Camping Recipes

Despite being rife with stunning visuals, wildlife and activities, the lush British countryside unfortunately is not home to any kebab shops or takeaways; making life a little harder if you are not well versed in cooking.

Often being limited to one hob ring, it can be a difficult task to create home favourites when cooking facilities are at the bare minimum, but that doesn’t mean great flavours can’t be made with a little bit of inspiration and skill. This recipe is exclusively for campers with at least one hob and a grill.

Pizza is certainly a recipe never associated with camping - unless you're camping in Pizza Hut car park that is. Traditionally pizza requires an oven which is great news for those who have an oven installed in their van conversion but more often then not campers exclusively use hobs and a grill.

Fear not, the one pan pizza allows you to enjoy the taste of Italy while enjoying British scenery and its nearly as easy as chucking a frozen one in the oven. Feel free to add and replace ingredients to get the perfect pizza. 

The One Pan Pizza

Ingredients

Base

225g self- raising flour

3 tablespoons of olive oil

Topping

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 red onion

3 crushed garlic clothes

Olives (to taste)

1 pack of cherry tomatoes

4 tablespoons of tomato puree

50g of cheddar cheese

1 pack of pepperoni

Crush the garlic cloves, finally chop the onion and heat in the frying pan for 5 minutes. Chop the cherry tomatoes in half and add them to the pan along with the tomato purée and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove contents from pan and place in a container for later.

Put the flour in a bowl, create a well in the middle and add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 6 tablespoons of warm water and need until a soft doughy consistency is achieved.

Tip the mixture onto a floured board or table and roll out to fit the frying pan.

Fry the base in the pan for around 10 minutes until golden brown. Spread the tomato, onion and garlic mixture and layer on the pepperoni, olives (pitted and chopped) and cheese.

Place the pan under the grill and heat until the cheese is beautifully melted.

Serve and enjoy!

Camping Recipes

As the sun rises over the rich British countryside, the once shaded grass is gradually illuminated a vibrant green as each of the sun’s rays hits every blade, local wildlife harmonise and compliment the fresh breeze and as sleep eyed children rise from their beds, the smell of bacon and eggs cooked by mum and dad is never far behind throughout UK campsites.   

Nothing beats popping a runny yolk over white crusty bread as you tuck into the British classic each morning, stuffing yourself ready for another day of adventure in the countryside or beach but it’s no secret that touring the UK and Europe in a Campervan can often lead to a pretty poor diet. 

Being able to travel for weeks on end in a camper is an amazing experience but a diet of bacon baps, BBQs and eating out everyday is not only expensive but it can do serious damage to your body and energy levels.

Returning home from the trip of a lifetime is a rejuvenating experience, freshly enlightened by the wonders each location offered, your brain has taken a journey as well as your body and will feel healthy and content.

With the brain healthy and at peace, nothing can rapidly counteract that then looking down and noticing a severe increase in your waist line.

Don’t get us wrong, we love bacon and eggs, we would eat it for every meal if it was socially acceptable but when travelling for long periods it is important to maintain a well balanced diet, not just for the sake of your waist line but also so you can feel good while you enjoy all your planned activities.

The reason why most ‘resort’ to fatty fried foods when campervanning is that most campers only have one or two hob rings and rarely feature and oven; with a minimal kitchen to work in it’s no doubt campers run out of recipe ideas, so here’s a series of blogs to unleash your inner chef!

We understand that the standard campervan kitchen consists of just one hob so we’ll start with something highly nutritious, delicious and super easy to cook.

A stir fry is an ideal way of making use of the single ring but they’re not for everyone so why not try this versatile recipe which can be easily chopped and changed to suit your taste.

Caribbean Calalloo and Mackerel (Serves 3-4)

This recipe requires just one hob ring and minimal skill but is rich in goodness and you can optimize the ingredients to suit your taste. We love chilli and garlic so here’s our take on the recipe. 

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves (crushed)

1 red onion

2 large tomatoes

6 mackerel fillets (about 1 pack)

Chopped red chilies (to taste)

1 large tin of calalloo

Crush the garlic cloves, finally chop the onions, chilies and tomatoes and add to the frying pan with a splash of oil.

Fry until the tomatoes are soft and the flavours have infused, peel the skins from the mackerel and finally break up the fillets to bite size portions and add to the pan.

