The Aquaforno II A Kitchen In A Backpack

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By William Coleman

When planning a holiday one of my first thoughts is “where am I going to eat and how am I going to cook it.” The award winning Aquaforno have designed the ideal outdoor cooking stove that you can cook everything from a rotisserie chicken to a freshly prepared homemade pizza. After just one week Aquaforno have reached more than a 100% of their Indigo crowdfunding target so they can start to manufacture the kitchen in backpack.

In just 5 days the company received $25,000 USD to help Karen and Tim, the husband and wife duo behind the amazing product, which means they can now start to manufacture the Aquaforno II.

“We’re over the moon with the interest and the backing we’ve received from people so far. Hitting target means we can now get the Aquaforno II into manufacturing and start delivering to our world-wide customers this summer,” said Tim Rhodes, co-founder and co-inventor of Aquaforno.

“Only during the crowdfunding period the Aquaforno II can be pre-ordered at the lowest possible price, so now is the very best time to buy and the more backers we get, the quicker we can mass produce, so we’re still encouraging people to pre-order.”

For anyone that loves to cook when touring this is the BBQ/outdoor stove for you. The Aquaforno comes with a split level grill, rotisserie, smoking hanger and a double insulated lid. There are quite a few foods that may be both slightly awkward or undesirable, due to strong smells or lack of equipment, to cook inside your motorhome or caravan. This handy accessory removes all of those issues with its hugely versatile design. With so many different cooking options you can have a different freshly cooked meal each night of your holiday.

One of the stand out features for me in the addition of the pizza oven, pizza is my achilles heel. Before this, making and freshly baked pizza was almost impossible but with one add on you can now make any type or shape pizza that your mind can conjure up. What better way to wine and dine friends and family as you can cook as many as twenty pizzas per hour.

This new ‘Swiss army-knife’ of outdoor cooking has been received with incredible enthusiasm since it was unveiled at the UK’s Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show in February. What makes this bit of kit so great is the ease and quickness of its set up, taking just 3 minutes to full assemble, which leaves a lot more time to enjoy your leisure time. “Aquaforno II is designed to bring people together outdoors,” continues Rhodes. “Whether you’re at a camping site, on the beach, on a fishing expedition or in the garden, it can go where you go and cater for all your outdoor needs”

The Aquaforno II predecessor model won ‘Camping Product of the Year’ in the UK Outdoor Industry Awards in 2017 and has been acknowledged as a must have camping product a The Gadget Show Live. On top of that The Hairy Bikers’ have used the Aquaforno on their BBC Northern Exposure cooking series, so if the professional cooks are using it on national TV then you know it must be good.

Aquaforno II delivers even more versatility than the previous model, which has been delighting campers and glampers, families, adventurers, scout groups, barbecue fans and gadget lovers all over the world for over seven years.

A feature that will really stick out to us caravan and motorhome folk is the way in which you fuel the Aquaforno. You can use goal and wood like a traditional outdoor BBQ but there is also a gas inlet which means you can connect to your onboard gas bottle. So not only does it takes 2 minutes to set up but you can get instant heat when you’re connected to the gas, win win.

You can sit around the Aquaforno to keep warm outdoors, dry wet clothes on it using its handy clip-on hooks and enjoy hot drinks or wash-up via the unique removable dishwasher-friendly kettle that provides a litre of boiling water every six minutes.

The company are encouraging existing and new Aquaforno fans to spread the word about the crowdfunding opportunity online. To learn more about the new Aquaforno II and how you can pre-order and get involved in crowdfunding for this product, please visit https://tinyurl.com/y7qmshd6.

In addition to the new outdoor gastronomical possibilities, the Aquaforno II includes a double insulated lid for enhanced temperature stability. Its adjustable vent and new thermometer allows for temperature control, and a clever spark arrestor has been built in for extra safety. It also has spring-loaded legs to reduce set-up time and a more user-friendly, sturdier, door mechanism.

This product really has all you need to ensure you have every cooking capability without having to bring your whole kitchen with you. So inspire your inner chef and invest in this worthwhile British BBQ. If this is something you are interested in make sure you visit their Indiegogo page.

