With spring and milder weather hopefully just a few weeks away, many of Britain’s dedicated caravanners are thinking about where to head off to when their vehicles emerge from winter storage.
So if you’re thinking of booking up, now is a good time to start researching so you get the best pitches. To help, we’ve produced a round-up of 10 of the UK’s very best caravan sites for you to choose from.
Step One
Low Wray, Cumbria - Run by the National Trust, this Lakeland site gives you the chance to watch the sun rise over Windermere, and indulge your love of walking. There are also yurts and tipis to stay in. · Low Wray National Trust Campsite, Low Wray, Ambleside, Cumbria, (015394 32810). Open 23 March to 31October. Tariff: From £8 to £10 a night, plus booking fee.
Step Two
Vale of Pickering Caravan Park, North Yorkshire - A great site for families, with excellent facilities. Close to the North Yorkshire Moors and the likes of Scarborough and Whitby on the east coast. · Vale of Pickering Caravan Park, Carr House Farm, Allerston, Pickering, North Yorkshire (01723 859280) Open from 4 March for rest of year. Tariff: From £15.50 a night (low season) to £26 (at Christmas and New Year).
Step Three
Invercauld Caravan Club Site, Aberdeenshire - At the eastern end of the Cairngorms, this site near Braemar is a great destination for ramblers and nature lovers. Red deer roam the local fields, and you may well spot badgers, red squirrels and golden eagles. · Invercauld Caravan Club Site, Glenshee Road, Braemar, Aberdeenshire (01339 741373). Open until 17 October. Tariff: From £13.50 to £20.40 a night for two adults.
Step Four
Three Cliffs Bay, Gower - On a cliff top on the Gower Peninsula in South Wales, this site is just five minutes’ walk from the beach. There’s a wide range of local activities such as water skiing, sailing and windsurfing, as well as half a dozen 18-hole golf courses within a few miles. · Three Cliffs Bay Caravan and Camping Site, North Hills Farm, Penmaen, Swansea, Gower (bookings must be made by phone: 01792 371218). Open from April to October. Tariff: site with awning £23 a night.
Step Five
Glenbrittle Campsite, Isle of Skye - Wild camping at its best, with a few creature comforts for those who really can’t do without. Stunning scenery and sunrises – ideal if you want to get away from it all. · Glenbrittle Campsite, Glenbrittle, Carbost, Isle Of Skye (01478 640404). Open 1 April to 30 September. Tariff: £6.40 a night per adult, plus £5 for electric hook-up.
Step Six
Beddgelert Caravan Park, Snowdonia - A forest retreat within walking distance of Snowdon itself. Great for kids too, with a children’s play area. · Beddgelert Caravan Park, Heart of Snowdonia, Beddgelert, Gwynedd (01766 890288). Open all year Tariff: From £13.50 to £23.50 a night.
Step Seven
Bay View Farm, Cornwall - You can hear as well as see the sea from this stunning site overlooking Looe Bay in Cornwall. As well as the views and local beaches, animal lovers will enjoy the owners’ shire horses, as well as the nearby monkey sanctuary. · Bay View Farm, St Martins, Looe, Cornwall (01503 265922). Open all year. Tariff: £10 to £20 a night, plus £3 electric hook-up.
Step Eight
Burford Caravan Club Site, Oxfordshire - Spacious site in the Cotswolds, very near to the Cotswold Wildlife Park. · Burford Caravan Club Site, Bradwell Grove, Burford, Oxfordshire (01993 823080). Open from 25 March to 7 November. Tariff: From £16.30 to £22.40 a night for two adults.
Step Nine
Lonely Farm, Suffolk - An adults-only site in an idyllic part of East Anglia. Great for cycling, and lots of local highlights such as the RSPB reserve at Minsmere, and the seaside town of Aldeburgh – the home of arguably Britain’s finest fish and chips. · Lonely Farm, Carlton, Saxmundham, Suffolk (01728 663416 – bookings by phone only). Open Easter to October. Tariff: £14 a night.
Step Ten
Cedar Gables, Kent - Small, quiet site with good facilities. Nearby Bewl Water is ideal for walking, cycling, fishing and sailing, and close to several National Trust properties. · Cedar Gables, Hastings Road, Wadhurst, Kent (01892 890566). Open all year. Tariff: Pitches between £8 and £20 a night depending on size; adults £1 a night; electric hook-up £3 a night.