January Newsletter

Bob and Wendy
2 days ago
5 min read

Welcome to the first newsletter of 2026. We hope you had a wonderful festive break (thank gawd that's over) and we wish you all a Happy New Year.

In this month's edition we have the results of the Orange Woolly Hat Draw for NEC Show tickets. Read on to see if you have won! We also have a few more details about the February NEC Motorhome Show, which is only a few weeks away.

Our main piece of news however, is that even though we have only just got used to the idea that it is 2026, we have now officially opened the bookings for the 2027 Season. I know - 2027 already! Read on for full details.

As usual we have another “cut out and keep” (calorie-conscious for the New Year diet) recipe and this month’s motorhome tips are about...

2027 Tour Schedule - Bookings Now Open

We are pleased to announce that bookings are now officially open for 2027.

Previews of all of the tours were sent with your email reminder last month and we have sent the link again this month. Remember that as newsletter readers you always get to see the previews first. This allows us to give you first dibs on the new tours before they go live on the website next month.

As we teased the schedule last month we have already had a great deal of interest in 2027. Regular readers will know that our most popular tours usually fill up quickly, so if you see anything you fancy, please act quickly.

In a nutshell, here is a list of the tours:

The Baltic States
Northern Spain & Portugal
France Grand Tour
The Swiss & French Alps
Sweden & The Arctic Circle
Croatia & Slovenia
Lake Garda & Venice

If you would like to book for 2027, please do so via our website here: https://www.crossingsmotorhometours.com/book-now

If you do want a chat about any of the tours, or need a bit more information before you decide, then please contact us. We are available over this weekend if you wanted to strike while the iron is hot!

NEC Motorhome Show February 2026

The NEC Motorhome Show in February is only about five weeks away. It doesn't half come around quickly. We will be in Hall 4 on Stand 4110 and would love to see you there. Cookies on Tuesday and Wednesday (for customers only). Please come and make a mess in front of the stand!

As usual we will be doing one of our talks at the Inspiration Theatre. Despite doing my best to get "cancelled" they keep asking us back. I am still after that job at on Masterchef!

This year's talk is all about Spain. Our first ever European motorhome trip was to Spain - just after the horrendously cold winter of 2010 and the massive ash cloud that grounded all the planes (remember that?) The talk will be a whistle-stop tour of all of our favourite bits from Barcelona and the Pyrenees in the north, through the central planes to the "costas" on the east and all the way down to Almeria and Granada in the south and lots in-between. As usual, there will be lots of bad jokes interspersed with some genuinely useful information and inspirational photos from our own travels.

We would be really pleased so see some familiar faces in the modest crowds that our talks attract, so please come along if you are attending. The provisional time slots are below:

Tuesday: 1.45 - 2.15
Wednesday: 12.00 - 12.30
Thursday: 1.45 - 2.15
Friday: 11.15 - 11.45
Saturday: 3.15 - 3.45
Sunday: Day off (although I may be on the graveyard slot from 4.00 - 4.30)

The Orange Woolly Hat Draw

We are pleased to announce the winners of the life-changing woolly hat draw. Winners receive a pair of free tickets for any day of the show. Free parking is included.

We will contact you all separately by email to explain how to get hold of your tickets.

Congratulations to all the winners and we look forward to seeing you at the show.

Coq au Van (the amusingly titled recipe feature)

Skillet Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon ground pepper, divided
1 pound baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved lengthwise
¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 large lemon, sliced and seeds removed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, plus more for garnish
6 cups baby kale

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle trimmed chicken thighs with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, halved potatoes and the remaining ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper to the pan. Reduce heat to medium and cook the potatoes, cut-side down, until browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in ¾ cup broth, lemon slices, minced garlic and 1 tablespoon tarragon; bring to a boil over medium heat. Return the chicken to the pan.
Transfer the pan to the oven. Roast until the chicken is cooked through (165°F) and the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and add 6 cups kale to the lemon mixture in the skillet (use caution; the handle will be hot). Cook, stirring, over medium heat until the kale has wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Nestle the chicken back into the pan. Garnish with tarragon, if desired.

Motorhoming Tips

As it has gone bloody cold and snowy in parts, this months tips are about winter storage. I know that lots of you use your vans all year around and in my opinion, this is the best thing to do. However, not everyone can (or wants to) use the van in the winter. If your van has been laid up for a while, think about:

Periodically starting the engine up and letting it run for a bit. Better still, go for a drive.
If you are not going for a run, then move the van a little bit to stop your tyres squaring off. Some folks put a bit of extra air in the tyres while in storage for this reason.
Store your van under cover if you can. If not, consider putting covers on things e.g. windscreens, wheels. Maybe even a breathable cover for the whole van (although I know the jury is out on that one).
Try and block vents etc to prevent any unwanted guests getting in. It is usually mice and they can do a lot of damage.
Leave the handbrake off (if safe to do so) so that the brakes don't stick on.
Check the van regularly to make sure nothing untoward has happened to it while it has been sitting.
Look forward to the Spring!

Keep in touch

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Please feel free to contact us at any time. When we are away, calls will bounce to our mobiles at no expense to yourself.

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