Travelworld celebrates 10 years of Hymer franchise

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The Erwin Hymer Centre Travelworld is celebrating a decade of being an official franchise of Hymer motorhomes.

To mark the occasion, it caught up with Alan and Gillian Cunnington, who were the first customers to purchase a vehicle from the dealership after it was accredited ten years ago.

Mr and Mrs Cunnington selected a luxury Hymer Exsis-i 674 to drive off the forecourt back in 2012 and have been creating memories in it ever since.

In fact, they’ve been so pleased with their purchase that they’ve opted to upgrade it over the years as opposed to trading it in for a newer model.

Mr Cunnigton said: “We had hired motorhomes in the past while in New Zealand and Canada and decided to take the leap and buy one.

“We looked at dozens at various shows before we went to Travelworld and met Ross Edwards [the managing director].

“We saw the Exsis-i and it was the exact spec we wanted and could be replated to 3500kg. The next day we bought it.”

Since then, the Cunningtons have toured all over the UK and parts of Spain in their beloved motorhome.

When they’ve looked at newer leisure vehicles, the couple have decided they don’t compare favourably to what they’ve already got.

So, when visiting a show and seeing an updated kitchen that suited their needs, they decided to have it fitted in their trusty Hymer instead of replacing the entire vehicle.

The Cunningtons have updated the motorhome’s technology features too, with 5G Wi-Fi, a reverse camera and an Oyster satellite system all fitted in the intervening years by Travelworld.

Now that travelling is opening up again in the wake of the pandemic, Mr and Mrs Cunnington are looking forward to holidays away in their motorhome, with members of the family joining in the fun in their own leisure vehicles.

Hymer credits itself as the inventor of the motorhome and has been producing such vehicles since 1957. Travelworld has the largest number of Hymer models on display in the UK.

Wild camping laws across Europe

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With 62 per cent of Brits feeling confident about traveling again after the pandemic, it’s time to start planning your next camping adventure. 

You might not be aware, but there are lots of rules and regulations about wild camping around Europe. 

It’s not legal to simply find a spot and pitch your tent in many places, and doing so can result in hefty fines that’ll put a damper on your holiday.

What’s more, many people don’t realise that wild camping usually refers to arriving on foot, so doesn’t tend to be compatible with caravans, motorhomes and campervans.

When you don’t incur a huge fee at the end, wild camping can be an incredibly liberating and memorable experience. 

Making sure you do it safely and legally will ensure your holiday isn’t ruined before it even begins.

Here’s what the law has to say about wild camping in some key European holiday destinations, as explained by the experts at Pitchup.

United Kingdom

As travel resumes, 70 per cent of Brits agree they’d prefer to take regular UK breaks over an annual overseas holiday. For any avid campers out there, it’s important to know the UK’s stance on wild camping. 

In England and Wales, wild camping is only legal with the land owner’s permission. Dartmoor National Park is one exception where the activity is permitted, but there are still restrictions in place as to where. However, there are plenty of nearly wild campsites to pitch up at. 

Further north in Scotland, right-to-roam laws are still in place. This means it’s legal to set up camp as long as you follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. 

Italy

Free camping is not legal in Italy. You could face a fine of €100 (£85) to €500 if someone catches you. 

The local authorities regularly patrol key tourist areas, particularly along the coast, to enforce this rule. 

If you do want to camp in Italy, you’ll need to stay in a campsite, of which there are plenty. Checking out the listings of Italian sites on the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s website is a good place to start.

France

In France, wild camping is generally well-tolerated as long as you have the landowner’s permission. 

Be sure to stay away from tourist sites and don’t light fires, the locals won’t like that! 

Germany

Wild camping is prohibited in Germany, and authorities can slap a fine of €500 on you if you’re caught. 

This fine can be even greater if you’re found wild camping with a leisure vehicle. 

However, there are plenty of ‘nearly wild’ camping sites that offer the best of both worlds.

Portugal

A new law was put into effect in 2021 making wild camping (under certain conditions) legal in Portugal, establishing that overnight stays are allowed for no longer than 48 hours. 

The law states that outside protected areas, overnight stays are allowed “for a maximum period of 48 hours in the same municipality,” so moving just down the road won’t necessarily protect you.

Spain

Generally, wild camping isn’t allowed in Spain. 

It’s also important to know that it’s illegal to park in any wild place that isn’t an established campsite and take out a table, chairs, or an awning – as this counts as camping. 

If you do want to try your hand at wild camping this summer, be sure to choose somewhere that it’s legal or where there are plenty of ‘nearly wild’ campsite alternatives available.

