CountyOutside the best season
Bedfordshire
England
Bedfordshire has the Chiltern edge, the Greensand Ridge and country estates close to London.
Best timeApril to October
Van life guides: United Kingdom
Van Life by Place: UK Counties, Cities & Towns
Browse our guides to 215 places across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland: best spots, meetup ideas, local food and where to park, plus how to meet fellow van lifers with VanDates. Each card shows when it is the best time to go.
Van life in England
Green and flashing: best time to go now Amber: the best season starts within six weeks Red: outside the best season
Counties and areas
CountyOutside the best season
Berkshire
England
Berkshire is the Thames valley, Windsor and the North Wessex Downs, with a surprising amount of open countryside.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Buckinghamshire
England
Buckinghamshire is the beechwoods of the Chilterns, the Vale of Aylesbury and stately homes like Waddesdon and Cliveden.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Cambridgeshire
England
Cambridgeshire is the Fens, the university city of Cambridge and the cathedral city of Ely under very big skies.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Cheshire
England
Cheshire mixes the Roman city of Chester, black-and-white villages, the Cheshire Plain and the edge of the Peak District.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
County Durham
England
County Durham has a World Heritage cathedral city, wild Pennine dales and a surprisingly dramatic coastline.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Cumbria
England
Cumbria is England's wildest county, taking in the Lake District, the Eden valley, the North Pennines and the Solway coast.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Derbyshire
England
Derbyshire is the heart of the Peak District, with limestone dales, gritstone edges and stately homes.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
East Sussex
England
East Sussex brings the white cliffs of the Seven Sisters, historic Rye and Hastings and the rolling South Downs together on…
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Essex
England
Essex is far more varied than its reputation, with an indented coastline, salt marshes, ancient woodland and historic market…
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Gloucestershire
England
Gloucestershire is the Cotswolds, the Severn Vale and the Forest of Dean in one county, with honey-stone villages and wooded…
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Hampshire
England
Hampshire pairs the ancient New Forest with the chalk hills of the South Downs, historic Winchester and a busy, boat-filled…
Best timeMay to September
CountyOutside the best season
Herefordshire
England
Herefordshire is a quiet cider county of orchards, black-and-white villages and the lovely Wye valley.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Hertfordshire
England
Hertfordshire is a green county north of London, with Roman St Albans, chalk hills and the edge of the Chilterns.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Isle of Wight
England
The Isle of Wight packs chalk cliffs, long beaches, Victorian resorts and a coastal path into an island you can cross in an…
Best timeMay to September
CountyOutside the best season
Kent
England
Kent is the Garden of England, a county of orchards, hop gardens, chalk cliffs and a long, varied coastline within easy…
Best timeLate spring to early autumn
CountyOutside the best season
Lancashire
England
Lancashire runs from Pennine moors and the Forest of Bowland to a long, sandy Irish Sea coast.
Best timeMay to September
CountyOutside the best season
Leicestershire
England
Leicestershire is quiet middle England, with Charnwood Forest, Rutland Water next door and the city of Leicester at its…
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Lincolnshire
England
Lincolnshire is a county of huge skies, a long flat coast and rolling wolds, with a magnificent cathedral city at its heart.
Best timeMay to September
CountyOutside the best season
Norfolk
England
Norfolk is big skies, wide beaches and slow water, with the Broads, the north Norfolk coast and a string of market towns all…
Best timeMay to September
CountyOutside the best season
North Yorkshire
England
North Yorkshire is England's biggest county, with the Dales, the North York Moors and a dramatic coast all within its…
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Northamptonshire
England
Northamptonshire is a county of stately homes, spires and a lot of quiet countryside in the East Midlands.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Nottinghamshire
England
Nottinghamshire is Robin Hood country, with Sherwood Forest, Georgian market towns and the River Trent.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Oxfordshire
England
Oxfordshire pairs the dreaming spires of Oxford with the Cotswolds, the Chilterns and the Thames valley.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Rutland
England
Rutland is England's smallest historic county, with a huge reservoir, pretty stone villages and gentle hills.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Shropshire
England
Shropshire is quiet border country of hills, valleys and market towns, with a dramatic industrial heritage at Ironbridge.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Somerset
England
Somerset blends moors, hills and coast, from the Levels and Cheddar Gorge to the rugged shoreline of Exmoor.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Staffordshire
England
Staffordshire stretches from the edge of the Peak District and the Roaches to canalside towns and the Potteries.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Suffolk
England
Suffolk is a county of big skies, timber-framed villages and a quiet heritage coastline, with heath, marsh and estuary…
Best timeMay to September
CountyOutside the best season
Surrey
England
Surrey is the green belt south of London, with heathland, chalk downs and picturesque villages.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Warwickshire
England
Warwickshire is Shakespeare's county, with castles, canals and market towns in the heart of England.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
West Sussex
England
West Sussex runs from the South Downs to a flat, sandy coast, with historic Chichester and harbour villages in between.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Wiltshire
England
Wiltshire is chalk downland, ancient stones and white horses, with Salisbury Plain, the Vale of Pewsey and the Kennet and…
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Worcestershire
England
Worcestershire is a gentle county of orchards, the Malvern Hills and the River Severn.
