Dear Fellow Motorhomer,
December and as we enter the festive season all of us at GB Motorhome Tours wish you a Merry Christmas. As the year draws to an end, so does our 2024 touring programme, with the recently completed Paris at Christmastime tour finishing just this week, being the last tour of this year. This tour spent time in Paris, including a visit to the Palace of Versailles and a champagne evening at the Moulin Rouge, before finishing with a Farewell Dinner evening at Chateau de Cocove.
Camping in Paris – December 2024
‘Very explicit itinerary pack. Meticulously planned trips. Expert, friendly tour leaders. Wonderful trip, thank you.’ Angela Price & Will Hopkins – Paris at Christmastime 2024 tour
‘Very much enjoyed the tour and Sue & Ron looked after us well. Obviously, the highlight was the visit to the Moulin Rouge where the meal was excellent and the champagne flowed.’ Pauline & Robert Hughes – Paris at Christmastime 2024 tour
Throughout 2024 GB Motorhome Tours have escorted over 200 motorhomes to destinations all across Europe, with tours ranging from 6 to 70 nights in duration. Spanning from Norway in the north, to Sicily in the south, the French Atlantic coast in the west to Romania in the east, and including almost every country in-between. Being the UK’s largest motorhome tour company, GB Motorhome Tours offers tours to the widest number of destinations and throughout the whole year. With 2025 starting soon, so does our 2025 touring season, with The Canary Islands tour now being just 4 weeks away from leaving the UK.
The 2025 touring programme is full of interesting motorhome adventures awaiting you. Whilst most 2025 tours are now fully booked, there is some availability remaining for the following tours:
• Croatian Highlights
• Scotland Highlands and Royal Deeside (just added)
• Moselle, Lahn and Rhine
• Amsterdam at Christmastime
• Scottish Hogmanay (just added)
Click on any of the above tours for their full itineraries.
There is also a new tour currently being worked on that is expected to make the 2025 programme, which is Spain and Portugal Discovery. This tour will visit some of the major sites in both countries, whilst also focussing on lesser known locations and interspersing these with some longer coastal stays; to offer a mix of classical highlights along with local attractions and coastal relaxation. The tour is being planned for mid-October to early December 2025; which will also offer the opportunity of escaping the gloomier weather generally experienced in the UK over that period. If you would like to pre-register your interest in this tour, please do so by sending us an email. You will then be sent the tour itinerary in advance of it being made available generally, giving you first opportunity of requesting a tour place if wished.
2024 has been a busy travel year at GB Motorhome Tours and we thank all customers who chose to travel with us throughout the year. A big thank you also to all our Tour Directors who work tirelessly to ensure the smooth running of every tour and who pay particular attention to detail, to achieve the high standards that are set for all tours. There are seven Tour Director couples running the tours, all of whom are very experienced motorhomers and specialise in various locations throughout Europe and beyond.
Some of our more adventurous tours take motorhomes beyond Europe and to destinations few others reach. A consideration for this type of travel is obtaining vehicle insurance for the motorhome in these destinations. Most motorhome insurance policies offer cover for travel within Europe, but few offer cover for destinations beyond. For these more adventurous journeys, GB Motorhome Tours provides advice to tour participants regarding obtaining the relevant cover required, well in advance of the tour starting. Vehicle insurance is an ever-changing situation, so it is important to keep updated and to check that your policy meets your needs and destinations for travel, including that your policy covers for the number of days you intend being away.
Here in the UK, with some cool wet weather around, it is recommended cushions and bedding be removed from motorhomes and stored indoors to keep them from becoming damp. However, often the practicality of doing this is not easy, so an alternative can be to periodically run a de-humidifier inside the motorhome to keep moisture levels down. Also doing this for 24 hours before taking your motorhome on a winter trip can be particularly beneficial, ensuring you set off in a cosy & damp free van, perfect for starting your winter break.
All the very best to you for the coming New Year and for lots of great motorhome travel in 2025. Feel free to contact us with any questions you have regarding our tours.
Kindest regards,
Your GB Motorhome Tours Team
Tel. 0044 7481 479 057
Info@gbmotorhometours.com
www.GBMotorhomeTours.com
Dear Fellow Motorhomer,
November and with winter approaching it can be a quieter time of year for travel; however, at GB Motorhome Tours travel continues. Our next tour, Paris at Christmastime starts in a few weeks, where participants will have time in Paris exploring the cities Christmas lights and festive markets, whilst also enjoying a visit to Versailles and a Champagne evening at the Moulin Rouge. For next year our festive tour moves to Amsterdam, where the city participates in its own ‘Festival of Light’ throughout December. Full tour details of the Amsterdam at Christmastime 2025 tour are available by clicking on its name and bookings for the tour are now available on the GB Motorhome Tours website.