Parkdean Huge 2018 Investment

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By William Coleman

With last year’s UK staycation boom continuing into 2018 Parkdean Resorts are planning on adding 800 brand new caravans and holiday lodges throughout the year as they invest an estimated £42 million.

The Gosforth based company intend on spending around £13m on the 800 new caravans to meet the huge surge in demand from both foreign and domestic holiday makers. To ensure that the company meets the needs of every customer they will be adding a wide range of holiday homes from 1 bed to 4 bed caravans. Some of which will have ensuite bathroom, large living rooms and special entertainment units.

To keep in touch with the ever evolving UK holiday market the company will be adding 4 bed lodges to their sites. They will be spending around £1.3m on 20 lodges across their sites. To ensure visitors get luxury stays the lodges will include patio doors, large bathrooms and good size dining rooms to ensure that there is enough leisure space for family and friends.

Chief Executive of Parkdean, John Waterworth, said: “This year our £42m investment plans really show our commitment to continually developing our parks, and creating the best possible holidaymaker and owner experiences. “In 2018 we have a focus on bringing in new caravans and lodges to follow the growth in consumer demand. We also regularly collect guest feedback, and from this made the decision to introduce more one-and four-bedroom models.

“As we look ahead to peak season, work is under way at the majority of our parks to boost their offering, making for an even more enjoyable time while staying with us. We hope this is well received by our customers, and look forward to welcoming them throughout the course of the year.”

Parkdean are also investing heavily in the refurbishment of their sites. The sites will get a makeover as well as the existing caravans and other holiday accommodation. Too often you will see somes companies focus on a small handful of sites and neglect the rest or their network, but with such a huge investment Parkdean are covering pretty much all of their bases.

Parkdean have been investing a lot recently, in 2017 the company invested £50m bringing the total investment amount to £130m since 2016.

Parkdean have 72 parks across the UK with a ride range of features and entertainment for the whole family. Following their recent investment they are a must visit for 2018.

Simply Sleep Better With Willerby

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By William Coleman

As a child I spent a lot of times on holiday, winter and summer, in static caravans all over the UK. The one thing that I always looked forward to was what kind of bedroom I would get when we arrived. Now as an adult I appreciate my sleep a lot more, especially when I am on my holidays. When it comes to luxury you want to make sure that the bed you are sleeping on is top notch and Willbery are going to revolutionise your sleeping experience.

Willerby’s new innovative ‘Simply Sleep Better’ is introducing luxury bedding options with their partnership with British mattress makers, Hypnos. For those tourers who want to have a more luxurious nights sleep you can now get two bespoke upgrade options.

A good night’s sleep, especially when there is no alarm set for the morning, is something that is extremely important to Brit holidaymakers, according to a survey that was conducted by Willerby. The survey revealed that 74% of people asked said that a good comfortable bed is at the very top of their priority list when it comes to holiday accomodation.

With 2,000 Brits questioned about their holiday preferences it was also revealed that 24% that a long lay in was the best part of getting away, something I certainly agree with, while 21% of people admitted to taking their own duvets and pillows away with them.

Kirsten Bolton, Marketing Director at Willerby commented: “We know how important getting a good night’s sleep is, especially when you’re on holiday and people are looking for additional respite. So, we wanted to give our customers the best chance for a good night’s sleep with a range that will compliment the luxurious look and feel of our Willerby holiday homes and lodges.”

Existing Willerby holiday home owners will now able to upgrade their bed with brand new Hypnos Cranborne luxury pocket sprung mattresses. These new mattresses come in both double and kingsize. There is also the Super Sleep Single range which has been designed to cater to the size of all twin bedroom across the Willerby range.

To celebrate the launch at The Scottish Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show, where Simply Sleep Better was launched Willerby also teamed up with Channel 4’s Sleep Geek James Wilson, who was on hand to provide showgoers with advice on how to get the best night’s sleep while on holiday.

The luxury sleep options follow another exciting launch for Willerby, which we actually covered here, was theor pet friendly holiday home range which is the UK’s first ever pet friendly option. The ‘Simply Pawsome’ pack is the ideal holiday home for dog lovers who travel with their pets.

The Willerby Owners Club dedicated website also re-launched in January 2018, which offers Willerby holiday home and lodge owners from across the country the chance to share feedback directly with Willerby. As well as benefiting from a range of exclusive member benefits and special offers. The feedback helps influence future designs that will ensure new models are closely in line with customers’ needs.

