ISSUE 2
THE CAMPER VAN LIFE VANZINE
CAMPERVAN Life The
Vanzine, Show Guide & Directory
VW Show Reviews VW Weddings VW Kidz Club VW Features
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The Campervan Life Vanzine
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The Campervan LIFE Vanzine Edition 2, 2013 Produced by Wagen Publishing Ltd ŠWagen Publishing Ltd 2013 No part may be reproduced without permission Printed in the UK All enquiries to: info@wagenpublishing.com
A special thanks to all our contributors from around the globe!
With a special thanks to: Andy McColm, Dave Warren, Mandi Simms, Peter Jones, Paul Perks & Helen Lochrane, Jonathan Cope Simon Sergides, Anton Murrells, Simon Cook, David & Cee Eccles, Simon Holloway, James Northcott, Ian Garrard, Steve Moss, Rachel Kershaw, Scottie, Darren & Jamie Carter (CoolFlo), Yannick Yannoff, Junior Graziano, Sam Berkett, Samantha Askew, Steve Lumley, Dee Parkinson, Steve Lovell, Paul Smith, Sammie Smith, Franky Garcia, Mark Finch.
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Vanzine Contents a promoters view... Anton Murrells 4 SURFING GREAT BRITAIN Dave Warren & Mandi Simms 10 KENT VW FESTIVAL Dee Parkinson Review 12 VANWEST Review 14 BUG JAM Review 16 BRIGHTON BREEZE Review 20 DUBS AT THE PARK Review 22 BRISTOL VOLKSFEST Review 24 KINGS MEADOW CAMPAIGN Mandi Simms 28 FAMILY FUN Steve Turnham 32 VW SUMMER OF LOVE SHOW Kellie Honeyman 34 JUNIORS JOURNEY Mark Wadey and Emma Kite 42 Kidz Club Peter Jones, Cartooniez.co.uk 44 HERBIES WORLD TOUR UPDATE Domi & Zainab 53 FAN IN A VAN Rachel Kershaw 56 CAMPERVANTASTIC Steve Lumley 62 MY VW DUBBYMOON Steve Lovell 68 VW T4 FORUM James Young aka Jimbo 78 Thanet Classics Car Club Lee Collier - Event Organiser 80 CAPTION COMPETITION Sponsor CoolFlo Vintage 82 FROM OUT OF THE ASHES Phil Thompson - perftecphil 86 BARN DOOR CAMP OUT Richard Kelly Mike Johnson 88 SPLITSCREEN INNOVATIONS Steve Moss 92 COOKIE TEES Simon Cook 94 THE FOCAL POINT Dave Warren Images 96 ART ON THE STREET Yannick Yannoff 100 BARN DOORS David & Kerra Hyde 102 SPOTTER REPORT Peter Butler 106 THE LAST DANCE Sammie Smith 108 BUS BOYZ Franky Garcia 114 COOLFLO VINTAGE Scottie, Darren & Jamie Carter Bros. 116 TRACK DAY LEGEND Paul Oldfield, Stephen Widdows 118 T2D HOW TO BUY A VAN Paul Medhurst 126 GRACIAS OSVALDINO Junior Grazioni 130 A GREAT INVESTMENT Mark Finch 132 VW CLUB DIRECTORY UK & Euro Club Listings 152 CRUISE TO NINOVE Mandi Simms & Dave Warren 156 VDUB SHOW DIARY 2013 Diary with dates and Reviews 160 CAMPERVAN HIRE DIRECTORY Camper Hire & Weddings Hire 216 MY VDUB WEDDING DAY Sam Birkett 228 VW WEDDINGS GALLERY VW Wedding Photos 232 VDUB BIZ PAGES Listing of VW Services 242
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The Wagen Boys
Welcome to the Vanzine
This edition of the new Campervan Life Vanzine is has grown dramatically since the first issue launched last September at BusFest. The Vanzine content is useful, fascinating and fun, an important companion in your VDub (whatever type). It will keep you in touch to keep a record of great journeys, shows and people you meet throughout the VDub year. It is also a handy directory for VW Clubs, VW Businesses of all kinds, Show Diary and Log Book. We feature many of those who help to make the Volkswagen world so fascinating, in this issue we are introducing our VW Weddings Directory and Gallery to highlight the great ways people celebrate their big day. We hope its an unbiased view of the VW world. Our website also provides links to all those featured and highlighted. Look out for the Wagen Publishing Team at major VW Shows and say hello, we would love to hear how its going. As you can see we like to promote and publish features and stories of all kinds, so why not share yours with us too. If you do find a service that you use, please do mention this Vanzine, have a great VDub year! Mike & Steve Editors Some pictures have been given to us without any information about source and are published with the best of intentions and acting in good faith. Wagen apologises in advance for any unintentional errors or omissions which will be corrected in future editions. Where possible we have contacted anyone whos vehicle appears in the book and a credit is given. See terms and conditions online. Š2013 Wagen Publishing. Wagen Publishing Ltd is in no way connected to, affiliated to, or represents Volkswagen Werk AG, VAG UK or Volkswagen of America or any of their subsidiaries. Production Director: Stephen Turnham Marketing & PR Director: Mike Stevenson Principal Photographer: Dave Warren Graphic Design turnhamdesign.co.uk andymcColmdesign.co.uk WAGEN PUBLISHING LTD Eastbourne, East Sussex 01323 731193 info@wagenpublishing.com www.wagenpublishing.com Š Wagen Publishing Ltd 2013 All rights reserved.
Reproduction or transmission in any form whatsoever of this book or vwagen.com website or any part thereof is strictly prohibited by whatever means including copying or storage in a retrievable system of any nature whatsoever without the prior written consent of the publisher. The use of this publication or website or any part thereof by any person employed by or involved with any other advertising or publishing company, particularly in connection with the telesales or field sales department, is also strictly prohibited. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication and vwagen.com website, all such information has been compiled from emails to, or personal contact with each company and individual and the publishers hereby disclaim any liability for damage or consequential loss as a result of any error or omission however caused. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The publication content and website is intended as an international guide. The classifications are not necessarily legally binding descriptions and users of the guide are strongly advised to make their own specific enquiries of the companies and individual names herein as to the goods and services offered or qualifications held by such person or persons listed herein.
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Grill-n-Chill, a promoters view... Let me start with a little background. My name’s Anton Murrells and I’m a 41 year old Volkswagen owning fireman, well I used to be when I was allowed to be, now I’m a Fire Fighter but that’s a whole different story. Myself, along with two very good and easy to sway friends, decided it would be a good idea to put on our own show. Now this wasn’t done over the normal Friday or Saturday night beer drinking sessions, thankfully Darren doesn’t touch a drop and Jon knows better than to drink with me! Our Club (the PaintScrapers) meet up on a Wednesday night and partaking of too much alcohol on a school night just isn’t very British.
that I am... I thought this would be a great time to get in on the act. Another chat with the boys and hey presto we’re show promoters! Now because we we’re all new to this and we weren’t sure whether the show was going to be a success or fall flat on it’s a£$e, we decided to come up with a new name. We’d often go to shows and enjoy ourselves whether Partly to save “FarmFest” for its original owners, watching Nitrous powered bugs tear up a drag strip partly so that it would be fresh on the scene. at 140mph or just sitting in a field watching the world go by. The only small problem for us was the lack We spoke about what we wanted from a show for of “local” shows living in Kent. It seemed every VW ourselves, what we did at shows, what was missing event was miles away and those that had been in the from other events and what we enjoyed at them. same county had either moved locations or stopped ‘VW Beer Fest’ wasn’t the best name that came altogether. VW Expo had moved in with Stonor up, plus the fact that I only wanted to do a one Park, Bug Lovin’ stopped after its 1st birthday and day show. ‘Sausage Sunday’ (sponsored by our local PepperCorn was in its last year before retiring. supermarkets) didn’t go down too well either. But I The only other show we knew of was a small affair, a mission away, called VW FarmFest. We’d been to this a few times and whilst the location was very rural, once you’d managed to find the venue (Exted Farm) the setting was just what you’d want from a quiet weekend in the Kent countryside. The owners of the farm also run their own VW workshop (VolksFarmers) and had mentioned a couple of times that they wouldn’t mind having some help in putting the show on. Now being the shy, quiet retiring type 4
had planted another seed... little was I to know, that linked to my sausages would be the only way to cook them at a show. Well, loosely linked when I say ‘Grill’. And what normally happens after you’ve eaten more than half a cow and no doubt for those like me, have drunk too much? You ‘Chill’! Low and behold ‘Grill-nChill’ was born (cue fanfare and bright lights). Now another of my problems, is that I always like to have the final say, or just like to tweak things a little, maybe it’s my OCD (although with my ADHD I lose interest
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Words by Mandi Simms and photographs by Dave Warren Last November we were invited down to the Surf GB national championships at Fistral Beach, Newquay, Cornwall, sponsored by POSCA marker pens. Dave and I had contacted POSCA pens and arranged for us to be involved - Pete Jones, the man behind ‘Cartooniez’ with his cartoon skills, and Spike his faithful hound. He would be using POSCA pens to create and demonstrate his artwork and I would be taking photos to capture the event. The journey down was a long but uneventful journey – apart from travelling across Dartmoor in the fog to take a ‘shortcut’ – I had suggested it would be pictursque and the scenery would be lovely – the hills were steep and the view was virtually nonexistent due to the fog coming down! Unlike Pete’s, as he had finished his journey on the back of a recovery truck. He was taken to a local garage in Newquay for remedial work, although unfortunately, the engine needed to be taken out as the clutch operating arm had snapped. After a night of meeting competitors at our hotel, it was off to bed early for a 7am start to drive down to the beach to help set up. The surf was good and the competition was in full swing, even at this early hour.
Pete’s artwork was really well received and people were interested in his van. A colouring competition had been organised by POSCA, using an illustration of Pete’s, especially commissioned for the event. There was also a chance of using POSCA pens to customise just about anything from Frisbees to skate boards and shoes to bags and hats … virtually anything can be POSCA’d!
There was some high scores as the waves were really breaking in favour of the surfers. With day 1 drawing to a close we headed back to the hotel to hear stories of how the waves had been out at sea. It was also a chance to warm up as it was cold standing on a beach for 8hrs even if the day had been lovely and sunny.
Day 2 early start yet again, these surfers do like to catch that early wave … The finals were closely fought, especially the battle between Alan Stokes and Stu Campbell which was finally won on points by Stokes. We met up with Stu Watkins, former Chairman of the London Thames Valley VW club who had recently moved and was now living nearby. Millie, Stu's daughter had brought her surf board down for Pete to create a 10
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Preview by
Dee Parkinson
as was the steam engines. The evening bought more entertainment with music from Shyklo and the dilly Kats as party goers turned up in fancy dress and partied late into the night.
Kent VW festival 26th - 29th July 2013 Chilli Farm, Coldred, Kent A summer weekend in Kent, not the usual place you would expect to see two thousand people in Volkswagens of all descriptions but thanks to the Kent VW festival the stage was set. Opening night on Friday visitors was treated to a family quiz in the bar in aid of the Pilgrims hospice followed by music from Raspberry hedgehog and deferred success, and later a chill out set by druids brew. Not even a two hour torrential down pour during the night could dampen the spirits as campers were greeted to glorious sunshine on Saturday.
Sunday bought more spectacular weather as the show and shine got underway and more entertainment throughout the show including a charity auction with prizes donated by all the traders. The day continued with enthusiasts enjoying a cut price bar as the last of the ale was sold and dubbers made the most of the last night. It was great to see a new VW show on the scene in the south east and brings high hopes for this year.