 

 

 

Photo credit: Kevin Ianeselli / Unsplash

Best spots for pitching up on the Yorkshire coast

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The recently launched tourism initiative Route YC has put together a selection of spots it recommends for pitching up in your touring caravan or motorhome along the Yorkshire coast.

Choose the level of facilities you need, from sites featuring restaurants and swimming pools to car parks for self-contained motorhomes.

Fully-equipped holiday parks

Setting up camp at a holiday park is the most obvious option and Route YC has singled out Barmston Beach Holiday Park and Skipsea Sands Holiday Park.

Both of these sites have a wide selection of amenities including bars, restaurants and swimming pools, as well as sandy beaches close by.

Nature-focused sites

For those keen to get back to nature, but still want to have all the basic facilities they need, there’s Jacobs Mount Camping and Caravan Park, which is in the woods not far from Scarborough and Forge Valley.

Alternatively, head to Humble Bee Farm if you’re taking the southerly version of Route YC to enjoy open countryside and local produce stocked in the on-site cafe and shop.

Car parks for overnight stays

If your leisure vehicle has everything you need inside, including a toilet and a shower, then consider parking up at a pub for an overnight stay.

Both the Ship Inn at Sewerby and Filey’s Royal Oak allow caravans and motorhomes to pitch up in their car parks for the night.

Route YC is designed to help visitors make the most of Yorkshire’s coastline and exploring by caravan or motorhome is a great way to do it.

It suggests breaks of three to seven days and has recommended itineraries based around six locations. They are Bridlington, Filey, Hornsea, Scarborough, Whitby and Withernsea.

You can also ‘collect the six’ by planning return trips and really get to know the area covered by Route YC.

Heritage Caravans announces series of 1930s reproduction vintage touring caravans

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If you’re looking for a leisure vehicle outside the mainstream caravan market, or you have an affinity for anything and everything vintage, Heritage Caravans’ new series offers something different. 

The company will begin production of its 1930s vintage touring caravans, equipped with all the amenities of modern leisure vehicles, in Plymouth over the summer. It hopes to be in full swing by September. 

Each bespoke caravan is expertly handcrafted featuring shaped aluminium sheet bodywork and a Mollycroft/showman roof. The interiors are made from natural timbers, and sheep’s wool has been used for wall and cavity insulation for sustainability. 

To align with the iconic vintage look, the caravan bodywork is finished in the historic British Motor Corporation paint codes. You can view a palette of selected colours on the firm’s website.

Customers can choose their preferred fabrics and finishes to ensure each caravan is unique and personalised to their tastes. Despite their vintage look, each heritage leisure vehicle is equipped with all the modern features that caravan enthusiasts have come to expect. 

The company will produce three caravan models: Classic, Adventurer and Explorer. The Classic model is a two berth caravan, the Adventurer a four berth and the Explorer its most compact offering that sleeps two.

With unique vintage stylings and traditional craftsmanship, Heritage Caravans is an alternative to typical mass-produced white models that most people drive today. 

The Heritage Caravan Company was founded by a family of caravan enthusiasts with years of touring experience under their belts. 

They believe that over the years, caravan design has lost its charm in favour of functionality, and aim to revive the vintage stylings of 1930s caravans while providing all the modern features and amenities required for comfortable touring. 

 

62% of Brits feel confident to travel again

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The majority of Brits – 62 per cent in fact – are feeling confident about travelling now that the height of the pandemic is over.

That’s according to Fresh Relevance, which surveyed 2,000 people about their attitude to holidays in the wake of Covid-19.

It found that 30 per cent of respondents had already booked a trip for 2022 and a further 32 per cent are planning to do so.

What’s more, 25 per cent are prepared to spend more money on travel than they did before the pandemic.

So, what does this mean for caravan and motorhome holidays? After all, those who shelled out on purchasing a leisure vehicle while travel abroad was restricted will still be looking for a return on their investment.

Further to this, there’s also the shift towards staycations, which was brought about by the pandemic.

Many people have been converted to the idea of travelling more locally and enjoying the delights of the British seaside and countryside in a way that hadn’t been seen for decades.

Destinations like Bamburgh and the North Coast 500 have gained so much attention it’s hard to contemplate them not being on bucket lists for a long time to come.

But the beauty of owning a caravan or motorhome is the flexibility in where you take it and the continent is opening up as a possibility once again.

While there are issues with P&O Ferries’ Channel services, other operators, such as DFDS and Irish Ferries are continuing to transport holidaymakers and their leisure vehicles to France.