Best timeApril to October
Cities
CityOutside the best season
Bath
Somerset, England
Bath is a Georgian city of honey-coloured stone, Roman baths and riverside walks, ringed by green hills.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Birmingham
West Midlands, England
Birmingham is England's second city, with more miles of canal than Venice and a thriving food and music scene.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Brighton and Hove
East Sussex, England
Brighton and Hove is an eclectic seaside city of pebble beach, pier, lanes and nightlife on the Sussex coast.
Best timeMay to September
CityOutside the best season
Bristol
England
Bristol is a creative harbour city of street art, hot-air balloons and independent cafes, with Somerset and the Cotswolds…
Best timeSpring to early autumn
CityBest time to go now
Cambridge
England
Cambridge is a compact university city of college courts, riverside lawns and cycle paths, with the Fens on its doorstep.
Best timeSpring to autumn
CityOutside the best season
Canterbury
Kent, England
Canterbury is a medieval city centred on its World Heritage cathedral, with riverside gardens and easy access to the Kent…
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Carlisle
Cumbria, England
Carlisle is a border city of a red-sandstone castle and cathedral, close to Hadrian's Wall and the Lake District.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Chester
Cheshire, England
Chester is a Roman walled city of timber-framed Rows, a red-sandstone cathedral and a pretty riverside.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Chichester
West Sussex, England
Chichester is a compact cathedral city on the West Sussex coastal plain, close to the South Downs and Chichester Harbour.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Durham
England
Durham is a small World Heritage city where a Norman cathedral and castle sit above a wooded river loop.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Ely
Cambridgeshire, England
Ely is a small Cambridgeshire cathedral city rising from the Fens, with a famous octagon and a riverside quayside.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Exeter
Devon, England
Exeter is Devon's cathedral city, with a historic quayside and the gateway to Dartmoor, Exmoor and the south Devon coast.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Gloucester
England
Gloucester is a historic cathedral city with working docks, a Norman cathedral and a gateway to the Cotswolds and the Forest…
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Hereford
England
Hereford is a calm cathedral city on the River Wye, home of the Mappa Mundi and famous cattle.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Leeds
West Yorkshire, England
Leeds is a big-city hub of Victorian arcades, live music and canalside bars, with the Dales within an hour.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Leicester
England
Leicester is a diverse Midlands city with Roman remains, a medieval cathedral and the story of Richard III.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Lichfield
Staffordshire, England
Lichfield is a small cathedral city with three spires, Dr Johnson heritage and a pretty pool and park.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Lincoln
England
Lincoln is a hilltop cathedral city where a medieval castle and a Gothic cathedral overlook a lively waterfront.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Liverpool
Merseyside, England
Liverpool is a great waterfront city of music, football, museums and grand Victorian architecture on the Mersey.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Manchester
England
Manchester is a lively northern city of canals, music, museums and red-brick mills, with the Peak District on its doorstep.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Newcastle upon Tyne
Tyne and Wear, England
Newcastle is a spirited city of bridges, a lively quayside and great nights out, with Northumberland's coast and castles…
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Norwich
Norfolk, England
Norwich is a medieval city of cobbled lanes, a Norman cathedral and castle, and a gateway to the Broads.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Nottingham
England
Nottingham is the city of Robin Hood, with caves, lace-market streets and a lively student and music scene.
