Caravan and Motorhome Club Magazine – June 2023

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Editorial Editors Gary Martin,

Deputy Editor Stuart Egan

Assistant Editors Clare Disano, Stephen Hollis

Design Michaela Millar

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WELCOME

John Thynne says:

Great for physical and mental health and fantastic for the environment; we already know that cycling is one of our members’ favourite pastimes.

This month we have put together a special section dedicated to two-wheeled transport (pages 68-79). Written by regular contributor and cycling expert Jonathan Manning, it covers everything from basic equipment to e-bikes, essential kit and safety advice – we hope it contains something for

President: Thomas Coke, 8th Earl of Leicester

Chairman: Grenville Chamberlain OBE

Director General: Nick Lomas

beginners and experienced bike enthusiasts alike.

What’s more, it includes details of four of Jonathan’s favourite rides from Club campsites – detailed directions as well as maps are available in our Digital Magazine (accessible via Google Play and the App Store).

Elsewhere in the issue we have advice on how to transport your bike to site and store it safely when you get there (pages 103-104), as well as a round-up of the latest cycling products on the market (96-97).

COVER IMAGE: Kingfisher near Ferry Meadows Club Campsite

David Weeks

We would like to thank image libraries Alamy, Getty Images/iStock and Shutterstock for supplying a number of images used in this magazine.

If you would rather take things a little more gently, take a look at Philip Moon’s article on pages 92-94. Using the Club’s lovely Tewkesbury Abbey campsite as a base, Philip embarked on a tour of the cathedrals of Gloucester, Worcester and Hereford, revealing a plethora of fascinating historical insights. Or maybe a puffinspotting excursion is more your cup of tea (p60-63) – further proof (if you needed it) that caravan and motorhome holidays can open your eyes to a huge variety of adventures. Following on from our walking supplement in the April issue, and continuing our ‘get active’ theme, next month we’ll be focussing on water-based activities. Let’s hope we have the weather to enjoy them!

Editions of your Club magazine – with lots of extra content – are also available via an app on iPhone/iPad and Android tablets and phones.

“ It’s one of our members’ favourite pastimes ”

TOURING

TESTS

MEMBER BENEFITS

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The Caravan Club Limited, which trades as Caravan and Motorhome Club, is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for general insurance and credit activities.

This magazine is also available free of charge as a page turner on the Club website and as an app via Google Play or the App Store. For non-members who download the Caravan and Motorhome Club Magazine app, each issue costs £3.99.

Readers are asked to note that the Caravan and Motorhome Club cannot accept responsibility for the quality, safe delivery or operation of any products advertised or mentioned in this journal. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply any form of approval or recommendation. Advertisements or other inserted material are accepted subject to the approval of the publishers and their current terms and conditions.

The publishers will accept an advertisement or other inserted material only on the condition that the advertiser warrants that such advertisement does not in any way infringe copyright or contravene the provisions of the Trade Descriptions Act.

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OPINION

Nick Lomas says:

Many of you will be aware that I was part of the team involved in the second Sahara Challenge to take UK tourers and motorhomes to Africa. The first trip began in 2020 and reached Cape St Vincent in Portugal, the most southwesterly point in Continental Europe, but ended prematurely due to the pandemic.

So, three years later, we set out to finish what we started and show how resilient and adaptable leisure vehicles can be. After leaving the Club network site of Valdevaqueros, we crossed the Strait of Gibraltar to Morocco, and the most surprising thing was how incredibly close the mountains of Africa are to Spain.

Our first objective was Rabat, the capital, where immaculately-clipped verges and broad boulevards are maintained near the royal palace. Next was Casablanca and the huge Hassan II Mosque, where we were allowed to stop and film nearby. It was a contrast to pause in such a remarkable and spiritually important setting after the hustle and bustle of the streets on the approach.

Onwards to Marrakesh, and our smartest campsite of the trip, shared with many intrepid European travellers. We had a trip to the medina by taxi; an adventure in itself as the driving is frantic! Ramadan started, so locals refrained from eating and drinking during daylight hours. We tried to be respectful and wore long trousers and didn’t eat or drink in public.

We set a course over the Atlas Mountains – some snow was still visible –and arrived at Ait-Ben-Haddou, a fortified village along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh. It’s an example of Moroccan earthen clay architecture and a UNESCO

World Heritage Site. Our campsite overlooked the ancient village and river. After a further day travelling, a local guide took us five miles off-road to the Sahara, which, astonishingly, makes up around 25% of the continent. We had a camel trip, and the caravanserai – or ‘group of travellers’ – from which the name for our pastime is derived, met the modern-day caravan. My last day was spent driving up the spectacular, winding Dadès Gorge. Thankfully there’s a café and parking area for turning at the top!

If you’re thinking of a similar trip, you’ll need a spirit of adventure, a bit of patience and planning. We showed it is practical for an ordinary UK leisure vehicle with the right tyres. The main roads and autoroutes are generally good. The Club Travel Service can arrange your Channel crossings and campsite bookings to and from southern Spain. The warm weather in March was perfect, and I must say the cuisine is very enjoyable, with tagines, fresh vegetables and steaming mint tea! The sites (except in Marrakesh) are best viewed as cheap, safe stopovers with basic and often tired facilities, so you’d be wise to use your on-board facilities. But Morocco is an adventure, with spectacular scenery, and great fun!

YOUR PHOTOS

Your most memorable touring moments caught on camera

WALK IN THE PARK

New Forest National Park is a delight to visit at any time of the year. (Nearest Club campsite: New Forest Centenary).

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED...

“This photo was taken at Flamborough Head in February. I was amazed by the sheer number of seals. It was very windy and the sea was rough.” (Nearest Club campsite: Bridlington.)

Hazel Pashby

FINE FORTRESS

Magical and mysterious Eilean Donan Castle near the Club’s Morvich campsite.

Reinhard Niethes

POPLAR OPINION

“Jon and Deynah’s puppy takes in the sunset over the mistletoe-covered poplars at Goodleigh Hill CL.” Taken near Pershore, a pretty Georgian market town.

Emily Horton

FRESH VIEWS

The beautiful Pembrokeshire Coast Path, and this stunning sandy beach, are right on the doorstep of the Club’s Freshwater East campsite.

Gillian Pye

GABLE TALK

“I’ve been up there – Great Gable,” says Eric, who stayed at Borrowdale Club Campsite. “Always wonderful walks in the Lake District.”

Eric Ness

WHITE MAGIC

St Mary’s Lighthouse sits on a small island north of Whitley Bay. It is linked to the mainland by a causeway that is submerged at high tide. (Nearest Club campsite: Old Hartley.)

Nick Dyson

CLUB COUNCIL REPORT

Club Council – the consultative and advisory body to the Executive Committee – meets twice a year to hear reports from Club staff and discuss subjects of interest to members. The first meeting of the year was held on Saturday 22 April in London and chaired by the Club Chairman, Grenville Chamberlain OBE. All Council members were invited to attend and the day featured a full schedule of presentations from Director General Nick Lomas and Directors Harvey Alexander (Marketing and Membership Services), Mark Pearson (Finance, Insurance and Management Services) and Anthony Davies (Sites and Accommodation). The Club’s President, Lord Leicester, was also in attendance and guest speakers included Viv Harrison (Research and Insights Manager) and Natasha Shane (Head of Strategic Development and Sustainability). Here is a summary of April’s meeting.

DIRECTOR GENERAL

Nick Lomas spoke about the issue of the devolved nations imposing different tourist taxes and the effect this would have on the Club. The Club lobbies the devolved governments on these matters and works with the Tourism Alliances to represent our members’ needs. He also covered the Club’s strategic goals and our business plan and key performance indicators for the year ahead. He gave a presentation to the Council about his

recent trip with Bailey to the Sahara, inspiring the group and showing that, if you want to, you can tour anywhere!

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND MEMBERSHIP SERVICES

Harvey Alexander explained why there was a need to keep the Club relevant and forwardthinking. Such forward thinking was evident in the rebranding of the Club in 2017, where we now have almost parity between motorhome and caravan ownership among members.

In 2022 we reported the highest number of members the Club has ever had in its history (over 382,000 member households).

He explained further that the Club was in a similarly forward-thinking position with the introduction of the new booking system, which had been designed to benefit members in both the short and long term. The Club sought to address the feedback received from members regarding availability on the UK site network

and the issue of cancellations. The new booking system allows members to book a year in advance (taking advantage of the best prices) and has increased availability by reducing speculative bookings (cancellations reduced by c70%).

UK Club campsites achieved a strong occupancy for touring last year at over 2.4 million nights, with glamping through Experience Freedom achieving over 12,000 nights. Two ‘Pop-Up campsites’ (Beaulieu Estate and Holkham Hall) and ClubFest gave members a variety of options when touring with the Club.

He emphasised the importance of social media and shared that the Club had reached 21m individuals with social posts in 2022 with 90% of all activity either neutral or positive. In fact, regarding the recent Sahara Challenge adventure with Bailey mentioned earlier by Nick Lomas, the Director General had reached close to 3m people. Harvey finished by thanking all of the volunteers who help run the many events the Club puts on throughout the year for all of their support.

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, INSURANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Mark Pearson reported that 2022 was a strong year which saw revenue return to more normalised pre-pandemic levels as the UK staycation market waned and government support was withdrawn |alongside the rise in inflation.

Here we present some highlights of the meeting held in London on Saturday 22 April

“ The new booking system allows members to book a year in advance at the best price while increasing availability ”

Harvey Alexander, Director of Marketing and Membership Services

Statutory revenue was up 18.7% yearon-year at £134.6m, which was £1.1m over budget. Capital expenditure increased by 37% year-on-year to £24.3m – it included the acquisition of Dornafield along with large developments at Clumber Park, Lady Margaret’s Park, Winchester and Scarborough West Ayton, and continued investment in on-site Wi-Fi.

The Club’s cash reserves fell 10% year-onyear from the record levels in 2021 to £48m, due in large part to the increase in capital expenditure, but it remains a significant balance and in line with budget.

Site revenue increased by £5.5m to £72m. Travel performed well with overseas site nights up from 7,846 in 2021 to over 100,000 in 2022, while ferry bookings rose by 237% to almost reach pre-pandemic levels.

Inflation accounts for an unprecedented £19m rise in costs across all categories in the budget for 2023, with members’ electricity up £3.6m (on top of a £5.2m rise in 2022). These increases equate to 15% year-on-year across all spend categories. The net effect of all the budgeted price increases, including 12.5% on site base prices and only 5% on membership subscriptions, was c11% overall.

The Club appreciates members are feeling the pressure in every part of their lives during the cost of living crisis and has therefore endeavoured to mitigate cost increases wherever possible.

DIRECTOR OF SITES AND ACCOMMODATION

Anthony Davies described the high levels of Capital Investment the Club is planning within the campsite network.

He advised that the Club has 18 major works projects planned during 2023, with a value of £23.3m. A further 19 projects with a potential value of £44m are being discussed and explored for 2024. With sustainability being a strategic objective of the Club, Anthony advised that, as standard on new developments, there are a number of approaches which improve sustainability, including solar panels, heat recovery systems and air source heat pumps.

Anthony also advised that the Club is trialling technology to make the on-site arrival experience more efficient for members, with Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems already introduced at Clachan, Southland and Lady Margaret’s Park, with Bourton-on-the-Water and Moreton-in-Marsh set to follow later in the year. Early indications are that members are very positive about the improvements that this technology can make to the arrival experience.

An electricity smart metering trial is also due to start at Wyatts Covert, giving members the opportunity to lower the cost of their stays through reduced pitch fees and reducing their electricity usage.

RESEARCH AND INSIGHTS MANAGER

Viv Harrison revealed how the make-up of the Club’s new members has been changing over the last five years from an even split between motorhome/campervan owners and caravan owners in 2018 to nearly a 2:1 ratio now.

The motorhomers/campervanners the Club is attracting are generally a little older and less likely to take children on holiday with them. They also tend to move around more, take shorter UK breaks over more months of the year and are twice as likely as caravanners to travel overseas.

Research into the experience of new members after 90 days showed that 80% felt the Club was exceeding or meeting their expectations.

HEAD OF STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

Natasha Shane gave a presentation to the Council on the Club’s strategy for sustainability and why it is important for us to change the way we do things. She asked the Council to spend some time in breakout groups looking at the following topics: ‘What can the Club do on site?’, ‘Rallies, events and Certificated Locations’ and ‘How do we engage with members and what can they do to help?’. The ideas put forward from the working groups will be used to help the Club create an action plan for the future.

For more information on how the Club works please head to camc.com/about-us.

The big numbers – a selection of statistics

Planned investment in sites during 2023 £134.6m

Overall revenue during 2022

382k

Most Club members ever

£23.3m

Over 200k

Members have downloaded the new App

Over 1.3m

Nights booked via the new booking system

c70% Reduction in cancellations since new booking system launched

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Headlines

The latest stories from the touring world

Spring and Summer Sale – 20% off!

Take advantage of our online Spring and Summer Sale with 20% off bookings at selected UK Club campsites. That’s 20% off pitch and guest fees!

Our Spring Sale discount is available at certain campsites for stays up to 30 June 2023 (see below for the list of campsites). Members must book a minimum of three nights and bookings must be made 14 days in advance of your arrival.

The Summer Sale discount is available at selected campsites (listed below). A three-night minimum stay applies for stays between 1 July and 3 September 2023. Bookings must be made at least 21 days in advance of your arrival.

Please note that the Summer Sale ends on 10 June 2023 and the Spring Sale finishes on 15 June 2023. This is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy a great value holiday at a UK Club campsite – visit camc.com/ ukoffers to find out more.

SPRING SALE CLUB CAMPSITES WITH 20% OFF*: Brecon Beacons; Bridlington; Cayton Village; Chester Fairoaks; Cirencester Park; Ferry Meadows; Hillhead; Hunter’s Moon; New Forest Centenary; Norfolk Broads; Rookesbury Park; Southport; The Sandringham Estate; Troutbeck Head; White Water Park; York Beechwood Grange

Working together for our sector

The Club is working again with industry colleagues from the Camping and Caravanning Club (CCC), the British Holiday & Home Parks Association (BH&HPA) and the National Caravan Council (NCC) on a major UK-wide survey to find out the economic value of our sector. This refreshes a 2018 study, also carried out jointly, which revealed that holiday parks and campsites around the UK generated a staggering £9.3bn in visitor expenditure and supported 171,448 full-time employees.

We’ll be able to use the survey results to raise the profile of our sector and make comparisons with the earlier data. We all know how much our activity contributes to local communities across the country, but we’ll soon have impressive and updated numbers at our fingertips to ensure national and local governments, planners and others, really do take us seriously.

SUMMER SALE CLUB CAMPSITES WITH 20% OFF*: Ashridge Farm, Black Horse Farm, Blackshaw Moor; Bromyard Downs; Commons Wood; Crossways; Culloden Moor; Ferry Meadows; Hillhead; Incleboro Fields; Longleat; Looe; Malvern Hills; Modbury; New England Bay; Ramslade; York Beechwood Grange

*Correct at the time of going to press. Terms and conditions apply. Please see website for details.

CLUB WINS GOLD HEALTH AND SAFETY AWARD

The Club has won a prestigious Gold Award from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) for continuing to demonstrate its commitment to health and safety excellence.

It is the second consecutive year that the Club has achieved recognition for keeping its staff and members safe, with competition coming from almost 2,000 entrants across nearly 50 countries. The Club also won a Gold Award in 2017 and claimed the Leisure Sector Award in 2018.

The RoSPA awards are in their 67th year and organisations receiving a Gold Award are recognised as being world leaders in health and safety practice.

Sean Turner, Health, Safety and Environment Manager at the Club, said: “In four attempts we’ve now achieved three Gold Awards and an even more prestigious Leisure Sector Award which is a superb effort by colleagues across the Club. All this work makes a real difference in reducing risks and protecting people.”

Julia Small, RoSPA’s Achievements Director, added: “We are thrilled that the Caravan and Motorhome Club has won a RoSPA Award and would like to congratulate them on showing an unwavering commitment to keeping their employees, clients and members safe from accidental harm and injury.”

The project will run throughout the main touring season, with park operators, site owners, the sponsoring clubs and visitors being asked to participate. We may be in touch to ask for your help with this in the coming months. We hope we can count on your valuable input.

EASTER FUN

Club members enjoyed a fantastic Easter weekend across the country, with rallies across the UK and some campsites holding Easter egg hunts for children. More than 50 children took part in The Sandringham Estate Club Campsite’s egg hunt on Easter Sunday, and everyone managed to complete the trail for a chocolate reward. A star prize draw followed – congratulations to the winner, Hannah, who is pictured above!

SAVE THE DATE: NEC SHOW

The Motorhome & Caravan Show 2023 will be held at the NEC in Birmingham from 17-22 October. The Club will have a stand as usual, and the show will feature new vehicles, all the latest kit, celebrity and guest speakers and much more. We’ll have more details nearer the time, but for now... save the date!

Share your touring photos with us!

You could win £50-worth of M&S vouchers by sharing your photos with us – and your image may be chosen to feature on the cover of the Caravan and Motorhome Club Magazine

Our social media team wants members to send in their inspirational pictures taken at and around Club campsites and Certificated Locations. It’s easy to do – simply visit camc.com/ photoofthemonth to upload your image. We’re looking for magical sunsets, spellbinding scenery or simply people having fun in the great outdoors – so get snapping.

Each month we will select one photo to appear as the header image on the Club’s Facebook page and present the chosen photographer with £50 in M&S vouchers.

In addition, we’ll be considering submitted photos for the cover of this magazine. Cover images need to be high-resolution (ideally 2MB or more), in sharp focus and, of course, ‘portrait’ in orientation. We’ve featured some fantastic images by members in recent months. Check out the January cover taken by Simon Torr (above) and take a look at this month’s front cover, captured by member David Weeks near the Club’s Ferry Meadows campsite…

To find out more and to read our terms and conditions, please visit camc.com/photoofthemonth.

On pages 20 and 21 of our April 2023 issue we reported on the Club’s new Escorted UK Tours. There are three tours available – exclusive to Club members – that have been carefully created by our travel team. The tours represent excellent value for money, with prices starting from just over £85 per person, per night, and give you the chance to experience the very best of each region while enjoying a fantastic, hassle-free holiday.

Included in the price for each tour are excursions and tickets for local attractions, your pitch at a UK Club campsite, transport to and from all excursions and tour hosts to accompany the group. The tours come with ABTA-bonded financial protection for your peace of mind and free days have been incorporated for you to explore at leisure.

Demand for our three-night Edinburgh Military Tattoo Escorted Tour was high, and this sold out quickly, but we have added another date, departing

21 August 2023. This tour includes a stay at Edinburgh Club Campsite, guided tours of Edinburgh and its magnificent castle, and, of course, the spectacular Military Tattoo with a pre-show dinner.

At the time of going to press a few spaces were still available on the Yorkshire and Kynren Escorted Tour (eight nights, departs 12 August and 2 September 2023), which includes visits to York, the Wensleydale Creamery and Barnard Castle, a trip on the North York Moors Railway and the epic Kynren show (an outdoor theatre spectacle tracing 2,000 years of British history). Bookings for the Royal Palaces and Historic Buildings Escorted Tour are now closed as it is departing on 1 June 2023.

More information, including prices and full itineraries, can be found at camc.com/uktours

To book please call 01342 488711.

WINCHESTER DEER

Visitors to Winchester Club Campsite may have spotted this magnificent bronze deer and accompanying plaque. The sculpture has been purchased to honour the memory and generosity of Elizabeth Charlesworth, a former member who passed away in 2020.

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SHOW TIME

JUNE

9-11 Nottinghamshire: Retro Rock ’n’ Roll Weekender, Newark Showground, Coddington (Warners Shows, see outandaboutlive.co.uk or call 01778 391123)

16-18 Staffordshire: Motorhome, Campervan & Caravan Show, Stratford Racecourse, Stratford-onAvon (Apple Tree Exhibitions, see appletree-exhibitions.co. uk or call 01805 603943)

JULY

14-16 Devon: Motorhome & Campervan Show, Exeter Racecourse, Exeter (Apple Tree Exhibitions, details as above)

21-23 Norfolk: The Norfolk Motorhome & Campervan Show, Norfolk Showground, Norwich (Warners Shows, details as above)

Note: show information is subject to change and pre-registration or tickets may be required – please check websites or telephone event organisers in advance for up-to-date information.

CLUB LENDS SUPPORT TO TOURISM INITIATIVES

Representatives of the Club met politicians at Club campsites and attended events at Westminster and the Senedd in support of English Tourism Week and Wales Tourism Week. These activities help to promote the interests of Club members and ensure that our pastime is considered when matters of tourism are debated in London and the devolved parliaments.

At the end of March, and coinciding with English Tourism Week, the Club’s Director General, Nick Lomas, met Steve Brine, MP for Winchester and member of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, at Winchester Club Campsite. Having viewed the site and the recent redevelopment work, the MP said: “It was great to visit Winchester Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite today in Hampshire and it was easy to see why it is a popular destination for tourers. I am sure that campsite visitors across the year will also bring a welcome boost to the local visitor economy.”

Meanwhile, Club Chairman Grenville Chamberlain OBE spoke at a Tourism Alliance reception at Westminster – also during English Tourism Week. The event was co-sponsored by the Club and also

attended by the Club’s Governance Co-ordinator Rebecca Newman.

The Club also supported Wales Tourism Week in May, attending a reception at the Senedd building in Cardiff. As we went to press Members of the Senedd Llyr Gruffydd, Ken Skates, Paul Davies and Samuel Kurtz were due to visit Penrhos, Lady Margaret s Park, St David’s Lleithyr Meadow and Freshwater East Club campsites respectively in mid-May.

