Tips & advice

Top 20 best touring caravan sites in the UK

Struggling to choose where to stay? We’ve rounded up 20 great sites across the UK to suit all preferences

by: Auto Express

18 May 2022

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You have your caravan or motorhome, as well as all the equipment you might need, so now there’s only
one thing left to do – choose somewhere to go! Doing so means thinking about what it is you want from a campsite itself, as well as the local area.

It's worth considering what facilities you want from you campsite, as there's a wide choice on offer - from ‘wild camping’ sites, that offer somewhere to park your caravan or motorhome (and very little else), to better equipped facilities where can expect a clean toilet and shower block, plus specific areas for doing the washing up and laundry.

Once you’ve settled on the sort of facilities you’re looking for, it’s important to look at the kind of touring pitches on offer. Again, there’s a sliding scale here; starting at basic grass pitches without an electrical hook-up, all the way up to luxury hard-standing pitches that could have dedicated features, including a water outlet, chemical waste disposal or even a barbecue stand.

With thousands of campsites in the UK alone, it’ll be easy enough to find one in the kind of location that suits your holiday needs. Perhaps you want something coastal that’s a short walk to the beach, or somewhere rural with access to great walks? Woodland sites are great for mountain biking and other adventurous activities, or perhaps you’d rather stay on the edge of a bustling town or city.

Check out our list of the top 20 best touring caravan sites in the UK...

Central England

Barn Farm Camping, Derbyshire

barnfarmcamping.com

Located on the edge of the Peak District and around three miles from Matlock, Barn Farm is well placed for access to this popular national park’s attractions. The majority of the pitches are for tents and trailer tents only, so prompt booking is advised to secure one of the 13 electrical hard-standing pitches available. On site there is a laundry, shop and games room.

Chapel Fields Holiday Park, Lincolnshire

chapel-fields.co.uk

Chapel Fields is one of several caravan parks clustered on the outskirts of Chapel St Leonards. There’s a sandy beach less than a mile from the site exit, or if preferred, Skegness is 15 minutes down the coast. There are four fishing lakes on-site, plus a modern shower block with disabled access and a shop.

Forest of Dean Bracelands, Gloucestershire

campingintheforest.co.uk

This vast forest in Gloucestershire is an excellent hub for adventure sports, including mountain biking and kayaking. All of this is within easy reach of Camping in the Forest’s spacious and woodland-set Bracelands site. There are 520 pitches – a mix of grass and hard standing. There’s a shop, laundry, and a leisure battery charging point.

Fotheringhay, Northamptonshire

fotheringhaycastlefarm.co.uk

For a taste of wild camping in an easy-to-access location, look no further than Fotheringhay. It’s only a 20-minute drive from the city of Peterborough, but you wouldn’t know it, with a peaceful location overlooked by the ruins of Fotheringhay Castle. There’s no electrical hook-up, though, and the only facilities are a portaloo and a tap. However, if you feel the need to get back to civilisation, the highly-rated Falcon Inn pub is only a short walk away.

Sherwood Pines, Nottinghamshire

campingintheforest.co.uk

Sherwood’s 150-pitch facility feels new and fresh, having only been completed in 2021. This forest park is located in Mansfield and is the largest park in the East Midlands. It was once part of the ancient Sherwood forest of the Robin Hood legend and features multiple dedicated trails a few hundred metres from the camp’s exit. It’s popular with mountain bikers. Dog owners are well-served too, with an on-site wash for pooches only. Grass, hard-standing and luxury ‘hard-standing select’ pitches are available. Additional facilities include WiFi and a laundry.

West Runton Camping and Caravanning Club Site

01263 837544

You’ll find this site at a fishing village on the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, right near the West Runton beach, known for its extensive rock pools that are exposed at low tide. It’s a reasonably large site with 163 pitches. Most of these have electrical hook-up and 34 are hard standing. Facility highlights include a laundry, a shop and a children’s play area.

Northern England

Bay Ness Farm, Yorkshire

baynessfarm.co.uk

Open from mid-April to late September, Bay Ness Farm offers a stunning panoramic sea view on the North Yorkshire Moors coast. The charming seaside town of Robin Hood’s Bay is only a 30-minute walk away, while the tourist destination Whitby is 10 minutes by car. For camper vans and caravans, there are simple
grass pitches with electrical hook-up. It isn’t possible to pay on arrival, so early pre-booking is advised.

Castlerigg Hall Caravan and Camping Park, Cumbria

castlerigg.co.uk

The Lake District has no shortage of campsites, but Castlerigg Hall stands out thanks in part to the fabulous views over Derwentwater available from many of its pitches. A decent number of hard-standing touring pitches are available, ranging from a basic set-up with no electrical hook-up to fully-serviced ‘superior’ spots. The market town of Keswick is nearby, while on-site there’s a shop, café and laundry.