Another opportunity for a late autumn getaway took place at the beginning of this month, when GB Motorhome Tours (in conjunction with Camper UK) held a Halloween and Bonfire weekend. This fun packed 3-day event, with evening entertainment, fireworks and opportunity to visit historic Lincoln, takes place each year and is firstly offered to those who have completed a tour throughout that year.
Halloween and Bonfire weekend at Camper UK Leisure Park, Lincoln
For travel next year, a new September tour has just been added to the 2025 tour programme and is now available on GB Motorhome Tours website. This tour travels in Germany, following three of its picturesque rivers; the Moselle, Lahn and Rhine. With the tour having just been released there is currently availability and the full tour itinerary can be viewed by clicking on the name above. Bookings can be made directly on the GB Motorhome Tours website. The only other 2025 tour that now has availability is the Croatian Highlights tour, this can also be booked on the website.
At the end of next year, GB Motorhome Tours will again be offering the very popular Scottish Hogmanay tour, a great opportunity to finish 2025 and bring in the start of 2026 in style. As well as celebrating New Year the Scottish way, this tour includes a number of well selected excursions in mostly indoor settings, along with many evening group dinners and drinks get togethers. The full tour itinerary will be finalised in the next few weeks and released first to those with pre-registered interest. To register your interest, send us a simple email and this will be done for you. You will then receive the itinerary in advance of it being made generally available, giving you first opportunity to request a place if you wish at that time.
With winter approaching, if you are not going to be using your motorhome, remember to drain down the habitation water systems to avoid any damage from freezing water in pipes. How to do this should be covered in your motorhome manual, or a call to your dealer should advise how this is done for your particular model. It is also worthwhile keeping the diesel fuel tank full throughout winter when the motorhome is not in use. Diesel engines do not like water in their fuel and this can build up inside diesel tanks from condensation forming on the inside in cold conditions. By keeping the fuel tank full, it leaves no space for condensation to form.
Even with winter approaching, do keep enjoying your motorhoming. Feel free to contact us at any stage with anything you wish to ask; GB Motorhome Tours operates 12 months of the year, with tours running all year round.
Kindest regards,
Your GB Motorhome Tours Team
Tel. 0044 7481 479 057
Info@gbmotorhometours.com
www.GBMotorhomeTours.com
Dear Fellow Motorhomer,
During September six GB Motorhome Tours were completed; spanning from Scotland in the North to Croatia in the South; from the French Atlantic Coast in the West to Bulgaria in the East; along with Germany and Italy in-between. A customer review from each of the September tours follows, further reviews can be read on our website at www.gbmotorhometours.com/reviews
‘Our first tour with GB Motorhomes, exceeded all expectations. We loved Croatia with its spectacular coastline, great food and excellent wines. Thank you Ron & Sue for taking such good care of us.’ Anne & Frank Rees – Croatian Highlights – Aug/Sept 2024
‘A great tour with some interesting visits and beautiful sights and scenery. Karen and John worked hard to make it all run smoothly with great hospitality and fun.’ Adrian and Vanessa Smith – Southern Bavaria – Sept 2024
‘This was our first GB tour. It was well organised; campsites, tours and meals were above our expectations and fellow campers all very welcoming. Tour guides worked hard to make it a very enjoyable trip. So many fantastic views and such lovely scenery.’ Gill and Norman Killin – Scotland Highlands and NC500 – Sept 2024
‘Our first tour with GB Motorhome Tours and we were not disappointed. The tour guides put 100% into making sure everyone was happy. We would not hesitate to go with them again.’ Alan and Jackie Jones – French Atlantic Coast – Sept 2024
‘Really great tour. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting some beautiful places. David and Sue were very helpful and informative. Fantastic experience.’ Mike and Bettina Lloyd – Northern Italy’s Treasures – Sept 2024
‘Romania and Bulgaria proved to be both surprising and fascinating. We enjoyed so many beautiful sights and experiences like the Transfagarasan and Shipka passes but also learnt so much more about the recent histories of two countries. Thank you Nurcan and Kevin for another exciting adventure, we’re already looking forward to our next in 2025.’ Carolyn and Nick Griffiths – Romania and Bulgaria – Sept 2024
One tour remains ongoing across Europe, with the Journey Along the Danube tour now entering Germany as participants head towards the source of the river. The Danube is Europe’s second longest river covering 2,850km in length. This tour picked up the river in Serbia and has had stays with visits to Belgrade, Budapest, Vienna, Melk and Regensburg so far. At the end of the tour, participants will have followed the river along 2,000km of its length, to its very beginning in Donaueschingen southern Germany, where the river is no more than a trickle.
