Caravan Sites - The Options

Looking for a caravan site?

There are a number of different types to choose from. Here, we take you through your options:

The Caravan & Motorhome Club

• Club Sites

The Caravan & Motorhome Club has more than 200 sites in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Options include family sites, open all year, and seasonal pitches, alongside Wi-FI, disabled facilities high standards of washing facilities. Become a member and get a discount at these club sites.

• Certified Locations

There are over 2200 certified locations across the UK, offering secluded spaces to Caravan & Motorhome members only. With no more than 5 plots on each site, these are ideal for peaceful getaways.

• Affiliated Sites

Affiliated sites are privately owned caravan sites carefully chosen for their high standards of facilities and excellent locations. Choose from 42 sites.

The Camping & Caravanning Club

• Club Sites

You don’t have to be a member to access these sites, but you’ll have up to 30% on each booking if you are. There is a network of over 2000 Camping Club sites, some of which are exclusive to members. As with The Caravan & Motorhome Club, there are also small, exclusive Certified Sites as well.

Premier Parks

Premier Parks are 100 independently assessed 4 & 5* graded touring sites. Whether you’re after an adults only site, one suitable for family holidays, a site you can take your dog to, or one by the coast, there will be one perfect for you.

National Trust  

The National Trust have a number of caravan sites in idyllic locations. Many have amenity blocks, but if you fancy something more basic, there are sites with minimal facilities in more rural locations.

Tranquil Parks

If you’re after a quiet escape with superior facilities, Tranquil Parks provide 43, adult only caravan sites across the UK. On site, you can expect to see excellently maintained washing and laundry facilities, free WiFi, and a range of pitch options.

Parkdean Resorts

Voted the Best UK Family Holiday Company in 2019, Parkdean Resorts are perfect for families

There are 32 sites offering touring facilities across England, Wales and Scotland, each offering a range of activities and entertainment to keep both children and adults occupied.

Haven

Haven have 22 sites in beachside locations offering touring pitches for caravans and motorhomes. If you’re after an action packed, family holiday one of these sites would be perfect. As well as the usual campsite amenities, these holiday parks have restaurants, swimming pools, entertainment and various adventure activities.

General Touring Parks

To search the plethora of independent caravan sites across the UK, head over to these websites:

• Pitch Up
• Campsites
• Caravan Site Finder

Great Caravanning Books

Make the Most of Your Caravan

Rob McCabe, £10.99

As well as practical advice, this book will show you how to enjoy your caravan to the max! From purchase and maintenance to towing and driving abroad, all aspects are covered. Suitable for newbies and seasoned pros, this guide is even recommended by Jeremy Clarkson!

The AA Caravan & Camping Guide 2020

AA Publishing, £10.69

The UK’s best-selling annually updated caravanning guide is a must buy. All sites within the book have been professionally inspected by AA inspectors, have all site facilities listed, and are handily split into sections including small sites, quite locations and those perfect for families.

The Caravan Manual

John Wickersham, £16.45

Having sold over 75,000 copies, the Caravan Manual is now in its fourth edition and contains everything you need to know about caravans old and new. The author is a caravanner of over 40 years and provides all the advice you could ever need, from legal issues, maintenance, repair work, gas and electrics.

Vintage Caravan Style

Lisa Mora, £11.38

If vintage caravans are your thing, this book is a delight! Whether you just want to browse through the wonderful retro caravans or fancy a project, Vintage Caravan Style explores the interiors and exteriors of a plethora of creatively restored small spaces.

Leisure Logs Journals

£13.50

These fantastic journals will inspire you to record adventures in your caravan or motorhome to remember the places you visit, the people you meet and the fun times had!

Caravan Cookbook

Monica Rivron, £7.72

Caravan cooking needs to be uncomplicated, easy to prepare and satisfying, and this collection of recipes are just that. As well as providing advice on store cupboard essentials, there’s plenty of inspiration to use locally sourced produce and foraged ingredients.

 

 All prices correct as of September 2020.

 

How to Prepare your Caravan for Storage

 So, you’ve just returned from the last trip of the season, and selected a secure storage site for your caravan. Is it as simple as leaving your van in its plot, or do you need to do some prep work before storing it away for winter?

The answer is yes, there are some things you’ll need to do. And here’s our guide:

·         GAS

Gas cylinders should be disconnected or removed from your caravan. If your caravan is going into a storage facility, check the gas cylinder policy.

·         BODYWORK

Give your caravan a thorough clean using suitable cleaning products for each type of surface (walls, windows, metalwork). Consider using a wax coating product to protect the exterior.

·         ELECTRICS

You’ll need to take a look at your car to caravan13-pin or 12N/12S connectors for any signs of damage or wear and tear. Wipes the electrical contacts over and spray with WD-40 to protect against water damage. 

·         BATTERY

If your leisure battery isn’t needed to run your caravan alarm system, it’s best to remove it and store in a cool, dry place. You can then top it up at home, when necessary. Don’t forget to remove batteries from other electrical items in your caravan too. Check out this post for leisure battery maintenance advice.