For more information in Willerby and their products visits www.willerby.com

Holiday Home Misuse Damaging to Industry?

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By William Coleman

Holiday homes are the perfect place to spend your down time. When you need a break from the hustle and bustle of life you can just run away and spend some relaxing time in your holiday home. But are some people putting the UK holiday industry at risk by using them too much?

Recently trade associations have warned that misuse of holiday homes could damage the UK staycation trend. The NCC (National Caravan Council) have gone as far to issue a stern warning to potential buyers of caravan holiday homes.

The warning explains that anyone who buys, or has bought, a caravan or lodge on a holiday park must use it for leisure purposes only. Any use other than leisure could potentially lead to eviction for their chosen park if they start to live there.

The NCC’s Frank Finch said: “Due to the popularity of ‘staycations’ and the holiday home lifestyle, there is continuing growth in holiday home sales, but new buyers need to be aware that a holiday home is for holidays.

Holiday parks are licensed by the Local Authority for holiday and recreational use. To live permanently in a holiday caravan/lodge could have serious consequences, including the risk of being required to leave the park. Holiday park operators also risk enforcement action and penalties from local authorities.”

Frank added: “The problem of holiday caravans being used as a main home is not new and the current high property prices and shortage of affordable housing can be factors that drive misuse. No-one wants to face the challenges of finding somewhere new to live, so the best way to avoid that terrible situation is to make sure it does not happen to begin with. When owners are found living on a holiday park, local authorities may take enforcement action against the park if there are persistent breaches of planning, or if the conditions they imposed in the park’s site are routinely ignored.

The park will also take action to remedy the situation (e.g. by termination of the holiday home owner’s licence agreement) because it risks losing its site licence if it doesn’t comply with site licence conditions. So, if you are thinking of buying a holiday caravan, make sure you are clear how and when you can use it.”

The NCC has developed new Licence Agreements which its holiday park members use, making this and other restrictions very clear. There is also a free leaflet for holiday home owners, ‘Making the best use of your caravan holiday home/holiday lodge’ available on www.thencc.org.uk which explains this in detail.

Frank added: “Holiday homes offer superb leisure break opportunities, but misuse can limit availability. As more people embrace the staycation trend and discover the benefits of holidays and short breaks in the UK, we want to make sure that everyone has the opportunity of enjoying caravan holiday homes and get the most out of their leisure time.”

I am not sure if I have heard of anyone getting into any kind of trouble for the ‘over use’ of their holiday home, caravan or lodge, but I can see why is may cause some issues in the future. When it comes to the main reasons behind it, property pricing hikes, you can see why people may be tempted to use their caravans as full time accommodation.

Is London Too Expensive For Touring Holidays?

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By William Coleman

London, one of the most popular cities on the planet that receives millions of visitors every year both foreign and domestic. The number or domestic visitors are actually starting to plummet and many feel that this is due to the high prices that come with holidaying in the capital.

There are a lot of things to do and see within London from inner city visits to going out to the surprisingly green suburbs. London is so massively diverse but a lot of people tend to think of the City centre when London is mentioned. 20 minutes from central London is Richmond park where you can spend the day with wild deer and then 5 miles away you have one of the busiest train stations in the world.

Within the London boundary there are many caravan parks, there is even a Caravan and Motorhome Club site in Crystal Palace which is around 5 miles away from London Bridge. So what is driving so many holiday makers out of London?

I feel it has to be down to the cost of living in London. Although you may not be living in the capital you will still experience the high prices when you are travelling through. I was fortunate to do a whole lot of touring between October and November and managed to experience a wide range of different sites and eateries across the land. Being a native Londoner I was genuinely shocked at the price difference and the overall amount you get for your hard earned money when you are outside of London.

One evening when I was in Knaresborough I decided that an evening out was well overdue, I had grown a bit sick of constantly cooking each evening. So we jumped in the van and drove into town to have a walk round and find somewhere to eat. We started with a couple of drinks in the local Wetherspoons and I was shocked at the price difference between North Yorkshire prices when compared to the London prices. After that we went for a meal and genuinely thought I had been undercharged. The same meal in London and I would get much change from £70.