Best timeApril to October
CityBest time to go now
Oxford
England
Oxford is a city of honey-stone colleges and quiet riverside meadows, with a lively market and cafe scene.
Best timeSpring to autumn
CityOutside the best season
Plymouth
Devon, England
Plymouth is a big maritime city on Plymouth Sound, with a historic Barbican and Dartmoor and Cornwall either side.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Portsmouth
Hampshire, England
Portsmouth is Britain's naval city, with a historic dockyard, a seafront promenade and ferries to the Isle of Wight.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Salisbury
Wiltshire, England
Salisbury is a cathedral city of medieval streets and water meadows, a short drive from Stonehenge.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Sheffield
South Yorkshire, England
Sheffield is a green city of steel heritage, hills and independent venues, on the edge of the Peak District.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Southampton
Hampshire, England
Southampton is a major port city with medieval walls, a big waterfront and the New Forest on its doorstep.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
St Albans
Hertfordshire, England
St Albans is a Roman and medieval city with a great abbey cathedral and a lively market.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Truro
Cornwall, England
Truro is Cornwall's only city, a compact cathedral city on the Truro River with smart shops and Georgian streets.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Wells
Somerset, England
Wells is England's smallest city, with a magnificent cathedral, a moated bishop's palace and a famous medieval street.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Winchester
Hampshire, England
Winchester is England's ancient capital, with a great cathedral, a riverside walk and the start of the South Downs Way.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Worcester
England
Worcester is a cathedral city on the River Severn, famous for its sauce, its cricket ground and its Civil War history.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
York
England
York is a walled medieval city with a Gothic minster, cobbled streets and a lively food and pub scene.
Best timeApril to October
Towns
TownOutside the best season
Alnwick
Northumberland, England
Alnwick is a historic Northumberland market town with a great castle, a spectacular garden and a famous bookshop.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Ambleside
Cumbria, England
Ambleside is a busy Lakeland town at the head of Windermere, with fells, waterfalls and a Roman fort.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Bakewell
Derbyshire, England
Bakewell is a pretty Peak District market town, home of the Bakewell pudding and a medieval bridge.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Bamburgh
Northumberland, England
Bamburgh is a Northumberland village dominated by a huge coastal castle and long empty beaches.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Beverley
East Riding of Yorkshire, England
Beverley is a handsome East Yorkshire market town with a great minster and a racecourse on its pasture.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Bude
Cornwall, England
Bude is a north Cornwall surf town of golden beaches, sea pools and a Victorian canal.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Burford
Oxfordshire, England
Burford is a Cotswold town of golden stone and a steep high street running down to the River Windrush.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Buxton
Derbyshire, England
Buxton is one of England's highest market towns, a Georgian spa town on the edge of the Peak District.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire, England
Cheltenham is an elegant Regency spa town known for festivals and racing, at the foot of the Cotswold edge.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Cromer
Norfolk, England
Cromer is a classic Norfolk seaside town with a Victorian pier, a clifftop church tower and famous crabs.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Dartmouth
Devon, England
Dartmouth is a handsome south Devon harbour town, famous for its naval college, castle and river ferries.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Falmouth
Cornwall, England
Falmouth is a lively Cornish port with a huge natural harbour, a creative student crowd and a long maritime history.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Glastonbury
Somerset, England
Glastonbury is a quirky Somerset town of legend, with a hilltop tower, abbey ruins and a famously alternative high street.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Grasmere
Cumbria, England
Grasmere is a village of gingerbread, Wordsworth and a little lake, ringed by fells in the Lake District.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Harrogate
North Yorkshire, England
Harrogate is an elegant Yorkshire spa town of tea rooms, gardens and stately Victorian architecture.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Hastings
East Sussex, England
Hastings is a characterful seaside town with a fishing beach, a medieval Old Town and a famous 1066 history.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Hawes
North Yorkshire, England
Hawes is a Dales market town known for Wensleydale cheese and the nearby Hardraw Force waterfall.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Hebden Bridge
West Yorkshire, England
Hebden Bridge is a Pennine mill town of independent shops, canalside cafes and steep wooded valleys.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Ilfracombe
Devon, England
