Geraldine’s two sons Paul and Jamie outside the Airstream in the Lake District
The Airstream 684 is so sumptuous that it promises to coax ardent urbanites into the great outdoors, writes Geraldine Herbert
Camping and caravan holidays are still a favourite choice for many and for families who love the great outdoors they have been providing cheap and accessible accommodation for the summer holidays for decades. But the attraction is lost on me, it’s probably fair to say I hate camping; my idea of roughing it is staying in a hotel without room service.
I go on holidays to get away from the world, not to use communal toilet blocks, cook on a stove or be tormented by a colony of biting or stinging insects. Many years ago a week spent on a sweltering Greek campsite cured me of any desire to sleep out under the stars, and these days I regularly enjoy the splendour of the natural world in much more cosseted surroundings.
So when an invitation popped into my inbox to try out a new “CamperVan” in the Lake District my first reaction was one of horror. But that was before I saw the Airstream 684 international, all resplendent in luxury with those sliver curves and sumptuous interior undermining those resolutions made all those years ago to never voluntarily rough it again.
the luxurious interior
Who knew camping could be this cool and it was news to me that Airstream has been making lavish campers with Iconic styling for decades.
My two young sons, were captivated by the thoughts of living in the great outdoors and their pester power, crumbled any residual resistance. I just had to convince my other half who was still as traumatised by the Greece experience.
Some weeks and much persuasion later, in mid autumn we were zipping up the M6 toward Penrith in the new Range Rover Sport to our campsite overlooking Lake Ulswater.
On first sight, against the backdrop of a rugged Cumbrian sun-set, the Airstream was a truly breath-taking object of beauty, its shimmering exterior and curved structure evoking a dream of the open road where you could be at one with Nature but enjoy all the creature comforts in an elegant, if expensive, package.
Inside, it is beautiful and is the very epitome of laid-back chic with two TV screens with satellite TV, a full size double bed and a conventional oven. As well as a spacious fridge freezer the Airstream is also equipped with a kitchen sink with corian worktops, a leather upholstered seating area and more than enough storage. Our chemical toilet was tucked away inside a tiny but perfectly formed bathroom with a powerful shower but even more importantly for a cool autumn night, effective central heating enhanced by excellent thermal insulation.
Designed to sleep four my two boys had a wonderful nights sleep on the double bed, we however pulled the short straw and had to make up the sofa bed. Overall it was adequate but by the third night the level of discomfort experienced did chip away at the glamping illusion.
We spent a wonderful couple of days driving through the heart of the Lake district, the Range Rover Sport proving the ideal choice of car on the windy climbs past Windermere and then west towards the infamous Selafield nuclear reprocessing plant, to Muncaster Castle, the ancient seat of the Pennington Family since 1282 where we met the engaging Lord Pennington, who runs a large rare bird sanctuary. My seven year old Paul was particular enamoured with a Grey Owl called “Ashe” but it was a pair of vultures that the staff were keen to promote as greatly misunderstood creatures that won the heart of my youngest, Jamie.
Our Range Rover Sport was put to the test on more than one occasion over the few days but no more so than on the Hardknot to Wrynose Pass. The route described as the most challenging road in the UK, is a very narrow and twisting, road and at some points has a severe gradient of 30% but it is worth driving if only to see the what remains of the Roman walls and the Fort built by Emperor Hadrian to defend against the Scots.
The Airstream is an amazing vehicle; in gleaming aluminium it is a dazzling object of iconic beauty with great charm, character and luxury. Equally dazzling is its price tag, starting at €85,000. While I thoroughly enjoyed our Lake District adventure I still remain convinced that the definition of the “ideal break” is a soothing bath, room to stretch out and a comfortable bed.
For further information on an Airstream, contact Adventure Leisure Vehicles at http://www.adventurelv.com
We drove a Range Rover Sport Autobiography Dynamic kindly provided by Land Rover UK
The Quiet Site (www.thequietsite.co.uk) in the Lake District is open all year round and is well located for exploring the area.
Geraldine Herbert
19th November, 2016
