There are some great campervan routes in the UK. Hiring a camper is a wonderful way to see as much of the countryside and coastline of our fair kingdom as possible.

Forget the hotels and the big cities, see the UK from the comfort of your own wheels, and home, through the windows of your van. 

If you’re looking for campervan trips, the UK has some great routes to follow. 

Companies such as Campanda, can arrange for you to collect your campervan from hundreds of rental outlets across the UK. You can simply choose the one nearest you, and book your trip in. 

But before you start looking at all the campervans available for your nomadic holiday experience, where are you going to go?

11 Best Campervan Routes UK Style 

Here are 11 great campervan routes in the UK, to give you a taste of what you could experience on a UK campervan holiday.

1. Campervan in Devon & Cornwall

– Cornwall has some of the most popular campervan routes in the UK

Depending where you begin your journey, pick up the main trunk road (A38) or motorway (M5), and head for the beautiful south-west of England. You can stay on the A38 from Exeter through to Plymouth, but to make the most of this stunning area of natural beauty, head for the coast roads.

Take in Teignmouth, Torquay, Paignton, the quaint fishing port of Brixham, and historic Dartmouth on the River Dart. I used to spend all my childhood holidays on the River Dart and can definitely recommend it for an adventure.

If you want a full itinerary for an awesome road trip in Devon, click this post.

– Padstow makes for a wonderful stop of a UK motorhome holiday 

If you want to visit Cornwall via north Devon, pick up the A39 at Bath. The road will take you through Wells, Glastonbury, and Bridgewater in Somerset, before taking you into north Devon along the Exmoor National Park and ending at Falmouth, Cornwall.

And if water sports are your thing hit Bude, Padstow and Newquay, for some serious surfing on the north Atlantic coast. I also have a stop by stop guide to an awesome Cornwall road trip too!

2. Campervan in the Highlands of Scotland

If your interests lay in photography, wild rugged wilderness, magnificent wildlife, ancient castles, impressive lakes (lochs), breathtaking scenery, friendly towns and quaint old villages, the Highlands and Islands are beckoning.

For those with a love of Scottish history, pick the Highland route from Aberdeen to Inverness. A route that provides four castles, a large number of museums, and which wends its way through the Cairngorms National Park with its phenomenal views and abundant wildlife.

– Imagine scenes like this from your campervan in the UK! 

If the coast and marine life is your thing, consider the North Coast 500, a road trip that begins and ends at Inverness. You need a week plus for this one, and make sure your fuel tank is full. You’ll be moving away from civilisation as we know it. The 500-mile route wends its way up the east coast of Scotland to its highest mainland point, and back down the west coast.

Take in its castles, practise a little trout fishing with the experts, and enjoy a wee dram at the Glen Ord Distillery.

After you’ve parked-up for the day of course.

The Highlands are one of the best spots in the UK for an adventurous weekend. Enjoy!

• READ MORE: How to Do a Scotland Road Trip from Edinburgh to Dumfries and Galloway / How to Save Money Exploring the UK

3. Campervan in Lake District & North York Moors

If you want to cut your campervan teeth on a short break, the Lake District and North York Moors are the ideal areas to do it. Although you’ll be enjoying some of the most amazing traditional English countryside in these National Parks, you’re never far from civilisation.

Travel up the M6, and take the A591 through Kendal if you want to tour the lakes around Windermere. Head south at Windermere for lakes around Bowness, Grizedale, Hawkshead, and Coniston Water, or north to get to Ambleside, Derwentwater, Keswick and Bassenthwaite.

If you prefer moors to the fells and valleys, get a little fresh air and exercise with a walk on the remarkable North York Moors. The colours of the heathers are phenomenal during the autumn, the birdlife a twitcher’s paradise, and the landscape amazing. But, you can only spend so long on the moors right?

This part of Yorkshire also has some fabulous traditional coastal towns to enjoy the sites, gourmet restaurants and traditional English pubs. Coastal towns like Whitby and Scarborough, market towns like Helmsley and Malton, and the city of York with its beautiful cathedral of York Minster.

If you want a walk around Yorkshire then this post on 50 of the best waterfalls in Yorkshire, will give you some inspiration. 

