5 Literary Places to Inspire Your Next Caravan Adventure
From the dark and brooding ruins of Bram Stoker’s Yorkshire to the rural hamlets of Thomas Hardy’s Dorset, the landscapes of literary England have long captured our imaginations. And if you’re a literature-loving caravanner, they could also provide a fantastic backdrop for your next caravan trip.
So, whether you want to take your caravan deep into vampire territory or as far from the madding crowd as possible, our selection of literary landmarks could be just the inspiration you need to plan your next adventure.
1. For gothic drama, head for Yorkshire
The vast county of Yorkshire offers caravanners everything from abbey ruins and magnificent houses to fantastic stretches of coast and brooding moors.
Among the jewels in the gothic crown is the town of Whitby, the iconic setting for Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Today, you can still visit the haunting 13th-century ruins of Whitby Abbey, the site that first inspired the author, and the sweeping North Sea vistas from its hilltop perch are well worth the 199-step climb.
Motor west from Whitby and you’ll reach Brontë country, in particular the family’s parsonage in the village of Haworth (now a hive of bustling tea rooms). It was here that sisters Emily, Charlotte and Anne wrote their classic novels. From this scenic spot, there are several walking trails over nearby moorland, many passing literary landmarks such as Top Withens – the ruined farmhouse said to have inspired Wuthering Heights.
Caravan sites nearby
- Broadings Farm, Whitby
- Long Meadow Farm Holidays, Whitby
- Manor House Farm, Whitby
2. From poetry to Peter Rabbit, it has to be the Lake District
In many ways, the Lake District embodies the ideal of literary England, combining rugged fells and tranquil lakes with picturesque woodland: there are few places as perfect for curling up in your caravan with a book after a day walking the fells.
It was here that the poet Wordsworth Wandered Lonely as a Cloud across Grasmere. Follow in his footsteps – on the lookout for dancing daffodils – then stop off at Dove Cottage to see where he penned his most famous works.
While caravanning in God’s Own County, be sure to visit 17th Century Hilltop House, the pretty little cottage where Beatrix Potter wrote and illustrated her much-loved children’s storybooks, bringing to life a charming cast of characters, including Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddle-Duck.
Caravan sites nearby
- Park Cliffe camping and caravan estate, Windermere
- Bowness-on-Windermere, Windermere
- Gillside Farm, Ullswater
3. For (Pooh) bears and Woolfs, set your sights on East Sussex
Set off with your caravan to the pretty southern county of East Sussex and join the many British authors who have found solace here. Not least AA Milne, whose idea for Winnie the Pooh came to life on walks around Ashdown Forest, famously reborn as the Hundred Acre Wood.
For those more interested in A Room of One’s Own, it’s worth noting that the Sussex landscape also worked its magic on Virginia Woolf. Her writing lodge in the garden of Monk’s House (now maintained by the National Trust) overlooks the distinctive local landmark of Mount Caburn – well worth exploring for its magnificent views over the rolling South Downs.
Caravan sites nearby
- Stairs Farm, Hartfield
- St Ives Farm, Hartfield
- Idle Hours Owlsbury Park, Crowborough
4. For lashings of ginger beer, go mad in Dorset
Often known as ‘Hardy Country’, this pretty corner of southwest England provided the imaginative landscape for classics such as Tess of the d’Urbervilles and Far from the Madding Crowd.
Pitch up your caravan in the patchwork hills that were the backdrop to many of Hardy’s novels and explore the characterful villages and dramatic Jurassic coast that inspired him.
The beaches here also carry the imprint of Enid Blyton’s The Famous Five, with the ruins of Corfe Castle on the Isle of Purbeck inspiring the writer’s own Kirrin Island.
Caravan sites nearby
- The Manor House, Dorchester
- Seaview Holiday Park, Weymouth
- Tatton Farm Campsite, Chickerell
5. Trade caravan for sea tractor and hop over to Burgh Island
If you’re feeling adventurous, travel west along the Jurassic Coast into South Devon on the quest for Burgh Island, an iconic landmark dominated by the decadent art deco Burgh Island Hotel.
This is where Agatha Christie found inspiration for her intricately plotted murder mysteries, And Then There Were None and Evil Under the Sun.
Separated from the mainland by a tidal beach, this atmospheric island is a car and caravan-free zone. Accessible on foot at low tide, but when the sea comes in, visitors must climb aboard the towering sea tractor to drop in – or escape.
Caravan sites nearby
- North Upton Caravan and Campsite, Kingsbridge
- Beechcroft Farm Campsite, Kingsbridge
- Parkland Caravan and Camping Site, Kingsbridge
Beware of plot twists and unexpected diversions
While we all like an exciting plot twist in the pages of a book, it’s less of a thrill when we’re suddenly faced with the unexpected diversion in our travel plans. So to ensure a happy ending, it’s wise to have specialist caravan insurance in place before setting off.
InsureMy lets you compare quotes from multiple insurers all in one place and guarantees to find you the right cover at the lowest price – and that’s fact, not fiction.