Table of contents for June 2023 in Campervan

Nestled in the beautiful Dee Valley, Plassey Holiday Park is set within 250 acres of stunning private grounds with breathtaking views, offering the ultimate in relaxation and a perfect holiday experience. With more than 60 fully serviced, hardstanding pitches, you can enjoy a range of activities on site, from golf, swimming, fishing and cycle paths to nature trails. Plassey is home to a unique craft and retail village within picturesque Edwardian buildings, with boutiques, giftware, a microbrewery and a hair and beauty salon, as well as a choice of on-site eateries, including a restaurant, the golf clubhouse and a coffee shop, too. Campsite owner, John Brookshaw, tells us more… How long have you been running the campsite? I have been running the site since leaving university back in 1992 –…

TAKE YOUR CAMPERVAN ON THE PLANE? Ever dreamed of being able to take your campervan with you when you jet off on holiday? Well, now you can… sort of. A company that specialises in camping boxes for cars has unveiled a new product that can be checked in as hold luggage on the plane, then used with a rental car at your destination. The miniB conversion kit, from 123camp.eu, is the size of a large suitcase (110cm by 65cm by 25cm) and will fit in any vehicle that is just slightly larger than a Ford Ka or Fiat 500. It allows you to turn the car into a campervan, with a bed and mattress, worktop, table and chairs. The structure is made of waterproof plywood and some assembly is needed…

INSIDE THE NEXT ISSUE OF campervan JULY issue on sale 15 JUNE GO WILD IN IRELAND Take a road trip on the stunning Wild Atlantic Way ALSO IN THE JULY ISSUE ● The complete guide to choosing a tracker system● Discover Speyside, Scotland’s whisky country● Top campsites in Wales PLUS NEWS, VIEWS, REVIEWS AND MUCH MORE PAPERLESS SUBSCRIPTION Get Campervan for just £19.99 a year with instant access to the latest issue as well as every issue of Campervan ever published. All pages are fully searchable so you can easily find answers to any campervan questions you may have! SUBSCRIBE NOW motorhome.ma/exdigi22cpvn SEE PAGE 36-37 FOR MORE DETAILS Less than 6p a day…

A PERFECT MIX OF HISTORY, CULTURE AND NATURAL BEAUTYO Oxfordshire is a perfect mix of culture, natural beauty and history. It’s best known for its world-famous university, which is home to stunning architecture, museums, and libraries. Oxford itself offers a vibrant cultural scene, with shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Henley-on-Thames is known for its rowing regatta, while historic Abingdon is home to a beautiful market square and the stunning Abbey Gardens. Other notable attractions include Blenheim Palace and the Cotswolds. Salter’s Steamers cruise View Oxford’s dreaming spires from the Thames on a steamer boat trip with family-run firm, Salter’s. The company offers a range of popular pleasure trips along the river, including mini-cruises and longer picnic cruises. W salterssteamers.co.uk Blenheim Palace A monumental country house, UNESCO World Heritage Site and…

Red kites circled as we pulled into our campsite, leading Sue, the site’s owner, to declare, “What a welcoming committee laid on for you!” Next day we watched as the kites swirled above us before suddenly swooping down for food, one very swiftly following the other, in a balletic display of agility and grace. What a spectacle, and just one of many we encountered on our marvellous Mid Wales trip. A couple of days earlier we’d watched ospreys wheeling over Morben Isaf, near Machynlleth, and been enchanted by getting a close-up of their three chicks, still exciting despite being through binoculars and via a hidden camera in the Dyfi Wildlife Centre next door. On the same blissfully quiet campsite we’d been mesmerised by dozens of siskins, chaffinches, jays, goldfinches, woodpeckers…

HIDDEN VALLEY TOURING CARAVAN & HOLIDAY PARK West Down, Ilfracombe, Devon EX34 8NU T 01271 813837 W hiddenvalleypark.com OPEN All year Offering a more relaxed environment for holidays with children, Hidden Valley is about outdoor fun. The site runs alongside a band of woodland where you can enjoy walking trails. It’s also right next to the A361 main road, for easy access to the golden sandy beaches of Ilfracombe and Woolacombe – there’s even a bus stop at the site entrance. There’s a small stream running through the site, and two play areas for youngsters to enjoy. Pitches are grouped into different areas, with grass and hardstandings with electric hook-up. Premium pitches also have fresh and waste water points, digital TV connection, lighting and a picnic bench. A beautiful feature…

I love travelling in our ’van for many reasons, and one of those is certainly the assistance it provides for my photography. From minimising early morning wake-up calls by being parked up close to my chosen photography location, to waiting out the frequent downpours, inside and within arm’s reach of a warming cup of coffee and, perhaps, a slice of cake. On top of this, there’s nothing quite like knowing, after a gruelling session photographing at the Atlantic coast in winter, the promise of a hot meal is only a 10-minute walk away, with no need to start on a long drive home. In the evening, or on particularly wet days, the ’van also doubles as a fantastic (and cosy) editing studio, which can save plenty of time when you…

HI The majority of women I speak to about solo campervan travel are concerned with safety, finding park-ups and working the appliances properly. But a large number are also apprehensive about driving the ’van itself. It doesn’t have to be an 8m motorhome to be intimidating. It could be a Sprinter-style van, a low panel van, or even a micro camper! The fact is, if it’s not a vehicle you are used to driving, it can be nervewracking, especially as you may have an overhang to consider That said, it’s incredibly liberating driving a ’van. Suddenly the world opens up with new possibilities! I speak from experience here. When my husband and I first started motorhoming, he did most of the driving. I did drive our first motorhome, an 2004…

Dan Cooper, the founder of Custom Camper Solutions, spent his 20s and 30s at events like Bug Jam and Run to the Sun, so his love of VW campervans is not a case of joining the post-Covid bandwagon. In fact, the business has been trading for more than a decade – and it doesn’t just convert Volkswagens. This Pinewood conversion is the company’s most popular – and most conventional – model, and it can be built on either the Transporter or a Ford Transit Custom. The example here was based on a 72-plate Volkswagen fitted with the entry-level 110PS engine and five-speed manual gearbox. As a Highline, it comes with niceties such as colour-coded bumpers, automatic lights and wipers, Climatic air-conditioning, front and rear parking sensors and an alarm. But…

Pop-top campervans are, perhaps, the only sector in the motoring world where a VW badge is more desirable than the three-pointed star. With the exception of Mercedes’ own Marco Polo, therefore, there are few Vito/V-class-based campervans on the market. However, the Sprinter’s baby brother is not without appeal because it has garageable height and rear-wheel drive in its attributes. It also comes with a choice of 136, 163 or 190bhp power outputs as well as a nine-speed automatic gearbox (fitted as standard to the Jules Verne). This Westfalia is not a new model but it’s shown here in 2023 guise. Unlike the VW-based Kepler conversions, right-hand drive is available, and the look here (in the cab and externally) is very automotive, very Mercedes-Benz. White is probably not the most…

WHY GO ELECTRIC? Electric bikes are a great option for a bit of extra pedal power. Generally speaking, electric bikes offer a battery-powered assist that comes from pedalling, or in some cases, via a throttle. When you push the pedals, the motor engages and gives you a little boost so you can cruise up hills or push off from standstill without exerting too much energy. In a nutshell, electric bikes are an energy efficient and emission-free form of transport, which is something we should probably all be considering. Kent-based e-bike manufacturer, Wisper, has been making electric bikes for over 18 years and that experience is pretty evident when you take a closer look at its range. Wisper has made special arrangements with the DVSA to have its full-throttle bikes tested…