Our campervans: CMC HemBil Urban

Please note: This trip took place in August 2020. We are publishing it for your enjoyment and to help you plan your future trips. Readers must follow the latest government advice before leaving their homes.  gov.uk/coronavirus

Words and photos: Peter Vaughan
 

It all started so promisingly, not least because I’d managed to get everyone up and into our CMC HemBil Urban campervan for 6am – the threats of being left behind clearly worked.

Even the M5 was flowing smoothly, while Gloucester Services provided excellent hot sausage rolls to keep us all going. In fact, we couldn’t have timed it more precisely if we’d been organised by the Deutsche Bahn, as we pulled into the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s lovely Modbury (Ivybridge) site at almost precisely midday, as planned.

We were amazed to spot another German Spitz soon after our arrival, but I think its owner was more surprised to see three adults, two kids and a dog pile out of a short-wheelbase vee-dub, greeting us with, “Where do you all sleep?”

That question was soon answered as the roof went up, the Thule awning was wound out and our Outwell inflatable awning was attached, all while 12-year-old Ariane (going on 16!) erected her own little canvas home from home alongside the campervan.

Within an hour or so, we were all set up and our T6 was looking more like a camper again – on the way down, with the Reimo seat slid fully forward and the resultant huge boot piled high with toys, camping gear, etc, it had seemed more like a Pickfords removals lorry in miniature. Even better, the whole procedure had been carried out under sunny skies, so we felt in the holiday mood already and ready to explore the locale.

First stop, Modbury itself, which is a pretty little market town on a steep hill – the sort of place you drive through and remark “how quaint”, but there wasn’t much to keep us amused for long – no sign of good coffee for the adults or ice cream for the kids – so we were soon thumbing through the road atlas to see what else was nearby.

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Next stop was Salcombe, where we managed, by some stroke of luck, to park almost right outside Salcombe Dairy Ice Cream. Now, if you think all ice cream tastes the same, think again, for this is multi-award-winning ice cream made with Devonshire milk, double cream, and a seaweed compound called alginate (yes, really!) to emulsify the dairy fats. The chocolate orange flavour was so good that my mouth is watering now at the memory of it.

Ice creams consumed, the rest of our gang demanded to explore the local shops, and this rather set the theme for the rest of our holiday – me seeking out good grub, the remainder of the family on a sort of shopaholic spending spree to see if we could pack even more stuff into a VW T6.

With Storm Francis heading our way, thoughts of time on the beach faded and restaurants and shops became great places to stay dry!

Before the weather got really grim, we managed a pleasant dog walk around the grounds of Saltram House and then a little exploration of Dartmoor.

The location of the Modbury site midway between the magnificent moors and the seaside was a top reason for choosing it but, before we could search out the Stone Rows near Merrivale, our shoppers called for a stop in Tavistock, where (being Sunday) many of the retail outlets were (fortunately) closed. Unfortunately, signs were spotted for an antiques and craft market in a couple of days’ time…

Better luck ensued when we parked up just west of the Dartmoor Inn and bumped into a local guide who kindly pointed us in the direction of the Merrivale prehistoric settlement, which includes a row of standing stones 264m long, plus a sort of ancient naughty corner where prisoners were placed in a tiny hole in the ground. As we wandered around, it was incredible to think that Bronze Age settlers had lived here up to 2,500 years ago.

Rather more recent, but equally stony, was our next stop, the medieval clapper bridge at Postbridge where two central piers support three huge granite slabs, or clappers. Toto, the dog, and I fancied a good hike at this point but then the East Dart Hotel was spotted just up the road and coffees were consumed, instead.

The following day, we’d booked a trip to Greenway House, near Brixham. Having read many Agatha Christie books and seen countless dramatisations of Poirot and Miss Marple, it was intriguing to see the home that she loved and, even better, to explore the gardens on the banks of the River Dart – although it’s worth noting that parking here is tight and limited to vehicles under 5m long. 

After this spot of culture, we were shopping again, this time in Dartmouth. The lower ferry – a floating platform that can carry eight cars, pushed along by a tug – made the journey there interesting, especially as the mist rolled in. I half expected Ms Christie to have arranged a murder on board but we all made it safely to Saveurs in town for patisserie so French it almost made up for the fact that we haven’t been able to actually visit France this summer.

For really good food, though, I can thoroughly recommend The Ship Inn at Ugborough – a gastropub that exceeds expectations arising from its 4.5 Tripadvisor score. Or, if seafood is your thing, don’t miss out on The Oyster Shack at Bigbury.

Despite this being the sort of place you wouldn’t stumble across even if your sat-nav was broken and you had no map, it was full on a wet Thursday and, although the weather was almost autumnal, the atmosphere verged on Mediterranean. The lobster was as good as I’ve eaten in any sunnier climes, too.

It was my birthday while we were away and we’d planned to visit Berry Pomeroy Castle before meeting up with friends in Totnes. The castle has access that made us glad we weren’t in a big motorhome – in fact, throughout our trip we seemed to be on lanes barely wider than a T6 – and this English Heritage property is definitely of the romantic ruin persuasion.

With 15th century defences and the remnants of a later Elizabethan mansion, Berry Pomeroy never became Devon’s answer to the grandeur of Longleat, as its owners had intended. Unfinished, and abandoned by 1700, it would have made a great spot for a picnic but, as it was raining torrents, we headed to the café for a warming hot chocolate instead.

Nearby Totnes is well worth a visit, either for its picturesque high street or pleasant walks along the River Dart. Park at Steamer Quay and you can do both. Fortunately, you’re unlikely to be caught up in a crime scene, as we nearly were, with screeching police cars, boys in blue running after a single miscreant and the eventual, inevitable handcuffs.

After all that excitement we were pleased to discover Delphini’s Gelato just before closing time. The queues were still long at 5pm but the taste was every bit as good as anything we’ve had in Italy.

Ending on a more traditionally British note, we can also recommend Simply Fish in Brixham for good old-fashioned takeway fish and chips. In a rare moment of sunshine, we even managed to devour it straight from the cardboard box while sitting on the harbour wall.

We never did make it to the beach and, by the end of the week, we could barely even get off our pitch – because it was so muddy, not because we’d eaten out so much.

Well, we were away during the Government’s Eat Out to Help Out campaign and the beaches will still be there next time we’re in south Devon when, hopefully, the weather will be better, too!

We stayed at: Modbury Caravan and Motorhome Club Site Higher East Leigh, Modbury, Ivybridge, Devon PL21 0SH  caravanclub.co.uk

Our campervan - CMC HemBil Urban, 2019 VW SWB T6

Conversion type: CMC HemBil Urban from conceptmulti-car.co.uk
Owned since: February 2020
Engine: 2-litre Euro 6b turbo-diesel
Power: 148bhp (150PS)
Gearbox: 7-speed DSB automatic
Fuel economy: 35mpg
Insurance cost: £401 (fully comprehensive, 10,000 miles per year, with Comfort Insurance)

What we love about it: It's a great five-seater family car that, in an instant, can turn into a van or a home-from-home camper. It looks fantastic with the alloys and leather and we love to cook outside on the removable hob unit.