged as readers’ favourite 12-month park for the eighth year on the trot. In addition, Bath Chew Valley was voted the best touring park in the counties of Somerset, Avon and Wiltshire for the tenth year running.

The park’s attractive cedar lodge also placed it in the top ten glamping facilities in Britain.

The park’s 45 pitches are spread across more than four acres of landscaped grounds, including dog exercising areas and a woodland conservation trail which is a magnet for wildlife.

Last year, the park was again presented with the prestigious David Bellamy Gold Conservation and Hedgerows Awards in recognition of its raft of initiatives to protect flora and fauna.

Bath Chew Valley has been a child-free environment for almost 20 years, and park owner Keith Betton says it has always strived to make the tranquil environment one of its most appealing features: “We have an incredibly diverse range of visitors from this country and overseas, and the majority come as a result of a personal recommendation,” said Keith.

“Not surprisingly, a large number are teachers and child care professionals who are happier not being reminded of their day-jobs when they go on holiday.

“We’re also increasingly popular with younger couples using motorhomes and campervans, so we are particularly pleased to be rated the third best park for them in the UK,” added Keith.

For those who enjoy blending their breaks with a spot of sporting activity, the park is set in the Mendip Hills AONB near Chew Lake, a championship fishing venue and country park.

The area is also a popular destination for bird-watchers, cyclists and walkers.

Keith said that everyone was delighted to have secured the national top-spots in the “adults only” and “year round park” categories of the reader survey, as well as being judged the best park in Somerset.

Park staff, added Keith, also deserved a big share of the credit as they were responsible for creating the warm and friendly atmosphere which clearly impressed so many visitors.

Bath Chew Valley is a member of the Best of British holiday parks group which comprises some 50 independently-run parks with top tourist board ratings throughout the UK.

Interview With Aquaforno Creator Tim Rhodes

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By William Coleman

The BBQ is something that we all love for so many different reasons. It brings people together, it’s one of the best ways to enjoy the nice weather and its the ultimate excuse to grill food and eat too many burgers and sausages. When touring you need something easy and convenient which sometimes can jeopardize variety and quality. With the Aquaforno II you no limits on what you can cook and make life easier.

Aquaforno was established in 2011 and has since delivered its award-winning range of patented outdoor cooking companions to a diverse worldwide customer base; from scout groups, campers and glampers, to adventurers, BBQ fans and gadget lovers, who all share a passion for good food and the outdoors. Today, Aquaforno provides its users with an all-in-one BBQ grill, rotisserie, smoker, pizza oven, water boiler, along with a way to keep warm, and a place to dry their wet socks. No other portable cooking system on the market offers as much functionality and versatility as Aquaforno.

The Aquaforna II is really innovative piece of kit, where did the idea come from for the original Aquaforno BBQ/outdoor stove?

Back in 2011 my Daughter, who is now 20, was planning her 13th Birthday party. She wanted to camp in her grandads field but as many teenage girls do, she wanted to eat Pizza with her friends.

Faced with a trip at night from the field to Reading to spend a fortune at a well Known Pizza outlet and knowing Karen wouldn’t be happy about the quality of ingredients, I got an old metal drum, a hacksaw, grinder and a hand riveter and put some brackets in to hold a pizza stone. By the time it was dark the kids had all eaten pizza and Karen and I were sat next to it keeping warm on a particularly windy night. As the night wore on we were pretty pleased with ourselves, but when we ran out of wine Karen insisted we needed to put a boiler inside it as we needed tea.

Within 6 weeks I had tracked down a guy in Somerset who made boilers for model steam trains and with friends had designed and made our first telescopic prototype. By 2017 we had not only honed the design but also won two awards including “Camping Product of the year”.

Can you give me some background on the crowd funding?

There are two Product Crowd Funding sites, Kickstarter based in New York and Indiegogo based in San Francisco. Most British companies and start ups tend to use Indiegogo. They are both very similar in that they help publish your product on a trusted platform that holds any funds you receive until you reach your target. If you don’t reach it they simply refund all the money back to the customers. When you do, they release the funds to the vendor. Customers get large discounts as an incentive for pre ordering. From the point at which the funds are released to the seller the relationship is the same as any other retail experience. We have had one recurring point of confusion and it has only been with British customers.

Americans do not pay any sales tax or VAT on crowd funded goods. The IRS looks at the system as pledges and rewards. HMRC look at it as any other type of purchase along with tax authorities in the EU, Canada and Australia, so VAT has to be added. The only place to add this is to the shipping charges and so British customers think they are being charged $90 for shipping. Only £15 of which is carriage. We have written this in the FAQs and referred people to this on every product option but people have been confused. We have ensured we are actually tax compliant in both the USA and UK. We have given this feedback to Indiegogo as it seems like it could be simply rectified with a slight tweak.