Another alternative is Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, which enables you to take your caravan or motorhome on the train to Calais.

Once there, Europe’s your oyster, as long as you have all the right paperwork in order. And you can even take your lockdown dog with you too.

 

 

 

Photo credit: Unsplash/Aurélien – Wild Spot

Three new caravan parks added to Park Holidays UK portfolio

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Park Holidays UK, one of the country’s major caravan park operators, has acquired three new sites, two in Scotland and one in Cornwall. 

The group is expanding its portfolio throughout Britain, and its new acquisitions means it currently has 43 parks ideal for family holidays. 

Tony Clish, director of Park Holidays UK, says these acquisitions will allow the company to provide more opportunities for family-friendly accommodations to meet the growing demand for domestic getaways in the UK. 

Mr Clish commented: “This is a quality-driven market which comprises both holiday home rentals and the sale of holiday homes in beautiful and well cared-for environments. 

“Our three new parks all meet the high standards we require, and we will now invest even further in their guest facilities, infrastructure, and holiday accommodation.

“We now enter an exciting new phase of our expansion in Britain’s most dynamic tourism sector, and will continue delivering first-class experience at an affordable cost.” 

The two parks in Scotland, Lossiemouth Bay Holiday Park and Burghead Beach Caravan Park, are located on the scenic Moray First near Elgin. This area has gained a reputation for itself as the “riviera of the north” due to its outstanding coastal beauty. 

Together, these holiday parks provide over 250 pitching spots, including spaces for touring caravans for curious campers who want to explore the region and smell the sea air. 

Nearby, campers will also find the Park Holidays UK owned Silver Sands Holiday Park, which features a new entertainment centre for holidaygoers to enjoy. 

Down south in the West Country, Waterside Cornwall is a welcome addition to the Park Holidays UK portfolio. The site provides approximately 70 holiday lodges, with plans to increase that number in the future. 

Situated near Bodmin, campers can enjoy almost 100 acres of countryside and even pay a visit to the nearby Eden Project, which is just ten miles away. 

But there’s plenty to enjoy at this holiday park itself, with fishing lakes and woodlands as well as a range of facilities including an on-site restaurant, bar, swimming pool, and gym. 

Mr Clish commented: “These three long-established parks have received substantial investment over the years by their previous owners who, like us, recognise the imperative of top standards.” 

“They will now benefit from additional investment by Park Holidays UK, though with sensitivity to their individual characteristics and identities which customers clearly enjoy,” he continued.

More information about these new acquisitions and the parks themselves can be found on the Park Holidays UK website. 

 

 

 

Where to pitch up at Britain’s best seaside resort

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Bamburgh in Northumberland has been named the best seaside resort in Britain by consumer group Which? for the second year in a row.

The coastal village, which is dominated by its iconic castle, boasts a sweeping beach and attractions such as the Grace Darling Museum.

Rory Boland, editor of the Which? travel magazine, said: “The British seaside hasn’t boomed like this since the 1960s.

“Holidaymakers had such a fantastic time in their caravans, tents and beach lodges over the past two years that a coastal break on home shores is on the cards for many, even with restrictions on overseas travel lifted.”

From Bamburgh, you’ll also be well placed to explore other popular parts of Northumberland, like Seahouses, Alnwick and Lindisfarne.

So, if you’re thinking of taking your caravan or motorhome to Bamburgh this summer, what are the options in terms of pitching up?

Glororum Holiday Park

Boasting views of the castle, Glororum Holiday Park is just a mile outside of the village and is family owned.

Touring caravans and motorhomes can take advantage of hard standing pitches and electrical hook up, as well as toilet and shower facilities.

Bamburgh Touring Caravans

Located between Bamburgh and Seahouses, but still within sight of the castle, is Fowberry Farm, which operates as Bamburgh Touring Caravans.

This small site has just nine pitches, but is dog friendly and offers all the basic facilities you might need like electrical hook up and hot and cold water.

Waren Caravan and Camping Park

Overlooking Budle Bay and just a five-minute drive from Bamburgh is Waren Caravan and Camping Park.

Complete with a plethora of amenities, including a shop, pub and splash pool, there’s all types of camping available here from wigwams to holiday homes, with touring somewhere in the middle.

Budle Hall Field Camping

At the other end of the spectrum is the pretty exclusive Budle Hall Field Camping, which has just two pitches.

Each of them has its own private shower and toilet, however, and since the car parking is separate from the pitches, you’ll be offered a wheelbarrow to transport your luggage!

