Now that Spring is around the corner, many of us will be planning our next trip in the van! You’re probably already thinking about where you’ll want to go, so now it’s time to plan where you’ll park up and stay.
First and foremost, it’s important to think about what you want from your campsite. Would you prefer somewhere smaller, quieter and more exclusive or do you enjoy a social experience? Do you want somewhere with a bit of luxury, or are you happy to go wild and rough it?
If you’re planning in advance, websites like searchforsites.co.uk , coolcamping.com and The Camping and Caravanning Club are really good places to search for campsites by specific requirements. You can search their directories by location, facilities and price. You can also post in Facebook groups like ‘Campervan Overnight Parking’ and forums like our personal fave page VW California Club to ask other campers for their opinions.
If you like to do things last minute and you’re already on the move, park4night.com is great to have on your phone. It has pictures and reviews to help you decide – just remember that camping sites are a matter of taste, so your perfect pitch won’t always be the same as someone else’s!
There’s also pricing to consider. Whilst you might need a hook up to power the van, you can’t beat a free parking spot! Brit Stops is a goldmine for this sort of thing – it’s a directory with hundreds of centres, vineyards, farm shops etc that offer free park-up for campervans and motorhomes. To get membership to their website, you just need to buy the latest edition of the book (£28 + P&P) when it comes out..
Finally – don’t forget the power of word-of-mouth. Ask friends/family/colleagues if they’ve ever been camping or if they’ve got a camper van. It’s the best way to find testimonials you trust and you’ll probably be surprised at how many like-minded people you have around you!
Our favourite UK site is Steeple Leaze Farm in Wareham – a working farm two miles from the abandoned village of Tyneham and four miles from Corfe Castle. It’s spit and sawdust -you’re allowed to light campfires and they come round selling mind-blowing cider!
We asked our Facebook followers for their recommendations and were bowled over by the responses. Cornwall came up a few times with special mentions going out to Trevone Bay and Gwithian Farm. In Wales, people recommend Newgale Beach and Hook Farm, Marloes. Others commented on East Creech in Dorset and the River Dart in Devon. Over the channel, Le Lac de Sanguinet and l’Orangerie de Beauregard were mentioned.