Discovering Britain by Van
Honest write-ups from the road — stopovers, places worth stopping for, and the stuff nobody else tells you about van life in the UK.
Whether you’re planning your next trip or just after a good read about life on the road, you’re in the right place. Below you’ll find reviews, stopover guides, and articles from real van travels across the UK.
Latest Posts
Campervan Parking in UK Cities: What Changes Once You’re Urban
15 December 2025
How city parking really works for campervans in the UK. CPZs, permits, enforcement and why urban overnight stops are harder than rural ones.
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Overnight Parking Laws in England, Scotland and Wales: What Actually Applies to Campervans
15 December 2025
Overnight parking is one of the most persistent grey areas for anyone travelling by campervan in the UK. It is usually asked as a simple legal question: is it allowed or not? But once you are actually out on the road, the answer is rarely that straightforward. In practice, overnight parking sits somewhere between written
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Layby off the A6 near Kendal, Cumbria
7 December 2025
A sloped, noisy roadside layby that’s fine for an emergency stop but hard work for a full night’s sleep.
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The Kelpies
7 December 2025
The Kelpies sit within The Kelpies at The Helix, and their scale is something that is hard to fully appreciate until you arrive. Long before you reach the main parking area, their steel forms begin to appear above the trees and open ground. Even if you have seen them in photographs, standing beneath them gives
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National Film and Sci-Fi Museum
18 September 2025
Stepping into the National Film and Sci-Fi Museum in Milton Keynes, the first thing that hit me was the sense of recognition. Whether it’s Darth Vader’s slow mechanical breathing, the instinct to hide behind the sofa at the thought of Doctor Who, or the Ghostbusters theme tune instantly starting up in your head, this is
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Halletts at Portland Bill Camping
9 September 2025
I’d heard Halletts Camping at Portland Bill mentioned a few times by fellow travellers, mostly for the views and how close it is to the lighthouse, so I was keen to see whether it really was as simple and scenic as people said. This isn’t a polished campsite with neat pitches and long lists of
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Holmsley Campsite
8 September 2025
Holmsley Campsite sits within the New Forest, just outside Burley, with direct access onto open heathland straight from the entrance. It’s a Forestry England site, and one of the first things you notice is how much it feels part of the wider landscape rather than separated from it. Booking was simple and quick through the
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Finding Love When You Live on the Road
7 September 2025
When it comes to actually finding love while travelling, van life can make things feel a bit more complicated. Most people start life on the road for freedom, adventure, or a bit of space to figure things out. Romance is not always part of the plan. But the need for connection does not disappear just
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Upper Linacre Reservoir
7 September 2025
A peaceful Derbyshire stop with clear parking advice, easy walking routes and realistic tips for campervans, including where day parking works best. It’s especially useful if you want a straightforward leg-stretch between longer drives.
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Broken Road, Castleton
17 August 2025
I used Broken Road as a quick, no-frills overnight stop just outside Castleton on a spring weekend. I wanted somewhere free where I could park up and walk into the village without needing to move the van again, and for that it worked well. It’s easy to find and straightforward to pull into, though you
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