There were stalls for all with the auto jumble and clothing available and the colouring competition run by Cookie and country fair was a hit with the kids 12
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VANWEST – MAY 10- 12 2013 BREAN, SOMERSET VanWest is a unique one off Volkswagen Holiday with all you’d expect from a Volkswagen show – plus the seaside! Hosted on a brilliantly equipped picturesque campsite just a stone’s throw from the beach you’ll have everything on hand to enhance your break, plus you can book extra nights to make a real holiday of it. 14
You’ll find a great trade arena and quality food court, two nights of fantastic entertainment. This year, the fun theme is “Space.” There’ll be plenty of new features too, including Dr Dub’s Mini VW Cruise (for the smaller VW enthusiasts), off road track, farm tractor rides, family fun and games, on site fun fair rides – and don’t forget the legendary Sunday Beach Cruise (don’t worry, the tide's always out!).
www.vanwest.net
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With an eager look at the weather we headed up to Santa Pod for the 2nd VW meeting of the year at the venue. We made it up for the quiet pre-party on the Thursday night which was getting bigger every year with some 1000 people looking forward to the gates opening early on Friday. The sound of horns and engines starting up, signalled movement towards the gates and the fields began to fill at an incredible pace. The benefits of being part of a club and booking into club camping are handy as space has already booked and reserved for you. Tents set up, hello’s done and cold beers out of the fridge/ cool box and it was time to walk through to the traders and quick visit to the funfair. A few bargains later and a visit to Fuellers bar found us sitting on the bank and watching the RWYB (Run What You Brung) go down the track. With stunt shows, monster trucks and motor cross demonstrations, there is always something to keep you busy and to watch, this includes the evening entertainment in the two big tops and outside on the main stage. 16
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Brighton Breeze
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Brighton Breeze 5th October 2013 Madeira Drive, Brighton Organised by the Split Screen Van Club, Brighton Breeze is always a successful event, and 2012 was no exception, when Madeira Drive was crammed full of VW camper vans. Although the organisers are dedicated to the preservation of the Split Screen camper vans, there is also a large selection of various VW vehicles of all types.
The weather in October is notoriously unpredictable, but Madeira Drive is a south-facing suntrap, and therefore, very pleasant in the Autumn sunshine.
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Photos by matt@dubfotos.com BRISTOL VOLKSFEST – JUNE 7-9 EASTER COMPTON, BRISTOL Bristol Volksfest 21 will be once again adding new features, whilst remaining a traditional Volkswagen show. The main change (which we’re pretty excited about) will be a drive through show and shine arena on Sunday, to include both show cars and daily drivers. Another new feature will be a Saturday auction for vehicles for sale. As we all know, 2012’s wild weather created problems all through the summer with many of events being re-organised, cancelled or rearranged. We're lucky to have lots of indoor and hardstanding areas which enabled us to 24
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Show standard campers built to spec
01273 493032
Please join us on Facebook and Twitter to get special offers and updates
www.vwkampers.com info@vwkampers.com
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ADVANCE TICKETS FROM ONLY ÂŁ10
inc. CAMPING
Come and join us for another fun-filled, laid baCk weekend Organised by VW enthusiasts, Grill-n-Chill returns for its third year and looks to be the best yet. After the great feedback from last years show we’re returning to The Hop Farm, in the heart of Kent. This great location is less then an hour away from London and close to the channel crossings for our friends from mainland Europe.
Grill-n-Chill is a full weekend show with great traders and plenty of room to camp. Club camping is available, but must be booked in advance. For full show details and to buy tickets visit our site, find us on Facebook or catch one of the Paintscrapers crew at shows throughout the year.
grill-n-chill.co.uk Proudly sponsored by
EST
2005
www.deimosaircooled.com WagenPublishing.com
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URGENT APPEAL TO THE VW COMMUNITY
SAVE KINGS MEADOW SWIMMING BATHS CAMPAIGN
r ou still s I us b d? old aroun
By Anne Jessel
Photography by Dave Warren We are a small group of campaigners who have been trying to save the baths since 2002 when it was threatened by the bulldozer. We gained Grade II English Heritage Listing in 2004 which has prevented the building being knocked down to make way for a proposed international high rise hotel and car park - it's amazing what people power can do when they put their minds to it! And the VW community is certainly one of these groups which can help make a difference.
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8K KT 15 C n r va d he n a e Ann
The aim of our campaign is to preserve the piece of land which was given to the People of Reading by George Palmer (Huntley & Palmer Biscuits) and maintain a beautiful riverside as well as eventually getting the swimming pool up and running again. This will help preserve this remarkable piece of Reading’s Heritage for generations past, present and future
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Honeyman and also Sunday night. Day visitors 3 Kellie Days of VW’s, Fun, welcome Sat, Sun and Mon. You The vw Summer Love Love of and Music are also have the opportunity of visiting
Show is brand new to the the Atwell Wilson Motor Museum www.vwsummerofl dub scene and hoping this ove.co.uk which is on site at a extra charge will be theAtwell first Wilson of many Motor Museumthe location is perfect not to far raising money for charities Calne SN11 0NF away from Calne town centre but close to people’s hearts the 23 - 26 August 2013 away from the buzz of every day life show is over the August bank with the all easy accessible from all holiday 23-26th at Atwell major roads and routes... Wilson Motor Museum Calne Wiltshire SN11 0NF. www.facebook.com/ rd
th
Registered Charity No. 802047
The theme of this show is flower power psychedelic and far out, we will have evening and some day entertainments in such as band music, bouncy castles, children’s activities, trade stalls and food vendors. We will be having Show and Shine on the Sunday. It’s a standard weekend Fri-Sunday at £20 per person children under 16yrs are free with the added option of paying and staying Thursday night 34
vwsummeroflove.show
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Junior’s
journey from road to page Writing a children’s story book about your VW campervan by Mark Wadey and Emma Kite (Authors)
We all know that owning a VW campervan brings with it a lifestyle, an obsession, a sense of pride and often inexplicable enjoyment to van owners all over the world. Some, it seems are natural fanatical petrol heads, others simply enjoy the shows, rallies and festivals and many just quietly sneak off at the weekend to get away from it all. But we all seem to share one thing in common; the simple outdoor life! Willing to travel at the drop of a hat, often not knowing where we will end up or, if we will ever get there; the sense of adventure motivates us all to get out there and do some crazy things. For us, it all started in June 2009 when we made the big decision to buy our blue ’79’ bay Devon
Moonraker at Bristol Volksfest, not knowing a thing about engines, body work or even the VW scene. Naive but full of great excitement and enthusiasm for hitting the open road, we had grand ideas about our future holiday plans and all the places we could visit now we had bought into the greatest vehicle club in the world. Hopeful of a shrewd investment, how could we have ever known what adventures were ahead of us, or even imagined how our lives would be transformed forever. When we first came up with the idea of writing a story about Junior, our friends, family and even our own children laughed at us. “He’s just a campervan”, they would say. They thought we were completely mad, but how could they know, they didn’t own a VW camper! Need I say more? Actually, they stopped laughing after we started selling. With much deliberation, soul searching and several months of discussion over a few bottles, I mean glasses of wine, we decided to start Junior’s story at the very beginning and portray his life as being quite sad and lonely because he had been neglected by his previous owner. Being a vehicle designed for the outdoors he needed adventure in his life, but most of all we felt he needed security and a good family life. He may be 30 years old but in our eyes he is still the youngest member of the family, unsure of the world around him, but always ready for adventure, bouncy and looking for fun. That’s why we called him Junior when we first got him, and for some bizarre reason the name stuck. It seems natural now to call him that
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www.clubjunior.co.uk
but we do still get some strange looks when we do. Anyway, the story was written so that it unfolds into an exciting adventure where Junior unexpectedly becomes a hero and meets his new family for the first time. It seemed a logical step really because that now allows us to continue with a series of him travelling all over the country together with his family to discover many wonderful places and have plenty of misadventures on the way. With tongue in cheek, our illustrator friend Tim Charnick put pen to paper and after 6 months the Junior cartoon character was born. Excited with the prospect of what we had all created we decided to go ahead and get the book self-published and printed. Why self-publish you might ask? Well, we wanted to retain full control and rights to our books
The Campervan Life Vanzine and hopefully develop the Junior brand further. We are now receiving a lot of positive feedback and recently the father of a 7 year old boy who won a head teacher award for his review of the book told us that Junior’s adventure was the first book his son had really been interested in reading; and can’t wait to see the next one. Proud of this great achievement we hope to inspire more young minds to enjoy reading and learning. Who knows this boy may be Prime Minister one day!
We are hoping that Junior’s stories will continue to bring to life the excitement of outdoor adventure and the world around us. Our long term aim is to inspire children to get off their sofas, put away their game consoles and explore their outdoor environment for all the benefits it will bring them. The first book has been well received and we eventually intend to publish more stories to help them do that, but for now look at some of the amazing feedback we have had from children, parents and VW enthusiasts already.
Have just enjoyed first read of your book with my son, loved it!! Need 2nd book with 1st adventure!! Bertie VW Camper
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Club y Ki dz lve m o t e d to so m n o a c h l e a W e g ive m ’m all paws! I Please zles as z u p e h t
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Spike’s Spot The Difference
Can you find the differences for Spike
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Woof! (Spike says thanks!)
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lub, Ki dz C b u D V my enjoy lo uring R! o u c o y w e e I hop my 6 n g h 2013. GRR r o f t u ro u lo ok o llect th o c o t bo oks
ONLY
£4.C9H9 EA
£24.99
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Each colouring A4 book has 28 cool Cartooniez illustrations for you to colour in. Order yours throughout 2013 or buy at VDub shows... 48
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Cut out and collect Spikes great new friends...
Jet Kerry Samba Terry sweep Cole WagenPublishing.com
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Herbie’s World Tour
Update 2013
herbiesworldtour.com
Nations we visited on Herbie’s World Tour so far (chronologically): Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, Iran, Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Loas, Cambodia, Vietnam, Australia, the United States of America (USA), Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Belize, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, the United Kingdom (UK), Spain, Portugal, Monaco, Italy, Switzerland, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil and Venezuela. Herbies latest adventure has been down the west coast of Africa to Cape in South Africa an incredible journey. Check the website to see some of the incredible sights that Herbie witnessed! Thanks to Domi and Zainab for sharing their story. We highlight their Mimosa moment while waiting for a plane to Angola! Photos right Mimosa the chimp. Far right Herbie flys African style!
Herbie Flys African Style!
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While we were waiting for an aircraft that should take us away from the exclave of Angola, we got the chance to meet another great fellow. Her name was “Mimosa”. From the first moment on, she had only eyes for one person – Zainab. It was so cute to see how much she was seeking Zainab’s closeness. She played as well as cuddled with Zainab and even slept between her feet when she got tired. Entertaining “Mimosa” made the long hours of waiting a lot shorter. Herbie is flying! After spending an entire day on the base of the Angolan Air Force in Cabinda, finally a huge “Iljushin IL-76TD” landed at about seven p.m. It took more than three hours until Herbie and the camper were able to “check in”, because of unloading the aircraft first. We got very excited when it was Herbie’s turn to drive into this gigantic airship. The ramp was pretty steep, but Herbie made it! We felt honored to get to know the pilots from Russia and the Ukraine. They invited us to sit as co-pilots in the cockpit. Not only was it an exceptional and wonderful experience to fly together with our Love Bug set-up, we also enjoyed this gorgeous view over Luanda’s skyline. At this point we want to thank the Angolan Air Force as well as the aircraft controller Pedro Marques (down right) and his colleague Adriano Valácio, who made our dream come true and helped us getting on one of their aircrafts. WagenPublishing.com
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The Bug We Love! Since 1968
All through the years, since 1968, the number 53 Beetle Herbie has inspired and entertained generations. The original Herbie the Love Bug was a comedy film released by Disney. The movie was such a hit it spawned 5 sequels. Subsequent films include Herbie Rides Again, Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo, Herbie Goes Bananas, The Love Bug (1997), and Herbie: Fully Loaded. We have decided to celebrate Herbie VW fans from around the world and will dedicate our Page 53 to Herbie in every edition. Above Herbie lives and was at BVF 2012!