For me one of the best parts of living in London is how quickly you can go from a concrete jungle to the luscious greens of the Kent and Surrey countryside. I live around 10 minutes away from the London Caravan and Motorhome Club site and where I live is pretty green and has a lot of things to visit that are within a 15-30 minutes drive.

So is London becoming less popular due to prices or is there something else? We would love to hear from you guys.

AA Gold Award For Cumbria Holiday Park

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William Coleman

Another holiday park has joined the elite few who hold the prestigious honour being awarded the AA Gold Pennant. This Cumbrian park has been offering gold standard hospitality to all of their holiday makers and now they have been officially recognised for their efforts.

The postcard setting of Cumbrian holiday location, Park Cliffe, is now an official recipient of one of the highest AA honours a holiday park can get. Something that only the highest rated parks are awarded. To qualify for this award a park must excel in a rigorous inspection regime which is known to scrutinise every aspect of the parks facilities and services.

Park Cliffe, which is a family owned business, has been given such high praise by AA’s touring experts who have described the park as a caravan and camping site that are at the very top of their game.

The accolade was presented to Susan Dickson, the business co-owner, at the NEC Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show last month. The park was taken over by Susan and her husband Derek just over 10 years ago. Since then the site has benefitted from a whole range of new features that were introduced by the couple over the last decade.

The site provides several forms of accommodation for its visitors. If you do not own your own touring home just yet you can stay at one of the sites luxury caravans, that are available to both buy and rent. There is also the new addition of glamping pods, a form a holidaying that seems to be sweeping the nation, as well as touring pitches for caravans, motorhomes and tents.

The first class surroundings and experiences for touring guests has always been their main priority, says Susan. Due to the dedication and care put in to the running of the park the AA Gold Pennant win is well deserved and is one of many awards the park as won in recent years.

To be able to be considered for the award a site must meet the stringent conditions of a 5 pennant rating. Once that has been completed a site must go on to achieve a quality score of over 90% in that band.

But credit for achieving this, says Susan, is down not just to the park’s top-end facilities:

“The AA’s awards put a strong emphasis on the hospitality which qualifying parks provide, and here we are indebted to our hard working staff team at Park Cliffe,” she said.

“They are always keen to go the extra mile to make guests feel welcome, and to providing friendly advice about how they can get the most out of their stay in the Lake District.

“Our thanks go to them, and to our many loyal touring customers,” added Susan.

Golden Customer Vote For Park Holidays UK

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By William Coleman

Customer feedback and word of mouth is one of the most powerful forms of advertisement, proof of that in recent times has been the huge global success of TrustPilot and TripAdvisor. Recently Park Holidays UK have been given a top gold award verdict form their visitors. Following the 2018 Feefo Gold Trusted Service Park Holidays have now joined a small elite group who have been given this prestigious honour.

A lot of people turn to the internet when doing any kind of research on holidays, which is one of the best things you can use the web for, and a lot of people are now using a site called Feefo. Feefo is one of the world’s most trusted independent review websites. Their top gold award is only given to who achieve exceptionally high scoring.

Unlike most popular review websites you must be an genuine verified customer to submit votes that count towards Feefo’s top award. So you know that the people voting are genuine people and not just someone who did not like the breakfast they had and simply want condemn the place they visited.

Guest are able to make comment or criticism on any aspect of a company’s services, from the ease of the booking process to the way the staff treat you during your stay. Park Holidays UK scored very well across the board in all aspects which got them a huge thumbs up from consumers.

Last year, said Park Holidays UK director Tony Clish, the company invested over £20 million in new swimming pools and other leisure facilities across its 26 holiday parks:

“We have always been determined to provide the best quality and the best value to our holiday guests, and we are hugely proud that they have voted us this award,” he said.

“It’s especially pleasing because Feefo only accepts reviews from bona fide customers on its review website, so the credibility of the comments is never in doubt.

“They are exclusively from people who have booked with Park Holidays UK, and who have first-hand experience of the holidays and standards of service we offer.

“In other words, these reviews are simply what genuine customers feel about us – and we are delighted to be exceeding their expectations in so many different ways,” added Mr Clish.

Holiday Parks UK have a sites all over the country and provide caravan holiday homes and lodges which can be owned privately or rented for short breaks. A number of their parks also have touring pitches available.