Ilfracombe is a north Devon harbour town with a dramatic statue, coves and the South West Coast Path.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Ilkley
West Yorkshire, England
Ilkley is a moorland spa town famous for its Moor and its song, with a Roman fort and a lido.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Keswick
Cumbria, England
Keswick is a bustling market town on the shore of Derwentwater, with fells, lakes and independent shops all within walking…
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Looe
Cornwall, England
Looe is a bustling south Cornwall fishing port, split by a river with a bridge and golden beaches nearby.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Ludlow
Shropshire, England
Ludlow is a Shropshire market town of half-timbered buildings and a ruined Norman castle, famous for its independent food…
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Lyme Regis
Dorset, England
Lyme Regis is a charming Dorset seaside town on the Jurassic Coast, famous for fossils and the Cobb harbour wall.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Lymington
Hampshire, England
Lymington is a Hampshire yachting town on the edge of the New Forest, with a ferry to the Isle of Wight.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Margate
Kent, England
Margate is a revived Kent seaside town of art, sandy beaches and a distinctive old town.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Newquay
Cornwall, England
Newquay is Cornwall's surf capital, with golden beaches, a busy harbour and coastal walks.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Padstow
Cornwall, England
Padstow is a pretty harbour town on the Camel Estuary, famed for seafood, sandy coves and the Camel Trail.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Penzance
Cornwall, England
Penzance is the gateway to west Cornwall, with an art-deco lido, a harbour and ferries to the Isles of Scilly.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Richmond, North Yorkshire
England
Richmond is a handsome North Yorkshire market town beside a Norman castle, on the edge of Swaledale.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Rye
East Sussex, England
Rye is a hilltop medieval town of cobbled streets, antique shops and tea rooms, with a wild coast nearby.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Salcombe
Devon, England
Salcombe is a polished south Devon sailing town on a sheltered estuary, with sandy beaches and clifftop walks.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Scarborough
North Yorkshire, England
Scarborough is one of Britain's original seaside resorts, with two bays, a castle headland and the North York Moors behind.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Settle
North Yorkshire, England
Settle is a handsome Dales market town at the start of the Settle-Carlisle Railway, beneath Giggleswick Scar.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Skegness
Lincolnshire, England
Skegness is a classic Lincolnshire seaside resort with a long sandy beach and traditional attractions.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Skipton
North Yorkshire, England
Skipton is the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales, a market town with a well-preserved medieval castle.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Southport
Merseyside, England
Southport is a Victorian seaside resort with a very long pier, a wide beach and a boulevard of shops.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Southwold
Suffolk, England
Southwold is a genteel Suffolk seaside town with a pier, beach huts and a lighthouse among its streets.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
St Ives
Cornwall, England
St Ives is a bright Cornish fishing town of whitewashed cottages, golden beaches and a famous art scene.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Stow-on-the-Wold
Gloucestershire, England
Stow-on-the-Wold is a hilltop Cotswold market town of honey-coloured stone and ancient inns.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Stratford-upon-Avon
Warwickshire, England
Stratford-upon-Avon is Shakespeare's birthplace, a riverside market town of timber-framed houses and theatres.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Swanage
Dorset, England
Swanage is a Dorset seaside town on the Isle of Purbeck, with a steam railway and chalk cliffs.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Tintagel
Cornwall, England
Tintagel is a Cornish village on a rugged clifftop, linked to the legend of King Arthur and the ruins of a medieval castle.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Totnes
Devon, England
Totnes is a quirky Devon market town on the River Dart, with a castle, independent shops and a strong community spirit.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Weymouth
Dorset, England
Weymouth is a Georgian seaside resort in Dorset with a sandy bay, a working harbour and the Jurassic Coast beyond.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Whitby
North Yorkshire, England
Whitby is a historic fishing port beneath a ruined abbey, with a busy harbour, steep cobbled lanes and a golden beach.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Whitehaven
Cumbria, England
Whitehaven is a Georgian harbour town on the west Cumbrian coast, with a rich maritime and mining history.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Whitstable
Kent, England
Whitstable is a working harbour town known for oysters, pebble beaches and independent shops.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Windermere
Cumbria, England
Windermere is the gateway to England's largest lake, with steamers, fells and a lively town of cafes and outdoor shops.