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Fan in a Van! VisitEngland, the national tourist board, is the organisation behind this year’s hugely popular and high-profile Holidays at Home are GREAT campaign. Launched in March 2012 last year, the Fan in a Van competition offered England’s ultimate fan a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take a grand tour of England and show just how great holidays at home are. The competition proved immensely popular but Rachel Kershaw battled through writing, photography, video and interview rounds to prove herself England’s biggest fan.The subsequent VDub road trip proved a great success and she shares her story with us from her daily blog. By Rachel Kershaw After 70 days, 5,121 miles and at least 200 cups of tea, my epic road trip round England in Rosie the camper van came to an end! I can honestly say it was the trip of a lifetime and I loved living in the camper! Thankfully there were only six wrong turns on the whole trip as I navigated my way around the country and reliable Rosie only broken down once, not bad going for a vehicle older me! 56
As England’s biggest fan I have always known what a green and pleasant land it is but even I was surprised by how diverse and and exciting the adventure was. Some of the outfits I wore might provide clues to what I got up to; I donned a wetsuit, waders, a bungee harness, an apron, a body flight suit, a crash helmet and a life jacket, none of which were particularly flattering!
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Thankfully the trip was never about looking good on camera, it was an opportunity to try new things, discover new places and help spread the word about all the wonderful attractions and experiences that England has to offer! I think I can safely say I acheived my objectives! I travelled from north to south, east to west and threw myself in to local life along the way. In Liverpool I got on stage at the world famous Cavern
Club, in Stoke on Trent I threw my own pottery at Wedgewood, in Melton Mowbray I made (and ate) a proper pork pie, in Blackpool I visited the iconic tower and in Sherwood Forest I gave archery a go. Every day offered a new challenge and I embraced them all with passionate enthusiasm, why wouldn’t I? This was the holiday I’d always dreamed of!
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The Campervan Life Vanzine Of course, ten weeks on the road during one of our wettest summers on record brought its challenges, but it was made easier thanks to all the lovely people I met on the trip and the encouragement of my ever increasing number of twitter followers! It was often thanks to their local knowledge that I unearthed some of England’s hidden gems like Anthony Gormley’s Another Place on Crosby Beach and secluded picnic spots in the Northumberland National Park, not to mention the many mighty fine eateries I sampled throughout the country! My torch relay inspired journey across the country has given me plenty of tales of adventure and the final time-lapse video which shows my journey from beginning to end is something I’ll treasure forever. Saying goodbye to Rosie at the end of the road trip was one of the most difficult things I had to do, but before I handed back the keys I got to show her off at a VW rally in Tynemouth, it was a great day and the camervan community were really welcoming. I loved sharing all my tales of adventure with them and hope to join them again soon once I’ve saved up for a VW camper of my own, I think it would have to be a vintage bay like Rosie!
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The Campervan Life Vanzine
Display Poles, Stakes, Parts • Windsocks & Spinners • Flags • Kites • Surf & Beach • Camping & Outdoors • Toys • Memorabilia • Stickers • Air Fresheners • Books & Calendars • Novelty • Light Bulbs • VW Parts • Scooter parts • Electrical • Sky Lanterns • Garden... and more!
Alex and Jan Croft have over 20 years retail experience, and pride themselves on their customer service. They stock leading makes of product and if there’s something you need just give them a call, they will add it to their next order for you. With massive new ranges for 2012 and fantastic products from leading suppliers, Alex has taken the business in a new direction improving service, and offering bargain prices. They always bring a smile. So keep watching the website or see them at the festivals in 2012, you can’t miss them. Poles are top sellers , 7m , then 6m then 8m , Flags most popular are smiley, union flag , skull and crossbones. Flashing pole lights are very popular, solar powered, six settings, 5 or 10m lengths . Saltrock flags also very popular, we have the last of the VW ones, there won’t be any more, so the red split flag and the diablo flag , once they’re gone that’s it!
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The Campervan Life Vanzine
VolksWorld Show Starts Our Season Steve Lumley The VW Campervan has long been associated with 60’s and 70’s nostalgia – love, peace and the endless possibilities of the open road! Many of us have happy childhood camping and campervanning memories in which the sun never stopped shining and a sense of freedom prevailed. For me the passion for adventure coupled with true independence drew me to campervanning as the ultimate travelling experience. Having a life-changing event is a great precursor for any adventure and new way of life. My moment came from a redundancy from work which launched my VW romance with a T4 Westfalia California. In 2007, my wife and I packed our 2 and 3 year-old children along with kayaks, body boards and bikes into the campervan. We headed off through France to the shores of Sicily and Islands of Greece covering over 8,000 miles. As we drove through Europe we relished the sheer beauty and magnitude of the changing landscape, which is completely lost when travelling by air. It was the flexibility that campervan travel offers that captivated us and we found delight in the many opportunities that such a life offered us. Uncomplicated daily activities, challenges, and discoveries filled our days and we relished the simplicity of it all. As we wove our way across Southern Europe we were surprised by the lack of other British campervanners and began to wonder how more people could have access to this way of modern campervan living. With this in mind as we drove we developed our ideas for a new business, aptly named CamperVanTastic. A company which combined our passion for campervanning travels and adventures with our business experience which would inspire and support a new generation of campervan adventurers to turn their dreams into reality. Back in the UK we soon discovered that the dream vehicle of choice for our new company had to be the new T5 VW California campervan. With its powerful drivability, luxurious travelling and sleeping modes and clever gadgetry in every corner it provides the perfect ‘glamping’ experience. Factory built by VW it brings campervanning well and truly into the 21st Century. Six years on from our big road trip and the seeds of our business plan CamperVanTastic is now a multi award winning business and the leading VW California specialist with an impressive fleet of new VW campervans for hire. We also have an extensive range of VW California and campervanning accessories – products we have used and loved ourselves. We not only promote practical camping accessories but also items such as kites and kayaks which enhance the whole campervanning experience. CamperVanTastic has assisted 1,000s of happy campervanners in hitting the open road and discovering remote and idyllic places and in the process I have been on my own incredible personal journey. I still go off exploring in my original T4 California whenever I get a chance but running a successful business means I am more often waving goodbye to others as they head off on their travels. Inadvertently I have become a bit of a leading
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The Campervan Life Vanzine
“Amaz were greaint,g ecqoumfort, the beds ipm and dinkye”nt plentiful
enture v d a t a e r g a “It was for the children.” especially
www.campervantastic.com CAMPERVAN HIRE
CAMPERVAN AND CAMPING SHOP
• Top of the range, comfortable VW California Campervans for UK & European adventures. Seating up to seven people, fully equipped and ready to go.
• Drive-away awnings, cooking and dining equipment, campsite guides and campervan books, kites, kayaks, outdoor toys.... Buy online or at our showroom.
• DAB radio, music media ports, sat nav and TV/DVD player included as standard. • Luxury bedding, drive-away awnings, bike/kayak/surf & ski racks, BBQs, hammocks, kites, snow tyres/chains and extreme climate packs available. • Travel planning and ‘try before you buy’ consultations available with our Campervan Guru!
Bookings/enquiries +44 (0)208 291 6800 Follow us on Twitter & Facebook
email hire@campervantastic.com
Unit 5, 118 Stanstead Road, Forest Hill, London, SE23 1BX
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The Campervan Life Vanzine authority on modern VW campervan travel, writing for numerous publications and public speaking at VW events. Wherever I go I always meet people who want to give the campervanning life a go. Everyone has their own ideas whether it be family holidays, festivals, romantic breaks, surf trips or just escaping the humdrum and hitting the open road. The T5 and VW California Campervans are fast becoming as popular as the nostalgic classics, there is clearly a campervan for everyone but the arrival of the T5 has sparked a whole new following. The website pages provided by CamperVanTastic at www.campervantastic.com provide information on hiring, equipment for your campervan, stacks of photos from road trips and stories from personal experience. For more information about the VW California campervan from the people who own and love them, check out “theVWCalifornia� owners community on their facebook page or visit the website www.thevwcalifornia.com for buyers guides and much more. Campervanning, the ultimate journey, for adventures that never end.... CamperVanTastic Ltd Luxury Hire - Showroom - Online Store Tel: 020 8291 6800 www.campervantastic.com
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The Campervan Life Vanzine
V-Dubbymoon
Steve Lovell recounts how he and his new bride hit The initial shock on the face of the new Mrs L quickly the road for their honeymoon, in a ’79 Campervan dissolved upon seeing all of Gilbert’s mod cons; he came complete with a fridge, gas hob and grill, sink, double bed named Gilbert. As the months ticked by towards our wedding last summer, and cycle rack. I’d also bought a mascot for our surprise road trip; a Union Flag doorstop dog named Jack. The retro it was clear to Jules and I that we wouldn’t be able to approach was completed with a Polaroid camera, with afford the honeymoon we’d often talked about – the which we would document our honeymoon. So with the cultural delights of Florence would simply have to wait barest essentials packed, and no particular route map in until the post-nuptial bank balance looked a little healthier. mind, we hit the road… Besides, we’d have plenty of decorating and gardening to After leaving the narrow country roads of Sussex behind, we headed north towards the Lake District, pootling up the M1 at a stately 55mph. Unbeknown to Jules, some of our wedding guests had kindly created some music CDs for our I was talking to my friend Mike about a book he was putting journey – loads of funky driving tunes interspersed with radio-style messages of goodwill. We were belting out some together; one that would showcase all things groovy in the world of VW campervans, and one which, incidentally, you’re fantastic old-skool classics as we headed into the northern sunset. Eventually we rolled into Windermere at 11.30, reading right now. As a teenager I’d often wondered how our voices hoarse after repeated renditions of The Who’s cool it would be to go off on a jaunt around the UK in a “Won’t Get Fooled Again”… campervan. This long forgotten dream suddenly seemed like an affordable alternative to the Tuscan villa… and an opportunity too good to miss. I duly contacted the Uckfield“After leaving the narrow country roads based CJ’s, picked up the keys to a minty green ’79 camper of Sussex behind, we headed north named Gilbert, and customised him with the obligatory ‘JUST MARRIED’ stickers. towards the Lake District” do in our new marital home to keep us busy. And that, we thought, was that… until a chance conversation re-kindled a spark of V-Dub desire that I thought had long since been extinguished.
The next morning we met up with my brother, who was over with his family from Hong Kong. They presented us with possibly the coolest ever wedding gifts – a pair of tea mugs in the shape of a couple of splitties! Later we visited the rain-soaked Ambleside Cumbrian Sports Day. As we attempted to dry out in the car park in the late-afternoon gloom, we had our side door open, the kettle was whistling on the hob, and we were reading stories to our 6 week old nephew. We were just about to tuck into some leftover wedding cake when a sweet old lady suddenly popped her head in. “My son’s got one of these vans, pet”, she chortled. “You’ll get bitten by the bug!” I think by that point we already had been… Even this early into our trip, we were beginning to
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The Campervan Life Vanzine
a parking ticket, for accidentally parking across two bays, could dampen our spirits.