 

Photo credit: Unsplash/Bruce Edwards

What’s the difference between Eurostar and Eurotunnel? You can’t take your caravan on Eurostar

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If you’re planning a trip to the continent with your caravan, you may well be weighing up the ways to cross the Channel.

While there are ferry options, an alternative is to use Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, a train service that accommodates leisure vehicles.

Not to be confused with Eurostar, which is solely for foot and bicycle passengers, Eurotunnel enables you to take your trusty caravan with you.

It’s a simple way to get to France and departs from Folkestone in Kent, depositing passengers and their vehicles in Calais.

The Channel Tunnel is the world’s longest undersea tunnel, totalling 38km in length, but it takes just 35 minutes to travel between the two destinations.

Eurotunnel operates two or three departures an hour, but ups the number to four at the height of the summer.

You can also bring your dog on board, as Eurotunnel allows pets at a cost of £22 each way, although assistance dogs travel for free.

It’s important to have all the right paperwork for taking your pet to France, as well as being aware of any regulations relating to driving or towing.

In France you must carry the following:

  • Warning triangle
  • First aid kit
  • High-visibility vests for each passenger
  • UK sticker for the car and the caravan
  • Spare bulbs
  • Headlight beam benders
  • Spare glasses, if you wear them to drive
  • Driving licence
  • Insurance paperwork

From March 31st 2022, all visitors to France from the UK over the age of 12 must provide proof of vaccination against Covid-19.

If nine months has elapsed since your initial dose and you haven’t received a booster, France requires you to produce a negative PCR test result.

This must have been taken within 72 hours or an antigen test result taken within 48 hours of departure.

 

 

Photo credit: Unsplash/Aleks Marinkovic

Swift Group builds nesting boxes for its namesake bird

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Apprentices of the caravan and motorhome manufacturer Swift Group have built 25 nesting boxes to help out its namesake bird.

Swifts are an endangered species and have been negatively impacted by a loss of habitat and especially nesting sites.

The purpose-built nesting boxes will be installed at a number of Parkdean resorts to provide shelter for swifts during the breeding season.

Advice has been provided by the RSPB to ensure the ‘holiday homes’ for the birds meet the requirements of the species.

Swifts spend the winter in Africa, but return to the UK at this time of year to find cosy nooks and crannies, often in old buildings, to establish their nests.

Four Parkdean locations have been selected as a trial to house the bird boxes this year in what is hoped will be a successful and long-term arrangement.

Steve Richards, CEO at Parkdean Resorts, said: “We provide cosy holiday homes in attractive holiday parks for everyone – and this summer, that includes swifts.

“It may take a little time, as swifts mate for life and every year return to the same nesting places,
but in consultation with the RSPB, we think the homes built by Swift and the carefully selected sites will help to meet the needs of these birds on our parks, by providing them with a sustainable alternative summer home for many years.”

Swifts look black in the sky, but their sooty brown plumage can be better seen when they land. Their most distinctive feature is their short, forked tail.

Young swifts start to move around the nesting chamber at around two or three weeks old. They exercise by a move that resembles a press-up on their wings.

Swift Group is based in Cottingham in East Yorkshire and has become the biggest manufacturer of caravans, motorhomes and holiday homes in the UK, having been established in 1964.

Caravan and Motorhome Club cements relationship with surfing

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Owning a leisure vehicle goes hand-in-hand with the outdoor lifestyle and many caravan and motorhome fans enjoy activities from cycling to surfing as they travel around in their vans.

Reflecting this connection, the Caravan and Motorhome Club (CAMC) is continuing to support the world of surfing.

Not only is the CAMC the official accommodation partner of Surfing England, but it’s also the headline sponsor of the English National Surfing Championships.

The event will run at Cornwall’s world-renowned Watergate Bay from May 6th to 8th and will see elite surfers pitted against each other to be named the champion.

Even if you’re not quite at that level, you can still enjoy 30 of the Club’s sites that feature a surfing beach nearby.

As well as enjoying all the facilities associated with a CAMC park, surfers can take advantage of special areas dedicated to drying wetsuits.

Brian Morgan, head of communications and events at the CAMC said: “The Caravan and Motorhome Club’s members are a community of intrepid adventurers who embrace the outdoor lifestyle and all the benefits it brings and we are proud to support Surfing England.

“We are the number one rated touring club in the UK and operate the largest number of top-quality campsites set in beautiful and scenic locations in the UK and work with over 340 campsites in Europe – many close by to some of the best surfing venues.”

