How the Trouvaille High Roof Pop Top with Shower handled a heatwave in North Yorkshire
- 4 days ago
- 7 min read
There's nothing quite like putting a campervan properly to the test.
Not just showing it off in the workshop or on an Open Day or a show.
We mean actually packing it up with the kids, Jack the dog, food for the trip, a kayak, bikes, BBQ gear and everything else that somehow finds its way into a family holiday!
For our latest Tomlin family trip, we took our Trouvaille Classique MWB High Roof with the Atek Pop Top and Shower up to North Yorkshire for a few days away in the middle of a heatwave.
It was hot, sunny and the kind of trip where shade, cold drinks, river swims and a shower in your own ‘van suddenly feel like absolute luxuries.
Watch Richard’s real-life campervan setup for a family of four, complete with awning, bikes and all the gear.
Our first night at Castle Howard
The first night of our trip was at Castle Howard. It was very hot and (in all honesty), it was really just a field with some basic facilities. Sometimes that's all you need for a simple stopover, but in that kind of heat, we were definitely ready for somewhere with a bit more shade the next day.
The best bit was walking Jack by the lake and looking over towards Castle Howard. It was such a beautiful view and a lovely way to start the trip.
That's one of the things we always love about travelling in a 5.4 metre ‘van. You can move around easily, stop somewhere for a night, pack up without a fuss and head on to the next place when you're ready.
A shady riverside pitch at Sleningford Watermill
From Castle Howard, we headed to Sleningford Watermill. Luckily, given the heatwave, we had a really spacious shady pitch. It made such a difference, especially with the boys and Jack needing somewhere cooler to hide from the sun.
We blew up our kayak pretty much as soon as we arrived, and the river became our cooling spot for the next 48 hours. While the boys, Richard and Jack headed off in the kayak, I swam in the river. It was lovely and cool, and it was such a beautiful place to be. In weather like that, being able to spend the day by the water felt like pure bliss.
Richard had the awning out too, but even when it was only a little bit breezy, he still strapped it down. It's one of those little practical things that makes a big difference. It wasn't windy, but a gust can still lift an awning, so it's always worth taking the time to secure it properly.
BBQs, fridge space and no supermarket faff
Our lovely friend Bernie lives nearby, so she joined us for a BBQ. We cooked outside on our Cadac using the gas BBQ point, which really makes mealtimes feel easy when you're away. We could cook outside, keep the mess out of the ‘van and enjoy being in the shade by the river.
Bernie couldn't believe how much food we had managed to fit in our fridge, but I assured her it wouldn't last long with our lot!
The 90-litre fridge is ideal for trips where you want to pre-plan meals and not be bothered with supermarket trips. When you're only away for a few days, there's something really lovely about arriving with everything you need already packed, so you can just settle in.
It meant we could stay by the river, swim, kayak, cook outside and enjoy the pitch rather than spending time driving off to find shops.
The shower really came into its own
One of the new additions to our brand new demo is the shower, and it was fantastic after our river swimming. There's something very lavish about getting out of the river and showering off in your own ‘van!
We haven't had a shower in the ‘van before, so this was the first proper test for us as a family. It's one of those features where you might wonder how much you would use it until you actually have it, and after swimming in the river, we can see the appeal.
The spacious pod feels luxurious, and the diesel-electric combination heater took care of the plentiful hot water. It also powers the heating, although unusually we definitely did not need that on this trip.
The shower pod has been designed to be really practical as well as comfortable. The toilet lifts out, giving you lots of room. The shower space is generous, and the vent helps move the moisture out after use. Even with the pop top bed above, the ventilation has been carefully thought through, so the shower still works brilliantly in the High Roof with Pop Top with Shower option added.
The shower made the whole trip feel easier. We could swim, kayak, let Jack get in the river and then all get cleaned up without needing to queue for campsite showers or traipse across a field with towels.
Keeping cool in the heat
The heatwave also really gave the ‘van a good test. We had booked the electric hook-up pitch at Sleningford Watermill, but we didn't need to use it because the solar and lithium set-up kept everything going. Even with the fridge working hard in the warm weather, the batteries were still performing brilliantly.
