Just a word of warning.

Be careful about how much any electrical appliances draw, especially if using an electric kettle, TV, Remoska, fridge and heating as on some sites you could trip the EHU bollard. Best to check when booking in.

Thanks again for all your advice.
Once I'm able to get into town, I'll certainly be getting a wee oil filled heater. We always use propane, and our kettle is a low voltage type. Currently, it doesn't look as if we'll be going anywhere soon - the motorways around here have all been closed by snow, it has snowed constantly for 48 hours, and the windchill is crazy. We've been right in the centre of the red alert zone, so to all Eriba-ists in the new red alert zone in the south west - hold on to your hats!

I think we're almost the odd ones out on here, sleeping often with the roof closed. I am a light sleeper and it really cuts down the noise. We leave a couple of windows on "vent".

Sleeping with the roof down is fine, it reduces light pollution in the morning, reduces exterior sound, means less heat loss and a smaller volume of space to heat as well.

The downside is remembering the roof is down when you get up to avoid cracking your head on it whilst bleary eyed. Unless you're short, of course, when you don't really need to raise the roof ever.

But why do they say that?

The roof 'ventilator' is there, whether it's open or closed and the dealers supply insulation to fit round the canvas these days, so that can't be critical to ventilation.

....and what do they mean by ‘forced’ referring to ventilators?

I think it may be a translation issue Tony. I suspect a closer English definition would be 'standing ventilation' i.e the vents in the floor and poptop (and in the door on older models) that keep air changes happening when the van is buttoned up. I believe there are regulations about vans having vents to enable such air changes to happen, though I'm not sure if they specify an amount of opening in the structure or just a number of air changes per hour, leaving the designer to build in what they feel will reach that requirement.

Maybe Hymer include air permeating the canvas as part of that circulation calculation, which then begs the question about the recently introduced insulating strips.

Yes, definitely hardy, quirky and eccentric!

I suppose it also depends on how much gas one gives off. We are very fragrant people! We're also short so don't crack our heads.

Someone tell that bear in the background that he should be in the woods😄