2018 has more investment in store for the company’s leisure and entertainment facilities, said Mr Clish, which will help to ensure that the company meets and exceeds its already golden standards.

Other pampering bonuses include hotel quality linen on all of the beds which – other than for newspaper promotional bookings – are fully made-up on arrival.

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

Caravan And Car Combo Win For Family Worth £34,000

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By William Coleman

We all love a good competition here in the UK and we all want to win whatever is on offer. These competition winners certainly walked away with one of the best prizes I have seen in a very long time at the February NEC Show.

The Camping and Caravanning Club reinvigorated their long running No B+E? No Problem! campaign for 2018. The Club launched a competition during the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show at the Birmingham NEC Show last month. People who took part in the competition were in with a chance of winning an All-New Hyundai KONA and a Swift Basecamp Plus camping crossover vehicle which has a combined price of more than £34,000.

The lucky winners of this amazing competition were Rachael and Noel along with the 9 week old son Benjamin. The couple collected their New Generation Hyundai i30 and Swift Basecamp at the Birmingham show, which made their visit there all the more special.

On top of winning the car and caravan combo they also walked away with a year’s free membership to the Club and Caravan manoeuvring course for beginners. The Hyundai is a fantastic hatchback and when combined with the lightweight Swift Basecamp you can set of on your holidays without having to worry about any towing laws.

Rachael said: We feel like we’ve outgrown tents and as a family but had never really thought about caravans. I want to explore the UK with my husband and I think the first place we’ll visit is the Peak District. Noel is American and we haven’t been able to travel and see that much of the UK yet-perhaps now is the time to do it. We would not have been able to afford to buy a caravan so winning the competition opens up a whole new way of holidaying.

The prize was given to the couple by the Camping and Caravan Club along with Hyundai and Swift as part of the club’s ‘No B+E Licence? No Problem!’ campaign. The campaign has been designed to reassure drivers who passed their driving tests on or after January 1st 1997 that they can tow legally with plenty of modern car and caravan combinations while holding a category B driving license. So if you do hold a category B license you can legally tow up to 3,500KGs.

The Camping and Caravanning Club’s Technical Manager, Ian Hewlett, said: “Advancements in technology and improvements in the manufacturing process mean that caravans are becoming increasingly lightweight and easier to manoeuvre than ever before.

“The prospect of towing a caravan for the first time really isn’t that scary – and there’s now more choice than ever to help give owners confidence they’re buying the model that is best suited for their needs. The KONA and Basecamp Plus are a great combination.”
With this perfect combo and the No B+E Licence? No Problem!’ campaign you really do not have anything to worry about. All you need to do is a little bit of research on the weights of your vehicles and away you go.

£4m Makeover For Kent Seaside Park

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By William Coleman

When renovating a holiday park £4m can go a very long way. Park Holidays UK have just finished their latest site redevelopment at one of their Kent seaside parks ahead of the 2018 season and they have certainly made the most of the money they had.

New Beach Holiday Park, which is located near Dymchurch, is now completely ready to welcome guests for the new season. Following the revamp the facilities on site have been described as wholly unrivalled.

New Beach, which is owned by Park Holidays UK, have said that completing the site on time was all due to massive efforts put in by the team doing the works, who deserve all the credit. The work was completed in just a few months which saw the former clubhouse demolished and replaced with a brand new modern entertainment complex.

The new complex boasts a whole range of brand new showbiz equipment and technology which includes a high-tech lighting and sound system, which will allow New Beach to stage West End standard live performances. Despite the money spent on the new sound and lighting stage the site still provides free entertainment for its guests.

There has also been a fantastic new addition for the kids. Park Holidays UK have built an arcade area with world class gaming systems which are suitable for all ages.

Something that makes this a stand out site is the newly developed bar area with a super size TV screens. So when you are visiting you will never miss a game or event. When you are at the bar you can also take full advantage of the restaurant which serves meals throughout the day and evening.

If you run out of the bare essentials, or if you fancy something a little different, there is an on site mini supermarket where you can pick up anything that you need. There is also a brand new sales administration centre for those who may want to purchase permanent plots or holiday homes.