Gently stir so that the flavours combine and the mackerel takes plenty of the chilli and garlic, even add some dried chilli flakes if you like a little extra spice (we do).

Finally, drain the water from the calalloo and add to the pan. This will instantly settle the pan and you can begin slowly stirring until the calalloo has bound all the ingredients.

Simply heat and stir until the calaloo is hot (it doesn’t need to be cooked through from the tin) and season to taste.

The great thing about this recipe is that it requires next to no time, minimal preparation and can be altered to suit your taste. Don’t like mackerel? Try chicken. We like to add green vegetables such as tender-stem broccoli, trimmed beans and peas, for extra guilt free bulk.

…enjoy!

www.leisurehubs.com  

Where to Camp? Part 2

Our Rain Forest shower is perfect for camping

We hope you enjoyed our last brief tour of the UK covering Scotland, Wales and Norfolk. If you haven’t read it then go back and take a look, as it offers valuable insight into some of the UK’s most beautiful scenery.

Not all campsites permit campervans but fortunately for you we are separating the wheat from the chaff and discovering the perfect places for you to take your campers. 

Despite not being permitted in every campsite, campervan owners can revel in the fact that they can pull up the handbrake and stop anywhere, giving you that real freedom to explore.

Housedean Farm Campsite, Brighton Road, Lewes, East Sussex

With 900 acres of sumptuous campsite, picturesque British scenery, helpful staff and spacious pitches, the Housedean Farm sets a high bar for campsites across the UK with its laid back atmosphere and welcoming owners.

The campsite comprises of campfire pits, flushing toilets, 3 hot showers and 2 washing up sinks, not to mention the farm itself which plays a huge role creating the perfect countryside escape, with livestock basking in the lustrous scenery.

With so many homely features on offer, the campsite provides a place to stay for even the most basic campervans; all you need is a bed in the back and you’re away. 

Jubilee Caravan Park,Stixwould Road,Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire

If you are slightly put off by stepping in the occasional cow pat, being just out of reach from a supermarket or struggle to create your own adventure in the wild outdoors, then maybe Jubilee Caravan Park is the right campsite for you.

The campsite is situated in the grounds of the town’s park and is ran by the council which doesn’t sound hugely appealing. Amazingly though the campsite is such a hive of activity that you soon forget about your craving for picturesque landscapes and are too busy playing tennis, at the pitch and putt or relaxing in the heated swimming pool.

Yes, the Jubilee Caravan Park is filled with some great features which may seem a little cheesy to the hardened camper but appeal hugely to the masses. Fortunately, the site still has a subtle appeal, never overly loud and still picturesque, with the local town providing a place for further exploration.

Masons Campsite, Ainhams House, Appletreewick, Skipton

Masons Campsite provides the best of both worlds, a rural escape with a side order of convenience; quite literally, as staff from the local shop arrive each morning with fresh eggs, sausage and bacon, all made locally of course.

If the smell of freshly cooked bacon isn’t enough to sell this site to you then maybe the stunning location right in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales will. With two pubs located just up the road and plenty of space for activities, the campsite provides a taste of the good life with a dash of comfort and convenience.

Three more to check out, soon your weekends will be filled with camping adventures! Forget Ibiza and Magaluf when you can get back to basics and relax in the beautiful landscapes the UK has to offer. Stay tuned for part 3…

www.leisurehubs.com

  

Campervan Hire

Hiring a campervan leads to a world of exploration, nothing beats the convenience and excitement of being able to pull up the handbrake, spend a day at the beach or stunning British countryside, sleep all night in the safety and comfort of a luxury camper and do the say the next day in another great location.

This kind of freedom cannot be achieved through any other method of travel or accommodation, nothing else allows you to travel and live in comfort using the same vehicle.

Of course not everyone has the space or funds to make a lifetime purchase like a brand new camper, but still love the idea of taking a van away for weeks or even months at a time.

Campervan hire is a popular market, deterring from the social norms of purchasing hotels and transport, it rolls both into one and creates a totally new experience; adventure.

At Leisure Hubs we have some of the most luxurious campervans on the market sitting outside our workshop in Birmingham, so why not let people enjoy them?

We’re offering a brand new campervan hire service which promises a premium travelling experience and a unique service for customers flying in from aboard.

