Chaletvan – The Chaletvan

This is a one of a kind van. It's like having a big golden retriever puppy with you - it will make you and everyone who meets you smile.

I've been the proud owner of this van since 2017. It was designed and made by the late and lovely Barry Stimson, who was making kit cars and quirky campers long before they became hipster cool. This one was the outcome of a challenge raised to him by his wife, Caroline. Could he make a campervan in the style of a Swiss Chalet? He could.

The van has been around Europe with me, up to Scotland and down to Cornwall. It's not one of your all-singing all-dancing, swish apartments on wheels vans, it is camping on wheels, which is how I like it. You hear the rain on the roof, and while you can cook up coffee from the comfort of your van, if it's sunny just take the camping stove or bbq and cook outside. Sponge washes or shower and swim where you can. I do have a USB portable shower but I've never used it. I recently bought a shower curtain and rod though to attach to the back of the van so feel free to try it out!

It has a coolbox, not a fridge, and that keeps your food cool for a couple of days away but you'd struggle at Glastonbury for a week in a heatwave. There's no A.C. so when it's hot you crack the window and skylight, and I've a little USB fan that's surprisingly powerful. There's plenty of room to stand, dance, hang up wetsuits, have a dog or baby in a cot. There's no bike rack but we have taken two bikes to Cornwall before and simply locked them outside the van at night. The bed is 1m20 wide and 1m80(ish) long, so it's fine if you're not extremely tall or you don't mind spooning.

I like that the van has tinted windows at the back so you can see out when you're reversing but no one can see in (unless they really stick their nose to the glass). I fitted a new radio/cd/bluetooth stereo so that you can have spotify on the go. To me the van is the perfect size, not too small and not too big. It really is the Goldilocks van: just right. This winter I've just added a diesel heater so you can use it all year round.