Best timeApril to October
Van life in Wales
Counties and areas
CountyOutside the best season
Anglesey
Wales
Anglesey, Ynys Môn in Welsh, is an island of golden beaches, sea cliffs and quiet lanes, joined to the mainland by the Menai…
Best timeMay to September
CountyOutside the best season
Carmarthenshire
Wales
Carmarthenshire stretches from the sands of Carmarthen Bay to the Black Mountain, with castles, estuaries and long, empty…
Best timeMay to September
CountyOutside the best season
Ceredigion
Wales
Ceredigion is Cardigan Bay's long, quiet coast, with harbour towns, sandy coves and green hills rolling inland.
Best timeMay to September
CountyOutside the best season
Denbighshire
Wales
Denbighshire is green hills, a Victorian seaside at Rhyl and the Vale of Clwyd, with Llangollen and the Clwydian Range…
Best timeMay to September
CountyOutside the best season
Flintshire
Wales
Flintshire is the north-east corner of Wales, with castle ruins, the Dee estuary and the Clwydian hills.
Best timeMay to September
CountyOutside the best season
Gwynedd
Wales
Gwynedd takes in Eryri's mountains, the Llyn Peninsula and the Meirionnydd coast, and is one of the strongest Welsh-speaking…
Best timeMay to September
CountyOutside the best season
Monmouthshire
Wales
Monmouthshire is the gateway to Wales, with castles, the Wye valley and the eastern edge of Bannau Brycheiniog.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
Powys
Wales
Powys is the largest county in Wales, a land of big hills, reservoirs and some of the quietest valleys in Wales.
Best timeMay to September
CountyOutside the best season
Vale of Glamorgan
Wales
The Vale of Glamorgan is a heritage coast of cliffs and castles, a short drive from Cardiff and the valleys.
Best timeMay to September
Cities
CityOutside the best season
Bangor
Gwynedd, Wales
Bangor is a small Welsh university city on the Menai Strait, the gateway to Eryri and Anglesey.
Best timeApril to October
CityBest time to go now
Cardiff
Wales
Cardiff is a compact, friendly capital with a castle in the middle of the city, a waterfront bay and big green parks.
Best timeSpring to autumn
CityOutside the best season
Newport
Wales
Newport is a Welsh port city on the River Usk with a famous transporter bridge and Roman remains at Caerleon.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
St Davids
Pembrokeshire, Wales
St Davids is Britain's smallest city, a cathedral settlement on a wild headland at the western tip of Wales.
Best timeMay to September
CityOutside the best season
Swansea
Wales
Swansea is the gateway to the Gower Peninsula, with a wide seafront bay, a lively marina and the Mumbles on its doorstep.
Best timeMay to September
CityOutside the best season
Wrexham
Wales
Wrexham is the largest settlement in north-east Wales, with a proud football history and the World Heritage Pontcysyllte…
Best timeApril to October
Towns
TownOutside the best season
Aberdaron
Gwynedd, Wales
Aberdaron is a remote Welsh-speaking village at the tip of the Llŷn Peninsula, with a sandy bay and views to Bardsey Island.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Abergavenny
Monmouthshire, Wales
Abergavenny is a Welsh market town known as the gateway to Wales, with a famous food festival and big hills on its doorstep.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Aberystwyth
Ceredigion, Wales
Aberystwyth is a university seaside town on Cardigan Bay, with a Victorian promenade, a castle ruin and hills rising behind.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Barmouth
Gwynedd, Wales
Barmouth is a Victorian seaside town where the mountains meet the sea, with a long beach and a famous wooden railway bridge.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Beddgelert
Gwynedd, Wales
Beddgelert is a pretty stone village in Eryri, named after the legend of Gelert and surrounded by forest and mountains.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Betws-y-Coed
Conwy, Wales
Betws-y-Coed is Eryri's outdoor village, in a wooded valley where the Llugwy and Conwy rivers meet.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Brecon
Powys, Wales
Brecon is a market town on the River Usk and the main base for Bannau Brycheiniog National Park.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Cardigan
Ceredigion, Wales
Cardigan is a Teifi-side market town in Ceredigion, the gateway to the Pembrokeshire coast and Cardigan Bay.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Conwy
Wales