Journey Along the Danube tour October 2024
The above campsite sits on the banks of the Danube (like almost all on this tour) and is within easy walking distance of Melk town and Abbey, both also very popular stops for all the Danube river cruise boats.
Whilst the year is moving on, touring at GB Motorhome Tours does not stop and there is still a chance to get away again this year. Our Paris at Christmastime tour still has some space. This is a great opportunity to enjoy winter travel to one of Europe’s best cities at Christmastime. See the many Christmas markets and colourful illuminations of Paris, whilst also enjoying a day a Versailles and a celebratory Champagne evening at the wonderful Moulin Rouge. Remaining places for the tour can be reserved on the GB Motorhome Tours website.
Also keep an eye on the GB Motorhome Tours website where it is expected two further tours for later next year will be added over the next month.
For regular UK travellers to Europe, following Brexit, the 90 out of 180 day rule has become something that needs to be taken into consideration. For a good number of years now, the EU has been trying to improve control of this with the introduction of a new electronic system, to check people in and out of the Schengen zone. This entry-exit system (EES) was due to be launched on 10th November 2024 following many previous delays, but has in the last few days been postponed again, with no new launch date yet announced. Current checks for non-EU citizens entering the Schengen zone are done though stamping each person’s passport upon entry/exit, it would appear this system will now continue into at least next year. Details of the recent EU announcement confirming the delay can be read at www.etias.com/articles/eu-entry/exit-system-launch-delayed-again. If you are looking at one of our tours and need to check your own days, feel free to contact us and we will make the calculation for you.
Despite winter approaching, do keep enjoying your motorhoming. Feel free to contact us at any stage with anything you wish to ask; GB Motorhome Tours operates 12 months of the year, with tours taking place all year round and we can be contacted anytime throughout the year.
Kindest regards,
Your GB Motorhome Tours Team
Tel. 0044 7481 479 057
Info@gbmotorhometours.com
www.GBMotorhomeTours.com
Dear Fellow Motorhomer,
September is a really popular time to be touring. GB Motorhome Tours have 6 tours taking place; spanning from Scotland in the north to Croatia in the south, from France’s west coast to Bulgaria in Europe’s east, plus tours in Germany and Italy in the centre.
Croatian Highlights tour September 2024
Scotland Highlands and NC500 tour September 2024
(Photo supplied by Geoff and Margaret Cotton)
Northern Italy Treasure’s tour September 2024
Romania and Bulgaria tour September 2024
The Romania and Bulgaria photo is from the top of the Transfagarasan Pass in Romania. This road featured in Top Gear, following which Jeremy Clarkson proclaimed it as the ‘greatest driving road in the world’. For a clip from the TV programme follow to www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCd7A-BD02c. Whilst Top Gear didn’t enjoy the whole pass in complete sunshine, GB Motorhome Tours had a wonderful day for it; giving a great experience to all tour participants.
If you would like to enjoy a get away later this year, the Paris at Christmastime tour is a good opportunity. This tour includes a day at Versailles Palace and a champagne evening at the Moulin Rouge, as well as plenty of time in Paris for the Christmas markets and lights, including the illuminated Eifel tower.
For holidays in next year, a new tour has just been released to the 2025 tour programme, the Delightful Denmark tour. This takes in the 3 main islands that make up Denmark and includes a finale at the wonderful Tivoli Gardens on mid-summers day. With this tour having just been released places are currently available, click on the tour name for full tour itinerary details.
There will also be one further continental tour to be added to the 2025 tour programme, covering two weeks in France during early September 2025. If you would like to pre-register your interest in this tour, send us a simple email and this will be done for you. People with pre-registered interest receive the itinerary in advance of it being made generally available, giving them first opportunity of requesting a place on the tour if so desired.
Bookings for our tours are often made 12 months in advance. In addition to securing a place by booking early, another benefit of having a tour booked is the excitement that comes from planning for a holiday. This gives a positive energy and realisation that what often starts as just an idea is becoming a travel reality. For all bookings, GB Motorhome Tours guarantees that the price you pay for your tour will be the cheapest that the tour is ever offered at. You can book early in full confidence of knowing the tour will never be available cheaper than the price you pay. Whilst many 2025 tours are now fully booked, there currently remains availability on the following tours. To see their full itineraries, click on the tours name. Booking of these tours can be made on the GB Motorhome Tours website.