For UK customers hiring a campervan is simple, after a few easy steps you can be on your travels, enjoying our stunning conversion with friends and family.

For customers overseas, hiring a camper in the UK can be a daunting process but after the legalities of international driving licenses and insurance are resolved, we offer a service which allows you to relax as soon as you land.

Situated just a short drive from Birmingham International airport, if you choose Leisure Hubs Campervan Hire, we can pick you up from the airport, hand over the keys to your new home for the next few weeks and point you in the right direction of hundreds of the UK’s best locations.

The beauty of this service really lies in the location; based in Birmingham we are equidistant from the UK’s tourist hot spots. Travelling to London then Cornwall, then Norfolk and back to Birmingham poses no problem when your starting point is central.

With all this in mind, it’s up to you get your UK tour on the way! Maybe you just want luxury accommodation at a festival with friends, take a road trip across the whole of the UK or Europe or maybe fly in from abroad and experience Britain in all its glory; whatever you decide, contact us and take the first step on the road to adventure.   

Where to Camp?

Ok so we've spent the last few months concentrating on our vans and kitchen pods and thanks to your much appreciated comments we have established conversion designs and kitchen pods to the highest spec.

Now our workshop is filled with the hustle and bustle of customers vans ready for conversion along with our own campers for hire, we thought it time to reflect on the amazing places the UK and Europe has to offer; what use is a camper conversion if your not going to use it?

With premium comfort, a Leisure Hubs camper provides a service like no other as it allows a sturdy and safe environment which allows you to visit areas where traditional camping would be uncomfortable, such as the harsh weather conditions of the Scottish Highlands or Snowdonia.

Combining limitless camping opportunities and utmost comfort, over the next few blogs we’ll be taking a look at some of the best camping spots the UK and Europe has to offer…

Glendaruel, Argyll

Beautifully picturesque it is hard not to spend your entire camping trip standing in amazement at the lustrous scenery, which wouldn't look out of place in a fairytale.

Of course standing in awe of the scenery is not the only thing worth doing in Glendaruel, the campsite offers a sense of adventure, more than just an open space for tents and campers, the site offers beautiful woodland and surrounding hills, ideal for those who love to explore.

Also, the site is the perfect getaway for children during summer, as the village hall plays host to a range of activities spanning football and martial arts to film making and discovery days.

Pont-y-Pant, Dolwyddelan, Conwy

For a true representation of the amazing Welsh countryside, Pont-y-plant is rife with wildlife…the sheep variety mainly.

Perfectly kept by the wooly inhabitants means the campsite remains perfectly picturesque all year round and if you don’t mind the occasional bleet or baa, the site is a peaceful escape.

Not far from Snowdon, the campsite and its surrounding area is a hive of activity with fire pits for you to get back to basics, a river and local amenities just a couple of miles from the site.

Burnham Deepdale, Norfolk   

Situated near the north Norfolk coastline, the Deepdale Farm, in Burnham Deepdale is an amazing British getaway which is said to be best experienced during Autumn, a rarity for most campsites to even be open.

During Autumn it appears that Deepdale Farm is brimming with natural splendour and is close to two local pubs, a supermarket and a range of great places to eat, offering the adventure of the great outdoors as well as the convenience of home. 

Stay tuned for our next blog which will delve even deeper into the UK’s best campsites.  

Campervans for Sale

As you may have noticed, we are selling three of our campervan conversions to give us a little more space in the workshop to be working on customer’s vans.

Our three vans for sale plus a customers van ready for conversion outside our office in Tyseley, Birmingham

Two of the vans are done and dusted and have done the rounds at various shows and generated a lot of interest; especially our Toffee Brown T5 which featured in this month’s Campervan and Commercial magazine.

With so much on offer we thought we’d deliver you a brief guide to the campervans for sale, as our latest delivery, the T5 Transporter 4Motion is yet to be converted.

We’ll begin with the 4Motion as it is the latest addition to our workshop. Currently we are working on several vans for customers and so the 4Motion is still patiently waiting to be ‘tarted up’ by our craftsmen.

This is great news for anyone interested in purchasing a brand new van, as we can bespoke the van to your exact specifications rather then buying an already converted design.

As a standard van the 4Motion includes: Xenon headlights, cab comfort pack, leather steering wheel, gearknob and gaiter, door mirrors, tailgate with window, body coloured bumpers, heated rear window with wash/wipe, cruise control, fog lights and air con.