We then headed for Kirkstone Pass; the highest peak in the Lakes, and accessible only by roads with a 20 degree incline. My navigator only conveyed this fact to me AFTER we’d passed the point of no return, and were slowly ascending in first gear with a string of traffic wedged firmly behind us! Needless to say Gilbert coped admirably and we were rewarded with some stunning views at the summit. That evening we parked up at the idyllic Bay Brown campsite, and supped cold local ales as the sun set behind the towering hills… Sheer bliss. The next morning we took the bikes off the back of the van and burned off the previous evening’s excesses – powering up and down the Langdales in blazing sunshine, with the understand what draws people to this way of life. Gilbert wasn’t simply a vehicle, in our eyes he was rapidly developing a personality all of his own. Passers-by were keen to find out more about our honeymoon, and Gilbert was increasingly becoming the catalyst to these friendly chats.
“The next morning we took the bikes off the back of the van and burned off the previous evening’s excesses” The following morning we continued our way around the Lake District, meeting my cousin and his two young children in Bowness. After a slap-up cream tea at the Beatrix Potter museum, Beth and Sam had a whale of a time pretending to drive our majestic steed… all aboard the fun bus! Not even
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James Young aka Jimbo
The T4 Forum started as an idea I had in the middle of the show (formerly known as) VanFest in 2005. I thought it would be a good way of staying in touch with likeminded van owners, as whenever I posted on the other Forums available at the time, my van being cooled by something other than air, didn’t always go down too well. So the T4Forum was born. Within a short space of time the half dozen members became a couple of hundred and the Forum started to attend shows and events under the T4 Forum flag. Shortly after this the T5 was included under the T4 Forum umbrella. I started the first regional meet at the Ace Cafe in London with just one other Van in the Spring of 2006, little did I know that this was to become one of the biggest parts of the Forum, with meets happening across the UK in just about every County. Numbers at some of the joint meets are nearing the hundred van mark.
family oriented theme. Over the years, many long term friendships have been made. The Forum has seen engagements, weddings and babies! Up to the present day, the Forum is on its way to 100k members, which is the Largest in the UK and about the 5th largest in Europe. We now have an extensive technical library, build section, traders, classified, shows and events sections and many more.Each year the Forum nominates a charity to support. These have included Cancer Research, Children in Need and most recently, Help for Hero’s, where the Forum, and its members, donated all the parts (and time) needed to create a T4 camper which was raffled off.
Running a Forum of this size is no small feat, there have been many people over the years without who’s help it wouldn’t be where it is today. Because of its size, I now share the responsibility with Jim Thompson and Simon Hurley. There are also ten active Moderators and sixty Regional Coordinators. Then there are all the people who help out with shows By 2007, Forum attendance at shows like and events and the contributors to articles Vanfest was so big we had to have our own and technical features. Our saying of By dedicated field, which became a mini show Owners for Owners still rings true. What within a show. of the Future ? We now include the Caddy, LT & Crafter models on the Forum and As demand grew, I decided to put my show efforts into a dedicated Forum only event. This is things are going from strength to strength. now in its 4th year at Beaulieu Motor Museum, If you have a water cooled VW Van of some where the Forum takes over the entire complex description and want to join in, get yours registered at: for a weekend in August. The thing that has set this Forum apart from the others and the reason I feel the forum retains such a large and loyal membership, is due to the 78
www.vwt4forum.co.uk
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The Campervan Life Vanzine
CIRCUIT PARADES • CHAMPIONSHIP RACING • SWAP MEET • TRACK DAY SESSIONS • SHOW 'N SHINE • GRAVITY RACING • BIG PARTY SATURDAY NIGHT • RACE PACE PASSENGER RIDES • EXHIBITS ON AND OFF THE TRACK • INDEPENDENT BOUTIQUE FOOD OUTLETS • CAMPING • TRACKSIDE PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES • OPEN PADDOCKS • CIRCUIT DEMONSTRATIONS
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From out of the ashes... ...not as dramatic as it may seem! Words: Phil Thompson – perftecphil
Over the years, I have raced a variety of vehicles ranging from motorcycle sidecars through off-road buggies to three seasons circuit racing a highly modified Fiat Panda. I subsequently got into the aircooled VW scene and, through a contact, heard about a successful ex-Beetle Cup car that was up for sale. The car belonged to Rich Welsh and was regularly placed in its previous career. It had been parked up after its last race almost twenty years previously so I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived to look at it. It had, however, been stored at the back of a dry garage which was good, what wasn’t so good was that there’d been a fire at some stage, fortunately the car hadn’t been touched by the fire but it had a lot of smoke damage, made worse by the fact there was no windscreen fitted! After a brief examination, it looked okay with not
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too much work seemingly required to get it back up to scratch. So attaching it to the A-frame, we loaded up and set off home with another VW to my name. Once home, a more thorough examination showed some areas that needed attention, and as it was a race car, strength and integrity are what are needed in its structure, so I left that to the motorsport experts at Thingamies Beetles in West Drayton to sort out. Then wheeled it up to the College of North West London where it had a full respray in the new yellow mix that just pops in the sunlight. A full service and check over the engine soon had it running and an MOT followed shortly after. Using the car as a daily driver on the road to ‘shake it down’ enabled any further problems to show themselves and get sorted. I renewed my race
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BARN DOOR CAMP OUT
The Campervan Life Vanzine
Words by Richard Kelly Photos Mike Johnson
BARN DOOR CAMP OUT #3 18-19Th May 2013 Lydden hill Race Circuit “Oh no.. not another date clash” we hear you cry... Nope not this time, as the infamous Barn Door Camp Out is going to be hosted at the Apex Festival this year, and it looks set to be a record breaking event with the largest number of Barn Door buses in the same place at the same time.. now that is a line up I can’t wait to see!
Owners of Barn Door buses tend to be hard core VW aficionados, and it’s easy to see why, as they are typically as challenging to restore/own as they are to locate in the first place. You would be forgiven for thinking that the Barn Door Camp Out was a little ‘Elitist’, but in reality, as is usually the case in the VW scene, it has been forged from friendships and like minded enthusiasts who just happen to want to spend some quality time sharing knowledge and hanging out with a beer and bacon butty, a far cry from the elitist perception!
Now I have to admit that this news was music to my ears, having seen show reports and imagery on the forums of the previous two Camp Outs, it is something I really wanted to checkout but didn’t have a Barn Door bus myself. So the prospect of being able to mingle with these rare motoring legends as they Camp Out at the Apex Festival is too good an opportunity to be missed.
Rikki James has been the driving force and organiser behind the Camp Out, fueled by his passion for these rare beasts. Given that they were only built between 1950-1955, and many of them have long since been lost to the ravages of time, it’s amazing that Rikki has been able to coordinate such a large gathering of the buses in a single location.
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the focal point
The Campervan Life Vanzine
Behind the scenes on a photo shoot with dave warren images Dave Warren has been a photographer for well of a decade now, and has spent more than half that time covering the VW Show scene for lots of well known publications, and of course this one too!
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He’s a regular face at most events throughout the show season, covering up to 30 a year, both in the UK and Europe. He’s quite easy to spot, as he usually rolls up in his stunning double cab splitty, jumps out full of energy and enthusiasm, one hand gripping some serious Nikon gear, the other clicking the shutter release button! Oh and of course there’s that woolly hat! I can’t recall any event or season where the hat hasn’t graced his head! Paddington Bear kept marmalade sandwiches under his hat, the million dollar question is what’s under Dave’s ???
Recently he has also been offering the chance to be photographed with a classic VW, real retro pin-up style imagery, and we were lucky enough to pop along to a shoot at Brooklands Motor Museum, to get a behind the scenes look into a location shoot.
As well as creatively capturing the life, soul, atmosphere and exquisite vehicles at the shows, Dave also offers a bespoke personal service shooting on location, if you wanted to immortalize your ride.
location: the legendarY Brooklands historic race circuit and museum
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The Campervan Life Vanzine
www.cartyscampers.com Carty’s Campers was born over 5 years ago by a father and son who quickly realised their passion for this iconic camper while they were restoring their own VW Bay Window . It soon became clear that with James having over 45 years experience and being an ‘Old school’ mechanic and with Neil working within the hospitality sector combining this with their passion and knowledge for VW campers it was always bound to be winning combination. They have 4 campers available for hire (see left) . Each camper is unique in its own way but you will also notice where Carty’s Campers have put their own stamp as each of them are also tted with modern goodies which would leave most VW owners envious and drooling at the mouth...... These include;
Brucie, Cali, Bumble and Dakota have been kitted out with new engines and have also had brand new modern interiors tted which have been designed in a way that doesn't leave you feeling too cramped inside while still giving you plenty of storage space. The underslung LPG gas tank thats been installed for each camper is certainly unique within the Bay Window community and the fact that you can ll this up at any petrol station that has an LPG lling unit makes it a whole lot easier than the dinky bottles that most other camper companies supply you with. Carty’s Campers LPG gas tanks hold a lot more gas and they give it to you with a full tank which is more than enough for your trip. As they are securely fastened to the underside of the camper this also allows for more storage space within the camper. Each camper also has a propex heater, as anyone knows it can get cold when camping (especially with our weather in Britain), these heaters are excellent at keeping you warm on the cold nights and work from a thermostat so will keep you at your desired temperature throughout the night without you having to get up through the night to with the heating on and off. The gas also supplies the 2 stove ring for the sink/stove combination unit and along with the 38 Litre fridge should mean there's no excuse for you going hungry no matter where you’re parked up for the night. They have all been tted with 240 volt hook up capabilities, a radio/CD player that has an MP3 function allowing you to listen to you favourite tracks from your ipod/MP3 player while on your journey. DVD player, Playstation portable and Sat Nav come included with any hire as standard. Fire extinguisher, re blanket, rst aid kit, carbon monoxide detector, gas safety certiied and AA cover come as standard as you would expect from any camper hire company out there that put the safety and wellbeing of their customers rst as we do. For a full list of whats included in the campers and prices check out Carty’s Campers website and you'll also be able to see more pictures and a video to give you an idea of the quality of their campers.
SPECIAL 10% DISCOUNT
FOR CAMPERVAN LIFE READERS ON MENTIONING THIS ARTICLE WHEN ENQUIRING THROUGHOUT 2013 WagenPublishing.com
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The Last Dance
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XAS
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By Sammie Smith
t O C T. 1 2 - 1 3 - 1 4
h2
Do you have an old Volkswagen bus? Better yet – do you have a VW bus set up for camping, something like an SO-42 Westfalia? Well, if so, the place to be the second weekend in October, in Texas, is ‘Transporters at the Point’, more commonly referred to as T@P – the largest gathering of camping VW buses around.
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Last year, more than 100 buses showed up at Morgan’s Point on Lake Belton, to share the idyllic experience, swap stories – some of them true – and help save local lives at the same time. Start of the road This event didn’t start out as a super huge bus event, but rather as more of
an afterthought in 2004 by some bus owners following a local VW show organized by Paul Smith. Paul owns ‘The Zone’, a split window single cab, and he made arrangements for some 20 buses to campout in a city park in Morgan’s Point Resort following the show.