A visit to Balbirnie Park Club Campsite by Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes –originally planned to take place during Scottish Tourism Month –is being rescheduled.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

News from the Club’s Collection

The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, home to the Club’s historic Collection, has launched a new headline exhibition. Motopia? Past Future Visions showcases a journey through 130 years of future-thinking about automobility. Running until 14 April 2024, visitors will see bold visions for vehicles from the past and the futuristic environment in which they would operate.

“Concept cars, visions of the future at the start of the 20th century and ideas on how we travel and power our vehicles will be on display,” said Jon Murden, Chief Executive of the National Motor Museum.

“We’ll be encouraging visitors to explore ideas for an ideal way of living and getting about. It’s the first of a series of exhibitions at the museum that will focus on the future as well as the past of automobility.”

The exhibition has given the Club’s Curator an opportunity to take a closer look at caravan designs of the past which feature daring visions for the future. Highlights of the Club Collection take their place in the exhibition, from a Victorian design of a ‘home on wheels’ inspired by the form of paddle steamers to the highly

News in brief

EUROPEAN TOURS

A few places remained on two of the Club’s European tours as we went to press. Departing 2 September 2023, the 25-night ‘Croatia and Slovenia’ caravan or motorhome holiday will take in the very best of these two beautiful countries (including Rovinj, pictured), revealing their rich histories and cultures. Meanwhile, the four-night ‘Christmas Markets’ caravan or motorhome tour departs on 11 December 2023 and takes in the magical markets of Cologne, Aachen and Valkenburg. For more information please visit camc.com/european-tours.

BIG DEAL AT HENLEY

Site staff at Henley Four Oaks have sponsored a playing card in a specially designed pack that celebrates the town of Henley-on-Thames. The packs –illustrated by local artist Nicola Metcalfe – feature the Club campsite on the four of clubs. Guests can purchase this great souvenir from the site’s reception or from acehenley.co.uk.

BUTTERFLY COUNT

Would you like to take part in The Big Butterfly Count from 14 July6 August? The UK-wide survey –conducted by Butterfly Conservation – is a great help in assessing the state of the environment. All you need to do is count the number (and record the types) of butterflies that you see. For more information please visit bigbutterflycount. butterfly-conservation.org.

streamlined 1930s Atlas Aerovan designed for the sportscar owner.

Entry to Motopia? Past Future Visions will be included in the ticket price for the Beaulieu attraction. Club members receive 33% off entry on the day of booking on production of a valid membership card. See the Club’s Great Savings Guide for more information.

Find out more about the exhibition by visiting nationalmotormuseum.org.uk/events.

News in brief

SITE HOSTS ITV CREW

Members staying at Hunter’s Moon Club Campsite in Dorset at the end of March may have caught a glimpse of an outside broadcast crew from ITV’s daytime shows This Morning and Loose Women. Presenters Laura Hamilton and Jake Quickendon held six live broadcasts and a competition to win £40,000 and a Vanworx campervan.

Great gardens

If you are a lover of beautifully maintained gardens, you could help decide the winner in the Historic Houses Garden of the Year 2023 competition.

Six stunning gardens in Northern Ireland, England and Scotland have been shortlisted from hundreds of gardens, parks and grounds across the UK as they compete to take over the prestigious title from Wentworth Woodhouse in South Yorkshire.

Digital magazine

The June issue of the Digital Magazine is available to download now. Readers can join Jonathan Manning on a fantastic cycle ride from White House Beach Club Campsite, enjoy an extra page of Tail Lights and find the answer to the mystery wildlife picture in this month’s ‘Country Matters article’. You can also watch video reviews to accompany our tests of the Ssangyong Rexton and the Adria Matrix Supreme MB 670 SL, and there is an updated rally supplement. You can download the app for free from the App Store or Google Play by searching for ‘CAMC Magazine’.

The six nominated gardens are: Blair Castle in the Cairngorms (pictured, nearest Club sites: Killin, Maragowan and Forfar Lochside); Hergest Croft Gardens in Herefordshire (Moorhampton); Dunvegan Castle on Skye (Morvich); Glenarm Castle Walled Garden in County Antrim (Drumaheglis); Mount Stuart on the Isle of Bute (Ayr Craigie Gardens); and Scampston Walled Garden in North Yorkshire

(Cayton Village and Scarborough West Ayton).

The awards, which have been running since 1984, are open to gardens that offer free entry to members of Historic Houses, with the public – both members and non-members – encouraged to vote for their favourite by visiting historichouses.org/vote-forgarden-of-the-year-2023. Voting closes on August 31 with the winner announced in November.

You recommend... Bearsted

Your views on a super site near Maidstone, Kent

“Leeds Castle is a must see visit for adults and children alike... We took our motorhome on the last day of our stay. It’s a five-minute journey to the castle and there is plenty of motorhome parking... We bought our tickets at the castle ticket office using our Club membership card to get a discount.” (April 2023)

“We are new to caravanning and were so lucky to have chosen this site as our first stop. Alan gave us great advice and tips and we are now touring the south of Spain with our two young boys. I can safely say the two days at Bearsted were invaluable. Thanks again Alan!”

(December 2022)

“Lovely little site, nice warm welcome from [site staff, who] go the extra mile to keep the site spotless... Good Wi-Fi and TV signal, nice fully serviced pitch, good facilities block. Plenty to see in the surrounding area... we went to Whitstable and Herne Bay. Shame we only booked for three nights, will come back for longer next time.”

(July 2022)

SAFE PADDLING

British Canoeing is a National Governing Body for Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP). As this pastime grows in popularity we would like to point Club members who are interested in SUP towards British Canoeing’s safety advice, which is available online at gopaddling.info/tag/paddlingsafely. Helpful articles cover topics such as the correct type of leash to use, how to paddle on different bodies of water, what to wear and much more.

AN AMAZING SPACE

The crew from Channel 4’s long-running TV show George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces recently filmed part of an upcoming episode at Slinfold Club Campsite, focusing on a Club member’s incredible converted horse box (see Tail Lights, p106, February 2023 issue). Look out for a broadcast date and watch earlier episodes at channel4.com.

HEAD OF STEAM

The Head of Steam – Darlington Railway Museum is a popular visitor attraction and Club members have been able to take advantage of discount entry thanks to the Great Savings Guide. We would like to make members aware that the museum is undergoing a major redevelopment in 2023 and will not be re-opening until Summer 2024. Enthusiasts can take advantage of discounts at several other rail-related attractions – see camc.com/greatsavingsguide

Opportunity knocks

Our superb popup campsites allow you to pitch up in fantastic locations where camping isn’t usually possible

This year, our popular pop-up campsites are returning to the delightful Beaulieu Estate in the New Forest and Holkham Hall on the magnificent north Norfolk coast. There’s also a new pop-up site at the Lee Valley White Water Centre, north of London, to coincide

New Forest Pop-up Campsite

Dates: 4-31 July 2023

Cost: from £39 per night* for two adults

The stunning parkland of the Beaulieu Estate is your base, allowing you to enjoy all that the New Forest has to offer – including cycle and walking routes, and the incredible Beaulieu visitor attraction right on your doorstep. This year, in addition to touring pitches, we are also offering tent pitches – ideal if friends and family members wish to join you. The campsite will feature an activity area with free garden games and outdoor fun planned, and facilities include toilets and showers, plus fresh water and waste disposal.

You can also get a 25%^ discount on the price of entry to the Beaulieu visitor attraction, plus free re-entry. Enjoy the gardens, take the little ones to the Little Beaulieu adventure playground, ride the Skytrain monorail and explore the National Motor Museum, World of Top Gear, Palace House and Secret Army Exhibition. There’s also 30%^ off tickets to Buckler’s Hard Museum, which takes you on a journey of discovery through a fascinating,18th-century shipbuilding village.

with the 2023 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships – it offers an amazing chance to stay close to the action during a week of high-octane competition.

You can read more about each of these campsites at camc.com/popups (where you

can also book your stay), as well as on pages 13 and 24-25 of our May issue. On this page we highlight some of the features of each pop-up campsite and related special events that you could enjoy during your holiday.

Holkham Hall Pop-up Campsite

Dates: 11 July-7 August and 21 August17 September 2023

Cost: from £41 per night* for two adults

Relax at the stunning Holkham Estate in north Norfolk, just half a mile from a beautiful stretch of coastline featuring some of the best cycling and walking routes in England. As well as touring pitches, you can experience glamping luxury in our lavish, beautifully decorated bell tents

(available 14 July-7 August) or get back to basics with your own tent on a camping pitch. Facilities include toilets and showers as well as fresh water and waste disposal. Guests also receive a 30%^ discount on admission to Holkham Hall, the walled garden and the Holkham Stories exhibition! There will be plenty happening on the campsite too, including an incredible film, activity and adventure weekend in July (see below).

Join us for fun, adventure and film at our stunning Holkham Hall Pop-up Campsite for three nights from 28 July 2023. Costing just £30 (adults)/£20 (children) plus your pitch fee†, The Big Little Touring Festival offers great value outdoor activities, fitness and wellness sessions as well as an unmissable outdoor cinema!

The big screen

Bring your camping chairs, blankets and popcorn and enjoy a super outdoor cinema experience. We will be holding four screenings of David Attenborough’s Wild Isles across the weekend, plus two blockbuster films.

Wellness and fitness activities

Join a relaxing yoga or meditation session or take part in an energetic HIIT workout... these drop-in sessions will have something for everyone and beginners are welcome.

Outdoor adventures sponsored by Raleigh

As well as way-marked cycle routes and cycling events, there will be a range of adventurous daytime activities for the whole family. Think archery, climbing and survival skills!

That’s not all…

On this weekend the campsite will also host a pop-up bar and food vendors (food/drink not included in ticket price), while you can play badminton, disc golf and more.

Big Little Touring Festival tickets

Tickets for the whole weekend of activities cost just £30 for adults and £20 for children aged 8-16 (children under 7 go free), when you book a threenight stay from 28 July 2023.

† You need to purchase Festival tickets to stay at the pop-up site on the nights of 28-30 July.

2023 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships Pop-up Campsite

Dates: 19-24 September 2023

Cost: from £48 per night** for two adults

Stay at this pop-up campsite at the Lee Valley White Water Centre – built for the 2012 Olympic Games –for the chance to see around 300 of the world’s top athletes battle it out during a week of sporting action. (Please note that tickets for the event are not included in the price, but a 10% discount is available for members, see website for details.) There will also be live music, great food and drink available, ‘have a go’ water activities and entertainment for kids –there really is something for everyone to enjoy! If you want to go sightseeing, the centre of London is just 30 minutes away by train (Waltham Cross station is a 15-minute walk from the campsite).

Pop-up Campsites this page and opposite

* Price for two adults and a standard pitch per night, staying between Sunday-Thursday. Two night minimum stay and £1 transaction fee applies.

** Price for two adults and a touring pitch per night, staying between Tuesday-Thursday. Two-night minimum stay and £1 transaction fee applies.

^ See website for details on discounted attraction tickets.

Find out more at camc.com/popups.

SEE YOU THERE!

Smart metering trial begins

We’re pleased to announce that the smart metering trial at Wyatts Covert Club Campsite started on 17 May 2023.

Smart metering enables us to measure the amount of electricity consumed when you plug into the EHU (socket on the bollard) allocated to your pitch. This is similar to the way many of us use smart meters at home, and means that we will only charge you for the precise amount of electricity you use. This

allows us to reduce our campsite fees for Wyatts Covert and puts you in control of the amount of electricity you use.

Members due to stay at the site will have received an email setting out everything they need to know; you can also read more at camc.com/smartmetering. The trial will help us understand how easy the metering solutions are for members to use and, importantly, how much this helps reduce the use of electricity.

Fast check-in trial extended

Having previously launched fast check-in trials at Clachan and Southland Club campsites –and following very positive feedback from members – we have introduced a further trial at Lady Margaret’s Park Club Campsite, near Chirk in Wales.

On arrival at the campsite, you can join the lane marked ‘Fast check-in’ and go straight to the barrier, which will automatically open providing you have paid in full prior to arrival and your vehicle registration number tallies with your booking. You’ll then be able to confirm your pitch number via a text message, and at that point you’re checked in.

You can still choose to check-in via reception if you want to; just drive into the ‘Reception check-in’ lane instead and follow the usual procedure.

If you’re due to stay at Lady Margaret’s Park Club Campsite in 2023, you’ll receive full details ahead of your arrival via email and text.

These trials are being held so that we can establish the most efficient, streamlined

Spotlight on... Glamping near the coast

Stay for just over £60 per night – based on a two night stay!

Whether you’re after a relaxing time on the beach, a walk along the cliffs, amusement arcades, piers and ice-cream – or even a classic seaside holiday that features all of the above – Experience Freedom offers a great choice of locations.

We have four campsites within easy reach of the coast offering a variety of glamping accommodation types. Choose from Southland (Isle of Wight), Cayton Village (North Yorkshire coast), Daleacres and Brighton (both south coast of England) – depending on the site you pick, accommodation ranges from pods and yurts to safari tents and cabins. There are beaches near each site – Sandown Beach is

service for members arriving at Club campsites. At some sites it may be possible to reduce the impact of traffic building up on local roads and free up staff for other important jobs. Reception blocks will still be open as normal if you need to speak to site staff, and please always feel free to say ‘hello’, even if you are using the fast check-in service!

In our post-stay surveys, one member who visited Clachan said: “Love the fast check-in, no messing about on arrival.” Another, who stayed at Southland, wrote: “Fast check-in was a new experience for us but it was explained very easily.”

just four miles away from Southland, Cayton Bay is one mile from Cayton Village, Hythe is a mere five miles from Daleacres and Brighton Beach is a mile from Brighton Club Campsite. Don’t forget that Club members and their friends and family save 10% on bookings with Experience Freedom. Prices start at £124.20*. More information can be found at camc.com/ experiencefreedom

*Price quoted is based on a two-night stay in a safari tent at Southland Club Campsite between Monday and Thursday and between 5 June-20 July 2023. This price includes the exclusive member discount of £13.80.

DAYS OUT FOR LESS

MEMBERS RECEIVE DISCOUNTS AT HUNDREDS OF ATTRACTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THANKS TO THE GREAT SAVINGS GUIDE. HERE ARE FIVE TRANSPORT-THEMED DAYS OUT

THE CM BOOTH COLLECTION, KENT

BEAULIEU, HAMPSHIRE

A ticket for Beaulieu in the New Forest gives you entry to a host of attractions, including the National Motor Museum, Palace House and Gardens, Little Beaulieu adventure play area, Beaulieu Abbey, World of Top Gear and more. Club members receive 33% off day entry or 25% off advance admission to Beaulieu. Dogs are welcome and motorhome parking is available (contact venue for details). Deals not valid in conjunction with any other offer or discount including the family ticket, and cannot be used on special event days.

Info: beaulieu.co.uk

Club campsite: Black Knowl

Located in the beautiful High Weald AONB, this private collection is a must-see for transport enthusiasts. It specialises in Morgan three-wheel cars, with 12 usually on display, dating from 1909 to 1936. Other exhibits include a 1936 Brampton expanding caravan, a 1904 Humber tri-car, a 1929 Morris van and a 1929 Ford Model A. Fans of two wheels will be fascinated by early motorcycles and cycles. Club members receive two tickets for the price of one. Contact the museum for opening times and motorhome parking.

Info: morganmuseum.org.uk

Club campsite: Tanner Farm AS

HOLKHAM HALL, NORFOLK

This magnificent stately home is set within rolling parkland beside a nature reserve and beautiful beach. Club members can claim a 20% pre-booking discount on a ‘Hall, Stories & Gardens’ or ‘Stories & Walled Garden’ ticket. Attractions also include a woodland adventure play area, a ropes course (separate charge applies), cycle and boat hire, and a gift shop and café. Dogs are welcome but must be kept on a lead at all times in the park; only assistance dogs are allowed in the hall. Motorhome parking available; contact the venue directly for details. Offer cannot be used for events or in conjunction with any other promotion.

Info: holkham.co.uk

Club campsite: The Sandringham Estate

ARRAGON’S CYCLE HIRE, LAKE DISTRICT

RUTLAND CYCLE HIRE

Club members visiting the East Midlands can enjoy a 10% discount by pre-booking with Rutland Cycle Hire. With bases at the Rutland Water and Grafham Water reservoirs and a country park in Leicester, it’s easy to find a location that fits your plans. The company caters for adults and children and offers e-bikes.

Info: rutlandcycling.com

Club campsites: Rutland AS, Stamford, Grafham Water

Visitors to the Lake District can explore more by bike thanks to Arragon’s Cycle Hire, which has outposts in Penrith and Lowther Castle. While Penrith offers access to the whole of the Eden Valley, Lowther to the south is set in an estate that features ancient woodland and pastures, with dedicated trails. Members can take advantage of a £5 discount when pre-booking.

Info: arragonscyclehire.com

Club campsites: Englethwaite Hall, Troutbeck Head, Borrowdale

Please visit camc.com/greatsavingsguide for vouchers, discount codes and pre-booking where relevant, as well as terms and conditions for all offers. Please check site and attraction opening dates and times before visiting/travelling.

BEFORE YOU TRAVEL

See camc.com for the latest site information. We also recommend that you check with businesses and attractions that are featured regarding opening dates and times.

Centre of attention

Warwick Racecourse

Club Campsite

Enjoy a grandstand view of race meetings and an easy walk into Warwick from this compact site.

Pitches: 56

Max outfit length: 10.4m

Member view

“We like the walk around the perimeter of the racecourse and the retail therapy in town.”

Paul

Site view

“Warwick is beautiful, and it’s a five-minute walk to the town centre... 10 minutes to Warwick Castle, and there are buses to Stratford every half hour.”

Nick and Karen

Food & drink

The Four Penny Pub, 27 Crompton Street, Warwick CV34 6HJ

Contact: 4pennyhotel.co.uk, 01926 491360

Culture

Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Waterside, Stratford-uponAvon CV37 6BB

Contact: rsc.org.uk, 01789 331111

Outdoor fun

Hatton Locks, The Heritage Skills Centre, Canal Lane, Hatton, Warwick CV35 7JL

Contact: canalrivertrust.org.uk

For the family

The Children’s Play Village, Hampton Rd, Budbrooke, Warwick CV35 8HA

Contact: childrensplayvillage. co.uk, 01926 830635

Scan here to book a pitch at Warwick Racecourse

Decades ago, as a teenager, I stayed with a French family for a fortnight on an exchange programme. The experience was an absolute revelation. I particularly remember discovering the delights of pain au chocolat, but the real revelation came when my French counterpart, François, came to stay with us. My parents turned into super-hosts, determined to show him every attraction in the local area!

It was eye-opening to discover so many fascinating places on my doorstep. Stately homes, mazes, viewpoints and windsurfing lakes, alongside a daily roster of cafés and

pubs, added up to a fabulous staycation. I was filled with a similar sense of pride and wonder during this tour of the southern counties of the West and East Midlands, my home patch. I live within 15 miles of three of the sites, and a fourth is under an hour away, yet I still encountered awesome attractions that were new to me, alongside others that filled me with nostalgia; places where I’ve spent my children’s birthdays, Mothering Sundays, and bank holiday reunions with old friends.

HAVE A FLUTTER

On the grounds that a holiday along the A14 corridor doesn’t sound very glamorous, let’s just say that this tour heads west to east, starting at Warwick Racecourse Club

“ The beautiful Lord Leycester Hospital dates from the 1300s ”

Campsite. Located exactly as it says on the tin, some pitches have arguably the finest grandstand view of the entire track, and all are close enough to hear the thunder of hooves and roar of punters. On non-race days, the course provides an open, grassy dog walk. Jump meetings take place from September through to the end of May (there are restrictions on arrivals and departures on race days), and I pitch up on the eve of a meet, along with a fleet of caravanners and motorhomers clutching copies of the Racing Post. Warwick itself is accessible by Shanks’s pony, and the prettiest route into town is via Hill Close Gardens (£5 entry fee). There are 16 Victorian garden plots to visit here, each with different plants and designs, as well as eight

Harbury Fields Farm Touring Park

Affiliated Site

An immaculately kept site of fully serviced pitches, and a very convenient location for exploring the abundant local attractions.

Pitches: 58

Member view

“It’s a lovely site with nice facilities in a good area, with a decent walk to Leamington Spa.”

Raife

Site view

“Leamington Spa is great, with good shops, a thriving café culture and great parks. We go for a walk around town on summer evenings.”

Rob

Food & drink

Crown Inn, Crown Street, Harbury, Royal Leamington Spa CV33 9HE

Contact: crowninnharbury.co.uk, 01926 614995

Culture

British Motor Museum, Banbury Road, Gaydon CV35 0BJ

Contact: britishmotormuseum. co.uk, 01926 895300

£2 OFF

Member saving available: see camc.com/greatsavings guide for details, terms and conditions

Outdoor fun

Chesterton Windmill, Windmill Hill Lane, Leamington Spa CV33 9LB

Contact: heritage. warwickshire.gov.uk

For the family

Warwick Boat Hire, Warwick Boats, St Nicholas Park, Off Banbury Road, Warwick CV34 4QY

Contact: warwickboats.co.uk, 01926 494743

Orchard Views

Certificated Location

A pretty-as-a-picture farm setting with hardstanding pitches, electric hook-ups, and a good pub within walking distance.

Sites Directory & Handbook p376

Member view

“The pitches are good-sized and well spaced. It was nice to doze in the van hearing owls and other birds. I would definitely return.”

Anne

Site view

“There’s a fascinating walk at Foxton Locks, and we’re close to Leicester with the Richard III Visitor Centre and Space Centre.”

Marie

Food & drink

Black Horse, 25 Lutterworth Road, Walcote, Lutterworth LE17 4JU

Contact: 01455 203371

Culture

Kenilworth Castle, Castle Green, Off Castle Road, Kenilworth CV8 1NG

Contact: english-heritage.org.uk,

historic summerhouses that look like 19th-century precursors to the home offices that sprung up during the pandemic.

