This time, in the car, we’d chosen a great location for our stay, right in the heart of the valley at Penbont House. Excerpt: ‘Not only has all this fresh air had a postive impact on our physical health, it’s been good for our mental health, too. It has given me a sense of adventure and freedom that I never imagined possible, and it goes to show that having a disability doesn’t have to be a barrier to getting out there and exploring new places. With determination, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.’ Nigel is a lifelong caravanner (and I mean life-long!), and together with his wife Kay, they have toured extensively in both the UK and on the Continent. The Elan Valley had captured the heart of romantic poet, Percy Shelley, some 200 years ago (1). Now it was about to capture ours.

Yes, you read that correctly! There are designated spaces for motorhomes at the bottom of the main car park. And after 6pm it’s totally free. Every May the town hosts the ‘Hay Festival’, attracting thousands of book-lovers from all over the UK. Judges’ comment: ‘The shots have been thought about and it is very easy to watch. A range of equipment has been used and a cinematic style has been achieved. A very nice video; well produced and thought out’ On our first visit (in August 2020) we saw maybe only two or three other motorhomers who were brave (or stupid) enough to drive these roads.Nigel served for thirty years in the Police, spending fifteen years on Traffic and the final twelve on Forensic Collision Investigation, providing highly detailed reports for various Courts, where he and his colleagues were classed as “Expert Witnesses”. We were down to second gear round the hairpin bends but overall our VW Cree managed it without an issue. The main distraction for the driver are the views. We simply had to pull over a few times and take it all in.

A grand total of 16 entries were received for the Douglas King Award for Journalism, encompassing both established magazine titles and personal blogs. It was delightful to see so many writers enter the Awards for the first time. All entries were judged by an independent panel who assessed many aspects including structure, presentation and accuracy of facts, grammar, and level of engagement and creativity. From the Beacons you’ll reach Rhayader within 90 minutes in a motorhome. Then it’s a left turn onto the B4518 that will lead you right into the Elan Valley. From Left to Right, Karla Baker, Chris Apperley (Guild Chairman), Nigel Coppen (Business Development Director of Vantage Insurance).Runner up in this category was the very popular and well-known writer Peter Baber for his delightful touring feature ‘A Revolutionary Approach,’ which appeared in Practical Caravan Magazine. In the crowded genre of travel, Peter’s ‘high standard of literacy and engagement’ stood out. Just off the A465 you’ll find the village of Ystradfellte and the magnificent Brecon Beacons 4 Waterfalls Walk. Michael and Frances write a monthly destination feature and a monthly technical feature for the magazine under their own names and write for other industry magazines under a nom de plume. Both Michael & Frances are additionally members of the British Guild of Travel Writers, the Travel Writers Alliance, and the Yachting Journalists Association. Early years were spent running her own PR agency supporting events operators, stately homes/estates, park and leisure home manufacturers, parks and industry suppliers. That led to feature writing for Park Home & Holiday Caravan, editorship of Park Home News and editing and publishing Park Lifestyle.

Natasha previously worked in the motor industry and her passion for all things automotive seamlessly transferred over to the leisure vehicle industry. In 2019, Natasha (and Jon) were loaned a motorhome for 12 months by the Erwin Hymer group to tour and share their experience via social media. There is a poignant reminder of this at the Visitor Centre where 27 large stones stand like sentinels, each reminding us of the villages that were lost forever when the taps were turned on and the water filled the valleys. 27 standing stones, each representing a village in the Elan Valley that was lost under the water The old metal mines at CwmystwythRunner up in this award was Andy Barnett of Motorhome Adventures Vlog. Together with his wife Michelle, Andy produced an excellent video which was praised for its ‘excellent camera work’. As the only finalist who was not a CWG member, the committee was delighted to offer Andy one year’s Associate Membership of the Guild.

We’d already found out during a road trip through the Peak District that our old motorhome wasn’t too keen on going up hills with anything more than a 20% incline. And now, in the Elan Valley, we were faced with the same dilemma.

Associate Members

You don’t need to do all four waterfalls but we decided to make an afternoon of it and trekked the whole 5 1/2 mile route, seeing all four falls. This is where you need to know the limitations of your van. The weather hadn’t been favourable; the road was wet and even though there was no signpost indicating the percentage of the incline it looked damn steep to us! We sat there watching cars snaking their way up and around the hairpin bends in second gear. The Awards are aimed at recognising journalistic excellence within the leisure vehicle industry. The Guild organizes the awards, and Vantage Insurance Services Ltd kindly co-sponsor them.