Bank House Park
Fir Tree Farm
Monaughty Poeth
Willowcroft
The Orchard Campsite
Waterclose Meadows
Hurley Riverside Park
Chertsey
Chine Farm
Riverside Lakes
Tristram
Treloan Coastal Holidays
Pentewan Sands
WALKERS
For those who like to put their best foot forward
Church Stile Farm
Borrowdale
Coniston Park Coppice
Howgill Lodge
Woodend Farm
Usha Gap
Highside Farm
Rowter Farm
Bakewell
Bank House Park
Fir Tree Farm
Monaughty Poeth
Denny Wood
Corfe Castle
Burrowhayes Farm
Halse Farm
Bolberry House Farm and Karrageen
North Morte Farm
Tristram
Beacon Cottage Farm
CITY FANS
For urban pleasures, try out these great sites
Church Farm Organics
Stratford Touring Park
Whitcliffe Campsite
Lincoln Farm Park
Chertsey
GOURMETS
Places to eat, drink and be merry
Castlerigg Farm
Highside Farm
Church Farm Organics
Bank House Park
Rowlestone Court
Hayles Fruit Farm
Tristram
Treveague Farm
Pentewan Sands
OUTWARD BOUND
The best sites for those who want action and adventure
Sleningford Watermill
Kielder
Stratford Touring Park
Burrowhayes Farm
Tristram
Treloan Coastal Holidays
Pentewan Sands
ALL SEASONS
These campsites are open all year round
Lound House Farm
Woodend Farm
Usha Gap
Finchale Abbey
Church Farm Organics
Oaklea
Fir Tree Farm
Monaughty Poeth
Hayles Fruit Farm
Run Cottage
Chertsey
Tanner Farm Park
Postern Hill
GROWN-UPS
No children allowed; adults only
Finchale Abbey
Oaklea
Introduction
Hello and welcome. Welcome to the updated second edition of Cool Caravanning, specifically for people who love to spend time in caravans or motorhomes, or at least use one as a base for exploration.
Most guides for caravanners – whether your ‘van has an integrated engine or not – give a little bit of information about lots of campsites, often in symbol format, with maybe the odd picture, but nothing more. Cool Caravanning is different.
You might say Cool Caravanning is a movement, all about getting back to the fundamentals when selecting a campsite. So often the focus is on facilities; the accreditation system of stars, ticks or any other keyboard character used to grade campsites and caravan parks places more importance on the hairdryer and shaver points and other modern conveniences than on the location or the beauty of the site.
Cool Caravanning seeks to redress the balance and return to the reasons for why we go camping – location, location, location. Modern caravans and motorhomes tend to have every kind of luxury imaginable on board these days – complete wash rooms, kitchens and heating, with huge energy reserves and, often, solar-powered top-ups – so, all we really need from a campsite is a fresh water tap and waste disposal points. Most of the sites in this book have far more than that, though one or two don’t. But what they all do have are fantastic locations without ugly uniform rows of ’vans, unless there’s good reason.
If there is one thing we want when we go to a campsite, it’s a great view or a superb place to stay. That’s what camping is all about. It might be a panorama of the coastline, a view of the hills, a woodland setting or a pitch by a bubbling stream. It could be a site that allows things to happen, a city break, for example, or an opportunity to ride the waves. Each one of the sites included here has something special to offer.
But campsites are also about people. So often a campsite reflects the character of the owners; it is in many instances their home after all. And these sites represent that side of camping too. A great view of the hills can look terribly bleak if the welcome is frosty and unappealing. So, in the search to find a personal and hand-picked selection of the very best places to stay in England with a caravan or a motorhome,