Outdoor fun

Foxton Locks, Top Lock Cottage, Gumley Road, Foxton LE16 7RA

Contact: canalrivertrust.org.uk, 0116 279 3686

For the family

Pine Tree Alpacas, Ashby Road, Peatling Parva, Lutterworth LE17 5PX

Contact: pinetreealpacas.co.uk, 07980 043530

BOOKING INFO

For the latest details and opening information for all our sites, please see camc.com

A Warwick Town Trail (£1 map from the Visitor Information Centre) provides a self-guided tour of the town’s highlights on foot. These include the church of St Mary Immaculate, where JRR Tolkien was married in 1916; the beautiful Lord Leycester Hospital, which dates from the 1300s (due to reopen after renovation this summer); and the characterful buildings of Smith Street, which escaped the Great Fire of Warwick in 1694. Bread&co’s pecan pie lures me back to this historic road on consecutive days.

There’s no doubting Warwick’s star attraction, however, which is magnificent Warwick Castle, about a 10-minute walk from the Club campsite. (Members can pre-purchase tickets via the Great Savings

Guide at camc.com/ greatsavingsguide.)

The gruesome Castle Dungeon (pre-booking online is mandatory), with its claustrophobic underground passages and torture equipment, offers an immersive experience. Beware costumed staff intent on making visitors jump –you have been warned!

CX-5 &

FROM JOHNSONS MAZDA – PULLING ITS WEIGHT

CX-60

Tow this summer with the stunning all-new Mazda CX-60, with class-leading 2,500kg trailer weight towing capacity. Or for lighter requirements, try the 2023 Mazda CX-5 family SUV – the perfect companion for your family adventures.

Plus, order a new Mazda CX-5 or Mazda CX-60 from Johnsons Mazda before the end of June and get a free three-year service plan and a free fitted towbar* with 6.9% APR Representative, as well as a guarantee that your new car arrives with a brand-new 23 plate!

To take advantage of this o er, quote ‘CAMC’.

The o cial fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the Mazda CX-60 range: Combined 53.3 (5.3)–56.5 (5.0), weighted combined 188.3 (1.5). CO2 emissions (g/km) 139–129, weighted combined 33.^

The o cial fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the Mazda CX-5 range: Combined 37.2 (7.6)–50.4 (5.6). CO2 emissions (g/km) 146–173.^ The

is

on all

orders placed by

or

whichever

Retail sales only, subject to availability for vehicles ordered by 30.06.23 and registered by 30.09.2023 at participating dealers. T&Cs apply. At the end of the agreement, there are three

Mazda CX-60 PHEV is a plug-in hybrid vehicle requiring mains electricity for charging. Equivalent all-electric range: 39.15 miles. ^Figures shown are for comparability purposes; only compare fuel consumption and CO2 figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real-life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors, including the accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load. All figures quoted are derived from the latest WLTP test cycle.

Grafham Water Club Campsite

Perfectly located for access to Grafham Water, this chilled-out site has a community shop and pub within walking distance.

Pitches: 60

Max outfit length: 8.5m

“This is a beautiful site; it’s well-kept and the facilities are absolutely spotless. The staff were very welcoming and friendly.”

“There’s walking, cycling, fishing and sailing at the reservoir – we see kids come and never look at a screen!”

Site view

Cinnamon, 43 Breach Road, Grafham, Huntingdon PE28 0BA

Contact: cinnamonhuntingdon. co.uk, 01480 811316

Food & drink

Wimpole Estate, Arrington, Royston SG8 0BW

Contact: nationaltrust.org.uk, 01223 206000

Culture

Rutland Cycling Grafham, Marlow Car Park, Grafham

PE28 0BH

Contact: rutlandcycling.com, 01480 812500

Member view 10%

Outdoor fun

Member saving available: see camc. com/greatsavings guide for details, terms and conditions

For the family

Southlake Aqua Park, Saint Neots PE19 6BN

Contact: 07527 007568

Scan here to book a pitch at Grafham Water

Far more wholesome is the fantastic Falconer’s Quest birds of prey display and the spectacular jousting tournament in the ‘Wars of the Roses Live’ (27 May to 3 September). Warwick Castle’s determination to entertain from start to finish makes for a brilliant day out.

BARD’S BIRTHPLACE

The birthplace and burial plot of arguably Britain’s greatest entertainer are just a few miles down the road in Stratford-upon-Avon. A joint ticket (£25) provides access to both William Shakespeare’s Birthplace and Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall. The Bard learnt Latin, literature and catechism in this timber-framed building; I wonder which of the hundreds of famous phrases that he coined were dreamt up while gazing out of the leaded windows and chewing on a quill. The brilliant guides at the Schoolroom & Guildhall answer all my questions engagingly, and there’s even the opportunity to try writing with the nib of a swan feather.

“I like this place and could willingly waste my time in it” ( As You Like It ), but it’s time to move on to Harbury Fields Farm Touring Park Affiliated Site (AS), an immaculate rural spot just seven miles east of Warwick. A choir of birds sings from the hedges that border the pitches, while the farm’s flock of North Country Mule sheep prepare for lambing. A mile-long dog walk circumnavigates the site, while, a little farther away, the village of Harbury has a Co-op supermarket and three pubs.

The site’s location makes it a superb basecamp for exploring lovely Leamington Spa, which is accessible by bus from the end of the site’s driveway. It’s a vibrant spa town, buoyed by the energy of students from nearby Warwick University, and in March was judged the best place to live in the Midlands by the Sunday Times

Site owner Rob also points out that there are half a dozen National Trust properties within 30 minutes’ drive, with handsome Charlecote Park the closest. This Victorian

“ Magnificent Warwick Castle... about a 10-minute walk from the Club campsite ”

Club Shop Club Shop

Mound Lodge Certificated Location

This large, grass paddock has hilltop views, and hardstanding options if the weather turns wet. Pitches have electric hook-ups. Sites Directory & Handbook p271

Member view

“The site is beautifully quiet with lots of birds around to watch and the grass is well maintained.” Hazel and Rob

Site view

“People love the farm walks, and the attractive stone villages nearby. We’re also handy for the A1 and for Peterborough Showground.”

Food & drink

Black Horse, 14 Overend, Elton, Peterborough PE8 6RU

Contact: theblackhorseatelton. co.uk, 01832 280591

Culture

Elton Hall & Gardens, Nr Peterborough PE8 6SH

Contact: eltonhall.com, 01832 280223

Outdoor fun

Flag Fen, The Droveway, Northey Road, Peterborough PE6 7QJ

Contact: flagfen.org.uk, 01733 864468

house has five impressive rooms to visit downstairs, although it’s the gardens and deer parkland, on the banks of the River Avon, that linger longest in the memory.

A few miles to the north-east is Orchard Views Certificated Location (CL), where farmer and owner Marie is feeding her two rescue donkeys as I arrive. It’s such a pretty spot that some regular campers come from only three miles away to enjoy the views and peace, while others plan a night’s stopover and end up staying for a week or longer. Having the highly rated Black Horse pub within walking distance adds to this CL’s attraction, too!

For the family

Flip Out, 1 Wedgwood Way, Peterborough PE3 8AY

Contact: flipout.co.uk, 01733 889188

OLIVER’S ARMY

Heading east along the A14 into Northamptonshire, a sign points to Naseby, site of one of the defining battles of the English Civil War. King Charles I’s forces were

defeated by the New Model Army, led by Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell, securing parliament the right to a permanent role in the government of England. Four times a year the Naseby Battlefield Project runs tours of the historic site, often brought to life through re-enactments.

The Cromwell story continues at my next stop, Grafham Water Club Campsite in Cambridgeshire, where the reception office adjoins Grade II-listed Cromwell Cottage,

Stamford Club Campsite

Set in beautiful woodland, this site has electric hook-ups but no facilities block. There’s a café and bike hire centre next door.

Pitches: 82

Max outfit length: 8.5m

Member view

“I’ve been coming since before the hardstanding pitches. I love the tranquillity and there are two-, three- and five-mile walks from the gate.” Malcolm

Food & drink

The Royal Oak, High Street, Duddington, Stamford PE9 3QE

Contact: royaloakduddington. com, 01780 444556

Culture

Deene Park, Deene, Corby

NN17 3EG

Contact: deenepark.com, 01780 450278

Outdoor fun

Barnsdale Gardens, The Avenue, Exton, Oakham, Rutland

LE15 8AH

Contact: barnsdale gardens.co.uk, 01572 813 200

2-FOR-1

Member saving available: see camc.com/greatsavingsguide for details, terms and conditions

For the family

Specialized Rutland Water bike hire, Normanton Car Park, Edith Weston LE15 8HD

Contact:

rutlandcycling.com, 01780 720 888

Member saving available: see camc. com/greatsavings guide for details, terms and conditions

Scan here to book a pitch at Stamford

10%

once owned by Oliver’s family. Grafham is an outdoorsy site, with the reservoir offering paths and bike rides, as well as fishing and watersports. And when evening comes, there’s a community-run pub and an excellent Indian restaurant within walking distance, plus a pizza van that visits the site on Friday and Saturday nights.

Grafham managers Jane and Bryan suggest, however, that the star of the show is ‘Oli’, a wild American horned owl, who roosts in the trees around the perimeter of this leafy site. I think they’re joking until we saunter around the pitches and hear, then see, the giant owl hooting on a branch. “He’s been here for at least 25 years and he’s a local celebrity,” says Bryan.

There are more flying wonders at Imperial War Museum Duxford, which features impressive static displays and superb air shows through the summer. It’s about a 30-minute drive from Grafham and worth a full day to admire the aircraft,

including among them a colossal B52 Stratofortress, an elegant Avro Vulcan with its iconic delta wings, and a hangar dedicated to the Battle of Britain, complete with a pair of Hurricanes, a Spitfire and a crash-landed Messerschmitt.

Cambridge and its historic colleges are a similar distance away, while closer still is the National Trust’s Houghton Mill, the jewel in the crown of a walk along the Great River Ouse near Huntingdon. The mill still works, offering grain-grinding demonstrations, and there’s a small riverside tea-room too.

From Grafham, it’s an easy drive up the A1 to the outskirts of Peterborough and Mound Lodge CL, a large grass paddock next to a plum orchard on a hilltop with far-reaching views. In the summer, the farm has a popular pick-your-own fruit and vegetable business – handy for your five-a-day! – and there’s a range of pubs for every taste and budget within a five-minute drive, ranging from a Harvester

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to a gastro inn, as well as several takeaways that deliver to the site. Owner Paddy says last year was the site’s busiest ever, with 70% of campers being returnees, the best compliment a site can receive.

Visitors to Stamford Club Campsite – a short drive away – risk developing a crick in the neck, as much time will be spent gazing skywards at the scores of red kites that call Fineshade Wood home. Miles of walks and cycle tracks (there’s a bike hire shop next to the site) radiate through the woodland, with more footpaths through neighbouring Wakerley Woods. Site managers Carl and Dawn say visitors love the tranquillity of the site and the local area, which they describe as “like the Cotswolds, but without the tourists”, thanks to the same vein of golden stone running from Gloucestershire through to this less visited area.

HOUSE GUEST

Stamford itself is a gorgeous stone town, with the exceptionally grand Burghley House within walking distance of its centre. Free parking and free access to the Burghley parkland, where deer roam, provide a generous welcome that I repay with coffee and cake in the stunning Orangery café.

Burghley Horse Trials, a five-star equestrian event at the start of September, is an unmissable extravaganza of dressage,

Ferry Meadows Club Campsite

A large, busy site with a great play area for children and a beautiful country park on its doorstep. Tent camping also available.

Pitches: 242

Max outfit length: 9m

Member view

“We come for the cycling and walking; we never move our motorhome off site during a stay.”

Dick and Gert

“Ferry Meadows is full of character and people love it here. It’s very much an outdoorsy place.”

John and Louise

Food & drink

The Woodman, Thorpe Wood, Peterborough PE3 6SQ

Contact: greeneking-pubs.co.uk, 01733 267601

Culture

Site view cross-country and show jumping allied to hundreds of irresistible country trade stands. Burghley House was built by William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I, and its walls provide a gallery for a stunning array of Italian Old Master paintings. It’s a visual treat throughout, from the gleaming copper pans in the vast kitchen to the astounding frescoes of the Heaven Room, which contrast with the dark despair of the punishments painted on the walls of the Hell Staircase. Screen buffs will recognise the interior and exterior of Burghley from movies and series such as Pride & Prejudice, Middlemarch, and new superhero blockbuster The Flash I now point the bonnet along the A47 from Stamford Club Campsite to the final

Burghley House

Peterborough Cathedral, Minster Precincts, Peterborough PE1 1XS

Contact: peterboroughcathedral.org.uk, 01733 355315

Outdoor fun

Sacrewell Farm, Thornhaugh, Peterborough PE8 6LB

Contact: sacrewell.org.uk, 01780 782254

For the family

Nene Valley Railway Ltd, Wansford Station, Stibbington, Peterborough PE8 6LR

Contact: nvr.org.uk, 01780 784444

Scan here to book a pitch at Ferry Meadows

“

Houghton Mill is the jewel in the crown of a walk along the Great River Ouse near Huntingdon ”

RALLY ROSTER

Each month we highlight rallies taking place within or near the region covered by this touring feature. See centre websites for more information.

23-25 June: Let’s Get Quizzical, Hemingford Grey (Mid-Anglia Centre – midanglia.org.uk)

30 June-2 July: Bretford Village Hall, Bretford (East Warwickshire Centre – eastwarwickshire centre.co.uk)

6-9 July: Gorefield Beer Fest, Gorefield Community Hall (MidAnglia Centre – midanglia.org.uk)

14-16 July: Hill Farm, Moreton Morrell (East Warwickshire Centre –eastwarwickshirecentre.co.uk)

n Listings of centre rallies across the UK can be seen in the updated Rally Supplement included with the June issue of the Digital Magazine (available via Google Play or the App Store). You can also search for rallies across the country, specifying the dates you are interested in, using the special tool at camc.com/whats-on/events

destination of this tour, the ever-popular Ferry Meadows Club Campsite set within Nene Park in Peterborough.

Newish site managers John and Louise casually mention that 150 caravans and motorhomes checked in on the previous Friday (mid-March), and they clearly love the busy nature of the site.

“We’re very close to the A1 for people using us as a transit site, but we also attract a lot of Club members from the local area, who come several times a year,” says John. “The scenery in Nene Park is gorgeous for walks and bike rides, and here on site there’s a huge play area for kids. Plus, there are six places to eat within walking distance, and we have a food truck and pizza van visit on Fridays and Saturdays.”

A regular bus service runs into Peterborough, where there’s a glorious cathedral and a spectacular open-air lido in summer. However, I catch the Nene Valley Railway heritage steam train in the opposite direction to Wansford, and enjoy a dreamy walk back along the River Nene to the site, before heading to Ferry Meadows café in the park for a cream tea.

This spot in particular is highly nostalgic for me: back in the day, my sons had their birthday

parties at the Railway, where they gazed adoringly at the blue Thomas engine; and we had a family season ticket at Sacrewell Farm, where the heavy horses, pigs and petting animals filled happy Sunday afternoons.

There’s so much to do in this area and so many memories to make – I hope yours are as happy as mine.

EVENTS DIARY

Are you looking for some holiday inspiration? Why not take in an event while staying at a Club campsite or temporary site?

Hampton Court. There are also two carp fishing lakes on site, as well as a pub and swimming pool nearby. More information and a booking form can be found at westsurreycentre.com or by contacting rally officers Cheryl and Tim (tel: 020 8715 7316; 07713 258956; or email: tim_howlett@ hotmail.com).

The Royal Cheshire County Show

20 -21 June

Stay at: Cheshire Centre temporary site opposite the showground (18-23 June)

This annual show in Tabley near Knutsford offers attractions for all the family, including livestock displays, a vintage machinery exhibition, dog shows and plenty of entertainment in the main arena. The temporary site opposite the showground has fresh water and chemical waste disposal – and offers opportunities to visit local stately homes and market towns. Advance tickets at a discounted price granting admission to the show for both days are available from the site organisers. Contact Paul and Sandra Bowler on 01782 513276/07974 107078 or email bowler.rallies@btinternet.com.

RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival

4 -9 July

Stay at: West Surrey Centre temporary site at Apps Court Farm, Walton-on-Thames

(3-10 July)

Join West Surrey Centre at this fantastic, packed celebration of all things horticultural – Hampton Court Palace will form an impressive backdrop to all the bright blooms on display. The temporary site at Apps Court Farm (by Sunbury Lock) will feature toilets and showers, and a free bus service will run between the campsite and

Party Time with The Tiger Who Came To Tea, Tatton Park

26 July

Stay at: Chester Fairoaks, Buxton or Blackshaw Moor Club Campsites

This year, Tatton Park in Cheshire is celebrating the late children’s book author and illustrator Judith Kerr, who was born a century ago. There are several events based on her much-loved Mog series and the bestseller The Tiger Who Came To Tea (below right). The Tiger-themed activity morning promises fun party games, crafts and storytelling, along with a trail on which you could meet the star of the story himself! Tickets cost £22 per child; one adult is included per child ticket. For more information and to book, please see tattonpark.org.uk.

Driffield Steam Fair 12-13 August

Stay at: East Yorkshire Centre temporary site at Driffield Showground (9-13 August)

Vintage enthusiasts will love this weekend event in Driffield, East Yorkshire. More than 100 classic and vintage vehicles will be on display, while there will also be shops, food stalls, ‘The Tractor Inn’ and even steampowered and

electric organs. Please note that tickets for the steam fair are not included in the rally fee (the fair costs £10 per person but you can re-enter as many times as you like during the weekend). All outfits must be pre-booked by 25 July 2023. For more information and to book, please contact rally marshals John and Sue Holroyd on 01964 564997 or 07534 174010.

n Events listed may be subject to change – please check with organisers prior to travel.

Note re temporary sites: please book in advance where possible. If you would like to promote a temporary site set up around a major event, please contact magazine@camc.com.

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CL SITES UPDATES

CL SITES

Also see the CL section of the Club website (camc.com) for the most up-to-date information on CLs. Pitch fees may be subject to variation –please check with the CL owner before booking. New CLs are also listed at camc.com/newcls. NOTE: CL entries are identified by a reference/map number in the 2023/24 Sites Directory & Handbook. They are listed here using the same number, unless otherwise specified.

NEW CLS

LEICESTERSHIRE

LEICESTER (8.6m SW) – Stanmaur Farm, Mr Chris Klenk, Breach Lane, Off Clickers Way, Earl Shilton, Leicester LE9 7FB. 07850 606998; 01455 850623; chris.klenk@yahoo. co.uk. 140:SP468967; 52.566926, -1.309945. Open 7 Apr-15 Oct; 1.25 acres; adults only; dogs; adv bkg req; some sl pitches; levelling blocks req; grass; views; lawned; dog walk fr site; price fr £12 (pitch + all occ).

NORFOLK

KING’S LYNN (3.6m SE) – Westfield House, Mr Norman and Mrs Debbie Gibson, School Road, Middleton, King’s Lynn PE32 1SA. 07483 806833; westfieldhousecl@gmail.com.

132:TF663155; 52.712382, 0.460449. OAY; 0.5 acre; adults only; dogs; adv bkg req; sl pitches; levelling blocks req; grass; enhanced pitches: EHU with water and grey waste disposal; 16A; peaceful; lawned; dog walk fr site; price fr £20 (pitch + all occ).

POWYS

BRECON (9m SW) – Toad and Snail, Mr Jamie and Mrs Claire Griffiths, The Old Post Office, Crai, Brecon LD3 8YP. 01874 636772; 07974 120740; clairegriffs@yahoo.com.

160:SN894243; 51.90679, -3.60792. OAY; 1 acre; adv bkg req; sl pitches; levelling blocks req; grass; peaceful; ideal for families; views; lawned; price fr £15 (pitch + 2 ad).

UPDATES

IMPORTANT: Nightly fees may differ from those published in the Directory due to a change in ownership or business costs. It is therefore essential to confirm current fees when

enquiring or making a booking. Not all CLs accompanied by a pub symbol in the Directory are located on the site of a public house – some are near to a pub (up to three miles away), so please check with the owner before visiting.

290 ASHBOURNE – New House Farm. Now has EHU, water and grey waste to each pitch.

343 ASHBURTON – Woodlands. Tel no 07812 991060 no longer available.

516 CHELMSFORD – Blasford Hill Fishery. Add tel: 07968 592594. 1127 DAVENTRY – Land on Hill Road. Add website: clsites.co.uk/ Northamptonshire/Land_on_ Hill_Road.html.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

See camc.com for the latest site and CL information. Please note: routes provided by autoroutes or satellite navigation systems may include roads unsuitable for vehicles towing trailers or caravans. For caravan-friendly local routes to sites we advise using directions published in the Sites Directory & Handbook and on our website.

1294 BURNHAM-ON-SEA – Last Hope Farm. Add tel: 07445 868101. Add email: hopefarmcaravanclub@ outlook.com.

1661 HORNSEA – Southfield Farm. New email: bookings@ mrmoos.co.uk.

1727 MASHAM – Lowther House. New Site Manager: Laura McCarthy. New tels: 07762 518141 (Laura); 07902 678943. New email: lauraemccarthy@outlook.com.

1912 NAIRN – Allanaha Farm. Amend email: margaretlyle44@ icloud.com.

2047 COLWYN BAY – Plas Carw. New email: caravanatplascarw@ gmail.com.

Jan 2023 Magazine RYE –River Brede Farm. EHU added to service pitches.

Apr 2023 Magazine HEREFORD –Ashley Farm. Amend email: watkins. ashleyfarm@btinternet.com.

CLOSURES

The following five-pitch CLs are closed and no longer certified by the Club. This does not affect any other business that a landowner may be operating.