This was backed up by Hannah Brand, operations manager at Surfing England, who said that surfers are intuitively explorers by nature, underlining the good fit between the two organisations.

She added that surfing is enjoying more interest than ever after it made its debut as an event in the 2020 Olympics.

Surfing could be the perfect activity to try on your next caravan or motorhome getaway and staying on a CAMC site can help with the logistics.

 

Photo credit: Unsplash/John Oswald

Just Kampers marks 75 years of the iconic VW campervan

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On April 23rd 2022, it will be 75 years since the iconic VW campervan was first imagined. Dutchman Ben Pon made his primary sketch of what would become the symbol of freedom and laidback cool after observing motorised trolleys being used to move parts around a VW factory in Wolfsburg in 1947.

That initial sketch, which somewhat resembled a box on wheels, would evolve into the brightly coloured campers adorned with the VW silver badge that have become synonymous with nostalgia in the leisure vehicle world. To mark the anniversary, Just Kampers has created a timeline of key events in the development of the VW campervan.

Timeline representing 75 years of the VW campervan

Two years after Mr Pon put pen to paper, the first VW van was premiered at the Geneva Motor Show in November 1949. This first generation was known as ‘Splitties’ due to their split-screen windscreen and these models are incredibly collectible today. By 1950, VW was producing the vans at a rate of ten vehicles a day, with everything from fire engines to beer wagons being created, as well as the trusty campers.

After 1,477,330 Splitties had been built and sold, VW retired the model in 1967. This would make way for the Early Bay, which entered the market a year later. It marked a radical rethink in the VW camper’s design and included features like wind down windows and engines with a stabilising back bar.

When the Late Bay was introduced in 1973, it was more reliable than its predecessor and came with additional safety measures built in. Not only did the brakes perform much better, but the passenger cell was reinforced and the van featured a crumple zone to absorb impact in the event of a collision.

VW ceased production on the T2 Bay in 1979, with the T25 quickly coming in to fill its shoes. This model has not yet gained the iconic status of the VW campers that went before, but has proven to be very popular and is still rolling off production lines in South America. It’s bringing the camper to a whole new generation of leisure vehicle enthusiasts.

The vans of the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s produced in Europe take a departure from the recognisable design elements that came before. They have many benefits, however, including a new rust treatment, which was developed and rolled out from 1986. The all-electric VW ID Buzz is expected to hit the market late in 2022 and is a welcome return to the iconic T2 model’s stylings.

Steve Gosling, marketing director at Just Kampers, told CaravanTimes: “The VW campervan is one of the most recognisable silhouettes in modern culture. It began as an impressive concept in vehicle manufacturing that evolved into a social symbol of the 1960s and ensuing counterculture.

“VW campervans are iconic and have also been the key to people discovering a whole new way of life. The #VanLife trend has boomed since the COVID-19 pandemic and provided people with a sense of freedom in a lockdown world. It is undisputedly one of the most culturally important vehicles of all time.”

 

Photo credit: Unsplash/Christoph Peich

Timeline courtesy of Just Kampers and Just Kampers Insurance

Jerba Campervans to rollout exclusive touchscreen technology

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Customers collecting vans from Jerba Campervans from the end of this year can expect their new leisure vehicles to come complete with an exclusive new piece of technology.

The Scottish VW Transporter van converter has developed the control panel to operate everything from the lights to the locks.

Simon Poole, co-founder of Jerba Campervans, said: “We are continuously working behind the scenes at Jerba to better our products to improve them for customers.

“We believe this addition will make for huge improvement to our campervans, giving the customer full control of so many important features – literally at their fingertips.”

He added that the onscreen design will be in line with VW’s infotainment system dashboard to provide continuity throughout.

The engineers at Jerba have developed the device to connect fuses, lights and a selection of controls to allow everything to be operated from the same place.

It will have the ability to incorporate new features and for the software to be updated over time.

Van owners will also be able to use the touchscreen to see data on electrical usage and solar panel output to help manage power during their trips.

The touchscreen has already been designed and tested, with the prototype ready to be put into production ahead of the rollout towards the end of 2022.

Mr Poole said: “Our team at Jerba are all campervan fanatics so we imagined the benefits something like this could have to the day-to-day life of a campervan traveller.

“The incredible team quickly got to work, creating this excellent addition.”

He founded Jerba Campervans with his wife Cath in 2006, but in 2018 they made the decision to move the business into the ownership of its employees.

Now, every member of staff receives an equal profit share each year, irrespective of their position at the company.