Conwy is a walled medieval town with a mighty castle, a tiny harbour and the mountains of Eryri behind.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Crickhowell
Powys, Wales
Crickhowell is a pretty Usk valley town beneath Table Mountain, known for its old bridge and independent shops.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Dolgellau
Gwynedd, Wales
Dolgellau is a stone-built Welsh market town at the foot of Cadair Idris, with the Mawddach estuary close by.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Fishguard
Pembrokeshire, Wales
Fishguard is a Pembrokeshire harbour town with an old Lower Town, a ferry to Ireland and a good coast path.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Harlech
Gwynedd, Wales
Harlech is a Gwynedd coastal town with a great castle on a crag above wide dunes.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Hay-on-Wye
Powys, Wales
Hay-on-Wye is a border town of second-hand bookshops, with the Black Mountains rising behind it and the River Wye running…
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Llanberis
Gwynedd, Wales
Llanberis is the main village for climbing Yr Wyddfa, with a mountain railway and a lake beneath the slate quarries.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Llandudno
Conwy, Wales
Llandudno is a Victorian seaside resort between two beaches, with a grand pier and the huge limestone headland of the Great…
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Llangollen
Denbighshire, Wales
Llangollen is a Welsh town on the River Dee, famous for its canal aqueduct, steam railway and international music festival.
Best timeApril to October
TownOutside the best season
Machynlleth
Powys, Wales
Machynlleth is a lively Mid Wales market town, once the ancient capital of Wales, with an eco-minded outlook.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Porthmadog
Gwynedd, Wales
Porthmadog is a Gwynedd harbour town, the hub for the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland railways and the gateway to Portmeirion.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Saundersfoot
Pembrokeshire, Wales
Saundersfoot is a friendly Pembrokeshire seaside village with a harbour, a sandy beach and the coast path on its doorstep.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Tenby
Pembrokeshire, Wales
Tenby is a colourful walled seaside town with sandy beaches, a historic harbour and boat trips to Caldey Island.
Best timeMay to September
Van life in Scotland
Counties and areas
AreaOutside the best season
Aberdeenshire
Scotland
Aberdeenshire is castles, whisky and big coastal views, from the Moray Firth to Royal Deeside.
Best timeMay to September
AreaOutside the best season
Angus
Scotland
Angus is glens, castles and a rugged red-sandstone coast between Dundee and Aberdeenshire.
Best timeMay to September
AreaOutside the best season
Argyll and Bute
Scotland
Argyll and Bute is sea lochs, islands and mountains, with Oban as the gateway to the Hebrides.
Best timeMay to September
AreaOutside the best season
Ayrshire
Scotland
Ayrshire is Burns country, with long beaches, golf links and the islands of the Firth of Clyde on its doorstep.
Best timeMay to September
AreaOutside the best season
Dumfries and Galloway
Scotland
Dumfries and Galloway is one of the quietest corners of Scotland, with a gentle coast, big skies and forests among the…
Best timeMay to September
AreaOutside the best season
East Lothian
Scotland
East Lothian is a compact stretch of golden beaches, golf links and farmland within easy reach of Edinburgh.
Best timeMay to September
AreaOutside the best season
Fife
Scotland
Fife is a kingdom by the sea, with fishing villages, golf links, ancient burghs and the Lomond Hills all within an hour of…
Best timeMay to September
AreaOutside the best season
Highland
Scotland
Highland is Britain's wildest region, with huge mountains, sea lochs, empty glens and the North Coast 500 route.
Best timeMay to September
AreaOutside the best season
Isle of Arran
Scotland
Arran is Scotland in miniature, with Highland-style mountains in the north and gentler farmland in the south, an easy ferry…
Best timeMay to September
AreaOutside the best season
Isle of Islay
Scotland
Islay is a Hebridean island famed for peaty whisky distilleries, empty beaches and wintering geese.
Best timeMay to September
AreaOutside the best season
Isle of Mull
Scotland
Mull is a mountainous Hebridean island of sea eagles, castles and the colourful harbour of Tobermory.