58 WISBECH – Windy Ridge

96 NORTHWICH – Stonyford Cottage Gardens and Nursery

205 WADEBRIDGE – St Kew Golf Course

646 RINGWOOD – Upper Kingston Farm

839 MELTON MOWBRAY –Sleepy Hollow

1886 STRANRAER – Low Glengyre Farm

2092 BETHESDA – Bryngwredog Isaf

2232 COWBRIDGE – Coed Emlyn

Please remember that CLs are privately-owned businesses. If you make a booking and subsequently don’t show up, a 20% loss will be incurred by the CL owner if that pitch cannot be resold. So, if you have to cancel a booking, please give the CL owner as much notice as possible. CL owners have individual cancellation policies so charges may be incurred if you cancel or don’t turn up.

Centre Lines

The latest news from around the country

Please send Centre news and rally reports to magazine@camc.com

AWARDING TIME FOR YOUNGS

Kath and Dave Young were presented with the Simpson Family Appreciation Award at the East Yorkshire Centre’s annual dinner dance at Driffield Showground in March.

The couple have supported the centre in a variety of roles – Dave since 1995 and Kath since 2005. They have been active members of the committee, holding many positions including Chairman, Secretary and Membership Secretary. They are pictured with Chairman John Holroyd (centre), who presented the award.

SLICE OF HISTORY FOR EAST SUSSEX

EASTER CELEBRATIONS

Members of the Avon Centre celebrated Easter at Warcombe Farm in Mortehoe, Devon. Although winds gusted up to speeds of 70mph at one point, the ralliers had a great time, enjoying an Easter egg hunt, eating hot cross buns, holding a raffle and taking part in an Easter bonnet parade – the winners were awarded special eggs. A raffle raised a fantastic £175 for Bristol Mind.

ALL ABROAD

Overseas centre rallies in 2023

FRANCE

13 June-4 July

Location: Camping Baie d’Aunis

Host Centre: Dyfed

Baie d’Aunis campsite is located just 300m from the seaside town of La Tranche-sur-Mer and offers access to a very inviting beach.

12-24 June

Location: Camping La Yole

Host Centre: Suffolk

La Yole is located close to the sandy beaches of the Vendée and the lively and chic seaside resort of Saint-Jean-de-Monts.

22 July-5 August

Location: Le Domaine de Beaulieu

Host Centre: South Wales

Domaine de Beaulieu is just a short drive from an excellent sandy beach and the fishing port of Saint-GillesCroix-de-Vie.

25 July-7 August

Location: Camping L’Océano d’Or

Host Centre: West Wales

Camping L’Océano d’Or is close to the popular seaside resort of Jard-sur-Mer in the Vendée.

19 August-2 September

Location: Camping La Yole

Host Centre: Bedfordshire

Camping La Yole has everything you need for a perfect summer holiday near the white sandy beaches of the Vendée.

The East Sussex Centre celebrated its 54th anniversary by cutting a special cake. Pictured left to right are: past Chairmen Bill Shallcrass and Barry MacLeod; current Chairman Bob Hutchings; current Youth Chairman Alana; and past Chairmen Dave Fisher and Sandy Hutchings.

YOUR MAG NEEDS YOU!

GERMANY

4-19 August

Location: Eifel-Camp

Host Centre: Worcestershire

This campsite is located in the picturesque region of North Rhine-Westphalia close to Lake Freilinger.

Overseas rallies can be booked through Alan Rogers, part of The Caravan Club Ltd. For more information please see rallies.alanrogers.com, email rallies@alanrogers.com or call 01580 214070.

Please send your stories – they could be about significant events, fantastic rallies or charity successes – to magazine@camc.com, putting ‘Centres’ in the subject field.

n Want to find a centre rally near you? Search by date and location at camc. com/whats-on/events .

n For complete rally listings, see the June issue of the Digital Magazine. Download the app for free from the App Store or Google Play by searching or CA C aga ine

Your chance to have your say. The writer of our Star Letter will receive a £30 National Trust Gift Card

STAR LETTER

You can do it!

To drive or not to drive? That was the question I was left with last May when my partner and I went our separate ways. Having lost my dad in 2017 he left me with some money “to do something I wouldn’t have been able to do”. So, to rekindle my childhood memories of fun family trips off in our tiny caravan in the 70s and 80s with four of us crammed in it, I decided to buy my own caravan. My partner had always driven it… So as 2023 began I was in a dilemma. Should I sell the caravan? Or should I go for it and try to drive the six-berth myself with my little boy and dog in tow?

Some caravan driving practice and lessons completed, I took the plunge and booked the Southport site, just under a two-hour drive from home. The drive went really well, the arrival at the Southport Caravan and Motorhome Club

Campsite was nothing but welcoming and when I said it was my first time on my own, the Site Managers were really complimentary about my novice driving skills and supportive of my efforts.

I selected a pitch with no direct neighbours so that I had plenty of room to reverse the caravan into place, unhitched, wound the legs down, checked the level (thanks for lending me your

spirit level caravan neighbours!) and began set-up with water, waste, electric, gas and such, at the same time as keeping my three-year-old entertained. I had a great stay on the site and the weather was kind.

I just wanted to say a massive thank you to four people for making me believe in myself and giving me the confidence to carry on with caravanning in the future: the lovely Club staff on arrival on that Monday afternoon (warm, welcoming and encouraging); the chap who checked my reversing and ensured me that I, honestly, hadn’t knocked the little white marker post down; the family across from us who played snakes and ladders (your kind words and encouragement were just needed at that time – and your spirit level); and, finally, to the man in the caravan with the doughnuts – thank you for just doing a once-over for me of my ‘pack-up and hitch-up routine’ for my journey home, and for your kindness and reassurance.

And so, for all those women out there who are not sure about taking the plunge into this fantastic holiday experience – do it!

A BEAU-TIFUL TIME

After reading in the magazine about the Club discount available at the Beaulieu motor museum, it took me back to my childhood. Both my husband and I hadn’t been since we were young, and so we planned our first touring weekend away with Sophie, our nine-month-old baby, over the long Easter weekend at the [New Forest] Centenary Club Site. I wished to share with you what a wonderful time we had.

The Club site was perfect for us, with its family washrooms, playground, dog walks, friendly staff, large serviced pitches and visiting gourmet food stalls. On top of enjoying our beautiful surroundings, we spent the day at the motor museum. This was our first getaway with Sophie and to say we were nervous was an understatement. However, because of the Club facilities it all worked out perfectly. We dreamt when I was pregnant that she would love the

WHAT A LIFE

I was prompted to write after reading ‘Four Decades of Adventures’ in this month’s magazine (Letters, April issue) and pleased that others have enjoyed the hobby as much as we do. My parents bought a caravan in 1956 and I have caravanned since then. We were joined by my now husband of 57 years in the early 60s and he enjoyed the way of life too.

We have just completed 55 years’ membership, having bought our first caravan in 1968 – an Eccles Topaz two-berth at a cost of £415. It had gas lighting, no water pump and the oldfashioned toilet bucket. We had a tiny fridge fitted at the National for £25 and set off that summer for Italy. A real adventure. Our caravanning life had begun. Sixteen caravans later, things have certainly improved. Last year, when we reached 80, we bought a smaller caravan as a concession to old age. Since we retired 25 years ago we have spent around half of each year touring extensively in Europe and the UK. Long may it last. Normandy next, then Scotland. What a life!

Christine and Michael Freeman, via email

touring life, and we’re pleased to say it’s a winner. We’re absolutely thrilled to be making new touring memories as a family.

Thank you to everyone at the Club site. Emily, Sam, Sophie and Betty (our 13-year-old Jack), via email

Editor’s note: Glad you had such a great holiday! Other members looking to save at Beaulieu should visit camc.com/memberoffers. And remember to check out our New Forest Pop-Up Campsite this summer – see camc.com/popups.

History lesson

Just reading history of motorcar-pulled vans [at nationalmotormuseum.org.uk/ the-first-trailer-caravan]. In all my father himself built three vans. I believe his prime trouble was to source suitably sized bent ash bends for each corner. The rest, upon the axle and wheels of an Armstrong Siddeley, was all of timber from which the chassis/tow bar could actually be detached. I know because when at Boulmer in Northumberland it

had somehow become damaged and we towed (dragged it along the road) to the then, ‘local’, blacksmith for repair, because of which the corners of the angle-iron were very nicely ‘chamfered’.

FUEL FOR THOUGHT

Having read the ‘Smart Savings’ article in the April edition (p45), I can back up the recommendation to reduce speed. Although I've never been one for tearing along and going directly from accelerator to brake pedal while driving, three years ago I decided to drive more economically, for example, at HGV-type speeds on motorways and reading road conditions more to reduce braking. This means usually travelling at 55-60mph. Not only have I seen a 15%-20% improvement in fuel

Power pointers

It was interesting reading in the March issue [’Sustainability Matters’, p41] that you are introducing metered electricity points. Personally I find this a great idea. We have a VW camper, with a solar panel, so our electricity usage on site is very minimal – ie boiling the kettle, using the fridge and to top up our leisure battery if we haven’t used our camper for four days or so – while other outfits have TVs, ovens, microwave, airfryers, halogen cookers and electric heating for the van and hot water.

Having stayed at one of your recommended sites in Benicàssim, Spain, they included in the pitch cost a certain amount of electricity – once this has been exceeded the excess is metered and charged accordingly. I believe this would reduce the wastage of energy as I would agree with Diane Newton’s statement in the same March issue [Letters, p46] that if the pitch comes with unlimited energy it would be used regardless.

Editor’s note: Thanks for your comments Steve. As we reported in the March issue, the Club is trialling on-pitch electric metering at a couple of sites this year – for more information about this and our other sustainability and green tourism plans, please see camc.com/sustainability.

Code words

economy, but it also means less lane changing, less braking and so a pleasanter and less stressful trip. I now drive trying to keep as near as I can to 100 – 100mpg that is. Okay, so the 360-mile drive to visit my son’s family takes maybe an hour longer, but I'm on holiday, who cares? I see motorhomes hurtling past and wonder what their fuel consumption is at a time when there's so much concern about the cost of living crisis and climate emergency.

THE SIMPLE THINGS

When did microwaves, games consoles and hairdryers became essentials? I read your ‘Power Plays’ article (January 2023) with some amusement. In the Girl Guides, we cooked on open fires and relished foil-wrapped banana & chocolate flakes, hot from the embers. The great outdoors and a sing-song were our entertainment.

Years later my partner and I loaded our bicycles with a two-man tent and all we could carry in panniers and headed to Bordeaux. We cycled back to Le Havre, living frugally on fresh produce from local markets, staying at campsites and cooking al fresco, enjoying the cheap wine in a mug! Our carbon footprint (had it been a thing) was negligible.

Later, many family holidays were spent in a borrowed brown-and-orange canvas frame tent, bought in the 70s, with a camping stove and space-saving, steel camping pans. We improvised normal chores, enjoying fresh air and freedom for the kids to run around in the safety of the site.

During Covid we graduated to a campervan and electric hook-up. We aren’t entirely green and like to keep our phones charged and have site Wi-Fi. What do we take? Those camping pots, bought 50 years ago, are still going strong. They were made to last – true sustainability!!!

Christine Houston, via email

The Club Magazine has twice made mention of the Countryside Code without pointing out that this does not relate to the whole of the UK. The Code does not cover 32% of the UK landmass – prime walking territory – and they need to refer members to the Scottish Outdoor Access Code which covers the missing third of the UK: outdooraccessscotland.scot.

Editor’s note: Thanks for your email. To clarify, The Countryside Code – which gives advice to visitors to the countryside, and which was mentioned in our walking section on page 71 of the April issue – applies to England and Wales. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code covers Scotland, and the NI Countryside Code (nidirect.gov.uk/articles/ countryside-code) applies in Northern Ireland.

GORGEOUS GERALD

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Balancing act

Natasha Shane, the Club’s Head of Strategic Product Development and Sustainability, looks at how we try to work in harmony with nature

The Club is absolutely committed to maintaining biodiversity on its sites. As a major UK landowner, it’s essential we do our bit to ensure our campsites are kept as natural as possible. We strive to strike a balance between the neat and orderly experience our members expect and respecting the wildlife that shares the great outdoors with us.

Over the past few years, you may have noticed more natural areas on many of our sites – in addition to ‘no mow’ zones, we are providing beautiful wildflower areas. The Club also participated in ‘No Mow May’ –a nationwide campaign urging garden owners and green space managers to let their grass grow and encourage wildflowers and pollinators. Our site teams work hard to create a wonderful environment, creating bug hotels and nature trails, for example; our Tourer Explorer trails are ideal for all the family, young and old.

We work with ecology specialists CSA Environmental when building new sites or undertaking major redevelopments on others. By adding hardstandings and roadways we are aware that we are removing important grass

habitats, but we try to introduce more native trees, plants and wildflowers to redress the balance. All new site developments feature bat boxes and we provide bug hotels at the majority of our sites.

We have to be respectful of the local residents at all our new and existing sites, be they bugs, bees, birds, sand lizards, newts, rabbits, badgers or foxes. These creatures can, of course, provide us with challenges, and sometimes we have to change our plans or delay our developments to cater for their needs.

You may also have noticed that we trialled turning off our pitch bollard lights during International Dark Sky Week – less light pollution is good news for our wildlife and gives us a better chance to observe the wonders of the night sky.

The Club introduced the Chairman’s Sustainability Award for our sites in 2021 (last year won by the team at Cirencester Park Club Campsite) – and as a result we have seen staff increasingly embrace the natural environment. We will showcase some of the fantastic projects they have been working on later in the year.

ENJOY THE DRIVE IN 2023!

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Camping de Paris (Club ref: P18)

On the banks of the Seine, this site is perfectly located to explore Paris.

Touring pitches: 275

Open: all year

Price: from £32.50 per night (based on outfit, electric pitch and two adults 5 November-16

December 2023). Correct as of 4 May 2023 – check camc.com for latest prices.

Food & drink

Top Chef Le Bistrot, 29 Quai

Gallieni, 92150, Suresnes

Contact: lebistrot-topchef. fr, 0033 1 41 44 77 80

Culture

Louvre Museum, 75001, Paris

Contact: louvre.fr, 0033 1 40 20 53 17

PERFECT PARIS

Outdoor fun

Joséphine Baker Pool, Quai

François Mauriac, 75013, Paris

Contact: piscine-baker.fr, 0033 1 56 61 96 50

Is a major European city the ideal family touring destination? John Rawlings and co think so after exploring the French capital

Romantic, chic and historic, a centre of art, fashion and gastronomy, Paris is one of the world’s most fascinating cities – and within easy reach for most of us here in Britain. But does it make a good destination for caravanners and motorhomers?

For the family

Jardin d’Acclimatation (amusement park), Bois de Boulogne, Carrefour des Sablons, 75016, Paris

Contact: jardindacclimatation.fr, 0033 1 40 67 90 85

Scan here to book a pitch at Camping de Paris

For many, Disneyland Paris is the pull to visit this part of France – indeed, we enjoyed a trip there a few years ago when our two were little. On that occasion, we stayed at the Caravanning des 4 Vents campsite as it’s only about 20 minutes’ drive from Disneyland and is a nice, green and tranquil place to return to after a busy and noisy day enjoying all the rides and entertainment.

Now our kids are teenagers, and we returned during this February half-term to see our son sing on his school choir’s trip to the city.

It takes just three to four hours to drive to Paris from any of the Channel ferry ports/ Eurotunnel, so as well as a destination in its

own right it makes the ideal stopover en route to the south of France.

Like London’s M25, the Paris périphérique can get very busy. Plan your time of arrival and your route, keep calm and everything should go smoothly. We travelled on a Friday afternoon and, although it was busy, we reached our campsite, Camping de Paris, without feeling stressed.

If travelling from the ferry ports in Normandy, the Huttopia Versailles campsite, about 12 miles to the west of Paris, makes an excellent base. As its name suggests, it is close to the grand Palace of Versailles, the former residence of King Louis XIV. The site has a heated indoor pool, restaurant and activities for children in the summer. From the nearby train station you are whizzed into the centre of Paris in only 20 minutes.

For our February trip, we needed a campsite that was open all year, and Camping de Paris fitted the bill perfectly. Located in the beautiful Bois de Boulogne public park on the banks of

Look out for special offers on campsites in our brochure – visit camc.com/brochures to view online or order your free copy

you can follow the river eastwards in the direction of the Notre Dame cathedral which, of course, is undergoing extensive renovation work after the big fire in 2019.

There are some great museums along this stretch of the river. Most offer some kind of special/free family tickets or fun activities for children to keep them interested. On the river’s south (‘left’) bank, the Musée Rodin with its tranquil sculpture garden and the Musée d’Orsay containing its large collection of Impressionist paintings are two we found of particular interest.

Alternatively, cross to the north side of the Seine and visit the Paris Museum of Modern Art or the city’s most well-known museum, the Louvre, where of course da Vinci’s Mona Lisa takes pride of place.

If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a while then head for one of its parks or gardens. Classical and elegant, they often contain play areas for children, cafés for refreshments or space to take a break with your own picnic of fresh bread, cheese and cakes. A great way to relax and watch the world go by.

We whiled away some time in the Jardin du Luxembourg, one of the largest gardens in Paris, en route to the 15th-century SaintÉtienne-du-Mort church where our son’s choir was performing. The church is near the imposing Panthéon monument – climb to the top of the 83m-high dome for fantastic views over the city.

The choir performed in some beautiful churches, but one in particular, the magnificent Église de la Madeleine near the Place de la Concorde and the stylish shops on the Champs-Élysées, was especially memorable. Built in the style of a Greek temple and boasting elaborate paintings on its high ceilings and many large religious statues, it is open every day and hosts various concerts and organ recitals throughout the year.

Caravaning des 4 Vents (Club ref: P09)

Generous pitches, excellent facilities, well run, and only a short drive from Disneyland. Touring pitches: 180

Open: 20 March1 November 2023

Price: from £29.31 per night (based on outfit, pitch and two adults 1 June-31 October 2023). Correct as of 4 May 2023 – check camc.com for latest prices.

Food & drink

Restaurant La Chaumière, 56 Place de la Mairie, 77120 Mouroux

Contact: lachaumiere.pro, 0033 1 64 03 07 17

Culture

Jeu de Paume art gallery, 1 Place de la Concorde, 75008 Paris

Contact: jeudepaume.org, 0033 1 47 03 12 50

Outdoor fun

Parrott World, Route de Guérard, 77580, Crécy-La-Chapelle

Contact: parrotworld.fr/en, 0033 1 86 70 06 84

the River Seine, the site was undergoing extensive renovations during our stay, but the new, modern reception building already looked very smart. Note: as Paris is a low emission mobility zone city you will need a Crit’Air sticker for your vehicle (see certificat-air.gouv.fr).

From the campsite, it is only a short, flat walk to a bus stop from which you can travel into the city centre. During the main season, the campsite provides a shuttle bus to this bus stop.

AN EIFFEL EYEFUL

The Eiffel Tower is, of course, first on most people’s list of things to see in Paris. On the south side of the Seine to the west of the city centre, it is an awe-inspiring sight. From here

Wandering the streets and visiting the attractions of Paris is both exhausting and fascinating. We could have seen so much more – the Sacré-Coeur in the artsy hillside district of Montmartre for example – but we’ll have to save that for our next visit. We will definitely be back.

n If John has inspired you to visit Paris, please visit camc.com/overseas to book the featured campsites (and others). Remember, if you book an overseas site, Eurotunnel or ferry crossing through the Club, you’ll get the lowest price – guaranteed. To find out more see camc.com/lowestprice. And if you book a package holiday with us you benefit from ABTA protection. See camc.com/ confidence for more information.

For the family

Disneyland Paris, Boulevard de Parc, 77700, Coupvray

Contact: disneylandparis.com, 0033 3 44 80 08 89

Wherever you want to visit we’ll support you every mile of the way. We offer free cancellations* if the FCDO advises against travel to your destination and have ABTA and ATOL bonded financial protection. Find out more at camc.com/ wwconfidence

* Covers holiday cancellations in line with FCDO advice. T&Cs apply.

DRIVING FORCE

*MEMBERS SAVE £100

Exclusive offer for Club members – save £100 per booking on Worldwide holidays. Available on a wide range of caravan and motorhome tours or you can create a bespoke holiday. Please visit camc. com/wwoffers for more information and full terms and conditions. £100

Drive: The Great Ocean Road, Australia

ur tour Australia s Southern Delights

Duration/type:

31 days/independent motorhome tour

Departs: all year round

Price: from £5,549pp* based on two people travelling together. Price includes a member discount of £100. A single supplement applies for solo travellers.

The Club’s Australia’s Southern Delights Tour’ gives you the chance to explore the beautiful coastlines of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia at your leisure in a comfortable Maui Ultima two-berth motorhome.

Perhaps the greatest highlight is the drive along the spellbinding Great Ocean Road. Heading south from Torquay, you ll spend the night in Apollo Bay, a little fishing port in the foothills of the Otway Ranges, before heading on to Warrnambool. Along the way you can take in the sights of the Shipwreck Coast, including the world-famous Twelve Apostles (fascinating limestone stacks

that rise up out of the sea) and other visual delights such as Loch Ard Gorge and Port Campbell National Park. You can spot wildlife including kangaroos, koalas, wombats, penguins, seals and dolphins – and enjoy stops in cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide – on this mesmerising 31-day tour. To find out more see camc.com/worldwide.

Drive: The Garden Route, South Africa

Our tour: Roads of the Rainbow Nation

Duration/type: 38 days/escorted motorhome tour

Departs: 24 September 2023

Price: from £6,449pp* based on two people travelling together. Price includes

a member discount of £100. A single supplement applies for solo travellers. Immediately after an unforgettable stay in Addo Elephant Park (during which you will have the chance to spot everything from lions and buffalo to great white sharks), guests on this incredible tour set off along South Africa's renowned Garden Route –surely one of the most scenic drives in the world.