• Paris at Christmastime – 6 nights Dec 2024
• Delightful Denmark – 15 nights June 2025
• Croatian Highlights – 27 nights Aug/Sept 2025
• Swiss Magic – 22 nights Sept 2025
• Sicily – 32 or 44 nights Sept/Oct 2025
A topic on many traveller’s minds post Brexit, is the 90 out of 180 day rule for travel within the Schengen Zone countries. This can be complex to work out, particularly when multiple trips are to be taken into consideration. A further anomaly presently in place for those on the Romania and Bulgaria tour, is these countries are joining the Schengen zone but are not yet fully processed, meaning if you currently arrive by air or sea they are Schengen zone countries, but if you arrive by road they are not! If you need any help with checking your days when considering booking a tour, feel free to contact us and we can make the calculation for you.
Enjoy your touring and we look forward to escorting you to great places soon.
Kindest regards,
Your GB Motorhome Tours Team
Tel. 0044 7481 479 057
Info@gbmotorhometours.com
www.GBMotorhomeTours.com
Dear Fellow Motorhomer,
August and the GB Motorhome Tours travel season starts again very soon. Next week sees the departure from the UK of the Croatian Highlights tour, followed at the end of the month by those travelling all the way across Europe for the Romania & Bulgaria tour and also across central Europe for the Northern Italy’s Treasures tour. Then in September the Scotland Highlands and NC500, the French Atlantic Coast and the Southern Bavaria tours all start. Throughout September GB Motorhome Tours will have groups travelling in countries spanning much of Europe, as well as closer to home here in the UK. Recently, those from our Baltic States tour have returned to the UK, having motorhomed through the three countries of Latvia, Lithuania & Estonia, all not yet discovered by many others.
Baltic States tour July 2024
Some customer reviews from the tour.
‘We always wanted to tour the Baltic States and we were not disappointed. This was a superb tour, visiting every capital city and various places of interest. Ron & Sue, our tour leaders looked after us very well and took all the worry and stress out of travelling. That is why we love GB Motorhome Tours – we get to relax.’ Penny and Mike Summers
‘This is an exceptional tour giving an insight into the culture, geography and history of three countries that are largely unknown to UK visitors. We both loved every minute.’ Vicki and Dave Tyler
Customer comments from all our tours can been read on our reviews page.
Before our touring restarts, next weekend we at the Western motorhome show in Malvern. Here a number of our Tour Directors will be on hand at the GB Motorhome Tours stand, to chat and answer questions. Do visit us if you are attending the show, our stand is number 107.
We are often asked by those considering joining a tour, ‘what are the major benefits of a GB Motorhome Tours holiday’? This is probably best answered by summarising customer comments on what they like about our tours.
• We travel knowing your Tour Directors are on hand to offer any assistance required
• Our motorhome pitch is awaiting us upon arriving at the campsite, usually with little check-in procedure as you have looked after this in advance of our arrival
• We make one booking with you and everything else on the tour is looked after for us
• Your tours are much more than just taking us to a campsite and leaving us there. Included in every tour are organised excursions with local transport, tour guides and entrance fee’s all included – no need to move our motorhome off site
• Each tour includes a number of quality group meals, a chance to enjoy local cuisine and wines in like-minded company
• A comprehensive printed tour pack is sent prior to departure, containing all the information for the tour – campsite details including GPS co-ordinates, route planning, excursion programme, group meals and general information for continental touring, making planning for our holiday easy
• You include Michelin maps covering the area of the tour within the tour pack, and for most tours, also the DK Eyewitness guide book for the country being visited
On a number of our tours we are now beginning to see motorhomes fitted with Lithium batteries to power their habitational area. These batteries offer some real advantages over traditional lead acid batteries, in that they provide a far superior capacity for the same physical size at around half the weight. They also offer a longer life span compared to lead acid batteries and can charge much faster. With costs of Lithium batteries coming down, they are becoming an attractive option for more people. However, we are also seeing instances where Lithium batteries have simply been dropped into motorhomes in place of an original lead acid. In many cases this can give problems, with the charging structure for Lithium being different to lead acid, and in the fact they can draw much larger charging currents. When switching from lead acid to Lithium batteries, some changes to the charging structure and wiring arrangements is usually required, to make things work correctly. When taking advantage of the benefits that Lithium batteries can provide, it is worth seeking professional advice from a company that specialise in this relatively new technology of powering the habitation area of your motorhome. One company that can assist is Offgrid Power Solutions. They are based near Oxford and are usually present at most of the motorhomes shows, including next weekend’s Malvern show. They are a family run business of father and son; both of whom are very approachable and knowledgeable. They offer straightforward advice around all things required for switching to Lithium batteries and stock all the products for switching over, including a full fitting service if required.
