Motorhomes

HOPPING from place to place in a motorhome may not sound a particularly relaxing way to spend a week, compared to lying on a sun lounger at a resort.

But there’s a sense of excitement with a road trip that no fly-and-flop holiday could ever match.

The sheer adventure, access to off-grid locations and freedom to move wherever the wind takes you are something money can’t buy.

That’s why I dragged my wife and two kids (aged six and three) away from the beach for our first ever campervan voyage, through the West Midlands, rural Shropshire and the North Welsh countryside.

And it beat all of our beach holidays, hands down.

We were in a Swift Trekker 584, a beast of a motorhome that’s nicer than my house, with sleeping space for four people, a roomy bathroom and mini kitchen complete with oven and hob.

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From day one my boy fully embraced #vanlife, becoming a key helper in the not-so-glam, but necessary, daily tasks as we moved between driving, eating and sleeping — hooking up the electricity and water, ensuring things were properly stowed away and always making sure the toilet hatch was closed.

We cheated a little by switching out motorhome staples like spag bol or soup for the occasional restaurant but, by the end, we’d fully mastered road-trip life.

Our first base was Llanberis, a stunning village at the foot of Snowdon offering brilliant hiking in the surrounding mountains and watersports at two lakes on its doorstep.

Ahead of arrival, we’d booked a pitch with Morris Leisure, a highly rated camping operator specialising in motorhomes and caravans, with parks across North Wales, Herefordshire and Shropshire.

Its Llanberis Touring Park is ideally located, with direct footpaths to Snowdonia and a five-minute walk to the village centre.

Some pitches have electricity and wifi while others have fresh water, plus there’s a shower block and a laundry area.

And the best thing is, if you are motorhome novices like us, there’s an on-site shop crammed with anything you may have forgotten, plus caravan accessories and essentials.

After Wales, we made our way to the market town of Oswestry and Park Hall Farm (make sure to watch one of the hilarious pig races), then it was on to the Shropshire town of Shrewsbury.

Its high street is frequently named one of the best in the UK, so we had high hopes.

It didn’t disappoint. Rather than being overrun with vape shops, bookies and barbers, the main stretch was littered with Tudor architecture and chock-full of independent shops, cafes, pubs, restaurants, ­museums and galleries.

The place is buzzing and a pleasure to walk around.

Kids will love the Quarry Park for the splash zone, while budding young artists may prefer to get stuck into one of the workshops at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery.

Or you can ditch the road for the water and book a trip along the river Severn with Sabrina Boat.

Prefer to travel by train? The ­Severn Valley Railway is a delightful experience and offers day trips through the rolling countryside, as well as special themed events.

Those visiting during October half-term will be able to book ­Halloween-inspired journeys from Kidderminster station, with scare trains for little ones as well as those aged 18 and over.

Our only regret was missing out on a film at Old Market Hall cinema, an independent screen sitting in a beautiful building dating from 1596.

It’s not just the destinations themselves that make a motorhome trip so magical, though.

Journeying along the A4086 and the A5 offered gorgeous scenery and rolling hills that kept us entertained for hours.

When we eventually dropped off the van, our home for the week, it was with a very heavy heart.

No motorhome trip will ever be stress-free and it does require a level of planning and organisation beyond your average resort holiday.

But the freedom can’t be matched.

And the memories from our motorhome will long outlive those from a Spanish sun lounger.

More than half a million Brits were reportedly living in vans or campervans as of August 2025, but for those who want one for the odd holiday, the costs can add up quickly

For many, the idea of a portable home on wheels is a dream: the chance to hit the road, live more adventurously and avoid expensive hotel bills. Some have even opted to live full-time in converted vans, swapping traditional bricks-and-mortar living for life on the move.

More than half a million Brits were living in vans or campervans as of August 2025, according to estate agent Property Revolutions Ltd. But for those who want one mainly for the odd holiday, the costs can add up quickly.

Former campervan owner and journalist Clare Macnaughton spotted this downside and eventually sold hers. As she explains, a campervan for her meant a “third vehicle”, complete with MOT, insurance, servicing bills and a “diesel habit to feed”.

So what’s the alternative? Clare chose a vehicle famously loathed by petrolhead Jeremy Clarkson. She and her family bought an Adria Action 361 LT — a traditional two-berth caravan.

Clare admits the caravan wasn’t fault-free at first – she’s had a couple of early niggles, including trouble with the fridge switch and a fuse in one of the sockets. Even so, she says one feature has won her over completely, describing it as a “revelation”.

She wrote in The Telegraph “And then, the revelation: the bed. This caravan may be tiny, but the bed is colossal. Pete is 6ft 1in, with a back ruined by a lifetime of lugging tiles up ladders, and the campervan’s bed was always a couple of inches too short for him.

“This one swallowed Pete, me and Maya with room to spare. Whoever designed this caravan clearly understood the priorities of middle age: you can compromise on almost anything, just don’t compromise on the bed.”

The Caravan and Motorhome Club also rates the model highly. In a write-up on its site, it awarded it 92%, calling it “singularly attractive” and saying it’s “easy to tow”.

“Singularly attractive, nicely made, easy to tow, good value and a brilliant lounge. Wholeheartedly recommended.” It also highlighted the generous sleeping space, calling it a “behemoth of a double bed”.

The comments come after psychologist Dr Sophie Mort, who told the Express that camping can support mental wellbeing — noting how “camping gives everyone a task”.

She explained: “When we’re away from screens, work pressures and daily routines, we’re more likely to have meaningful conversations, share experiences and form deeper connections with those around us.

“So many of us are burned out, stressed out and even talked out right now. Camping gives everyone a task, putting up the tent, unrolling the sleeping bags or getting the stove going for tea, so people can be together without the pressure of more talking and dissecting.

“It’s often in those low-stakes, side-by-side moments that conversation starts to flow naturally.”