From your base in Storms River you can set off for Nature's Valley within the Tsitsikamma National Park. Flanked by the Indian Ocean, it is home to Southern Cape bushbuck, bush pigs, otters and a variety of wild birds, while the Groot River estuary forms a beautiful lagoon. Farther west along the route, the sweeping beaches, lagoons, estuaries and forests of Plettenberg Bay may also be on your wishlist.

Other highlights of this 38-day escorted tour include a game drive in Kruger National Park, a hippo and croc cruise on Lake St Lucia and the chance to explore magnificent Cape Town and iconic Table Mountain. Head to camc.com/worldwide to find out more.

For more information on this tour please visit camc.com/worldwide or call 01342 488059

Our Worldwide tours programme contains some of the most famous driving routes in the world. Here is just a sample... and remember, sometimes the journey can be almost as much fun as the destination!

Drive: The Icefields Parkway, Canada

Our tour: The Canadian Rockies

Duration/type: 26 days/escorted motorhome tour

Departs: 21 May 2024, 3 September 2024

Price: from £5,849pp* based on two people travelling together. Price includes a member discount of £100. A single supplement applies for solo travellers.

Connecting Lake Louise in Banff

National Park with Jasper in Alberta, the Icefields Parkway is arguably one of the most beautiful driving routes in the world. Look out for everything from deer to black bears and take in beautiful lakes and mighty waterfalls. Pause to admire the Crowfoot Glacier and glorious, bright turquoise Peyto Lake before venturing onto the Columbia Icefield aboard a snowcoach .

There s plenty more to look forward to once you arrive in Jasper – you could take a cruise on Maligne Lake or embark on a canyon raft trip before your journey onwards to Wells Gray Provincial Park and then Vancouver. This circular tour

also takes you to the scenic Okanagan Valley wine region and Revelstoke, where scintillating views from the top of the eponymous mountain await.

More incredible wildlife can be spotted as you visit Radium Hot Springs and drive through Kootenay National Park on your way back to Calgary. To find out more about this incredible tour, visit camc.com/worldwide.

Drive: Pacific Coast Highway, USA

Our tour: California Calling

Duration/type: 25 days/independent motorhome tour

Departs: all year round

Price: from £5,699pp* based on two people travelling together. Price includes a member discount of £100. A single supplement applies for solo travellers.

On the 19th day of this incredible tour, you set off southwards from San Francisco towards Los Angeles along the legendary Pacific Coast Highway. We recommend a stop in Santa Cruz, where attractions include a walk along the wharf that stretches

into Monterey Bay or a stroll along Pacific Avenue, well known for its vintage clothing stores. A few days later another highlight is Santa Barbara, famed for its Mediterranean-style, white stucco buildings as well as some superb beaches.

Away from the spectacular Pacific coast this 25-day tour also allows for exploration of the Joshua Tree, Sequoia and Yosemite national parks as well as the bright lights of Las Vegas! To find out more, see camc.com/worldwide.

For more information on this tour please visit camc.com/worldwide or call 01342 488059

You can read about Worldwide experiences with the Club in our brochure. Visit camc.com/ brochures to view online or order your free copy.

USA

DON T FORGET

n If you book an overseas site, Eurotunnel or ferry crossing through the Club you’ll get the lowest price –guaranteed! To find out more see camc. com/lowestprice

Plus you can save up to 10% on ferry and Eurotunnel crossings – see camc.com/ overseas And if you combine your crossing with a campsite stay you benefit from package travel protection – see camc.com/ overseaspackages

n Red Pennant European breakdown and travel insurance will give you peace of mind on your touring holiday. See camc. com/redpennant

n Visit camc.com/ overseas to book your site today.

PARTY SEASON

A selection of European cultural festivals within easy reach of Club campsites

Why not combine this year’s overseas summer holiday with a visit to a traditional festival? Hundreds of celebrations take place across the continent during the summer months.

On the last Wednesday of August, for example, Buñol in Spain plays host to the famous La Tomatina Festival. Thousands of people make their way to the little village each year for the world’s largest tomato fight, which is followed by music and dancing (this year’s event is being held on 30 August). Here’s a selection of other festivals taking place this summer as well as campsites to use as bases.

FRANCE

Fête de la Saint-Louis, Aigues-Mortes, Occitanie

At the end of August, Aigues-Mortes celebrates the life of King Louis IX, who established a strategic port here in the 13th century. Visitors can expect shows, historical parades, a medieval market, music and more.

Information: ot-aiguesmortes.com/en

Site: La Petite Camargue (Club ref: C04)

Price: from £20.69 per night (30 May23 June/2-17

September 2023)*

Offer: stay 10 nights or more, get 10% off stays between 4 April and 7 July/ 2 and 17 September 2023)**

e R e de Aborig ne Airvault, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

This international celebration of Aboriginal music and culture takes place between 21 and 23 July in 2023. The environmentminded festival showcases traditional didgeridoo and Jew’s harp music through workshops and performance.

Information: lerevedelaborigene.org

Site: De Courte Vallée (Club ref: L14)

Price: from £23.84 per night (1 March14 July/ 2 September30 October 2023)*

Offer: stay 14 nights or more, get 20% off (15 July-31 August 2023)**

SPAIN

Noche Del Vino, Cómpeta, Axarquia, Andalusia

Originally held to mark the date farm workers said farewell to their families and left for the grape harvest, this time-honoured wine festival takes place in Cómpeta on 15 August. Expect grape treading, traditional food, folk music, dancing and more.

Information: andalucia.com

Site: Playa Almayate Costa (Club ref: W12)

Price: from £20 per night (1 September-31 December 2023)*

Offer: long stay rates apply (1 September-31 December 2023)**

erbena de la aloma adrid

A fiesta in the heart of the Spanish capital in mid-August, the Verbena de la Paloma features religious customs as well as traditional dress, tapas routes and musical performances. The party continues after sunset, with crowds filling the decorated streets, bars and resta rants

Information: spain.info

Site: Arco Iris (Club ref: E39)

Price: from £26.34 per night (18 September-11 October/ 16 October-8 November/

13 November-30 November 2023)^

Offer: dogs and Wi-Fi free all season.**

*Price based per night on an electric pitch and two adults.

^Price based per night on a serviced pitch and two adults.

**T&Cs may apply. All offers are subject to availability and can be withdrawn at any time.

EMISSION ZONES

Many countries now have low emission zones requiring stickers, etc, for your vehicle, so it is important to check your route well before you set off.

Info: urbanaccessregulations.eu

AIN’T SEEN

PUFFIN

YET?

here s a reason it s called air sle

With a bit of planning and a willingness to travel, it’s possible to get up close and personal with ‘the clowns of the sea’. David Chapman highlights five puffin colonies

Isometimes think we downplay the nature found on our small islands compared to that of bigger, more wooded nations. For starters, our coastline boasts larger and more easily accessible seabird colonies than many other countries. And represented among those colonies is the best-loved seabird of them all: the puffin.

June is the best time to visit a puffin colony, as this is when the charismatic birds are busy carrying sand eels back to their nests to feed their young. It’s difficult to be exact, but generally the second week of June is when puffins start feeding their young in the south, and mid-to-late June is the time to go spotting in the north. Most puffins leave their colonies from mid-to-late July.

Over these pages I present a selection of locations based on my own experiences of

watching puffins around the UK – so apologies if I have not chosen your favourite. One factor that is particularly important to me is the proximity of the birds and the intimacy of the experience.

FARNE ISLANDS

Potential base: Berwick Seaview Club

Campsite

The Farne Islands are easily accessible by boat from Seahouses in Northumberland. Note that time on the islands is limited and the tours can be very popular. It’s possible to land on both Staple Island and Inner Farne – I have found Staple Island to be slightly better for puffins, but both can offer great opportunities.

Be prepared to be bombarded by birds, quite literally! Shags, guillemots, razorbills, eiders, kittiwakes and sandwich terns will all do their best to distract you from the puffins,

while arctic terns can attempt to stab you on the head – so take a hat!

Visit the Farnes and you will see why the British Isles are such a draw for wildlife photographers from around the world. There is nowhere else quite like it. (Please note that, as we went to press, landing access to the Farne Islands was restricted due to fears over avian flu.)

SKOMER ISLAND

Potential base: Freshwater East or St David’s Lleithyr Meadow Club Campsites Skomer Island sits off the coast of Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is possible to take a day trip to the island, but my preference is to stay overnight: far fewer people are about in the evenings and early mornings, and the puffins tend to be more active around their nests in the twilight hours. This not only

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allows for a more intimate experience, but means that the light can be much better for photography. There is another, non-puffinrelated reason for staying overnight: to experience the return of the Manx shearwaters to their nests in the dead of night.

Skomer has a decent number of puffins and many of their nests are adjacent to the perimeter path at The Wick on the south of the island, so there is no problem getting close to them – in fact, they often come too close! Member saving available: you can save 10% on a boat trip to see the Skomer Island puffins with Thousand Islands Expeditions –see camc.com/greatsavings guide for details, terms and conditions.

LUNGA, TRESHNISH ISLES, INNER HEBRIDES

Potential base: Bunree Club Campsite, North Ledaig AS

Lunga is the largest of the Treshnish Isles, part of the Inner Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland and accessible by boat from the Isle of Mull. It might seem remote to some, but the Isle of Mull is a great place to visit if you are interested in wildlife, and Lunga is just a day trip away (overnight stays are not permitted). And, because of its remoteness compared to Skomer and The Farnes, it receives fewer visitors.

Access from the landing bay is difficult, with a boulder beach to navigate before climbing the small slope onto the island. Puffins sit at the top waiting to welcome you ashore. I would describe the Lunga puffins as inquisitive; lie down beside the path and they will pop their heads out of their burrows to have a look, eventually

plucking up the courage to stand on the ridge just a few metres away.

Such is the richness of the birdlife on Lunga that you shouldn’t focus solely on the puffins. Take time to explore some of the rest of the island, particularly in the direction of the sea stack (Dun Cruit) on the west coast, where you will be able to observe many other seabirds.

STANGER HEAD, WESTRAY, ORKNEY ISLANDS

Potential base: Dunnet Bay Club Campsite

Stanger Head offers the possibility of having a puffin colony all to yourself. Situated on Westray, one of the Orkney Islands, to visit you will need to travel to the north of Scotland (see orkney.com for options), then take a couple of ferries onwards. No mean feat, but it keeps visitor numbers low.

Stanger Head is easily the best location I know of in the Orkney Islands for puffins. Timing is essential, however. Puffin colonies can be relatively quiet during the daytime, particularly in May and early June, before the adults have young to feed. Indeed, at Stanger Head, it wasn’t until the evening that the puffins returned in any numbers, but fortunately the days are long in June and on my last visit I was photographing puffins at 11pm!

SHETLAND ISLANDS

Potential base: Dunnet Bay Club Campsite

It’s a bit of a cop-out to treat Shetland as one location, but there are so many puffin possibilities on our most northerly archipelago that to focus on just one wouldn’t do it justice. I recommend beginning at Sumburgh Head at

the southern tip of Shetland’s Mainland. The puffins get quite close to the path here, and staff at the visitor centre will advise about the best places to visit.

Elsewhere on Shetland I recommend Hermaness, the most northerly spot on the island of Unst. Hermaness is a must-see for wildlife lovers visiting Shetland as it is home to many breeding seabirds including great skuas and plenty of waders. However, in my experience, puffin numbers have declined, making it difficult to see them close-up. The tops of the cliffs here are very dangerous, so care must be taken.

Fair Isle is a wonderful spot and great for puffins. Although it is very remote, overnight stays are possible, which makes a visit more manageable and experiences with puffins very intimate and atmospheric. Finally, the Isle of Noss is another notable spot for seabirds including puffins.

MYSTERY PHOTO

Every month I will show you a photo of something from the natural world. It might be a close-up, or a subject which is difficult to identify. All you have to do is figure out what it is! Here is this month’s photo; no clues or prizes – it’s just for fun. (I will give you the answer next month, but if you can’t wait, see the digital magazine.)

The subject of May’s mystery photo was: an otter.

“

On my last visit I was photographing puffins at 11pm! ”

Treasure hunt

Jonathan Manning is filled with nostalgia during a bargain hunt at Europe s largest antiques and collectors fair

Thirty seconds beyond the entrance gate to the vast Newark International Antiques and Collectors Fair (IACF), the first stall sets the scene for the mind-boggling collection of items on offer. To the left is a ‘Piggin’ collectible from around the year 2000, to the right a stuffed leopard head with vicious fangs and, behind, crockery and a tea caddy from China.

The Newark event is Europe’s largest antiques fair, attracting up to 2,500 stands and thousands more buyers from around the world, eager to snuffle out the truffles from the bric-a-brac. There are crowds of trade buyers, private collectors and even the BBC’s Bargain Hunt , here today with presenter Raj Bisram.

With no specific items on my wish list, I set off down the first avenue of stalls, mesmerised by the variety of curiosities up for sale. One stand features works by copycat

painters, with paintings that look for all the world as though they have come from the brushes of Lowry or Van Gogh, although the signatures say differently. Next door, a stallholder is in a heated discussion with a customer, haggling over the price of a silver tankard.

ABSOLUTE BEGINNER

As a novice, there’s no knowing the potential value of the various pieces on offer. Some are stacked on trestle tables where everything costs £5, £7 or £10, others are behind glass and subject to negotiations running into four or five figures. The odds of hunting out an under-priced bargain seem slim, yet some punters know exactly what they are looking for.

Caravanners concerned about towing weight and motorhomers with limited space in their vans can rest assured that there’s a slick infrastructure in place at the fair to ship outsize objects home. And, frankly, I’d defy anyone

FAIR GO...

A selection of antiques and collectibles fairs within reach of Club campsites

ARDINGLY IACF

Location: South of England

Showground, West Sussex

Close to Club headquarters in East Grinstead, this fair is the largest in southern England. Held six times a year, it boasts up to 1,700 stalls.

Info: iacf.co.uk/ardingly

Stay: Gatwick Club Campsite

Opposite and above: ou ll need a ull da to trawl through the huge number of collectibles and antiques on show

SHEPTON MALLET

ANTIQUES, VINTAGE & COLLECTORS FAIR

Location: Royal Bath & West

Showground, Somerset

Browse up to 600 stalls in three giant halls. The next event runs from 16 to 18 June 2023.

Info: iacf.co.uk/shepton-mallet

Stay: Longleat Club Campsite

THE INTERNATIONAL ANTIQUE HOME & VINTAGE FAIR OF WALES

Location: Royal Welsh Agricultural Showground, Powys

Head to Builth Wells to browse treasures on up to 1,000 stands. The next event is in September this year.

Info: continuityfairs.co.uk/ builth-wells

Stay: Brecon Beacons Club Campsite

everyone

not to spot one thing here that they would like to own. There are iconic metal and enamel adverts for Michelin tyres and Craven “A” tobacco – ideal for a man cave; planters and water features that would beautify any garden; Persian rugs; and gleaming ships’ lanterns.

One stallholder tells me how the massive price rise of shipping container bookings has slowed the import of cheap new garden ornaments from overseas and turbocharged demand for antiques, which are eagerly scavenged by traders.

Yet what counts as desirable is clearly in the eye of the beholder, with one man’s treasure being another’s tat. Does a wrought iron bench have an attractive patina or a plague of rust? A parade of stainless-steel milk urns stands to attention next to moss-covered sculptures of lions, and there must surely be a collective noun for lines of watering cans, glass jars and milking parlour stools.

It’s hard to capture in words the eclectic nature of the antiques offered for sale at the fair. Some stalls look as if the vendor has simply tipped out the contents of their attic or garden shed, others could stand shoulder-toshoulder with boutiques in London’s Hatton Garden, their silverware and jewellery shimmering in showroom condition. There are brightly-painted tea sets, ideal for anyone setting up a shabby-chic B&B, towers of copper pans fit for a stately home kitchen and leather-bound books available by the yard for a set designer building a library.

INFORMATION

Event: Newark

IACF, Newark & Nottinghamshire

Showground, Nottinghamshire. Takes place six times a year, with tickets costing from £5 to £20.

Info: iacf.co.uk/ newark

Stay: Milestone

Affiliated Site, Rutland Club Campsite

If nothing else, browsing the stalls is a reminder of how quickly times and technology have changed. I spy a secretarial pool’s worth of clunky Imperial typewriters, a march of cobblers’ lasts from the era when shoes were handmade, and even an old pub sign declaring ‘You may telephone from here’. All have been rendered redundant by technological progress.

VARIETY SHOW

Handsome trunks and leather suitcases bear witness to a time before aircraft baggage allowances. There are reminders of different attitudes, too, with stuffed black and polar bears and a train of elephants carved from ivory. Most eye-catching, perhaps, are the stalls featuring items that have been ‘upcycled’ to give them a 21st-century purpose. There’s a collection of old theatre and television studio spotlights refitted with modern LEDs to serve as standard lamps; old floorboards have been planed, sanded and waxed into fabulous kitchen tables; and church pews as lonely as The Beatles’ Father McKenzie have been refashioned into hallway benches.

There are also boundless ideas for anyone seeking a gift for the person who has it all. Forget socks and books about golf – who wouldn’t want a scarlet Queen Victoria post box or a highly-polished diving helmet? Which baker wouldn’t want to trump Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood with a late 17th-century salamander designed to be heated in a fire then laid on top of pies and biscuits to brown them?

The sight of a silver punchbowl with cups and ladle prompts a word of caution for any caravanner or motorhomer who enjoys a tipple or two at lunchtime. Overindulge and there’s the risk of returning home with holiday souvenirs unlike any you have bought before, from Polish street signs to life-size iron crocodiles from Zimbabwe.

The weird and wonderful are on sale at this giant antiques fair and, even if you leave empty handed, the nostalgia of seeing so many items that used to be commonplace but no longer have a part to play in modern life is heartwarming. If I had a pound for every time I heard a visitor say, “Oh, my dad/aunt/gran used to have one of those,” then that 1730 silver tankard might just become affordable.

In the saddle

Boost your health, have fun, explore local areas in greater depth, leave your car, motorhome or camper parked for the duration of your holiday, save money, and shrink your carbon footprint – cycling has an impressive number of trump cards to play.

Study after study shows that exercise can help to reduce your risk of developing serious conditions such as strokes, coronary heart disease, some cancers and type 2 diabetes –and, as a low-impact activity, cycling is kinder

to your joints than jogging. Cycling can also be hugely beneficial for your mental health, releasing feel-good endorphins that can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Cycling UK’s Cherry Allan says, “It’s thought that exercising outdoors provides an extra wellbeing boost, due to the positive effects of being in nature.”

According to the Mental Health Foundation, you don’t need a forest or beach nearby to benefit from the outdoors – just admiring flowers and trees as you’re cycling along can be enough to make a difference.

“Cycling is an accessible way for people of

diverse abilities and ages to improve their fitness. And, perhaps best of all, it’s fun, so easier to stick with for many people than going to the gym!” adds Cherry.

Even if it’s a long time since your stabilisers came off, cycling is easy to get back into. In fact, it’s like, er, riding a bike! But some things may have changed since you last sat in a saddle. There are more types of bike from which to choose (see panel) and technology has improved dramatically. Gear changes are smooth and precise, and tubeless tyres (filled with a latex solution that seals small holes) make serious punctures less likely. If you don't

have tubeless tyres, it’s important to take a puncture repair kit with you, and know how to use it – there are loads of tutorials on YouTube.

Lower prices make it tempting to buy a bike online, but local specialist shops will help you choose a frame size that fits you properly, and adjust the height of the saddle for maximum comfort. Bike fit is as important as shoe fit if you’re going to spend a reasonable amount of time riding, and I’d recommend padded shorts for longer routes!

Wearing a helmet is not compulsory in the UK but Highway Code Section 59 states that if you choose to wear one it should conform to current regulations, be the correct size and be securely fastened. It continues, “Evidence suggests that a correctly fitted helmet will reduce your risk of sustaining a head injury in certain circumstances.”

Recent updates to the Code recommend riding in the centre of the lane on quiet roads and keeping at least 0.5 metres (just over 1.5 feet) away from the kerb when riding on busy roads with vehicles that are faster than you.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

These are the four most common types of bicycle to consider

You can cycle two-abreast “particularly in larger groups or when accompanying children or less experienced riders” but should be aware of people driving behind you and “allow them to overtake (for example, by moving into single file or stopping) when it’s safe to do so”.

It is important to note that there are also a large number of traffic-free cycling routes (see sustrans.org) through towns, along waterside trails, and on tracks through parks and woodland.

Above all, it’s important to enjoy riding a bike. Whether you’re nipping from your pitch to the local shop for a few groceries, popping out to a café, or exploring the local area and its attractions, cycling should be fun, sociable and potentially adventurous. You’ll be amazed how much you can see on a ride, and how great you’ll feel after the exercise.

PASS WITH FLYING COLOURS

Drivers of motorhomes and cars towing caravans need to take extra care around cyclists. Keir Gallagher of Cycling UK offers the following advice.

1 When you’re driving a large vehicle – or towing a caravan – you take on a greater responsibility to reduce the danger you pose to others (Highway Code Rule H1), which is important to bear in mind, especially when you’re sharing the road with vulnerable road users like cyclists. Take your time, be patient, and give cyclists plenty of space.

2 When overtaking, Cycling UK advises that

you leave at least 2m if driving a larger vehicle or towing – you will usually have to wait for the opposite lane to be clear so you can overtake safely.

3 On quieter roads and lanes, keep in mind that the Highway Code encourages cyclists to ride in the middle of the lane to increase visibility, and that cyclists can also ride two-abreast –be patient and wait until it’s safe to overtake.

Road: light, efficient and great for longer distances on asphalt.

Mountain: rugged and robust to cope with rough and bumpy off-road trails.