Best timeMay to September
AreaOutside the best season
Moray
Scotland
Moray is Speyside whisky country, with long sandy beaches and quiet fishing villages on the Moray Firth coast.
Best timeMay to September
AreaOutside the best season
Orkney
Scotland
Orkney is an island group of Neolithic wonders, sea cliffs, white beaches and big skies off Scotland's north coast.
Best timeMay to September
AreaOutside the best season
Outer Hebrides
Scotland
The Outer Hebrides are a chain of islands of white shell-sand beaches, machair and standing stones on the edge of Europe.
Best timeMay to September
AreaOutside the best season
Perth and Kinross
Scotland
Perth and Kinross is Scotland's heart, with lochs, glens, ancient forests and the historic city of Perth.
Best timeMay to September
AreaOutside the best season
Scottish Borders
Scotland
The Scottish Borders are gentle hills, abbey ruins and market towns on the River Tweed, with a rich history.
Best timeMay to September
AreaOutside the best season
Shetland
Scotland
Shetland is a remote island group of dramatic cliffs, ponies, birdlife and Viking heritage in Scotland's far north.
Best timeMay to August
Cities
CityOutside the best season
Aberdeen
Scotland
Aberdeen is the Granite City, with a harbour, beaches and grand silver-grey buildings, and Royal Deeside close by.
Best timeMay to September
CityOutside the best season
Dundee
Scotland
Dundee is a revitalised Scottish city on the Tay, known for design, a striking waterfront and a rich maritime story.
Best timeMay to September
CityOutside the best season
Edinburgh
Scotland
Edinburgh is a compact capital of volcanic hills, medieval closes and Georgian squares, with beaches and countryside on its…
Best timeMay to September
CityBest time to go now
Glasgow
Scotland
Glasgow is a big-hearted Victorian city with great museums, live music and the Clyde, and a gateway to Loch Lomond and the…
Best timeYear-round
CityOutside the best season
Inverness
Highland, Scotland
Inverness is the capital of the Highlands and the start and end of the North Coast 500, with Loch Ness, the Moray Firth and…
Best timeMay to September
CityOutside the best season
Perth
Scotland
Perth is the Fair City on the River Tay, a gateway to the Highlands with a strong food scene.
Best timeMay to September
CityOutside the best season
Stirling
Scotland
Stirling is a historic gateway between the Lowlands and the Highlands, with a castle on a volcanic rock and Loch Lomond and…
Best timeMay to September
Towns
TownOutside the best season
Anstruther
Fife, Scotland
Anstruther is an East Neuk fishing port with a famous fish and chip shop, a fishing museum and boat trips to the Isle of May.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Aviemore
Highland, Scotland
Aviemore is the Cairngorms' main base, with mountains, forest, ski slopes and wildlife on all sides.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Callander
Stirling, Scotland
Callander is a Trossachs gateway town, with the Falls of Leny, Ben Ledi and the Rob Roy Way.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Dornoch
Highland, Scotland
Dornoch is a historic Highland cathedral town with golden beaches and a world-famous links golf course.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Dunkeld
Perth and Kinross, Scotland
Dunkeld is a pretty Perthshire village of white cottages, a ruined cathedral and ancient woods.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Elgin
Moray, Scotland
Elgin is the Moray capital, with a ruined cathedral known as the Lantern of the North and a gateway to Speyside.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Fort William
Highland, Scotland
Fort William sits at the foot of Ben Nevis, making it the outdoor capital of the Highlands.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Grantown-on-Spey
Highland, Scotland
Grantown-on-Spey is a Georgian planned town on the River Spey, a gateway to the northern Cairngorms.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Inveraray
Argyll and Bute, Scotland
Inveraray is a planned Georgian town on the shore of Loch Fyne, with a castle and jail museum.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Kirkwall
Orkney, Scotland
Kirkwall is Orkney's historic capital, a harbour town with a red-sandstone cathedral and a rich Norse heritage.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Melrose
Scottish Borders, Scotland
Melrose is a Scottish Borders town of a ruined abbey, rugby heritage and the Eildon Hills.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
North Berwick
East Lothian, Scotland
North Berwick is an East Lothian seaside town with two sandy bays, a harbour and the dramatic Bass Rock.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Oban
Argyll and Bute, Scotland
Oban is the Gateway to the Isles, a busy harbour town known for seafood, ferries and the McCaig's Tower viewpoint.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Pitlochry
Perth and Kinross, Scotland
