Mazda Bongo campervanning

Campervan checks before a long journey

Published on June 30, 2021November 24, 2021 by Ben3 Comments

If you’re planning a long journey or a road trip in your campervan then it’s worth checking things over before you set off. Here is a list of essential checks you should carry out prior to hitting the road. I’ll also include a few none essential checks just to make sure you get the best experience possible when on the road. If you’re heading over to Europe then you’ll need a few extra bits and pieces so I’ll cover this also.

You’ll need to think carefully about what you’re going to need whilst away from home, especially if you’re planning to be away for an extended period of time. Likewise if you are going to be covering a lot of miles then these checks and maintenance tips are going to make a huge difference to your experience whilst away from base.

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Camping trip to Lynmouth + Lynton, Exmoor National Park

Published on June 21, 2021September 24, 2021 by Victoria7 Comments

At the weekend we camped for two nights at Lynmouth Holiday Retreat in Exmoor National Park, North Devon. We stayed in our Mazda Bongo campervan and went to see both Lynmouth and Lynton. Here is my travel photo diary so you can see what we got up to and just how beautiful the scenery in Lynton and Lynmouth is.

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Cheddar Gorge family day out + campervan stay at Bucklegrove Campsite

Published on May 26, 2021July 26, 2021 by Victoria7 Comments

On Friday evening we drove to Cheddar in Somerset for camping at Bucklegrove Campsite with the kids. Their first request when lockdown was easing was to go camping! We also went to see Cheddar Gorge for the first time. Neither Ben or I had been before, even though we only live around one and a half hour away. Read on to learn things to do in Cheddar Gorge with kids, see the walk we did in Cheddar with absolutely amazing views and also check out where we ate.

But first, things didn’t really get off to a great start for our camping trip away…

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How to go off-grid in your Mazda Bongo or any other camper van

Published on May 7, 2021August 25, 2021 by Ben10 Comments

Whether you’re planning a short overnight stay or a couple of weeks on the open road there are a few essentials you’ll need to function off-grid and be self sufficient in your Mazda Bongo (or Ford Freda). With plenty of campsites scattered across the UK you’ll never be far from amenities, but for the more adventurous, you may be considering some overnight stops away from civilisation to enjoy the freedom of the great outdoor wilderness.

Whilst this post is aimed at Mazda Bongo (or Ford Freda) owners it does apply to any other camper van. I’ve applied the basic knowledge of taking your vehicle off-grid and shown some of the items I’ve purchased or am planning to purchase. If you’re planning to go off-grid it’s important to be prepared. I hope this post will help you do just that.

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Tips for keeping warm and cosy in a campervan

Published on November 20, 2020November 16, 2021 by Victoria2 Comments

In autumn and winter, and perhaps even the early weeks of spring, it can be really cold for camping. This is why many campsites are seasonal as the demand simply isn’t there for the colder month.

However, some campsites do remain open all year round and many campers also like to ‘wild’ camp or park up in car parks and other spots that allow campervans for a night without charge.

So, whilst you may still find the perfect spot to camp, you must remember it’s going to be a lot colder than camping in the summer!

Even if the daytimes are warm, the evenings can quickly change and you’ll feel freezing in no time at all.

Not all is lost though, as there are plenty of ways to keep cosy and warm in your campervan in winter.

Here are some of the best ideas to stay warm when camping.

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UK Vegan Campout 2019 review

Published on September 3, 2019June 15, 2021 by Victoria2 Comments

I’m back with another UK Vegan Campout Review following my review from last year when we went to UK Vegan Campout as a family. This year, in 2019, we went kid-free, so just me and my husband Ben so it was a different experience. I’ll share my thoughts with you today and lots of great photos from UK Vegan Campout 2019! Continue reading “UK Vegan Campout 2019 review” →

8 day family road trip MINIMAL PACKING LIST

8 day Europe family road trip minimal packing list

Published on August 17, 2019August 18, 2021 by Victoria1 Comment

Having recently travelled a 1700 mile road trip in Europe as a family of four with young kids, ages four and seven, I kept a notebook to document all elements of our trip. I kept a packing list to make sure we didn’t forget anything, but also as I wanted to pack light for the road trip so making a travel packing list allowed me to see if I could reduce the number of items we were taking.

In this blog post I will share with you our 8 day Europe family road trip minimal packing list. Continue reading “8 day Europe family road trip minimal packing list” →

Europe family road trip day 6 - 11 hour Netherlands coastal scenic drive from Germany to Belgium

8 day Europe road trip costs for family of four

Published on August 16, 2019August 18, 2021 by Victoria1 Comment

In case you missed it, we recently went on an eight day family road trip in Europe with two kids in tow. I meticulously kept records of every last penny we spent on the trip to see exactly how much it cost us in total. In this blog post I will share with you a breakdown of how much our trip to Europe cost as a family of four.

I will also share some tips on how to save money when travelling on a budget in Europe later on in the blog post. Continue reading “8 day Europe road trip costs for family of four” →

Europe family road trip day 8 – back to the UK

Published on July 29, 2019June 15, 2021 by Victoria1 Comment

Aah, home sweet home!

Sometimes I feel pretty sad to be heading home after a holiday, but I was quite looking forward to it this time! We travelled 1700 miles in 8 days in the car, so quite a lot! I was looking forward to my own bed and also going food shopping as we’d mostly been eating the same food every day. We’d taken a bunch of dried food to save money on eating out and also that was suitable to travel in the car without a fridge all the time, so it became pretty samey by the 8^th day! Continue reading “Europe family road trip day 8 – back to the UK” →

Europe family road trip day 7 – a few hours in Bruges

Published on July 27, 2019June 15, 2021 by Victoria1 Comment

On day 7 we had our second European city visit to Bruges in Belgium. I had been really looking forward to this after a couple of days in Germany with not much to do as we were visiting family. I was ready to see some sights again and to see something new!

Unfortunately the weather was meant to be rain the whole day in Bruges which was typical after a whole week of high 30s sunshine! The rain even woke us up in the middle of the night as it hammered it down onto the roof! Continue reading “Europe family road trip day 7 – a few hours in Bruges” →