Hybrid: a good compromise for both road and easy off-road tracks, such as towpaths.

Gravel: a drop-bar bike capable of riding over much rougher surfaces than asphalt.

CYCLING UK

Members can save 50% on a 12-month membership of Cycling UK. Benefits include discounts from retailers, a weekly e-newsletter, free legal protection and more. Visit camc.com/cyclinguk for terms and conditions and to find out more.

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“ It’s important to take a puncture repair kit with you ”

E-BIKE BASICS

1 You still have to pedal an e-bike, but the motor assists your effort.

2 E-bike assistance is speed-limited to a maximum of 15.5mph, at which point the motor cuts out, leaving you to pedal.

3 Batteries typically unclip to recharge indoors from a wall socket.

4 Clean an e-bike as you would a normal bike, but don’t use a pressure washer.

5 E-bikes are much heavier than normal bikes, so try not to run out of charge on a ride.

MORE POWER TO YOU!

An e-bike can help you cycle further, keep pace within a group and take the sting out of hills. Here’s our introductory guide...

Battery power has encouraged thousands of people back to cycling – bringing freedom and confidence to riders who thought their days in the saddle had passed – and opened up the mode of transport to many who had never considered two-wheeled travel at all.

With the silent push of an electric motor, e-bikes shorten distances and flatten hills, making cycling more accessible to all and helping occasional cyclists keep up with regular riders.

E-bikes are increasingly seen on Club sites, with members valuing the opportunity they present to park up their cars or motorhomes and travel locally by bike. And the beauty of e-bikes is that they take as much or as little effort out of a ride as you wish.

Unlike self-propelled electric scooters that glide along at the twist of a throttle, e-bikes still require the rider to pedal, merely adding to the power that is applied manually.

Riders can typically choose the level of this assistance via a handlebar-mounted screen. Ambling along in ‘eco’ mode on flat roads, a rider might provide 90% of the effort

FRAMES OF REFERENCE

Examples of the different types of e-bike currently on the market

Vello Bike + Automatic

This lightweight folding e-bike tips the scales at 13.9kg, folds down to 57cm×79cm×29cm, has a 250W motor and a range of up to 75km (46 miles).

RRP: 3,290 euros

Info: en.vello.bike

Raleigh Motus Tour Low Step

The Bosch motor of this rugged, hybrid bike can add up to 250% of your own pedal power, whisking you uphill with minimal effort. In lower power modes it has a range of up to 128km (80 miles).

Price: £2,499

Info: raleigh.co.uk

Raleigh Centros

Designed for off-road cycling, the Centros has an impressive 625Wh battery capable of a range of up to 209km (130 miles), with the option to fit an extra battery to ride beyond that.

Price: £3,099

Info: raleigh.co.uk

supplemented by 10% from the bike. Faced with a steep hill, an e-bike can add about 250% assistance to the rider’s effort. The greater the level of help, the bigger the drain on the battery and the shorter the range, but a decent e-bike should still offer support for between 30 and 100 miles depending on the size of its power cell. The higher the Watts per hour (Wh) figure, the longer the range.

Note that legally e-bikes are limited to a maximum speed of 15.5mph (25kph), at which point the motor cuts out and leaves all the pedalling to the rider. A faster motor (or one more powerful than 250W) means your bike is classed as a motorbike and requires a licence, helmet and insurance.

Electric motors are now available in all bicycle frames, from fold-up commuter models to hybrids, road bikes and even full-suspension mountain bikes.

Haibike Alltrack 4

This hardtail (no rear suspension) electric mountain bike has a powerful Bosch motor and a 500Wh battery for a range of up to 130 miles. It’s available with 27.5in or 29in wheels.

Price: £2,499

Info: haibike.com

Cheaper versions feature motors in the wheel hubs, with front-hub motors typically cheaper and less powerful than rear-hub versions.

Crank motors are the most powerful, synchronise most smoothly with your pedalling action, and keep the extra weight

of the motor in the centre of the bike. The torque figure, measured in Nm, indicates the motor’s maximum power.

Batteries typically unclip so they can be charged indoors. They add significant weight to the bike, which matters to Club members: e-bikes can easily weigh 25kg-30kg, so a pair of bikes on board a caravan can seriously upset the MTPLM. And, of course, lifting an awkwardly shaped 25kg object onto the back rack of a motorhome demands real strength, so this also needs to be considered before purchasing. You can read more about transporting bikes in our Practical feature on pages 103-104.

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E-bikes shorten distances and flatten hills ”

NUROAD C:62

THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE YOUR OWN PATH

FAB FOUR

Jonathan Manning hand-picks four sensational rides that set out from Club campsites

RIDE 2

A Broadway star

Take on an action-packed tour of the Cotswolds

In terms of bang for your buck, few rides can squeeze as many attractions and as much natural beauty into such a short route. This 10-mile pedal along the border between Worcestershire and Gloucestershire delivers an enticing taste of the Cotswolds.

Naturally, there are droolinducing houses, with their golden stone walls, slate roofs and effortless charm. Then there’s the rolling countryside of steep-sided hills, cloaked in ancient woodland and flanked with grazing pastures for sheep whose wool once brought such wealth to the area.

Silver-screen scenery

This spectacular ride from Henley Four Oaks Club Campsite delivers beautiful countryside and achingly pretty villages.

The jewel in the crown is Turville, setting for the fictional The Vicar of Dibley (starring Dawn French), and as flawless an English country village as a Hollywood cliché could imagine, with characterful cottages, a whitewashed pub and, of course, a quaint church tucked into a leafy graveyard.

On the ridge above the village stands Cobstone Windmill, which was once owned by actress Hayley Mills. This is also where Caractacus Potts (played by Dick Van Dyke) had his workshop in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and built his floating, flying car.

This is a landscape of the utmost loveliness, with rolling fields, tall hedges and handsome stands of broadleaf woodland, through which sunshine creates a glitterball effect of dancing diamonds on the road ahead. Red kites wheel on thermals in the sky.

Those wings could prove decidedly useful on this ride when the contours cluster and the climbs steepen but – as with stocks and shares – what goes up must come down, and the payback for some serious ascents is a number of thrilling, braketesting descents.

There is also a series of lovely spots to stop for a picnic, as well as a café, pubs and even a winery, brewery and liqueur-making centre.

DETAILS

Club campsite: Henley Four Oaks, Marlow Road, Henley-on-Thames

RG9 2HY

Distance: 17 miles (27.5km)

Time: 3 hours

Level: Suitable for fitter riders (or e-bikes). This is a physically challenging ride, with long, steep hills

A map and route directions for this ride are available on page 124 of the August 2017

Digital Magazine

And then there are the attractions. Snowshill Manor, which houses Charles Wade’s collection of curiosities; Cotswold Lavender, which harvests and distills the flower into essential oils, bath products and cosmetics; and Broadway Tower, which offers up the most far-reaching views in the Cotswolds.

The late 18th-century tower is perched on a dramatic outcrop, and boasts a 16-county panorama from the top. The expansive views led to the Royal Observer Corps

using the site as a vantage point from which to track enemy aeroplanes during the Second World War. Later, it became a look-out for nuclear attacks, and there’s a nuclear bunker below, which dates from the Cold War and is open to visitors at weekends. Broadway Tower is also a great place to stop for a coffee. With so much to see and enjoy, it’s easy to stretch this short ride into a day’s outing – it’s well worth the effort of the initial climb.

DETAILS

Club campsite: Broadway, Station Road, Broadway WR12 7DH

Distance: 10.4 miles (16.6km)

Time: 2 hours

Level: Suitable for fitter cyclists. This is a ride of two halves, the first of which is largely uphill, with a long, sustained climb from Broadway to Snowshill. It’s flat or downhill from just beyond the halfway mark.

A map and route directions for this ride are available on page 116 of the December 2017 Digital Magazine

Fab

Four continued RIDE 3

Peaceful progress

Canal towpaths can lay a compelling claim to being the most tranquil places to cycle. Maybe it’s the stillness of the water, the shelter of the embankments, or the snail’s pace of the narrowboats, but there’s something exceptionally calming about riding beside a waterway.

There’s also a certain melancholy in the knowledge that these backwaters were once arteries of trade until the urgent huff-and-puff of rail power consigned them to the slow lane.

This seems particularly poignant along the 11-mile stretch of the Llangollen Canal between Chirk and Llangollen, where steam power relegated one of the engineering wonders of the Industrial Revolution to the status of also-ran. Designed by the genius Thomas Telford, the canal enjoys prestigious World Heritage Site status for the magnificence of its tunnels and aqueducts.

The jewel in its crown is the towering Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, which soars across the River Dee Valley on 18 giant arches. Cyclists must walk their bikes across the aqueduct: the views are so striking there’s a danger of pedalling

straight into the canal or, worse, flipping over the railings into the valley below.

This ride starts at Lady Margaret’s Park Club Campsite on the edge of Chirk, and within a couple of minutes dives into the leafy loveliness of the banks of the canal.

The track is wide, flat and smooth, which makes for blissfully easy progress, and there are no navigational decisions to make –keep the canal on the left and you can’t go wrong.

DETAIL

Club campsite: Lady Margaret’s Park, Chirk, Wrexham LL14 5AA

Distance: 13km/8 miles

Time: 1½ hours

Level: Suitable for all cyclists. This is flat, smooth and traffic-free apart from the first and last 300m, which are on a very quiet road. Families with young children should beware the downward slope from the road to the canal, which is reasonably steep.

A map and route directions for this ride are available on page 132 of the June 2019 Digital Magazine

RIDE 4

Dales big dipper

You’ll need your climbing legs for this route through the stunning Yorkshire Dales

No rundown of bike rides would be complete without a contribution from Yorkshire, and this mouthwatering taste of the Dales is one of my absolute favourites.

The route dives into Swaledale before climbing up and over into Wensleydale, the landscape changing from drystone walls and flower-filled meadows to wild, remote moorland. Curlews, lapwings, oystercatchers and grouse scurry through the heather, their haunting calls and chuckles carried on the breeze.

Yorkshire has rapidly adopted cycling as its county sport, and on a fine, bright day it’s hard to think of anywhere better to ride. The landscape is utterly stunning, the roads are quiet, bar (or should that be baa?) the odd sheep, and the villages are fairytale-pretty.

Lower Wensleydale Club Campsite is situated on the edge of Leyburn, and this handsome market town makes for a fabulous launchpad, with an abundance of shops and cafés for sustenance before the ride gets going in earnest. The red flags and intimidating road signs of a military firing range warn riders not to stray from the asphalt, but as the route presses farther into Swaledale the views become ever more spine-tingling and the peace even greater.

As Grinton rises into view, the route climbs steeply skywards (make sure any e-bike batteries are fully charged) before eventually breaching the crest of the hills and descending deliriously into

Wensleydale. The formidable fortress of Bolton Castle dominates the pretty stone village of Castle Bolton, and its tearoom is a great place to stop for coffee and cake – you’ll have earned it!

Descending to the attractive village of Redmire, a quick detour leads to the falls of Redmire Force, where Wensleydale’s River Ure puts on a powerful display. Alternatively, it’s a steady, fairly level ride back, via the village of Wensley, to Leyburn.

DETAILS

Club campsite: Lower Wensleydale, Harmby, Leyburn DL8 5NU

Distance: 21 miles/34km

Time: 3 hours

Level: Suitable for fit cyclists and e-bikers. The climb from Grinton towards Castle Bolton is very steep but the roads are quiet

A map and route directions for this ride are available on page 124 of the September 2019 Digital Magazine. Please note that the distance details at point 4 should read ’12.9km’.

To see a large selection of Jonathan’s other rides visit camc.com/blog/hobbies-andactivities/cycling/

Everything you wanted to know about cycling…

…BUT WERE TOO EMBARRASSED TO ASK

From what to do after a collision to saddle heights and essential kit, check out our ultimate Q&A

HOW HIGH SHOULD MY SADDLE BE?

A good bike shop will help you set up your bike for a comfortable ride. As a rule of thumb, there should only be a slight bend in your knee when your foot is on the pedal at the six o’clock position, and if you feel your hips rocking from side to side as you ride, lower the saddle a little.

SHOULD I WEAR UNDERWEAR WITH CYCLING SHORTS?

Fabric boffins have devised padded shorts that wick away sweat and have long-lasting, multi-wash antimicrobial properties, so it’s important not to wear pants under your cycling shorts.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I HAVE A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER ROAD USER?

Stay calm and don’t rush away from the scene. Cycling UK advises cyclists to check for injuries – you may be concussed or more hurt than you appreciate. If injuries are severe, call 999. Take photos of any damage to your bike and other items, as well as the accident scene. Ask for the names, addresses and insurance details of anyone involved in the incident, as well as witnesses. Note the registration numbers, colours and models of any relevant vehicles.

WHERE CAN I CYCLE?

Cycling is allowed on roads, bridleways (which are marked by green or pink long dashes on Ordnance Survey maps and blue arrows in the countryside) and byways (purple and red arrows in the countryside). Look out, too, for permissive paths and trails along disused railway lines, along canal towpaths, around reservoirs and through woodland, often waymarked with a white bicycle in a blue circle. Footpaths are out of bounds.

WHAT IS BIKEPACKING?

Too much space and luxury in your caravan or campervan? Then try bikepacking – carrying the minimum you need for a camping trip in panniers and bags on a bike. That’s still a tent or tarp, roll mat, sleeping bag, stove, clothes, food and water.

DOES THE WEIGHT OF A BIKE MATTER?

For the racing snakes competing in the Tour de France, every last gramme matters. For the rest of us, saying ‘no thank you’ to second helpings of roast potatoes for a month could shed the same weight as a component upgrade that costs hundreds of pounds. It’s far more important to choose a bike that fits properly than one that’s a few grammes lighter.

WHAT SHOULD I CARRY WITH ME?

A puncture repair kit (including tyre levers, patches or a replacement inner tube, and a pump) is vital, as is knowing how to use it (there are lots of instructional videos on YouTube). A multi-tool can also be very useful. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from bugs, stones and light, and I recommend a helmet too. Take a drink, a snack, some cash and a phone for emergencies.

WHAT CAN I EXPECT AT A TRAIL CENTRE?

A trail centre is similar in concept to a ski resort, with a variety of off-road trails for different levels of rider. Trails graded green tend to be wide, with

HOW CAN I PROTECT MY BIKE?

Look into BikeRegister – the national bicycle marking and registration scheme. Club members can save 20% on bike marking kits – see camc.com/ bikeregister for terms and conditions and to find out more. Always secure your bike to an immovable object in a well-lit and busy location when leaving it unattended. Cycling UK’s Lauren Brooks advises using an approved bike lock (with a SoldSecure Gold or Silver rating). It’s also worth checking “if your home insurance includes cycles, and check the small print for exclusions. If you have a very expensive or unusual bike, you may need to consider a standalone cycle policy,” says Lauren.

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a reliable, obstacle-free surface, making them ideal for beginners (although don’t expect them to be flat). Levels of difficulty then rise through blue and red to black trails, which feature a host of obstacles and challenges designed to test skills.

WHY ARE THERE DIFFERENT PEDALS?

Flat pedals are fine – they provide a wide surface to push against, you can wear any type of shoe, and when you come to a stop it’s easy to put your foot down. Clipless pedals enable you to pedal in circles rather than up and down, which makes for a more efficient delivery of power throughout the stroke. To use these, you need to attach cleats to your shoes, which then snap into the pedal. This does take practice – as does remembering to unclip when you stop, to avoid keeling over like a felled tree.

HOW FAST SHOULD I PEDAL?

There’s no fixed rule, but aim for a relatively fast and consistent cadence of 70-90 revolutions per minute. This may drop a little going uphill, so choose a low gear to maintain your pace.

Willing and able

South Korean carmaker SsangYong’s reputation is growing all the time. Its Musso truck is up there with the best pick-ups on the market, thanks to its impressive towing capabilities and plush interior (it won a category in the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s Towcar of the Year Awards 2022), and its other models undercut the competition on price but not equipment.

The Rexton, the firm’s largest SUV and a caravan owner’s favourite has recently received a new range-topping model to add a little luxury to proceedings. We were keen to try out the new version.

COMFORT

Perhaps ‘SUV’ is the wrong way to describe the SsangYong Rexton, as that term is given to seemingly every slightly high-riding car these days, regardless of their off-road ability. Often SUVs have a slightly sporty character, too. The SsangYong Rexton, however, is far from being a sporting proposition, and represents a type of car that is surprisingly rare on the UK market – it’s a proper 4x4.

Under the imposing body lies a very traditional ladder-frame chassis, and the car’s eight-speed gearbox has low-range gearing – the latter being something few fashion-conscious rival SUVs in the family sector feature.

SsangYong has tried to add a little pomp with this new Ultimate Plus version. The current Rexton has been around since 2017 and a heavy facelift in 2021 gave it more kerb appeal, including an Audi-like large grille. Ultimate Plus models, introduced in late 2022, add even more bling and a smattering of luxurious touches including

quilted nappa leather seats, a 360º camera (that impressively offers similar all-round views to those you get on a Range Rover) and a set of distinctive, 20-inch chrome alloy wheels.

Rivals might have flashier, more modern-looking interiors, but there’s little wrong with the quality and level of technology on board the Rexton. The design is simple, yes, and aside from a few plastics at the very lower regions of the cabin, everything is well screwed together. The large exterior dimensions equal roominess inside, too, with loads of space for six-footers up front and space for three (just) across the middle row thanks to a flat floor.

The Rexton is a seven-seater, and while backseat passengers will have more room in the likes of a Land Rover Discovery, there’s room enough for children or teenagers. With the rear seats in place, there’s space for a decent amount of shopping, but caravan owners, if they’re not carrying seven, might do better to lower them – do this and the boot is cavernous.

All Rextons get electrically adjustable front seats that are also heated, and ventilated, heated rear seats, keyless entry, a touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, parking sensors and cruise control. Prices kick off at £38,745 for the entry-level Ventura model, while this Ultimate Plus tops the range at £45,950.

DRIVING

The Rexton is an old-school kind of off-roader and uses a body-on-frame construction with a chassis. Consequently, it cannot offer the same levels of on-road comfort and refinement most SUV buyers have become used to.

Top: imposing exterior and front grille

Above: comfortable cabin

To see car test videos download the Digital Magazine from the App Store or Google Play. Remember to search or CA C Magazine’.

Photography by Nathan Morgan

With thanks to

Chichester Caravans , Uckfield, for the loan of Towcar Test caravans. See chichester-caravans.co.uk, call 01825 764151 or email uckfield@chichestercaravans.co.uk

James Batchelor checks out SsangYong’s SUV range topper – and is taken by its hard-working attributes

Every ripple or pimple in the road is translated into the cabin, while potholes and motorway expansion joints can make the Rexton judder and bounce along; supple it isn’t. The ride is firm on Ventura and Ultimate cars fitted with 18in wheels, while our car’s 20-inchers added a further harshness.

The same goes for the handling. It’s a large machine with a gross vehicle weight of 2,950kg, which translates into body control that rolls through the bends. But the Rexton requires a different driving style from some rivals; take things at a steadier pace, work with the body roll and it’s fine. In many ways the Rexton drives and handles like Mitsubishi’s old Shogun Sport – unsurprisingly that was another ladder-framed off-roader.

One of the surprises is the engine. It’s a 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel with 197bhp mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. SsangYong claims a 0-62mph acceleration time of a leisurely 10.7 seconds, but it certainly doesn’t feel that slow. There’s a decent slug of torque in the mid-range which makes the Rexton feel perkier than you might think. For the most part there’s just a distant hum in the background as the engine gets on with the job. The only negatives are when you floor the throttle and that hum turns into a clatter, and fuel economy and CO2 emissions could be better – we managed 31mpg solo and emissions are a high 235-237g/km depending on trim level.

Where the Rexton really excels is off-road, though. That body-on-frame construction gives the car rigidity, while the switchable four-wheel drive system, low-range gearbox and hill descent control make it laugh in the face of more stylish SUVs that might baulk at the first patch of camping site mud. Fit decent tyres and we’d bet the Rexton would match the best from Land Rover and Toyota.

TOWING

The Rexton’s trump card is how much it can tow. It has a maximum towing capacity of 3,500kg, meaning it can probably take on just about any kind of trailer or caravan you can imagine safely; we hitched up to a large twin-axle Bailey Unicorn Cartagena with a MRO of 1,566kg.

The Rexton accelerates cleanly and quickly in its default ‘eco’ mode, while ‘power’ hangs on to gears for a touch longer, and the eight-speed gearbox shifts smoothly. The gearbox has a manual override option with changes selected by paddles behind the steering wheel, but it felt happiest on its automatic setting.

On twisty roads the Rexton changes quickly with hefty precision, and even steep hills are no bother. Rear-wheel drive is the default driving mode, but a quick flick of a knob on the centre console switches the car to four-wheel drive high for slightly more slippery surfaces.

On the motorway the Rexton, for the most part, is unflustered, but strong crosswinds unsettled the car very slightly on our test route. A towing mpg figure of 21 was better than we expected. SsangYong offers the choice of a fixed towbar for £398 or a removable one for £578. Unfortunately the addition of a towbar means the Rexton can’t carry a spare tyre but relies on an inflation kit instead. A space saver can be ordered as an option that sits in a bag in the boot.

VERDICT

The Rexton certainly doesn’t baulk at hard work. What it lacks in refinement it more than makes up for in rugged ability. It’s well equipped, good value for money and outstanding off-road. It’s easy to see why it’s a caravan owner’s favourite.