That's exactly why we like testing our demonstrators in real life – it's one thing to talk about off-grid capability, but it's another thing entirely to use it through a hot bank holiday with a family, a dog, a full fridge and everyone going in and out of the ‘van all day!
We also had the back doors open to let the fresh air through, and the High Roof with Pop Top MWB helped with airflow overnight too. The fridge is also back vented, which helps keep heat out of the living space. Compressor fridges can vent inside the ‘van, but in very hot weather, you don't necessarily want that extra heat inside, especially at night. It's another one of those little details that you really notice when you are using the ‘van properly – and we've thought about in our design.
The boys loved the pop top
The boys loved taking shelter from the sun in the pop top. They slept well in the new, spacious bed and were very happy to have more room to move around. There was a lot less fighting over bed space, which is always a win on a family trip.
Richard slept up there with Billy one night and said it felt huge. Until you climb up there and actually get in it, you don't fully realise how big the space is. Because the bed uses the width and length of the ‘van so well, it feels much more spacious than people often expect.
It also lets a lovely breeze through the ‘van at night, which was very welcome in the heat.
If there were only two of you travelling and you didn't want to make up the downstairs bed, you could quite happily climb upstairs and sleep in the pop top instead.
For families, it gives that extra sleeping space that makes such a difference, but it's also a lovely option even when you are travelling as a couple!
Jack also slept happily under the ground floor double bed on this trip, as it was nice and cool for him under there.
Our final stop at Beacon Alpacas
Our final stop was our friend Jacki’s alpaca farm, Beacon Alpacas. Her campsite is currently in development, but in the meantime, because we can camp fully off-grid with our solar and lithium, we just stayed over in her field.
The weather was slightly cooler by this point, and Jack loved meeting her dogs, Mabel and Isla, and the boys loved them too. We did an alpaca walk with some other people, and there was even a lady from New Mexico who has followed Jacki for years through her regular appearances on The Yorkshire Vet. It just shows how far the alpaca love travels!
We then had our third BBQ of the holiday, with our good friend Liz joining us too from her nearby farm. It was such a lovely gathering and a very special way to finish the trip.
The boys entertained themselves with the hay bales, where they searched for hen’s eggs. They found two eggs that they got to bring home the next morning, which was a very happy ending for them.
A final bed swap and a little extra space
When the night came to a close, there was a bit of a bed swap. Charlie slept with me downstairs, and Billy and Richard slept upstairs. Jack also decided to jump on the bed because he wanted some comfort, so I popped my pillow up on the driver’s swivelled seat to extend the bed space.
It turns out that little trick is not just for tall clients after all!
That's what we love about using our own ‘vans as a family. You find all the real-life details that really matter. You learn what works when everyone is tired at the end of a hot day and see how the layout handles dogs, children, BBQs, wet towels, river swims, food storage, bedtime swaps and the usual chaos of family travel.
And that's exactly why we keep testing, tweaking and improving!
What this trip in the Trouvaille High Roof Pop Top taught us
This trip was such a good reminder of why design and innovation matter so much in a compact camper. The High Roof with Pop Top gave us flexible sleeping space, proper standing room, a comfortable shower, hot water, strong off-grid capability and enough storage to still bring the chairs, table, kayak, bikes and family essentials.
It handled the heatwave brilliantly; kept us comfortable, gave the boys space, gave Jack somewhere cool to sleep. And it meant we could shower after the river, cook outside, stay off-grid and move easily between three very different stops.
From Castle Howard, to Sleningford Watermill, to Beacon Alpacas, it's well and truly passed the Tomlin test. And yes, we will definitely be returning soon to help Jacki build the campsite!
Come and see the High Roof with Pop Top and Shower for yourself
If you would like to see the Trouvaille High Roof with Pop Top and Shower (or any of our 'vans) in person, the best thing to do is come and visit us at the workshop.
You can look around the ‘vans properly, see live builds in progress, meet the team and chat through what might work best for the way you want to travel.
Book a workshop tour with us and you'll also get a free Orange Campers mug set as a little thank you from us. It's the best way to see the innovation, design and quality that goes into every Orange Campers build, and to understand how our compact campers can open up life changing possibilities for you too.
Please note: Information in this blog was correct at the time of publishing. Links, offers, specifications and product availability may change over time.
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