If you prefer to plan your route and stopovers rather than winging it, contact pitchup.com. They can pre-book you and your campervan into hundreds of campsites and campervan sites up and down the UK. All you have to do is tell them your destination preference, where you would like to stop, and for how long, and they will do the rest.

4. Campervan in the Cotswolds 

– The Cotswolds provide one of the most popular campervan routes in the UK

I recently did a road trip in the Cotswolds in a Citroen C3 Aircross SUV. In my head I thought that the roads would be really thin, but we actually did ok. I can remember a few instances of it being a bit of a tight fit, but many of the roads are A roads and you’ll be fine. 

The Cotswolds are stunning – and a great place to enjoy a road trip from village to village. If you have a campervan in the Cotswolds you can explore the best of the great outdoors, and get some good food while you’re there too. 

My top recommendations would be Cirencester and Broadway – both beautiful villages with a buzz and a good few shops, restaurants and cafes to enjoy. Some of the big tourist attractions in The Cotswolds include Broadway Tower, the Cotswold Wildlife Park (had a wonderful time there) and Blenheim Palace.

The absolute number one though, is to visit Bibury. A really cute town with a row of thatched houses that the Instagrammers, just lurrrrrrve. Get there early to get a pic! 

If you want a three day Cotswolds road trip mapped out for you, check out my itinerary. Both hotels I mention have huge car parks, so if you did want to trade in the beauty of the campervan for the luxury of a hotel, you could do. Otherwise, just enjoy for some route tips!

Check out my post on the best campervan gadgets for your adventure – so many easy ways to make your road trip a little easier!

5. Campervan in the Mendip Hills 

My boyfriend and I once rented a campervan and took it to the Mendip Hills in Somerset. Unfortunately it was one of the rainiest weekends England had seen that August and so it kinda limited our options. We still had a great time, but, y’know, when your campervan is full of wet jeans, it’s not the best. 

– If you’re looking for campervan routes, the UK has loads to choose from

The highlight of our Mendips Hill road trip was Cheddar Gorge. It’s a quaint little village set in the gorge of Cheddar. If pottering round the village isn’t enough, you can actually go in the caves and learn more about the geology and history. If it’s not absolutely chucking it down, like it was for us, then you can also take some nice walks along the gorge and enjoy the beautiful views over the Mendips. 

Blagdon Lake was a highlight, as was the fact we were near Bristol. When the rain got too much for our countryside plans, we decided to pop into the city and see what fun we could have there. 

The campsites were easy to find in the Mendips and we just booked on the day. If you want the best deals, and the cheapest pitches, I’d definitely recommend booking in advance.

If you’re hiring a campervan I’d definitely recommend taking a look at my best campervan accessories list to find out some cool gadgets you could buy to make your campervan weekend even better.

6. Campervan in Belfast to Londonderry 

Now, I haven’t actually done this one but it’s high on my list. And I wanted to include friends in Northern Ireland on this campervan routes in the UK list, of course. 

The road trip from Belfast to Londonderry is described by many as one of the world’s greatest roads. I know, amazing hey? And so close to us. Travel this Northern Irish route and you’ll meander through the ‘nine Green Glens of Antrim’ from the capital, Belfast, to the second largest city, in the North-West corner, Londonderry.

For most of the route you’ll be hugging the seawall – make sure to look out for wildlife along the way. 

– This road trip is one of the best UK campervan trips, enjoy

The most exciting tourist attractions along the route include The Giant’s Causeway – a World Heritage Site and recognised as one of the many wonders of the modern world. It’s a geographical wonder and well worth a stop to admire the intricate formations, formed over thousands of years. You can get amazing views from here too. 

Carry on with your campervan road trip and you’ll come to the Gobbins Cliff Path, another highlight of the road trip. This is the best way to see the rich wealth of wildlife that lives on the peninsula, and to get out on the Islandmagee Peninsula. 

– Derry girls mural, Derry city walls, Londonderry

Once you reach Derry-Londonderry you’ll come to a city with so much culture, it was awarded the City of Culture in 2013. Walk the City Walls, and get a selfie by the gable wall before you explore the food, drink and shops of the city. 