TECHNICAL

Price as tested: £46,736

Insurance:

39

Engine: 2,157cc, 4cyl, turbocharged diesel

Power: 197bhp (147kW)

Torque: 441Nm (325Ib ft)

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Spare Wheel: Tyre inflation kit

Kerbweight: 2,180kg

Gross Vehicle Weight: 2,950kg

Gross Train Weight: 6,450kg

Noseweight Limit: 128kg

Towing Equipment: Fixed towbar (£398), 13-pin towbar wiring (£388)

Fuel/tank/test econ: Diesel/15.3 gals (70 litres)/31mpg (solo), 21mpg (towing)

CO2 : 237g/km

Figures from manufacturer s literature

RATINGS

72% COMFORT TOWING

DRIVING 70% 85% 76%

OVERALL

FORE STARS

TECHNICAL

2017 T@B 400L

£15,995

Berths

3

MRO

980kg

MTPLM

1,200kg

Internal length

13ft 10in (4.21m)

Overall length

19ft 7in (5.97m)

Mover fitted?

Yes

Warranty

Six months’ parts and labour

Look at the size of it. Look at the shape of it. And then marvel at the fact it can sleep three people, two of them in a proper, permanent double bed. The interior is sheer design genius, given that they’ve also managed to fit in a kitchenette, with a good-sized fridge. And a washroom – with a shower. The signature porthole windows add a real touch of cool.

This six-year-old example has been thoughtfully upgraded by its previous owner. A solar panel on the steeply raked roof means the battery will never run out of juice, and the Thule two-bike carrier on the front A-frame is a very nice bit of kit to inherit. Same goes for the bespoke Dutch-made Walker awning that is said to be in

excellent condition (I wasn’t about to disgorge it from its carry sack), and which would set you back more than £1,500 new. There’s even a motorised mover – a massive boon if you plan to store the caravan down the narrow drive at the side of your house!

The elephant in the room is somewhere you certainly wouldn’t be able to accommodate an elephant –the seating area at the front. It looks terrific in all its curvaceousness –even the swoopy table gets in on the act – but it’s not somewhere you can curl up comfortably with a book for a few hours.

You’d be better off taking your book either out to that supplied awning, or back to the double bed and propping yourself up in comfort. The previous owner has fitted a wall bracket and an aerial socket for a TV back here, which is yet another worthwhile upgrade.

That long window at the back opens and closes at the push of a button – not that it opens very far, mind.

The kitchen offers a three-burner gas hob, and there’s a convenient mains socket for your toaster and/or kettle. The hob does show signs of use, but it’s perfectly clean; likewise the fridge. Storage is cleverly provided, including a pull-out wire rack and a big cupboard behind the sliding door under the sink. One of the overhead locker doors has become noticeably misaligned, which will be dealt with when the caravan gets its predelivery inspection before being sold.

VERDICT

One of the most eye-catching fixed-bed caravans you’ll ever see. Surprisingly practical too, if you can live with the tiny seating area.

Rob McCabe returns to the forecourt to assess what you can get for your money – and discovers three examples that offer outstanding value

2017 Adria Adora 612 DL Seine £17,995

This Adora cut a fine dash on the forecourt, with its glossy GRP flanks and smart, shiny alloy wheels – alongside which is the alwayswelcome sight of a motorised mover. There are two exterior hatches – the one at the back gives access to under the nearside single bed, while the other is a wet locker that also hosts a mains socket. You get a gas barbecue attachment too.

Inside, it’s no less attractive, with the calm colour scheme and seriously nice wood finish creating a very favourable first impression. The catches for the lockers are all concealed, which is also pleasing on the eye. And what a great lounge for entertaining – the sofas are huge and,

because there’s no front chest, you can recline right into the front corners. The upholstery has kept its shape – there’s no evidence of any sagging.

The freestanding table is stored in a bespoke cupboard on the edge of the kitchen, but the handle wouldn’t disengage properly so I didn’t force the issue. That’s something to be attended to at the pre-delivery inspection (the dealer is an Approved Workshop).

Staying in the kitchen, the familiar (and lovely) combined hob/sink structure shows slight evidence of use.

But it’s all clean, as are the fridge and the separate oven and grill. There’s no microwave, but there’s a chasm of a locker above the hob and an adjacent mains socket, so it would be easy to install your one.

The layout dictates that the two single beds are slightly different lengths but, at 6ft 2in and 6ft 6in, they’ll be fine for most occupants. The

mattresses are both in excellent condition, and the upper portion can be tilted forwards, sunbed-style, to read or watch telly in perfect comfort. To facilitate the latter, the previous owner has fitted a TV wall bracket and fed through a coaxial cable. Overnighting guests staying up-front can choose between two singles or a capacious double made up by pulling out bases from under either sofa – no fear of uncooperative slats here, thank you very much.

At the back you’ll find the very presentable washroom with some nice touches. The clear, bowl-shaped wash basin has a freestanding appearance, and the walls of the shower cubicle are lined with wood-look panelling.

VERDICT

Handsome, spacious and well thought-out.

Clockwise from top: Glossy GRP panels and alloy wheels give the Adora a striking look; a large, comfortable lounge; clear basin in the washroom; the kitchen shows some signs of usage

LOOKING TO BUY OR SELL

YOUR

VEHICLE?

From brand new models to used caravans and motorhomes, we display thousands of vehicles at camc. com/classifieds It’s free to post an ad and Club members can receive a 30% discount on a premium ad. See website above for more info and terms and conditions.

TECHNICAL

Berths

4 MRO

1,430kg MTPLM

1,600kg

Internal length

20 ft 2in (6.15m)

Overall length 27ft (8.23m)

Mover fitted?

Yes Warranty

Six months’ parts and labour

With thanks to: Featured caravans were on sale at Barnsdale Leisure, Doncaster Road, East Hardwick, Pontefract WF8

3EQ (barnsdaleleisure.co.uk, 01977 621918)

£18,995

Kudos to Swift’s design team – this terrific ’van serves only to reinforce my long-held view that these guys really know how to keep their designs from dating too quickly. Open the door of this five-year-old Sprite, and the immediate impression is how fresh, sharp and smart it all is.

Credit, too, to its previous owner for ensuring it picks up this month’s ‘Are You Sure It’s Really Second Hand?’ award. Inside and out, and from front to back, it’s absolutely immaculate. The

restrained two-tone grey seating in the lounge retains its supportive plumpness, and the same goes for the mattress on the big island bed – which can be pushed back into ‘day mode’ to free up some useful extra floorspace. The loose-fit carpet sections are all rolled up under the bed, a brief inspection suggesting they may well have spent most of their time there.

The spaceframe furniture still fits together tightly, and the lockers have that pleasing slight resistance when you open them, suggesting light use.

Bearing in mind it’s an entry-level Sprite, the equipment is generous, including fitted microwave, sparkignited cooker with separate oven and

grill (all spotless), good-quality stereo with USB socket, alloy wheels, spare wheel and two dedicated TV viewing locations. Sunroofs above the lounge, kitchen and bedroom help give it a light and airy ambience. And – as indeed is the case with all three of our chosen caravans here – it comes with a motorised mover. The warranty is the same on all three too: six months’ parts and labour.

VERDICT

Received wisdom is that you should never buy the first caravan you look at – but you’d be sorely tempted on seeing this tourer.

EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY ACROSS THE COLLECTION

THE 2023 COLLECTION

With five exceptional caravan ranges and a brand new motorhome range exclusively for 2023, the Coachman collection just got better. Each Coachman caravan and motorhome is finished with the highest levels of specification and features.

CARAVANS 2-5 berth | From £30,850*

MOTORHOMES 4 berth | £127,500 OTR**

MATRIX RELOADED

Aclass winner in the Club’s latest Motorhome & Campervan Design Awards, the 670 SL is one of a pair of Mercedes-based Matrix Supreme models from Slovenian giant Adria. T he three-pointed star carries a price premium, but it seems buyers are happy to pay the extra if it means driving a leisure vehicle with the famous MB badge on its bonnet.

This premium theme continues in the living quarters. ‘Supreme’ is Adria’s top trim level and there’s a definite feel of luxury and style here. While on-the-road prices start at £110,565, our test example was kitted out with a host of extras which increases your outlay to some £127,930.

As well as an uprated base vehicle (from the Sprinter 415 to the more powerful 417), our model came with leather upholstery, the MercedesBenz Luxury Pack, Alde heat exchanger, Truma Aventa Comfort 2400 air conditioner, 140W solar panel and twin leisure batteries. Phew! Despite all this extra kit there is still nearly a tonne of payload, so how

about opting for a factory-fitted towbar, corner steadies, roof rack with ladder or spare wheel? It says something about Adria’s build quality that the garage has an impressive 400kg load limit.

BUILD QUALITY

Adria has long been held in high regard for the way it makes its motorhomes – an example of this being t he use of dowels, not staples, in its furniture construction.

The all-silver bodywork entails a switch from Adria’s usual use of GRP for the outer panels to a more traditional aluminium. There’s also a double floor, housing wiring, heating pipes, fresh water tank access and storage, as well as optimising insulation. Other pointers to a premium finish include flush-fitting motorhome windows and aluminium side skirts.

You may well have noticed that, like many imports, the habitation door – that bit wider than many –remains on the UK o side. Access is aided by an electric step, while the door itself benefits from two-point locking, a fixed window with concertina blind, large and sturdy internal handle and a waste bin.

Nick Harding gets acquainted with the latest version of a premium Mercedes-based low-profile coachbuilt from Adria

DRIVING

I was unable to put this particular vehicle through its paces on the road but can tell you from previous experience that it should be a thoroughly pleasant motorhome to pilot. The Al-Ko chassis adds to a particularly forgiving ride and there’s plenty of power and torque for a relaxing journey.

In the cab, the padded steering wheel with a plethora of control buttons and the 10in touchscreen – part of a sophisticated MBUX infotainment system that extends to sat-nav and a voice control – vie for your attention, although the rest of the dashboard is somewhat drab by comparison.

Of particular note is a host of safety and security fittings – active brake assistance, active lane control, active distance assistance, hill-start assist, hold function, reversing sensors, rear-view camera, tyre pressure monitoring and more feature here.

Just be aware that the starting weight with this Matrix is considerably over 3,050kg which means that, although you can drive it with a normal C1 category driving licence, you’re limited to 50mph/60mph on single/dual carriageways respectively here in the UK.

There’s belted travel seating for four, with the ability to flip down the side section of the settee to increase legroom for rear passengers, where there is also Isofix fittings as standard. There’s a rather intricate head restraint arrangement for the rear

travel seat – they can be removed and the metal support structure retracts if not needed.

DAYTIME

An additional grab handle on the furniture aids your entry and exit via the main caravan door, while a ‘Multimedia wall’, as Adria calls it, houses a holder for a flatscreen TV (up to 32in) along with 230V, 12V and aerial sockets, plus inset shelving, a locker, dual USB portals and central controls for the electrics and water systems as well as the Alde central heating.

The 670 SL floorplan is a standard enough arrangement of front lounge, central kitchen, toilet room and shower cubicle, and a rear area of twin permanent single beds (that can also make a double) set high enough to provide a substantial garage beneath.

There’s a decent amount of lounge space with the cab seats swivelled to face an L-shaped settee and a fixed pedestal leg table with plenty of manual height and fore-and-aft adjustment. It’s not the biggest for surface area, though. Lots of curves and mouldings to the furniture gives o a stylish and restrained vibe.

Standard-issue Alde central heating provides better all-round warmth than other systems, while that is real leather upholstery you spy – Adria o ers three di erent finishes as well as six cushion covering choices.

Such is the abundance of daylight streaming in thanks to the larger-than-average opening sunroof

TECHNICAL

over the cab, nearside window and habitation door windows, the lack of an o side window is barely noticed. Presumably it’s foregone to allow for a few extra centimetres of length to the drop-down bed. That would also explain the cassette blinds and flyscreens rather than bulkier concertina blinds.

NIGHT-TIME

The main rear sleeping area boasts two permanent single beds (6ft 5in x 2ft 9in at their widest point) along with an infill that can be added if you’d rather a double. Mattresses are a superior quality EvoPore foam with adjustable upper sections if you prefer to be a bit more upright.

There’s storage in the base of each bed – the nearside is a wardrobe while there are a couple of shallow drawers in the offside. Further storage comes in the shape of a trio of fully-lined lockers on the back wall, each with a pneumatic strut door.

While they may look tiny, the pair of reading lights are highly effective.

The drop-down double over the lounge is electrically operated, and can be lowered to any height.

KITCHEN

That trio of gas burners has become a hallmark of Adria kitchens. It’s an efficient use of space, allowing for a handy worktop in front of the hob. Behind there’s a splash panel with a brushed metal-effect finish, while cooking smells are dissipated thanks to a concealed extractor unit.

The sink is set at right angles to the hob and comes with a loose cover that complements the worktop as well as a section of drainer. Underneath is a trio of drawers, all soft-closing and with retractable handles.

Cook will enjoy the Thetford combined oven and grill, while directly across the corridor Thetford also supplies the 142-litre fridge/freezer. The locker above, ready for a microwave, houses the Adria Media Controller – a Bluetooth amplifier that allows you to stream music and more from other devices.

Sophistication is further enhanced by the clever Adria Mach app, which enables you to operate heating, lighting and more via your phone or other smart device.

WASHROOM

With a shower cubicle on the nearside and toilet room opposite, this Matrix Supreme provides plenty of ablutions solutions. There’s a generous amount of space, especially as you can use the toilet room’s solid door plus a slider to create a full-width washroom/changing area.

The toilet room has a Thetford loo and countertop basin with click-clack plug. You also benefit from a large mirror and no shortage of storage – large lockers under the basin as well as above the toilet, plus some high-level open shelving. A rooflight provides ventilation.

Opposite, the shower is on the wheel arch. It’s a rather smooth shower tray, but there are two large-diameter, diagonally-opposed plug holes to ensure efficient drainage of water.

Although the brown panelling in here feels a bit flimsy, it’s designed to be removed to access pipework.

DETAILS

The longer you spend in this vehicle, the more you’ll appreciate the finer details, such as the rail in the lounge fitted with a spotlight and USB that you can move along (or add to). Similar spotlights over both cab doors and strip lighting under lounge lockers provide nice levels of lighting, some of which is dimmable. The garage sports a useful drawer and other storage, plus power sockets and lighting.

Price (as tested)

£127,930 OTR

Engine

2.0-litre turbodiesel Euro 6D

Power

170bhp (126kW) @3,800rpm

Torque

280 lb ft (380Nm)

@1,600-2,400rpm

Transmission

Nine-speed automatic, FWD MRO

3,509kg (as tested)

MTPLM

4,500kg

User payload 991kg

Overall length

25ft 3in (7.69m)

Overall width

7ft 6in (2.29m)

Overall height

9ft 5in (2.88m)

Max internal height

6ft 6in (1.98m)

Fuel/tank/econ

Diesel/20.3gals (92 litres)/2630mpg

Figures from manufacturer s literature

VERDICT

It is not light – in weight or on your pocket –but there is a lot here to justify your investment. This instalment in the Matrix franchise certainly lives up to the billing of its predecessors.

You can insure this motorhome with the Club for £951.05 per year. Please see camc.com/ insurance or call 0345 504 0334 for further details.

*Quote (correct as of 21 April 2023) is for the model tested worth £127,930 OTR with a working tracker fitted. Based on a 57-year-old male living in Kent, with a maximum no claims bonus (unprotected) coming from a vehicle of similar value/experience, who has no accidents, claims or convictions and keeps the vehicle on a drive, driving 3,000 miles a year, with a £600 damage, fire and theft excess. Subject to underwriting. The Club’s Motorhome Insurance is arranged for the Club by Devitt Insurance Services Limited, Insurance Brokers. Caravan and Motorhome Club is a trading name of The Caravan Club Limited. The Caravan Club Limited and Devitt Insurance Services Limited are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Vehicle supplied

testing by: Chelston Motorhomes, Summerfield Way, Wellington, Somerset TA21 9JE Contact: chelstononline.co.uk, 01823 662075

An

INSPIRING adventure

Philip Moon embarks on a heavenly tour of the south-west Midlands

In Britain we are blessed with a wonderful heritage of medieval buildings – castles, churches and, perhaps above all, our beautiful cathedrals. But which is our best cathedral? It’s a topic my wife and I have long debated.

“Lincoln,” she will say, “with its magnificent location on the top of the hill.”

“Southwell,” I reply, “with its wonderful Norman pillars, or perhaps even better, Wells with its amazing clock and that fantastic scissor arch.”

What better way to explore this incredible heritage than to take my caravan to the south-west Midlands to visit the charming, small(ish) cities of Gloucester, Worcester and Hereford which, as well as boasting wonderful cathedrals, also have much more to interest, intrigue and entertain the visitor.

My base for this adventure was the Club’s Tewkesbury Abbey Campsite. It’s a beautiful site with excellent facilities, while the lovely, historic town boasts many half-timbered houses and pleasant walks along the banks of the River Severn (the town centre is alongside the River Avon, but the two waterways meet nearby). As its name indicates, the site is right next to Tewkesbury Abbey.

The abbey, although not of cathedral status, is one of the most beautiful parish churches in England, with a history dating back more than

900 years. Notable features include the nave, within which 14 gigantic Norman columns support elaborate 14th-century vaulting; the ceiling of the quire (which incorporates an image of the sun, the emblem of the Yorkists who in 1471 won a significant victory over the Lancastrians at the Battle of Tewkesbury); and a magnificent 17th-century organ. There are also two modern stained-glass windows marking the 900th anniversary of the arrival of the Benedictine monks at the abbey.

My late afternoon visit coincided with Sung Evensong, performed on this occasion by pupils from Dean Close Preparatory School. It’s always impressive to hear young children perform to such a very high standard and so important that they are keeping alive our heritage of choral music.

TALES OF GLOUCESTER

The next day I headed for Gloucester, its cathedral meriting an important place in England’s history – it was here in 1216 that the nine-year-old Henry III was crowned king, while much of the rest of the country was in the hands of the barons who had rebelled against his father, King John. It’s also here that Henry’s grandson, Edward II, was buried in 1327 after his likely murder at nearby Berkeley Castle.

Like many of our cathedrals it has evolved over time and presents a magnificent blend of

“ Gloucester Cathedral presents a magnificent blend of architectural styles ”

OTHER CLUB CAMPSITES TO CONSIDER

n Cheltenham Racecourse

n Malvern Hills

n Moorhampton

n Bromyard Downs

n Lucksall AS

For the latest site details, see camc.com

CATHEDRALS

n Gloucester Cathedral – gloucestercathedral. org.uk, 01452 528095

n Worcester Cathedral – worcestercathedral.co.uk, 01905 732900

n Hereford Cathedral – herefordcathedral.org, 01432 374200

SAVE WITH THE CLUB

ere s ust a taste of the offers you could en o at attractions during your own cathedral tour

n irdland and urassic ourne ourton on the ater loucestershire – discover more than 500 birds, including owls, flamingoes, pelicans, cranes and waterfowl. Youngsters will be drawn to the lifesize dinosaurs on the Jurassic Journey. Members save 10% with our Great Savings Guide.

n ordon Russell esign useum road a orcestershire – learn about the pioneering furniture designer Gordon Russell at this attraction (just a five-minute drive from the Broadway Club Campsite). Members get two-for-theprice-of-one entry.

n cenes Abo e hobden ere ordshire – take to the skies above Herefordshire in a microlight. Members save 10% with our Great Savings Guide.

Please visit camc.com/ greatsa ingsguide for vouchers, discount codes and pre-booking where relevant, as well as terms and conditions for all offers. Please check site and attraction opening dates and times before visiting/travelling.

architectural styles. Norman (Romanesque), Early English Gothic, Decorated and Perpendicular are all present and can be studied and compared. That evolution also includes Victorian Gothic (or Gothic Revival), with work carried out by the greatest of 19th-century restorers, Sir George Gilbert Scott. Don’t miss the Victorian stained-glass windows which tell the stories of Henry’s coronation and Edward’s murder.

After leaving the cathedral, I took the opportunity to visit other Gloucester delights, including the restored docks which house a lively array of cafés, bars and restaurants, as well as the National Waterways Museum. Among the museum’s many interesting exhibits is Queen Boadicea II – one of the ‘little ships’ that helped evacuate troops from Dunkirk.

Other must-visits are the Blackfriars Priory and The New Inn, said to be the finest example of a medieval galleried inn in England. It was from the gallery that the doomed Lady Jane Grey was proclaimed queen on the death of her cousin, Edward VI.

WORCESTER WORSHIP

Although work on the present cathedral in Worcester began in 1084, there has been a place of worship on this site since the 680s. Indeed a new cathedral was built in the 980s but, by the time of the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, that had been damaged by the depredations of the Vikings.

The Normans built their ‘replacement’ cathedral big and bold, with architecture evolving over the subsequent centuries. Particularly interesting to me was a style I hadn’t seen before – Norman Transitional. The arches are more pointy than Norman ones but hadn’t yet reached the heights of the Early English Gothic which came into fashion in the latter part of the 12th century.

Worcester Cathedral houses two very important tombs. King John was buried here in 1216 and his tomb is graced by what is believed to be the oldest effigy of an English king. The other tomb is that of Arthur Tudor, Henry VIII’s older brother and Catherine of Aragon’s first husband.

There’s also a memorial to local composer Edward Elgar (1857-1934) – a stained-glass window telling the story of The Dream of Gerontius, a religious poem set to music by Elgar and often regarded as one of his greatest works.

Other places to visit in Worcester include the Museum of Royal Worcester, the Commandery and the George Marshall Medical Museum.

HERE AND NOW

The city of Hereford boasts a beautiful cathedral built from local red sandstone and with grounds that run down to the River Wye. Like the other cathedrals on this tour, it has been built and developed over many centuries combining different architectural styles.

Two of its most striking features are modern: the huge corona made of gilded stainless steel and the magnificent memorial to the SAS in the South Aisle. It is also famous for being the home of the Hereford Mappa Mundi, a fantastic medieval map of the world, and for its chained library of medieval manuscripts and early printed books, many of which are on display.

If you have time, pop into the Black and White House Museum, a brilliantly presented 17th-century townhouse. You might also like the Museum of Cider, the Waterworks Museum or the National Trust’s Weir Garden.