Coast and Castles Camping, Northumberland

coastandcastles.com

Set in the Northumberland Coast Area of Natural beauty, this site is great for anyone looking for back-to-basics camping. Facilities are limited to toilets, changing facilities and gas-powered showers, because there’s no electricity. There’s a beach less than a mile away, and the
St Oswald’s Way ancient walking route is nearby. There are only 28 pitches available for touring, so early booking is advised.

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Southern England

Golden Cap Holiday Park, Dorset

wdlh.co.uk

For exploring the Jurassic Coast, the Golden Cap Holiday Park is a great option. The village of Seatown and its sandy beach lie less than 150 metres away, while inland there’s a vast expanse of National Trust land to explore. There are 69 pitches with electrical hook-ups available, 41 of which are grass. A shop and laundry complements a children’s play area and pitch and putt.

Brighton Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite, Sussex

01273 626546

This site is less than a mile from the beach, and two miles away from Brighton. There are 152 touring pitches, and work is under way to create a further seven pitches. There is a laundry, a motorhome drive-over waste disposal and chargeable WiFi.

Folkestone Camping and Caravanning Club Site, Kent

01303 255093

A clifftop location here offers fabulous views, and there’s a 1.5-mile coastal walk for accessing Folkestone harbour. The site offers 40 pitches for motorhomes only – towed caravans are not permitted due to the tricky access road, but there are plenty of suitable alternatives located nearby.

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Heathfield Farm Camping, Isle of Wight

heathfieldcamping.co.uk

This nine-acre site near Freshwater to the west of the island offers a great view of the Solent with 81 grass pitches, 67 of which have electrical hook-up. There’s a large playing field, a laundry, WiFi and a communal barbecue area. There’s plenty to do in the local area, including fishing, golf, horse riding and various watersports.

St Agnes Beacon Caravan Club Site, Cornwall

01872 552543

The St. Agnes Heritage Coast is the setting for this slightly sloped site, affording a great vantage point over some of Cornwall’s rugged shoreline. Enjoy walking, surfing and beach days nearby. There are 88 grass pitches, all of which have electrical hook-up.

Stowford Village

royaleresorts.co.uk

Located near the North Devon coastline, this large site provides 300 touring pitches, 100 of which are hard standing. Nearby is a swimming pool, crazy golf, a go-kart track and a petting zoo. There are several facilities blocks, with a disabled and family unit placed near the reception area.

Northern Ireland

Highview Holiday Park, Northern Ireland

highviewholidaypark.co.uk

This County Antrim park is close to both the White Rocks beach and the Giant’s Causeway UNESCO World Heritage site. This incredible feature is built up of 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, formed by a prehistoric volcanic fissure eruption.

The campsite has only 12 serviced hard-standing pitches, so it’s advisable to book well in advance to avoid missing out. There’s a small shop on-site, while in nearby Portrush you’ll find numerous dining options and several golf courses.

Scotland

Dalraddy Holiday Park, Cairngorms

campinginaviemore.co.uk

Located on a vast family-owned estate to the north of the Scottish Highlands’ striking Cairngorms, Dalraddy has lots going on. There’s an on-site café serving food made with ingredients foraged from the grounds, and various activities, including clay pigeon shooting, quad-biking and a 1.2-mile zip line. There are 20 hard-standing touring pitches with electrical hook-up.

Edinburgh Caravan Club Site, Edinburgh

0131 312 6874

Lying on the edge of the Scottish capital, this site includes a handy minibus service to whisk you into the city centre for a day of sightseeing. If you’d rather stay closer to ‘home’, there are some lovely scenic walks along the expansive Firth of Forth estuary. There are 146 touring pitches available, almost all of which are hard standing. There’s a shower block, a laundry and a golf course.

Wales

Bryn Gloch Caravan and Camping Park, Snowdonia

northwalescamping.co.uk

Sitting at the foot of Mount Snowdon on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park, Bryn Gloch offers great views and easy access to many outdoor activities. There are 114 pitches available for touring hire, 48 of which are all-weather ‘super pitches’. There are a further 112 seasonal pitches for long-term rental. On-site facilities are plentiful, and there’s an accessible bathroom, should you fancy a soak after a hard day’s hiking.

Cwmdu Campsite, Powys

campingbreconbeacons.com

The Brecon Beacons are home to some of the UK’s most stunning scenery, and this site is an ideal place to base yourself for exploration. There are various walks starting from the Cwmdu itself, and further afield, the Black Mountains. Five minutes away is the town of Crickhowell should you want to stop for some local produce. The site has 47 electrical hook-up pitches, some of which are hard standing.