There seems to be so many different ways to cook food with the new Aquaforna II, how many different attachments/cooking methods does it provide?

As a small portable fire pit or BBQ (with or without its boiler) convenient and lightweight.

As a Brazier- (2nd level up). There are brackets that allow you to place a pan or wok, great to fry or saute. This also a great place to leave the pizza stone. It is ideal for use as a dry hot plate for keeping food warm. The stone can be swapped over for the grill if you want to BBQ up here. There is a much more even heat at this height than most BBQ’s and less worrying about flare ups or hot spots (or cooking rather than burning in British BBQ language)

With the top on, this then becomes the oven with the stone in place or as a hot smoker using the gill or the hangers (which normally dry your clothes or keep utensils at hand) Charcoal is best for smoking fish or meat with the addition of soaked wood chips.

As an oven it can hold a steady temperature on Gas or with a good charcoal and can be used like an oven at home but with a little more attention. Everything from a Lasagne to s crumble. However wood is best for pizzas due to the ferocious heat and the great flavour. An Aquaforno II fired on dry wood can cook pizzas quicker than you can make them – up to 20 per hour.

Whenever the Aquaforno II is hot, whether just being used as a fire pit or in any other operation it can provide boiling water on tap from its boiler. When filming during The Beast from The East we used it for mulled wine to keep warm.

The pizza oven is an amazing addition. What inspired you to add the pizza oven and what is your favourite topping?

The pizza oven is the seed that started the whole Aquaforno journey off. Coincidentally there seems to have been a huge surge in the popularity of pizza ovens since then so our timing was perfect.

Favourite topping is tricky as the whole family is completely different. My pizza of choice has to have mozzarella, gorgonzola, pepperoni, red jalapeno and rocket – drizzled with chilli oil.
My top meal, all of which can be cooked with the Aquaforno has to be slow Roast leg of lamb (Kleftiko style in stock, wine and herbs) with potato gratin, peas and beans.

Our most frequently cooked food is pesto & mozzarella pizza, we have served thousands of them to people at shows and always get complimented- the base recipe is pretty much the Jamie Oliver quick recipe. We make most of our dough at the shows as we have heat and hot water whenever we want it.

This is the ideal portable BBQ for anything get away. How many types of fuel can be used to power it?

We can fire an Aquaforno with Gas, wood, charcoal / briquettes (use good quality without dodgy additives) or even peat.

Does it come in multiple variations or just the one?

In 2018 there will just be the Aquaforno II but we have numerous plans for the future including accessories that compliment the Aquaforno II but also outdoor living. Watch this space!

here can we find them to buy?

At the moment they are on the Indiegogo link which takes you straight there. If the campaign goes extremely well we may be able to order excess stock but It is currently the only sure fire way of getting one this year.

Dorset Holiday Company Adds 8th Site

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By William Coleman

There are no growing pains for Shorefield Holidays as they add their eighth holiday park to their already impressive portfolio. The southern England park group are expanding further as they acquire the Wilksworth Caravan Park in Dorset.

Shorefield, who are also celebrating their 60th anniversary this in 2018, are a top rated holiday park company with sites located all across the south east of England. Wilksworth Caravan Park, which has won multiple awards over the years, is located near Wimborne Minster and provides luxury holiday homes to own, pitches for motorhomes, touring caravans and tents. So this site has something for everyone no matter what type or touring accomodation to lean towards.

The site is rich in both history and scenery due to its idyllic picturesque location. Also on the grounds is a Grade II listed building that was once owned by Henry VIII so for history lovers this site is perfect.

The site is open for the majority of the year, currently only closing for a month and a half each year. The site has a full size tennis court, fully licensed bar and restaurant and children’s play area. Another fantastic feature the park has is a heated outdoor pool so you can do some laps no matter the weather.

The five star park is set in a tranquil countryside which is just a short drive away from the New Forest and coastal destination such as Sandbanks for the days where you want to make the most of the Great British coastline.

Simon Pollock, chairman and managing director of Shorefield Holidays, said his company was immensely proud to be welcoming Wilksworth Caravan Park into ownership: “All of our parks in Dorset and Hampshire are in the heart of some of Britain’s most beautiful and idyllic locations, and Wilksworth is no exception,” he said.

“This acquisition is part of our strategy for growth, and reflects the significant rise in popularity of staycations as people realise they don’t need to go abroad to experience amazing holidays.

“We have also seen increasing numbers of families buying holiday homes, both as a way of making the most of their leisure, and spending quality time with family and friends.

“We are looking forward to welcoming all of Wilksworth’s past, current and future guests into the Shorefield Holidays family for 2018 and beyond,” said Simon.

