welcome sarah wakely
Editor-in-chief
Back-to-basics campsites are fantastic to stay at when you want to get away from it all, but sometimes it’s nice to have a bit of luxury – today’s all-singing, all-dancing,
full-facility sites are a far cry from those available even 30 years ago. During a recent stay at our fantastic Top 100 Sites 2022 Overall Winner, Old Oaks Touring Park in Somerset, I made use of the frankly rather brilliant toilet-cassetteemptying machine – simply slot in the cassette, press a button, and the unit emerges clean and dosed with new chemical. Easy!
Such convenience is a long way from the sites we highlight on p42 – featuring rough tracks, no fences and little in the way of landscaping, our 10 stars are sure to have you reminiscing, and no doubt feeling thankful for all of the luxuries that we continue to enjoy onsite today.
TALK 4 Where in the world Stunning skylines in Rovinj, Croatia 6 Connect Readers share their news, views and photos 10 New gear The latest essential kit for brilliant touring 11 Nightstops Stay at our motorhome-friendly stopovers 12 Ask the experts Pressing problem? We can help!
touring 17 This month All of the latest travel and touring news 20 Croatia and Slovenia Elaine and Joe Ormerod explore historic towns and spectacular scenery in the Adriatic 26 South West Coast 700 Introducing a stunning new Route 66-style drive, taking in the best of England’s South-West 28 A site for everyone Choosing the right campsite for your needs can be a bit daunting, but Susan Taylor is here to help! 32 Local authority: Beaconsfield A historic market town 34 European odyssey pt 3 Marcus Leach and family collect their new Bailey motorhome and take it for a trial run 40 48 hours in… Loch Ness Make the most of a short break in this gorgeous region, with our hour-by-hour guide 42 Classic campsites Andy Jenkinson takes a photographic stroll down memory lane to campsites of past decades tested 51 New-model news Peter Baber has the latest updates 54 ’Van review: Benimar Tessoro 483 A capacious garage and large rear washroom distinguish this smart low-profile 56 ’Van review: Globecar Roadscout R Elegance Packing a lot into a short length, this ’van is ideal for everyday driving 58 Touring technology John Sootheran rounds up some great apps and gadgets to enhance your motorcaravanning life 64 Outdoor cooking Time to break out the BBQ and pizza oven
Know-how guide 67 Food and drink Cook up a storm in your motorhome! 69 Cooking in your ’van Plan and prep for perfect meals 71 Essential kit A selection of culinary gear and gadgets 73 Recipes: chipotle chilli beef burgers A barbecue classic 74 Food festivals Celebrate the very best food and drink 76 Foodie destinations Enjoy new dishes wherever you go 79 Recipes: chorizo pasta A simple, quick crowd-pleaser 80 Load up the fridge Optimise your chilled food storage 82 Recipes: Eton mess A low-fat take on a luxury dessert sarah.wakely@futurenet.com
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On the cover 1 Enjoy fine dining on tour? Don’t miss our free 16-page guide to cooking great meals in your motorhome (p67)
2 Scenic summertime touring on the Adriatic coast (p20), the Welsh Borders (p34) and atmospheric Loch Ness (p40)
3 Expert advice on choosing the best kit for your motorhome (p96) and DIY maintenance of rubber seals (p104)
pre-owned 85 Pre-owned news Nick Harding reports from the forecourts 88 Used ’van buyer Hymercamp and Swing (1995-2002) 90 Practical Motorhome Hall of Fame Celebrating the great design icons. This month, Swift Kon-Tiki (1985-present)
TEchnical 94 Diamond Dave Bad design can hamper good repair work 96 Essential accessories Peter Rosenthal selects his top 20 gadgets and kit to maximise your touring enjoyment 102 Industry insight: Paintseal Direct Meet the pioneering team of experts at the protective coating specialists 104 Rubber seals It’s simple to maintain the rubber seals on ’van windows, lockers and cassettes, says Nigel Hutson 108 Buyer’s guide Comprehensive new-model data 122 Blast from the past Touring life from yesteryear www.practicalmotorhome.com | August 2022 3