This first attempt became known as T@P. The general consensus was that the campout was a huge success and plans were quickly made for T@P2 for 2005. The following year, Paul, who lives in Morgan’s Point Resort, hit on the idea of moving to a bluff overlooking the picturesque eastern shore of Lake Belton to accommodate all of the bus drivers who wanted to attend. WagenPublishing.com
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All photos: Franky Garcia
The BUS BOYZ car club was founded in the early 80’s in city of Whittier California. The existing Volkswagen clubs did NOT allow busses to be part of the clubs, therefore the BUS BOYZ were created. The BUS BOYZ quickly gained a large reputation in the Volkswagen Photo taken in the 1980’s of the original Bus Boyz
community for their “slammed” busses and “Cruisin” Whittier Blvd. The Cal-Style “look” originated from the BUS BOYZ, and is still copied to this day! They were also very well known for promoting the biggest parties in the city of Los Angles. Many chapters began developing in various cities including, East Los Angles, El Monte, Huntington Park, and Santa Ana OC. 114
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Cool Flo Vintage Quality Clothing for life on the move... Growing up in a close family unit, the three of us Carter Bros shared many of the same interests from an early age; from the music we listened to, the weekends and school holidays spent on BMXs, to the first time that we went to V-dub shows in the late 80s…and caught ‘the bug’ (pun intended!;)).Volkswagens have been a big part of our lives ever since. For us, it’s not just about the cars and vans, though, but the good friendships cemented
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for life, the great sense of community and the lifestyle and social element that goes with it. When we’re not working, there’s nothing better than heading off in our campers, families in tow, to enjoy some down-time with friends in the great outdoors. As in our youth, we have remained incredibly close, working together for most of our adult lives to establish Cool Flo. We have grafted hard over the years, saving up to build on our collection of Volkswagens, with the aim to each have our own panel van. ‘Commercials’ are the favoured choice of VW, including the ’52 &’54 Barndoors, the ’64 and not forgetting the ’58 Race bus for that ‘express’ delivery service! Our dreams didn’t stop at simply owning
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Trackday legend!
The Campervan Life Vanzine
Words by Paul Oldfield Photos Stephen Widdows, Julian Hunt, Dave Warren & CJ
wanT To drive iT like you sTole iT and noT have The blues and Twos in your rear view mirror? Time To book on To a Trackday session!!!
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Last year saw three major events take the VW scene into not so familiar territory... the twisty curves of a race circuit. It all kicked off with the Apex Festival in May, the Track Attack in July and, of course, the VolksWorld 25th Birthday Party at Brands Hatch in September too.
suits you and your vehicle. It certainly isn’t as nerve-wracking as you might first think thats for sure. Spot the huge adrenalin-fueled grins on the drivers as they pull back into the pits, they are the same no matter what vehicle they’ve been out on track with.
By all accounts this unleashed the desire by many people to ‘have a go’ at TrackDay Sessions as it looks like a whole heap of fun... which of course it is! It doesn’t matter whether you have a bog standard single-port bug, a perky type3 with a lightly stoked 1641cc, a bay window with a stock 1600, or a Split with a highly modified / alternative fast street motor, TrackDay Sessions are accessible to all who fancy tackling the twisty corners of a race track at a pace that
So here’s a scenario, you’ve bowled up to the next event which has track action... that’ll be the Apex Festival on 18-19th May then! You’re camping with your club and soaking up the atmosphere, and the devil on your shoulder says ‘Oh go on... have a go’... What’s involved? Can I do it in my ride? What do I need and how do I go about it then? Here’s the inside scoop on having fun on a TrackDay Session. It’s as easy as 1,2,3...
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The Campervan Life Vanzine
Since opening our doors in 1994, T2D has grown into one of the world’s best known and respected VW Camper Van specialists. If you own or are planning to buy a VW Camper Van, looking to replace parts or add on accessories, contacting us should be your next move. We offer a professional and hassle-free service, whilst sharing our knowledge and passion for all things camper with you.
Please call or email us with your questions and requirements. P.S. Sign up for our Tips and Tricks Mailer and we’ll keep you up-to-date with all our exciting camper news and offers at T2D. 01638 743211 or info@type2detectives.com
Whether you need a part to complete your own project, a small tune up or full mechanical overhaul we’re always on hand to help.
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Learn from the experts...
How to Buy a VW Campervan Course The Must-Attend Course if You are Thinking of Buying a Campervan If you’ve ever dreamt of owning an aircooled VW campervan our brand new ‘How to Buy a VW Campervan’ course is for you. The session will cover a range of topics including: ● Getting to know the VW body ● Help to spot the Good the Bad and the Ugly ● Common ‘bodge’ jobs ● Understanding the mechanical side of things ● Top tips when buying & how to negotiate the deal There’s also a discount on pre-purchase inspections and post-purchase health checks.
The half day course includes a tour of the T2D workshop, ‘Ask the Experts’ session, factsheets to take home plus breakfast at the Campervan Café. The cost is £155 and courses are run with only a few places, so don't delay in reserving your place. To book please call 01638 743211
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Leisure Hubs At Leisure Hubs our primary focus is giving the customer exactly what they want, that’s why we ripped up the conventional conversion blueprint and started from scratch; exactly how you want it.
provide a campervan hire service, allowing you to experience the open road with friends and family with premium features that parallel that of a modern home.
Situated right in the middle of the UK means we are equidistant from all of Britain’s tourist hot spots, a great place to start your journey, and if your flying in from abroad we provide an arrive and drive With a background in high quality service which collects you from the furniture manufacture it made sense airport, hands you the keys and to transfer our skills and understand- allows you to set off on your travels ing into the contemporary camper, almost immediately. developing unique designs from the We understand that our customer’s best quality lightweight materials. dream conversion or perfect road trip might not necessarily be readProviding everything from curved ily available on the market, and so veneer natural wood furniture and quilted leather upholstery, to Corian Leisure Hubs strives to be the most work surfaces and sheep’s wool in- versatile and luxurious van consulation, a Leisure Hubs conversion verters and hire service in the UK; designed specifically for you. never holds back on quality. Amongst the precision fitted storage, vanity and kitchen units lies a host of state of the art technology designed specifically with comfort and convenience high on the agenda, including features (but not limited to): a motorised drop down coffee maker, Rockford Fosgate sound system, pop up TV, a range of hob, sink and fridge options, ‘Leisurenet’ (our integral WiFi feature) and even a rainforest shower built into the tailgate, plus much more. Not only do we convert and sell the best in luxury campers, but we also 144
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TRUCKS-UK.com
Dave & Keith Gothard Here in Cheshire, we have a museum of models utilising parts from Mobility scooters , they all run (on batteries 24V) and are shaped/based on classic vehicles. Three of them are shaped/based on Corgi models of real vehicles. Included in the collection are three Volkswagen vans one a Split Screen and one a T25, the T25 is a copy of our own vehicle which is a 1991 Holdsworth conversion. There is also a petrol look-a-like VW. I rescued five models from a barn and have restored them over a year or so.. the rest were aquired from various sources. A friend Mike who makes these models has made around a hundred over the years.
My son Keith runs a small stall at the shows selling VW Diecast models etc. Included are two buses ,an AEC REGAL & BEDFORD OB, Commercials are a GUY, FODEN, RELIANT THREE WHEELER, BEDFORD, SCAMMELL CRUSADER, SCAMMELL HIGHWAYMAN, THAMES TRADER, LEYLAND BEAVER, ATKINSON. Others include FORDSON MAJOR TRACTOR, & three different sizes of STEAM TRACTION ENGINES and a WILLYS JEEP. Photographs of all the models can be seen on SMUGMUG....LINK
http://truck-uk.smugmug.com/ cherokeeflyer1@hotmail.com
There are currently 20 models in the collection, my main interest is photographing classic commercial vehicles I go to as many rallies as I am able. 148
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r e g g a w VolksS
Paul Perks & Helen Lochrane
To reflect the incredible passion that many people have for classic VW’s and the love for our own we decided to create the VolksSwagger brand. Our aim is to provide merchandise from clothing to clocks containing creative drawings by Peter Jones of Cartooniez.com. Peter will still walk around the show’s drawing on your VWs, and this will be an extension of his talents. We will offer Sweat Shirts, Canvases, Mugs, Decal Stickers all of which will have different designs, our Logo being the main one. The Designs will incorporate Splitties, Bays, T25, T4, T5, Squareback, Ghia’s etc so if not on the shelf it can be made for you. Orders can be placed at show’s, online or via email with a postal service. So please feel free to call us on 07808-177283 (Paul) or 07879-240043 (Peter) email us VolksSwagger@gmail.co.uk
The Campervan Life Vanzine
Cruise to Ninove 2013
By Mandi Simms Photos by Dave Warren After a super early 5am start we headed to Folkestone to catch the 7.20am Eurotunnel to Calais. Once on board the train we caught up with the other V-dubbers heading to the designated meeting point at the Calais service station. There was about 40 VW’s at the service station – we waited for another train to come in and then we were ready start the drive to Ninove. After a few stops for breakfast and comfort breaks we arrived at the Slagmulyder Brewery. The VWs were directed into position, lining up using all available room to ensure everyone on the cruise was fitted in. A few Witkapps (local beer) later and we waved goodbye to 156
the brewery before heading off to hotels and bed and breakfast venues to get washed and ready for the evening’s entertainment in the town. Some people met up for an organised meal, others did their own thing but one thing everyone did do, was head down to the Roxy bar where Ivan McCutcheon "Volksworld editor" was on the wheels of steel to continue the party. The theme was ‘Love Boat’ and there was plenty of dancing and beers into the early hours of the morning.