 ·         WINDOWS

Give all the windows a check to make sure the rubber seal is in good condition.

·         AWNING

After every use, your caravan awning should be cleaned and dried thoroughly. Make sure it’s completely dry before storing somewhere dry.

·         COVER

You may want to cover your caravan to protect it during the winter months. This blog post has more information.

·         WATER

Remove any filters from your system to prevent any remaining water held from freezing during the colder months.

You’ll need to open all taps including the shower. If you’ve got a lever control it’ll need to be moved to a central position between hot and cold. Put a plug in any sinks, and open the caravan’s drain taps.

Refer your caravan model’s manual to check how to drain down the water heater. 

·         TOILET

Your toilet will need flushing and emptying. Refer to manufacturers guide for specifics.

·         TYRES

Your caravan should be stored on a level plot, with corner steadies lowered. If you can, place chocks under the wheels.

If possible, turn the wheels to avoid them being in one position for long periods of time. This can be achieved by moving the caravan back and forth, or jacking it up to rotate each wheel.

·         FRIDGE

Ensure you remove everything from your fridge/freezer and clean it out. Make sure doors are left ajar so that air can circulate.

·         INTERIOR / FURNISHINGS /BLINDS

Leave your caravan interior ready for the next season ahead of time by giving it a thorough clean before storage.

Ideally, remove upholstery and store somewhere warm and dry to keep it damp free and not on view to potential thieves.

Blinds are best left open to prevent strain on the springs.

·         VENTILATION 

Any air vents should be left uncovered so that air can inside around the caravan. You may even want to consider a dehumidifier or some moisture adsorbing crystals.

·         SECURITY

All valuables should be removed from your caravan whilst in storage.

Hitch locks and wheel clamps are useful deterrents to potential thieves, but remember to check both your insurance policy and storage conditions for any specific requirements.

Caravan Sites with Farm Shops

How could you improve on a beautiful caravan site? Offer an on-site farm shop brimming with glorious local produce! Here are our tops picks. 

Kelsey’s Campsite

Kent

Kelsey's Farm 

Kelsey’s Campsite is spread over 35 acres in Kent and has been owned by the Kelsey family for over 60 years. Kelsey’s farm is perfectly positioned for easy access to the South Coast, with Dover just an hour away.

As well as the farm shop, the site offers EHU, welcomes dogs, and provides freshly prepared meals from Kelsey’s Kitchen.

The farm shop offers a huge range of home grown farm produce, meat and bread, not to mention supplies from Spitafields Market for more exotic produce.

Torworth Grange

Nottinghamshire

Torworth Grange

Torworth Grange not only offers a farm shop, but also camping, fishing and freshly cooked food, in the central location of North Nottinghamshire.

The farm shop stocks a great range of fresh produce, from meat and vegetables to bread and cakes, as well as showcasing specially selected ranges of local and national products.

The site is a Caravan and Motorhome Club CL Certified Site and is members only. All five pitches are serviced with EHU, water and waste and have beautiful views of the fishing lakes.

Perfect for a secluded getaway.

New Lodge Farm

Northampton

New Lodge Farm 

For over 100 years, the Singlehurst family have looked after New Lodge Farm. As well as the award winning farm shop, the site provides adults only plots for caravan and motorhomes. Facilities include EHU, hardstanding and grass pitches, heated facilities and no restrictions on pitching orientation.

Situated between the old market towns of Oundle, Market Harborough and Stamford, New Lodge Farm is ideal for exploring central England.

The farm shop provides good quality local produce as well as a range of delicious home cooked food to take away.

Bargoed Farm

Bargoed Farm

Wales

Bargoed Farm offers 50 fully serviced hardstanding pitches in the heart of Cardigan Bay.

The Moody Cow farm shop is fully stocked with a wide selection of local produce, as well as homemade cakes, pies, bread and quiches, and if that wasn’t enough, the onsite butcher supplies a range of different meats and cuts.

Facilities include an award winning toilet block (winning Loo of the Year in 2019), private hot tubs on selected pitches, a custom built dog wash and a washing machine for your use.

Denfurlong Farm Caravan Site

Cotswolds

Denfurlong Farm 

Chedworth Farm Shop sits amongst Denfurlong Farm Caravan Site in Gloucestershire. The farm shop offers local, seasonal produce, freshly baked bread, dairy produce and a range of free range meat.

The site is a dark sky site which means that there are no lights apart from by the shower block. This means that you get a spectacular view of the stars at night.

EHU is available, as are washing facilities, elsan disposal, and drinking water.  The site is pitch anywhere so you can choose exactly where you want to be.

The Mile Campsite

Yorkshire

The Mile Campsite

With beautiful views of the Yorkshire Wolds, The Mile Campsite offers camping for caravans and motorhomes on hard standing pitches with EHU, free Wi-Fi, washing facilities and chemical toilet disposal points.

The farm shop stocks all the essentials, plus specialist produce from around Yorkshire, and an extensive range of local gin and beers.

There are hundreds of caravan clubs out there, offering great benefits, events, rallies and discounts. Whilst there are far to many to mention in detail, here are a few of the top clubs you can join.