If there is anything you would like to ask about our tours or motorhoming in general, feel free to contact us, we are always happy to answer any questions. We look forward to travelling with you to many great places soon.
Kindest regards,
Your GB Motorhome Tours Team
Tel. 0044 7481 479 057
Info@gbmotorhometours.com
www.GBMotorhomeTours.com
Dear Fellow Motorhomer,
July and the summer is here with the majority of our spring tours having recently come to an end and tour participants returning to the UK. For those on our Baltic States tour they continue to travel in these 3 small wonderful countries, full of interest and yet to be widely discovered. One review from each of the recently completed tours follows, with more available to read on the GBMT website at www.gbmotorhometours.com/reviews. Below we feature reviews from those making their first GB Motorhome Tours trip.
Poland tour June 2024
‘Our first tour with GB Motorhome Tours but certainly not our last, a fabulous experience. We have seen so many of the wonderful sights of Poland, dined like royalty and enjoyed good company. Thank you Ron & Sue for a well organised tour and your guidance’ Ruth & David Hornsby – Poland – June 2024
Austrian Alps tour June 2024
‘Our first tour with GB Motorhome Tours and it’s been amazing. We enjoyed the whole experience with like minded people. Kevin and Nurcan were excellent, making sure we were all well looked after. The itinerary was interesting and varied. Thank you GB, see you again.’ Chris and Barbara Norris – Austrian Alps – June/July 2024
Rhine in Flames tour June/July 2024
‘This was our first adventure with GB Motorhome Tours and it did not disappoint. Our Tour Directors Jen and Brian were absolutely superb. Best wishes.’ Carol Fraser and Sheila Burn – Rhine in Flames – June/July 2024
Southern Norway tour June 2024
‘The tour more than fulfilled our expectations, a very friendly group well gelled together. Outstanding scenery, excellent choices of meal venues, excursions and itinerary; a very well planned tour. Some not so easy driving but excellent rewards and views. Location of some sites was exceptional, memories to treasure. Thank you.’ Kay and John Lane – Southern Norway – June 2024
GB Motorhome Tours take many customers and motorhomes every year to far and wonderful places; in the north as far as Iceland, in the south the Canary Islands, in the west Portugal and the east to Turkey and Cyprus, as well as everywhere in-between. However, sometimes people just like to remain closer to home where wonderful places can also be found. For this September there is our Scotland Highlands and NC500 tour taking place, which certainly provides wonderful scenery without travelling too far. There are also the Southern Bavaria and Northern Italy’s Treasure tours taking place during September, which are not too distant. All three of these tours currently have at least one place available on them, which can be viewed and booked at www.GBMotorhomeTours.com/tours.
With the majority of our touring taking a break for a short period to allow for the school holidays to pass, GB Motorhome Tours have time to attend two of the large outdoor motorhome shows taking place over the next month. Here a number of our Tour Directors will be on hand to chat and answer any travel questions you may have. If you are at either of these shows, do come along to our stand to see us.
Another tour soon to be released for next year is the Delightful Denmark tour. The Tour Directors have recently returned from Denmark having checked everything ready for next year. The tour will take place during the long summer nights of June and the itinerary will be available over the next few weeks. If you would like to receive a copy of this in advance of it being released generally, send us a simple email requesting this and the itinerary will then be emailed to you once available and before being released generally, giving you first opportunity of requesting a tour place if you wish at that time.
When travelling throughout the summer months and taking a ferry crossing, it can be useful to have a couple of ice packs in your freezer and upon boarding the ferry place these into your fridge. With the fridge remaining closed throughout the voyage, it’s an effective way to keep the contents in good shape whilst your fridge is off. This is also beneficial to do when undertaking longer ferry crossings at any time of year, where your motorhome fridge will be without power for some time.
Enjoy your summer touring and we look forward to travelling with you again soon. Feel free to contact us if there is anything you wish to ask about a tour.
Kindest regards,
Your GB Motorhome Tours Team
Tel. 0044 7481 479 057
Info@gbmotorhometours.com
www.GBMotorhomeTours.com
Dear Fellow Motorhomer,
June and there is much motorhome touring taking place. Over the last month our tours of Greece and Sicily have been completed, with both groups having enjoyed warm spring weather.