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Prizes were handed out for best fancy dress and there were plenty of great outfits to choose from, including several of the organisers in white cruise ship outfits. After a late night it was another early start to ensure that we were in place for the drop side display near the main entrance in Ninove town centre. This year’s Freddy File was ‘The Dropgates Delirium’. This years was of even more interest as Dave owns a crew cab and was determined not to be late! We arrived and lined up just before 9am and
Dave started to take photos straight away of the vehicles coming through the entrance. The cars and vans just kept on coming and the standard was pretty impressive, as always. The weather was terrible but this didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits – they had been looking forward to it and were not going to let a little rain or snow get in their way! It was very cold and started to rain again – Dave was so cold and hadn’t prepared himself with a pair of gloves – a kind local offered him his pair which Dave gratefully accepted. I stayed in the van trying to
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JULY
Camper Jam
Weston Park, Shropshire
Holt Hall, Holt, Norfolk
Central Schagen, Holland
MFN Nottingham
Redcar Rugby Club, McKinley Park, Redcar
Bentley Wildfowl & Motor Museum, E. Sussex
Santa Pod Raceway,Wellingborough
Dubs at the Hall Keverdag North Holland
Carnford Hall, Derbyshire
Revesby Park, Revesby, Lincolnshire
Santa Pod Raceway, Northants
York Knavesmire (The Racecourse)
Biggar, South Lanarkshire
26–29
Devon Dubfest
26–28
Lower Wintercroft, Ivington, Leominster, Herefordshire
The Show Ground Carmarthen
Tatton Park, Cheshire
Barleylands, Barleylands Rd, Billericay, Essex
Volksfest Wales
Volkswagen Northwest
26–28
30–1 Sep
SEPT
Busfest 6–8
Volksfarm, Exted Farm, Elham, Kent
2–4
The Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, Kent
4
Crich Tramway Village, Nr Matlock
11
V-dub Island
15–19
Isle of Wight County Showground
Volksfling MK2
2–4
Beachbuggin
30–1 Sep
Birdingbury Showground, Marton Rd, Birdingbury,Warwickshire
9–11
Southsea Common, Seafront,Southsea, Hants
VW Field of Dreams
The Retro Stopover
30–1 Sep
Malvern Showground, Malvern,Worcestershire
9–11
Uttoxeter Racecourse, Uttoxeter, Staffs
VW Action
VW Sweetcorn
23–25
Kent VW Festival
AUGUST
Viva Skeg Vegas
Atwell Motor Museum,Calne,Wiltshire
19–21
Dubstock
23–25
Dubs at the Castle
Hooton Lodge, Hooton Roberts, South.Yorkshire
Run To The Hills
The Showground, Stithians,Truro, Cornwall
19–21
23–25
Bug Jam
Dub Odyssey
VW Summer of Love Charity Show
7
14–16
East Budleigh, Budleigh Salterton, Devon
23–26
Norfolk Showground
Bus Stop VW & Retro Scooters
Cornwall VW Jamboree
12–14
Nr. Canterbury & Dover
16–19
5–7
Volkspower
Whitenoise
Harewood House, Leeds
12–14
Caldicot Castle,Wales
16–19
Dubdayz Summerfest
VW Festival 5–7
Back 2 Basics
13–15
VW Farmfest
14–16
Chill ‘n’ Grill
20–22
Beetle Drive
22
Oktoberfest UK
OCT
4–6
The River Dart Country Park, Ashburton, Devon
Madeira Drive, (A classic cruise from London to Brighton seafront)
North Devon VW Club Charity Weekend, Little Roadway Farm Campsite,Woolacombe Devon
Brighton Breeze
5
Final Fling
5
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25
Wed
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MARCH Tues
26
Fri
1 St David’s Day (Wales)
Thur
28
MARCH 2
Sun
3
Spring Dub VW Indoor Show
MARCH 2013
Sat
Great Yorkshire Show Ground, Harrogate www.springdub.co.uk
Notes
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MARCH 2013
MARCH Tues
5
Fri
8
Sat
9
Sun
10 Mothering Sunday (UK)
MARCH Thur
7
Freddyfiles - the Dropgates Special Ninove, Belgium Ultimate Dubs The International Centre Telford
Notes
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The Campervan Life Vanzine
The Apex Festival Lydden Hill Race Circuit
18-19 May 2013
After a fantastic debut in 2012 we are looking forward to this years Apex Festival I first became aware of the Apex Festival at the 2012 Volksworld Show, it seemed to come from nowhere and just burst on to the scene! It was supported by some of the main players in the VW world and was set to be a genuinely new type of Show, the first to hit the calendar for a while. Another first was the inspired choice of Lydden Hill Race Circuit, a real hidden gem of a venue, that is well worth the cruise too. We drove from Berkshire and it took us about the same time to get to there as it does to Santa Pod. Pretty much everyone who attended loved this brilliant venue, you’re right in the heart of all the action, yet has a laid back, family friendly atmosphere with unique camping and spectating viewpoints.
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Going through the gates you’re presented with an incredible, almost birds-eye view of the circuit. It’s immediately obvious that wherever you are, you can see all of the circuit so there’s no excuse to miss any of the promised action. More so given that you are able to camp around the perimeter of the circuit as several groups and clubs had done. This means that you could see all of the track action without even getting out of your camper or tent – how cool is that! We wanted to pitch up in the quiet camping area (something that happens when you have two kids and a dog in tow!) a member of the Lydden staff affectionately known as 'Robo-Cop' hopped on his
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The Campervan Life Vanzine motorbike and guided us to the field, conveniently located right next to the KidsZone which was full of FREE fun activities and bouncy castles. Crucially the KidsZone overlooked the track too, so you could keep one eye on the kids having copious amounts of fun, and the other on all the shenanigans unfolding on the circuit – result! The weather leading up to the Apex Festival had caused many other shows to be spoiled at best, and even cancelled in some cases so when it rained on the Friday night, we were a bit concerned as to what we’d wake up to. We needn’t have worried though, as due to the fact it’s on a hill and on chalky soil any water literally drains away. The site could be navigated in ordinary shoes – no wellies required here! A quick wander soon orientated us to where the toilets and other facilities were, the Lydden Hill site is compact and quite hilly (hence the name) so be prepared for some brisk exercise walking up and down! The paddock was already full of a variety of race cars including single seater Formula Vees and the Beetle Challenge cars, alongside all sorts of other retro and race machinery from other marques, which certainly set the scene for some interesting paddock visits and even more interesting racing to witness over the weekend. Not really knowing what to expect from this new show, Saturday proved to be as full of action as promised. There was some incredibly close racing from all the classes of cars involved and it was interesting to see the variety of makes and models out on the circuit – but we have to admit that we always cheered for the V-dubbers! Between the races, people could take their own cars out on the circuit in high-speed trackday sessions (helmets and belts on for these) or those of a slower disposition could go out on the low speed circuit parades just for the craic of being able to say they’d driven round a race circuit! The race marshalls looked on with astonishment as they saw all manner of standard and slammed buses, beetles, golfs, karmanns etc drive round – the look on their faces was priceless as a slammed Beetle drove around with his roofrack piled high with suitcases! The racing was sensational to watch, plenty of thrills and spills over the weekend. One of the WagenPublishing.com
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secretly pleased of a couple of hours before the paracetamol kicked in and the engines roared around the track again! If Saturday was Race Day, then Sunday was definitely the Show'n'Go day, with loads more opportunities to participate in free circuit parades, trackday sessions and watch all manner of race and retro machinery displayed at race pace on the circuit. All the Show'n'Shine entrants had parade laps – it was fantastic to be able to see and hear them rather than just look at them in a static display. It was also amazing being able to wander around the paddock up close to the drivers, mechanics and the cars, many allowing kids to have their pictures taken sitting in the cars!
there were some fast buses out on track, and some which were more equally matched to our humble bus, but the adrenalin fueled look of excitement on peoples faces after they drove off the circuit into the paddocks has tempted me for sure! The track action really sets it apart from any other UK show.
For a debut show it was fantastic, genuinely family friendly (which includes our dog... she is after all part of the family!) with loads of free kids activities. We even had the chance to drive on the race circuit in our bus, in one of the popular circuit parades. This year I might even be brave enough to grab a helmet and try out a Trackday Session,
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This year the Apex Festival will also be host to the Barn Door Camp Out, which is likely to see a new record for the largest number of Barn Door Buses in the same place! AirMighty and Cool Flo Vintage are orchestrating a European Cruise to the show, which is ideally placed as it is just 15mins from the Dover International Ferry Port! There are rumours of several car debuts from mainland Europe, and a Bug coming from France to put on
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some drifting action alongside some other retro drifters! That'd be the first drifting Bug I have ever seen in the UK! This is not a static show but one where you can truly participate and be part of the show itself. Discounted advance tickets are now on sale and you can even book your track sessions online at the same time, however time slots for these are limited – so get in quick!
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For more information about the 2013 Apex Festival on 18-19 May at Lydden Hill Race Circuit, go to:
www.apexfestival.co.uk WagenPublishing.com
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Friendly & fun, aLife family VW bus event for all types The Campervan Vanzine Organised by the publishers of:
VW festivals are great places to go with families.Very friendly bunch of VW lovers that all enjoy getting together in a family friendly atmosphere to enjoy, unwind, and chillas best you can with a young family lol 
12 -8th July ,2Sh0ropshire 6-8 rk
What would you do to improve the event?
Weston Pa
y Are you ready for another rda t is atu nigh Reviewweekend!? by Cerid (from SFestivalKidz.com) FANTASTIC
i 11) (with 3 kids, aged 15mths, Ma8rdand
The summer of 2012 heralds our 5th event and already Camper Jam is one of the most hotly anticipated weekends on the VW calendar. This is down to you, our visitors, who have supported us in building a unique, family-friendly weekend all around YOU! Here’s a glance at what we have in store this year - our all important theme is ‘Mardi Gras’ - so start planning your outfits and we’ll see you in July!
Getting there and arriving:
Gras!!
! Party night
VDub Kids Club Quad Bikes Disco The groundBungee was veryGlowZone soft Fun Fair Druids Brew from too much rain Real Ale & Trampolines LOADS of Cider tents Fantastic traders previously, but they worked well with what they Camper Jam Live Bands Show & Shine K9 Dog Show Cooking in Displays and had. They only had 1 tractor though, and it was kept Fancy Dress a Camper Competitions Competitions Real Food Village Loads More!!! extremely busy I might add, towing people out that PLEASE NOTE: ALL CAMPING AT JAM IS hadCAMPER got stuck in PRE-BOOK the mud.ONLY
iday nigh We did have to queue on Frquite a tdangerous road is until the park owners eventuallyvs let us queue on theForgrounds of the beautifulWhich1000 acre woodland more information or to tent will you be in? book your tickets call Katie on parkWeston Park. We were sent round the houses, 01244 663400 ext. 220 in terms where to park and in the end we just or visit ourof website www.camperjam.com parked wherewww.camperjam.com we could, and where the tractor towed us to, after being the millionth person to get stuck in the mud!!
Entertainment:
Top tip:
More activities for kids and not just the young kids either, oh and free activities too! Kids hammered our wallets as it was, so would have been great to see some free activities, like circus skill workshops, graffiti workshops, etc. reasonably priced toddler carrying vehicle hire – such as those Radio Flyers – but without extortionate hire costs! Site and Facilities: Plenty of portaloos everywhere! Mobile coverage was good, enabling plenty of photo uploading to Facebook! The family field was very close to everything as well, which is always a big bonus!! Lovely farm shop on site too!! Spent small fortune in there! Did you feel safe? Yes, no shortage of staff around, ready and willing with friendly smiles Most memorable moment?
Very helpful and friendly steward that helped me Good music but limited kids activities (apart from the wash off some of the caked on mud from the buggy usual fair rides that cost). We enjoyed looking around wheels! Yes, all the staff were fab and we had a lovely the stalls and listening to the bands in the evening. farewell too as we drove towards the gates to leave As with all VW festivals, everyone was extremely a bunch of the stewards at the hut (patrolling the exit friendly and helpful and there was a fab ambience I guess) - all waved us off, and they did this to every throughout, despite increasing amounts of mud, mud, single van/car going. and more mud!! Great fun though and kids enjoyed in Will you be going again? their wellies!! Oh yes!
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Friendly & fun, a family VW bus event for all types
Are you ready for another fantastic weekend? This summer heralds our sixth ever Camper Jam! Our show is all about family-fun, fantastic entertainment and relaxation in a wonderful parkland setting. Here is a glimpse of what's in store for all you Camper Jammers this summer! Our all important theme this year is 'Starstruck', so start planning your fancy dress and we'll see you there!
Organised by the publishers of
CAMPING TICKETS ARE PRE-BOOK ONLY
ONCE THEY'RE GONE...T HEY'RE GONE!
DON'T MISS OUT!
Order your tickets today call 01244 881895 ext 523 WagenPublishing.com
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What started as a small event called VANFEST in 1994 at the Malvern Show ground, UK has grown to become the world’s LARGEST INTERNATIONAL BUSFESTIVAL event for owners, lovers and enthusiasts of Volkswagen Transporter Van’s. Held over a 3 full days in September, with over 8000 vehicles 25000 people attending plus over 300 trade stands the BUSFEST provides absolutely everything and anything you could possibly want to do with VW transporters plus a whole lot more. The BUSFEST CREW extend a MASSIVE thanks to all of you who supported us for our first BUSFEST event. This year we will be holding our second BUSFEST over the weekend of 6th – 8th SEPTEMBER & we have got some VANTASTIC things lined up for you.