The Camping & Caravanning Club

• Over 100 club sites
• 30% off club sites
• Discounts at attractions, caravanning equipment, motoring services
• Over 1300 exclusive small sites
• European sites and tours
• Members only social events and meets
• Technical advice & support

From £41/year

The Caravan & Motorhome Club

• 2700 sites in the UK and Europe
• Discounts at club sites
• Savings at 900 UK attractions, services and products

From £54/year 

Historic Caravan Club

If you’re interested in vintage or classic caravans, this is the club for you. With the aim of promoting the preservation and use of vintage and classic caravans, this club organises rallies, encourages the rescue and restoration of old caravans, and provides a bi-monthly magazine.

From £25/year 

International Caravanning Association

The main aim of the International Caravanning Association is to encourage international caravanning in all parts of the world by all nationalities.

Members can join rallies throughout the world, receive a regular magazine and get access to the members only area of the website.

From £20/year

The British Caravanners Club

This club is a section of The Camping & Caravanning club (of which you must be a member to join this group) and welcomes tents, caravans and motorhomes.

Each area group is run by a committee of its own members who run all their own meets. If you’re looking for a smaller, more personal club, this could be the one for you.

You’ll need to be a member of the Camping & Caravanning Club first, which costs from £40/year. This club will then cost you £5/year.

Caravanning Etiquette

You'd think it would just be common sense, but given the number of grumbles we found when writing this blog post, it would seem that some need a reminder about how to behave on caravan sites!

Image via pngkey.com

Here are our top tips to ensure you don't get in trouble on your next caravan holiday.

• Try to resist waking across someone else’s pitch as a shortcut. After all, you wouldn't want people cutting through your back garden.
• Shouting, loud music or dogs barking continuously is a no-no. Whilst you may be enjoying Queen's Greatest Hits, your neighbours might not.
• Leaving rubbish outside your caravan is not only is this eyesore and potentially smelly, it’s likely to attract vermin.
• Don’t tip hot water onto the grass. That lovely green pitch won't be around for the next residents.
• TVs in awnings – will it really come as a surprise that an awning is not soundproof! Be mindful that your neighbours may not want to listen to your preferred boxset with you.
• Keep to the speed limit on roadways. Whilst this is primarily for the safety of pedestrians, it'll help to keep noise levels down too.
• Clean up after yourself – your pitch, toilets, laundry and washing up facilities. No-one wants to find a leftover bit of pasta in the sink. 
• Kids will undoubtedly be loud and excited when they’re on holiday, but not all your fellow campers will want to hear their glee. If you’ve got children, try and help them understand they need to keep the volume down.

Caravan Vloggers

There's a huge amount of video content available on You Tube for caravan and motorhome lovers.
We've collated some of our favorite vloggers.

The Trudgians

Caravan reviews, DIY tutorials, holidays and product reviews. This Wiltshire family has a wealth of content which is both entertaining and useful.

Popular vlogs include How to Set a Caravan Up On Site, Cleaning a Caravan Roof, and How to Level a Caravan.

Caravan Vlogger

Mandy and Graham started cavaranning in 2006 and now travel throughout the UK and France, documenting their travels, reviewing products and making useful ‘How To’ guides.

Caravan jockey wheel comparisons, getting a ferry from Dover to Calais with a caravan, caravan buying guides and sites are all compiled on their website and YouTube channel here .

Make Way with the Morleys

A family of five from the West Midlands who share their adventures throughout Europe and the UK, as well as reviewing caravan sites, caravan equipment and even crème egg challenges!

The Camping & Caravaning Club

This regularly updated channel includes a ‘How To’ series, caravan motorhome and accessory reviews, camping recipes and site tours. Whether you’re a beginner, a seasoned pro, or a member of the club or not, this channel with keep you occupied for hours!

(Get Your) Legs Down

We’ve been a fan of the blog for ages, and the vlog is just as good. The site arrival videos are particularly useful, as are the site tours and there is travel inspiration aplenty. Head over to the Legs Down blog for more.

Bailey of Bristol

The Bailey of Bristol vlog does include plenty of Bailey caravan content, but there is also a wealth of useful information for new and experienced caravanners. From the grand Bristol to Bosphorus tour, to beginner’s guides and Tow Car of the Year updates, this channel is worth subscribing to.

Poshcats Camping

Trev and Sue travel with UK and further afield with their Swift motorhome all year round, and have over 35 years’ experience with both caravans and motorhomes. Expect travel tips, ideas, site reviews, days out and more.

Next Stop Everywhere

Claire and Sam travel throughout Europe and the UK recording their adventures, as well as reviewing all the latest caravans and motorhomes. Highlights include the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland, a Christmas trip to Amsterdam and a drive across the Outer Hebrides. You can also follow then on Facebook and Twitter.

Caravanning with the Cox’s

The Cox’s are a Somerset based family who are weekly vloggers, sharing their travels, tips, advice, repairs and general updates. For a wealth of useful information and entertainment, including caravan recommendations, a trip to Glastonbury, and how to use a motormover, make sure you subscribe!