Camping Sabbiadoro, Sicily May 2024 – Drone photo supplied by Paul Turner
Customer feedback from completed tours can be viewed on the GB Motorhome Tours website at www.gbmotorhometours.com/reviews, one review from each of the two recently completed tours
‘Our first Tour with GB – but certainly not our last. Tour Guides Dave & Sue were exceptional. They ensured that we all enjoyed and made the most of our time in Greece. A big Thank you from Will & Angela.’ Will & Angela Tuxworth – Greece – April/May 2024
‘Comprehensive tour to see what Sicily has to offer, which is a lot! Very enjoyable with great Tour Directors.’ David and Jo Radford – Sicily – April/May 2024
Both the Greece and Sicily tours also feature in next years tour programme. The Sicily tour moves from the Spring to Autumn, with the tour taking place throughout September and October. Three Autumn 2025 tours have just been released to the GB Motorhome Tours website, these are Croatian Highlights, Swiss Magic and Sicily. Having just been released all three tours currently have availability with bookings possible on the booking page of our website.
The spring Greece 2025 is now fully booked. If you are interested in this tour for the future, send us an email to be registered to receive the itinerary for the next Greece tour in advance of it being made generally available. This gives you first opportunity of requesting a tour place, if you wish at that time.
Over the last month tours to Norway and Poland have started, where both groups are enjoying their respective countries.
Camping Bio Grimstad, Norway June 2024
Camping Krakow, Poland June 2024
Next week also sees the start of the Austrian Alps tour, with tour participants currently making their way from the UK to Innsbruck.
Once the summer months arrive, our tours stop for a short period to allow for the school holidays to pass. During this time, GB Motorhome Tours have stands at two of the large outdoor motorhome shows; where a number of our Tour Directors will be on hand to chat and answer travel questions you may have. If you are at either of these shows, do come along and see us.
With summer approaching and less continental touring taking place, it is a good time to check your passport remains valid and renew if needed. Following the UK’s exit from the EU, the Schengen zone countries (which encompass most of the EU countries) have tightened their rules for UK citizens to enter. For many years, the UK Government issued passports upon renewal, for the normal 10 year life period plus any remaining months left on the old passport. Some passports were issued with an expiry date up to 10 years & 9 months after issue. The Schengen zone countries will not recognise any passport that is over 10 years old at the time of travel. So it is possible to have a valid UK passport but find that it is not accepted for entry into many countries. Make a check of your own passport. GB Motorhome Tours advice is to renew any passport that is going to be over 10 years old before the time of return to the UK from any trip. It is also necessary to have 3 months validity remaining on the passport at the date of entry to the Schengen zone. Going forward the situation will be simpler, with the UK government no longer issuing passport’s for longer than 10 years from the date of issue. When renewing your passport allow good time for its return. Current advice from the UK passport office is to allow as much time as possible, which can be up to 8 weeks at the busiest times.
Enjoy your summer touring and we look forward to travelling with you again soon. Feel free to contact us if there is anything you wish to ask about a tour.
Kindest regards,
Your GB Motorhome Tours Team
Tel. 0044 7481 479 057
Info@gbmotorhometours.com
www.GBMotorhomeTours.com
Dear Fellow Motorhomer,
GB Motorhome Tours currently have two tours underway, taking place in Greece and Sicily; with three more starting throughout the next month to Poland, Norway and Austria. The Greece tour is enjoying great motorhome weather for touring, whilst travelling throughout the country including celebrating the Greek Orthodox Easter last weekend. In Delphi, their campsite has wonderful pitch views over far reaching mountains and all the way down to the coast.
Camping at Delphi in Greece, May 2024
The Sicily tour has also been enjoying lovely spring warm weather as they tour around this fascinating island of stunning architecture and traditions from 2,500 years of mixed Spanish, Roman, Greek, African and Italian occupation. In Sicily, if you’re expecting something much the same as Italy you’ll be disappointed, if you’re looking for surprises Sicily will deliver, along with many campsites being directly located next to the beach.
Camping at Selinunte in Sicily, May 2024
The Sicily tour will be running again during the Autumn of next year (Sept/Oct). If you would like to register your interest in this tour, send us a simple email and this will be done for you. The full tour itinerary will then be emailed to you in advance of if being released generally, giving you first opportunity of requesting a tour place if you so wish at that time.
Our 2025 tour programme is beginning to get released, with most of the 2025 spring/summer tours now available to view and book on the GB Motorhome Tours website. There are some great destinations available for next year and a number of these tours are to countries we have not featured for a few years. If there is something you fancy, do make a booking as tours are already becoming fully booked for next year.
With our tours being popular and becoming fully booked quickly, we are often asked, why don’t you increase the group sizes on each tour. Quite simply, tour quality linked with a high level of customer service is the number one priority for GB Motorhome Tours on all its holidays. Allowing group sizes to become larger affects the standard at which tours can be arranged and delivered. So all tours are limited to around 15 guest motorhomes.
