Motorhome Matt

Are campsites still fit for modern motorhome owners, or are they being left behind by a new generation of off-grid travellers? In this episode of the Motorhome Matt Podcast, Matt and Keith unpack the growing tension between traditional campsites and the rise of self-sufficient campervans, Brit Stops, Aires, and off-grid touring. With more motorhomers choosing flexibility over facilities, are campsites adapting quickly enough to survive?

Joining Matt is industry journalist, reviewer and Out and About Live presenter Peter Vaughan, bringing more than four decades of motorhome experience to the conversation. Together, they explore how touring habits are changing, why smaller campervans are dominating the market, and what campsites may need to do to win back motorhome owners who no longer need electric hook-up or shower blocks to enjoy the lifestyle.

VanLove Festival is nearly here, taking place at Thruxton Race Circuit from 18–21 June, featuring Matt’s live DJ set, a go-kart race against Ben Collins, aka The Stig, plus a packed weekend of campervan culture, live music and vanlife entertainment.

And in the Q&A, Matt answers your questions on:

How to track down a very specific motorhome model in the UK and Europe

Understanding vehicle emissions classes for European toll systems

Using GO-Box and DarsGo systems for touring Austria and Slovenia

If you're thinking about buying, or simply wondering where the motorhome industry is heading next, this episode is packed with insight, experience and practical advice from Matt, Keith and Peter. Tune in and join the conversation.

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Planning a motorhome trip to Italy? In this episode, Motorhome Matt and Keith discover what it is really like to tour Italy by motorhome or campervan, with Mark Bonito from Vanlife Eats sharing the food, roads, parking, campsites and travel tips he picked up on his journey through Tuscany, Puglia, the Amalfi Coast and Sicily.

Italy sounds like the dream, doesn’t it? Beautiful mountain roads, proper pasta, vineyard stopovers, coastal views and gelato worth walking suspiciously far for. But what is it actually like when you arrive in a long-wheelbase van? How easy is it to avoid ZTL zones? Where can you park near cities like Florence, Bologna and Bari? And are Italian roads really as lively as their reputation suggests?

Mark shares practical advice from his Italian road trip, including how to use sostas, why agriturismos can be a brilliant option for motorhomes, how to spot tourist-trap food, and why autumn might be one of the best times to visit Italy in a van. 

To see Mark's travels, head to his channel here:
🍝 https://www.youtube.com/c/VanLifeEats/

We also reveal the winner of our Vanlove 2026 ticket giveaway and how you can still save on tickets.

And in the Q&A, Matt answers your questions on:

Keeping a motorhome permanently hooked up at home

Why councils restrict motorhome parking in car parks

Fiat and Stellantis roadside assistance numbers

If you are planning an Italian motorhome adventure, thinking about touring Europe by campervan, or just fancy hearing about pasta, parking and mild volcanic panic, this episode is packed with useful advice, honest travel insight and plenty of reasons to add Italy to your list.

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What are the best UK road trips for motorhomes and campervans, and how do you plan a great touring route without spending half your life buried in map apps?

In this episode of the Motorhome Matt podcast, Matt and Keith are joined by travel writer, photographer and publisher Robbie Roams, the man behind No Fuss Travel Guides. Robbie shares how a battered old campervan turned into a life of road trips, guidebooks and inspiring motorhome owners to get out more often, not just for the big annual holiday, but for weekends, short breaks and those “why haven’t we been here before?” moments.

From the Peak District and Yorkshire to Spain, the Canary Islands and the frustrating truth about taking your own van to Madeira, we dig into the joy and reality of touring.

Matt and the team are heading to the Southern Motorhome & Campervan Show at Newbury, with camping demand already high, extra exhibitors expected, and live entertainment across the weekend. Get your day tickets now!

Plus, you can still enter to win a trackside pitch for two adults at Vanlove 2026, taking place at Thruxton Race Circuit from Thursday 18 June to Sunday 21 June 2026.

And in the Q&A, Matt answers your questions on:

Whether motorhome levelling systems can weigh individual axles

Campervans with U-shaped lounges and rear storage

If you want better motorhome trips, smarter route planning and a few ideas that might just get your van off the drive more often, this is the episode for you.

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Can you safely power your motorhome with a portable power bank, or could you be creating a serious electrical risk without realising it?

In this episode of the Motorhome Matt podcast, Matt and Keith dig into one of the most talked-about motorhome power questions at the moment: can you plug a portable power station into your motorhome hook-up socket?

It sounds simple enough. You’ve got a power bank, your motorhome has a hook-up point, what could possibly go wrong? Quite a lot, as it turns out, especially when earth bonding, RCDs, inverters and British Standards get involved.

Joined by Mark Street from BlueFix and electrical expert Philip “Geeky Phil” Tomlinson, we unpack the risks of using portable power packs with motorhomes, why some common online advice could be misleading, and what owners need to understand before connecting anything to their van.

We also cover important changes to EU pet passport rules for GB residents, and our product of the week is the Nomad’s Kitchen, a compact cooking kit for motorhomes, caravans and campers.

And in the Q&A, Matt answers your questions on:

Whether anyone offers a one-stop-shop European breakdown, medical, travel and pet insurance cover

Using an earth rod with a generator or portable power supply

Whether plugging an RCD into a power station makes it safe to connect to a motorhome

If you use a portable power station, plug in at home, tour with pets, or simply want to avoid learning electrics the expensive way, this is an episode worth listening to before you connect the next cable.

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Could your motorhome electrics be putting you at risk without you realising it?

This week, Motorhome Matt and Keith get into one of the most misunderstood topics in motorhome and campervan ownership, earthing. If your van is sitting on four rubber tyres, where does the electricity go when something goes wrong? And what really happens when you plug into a campsite hook-up, run an inverter, or power the van from a portable power station?

Matt is joined by Mark Street from BlueFix to explain the difference between mains hook-up, 12V systems, inverters and portable power stations. They cover what “earth” actually means in a motorhome, why your van behaves differently on campsite hook-up compared with off-grid power, and what can go wrong when a portable power station is used to feed the van’s sockets. It’s a useful listen for anyone running kettles, chargers, coffee machines or hair straighteners in a motorhome or campervan.

Plus, Campervan Campout is on from 1 to 3 May 2026 at the South of England Showground in Ardingly, with camping, live music, talks, advice sessions and Creator’s Day.

And in the Q&A, Matt answers your questions on:

What might be causing a cat pee smell in a motorhome cab

Why fuel prices can jump so quickly, and what it means for European touring

Whether you still need to carry breathalysers when driving in France

If you use hook-up, an inverter, a portable power pack or anything with a three-pin plug in your motorhome, this is one to listen to before your next trip. We’ll help you understand the risks, the myths and when it’s time to get someone qualified involved.

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