Are you planning your first campervan holidayUK? Awesome! Campervan holidays in the UK are incredibly freeing and a great way to disconnect from the bustle, stress and pressure of the world.
If you’re new to campervanning, the idea can be a little daunting. But with the right planning, consideration, and expectation, we’re sure you’re going to love it. So, in today’s blog, we’re going to be outlining what beginners can expect from their campervan holiday as well as giving you some travellers tips.
Choosing a vehicle
The vehicle you choose will depend on how many people are in your group and the amenities you want. You’ll need to think about things like the number of beds in the camper, the storage, the engine and what you’re comfortable driving, the cooking facilities, and the washing facilities. All of our campers are pet friendly. They also all come with insurance and national breakdown cover.
We have 3 campers at Under the Stars Campervans. They’re called Daisy, Heidi, and Winnie.
Daisy - Daisy is a charming yellow 1971 WV Classic Camper.
She features everything you need for a comfortable trip, including: two gas hobs for cooking, cutlery, pans, plates, a gas hob and storage, heating, leisure battery, mains sockets (which can be used at a campsite hook up point) thermal window covers, two camping chairs and a cool box. She also has a radio and bluetooth so you can be blasting those tunes on on the open road.
This 4 berth camper sleeps 2 people or a family of 4 comfortably.
Heidi - The lovely Heidi is a 6-seater 2012 T5 VW Camper.
She is a spacious campervan that features an exciting range of amenities: including a fully-equipped kitchen with 2 gas hobs, a fridge, cutlery, and pans, a diesel heater (for off grid use), an electric heater for campsites, camping chairs, a radio with bluetooth & speakers, power sockets (which can be used at campsite hook up point) & USB ports, a tool kits & spares, and a water tank.
Heidi can sleep families of 4 or 5, groups of 2, or snugly fit 4 adults.
Winnie - Winnie is a striking orange VW T2 Camper. She’s a 1975 T2 Westfelia.
Winnie drives at a max speed of 55 mph! Just like Heidi and Winnie she has a leisure battery with USB ports, mains sockets for when on hook up, two gas hobs for cooking and even a grill. She comes with cutlery, pots and pans and storage cupboards, a tool box and essential spares.
This campervan sleeps groups of 2 or a family of 4 with young children under 10. (Psst! Winnie has a rock n roll ¾ bed and 2 pull out hammocks for the little ones!).
Choosing your destination & activities
The UK has countless beauty spots, so choosing where to visit in the unrivalled freedom of a campervan isn’t easy.
Consider your location carefully. How many nights do you want to spend in your campervan? How far would you like to drive each day? Are there any particular sights you want to see? Any specific activities or tourist spots you want to try out or visit? Is there a particular village you want to explore or a road you want to avoid?
All of these things and more are important to consider when picking your location.
Space
While many campervans are roomy, space can still be at a premium - especially in comparison to other accommodation options such as hotels, holiday homes, and hostels. With that in mind, packing carefully and packing light is important.
With most campers, you can expect some storage space enough to hold a modest amount of toiletries, clothing, footwear, accessories such as umbrellas, entertainment such as books and games, and laptops.
You can also expect the majority of campervans to have pop-up roofs that allow you to stand up when you’re inside the vehicle.
Sleeping
One of the questions that we get asked about most is sleeping arrangements. You’ll need to choose a van with the correct number of beds for your group.
A good campervan will have comfortable beds, but you can expect it to get a little chilly at night, depending on the time of year of your trip. All of our campervans have heating options, so you shouldn’t have any issues, but we recommend that you bring warm pyjamas with you, too.
Cooking
Cooking in a campervan can be really fun - with less space than your usual kitchen, it’s an awesome opportunity to get creative. You can usually expect a campervan to feature at least one gas hob, a fridge or cool box, a water tank, a sink, and a tap, as well as basic pots, pans, crockery and cutlery.
Parking
Something you really need to consider before you embark on your campervanning journey is where you’re going to park up at night. When it comes to parking, always have the mindset of safety first. You have two options: campsites and wild camping.
The UK is lucky to be home to a huge range of campsites all over the country. Different campsites will have different amenities, as well as food and entertainment options, so you’ll almost certainly be able to find something to match your needs.
Wild Camping
For wild camping - which we highly recommend! - you have the option to park up amongst beautiful scenery including alongside rivers and lakes, under the stars with little light pollution, and in forests.
With wild camping in a campervan in the UK, you really do need to make sure that you’re allowed to park your van there and leave no mess behind (leave no trace!). We recommend that you use Park4Night to find places you can stay overnight legally.
Click here to find our advice and suggestions on campsites and wild camping spots. Click here to find campervan parking guidance for the Lake District from the official Lake District National Park website.
We’re delighted that you’re going to be enjoying your first campervan holiday. Under the Stars Campervans offers Lake District campervan hire. To find out more about our campervans, read our advice on campervanning, or learn more about our story,browse our website.
Thanks for reading, we hope you found this useful! Thanks, the Under The Stars Campervan Team x