My First Motorhome

Round about 1990 when I was having my midlife crisis I went out and bought a mountain bike. I used to chuck it in the back of the car and off I would go to the Dales of Yorkshire and Derbyshire, using either B&B’s or renting a holiday apartments. I was never really happy doing that so started to think about alternatives. Then the lights came on and I thought what about a motorhome. I started visiting motorhome shows and decided that I would like a Japanese van conversion as they were more car like to drive. They weren’t cheap though and I spent many months looking. Then one day I noticed a Renault Trafic Autosleeper round the back of our local Ford dealer. I went in to enquire and was told that it had just been taken in as PX for a car. As they don’t sell motorhomes they were going to trade it out so I asked if I could buy it. It needed a bit of work as there was a large dent in the driver’s door and the reclining mechanism on the front passenger seat was broken, otherwise it was in very good nick. I managed to do a deal and drove away with something that I didn’t think I wanted but happy that I had at least got a motorhome. My friend repaired the door and I fixed the seat myself. Everything in the back worked OK and even had 2 gas bottles.

I went to the Earls Court show and bought a Porta Pottie and several other bits I needed and, oh, I joined The Caravan Club! My first holiday was to CC Blackwall Plantation and Clumber Park.

 Although it was a basic van (no heating, no hot water, no toilet compartment) I loved it and even now I have all mod cons in my current van I miss the ease with which I could go absolutely anywhere. The best trip was to The Western Isles where I wild camped for most of the two weeks I was there. (Maybe another story there). Another great trip was following the Tour of Britain cycle race around the Yorkshire Dales whilst staying at CC Lower Wensleydale.

 And, the best bit, when I traded it in 3 years later for an Autosleeper Rhapsody I got more than I paid for it! It’s never happened since though.