May Newsletter
- Bob and Wendy
- May 4
- 6 min read
Welcome to the May edition of the newsletter, which marks the start of the 2025 touring season. We have three tours going out this month. Colin and Sue (our resident sun magnets) are already out with the first tour of the year and we have an update on that later. Mainly it is an excuse to show lots of springtime pictures!
We also have another in our "spotlight on.." series where we showcase one of the next year's tours. This month we are looking at Tuscany & Rome (pictured).
As usual we have another “cut out and keep” recipe and this month’s motorhome tips are about wing mirrors (a bit random I know, but prompted by a recent run in with a pheasant).
2026 Tours and the 2026 Brochure
First though it's time for the blatant sales pitch! As you may know, we are now taking bookings for 2026. Details of the 2026 schedule are now available on the website here:
Our talented Dutch designer lady has just finished the 2026 Tour Brochure so that will also make its way onto the website later this month. Please keep your eyes peeled for that.
As always, if you see something you fancy, the easiest thing to do is message us or call us and we will be happy to have an informal chat.
Three-Country Taster Tour 2025
As I write, our Three-Country Taster Tour is in Alkmaar, just north of Amsterdam. This tour focuses on the Netherlands with some time spent in Luxembourg and France. We will have a full tour report in next month's edition. In the meantime, Colin and Sue have sent through some photos to whet our appetites.
We are looking forward to seeing the rest of the photos from the tour and there will be a much fuller report next month.
Spotlight On...Tuscany & Rome 2026
Our Tuscany & Rome Tour will be having another run out after a very successful first outing last year. The purpose of these "Spotlight on" sections is NOT to re-write the brochure. If you want to read that, you can do it here: https://www.crossingsmotorhometours.com/tuscany-rome-2026
No - the idea of this section if for us to pick out our own personal highlights of the trip.
I am going to start with Lake Iseo (which of course is nowhere near either Tuscany or Rome). The reason I mention it is that it is one of our extended stops on the way down. The route goes down through Switzerland through the valleys with the mighty Alps all around. When we get to Italy, our first stop is on right on the shores of the lake. Iseo is perhaps one of the lesser-known Italian lakes, but perhaps one of the most beautiful.
My next choice is the Renaissance city of Lucca, just 30 minutes by train from Pisa (where we also visit on this tour). Lucca is a classic example of a walled town with the intact ramparts surrounding the centre. You can walk a full circuit on top of the tree-lined walls cutting in at any point to enjoy the cobbled streets and squares within. As you might expect, the old town in the centre is packed with restaurants, cafes and boutique shops.
My next recommendation is for a relaxing drive through the rolling hills of the Chianti wine region. Here you will come across the distinctive conical-shaped Cyprus trees that line the quite rural roads. From time to time you will encounter a small hill-top village and of course, lots of vineyards.
My pick of the hillside towns would be San Gimignano, where our tour stops for a couple of nights. The old town is pedestrianised and therefore almost completely un-spoilt. It is known as the City of Five Towers although in Medieval times, it boasted 72 towers! The ones that remain define the skyline of this small city, which is easily accessible on foot and offers great 360 degree views of the surrounding Tuscan countryside.
In terms of bigger cities the tour spends in time near Florence, Pisa and Rome. They are all brilliant, but I am going to pick out Pisa. Best known for its leaning tower (which you can go up), the town is almost split into two halves with the tower and surrounding palaces on one side of the river and the old town on the other. Lots of visitors miss out the old town, which I think is a mistake. We would highly recommend wandering around the network of narrow streets and take time to enjoy a coffee (from the home of coffee).
My final recommendation is when you go to Rome, go to all the usual stuff (obviously) but also consider a night-time guided tour. Our group did it last time and reported back that they saw the city in a very different light (literally) to seeing it in the day. Above, you can see the Coliseum all lit up. It will look even better when the finish building it.
Our Tuscany & Rome Tour runs from 4th to 28th September 2026. If you would like an informal chat about the tour, please get in touch. If you would like to book, you can do so here: https://www.crossingsmotorhometours.com/book-now
Sponsored abseil off Coventry Cathedral
Just a reminder that Wendy and I will be throwing ourselves off Coventry Cathedral later this year. We will be attached to a rope and it is for charity. If you would like to sponsor us, full details of the charity and what they do can be found here:
Thanks to those who have already donated. Please mention our names if you donate.
Coq au Van (the amusingly titled recipe feature)
One-pot bacon, spinach and tomato pasta
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
4 rashers smoked back bacon, cut into roughly 1.5cm/⅝in slices
1 garlic clove, finely sliced
¼ tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)
900ml/1½ pint vegetable or chicken stock, made with 1 stock cube
250g/9oz dried spaghetti
150g/5½oz cherry tomatoes, halved
100g/3½oz young spinach leaves
50g/1¾oz Parmesan, finely grated
freshly ground black pepper
Method
Heat half the oil in a wide casserole or frying pan. (You can also cook this in a large saucepan, but you may need to break the spaghetti in half to make it fit later.)
Fry the sliced bacon over a medium heat for 1½–2 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining oil, garlic and chilli, if using, and cook for a few seconds, stirring constantly.
Add the stock and bring to the boil. Add the pasta and stir well. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When the pasta is tender, but there is still plenty of liquid in the pan, add the tomatoes and spinach leaves. Cook for 4–5 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft, but holding their shape and nearly all the liquid has been absorbed.
Stir in the grated parmesan, season with black pepper and serve.
Motorhoming Tips
Last week we had an argument with a pheasant. The pheasant lost, but not before it mangled our wing mirror. This was in the car so thankfully it was not as expensive an encounter as it might have been.
It made me think two things. Number one is that it really is worth having wing mirror protectors on your van. These are molded plastic covers that slip over your existing wing mirror assembly. The ones we have are from Mirror Guard and look like Darth Vaders helmet. Buy them here: https://www.mirrorguard.co.uk/
Different versions are available from Mirror Shield and Milenco among others so it might be worth shopping around. Prices start from around £70 for a pair. Prices for a replacement wing mirror start from around £300 so take your pick.
Number two is that if you clip your mirrors and just break the glass, it is possible to just buy a replacement laser-cut mirror that simply sticks onto the top of your broken one. This is what we did with the car and it costs £8.99 rather than £180 for a whole new assembly. You honestly would not notice the difference. We used these guys: www.phoenixwingmirrors.co.uk
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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