7. Campervan in Norfolk 

The east of the UK is very popular with the older folk among us, mainly thanks to the beautiful area we call Norfolk. The main city here is Norwich, with its 11th century cathedral, but there’s also the Norfolk Broads which Brits love a wander along.

If you fancy a break from your campervan trip then taking a boat on the scenic waterways is a great idea.

Enjoy that wildlife! 

Other campervan-friendly stop offs in Norfolk include the coastal roads towards the traditional seaside resort of Cromer, and the windswept Norfolk beaches of the likes of Brancaster even further north. The red and white Happisburgh Lighthouse is a favourite among the Instagrammers, and there are over 100 round tower churches in Norfolk, some dating back to the 11th century. Nice for a pic! 

Check out my road trip itinerary for the North Norfolk coast, and this North Norfolk coast walking itinerary too.

Norfolk would be a great place to hire a VW Campervan thanks to the flat topography, click that link to read my tips!

8. Campervan the North Coast 500 in Scotland 

Ooo, second entry on the list from Scotland. The North Coast 500 is fast becoming one of the most iconic road trips in the UK, and I want to do it. Stretching across 805km of back roads, this circular route runs from Inverness and the Black Isle, past the seaboard crags of Caithness, Sutherland and Wester Ross.

Take your campervan on the North Coast 500 and you’ll get to see gothic ruins, rugged fairways, historic castles, shingle-sand beaches, tiny fishing hamlets and peaty whisky distilleries. Enjoy the villages, and the peaks of Loch Maree before reaching the Bealach na Bà, which loops up and over the Applecross Peninsula. 

Look out for the Highland cows along the way, and avoid doing this route in peak season. Unfortunately everybody knows about it!

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9. Campervan the Black Mountain Pass, Wales

We needed a bit of Wales in this UK campervan trips post, right?

The Black Mountain Pass in Wales is the shortest of these campervan routes in the UK, but there’s plenty to do either side to make it a memorable journey. 

A campervan trip on the Black Mountain Pass will reveal spectacular Brecon Beacons views, and amazing vistas of the Tywi Valley. You need to be confident with your campervan before embarking on this trip, as the hairpin bends can be a bit crazy. 

You’ll pass Llandovery in the north, and cross the dragon’s humps of Pont Aber and Herbert’s Pass – be prepared for the incredible views here. Next up is the low village of Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen. Look out for sheep as you travel. 

You can probably do the trip in a day, but what’s the rush? Plan to stay 48 hours in the Brecon Beacons area, to make more from the road trip. 

If you want to stay in Wales even longer, then carry on and drive through Snowdonia National Park and out across the Menai Strait to Anglesey. This was you can enjoy the famous Betws-y-Coed and head west past Swallow Falls into the heart of Snowdonia. Follow the A4086 either to Snowdon, or past. I’d strongly recommend climbing the mountain though – it’s one of the best New Year’s Eves I’ve ever had climbing that beast! 

At the right time of year you can pick up the Snowdon Mountain Railway to get to the top if you’re not up to the climb. 

Program the scenic route to the Isle of Anglesey in your phone by going via historic Caernarfon first. The town has a stylish waterfront and a spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site castle too. 

10. Motorhome in the Peak District

How about driving a motorhome in the Peak District for your next adventure? All the details in that link!

So, how about a little campervan touring for you next trip?

Check out the best motorhome routes in France for a bit of inspiration, and these great gifts for campervan lovers too.

11. The Outer Hebrides in Scotland

Check out my blog post about our road trip through the Western Isles, aka the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. You could see these incredible Outer Hebrides beaches, and enjoy a spot of wild camping in the Western Isles too.

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Explore more of England 

NEW SITE: I recently launched a brand new website dedicated entirely to days out in England.

It’s called… DAY OUT IN ENGLAND. Ha!

It’s packed full of local knowledge, awesome things to do, and more.

Few of my favourite posts for you: how about the best adventurous days out in England, or the most popular English beaches? I’ve also put together a guide on saving money on days out, and even an English food quiz too. Go and check it out – you’re guaranteed to learn more about England!

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