The programme of tours for 2025 is below, with links to those currently available on the website. Those not yet on the website will be added over the next few months. If you wish to pre-register your interest in a tour not yet available, drop us an email and this will be done for you. The itinerary is always sent to those with pre-registered interest a few days prior to being released generally.
2025 TOURS
(With some further tours to be added)
April/May – Greece (34 nights)
June – Sardinia (23 nights)
June – Denmark (20 nights)
Aug/Sept – Croatia (27 nights)
September – Swiss Magic (22 nights)
September – Scotland Highlands and Royal Deeside (20 nights)
September/October – Sicily (32 nights)
December – Amsterdam at Christmastime (7 nights)
Dec 2025/Jan 2026 – Scottish Hogmanay (10 nights)
In preparation for taking your motorhome out for some spring touring, it is a good time to check the age of your tyres. Typically, motorhome tyres do not get worn out due to the lower mileages most motorhomes travel, however, once a tyre gets to around 6 years old it begins to reach its recommended safe working life. On each tyre is a date stamp, this is in the form of four numbers. The first two numbers are the week of manufacture and the second two the year of manufacture. A date stamp of 21/18 equates to week 21 of 2018, meaning the trye was produced at the end of May 2018, making it 6 years old as of now. The date stamp is located on the side wall of each tyre, however it is usually only put on one side, so it can sometimes involve looking at the tyre from the inside.
If you would like to soon get away on a tour to enjoy picturesque spring scenery combined with some stunning driving there has just been a cancellation on the Austrian Alps tour, starting in June this year. The full itinerary for this 16-night tour is available by clicking on the name above and the available place will be reserved on a first requested basis. Booking requests can be made by emailing us or by completing the booking form online.
Enjoy your spring touring and we look forward to travelling with you soon. Feel free to contact us if there is anything you wish to ask about a tour.
Kindest regards,
Your GB Motorhome Tours Team
Tel. 0044 7481 479 057
Info@gbmotorhometours.com
www.GBMotorhomeTours.com
Dear Fellow Motorhomer,
GB Motorhome Tours have two tours currently underway, one on-route to Greece and the other to Sicily. Both tour groups are now in Italy for the start of their tours; the Greece tour is meeting at Bologna and the Sicily tour at Paestum in southern Italy. The two groups are already enjoying lovely warm sunny days, ideal for touring.
Camping at Pompeii 13/04/2024 on the Sicily optional package
Whilst our tours start in destinations all over Europe they also offer an optional package for starting and traveling out from the UK. This flexibility allows tour participants to choose which works best for them. If selecting the optional travel from UK with Tour Directors package, this offers the opportunity of having everything arranged for you, including cross-channel ferries. The starting point in this instance is a campsite in Kent, the day before the ferry to France. The Tour Directors meet there with those on the optional package and look after everything on route to the tours starting point. Included within the optional package are your return cross-channel ferries, which are fully flexible and include full access to the ships club lounge both ways; the outward on-route campsite nights and usually a group dinner at one of the campsites. Full details of each optional package are contained at the end of the tour itinerary.
If you would like to soon get away on a tour to enjoy picturesque scenery combined with some stunning driving there has just been a cancellation on the Austrian Alps tour, starting in June this year. The full itinerary for this 16-night tour is available by clicking on the name above and the available place will be reserved on a first requested basis. Booking requests can be made by emailing us or by completing the booking form online.
Since last months newsletter another tour for next year has recently been released, this is the Discover Iceland 2025 tour. Iceland is a real diverse destination and a wonderfully fascinating place to travel, for full tour details click on the name below. The list of 2025 tours so far released is
• The Canary Islands – Jan/April 70 nights
• Greece – April/May 21 or 34 nights
• Sardinia – May/June 22 nights ‘Now full for 2025, reserve list available’
• Southern Ireland – May/June 29 nights
• Discover Iceland – June/July 36 nights
Click on any of the names above for the full tour itineraries. These tours are all for the first half of next year, there will be one or two more added, plus a full programme of tours the second half of 2025. These will be released in the next couple of months, some of the chosen destinations can already be seen on the 2025 tours page .
Before next year there is a full programme of tours for 2024. Those with some remaining places available are
• Southern Norway 23 nights in June
• Rhine in Flames Spectacular 12 nights June/July
• Northern Italy’s Treasures 23 nights in September
• Scotland Highlands & NC500 24 nights in September
• Southern Bavaria 16 nights in September
• Paris at Christmastime 6 nights in December
With spring arriving and many motorhomes now being made ready for use after a winter break, it’s a good time to clean the fresh water tank, pipework and taps with a solution of sterilising water. This can be achieved by adding some sterilising tablets/fluid to your main fresh water tank, allowing them to dissolve/mix in and then pumping the water through to all locations, by opening each of the taps for a couple of minutes. Leave the sterilising solution in the system for 24 hours and then drain down before refilling with clean fresh water. Your motorhome water system will then be ready for your next outing.