TAKE A TOUR

Entry to each of the three featured cathedrals is free, but donations are needed to manage their upkeep. Although you can enjoy a quiet amble around by yourself, I would recommend taking one of the guided tours on offer. The guides, all volunteers, are incredibly knowledgeable and add so much more to your visit.

Each of the cathedrals also offers a fantastic range of events, special exhibitions, organ recitals and concerts. The high point is the annual Three Choirs Festival which rotates each year between the three venues – this year (22-29 July 2023) it’s the turn of Gloucester to host the event. But which is the best? I couldn’t possibly say –why not explore and make your own decision?

PEDAL P WER

Siroko M2 Tulpen

This stylish cycling jersey for women has been designed with comfort and performance in mind. Made from fabrics combining polyester and elastane, the top features ‘Breathlock+’ technology, which is claimed to provide “optimal breathability”. There is also a hidden, semi-automatic zipper, three rear pockets and a reflective safety tag.

RRP: £77

Sizes: XXS-XL Contact: siroko.com

Cube Helmet Ant

The ‘Ant’ is the result of Cube’s design team going out and asking children and their parents what they wanted from a cycling helmet. Designed for comfort, it features removable, washable pads and 11 vents. There is a padded ratchet chin closure and fitting can be fine tuned one-handed using the ‘Snap 360 Fit System’. Available in a range of high-gloss, funky colours, it should appeal to young cyclists.

RRP: £35

Sizes: XS-M

Contact: cube.eu

As part of our cycling special, Jane McGowan checks out a selection of products for the keen bike rider

Halfords Double Child Bike Trailer

Take the strain out of family cycling trips with this trailer that can transport two children (max height of individual child 1.05m, max total carrying weight including luggage 36kg). According to Halfords, it is compatible with all bikes, and it folds flat, so is easy to store. Featuring safety harnesses, the trailer can be adjusted to accommodate pets due to an adjustable seat base. Constructed from durable steel, it comes with a high-visibility flag. Note that users are urged to consider their speed and that passengers are advised to wear cycling helmets.

RRP: £150

Contact: halfords.com

Bicycle Pizza Cutter

This piece of kitchen kit is ideal for cycling – and pizza – fans. Made from an alloy of aluminium and steel, the back wheel rotates to act as the main dough cutter. There is even a bicycle stand so you can ‘park’ it on a worktop or in a cupboard. Lightweight, practical and great fun!

RRP: £5.99 (available for £5.39 via Club Shop; see shop.camc.com for details, terms and conditions)

Weight: 0.12kg

Elops Cycling Backpack Speed 520

Waterproof and reflective, this backpack boasts a 25-litre capacity. Available in two colours – sunflower and carbon grey – it features a roll top with quick-release clasp, and includes five compartments. A perforated foam back and straps are designed for comfort, while a chest strap and foam at the hips aid stability.

RRP: £69.99

Contact: decathlon.co.uk

Sundried Men’s Padded Training Shorts

Comfort is everything when heading out for a ride, and these padded shorts should help take some of the strain. Designed to be worn by both beginners and more serious cyclists, they are made from a breathable fabric that has sweatwicking properties, while each hem is finished with silicon grippers designed to prevent the legs riding up as you pedal.

RRP: £45

Sizes: S-XXL

Contact: sundried.com

TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY VISIT CAMC.COM/HAIBIKE TO FIND OUT MORE

ASK YOUR CLUB

Assistance advice

QMy new car has all sorts of ‘assistance’ aids. Can I use these while towing?

AThefirst challenge is to work out exactly what’s fitted to your car – that’s likely to need a combination of the handbook and brochure/ website to check the specification if it’s a current model and close examination of the dashboard buttons (although not all functions have a physical button to turn them off). Then you need to work out what some of the more obscure functions actually do. The road safety charity, Roadsafe, has produced a website to explain many of the common systems (adashub.co.uk), but often your vehicle handbook will be the best reference guide.

In general (unless the handbook advises otherwise), systems which operate by ‘looking’ forward will work (eg anti-lock brakes, automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control etc) when towing; however, they may not always work as well as when driving without a caravan hitched. The extra weight of the caravan may mean some systems are not as effective – ie stopping distances will be longer and cruise control may not always be ideal with manual cars if the terrain is not that flat.

Lane monitoring systems (lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance) will probably work but will not allow for the additional width of the caravan. Intelligent

The Club’s technical team answers your pressing questions

speed control (which keeps you to the speed limit) may not adapt to towing-specific speed limits.

Some systems adapt to the presence of the caravan if the car has a good quality towbar installation with vehiclededicated electrics – an example is stability control, which often turns into ‘trailer stability control’ when towing. The car will then use individual wheel braking to attempt to correct any instability of the caravan, working alongside any aids fitted to the caravan itself.

Systems which ‘look’ backwards – automated parking, reversing aids, rear cross traffic protection (which stops you reversing out of a parking space into oncoming traffic) will generally switch off when a caravan is connected due to the fact their sensors are blocked by the caravan.

Other systems probably affected by the presence of a caravan (unless it is narrower than most) include blind spot warning lights, lane change warning systems (which warn or stop you from changing lanes into the path of other traffic) and systems that warn you if you open the door while parked when there’s approaching traffic.

A few manufacturers do provide trailer/caravan reversing aids, such as Land Rover and Volkswagen Group. Sometimes reversing cameras have a ‘wide’ or ‘downward’ setting which can really help when positioning to hitch up, too.

It’s worth noting that while van technology generally lags behind that in cars, the base vehicles used for motorhomes are rapidly gaining similar aids. Smaller campervans will often have much the same capabilities as many cars.

Larger motorhomes are perhaps a little less wellequipped, but sometimes have dedicated systems like crosswind assistance – a variant of electronic stability control that keeps a highsided vehicle in a straight line in gusty winds.

It might not be the most exciting read, but it really is useful to spend some time studying the handbook of a modern vehicle.

Please address your questions to:

Technical Information, Email: technical@camc.com

Tel: 01342 336611

...and quote your membership number

camc.com/advice

No fuss, fumes or cables. Just

The CLM50 Lawnmower.

USE CODE: RG48

Power and Precision

Thanks to a powerful 48V lithium-ion battery, the Gtech CLM50 gives you up to 40 minutes’ run time*, while the 1 hour charge time adds flexibility to your gardening routine. Run time is maximised with Gtech’s intelligent power control which also reduces bogging down in wet or long grass conditions. Not stopping there, the single, counter-balanced blade delivers an impressively wide cut with neat edges.

For added protection while you’re gardening, this kit includes Gtech branded gardening gloves and clear glasses.

Innovation and Simplicity

With no cables to untangle or repeatedly whip out of the way, and no messy petrol motor to top up, the Gtech CLM50 couldn’t be easier to use. Its large wheels make it feel lightweight so manoeuvring around lawns seems almost effortless. The CLM50 comes with a generous 50-litre grass bin with an indicator flap that tells you when the bin needs emptying. The cutting height is easily adjustable, moving between 3cm to 8cm in 1cm increments, so whether it’s the first cut of the season or a mid-summer pristine finish, there is a setting to meet your needs.

Easy to use

When you’re ready to mow, just insert the battery, push the activation button, pull the handle lever and go. For a precise finish, we’ve given this battery powered lawnmower a cutting width of 420mm, with a single blade designed to deliver impressive results. You can mow close to the edges of your garden with fewer passes, making it even easier to get the lawn you want.

‘As a keen gardener myself, I’ve experienced the hassle of petrol and corded lawnmowers, and the loud noises that come with them. The CLM50 produces fewer fumes and is quieter than other mowers, and allows you to roam free for up to 40 minutes.’

Grey,

cordless mower is easy to start up and even simpler to use, delivering exceptional results.

“Absolutely

All about the bike

Sammy Faircloth looks at the best ways to both transport and store your bikes when touring

Like many Club members, we love to go on cycling adventurers as a family when touring in our caravan, taking advantage of numerous routes near Club campsites (remember that Jonathan Manning provides a ride via the digital magazine every month). Cycling is a fun and healthy activity, but how do you go about transporting and storing your bikes (or e-bikes) while on tour, especially if you are a family of four or more? Let’s take a look…

RACKS

When it comes to transporting bikes, caravanners have a distinct advantage over their motorhoming counterparts as they have more options available to them. For example, they can install a roof-mounted carrier on their towcar (note that similar racks are available for some – but not all – campervans). The main advantage of this set-up is that it keeps valuable weight away from the caravan, in which you’ll want to pack other holiday essentials. If you own a taller towcar, such as

a Land Rover, a set of steps to help you load and unload the bikes onto the rack will be needed.

Caravanners also have the choice of A-frame-mounted racks – especially owners of European models that generally have longer A-frames. A word of caution, though – check your fully-loaded caravan’s noseweight before hitting the road.

Noseweight is the downforce from the hitch onto the towball and should be no more than 5-7% of the caravan’s Actual Laden Weight (ALW). Moving items around in the caravan can help you achieve the recommended noseweight if you are over the noseweight limit for your caravan hitch or towbar.

Common to both caravans and motorhomes, some manufacturers pre-fit brackets to rear panels to make it easier to install a bike rack. However, it is imperative that you do not carry heavy bikes at the rear of a caravan, as too much weight right at the back can increase the risk of instability.

If your motorhome has a rear window and no pre-fitted brackets, then you’ll probably need to consider fitting a towbar and towbar-mounted rack. Don’t forget it is

a legal requirement that the number plate and rear lights are visible (so you may need to fit a lighting board including rear number plate).

Owners of heavy e-bikes should consider a rack that can be lowered if their vehicle’s pre-fitted brackets are located high up, and should also note the overall weight the bike rack is designed to take.

Your final option is to carry your bike/s inside your leisure vehicle. Transporting bikes inside a motorhome is straightforward if you have a model containing a large garage with fixing points, or a vehicle with dedicated lashing points or rails. Alternatively, campervan owners especially might want to install a slide-out tray which makes it a doddle to load and unload your bikes.

Loading bikes inside a caravan needs more care. Make sure they are securely fastened so they don’t move around while towing and cover any sharp edges, such as pedals, with foam to prevent them from damaging the furniture. Secure bikes close to the axle, then check your caravan’s noseweight and adjust the distribution of the load if needed. Folding bikes can be a good option – small-wheeled models aimed at commuter use are the most

compact, but larger-wheeled versions tend to be better if you plan to venture off road

Some caravans, including Swift Basecamps, are designed with lashing points in the floor as an option for carrying bikes.

STORAGE

So, you’ve made it safely to your campsite – now you’re faced with a second issue: where and how do you securely store your bike/s?

A great location we have found on our travels is Clumber Park Club Campsite in Nottinghamshire, which has an impressive dedicated bike lock-up (you need a swipe card for access). Although the lock-up is alarmed and locked overnight, I’d still recommend that you buy bike locks for extra protection. Clumber Park also boasts a useful bike repair stand with pump and bike wash area.

Not many sites have this level of provision for bikes, though, which is where your awning can come in handy, especially if it has an annexe. Stand-alone bike tents, available from the likes of Halfords, Cycle King or The Range, are also a good option.

If you are leaving your bikes on the rack/ carrier attached to your vehicle (or on a bike stand) overnight, it is wise to use both bike

locks and a waterproof cover. In fact, you should consider locking your bike up at all times it is not being ridden.

SECURITY

Bikes, and in particular e-bikes, can be very expensive, so it makes sense to employ tried and tested products to secure them. For details of thoroughly-tested D-locks, cable locks, chain locks etc, visit Sold Secure at soldsecure.com (Sold Secure is a testing and certification house for security products).

FINAL THOUGHTS

Cycling is a fun way for the family to get fit and active together. So, now you are armed with the details you need to transport and store your bikes, get pedalling and explore our wonderful countryside and cities.

Clumber Park has a great bike lock-up

“ Check your caravan’s noseweight before hitting the road ”

CODE WORD

Can you solve this grid? The answers are on the side of the page

To try more puzzles download the Digital Magazine from the App Store or Google Play. Remember to search for ‘CAMC Magazine’.

HOW TO PLAY

This puzzle has no clues in the conventional sense. Instead, every number printed in the main grid represents a different letter (with the same number always representing the same letter of course). For example, if 8 turns out to e a , yo an r te n here er a s are contains 8.

NEW TWIN AXLE STACKA 9 LEVEL SET

Extremely robust interlocking levelling blocks, can be built up to the height re uired. ighly versatile and cost-e ective levelling for twin axle caravans.

QUATTRO / TRIDENT / TRIPLE LEVELS

High-grip surface that pockets the wheel at every height, eliminating the need for chocks. They have a solid base making them ideal for use on soft ground.

MIRROR PROTECTORS

Protect your mirrors against accidental damage. Can cover e isting damage. asy to ft. he Mirror Protectors ft Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer and Citroen Relay. Black or White. Ford ransit and Mercedes Sprinter version now available.

TORQUE WRENCH SAFETY KIT

Correctly torques the caravan wheels to the manufacturers specifcation. Supplied with wheel nut indicators which give a visual indication if any wheel nuts have worked loose.

INTERNAL UNIVERSAL THERMAL BLIND eeps your Motorhome cool on hot days and warm on cold days. Prevents condensation. Extreme tested to -50 +50 degrees. With easy release suckers

STACKA CORNER FEET

Durable and high quality. These corner feet use a unique “clip and lock” system which incorporates a rattle proof sprung-loaded steel retaining shaft. Can be used with Milenco Stacka locks.

ALUMINIUM DOUBLE STEPS Non slip surfaces. Featuring a base that is larger than the top, ensuring superior stability and does not sink into the ground. Lightweight design.

NOSEWEIGHT GAUGE

The only gauge precision alibrated to S 61. Ensures correct Caravan loading for stability when towing. Offers continuous accuracy and reliability.

£90 in Club gift vouchers to be won CROSSWORD

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TAIL LIGHTS

Your observations on the fun and unusual world of touring

Get my drift?

To see an additional Tail Lights page, download the Digital Magazine via the App Store or Google Play. Remember to search or M Maga ne

If you see something fun or unusual on a Club site, CL or while you’re out and about, please send a picture to magazine@camc.com or tag @candmclub on Instagram and we’ll print the best.

Bring me sunshine...

Geraldine Lunt came across a couple of statues honouring a pair of comedy legends in Lancashire. The figure of Eric Morecambe stands on the seafront in the hometown he used for his stage name. The statue of Bobby Ball is a recent addition to Lowther Gardens in Lytham St Annes... and it looks like the weather had improved by that point.

BIRTHDAY BOY

Many ha y ret rns to ohn re h tt s pooch, who celebrated his third birthday at Bolton Abbey Estate Club Campsite in Yorkshire. It looks like it’s time to paw-tay!

Cork-y cat

“Shall we go for the Cat-ernet Sauvignon, the Purrlot or the Miaowbec tonight?” There are tough choices to be made in Lynn Jackson’s caravan, where Tilly loves a root around in the wine rack. Well... who doesn’t?

“I’m sure there’s a motorhome there, somewhere,” jokes Katie Dudley, who adds that her tourer is “usually very conspicuous on the driveway”. Best wait this one out...

TAIL LIGHTS

Your observations on the fun and unusual world of touring

Party animals

Something to chew on

Dogs love the Club magazine – lots of them read every issue cover to cover and here are two pictures to prove it. Although on closer inspection Jacqui Shaw, owner of Bramble, thinks the sustained interest might be due to a dog biscuit lying underneath. And sadly Reeni – who is owned by Paul Hughes –seems unwilling to turn the page and lose sight of the squirrel on the cover. Oh well.

Planning pooch

This is Molly, a much-loved travelling companion who is ‘pawing’ over a map while deciding where to pitch up next. “Maybe Barkshire or Kennelworth...” joke owners Ali and Lindsay Witchell.

“We thought you might like to see our Easter bunnies Bear, Belle and Jackson enjoying the beautiful Easter weekend at Chatsworth Park Club campsite,” says Karen Cottrell. Good bunnies! Now, er, hop along please...

If you see something fun or unusual on a Club site, CL or while you’re out and about, please send a picture to magazine@camc. com or tag @ candmclub on Instagram and we’ll print the best.

A few more tent pegs, please...

Yikes! The kind of weather conditions that might cause even the most battlehardened caravanner’s knees to knock. The picture was taken a few years ago on a CL at Bwlchtocyn on the Llyn Peninsula – and looks like the shutter clicked just as the call for ‘action stations’ went out.

Heavenly inspiration

Characterful churches catch Jonathan Manning’s eye on this flat, peaceful ride

Achurch crawl may not have the same ring to it as a pub crawl but the religious buildings on this ride are so characterful that they are genuinely worth the effort to visit.

Beginning and ending at White House Beach Club Campsite, this route explores inland, rural Suffolk, a landscape of prairielike arable fields, occasional livestock, thick hedgerows and small patches of woodland. The crowds of the popular coastline instantly give way to roads as quiet as exam halls, linking villages that seem to be playing a game of Top Trumps with their places of worship. Does a round tower beat a square tower, thatch beat tiles, an octagonal floorplan defeat the traditional rectangle?

The inter-church competition starts with the tall flint tower of St Edmund’s in Kessingland, a landmark that stands proud

of its surroundings. St Michael’s in Rushmere, with its round tower and thatched roof, arguably wins on age – it’s so old it had a makeover in the 14th century! A little farther, 12th-century St Andrew’s in Mutford has a round tower capped by an octagonal belfry. And the recentlyrestored Sotterley Chapel goes one better with the eight-sided approach, adopting it for its overall design.

The unusual round towers on some of the churches are due to the building materials available in the area. Square towers with sharp corners require strong, dressed stone, which is hard to find in this region of Suffolk, but beachand field-collected flints, cut in half so their

interior glass-like face can be set in mortar, offer an alternative weather-resistant barrier to the elements.

Many of the churches also have Commonwealth War Graves in their graveyards, a reminder that the tendrils of conflict reached right into the quietest areas of the country.

Beyond crossing one large A-road roundabout, this is easy cycling: flat roads with little traffic and pretty countryside for company. There are no pubs along the way until the very end, next to White House Beach Club Campsite, where the Sailor’s Home offers a glimpse of the beach and the chance to raise a glass to all those responsible for building such beautiful churches.

DIRECTIONS

1

Turn left out of White House Beach Club Campsite (main site, not beach-side pitches) and follow the road for 2km through Kessingland to a large roundabout. Go straight over, signposted to Mutford, Rushmere and Gisleham, and follow the road for another kilometre, looking out for a turn on the left as the road bends sharply right.

and Sotterley. Continue on this road for almost 4km to a war memorial on the left.

5

12.5km – Turn left by the memorial, signposted to Wrentham and Henstead, and look out for the octagonal chapel on the right. Continue to a T-junction.

6

14.1km – Turn left, signposted to Hulver and Beccles, and in 700m turn right to Henstead and Lowestoft, and continue to a crossroads.

2

3.2km – Turn left, signposted to Rushmere and Mutford, and continue to a T-junction with a church immediately to the left.

3

5.2km – Turn left then immediately right along Chapel Road, signposted to Beccles and Hulver. Continue for 1km to another T-junction and turn left, signposted to Hulver and Sotterley. Continue to a T-junction with the B1127.

4

8.8km – Turn left towards Hulver, and then take the first right, by the village sign, signposted to Stoven, Willingham

7

16.7km – Turn left at the crossroads along the B1127 and at the next crossroads go straight over to Carlton Colville and Rushmere, and after about 1km look out for a road on the right.

8

18.8km – Turn right, signposted to Kessingland and South Lowestoft, and continue for almost 3km to a T-junction.

21.6km – Turn right at the junction, signposted to Wrentham and Kessingland, go straight across a roundabout and along Whites Lane, retracing the way to the Club site.

9

ABOUT THE ROUTE

Start/finish: White House Beach Club Campsite, Beach Road, Kessingland, Lowestoft NR33 7RW

Distance: 24km/15 miles

Time: 2 hours

Level: Suitable for all although care is required on the first roundabout.

Terrain: Asphalt all the way.

Landscape: Arable farms and woodland.

Refreshments: None.

two// s three / / fourfive

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1 3 2

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Centre Raly Guide

A guide to all Centre Rallies taking place in 2023

Discover your local Centre

What is a Centre?

The Club has many local Centres across the UK and Ireland that are at the very heart of our community spirit. Each Centre regularly organises rallies, providing the fun, social aspect of caravanning.

The Centres are run by a voluntary committee and membership is free to all Club members. You can only belong to one Centre at a time, but you don’t have to join your local Centre. If you have friends or family who are members of another Centre, or you like to travel to another area of the country, you can join the Centre most convenient for you.

What does your Centre o er you?

The most popular Centre activities are rallies. Held over a weekend or longer, you can participate as much or as little as you like. Maybe take advantage of the local countryside, visit a stately home or local attraction, join in a sporting activity or simply relax; the choice is yours.

The rallies on o er for 2023 are listed on the following pages; these details may change and new rallies will be added throughout the year. For more details and the most up-to-date information visit www.camc.com/centres

Bring the family along!

Centre rallies are the perfect opportunity for a family break and a great way for kids (and big kids!) to enjoy time with friends new and old.

Some rallies are specifically aimed at families and will have lots of exciting activities planned for the whole family to get involved with, others are built around local events or visits to attractions which make a great family break. Some Centres even encourage younger members to help with organising their own rallies.

Join or Renewing with a Centre

Annual registration is free to all Club members. You can join, renew or check your Centre registration at www.camc.com/centres or call us on 01342 318 813.

Online Search

New rallies are being organised all the time, so keep an eye on the Centre section of our website to see what’s coming up. The online search tool is the best place to stay up to date with the latest additions to the Centre Rallies calendar. Search by date, centre or rally type to find the perfect rally for you and make sure you never miss out.

To find out more, and start searching, visit camc.com/centres