There is more information about the park, formerly known as Wilksworth Farm Caravan Park, on Shorefield Holidays’ website at www.shorefield.co.uk

Auto-Sleeper Symbol First Impressions

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By William Coleman

Having recently taken Auto-Sleeper away with my significant other, and before we bring you the full details of our Symbol-ic trip to North Yorkshire, we thought it prudent to bring you my first impressions of the very capable Auto-Sleeper Symbol.

The basics, whilst from the exterior the Symbol looks like what you expect from an Auto-sleeper Peugeot van conversion, well put together with those little “Auto-Sleeper” touches like colour coded bumpers, its the inside that takes you by surprise. It’s a mid seating / sleeping van conversion with a rear kitchen washroom… AND side and rear access. Whilst rear kitchen van conversions (like the Auto-Sleeper Stanway) exist having one with rear access at the same time is incredibly rare and has put some demands on the interior layout. To deal with these demands Auto-Sleeper have thrown the rule book out of the window to produce this innovative 3 (yes 3) belted seat, 2 sleeper, end kitchen, end bathroom, cab side and rear access short wheel base van conversion. Oh and it has a big bed? It really does take some getting your head round.

Having picked up the Symbol in February and planning on spending the week out and about round round North Yorkshire I was struck by the Symbol’s access, you can open nearly 50% of the van to the elements. Great if you want wheel your bikes in to your kitchen, worrying if you want to want to spend a romantic evening entertaining in North Yorkshire. Auto-Sleeper have considered this with new G3 insulation, Insulated privacy glass, Truma combi heating system, which is iNet ready and above all the incredibly useful underfloor LPG gas tank. These are standard on all Auto-Sleep van conversions but on the Symbol this means it heats up very quickly (much quicker than the rated 4 hours), it maintains it heat, you can control the temperature (from anywhere) and can easily check your gas level and fill up at a standard petrol station. The Symbol is a real winter warmer.

Driving the Symbol is fun. As someone who reviews caravans and motorhomes for a living you will see a lot of words like capable, encouraging or agile to describe driving motorhomes, rarely will you see the word fun. All Auto-Sleeper Peugeot van conversions come with 160BHP (Ad Blue) as standard, the Symbol is the shortest and lightest this means good tank range, nippy acceleration, better manoeuvring and included ALKO airbase suspension. All the stuff you expect like cruise control, cab air condition and integrated rear view parking camera help make it even easier to drive and manoeuvre.

This is the entry level van but you would not know this when you’re inside. The new and updated design boasts sleek and stylish interior upholstery with a modern colour scheme. The whole interior is luxurious and comfortable from top to bottom. Without going into too much detail about our trip, we were able to have a perfect night’s sleep with -3 outside temperatures.

I loved the Symbol and was sad to give it back. For a few days away this van conversion had everything we needed and more. From the space the kitchen provided to the luxury of the double bed, the Symbol has it all. It was the small things that made this tourer such a pleasure to be in. The addition of the direction reading lights and touch sensitive lights along the ceiling of the van made evening/mood lighting possible. If you want to stay up and read a book but do not want to be blasted with overbearing lights you could, all with once touch of a button. We faced rain, sleet, snow and sub freezing temperatures, none of which caused a moment’s issue while we relaxed in the warm confines of the Auto-Sleeper Symbol.

Truma App Release March 2018

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William Coleman

Good new for Alde heater uses just in time for 2018 season. Truma have released their new App that will make controlling your on board heating system. We have been given some important information for anyone using, or planning to use, the App. From April 2018, you will be able to integrate the Alde compact 3020 HE with new control panel into the Truma iNet System. All you have to do is connect the heater to the iNet Box.

For anyone who has a touring home that includes Truma air condition system or Truma LevelControl this is a fantastic new update and this information should definitely help you moving forward. With ease and convenience you will now be able use all devices via the iNet system. You will be able control the heating and air conditioning as well as using the automatic climate control all using one single app.

The updated Truma app will be available this month and you will need to make sure that you deactivate the automatic update function. In the past the Truma App would allow users to download new updates to their smart phone and still have two months to install new firmware onto the iNet Box.

For the new update, the complexity of the project forced us to suspend this rule. This means that the two-month time frame does not apply for this release. You must update both your app and the iNet Box with the new firmware simultaneously. If you have automatic updates activated in the Truma App, please deactivate this function and switch to manual updates. This will allow you to decide when you wish to install the update.

Otherwise, the app will perform the update automatically. If there is no Bluetooth connection to your iNet Box at this time, it will not be possible to update the firmware. The iNet Box will then no longer function until the new firmware is installed.

This is particularly important for campers who have parked their vehicle outside Bluetooth range and wish to use the iNet System. For the next releases, the two-month time frame will apply as usual.

This information has come directly from Truma so ensure you follow the steps to rule out any issues further down the line.