Happy touring to everyone. If you would like to ask anything regarding our tours feel free to contact us, we are always happy to answer any questions.
Kindest regards,
Your GB Motorhome Tours Team
Tel. 0044 7481 479 057
Info@gbmotorhometours.com
www.GBMotorhomeTours.com
Dear Fellow Motorhomer,
As the clocks go forward it feels like spring is arriving, at this same time two of our tours are starting. Both are heading to the Mediterranean, where early spring sunshine should be found. One is traveling to Greece, the other to Sicily. As well as sunshine and warmth, an advantage of travelling to the Mediterranean early in the year is in finding everything fresh before the heat of the summer, with an abundance of wild flowers to be spotted as you travel.
Spring wild flowers
For next year there will again be two spring Mediterranean tours; the Greece tour is being repeated along with a tour to the wonderful island of Sardinia. Both of these are now available on the GB Motorhome Tours website to view / book by clicking on their name above. Another spring tour for next year, to Southern Ireland is also available along with the winter Canary Islands tour.
Before 2025 there are all the tours prepared for 2024 to enjoy. There now remains only limited availably on just 6 of this year’s 16 tours. The full itineraries for these are available by clicking on the tour name below.
• Southern Norway 23 nights in June
• Rhine in Flames Spectacular 12 nights June/July
• Northern Italy’s Treasures 23 nights in September
• Scotland Highlands & NC500 24 nights in September
• Southern Bavaria 16 nights in September
• Paris at Christmastime 6 nights in December
Back to looking ahead to next year, with a number of the early 2025 tours covering winter and spring now available on the GB Motorhome Tours website, next to be added will be two summer tours covering Denmark and Iceland. The Iceland tour is a unique chance to explore a location even more diverse than you can imagine before arriving there. If you would like to register your interest in this tour, to receive the itinerary in advance of it being made generally available send us a simple email, the itinerary will then be emailed to you in the next couple of weeks.
Remember, all GB Motorhome Tours are a lot more than us just booking campsites for you; they include group excursions with transport, a number of group meals, services of our Tour Directors travelling with the tour in their own motorhome, full printed tour information pack, all GPS co-ordinates for your Sat Nav and of course all the campsites are pre-booked for you. Additionally, complete flexibility for you to decide to meet us at the start of the tour (which will be in/near the country of destination) or to have everything arranged for you all the way from the UK by including the ‘optional travel from UK with Tour Directors package’. Within this package are included additional campsite nights between the UK and the start of the tour, your fully flexible return cross channel ferry with entry to the ships Club Lounge and the services of our Tour Directors travelling with you from the UK. Where will your travels take you?
A recent development that is likely to be of interest to a good number of motorhomers, is the passing in the European Parliament of a proposal that is looking to make a significant change to EU driving licence categories. The proposal was launched by the EFC (European Caravanning Federation) to increase the motorhome weight limit that can be driven on a car licence (category B) from 3,500kg to 4,250kg (2 years after passing the driving test). With the proposal having passed through the European Parliament there is potential for it to come into effect later this year. Of course, with the UK no longer an EU member then the change will not automatically apply in the UK, unlike it would have done pre-Brexit. It will be down to the UK government if it wishes to align with the EU and pass the necessary domestic legislation to put the change into UK law. If it does, it will be beneficial to a lot of UK motorhomers and will mean
• All licence holders after 2 years of passing their test would be able to drive a motorhome up to 4,250kg, which covers a lot more motorhomes than the current 3,500kg limit
• It would no longer be necessary to renew a C1 licence category once reaching age 70, unless the motorhome is over 4,250kg
• Over 70’s would no longer be forced to change their motorhome if the plated weight is between 3,500kg – 4,250kg following the failing of a medical for renewal of a C1 licence
• It would allow motorhomes currently plated at 3,500kg to be up-plated to a higher weight, without the need to have a C1 licence. This would allow many motorhomes to have an improved pay load whilst keeping others within their legal weight
GB Motorhome Tours will keep monitoring how this interesting development progresses. In the meantime, we look forward to great travels with you throughout 2024.
Kindest regards,
Your GB Motorhome Tours Team
Tel. 0044 7481 479 057
Info@gbmotorhometours.com
www.GBMotorhomeTours.com
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