Pitlochry is a Victorian Highland resort town on the River Tummel, with whisky, a famous theatre and wooded hills.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Portree
Highland, Scotland
Portree is the colourful harbour capital of the Isle of Skye, with fish and chips, boat trips and the Cuillin on the horizon.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
St Andrews
Fife, Scotland
St Andrews is the home of golf and Scotland's oldest university, with a ruined cathedral and golden sands.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Stonehaven
Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Stonehaven is a charming Aberdeenshire harbour town with a spectacular clifftop castle nearby and a heated open-air pool.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Stornoway
Outer Hebrides, Scotland
Stornoway is the main town of the Outer Hebrides, a harbour town on Lewis with a castle and a lively music scene.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Thurso
Highland, Scotland
Thurso is Britain's northernmost mainland town, a gateway to Orkney and a surfing and sea-cliff base.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Tobermory
Argyll and Bute, Scotland
Tobermory is the colourful capital of Mull, with a painted waterfront, a whisky distillery and boat trips to see wildlife.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Ullapool
Highland, Scotland
Ullapool is a pretty Highland fishing village on Loch Broom and the main ferry port for Stornoway.
Best timeMay to September
Van life in Northern Ireland
Counties and areas
CountyOutside the best season
County Antrim
Northern Ireland
County Antrim is home to the Causeway Coast, where basalt columns, ruined castles and dramatic cliffs line one of Northern…
Best timeMay to September
CountyOutside the best season
County Armagh
Northern Ireland
County Armagh is the Orchard County, with blossoming fruit farms, Navan Fort and the Ring of Gullion.
Best timeApril to October
CountyOutside the best season
County Down
Northern Ireland
County Down mixes the Mourne Mountains, Strangford Lough and a long, sandy coastline, with Belfast an easy trip away.
Best timeMay to September
CountyOutside the best season
County Fermanagh
Northern Ireland
County Fermanagh is Northern Ireland's lakeland, with the islands of Lough Erne, caves and quiet countryside.
Best timeMay to September
CountyOutside the best season
County Londonderry
Northern Ireland
County Londonderry spans the walled city of Derry~Londonderry, the Binevenagh cliffs and the wide sands of Downhill and…
Best timeMay to September
CountyOutside the best season
County Tyrone
Northern Ireland
County Tyrone is Northern Ireland's rural heartland, with the Sperrin Mountains, Neolithic sites and quiet lanes.
Best timeMay to September
Cities
CityOutside the best season
Armagh
Northern Ireland
Armagh is a small, historic cathedral city known as the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland and for its orchards.
Best timeApril to October
CityOutside the best season
Belfast
Northern Ireland
Belfast is a lively, welcoming city with a proud shipbuilding past, a buzzing food scene and the Antrim hills on its edge.
Best timeMay to September
CityOutside the best season
Derry~Londonderry
County Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Derry~Londonderry is a walled city on the River Foyle, known for its history, music and warm welcome.
Best timeMay to September
Towns
TownOutside the best season
Ballycastle
County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Ballycastle is a seaside town on the Causeway Coast, the ferry port for Rathlin Island and home of the Ould Lammas Fair.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Bushmills
County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Bushmills is a village on the Causeway Coast, famous for its whiskey distillery and close to the Giant's Causeway.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Enniskillen
County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
Enniskillen is an island town between the two lakes of Lough Erne, with a castle, waterways and quiet countryside.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Newcastle, County Down
Northern Ireland
Newcastle is a seaside resort at the foot of the Mourne Mountains, with a long sandy beach and Slieve Donard rising behind.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Portaferry
County Down, Northern Ireland
Portaferry is a small harbour village on the Ards Peninsula, linked by ferry to Strangford and facing the lough.
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Portrush
County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Portrush is Northern Ireland's classic seaside resort, with golden beaches, a harbour and championship golf on the Causeway…
Best timeMay to September
TownOutside the best season
Portstewart
County Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Portstewart is an elegant north coast resort with a promenade, a long beach and a headland walk.
Best timeMay to September
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