WHY COME TO BUSFEST? BUSFEST is CERTAINLY, UNDOUBTEDLY, PROBABLY, & DEFINITELY the BIGGEST TRULY INTERNATIONAL VW EVENT to go to for ALL VW TRANSPORTER FANS, CLUBS FRIENDS & FAMILIES.
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The Campervan Life Vanzine CERTAINLY – With a Full 3 days to keep you amused we will have the MOST comprehensive Entertainment programme for all ages of any VW Event. (We ARE still providing FREE evening entertainment). UNDOUBTEDLY - The BEST Show ground and facilities (AND VIEWS!) in the country for staging our event (whatever the weather!!) . With excellent fixed indoor (and outdoor) facilities, good drainage and tarmac roadways we know you will have a good time when you are with us. PROBABLY – (along with all our other special displays), we will be presenting the BIGGEST vehicle display of ANY event (anywhere). To celebrate our 20th year of Transporter events at Malvern. The BIG VW Display will contain at least 400 vehicles DEFINITELY – You will find we have the LARGEST TRADE areas of ANY VW event (in the World!) with everything you may want (or not) for your Transporter . PLUS a MASSIVE Vehicle Sales Area .
www.busfest.org WagenPublishing.com
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www.cartyscampers.com Carty’s Campers was born over 5 years ago by a father and son who quickly realised their passion for this iconic camper while they were restoring their own VW Bay Window . It soon became clear that with James having over 45 years experience and being an ‘Old school’ mechanic and with Neil working within the hospitality sector combining this with their passion and knowledge for VW campers it was always bound to be winning combination. They have 4 campers available for hire (see left) . Each camper is unique in its own way but you will also notice where Carty’s Campers have put their own stamp as each of them are also tted with modern goodies which would leave most VW owners envious and drooling at the mouth...... These include;
Brucie, Cali, Bumble and Dakota have been kitted out with new engines and have also had brand new modern interiors tted which have been designed in a way that doesn't leave you feeling too cramped inside while still giving you plenty of storage space. The underslung LPG gas tank thats been installed for each camper is certainly unique within the Bay Window community and the fact that you can ll this up at any petrol station that has an LPG lling unit makes it a whole lot easier than the dinky bottles that most other camper companies supply you with. Carty’s Campers LPG gas tanks hold a lot more gas and they give it to you with a full tank which is more than enough for your trip. As they are securely fastened to the underside of the camper this also allows for more storage space within the camper. Each camper also has a propex heater, as anyone knows it can get cold when camping (especially with our weather in Britain), these heaters are excellent at keeping you warm on the cold nights and work from a thermostat so will keep you at your desired temperature throughout the night without you having to get up through the night to with the heating on and off. The gas also supplies the 2 stove ring for the sink/stove combination unit and along with the 38 Litre fridge should mean there's no excuse for you going hungry no matter where you’re parked up for the night. They have all been tted with 240 volt hook up capabilities, a radio/CD player that has an MP3 function allowing you to listen to you favourite tracks from your ipod/MP3 player while on your journey. DVD player, Playstation portable and Sat Nav come included with any hire as standard. Fire extinguisher, re blanket, rst aid kit, carbon monoxide detector, gas safety certiied and AA cover come as standard as you would expect from any camper hire company out there that put the safety and wellbeing of their customers rst as we do.
Notes
For a full list of whats included in the campers and prices check out Carty’s Campers website and you'll also be able to see more pictures and a video to give you an idea of the quality of their campers.
SPECIAL 10% DISCOUNT
FOR CAMPERVAN LIFE READERS ON MENTIONING THIS ARTICLE WHEN ENQUIRING THROUGHOUT 2013 WagenPublishing.com
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The Camper Hire & Weddings Directory Welcome to the Camper Hire & Weddings Directory section of this Vanzine. As you will see we are building together a great collection of useful features and services that give great advice and tips whether you are hiring for a holiday break or adding style to your wedding day.
Top Tips when travelling by bus!
VW C amper H ire & W edding D irectory
1. Do as much planning as you can before leaving home
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4. Book campsites in advance
Spontaneity may not suit you and if you are travelling in July This seems obvious, but and August, to somewhere very preparation can save you time an money. Use a checklist for all your popular or to a major event it is best to book camping in advance. camping items. (For some campervan shows pre2. Make a plan but be booking may be the only way to get in).This will take the stress out flexible of trying to find somewhere late Whilst a detailed plan for your in the day after your journey. Even trip is a great idea, it’s best to keep if you are on the road, find a camp an open mind and try to have an site and call ahead to book a place. “A” list and a “B” list of things 5. Be prepared to be you want to fit in. One of the main advantages of travelling in a fully self-sufficient campervan is spontaneity and if you come across somewhere you In the low season months of November to March (and in love, you may want to linger and enjoy it rather than sticking to an some areas September to May!) campsites are often closed, so earlier plan. although there are plenty of places 3.Take a concise map to stay, you may need to rely on the campervan toilet and make use Again this seems obvious, but we of service points to top up with tend to rely on our Sat Navs and water and empty your waste tanks. sometimes in remote areas in a valley you might find yourself in 6. Avoid bringing rigid someones back yard!
suitcases
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Whilst most campervans have storage space, they do not accommodate large rigid cases so they can really get in your way. Best to bring soft luggage so it can easily be folded and stowed away.
7. Don’t pack too much! A tough one for the ladies! Remember that a campervan trip requires a great deal less formality than a break in a hotel and you will probably spend the whole time very casually dressed. It might be an idea to bring one smart outfit for that evening out in a fine restaurant though.
8. Don’t bring too much food and drink Remember that a fridge in a campervan is much smaller than a household fridge and won’t accommodate fresh food for a week. There are some great places to shop for fresh food so plan to use the many markets and supermarkets for fresh supplies as you go.
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CONVERT YOUR DREAMS INTO REALITY At Dream Catchers we specialize in creating, designing and producing stylish and quality made camper vans perfectly built to your needs.
We convert most types of vans from the ever classic splitscreen through to the modern T5, we also convert other know brands like Traffic, Vito, Transit and many more upon request.Whether its a camper van, race home, horse box or day van you’re after at Dream Catchers Pete’s awesome looking T4 we’re here to help. Our goal is to camper now ready for some fab give you a camper conversion that family adventure. truly fits your lifestyle and hobbies.
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With no pre-set package conversions that other companies may offer, we pride ourselves in creating conversions that best suit you.
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Everyone deserves something unique that sets their van out from the crowd. Our ability to get to know you and to work closely with you, is the key that enables us to convert your dreams into reality! Stephen Fletcher WagenPublishing.com
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Dream Catcher Camper is based in Droitwich, Westmidlands, Here we specialize in designing, Creating and converting stylish quality campers perfectly suited to your lifestyle and hobbies. We pride ourselves on our ability to off totally bespoke, Custom made conversions using your own ideas, Working closely with our customers understanding their interests and ideas enables us to..... Convert Your Dreams Into a Reality.
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www.freebirdcampers.co.uk
s Bolam
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Jame g n i r r a t S
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Do you recognise the van? If you don’t, maybe you could ask your small children. This is Campo and he is a famous chap. He features in the Cbeebies series Grandpa in my Pocket, the first episode was shown on 10th February 2009 and the vehicle has become very well known by young viewers.
to paint this beautiful beach scene that they had requested on to Mr Blue Sky, one of their campers. Mr Blue Sky, now known as Campo on the show, went on a great adventure driving around the Southwold area to be filmed for the series. He has met all of the stars of the show.
The series makers wanted a distinctive VW camper to be the family’s car and so Freebird Campers commissioned an artist WagenPublishing.com
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Freebird Campers hire out Campo and 3 other beautiful campervans, they are all different colours and layouts. But they are all 4 berth and come fully equipped with everything you need for a great camping
experience. You just need to bring your sense of adventure. All Freebird Campers are original right hand drive models from the 1970’s and they are all reliable and in good all round order. John and Mary, who run the company, are very knowledgeable on all aspects of the camper vans and how to use them and where to take them! Hire starts from £65 per day including insurance and all the equipment and the gas for the cooker etc.
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Grandpa in my Pocket has been the most popular show on Cbeebies and the original three series are still being repeated on several BBC channels but this year the producers are making 54 new episodes!
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Wedding Hire Advice
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8 tips for hiring wedding transport
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Catherine White - Dorset Dub Hire
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VW camper vans make excellent wedding cars. Firstly due to their iconic, fun image and secondly for practical reasons-the amount of space available often means only one vehicle is needed when two standard vintage or classic cars would otherwise have to be booked.
When looking to book wedding transport every couple wants to ensure they are getting the best quality transport and value for money along with excellent customer service and a reliable, well maintained vehicle. We’ve come up with a few tips to guide those
looking for VW wedding transport to try and ensure their wedding car is a memorable part of their day for all the right reasons.
ONE - Chauffeur driven
Decide whether you are looking for a chauffeur driven service so that you and your wedding party can sit back, relax and enjoy the day or if you would prefer to hire a vehicle on a self drive basis to be driven by yourself or another member of your party.
TWO - Shop around
Undertake an internet search for businesses in your locality offering the service you’re looking for (local businesses will mean less mileage to pay). Look at their websites and
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After travelling the world in many different campervans we soon discovered our love for freedom, adventure and waking up to a different view every morning. We love to travel, explore and to seek out pastures new and we believe there is no better way to do so than in a Retro Volkswagen Camper! Having lived in Norfolk for the majority of our lives, we believe it is a beautiful place to relax and unwind. After exploring the area ourselves we would love others to experience our passions and so, Retro Campers was born!
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If you’re looking to hire a classic campervan, or looking to book a different holiday in Norfolk, what better way than in a campervan with Retro Campers Norfolk. We offer everything you need for a camping adventure and holiday in Norfolk and Suffolk, including insurance and breakdown cover. We love the adventure of going anywhere and having everything at your fingertips where ever you are. The moment you step through our doors you are guaranteed to relax as we have taken care of everything for you to enjoy a stress free camping trip. To find out more about the option of how to hire a campervan please see our Rentals Page.
Currently importing, restoring and selling Volkswagen campervans to all over Europe. Their vw campers mainly come from Southern California, Southern Arizona, and Australia, therefore they have a mixture of LHD and RHD Campers available. They can help source the perfect VW you are after. Just email info@ sunshineimports.co.uk your specification i.e.year, orginiality, colour, budget etc. For more information please see www.sunshineimports. co.uk Make an Appointment If you are thinking of having a short break why not come and check us out. Viewings by appointment only if you would like to drop by.
Fancy trying a camper before you buy? Not a Give us a call on: (01263) 821999 problem, we have teamed up with Sunshine or email us at: hannah@retrocampersnorfolk.co.uk. Imports and will discount the hire price of the camper should you wish to buy one within www.retrocampersnorfolk.co.uk the following year! WagenPublishing.com
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Something Old Something New By Samantha Askew Something Old Something New is a new company offering chauffeur driven wedding hire along with camper candybar and photobooth.
How it all started My love for Volkswagens began from a very young age and I knew that one day I would own one for myself.
It really is addictive, once you have owned a Volkswagen there really is no turning back, the only problem is we need one of them special tree’s in the bottom of garden that grows money.
When Neil and I got together, he did not have quite the same feelings towards campers as me. At the time I owned a 1979 VW Panelvan which I had hand painted in a nice purple gloss and lined out with cow print fur and a rock ’n’ roll bed. I’m sure I preferred I bought my first camper in 2001, from then on it sleeping in Pasha more than in the house, but she became bit of a hobby to buy one, restore it and sell failed her MOT and needed far to much work for me it on. In total I’ve owned five bays, two T25’s , a T4 and to handle. Neil told me she had to go - it was sad a T5 Caravelle. times. I started work for a local insurance company when I was 16, having to deal with policies and seeing endless photographs of other peoples campers my love for them grew stronger and stronger.
