WELCOME
Sarah Wakely
Editor-in-chief
Everyone is trying to save a bit of cash where we can right now, and motorhome owners are no exception – I know from your correspondence and our social media that we’re all tightening our belts a little. It’s with this in mind that we’ve brought you our very special guide to cheaper touring in this issue (p67) – no matter where you plan to tour in the UK this year, we’ve found some brilliant attractions and campsites that can help save you money! While we’re on the subject of conserving cash, this month we’ve been looking closely at solar power. With energy costs rising all the time (which is very likely to be reflected in inflated site fees in coming months), alternative energy sources are definitely worth considering. You’ll find our full guide to solar panels on p100, and we review a solar-charged generator on p63.
sarah.wakely@futurenet.com
TALK 4 Where in the world Atmospheric ruins at Corfe Castle, Dorset 6 Connect Readers share their news, views and photos 11 New gear The latest essential kit for brilliant touring 12 Nightstops Stay at our motorhome-friendly stopovers 15 Ask the experts Pressing problem? We can help!
TOURING 19 This month All of the latest travel and touring news 22 Corfe Castle Join Susan Taylor on a Dorset adventure that revives fond memories of brilliant childhood holidays 26 Ludlow, Shropshire Susan Taylor found Ludlow the ideal location for her new puppy, Willow, to enjoy her first tour 32 Local authority: Walsall Let a local guide you around this lively and historic West Midlands market town 34 A taste of France Caroline Mills tours the Vallée de la Gastronomie to enjoy fine food, wine and gorgeous scenery 40 National Nature Reserves Marian Spain, Chief Executive of Natural England, tells us why NNRs are so important 42 European odyssey pt 6 Marcus Leach and family take to their bikes to explore the scenery of the Swiss Valais 48 Ten sites for… animal lovers If you enjoy watching wildlife, here are some of the best destinations across the UK 50 48 hours in… Bakewell Make the most of your weekend in this charming market town with our hour-by-hour guide
TESTED 54 New-model news Peter Baber has the latest updates 56 ’Van review: Pilote V633M Cleverly designed van conversion 58 New models for 2023 Our round-up of some of the brilliant new motorhomes heading your way for the 2023 season 63 Product review: solar generator A handy extra power source 64 Our ’vans, our month Latest updates on our loan fleet
KNOW-HOW GUIDE 67 Cheaper touring UK motorcaravanning on a budget! 69 Northern Ireland 70 Scotland and North-West England 72 Wales and North-East England 74 Heart of England and Eastern England 76 Dorset and South-East England 78 Devon, and Somerset, Avon & Wiltshire 80 Cornwall 81 Save money Expert tips from veteran motorcaravanners!
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On the cover 1 Don’t miss our cut-out-and-keep guide to touring on a budget (p67)
2 Inspirational travel, from a scenic foodie tour in southern France, to short breaks across the UK (from p22)
3 Expert tech advice on maintaining the correct tyre pressures in your ’van (p94) and choosing, fitting and using the right solar panel for your needs (p100)
PRE-OWNED 83 Pre-owned news Nick Harding reports from the forecourts 86 Used ’van buyer Elddis Autoquest/Compass Avantgarde CV ranges (2018-present) 88 Practical Motorhome Hall of Fame This month’s iconic brand: Auto-Trail Seminole on Talbot Express Al-Ko (1991-1995)
TECHNICAL 92 Diamond Dave The pros and cons of fitting an inverter 94 Check your tyres Peter Rosenthal guides you through procedures for checking your motorhome tyre pressures 99 Braking systems Ian Shaw on the importance of ABS 100 Solar panels John Sootheran answers all your questions 106 Buyer’s guide Comprehensive new-model data 122 Blast from the past Touring life from yesteryear www.practicalmotorhome.com | October 2022 3
