Welcome to our newly launched column ‘The Magic of Motorhoming’ where we share fascinating insights and tips on a world which opens new and exciting explorations.

Valued at a jaw-dropping £1.15 billion, the UK motorhome industry has witnessed an incredible boom as those with a sense of adventure embrace the independence of travel at home and abroad.

Time for Life and Travel Correspondent, Sharon Cain, and photographer, Steve Hare, have clocked up seventeen countries with Bracken, their travelholic golden retriever.
Despite some harrowing experiences which include being caught up in the Spanish Covid lockdown and the Turkish earthquake in 2023 – for them the thrill of the open road is more addictive than ever.

Rocky Start

Having worked in Hong Kong and lived in a flimsy treehouse in the Philippines in between lives and worlds, we’ve always relished travelling and embracing new cultures.

As big fans of caravaning in England, the pull of motorhoming sealed our decision and, in November 2019, we set off to Europe and the great unknown.

Within ten days we had a traumatic experience when robbed of all our credit cards, cash and passports in the middle of the night in a beach park up in Sitges, despite being parked between two campervans.

At this point we understandably questioned whether motorhoming was really for us - and whether we should call it a day.

A stressful couple of weeks followed as we obtained temporary documentation from the British embassy in Alicante so we could fly back to England for replacement passports. This meant leaving the motorhome in Spain and finding reputable kennels for Bracken.

In a forthcoming article I’ll explain how to minimize the risk of being robed – and what to do and who to approach if you find yourself in this situation.

Take Two : Covid Strikes

After acquiring our new passports in England, we returned to Spain in December, picked up an excited Bracken and set off touring Andalucia’s breathtaking beauty and diverse culture, coastlines, cities and mountains.


In the adage that timing is everything, six weeks into our travels our house in Yorkshire was rented out on a 12-month contract. Two weeks later we found ourselves caught up in the Covid-19 Spanish lockdown and its escalating death toll which in total has claimed over 100,000 lives.

With not being Spanish residents and therefore not eligible for the country’s health service, we were terrified of contracting the virus and went back to England on a surreal journey through eerily deserted roads in Spain and France with the only traffic being military vehicles.

Salvation Through Pandemic

As our primary home until the rental contract expired in February, the compact, two berth motorhome where our sofa became our bed at night, was our salvation.
In our mini home on wheels, we explored Scotland’s breathtaking beauty within the restrictions and marveled at its landscapes.

Island hopping - what an adventure - we travelled as far as the Hermaness National Nature Reserve, a spectacular cliff-top haven for thousands of seabirds at the most northerly tip of Unst in the Shetlands.

The advantageous of being self-contained with our own cooking and toilet facilities was a godsend on many campsites who had understandably closed their shower and eating facilities due to the pandemic.

Scotland and her islands are blessed with vast tracts of rolling countryside and beaches and worlds away from populated towns and cities.

Take Three : Groundhog Day

In October 2020 we headed back to Europe with anticipation of continuing our Andalucian adventures – only to drive headlong into the second European Covid-19 lockdown – and racing across regional borders which were closing all around us.

The saying that out of adversity comes opportunity became a reality as we broadened our horizons within permitted regions of Spain including the North Costa Blanca.

Although this area had not held any previous appeal, the stunning, deserted coastal walks which stretched across the picture-postcard resorts of Altea, Benidorm, Calpe and Javea made for a very special trip.

Finally Plain Sailing

After landing back in England on a 30-hour ferry from Bilbao to Portsmouth in February 2021, we reflected on how many lifetimes we had packed in during those extraordinary times which ironically had opened so many new doors for us.

Far from missing our home, it had become a distant memory as faced new challenges head on and extensively stretched ourselves out of our comfort zones.

Since then, we have been fortunate to travel over 60,000 miles exploring seventeen countries – at least three of which are classed as ‘third world’. Our sojourns have spanned Swiss mountains, The Sahara Desert and the jaw-dropping grandeur, architecture, canals and mouth-watering cuisine of Venice where we stayed in a campsite across from the Grand Canal.

Live Your Dream

In doing so, we’ve exceeded our wildest dreams and made lifelong, likeminded friends who have richly enhanced our lives and adventures.

A formative lesson we’ve learnt along the way is to grab opportunities while you can - because life is fragile and none of us know what lies around the corner.

The Magic of Motorhoming column aims to inspire and motivate as we share our experiences and insights to help would-be and seasoned motorhomers to make the most of their trips - however short or long.

You can also email us Sharon.cain@yorkshiretimes.co.uk - we’d be delighted to assist with any queries.

I am immensely confident that once you have embarked on this lifestyle with its freedom, fun, flexibility and the expectancy of experiencing something new around every corner - you will be well and truly hooked!