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…the classic camper for wedding hire
Dorset Dubhire are a specialist VW wedding car business based in Wimborne Minster, East Dorset established in 2010.
We offer our two classic campers, Lulu, a 1960 baby blue and ivory split screen and Lottie, a 1970 lotus white bay window as chauffeur driven wedding transport throughout Dorset, Hampshire and the surrounding areas.
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We started the business after using our 1975 bay window as transport for a relative’s wedding. The van was such a hit with the guests dressed up in ribbons and bows that we decided we could combine our love of VWs with a business idea. We then purchased our 1960 split, Lulu and after she proved to be very popular Lottie our 1970 bay joined us. We also have a 1972 South African bay window bus called ‘Maggie’ that we use for camping and shows.
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We love being a part of each couple’s big day. The vehicles really do add something special to every wedding and are often even included in the family line up shots! Many of our couples have also gone on to look for campers of their own after their wedding day. With space for up to 6 people in each bus they are also a popular choice for the groom and his party and for the bridesmaids who are often treated to cold beers or champagne during their journey.
There really is nothing like a VW camper to bring a smile to people’s faces. The attention that couples get when being driven along in either Lulu or Lottie is fantastic. Tel 01202 848857 email catherine@dorsetdubhire.com and website http://www.dorsetdubhire.com/ WagenPublishing.com
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We have undertaken transport for weddings in many different types of venues, from castles, stately homes and hotels to Monkey World ape rescue centre, one of our personal favourites! We are proud to be a chosen supplier for Beach Weddings Bournemouth, the first beach wedding venue in the country where couples can marry on the sand. We also sponsor our local VW show, Vdub at the Pub and look forward to continuing to support the show in the future.
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Photos for Cornwall VW Wedding Hire by christianmichael.co.uk
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The Camper Hire & Weddings Directory List Hire Company
Website
Phone
25seven Camper Hire Active Kampers allCool Classic VW Camper Hire Bay Campers of Cornwall Blue Vinyl Weddings Blue Yonder Camper Vans BMVS Camperhire Buttercup Bus Camp In A VDub Camper 4 Hire Camper Bug Camper Daze Camper Hire Dorset Camper Vanatics Camperexperience CamperKing Ltd Campers for Hire Camperscape Campervantastic Canny Campers VW Wedding Hire Carefree Campers Carty's Campers Celtic Camper Company Ltd Chase The Sun Retro Holidays Classic Campervan Hire Classic Rent A Bug Concept Camper Hire Cornish Campers Cornwall Campers Cornwall VW Wedding Hire Devon Classic Camper Hire Devon Cool Campers Devon Happy Campers Dorset Dub Hire Dorset Dubbers Retro Camper Hire Downunder Drive in Style Drive My Camper Ltd Dub Days Dub Tails Dub Trips
25sevencamperhire.co.uk activekampers.co.uk allcoolcamperhire.co.uk baycampersofcornwall.co.uk bluevinylweddings.co.uk blueyondercampervans.co.uk bmvs.co.uk buttercupbus.com campinavdub.co.uk camper4hire.co.uk camperbug.co.uk camperdaze.co.uk vwcamperhiredorset.com campervanatics.co.uk camperexperience.nl camperking.co.uk campersforhire.co.uk camperscape.co.uk campervantastic.com cannycampers.co.uk carefreecampers.co.uk cartyscampers.com celticcamperco.co.uk chasethesun.co.uk classiccampervanhire.co.uk classicrentabug.com conceptcamperhire.co.uk cornishcampers.co.uk cornwallcampers.co.uk cornwallvwweddinghire.co.uk devonclassiccampers.co.uk devoncoolcampers.co.uk devonhappycampers.co.uk dorsetdubhire.com dorsetdubbers.co.uk vwdownunder.com driveinstyle.it drivemycamper.com dubdays.co.uk dubtails.com dubtrips.co.uk
01236 039474 01273 203681 07530 111 912 7791033620 07528 196644 01525 306206 01243 837111 0789 996 5903 0871 23 44 331 0774 7771150
sam@25sevencamperhire.co.uk info@activekampers.co.uk selfdrive@allcoolcamperhire.co.uk richyandsue@baycampersofcornwall.co.uk info@bluevinylweddings.co.uk
07540 474987 01258 487908 01273 241 820 0031-302232957 01789 721203 01872 575275 07813 176 099 0208 2916800 07787 606888 07767 768936 07909 113754 01691 860569 01772 716694 0800 9709147 01761 439693 01303 261062 01726 891722 01872 571988 01736 795223 07774 725083 01398 331255 01404 47084 01202 848857 07771 561594 01375 675550 +39.0722.900111 01737 224168 01296 655355 01482 840955 01423 880901
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rentals@bmvs.co.uk enquiries@buttercupbus.com fiona@campinavdub.co.uk info@camper4hire.co.uk hello@camperbug.co.uk info@camperdaze.co.uk veedubcamper@btinternet.com enquiries@campervanatics.co.uk info@camperexperience.nl info@camperking.co.uk enquries@camperscape.co.uk info@campervantastic.com cannycampers@live.co.uk booking@carefreecampers.co.uk neil@cartyscampers.com celticcamperco@btinternet.com info@classiccampervanhire.co.uk info@classicrentabug.com info@concepthire.co.uk info@cornishcampers.co.uk info@cornwallcampers.co.uk enquiries@cornwallvwweddinghire.co.uk info@devonclassiccampers.co.uk info@devoncoolcampers.co.uk tracy@devonhappycampers.co.uk enquiry@dorsetdubbers.co.uk vwdownunder@hotmail.com info@driveinstyle.it mail@dubdays.co.uk WEDDINGS@DUBTAILS.COM info@dubtrips.co.uk
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BN3 1RB TR1 3NB LU7 3HQ PO22 9RT GU19 5LE LE67 3FW SO416AA BN1 4QD CV37 0AH TR6 0AX SE23 1BX NE9 6BG ML4 1NT PR2 8AJ PL19 8DE BA3 3YQ CT21 6PE PL30 5PS TR4 9QH TR26 2QT EX36 3EH EX16 9NS EX14 3NZ BH21 1EN SS17 9HR RH6 9JJ HP18 0XB HG1
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Camping Equipment
Autocamp Camper Shop Camperite Leisure Camping Online Ltd Caravan Stuff 4 U Ltd Fishbrain Funky Leisure Ltd Go Out Doors Happy Camping Lightning Leisure OBriens Camping Outermotive Ltd Trio Pair UrbanST8 World of Camping World of Camping
Website
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autocamp.co.uk campershop.co.uk camperite.co.uk camping-online.co.uk caravanstuff4u.co.uk fishbrain.biz funkyleisure.co.uk gooutdoors.co.uk happy-camping.co.uk lightningleisure.com obrienscamping.co.uk busyoutdoors.com triopair.com urbanst8.co.uk worldofcamping.co.uk worldofcamping.co.uk
01392 460039 01684 592199 01206 210551 0845 2571407 01684 31000 07799 486588 020 3411 4640 08450 020 888 +44 (0)1837 659599 01482 635784 01264 358293 01926 743107 01977 708688 07914 81 88 99 01209 203220 01209 203220
autocamp@hotmail.co.uk info@campershop.co.uk info@camperite.co.uk kevin.blake4444@btinternet.com info@caravanstuff4u.co.uk mark@fishbrain.biz sales@funkyleisure.co.uk enquires@gooutdoors.co.uk hello@happy-camping.co.uk sales@lightningleisure.com enquire@obrienscamping.co.uk colin@outermotive.co.uk info@triopair.com wmd@urbanst8.co.uk enquiries@worldofcamping.co.uk enquiries@worldofcamping.co.uk
WR8 0QL CO6 1LJ S43 3PE WR8 0DX GU34 2TQ TW1 4JH NW9 6TH HU14 3HT SP10 3AY AB51 0LF WF8 2LN WS11 9RP TR16 4AX TR16 4AX
07773 454723 01227 367261 024 7647 5426 01793 721721 07802 296404
cjbagshaw@hotmail.co.uk braggslanefarmcamping@hotmail.co.uk
NG6 8UR CT6 7NP SN26 7EA BT53 8RS EX34 8NU FY5 5LR HS2 0DR E4 7RA CV9 3PD EX33 1HG AB12 5FX LD3 7SR PL30 4LH DA3 8NJ DH6 4QA IP31 3RB SA3 2HB PL13 1PB LL36 9RD
Campsites
Blenheim Farm Braggs Lane Farm Camping and Caravanning Club Campsites UK Charlies Hideaway FunPlace2B Campsites Hidden Valley Park Kneps Farm Holiday Park Laxdale Holiday Park Lee Valley Campsite Lime Tree Caravan Park Lobb Fields Lower Deeside Holiday Park Priory Mill Salthill Caravan Park South Penquite Farm Speedgate Farm Strawberry Hill Farm The Caravan Club The Dell Touring Park Three Cliffs Bay Holiday Park Tregoad Park Tynllwyn Caravan & Camping Park
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CHARITIES
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Brads Cancer Trust CLIC Sargent Demelza Dog Trust MSAADA RNLI RSPCA Teenage Cancer Trust The Childrens Trust
campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk campsites-uk.co.uk charliescampingandcaravanning.co.uk funplace2b.co.uk/ hiddenvalleypark.com knepsfarm.co.uk laxdaleholidaypark.com leevalleypark.org.uk limetreecaravanpark.co.uk lobbfields.com
strawberry-hill-farm.co.uk caravanclub.co.uk thedellcaravanpark.co.uk threecliffsbay.com tregoadpark.co.uk tynllwyncaravanpark.co.uk
01271 813 837 01253 823632 01851 703234 020 8529 5689 01827 720123 01271 812090 01224 733860 01874 611609 00353 91 523972 01208 850491 01474 879109 0191 372 3457 01342 326 944 01359 270121 01792 371218 01503 262718 01654 710370
brads.org.uk clicsargent.org.uk demelza.org.uk dogstrust.org.uk msaada.org/Msaada/Home.html rnli.org.uk rspca.org.uk teenagecancertrust.org thechildrenstrust.org.uk
0115 940 0313 0845 301 0031 01795 845 200 0207 837 0006 01747 823690 0845 045 6999 0300 1234 555 020 7612 0370 01737 365 000
priorymillfarm.co.uk salthillcaravanpark.com southpenquite.co.uk
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enquiries@campsites-uk.co.uk morrison_mullaghduff@yahoo.co.uk kathyshack@yahoo.com relax@hiddenvalleypark.com enquiries@knepsfarm.co.uk info@laxdaleholidaypark.com scs@leevalleypark.org.uk mgarland@unicombox.co.uk info@lobbfields.com deeside@holiday-parks.co.uk priorymill@btinternet.com info@salthillcaravanpark.com thefarm@bodminmoor.co.uk info@speedgatefarm.co.uk info@strawberryhf.co.uk memberenquiries@caravanclub.co.uk thedellcaravanpark@btinternet.com info@threecliffsbay.com external@sitelink.co.uk ppspsmc@aol.com mick@brads.org.uk mediarelations@clicsargent.org.uk info@demelza.org.uk msaadarwanda@yahoo.com
events@thechildrenstrust.org.uk
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THE CAMPER VAN LIFE VANZINE
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