Devon

Devon offers more variety than almost any other English county for van travel. The north coast faces the Atlantic with dramatic cliffs and wide sandy beaches at low tide, while the south coast is more sheltered, with deep river estuaries, sailing towns and the gentler landscape of the South Hams. Dartmoor sits at the heart of the county, giving access to open moorland within an hour of either coast.

The coast to coast crossing – starting at, say, Ilfracombe or Croyde on the north coast and making your way to Salcombe or Kingsbridge on the south – is a classic Devon van trip that covers a remarkable range of landscapes in a relatively short distance. The towns in between are interesting enough to make the journey as worthwhile as the destination.

In summer Devon gets extremely busy, particularly the south coast resorts and the main Dartmoor honeypots. The north coast and the quieter inland lanes are far more manageable year-round, and the out-of-season visits to places like Croyde, Lynton or Hartland are a completely different experience to the August crowds.

Overnight options range from well-equipped campsites to quieter laybys on the moor edge and several seafront car parks that tolerate overnight stays outside of peak season. Planning is required in summer, particularly for the south coast, but from October to May the county is significantly more open and just as beautiful.