Another big part of the development was the addition of new leisure homes to buy, ranging from starter caravan holiday homes at around £15,995 to fully specified extra wide luxury lodges.

According to Park Holidays UK director Tony Clish, the decision to invest substantially in New Beach is a reflection of the confidence the company has in the park’s future:

“New Beach has long been one of the most popular of our twenty-eight parks, and we are determined to ensure it continues offering guests the best possible experience,” he said.

“The park is open for fifty weeks of the year for leisure home owners, so there’s always a great holiday atmosphere and plenty of indoor activities such as a swimming pool.

“Park Holidays UK is especially well known for the quality of our free entertainment, and we spend literally millions each year securing first-class acts.

“Now at New Beach we have a great venue in which to welcome performers and our holiday guests.

“I am confident that our investment will help attract even more visitors in the future, and this will also benefit the many other businesses in this part of Kent which rely on tourism.

“We’re immensely proud of this new project – and give a big thank-you to our staff for their role in helping to make New Beach such a great holiday centre,” said Tony.

With so much to do and see on site this park is one of the best for families. The kids will have more than enough things to do to fill their time while the adults relax and make the most of the hard earned leisure time. So now the season has started make sure this site is at the top of your holiday destination shortlist.

Free Holiday Competition With Experience Freedom

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By William Coleman

Recently The Caravan and Motorhome Club launched their Experience Freedom Brand. To Kick things off with a bang they are giving a lucky family a 6 night cycling holiday absolutely free. All you have to do is get your spirit of adventure in check and enter the competition.

The Club’s Experience Freedom brand will be running the three CycleFest events and are all accredited by British Cycling and supported by Raleigh a Maxxis. The aim of the events are to bring people from all walks of life to enjoy cycling. There will be two challenges per CycleFest, the challenges come in the form of different routes. You can choose from a relaxed family ride and a cycling village with lots to see and do.

Courtesy of Belle France, you could win a family cycling holiday for 2 adults and 2 children in the Loire region of France worth £4,000. Simply click HERE and you’re halfway there.

A Hands On Look At The Auto Trail Tracker LB

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By William Coleman

Recently we have covered how the Tracker LB works for weekends at the races and family holidays. In this video we will be highlighting some of the key features that make this Auto-Trail model a clear standout among all other motorhomes.

When touring around the UK the two things that I look for in my portable accommodation is comfort and space, something that usually goes hand in hand. With the Tracker LB you get an abundance of both, which makes it the ideal tourer.

From the big additions like the full size fridge freezer to the smaller details like bedside surfaces the Tracker LB pretty much has it all. Think of it as more of a portable flat or apartment than a motorhome.

When it comes to the luxury side of things this is where the comfort box gets ticked. The island bed makes such a massive difference when two of you are going away. In the past I have used all manner of beds inside touring vehicles and I have found that sleeping two adults comfortably is not always that easy. There are no such issues in the Tracker LB.

That is more than enough from me, for now, so have a look at our video and let us know what you think.

CaravanTimes Head To The MotoGP With The Auto Trail Tracker LB

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By William Coleman

We sent Dan, CaravanTimes man in the field and superbike enthusiast, to meet Andrew Ditton and his four legged companion Dougal at the British Superbike warm ups. They get to spend the whole weekend at Cadwell Park and meet the best of the best, who just happen to be sponsored by AutoTrail. For our man in the field this really is a journalistic dream come true.

The AutoTrail sponsored Tyco BMW team all use leisure vehicles from this industry leaders. The track days can be long, extremely busy and strenuous for the riders and also the people in attendance. So after a long day these riders need somewhere nice to settle down and relax. And what better place than an AutoTrail motorhome. The ease, comfortable and luxury of motorhomes and caravans really do make them the backbone of the motorsport industry.

For decades race tracks and other courses around the globe have been, and will continue to be, littered with all different forms of leisure vehicle. For mini flat back truck conversions all the way to the super luxury, you see it all. This is just another fantastic example of how versatile the Tracker LB really is.

The Auto-Trail Tracker LB really is a luxury motorhome. Andrew Ditton sums it up as a perfect leisure vehicle for couples. With the good size double bed, spacious wash area and great seating area it’s the perfect fit for a couple. If Andrew’s testimony is not enough check out what Dougal the dog thinks.