As well as a huge choice of interior designs, the full converted van can include (but not limited to): tinted side windows, Kenwood VW double din stereo with rear camera, Rockford Fosgate sound system with upgraded door speaker, amp and removable subwoofer, PUNF insulation, sound deadening barrier matting, Altro floor, real wood veneer furniture with Corian work surfaces with swing out table, Led dimmable downlights, Webasto diesel heater with timer, motorised pop up 19” TV, Combi hob and sink unit with hot and cold water, 39 litre drawer fridge with Corian fascia, built in window curtains, USB charging ports, heated rainforest/surf shower, Bebb certified bed system and under bed storage, passenger swivel turntable, plus more

Next up we have the Toffee Brown T5 Transporter Campervan Conversion. This design featured in this month’s Campervan and Commercial magazine and was hugely flattered in the write up which we were very pleased with. 

The van features a stunning two tone quilted leather interior and a range of features which make life in the great outdoors all the more comfortable including: tinted side windows, Kenwood VW double din, Rockford Fosgate sound system with upgraded door speaker, subwoofer and amp, sheep’s wool insulation, sound deadening barrier matting, Altro floor, full leather dashboard, door trims and headliner, resprayed matching cab interior, twin swivel two tone leather seat, side facing electric bed, U shaped real wood veneer furniture, full length wardrobe with a curved door, Corian work surfaces, Motorised drop down Nespresso coffee maker, pop up power and USB plug, vanity cabinet with drop down door in Sycamore veneer, top loading Dometic 39 litre fridge, Can hob and sink combo, Tambour doors and generous storage for deck chairs, BBQ etc underneath the hob and sink unit.

If that wasn’t enough, we are selling the first van we converted, the originator of the surf shower and all round stunner packed with features.

Our Black T5 Transporter is at the forefront of campervan design, with features such as: tinted side windows, Kenwood double din stereo with rear camera, Rockford Fosgate sound system with upgraded door speaker, subwoofer and am, PUNF insulation, sound deadening barrier matting, Altro floor, real wood veneer furniture with Corian work surfaces with swing out table, LED dimmable downlights, Webasto diesel heater with timer, motorised pop up 19” TV, Combi hob and sink unit with hot and cold water, 39 litre drawer fridge with Corian facsia, built in window curtains, USB charging ports, heated rainforest shower, Bebb certified bed system with leather trim and under bed storage, leather captains seats and passenger swivel turntable.

If you’re looking for a newly converted van or have a design in your head for your own personalised conversion, then check out our vans on our website, eBay and Pistonheads listings.

Introducing Our Brand New Kitchen Pod - The Gala

Camper Pamper is growing nicely and our range of precision designed kitchen pods are proving a big hit amongst campers, especially the unique finishes we can provide.

Our latest pod is a variation of the very popular Colina unit, combining all the practical elements of the pod, the brand new Gala pod includes a larger storage cupboard and carry grab handles, making it easy to shift from one place to another.

With a huge range of finishes and contrasting worktops, and compatible with a range of Smev or Can hob/sink combos, the brand new kitchen pod can be customised to your specification at an affordable price of £375 (without appliances).

- Stylish contemporary design

- Available in Limed Ash, Metallic Black, Washed Limed Oak, Walnut, Floral Pattern Black Gloss, Gloss White, Plain Black and Orange

- Unit top available in Corian or laminated ply in a range of colour options

- Dimensions: width 1000mm, depth 565mm, height 770mm

- Waeco CR50 refridgerator (available with matching fascia panel)

- 9222 Smev hob and 2 ring hob/sink combo (optional)

- Push catch mechanism on doors and drawers

- Easy to carry handles (optional)

- Door handles with anodised finish

- Easy to install  

Take a look at our complete range on our website!

We've Been Featured!

This month we are very pleased to be featured in VW Camper and Commercial Magazine across 4 glorious pages.

The article concentrates on how we got started, our development and our Toffee Brown T5 which is currently for sale!

A big thank you goes to the magazine for believing us to be worthy of such a detailed and flattering article.

Make sure you go out and grab your copy now! Or alternatively stay in and get a digital copy only; either way give the article a read and tell us what you think!

You can purchase a copy from VW Camper and Commercial Magazine.