Brit Stops: Great Places in the North to Visit in Your Campervan or Motorhome

Exploring the UK in a campervan or motorhome is a really rewarding way to take in some amazing landscapes and get close to the country’s best attractions. With the help of Brit Stops, an online network that connects motorhome enthusiasts with welcoming hosts, Lowdhams customers who are looking to enjoy their new vehicle can easily find charming places to stay overnight. In this edition of our blog, we’ll pick out some of the best Northern stop-off points. These are great places that promise a memorable time for campervan and motorhome travellers.

Located in Brompton-on-Swale, just outside the market town of Richmond, North Yorkshire, the Farmers Arms is a traditional pub that welcomes Brit Stops travellers. You can enjoy a really good meal and a welcome pint of locally brewed ale before you settle in to your motorhome for the night in the pub’s car park. Facilities include toilets and a cosy pub atmosphere.

Nearby attractions:

• Richmond Castle: This well-preserved castle is one of the oldest stone-built Norman fortresses in the country, constructed in the late 11th century to assert Norman control. The strategic location above the River Swale made it a key site. In more recent times it was a prison for conscientious objectors during World War I, though these days it is a tourist attraction with a great visitors centre.
• The Georgian Theatre Royal: This is the UK’s oldest working theatre still in its original form. Originally established in 1788, this historic theatre is known for its intimate auditorium with traditional wooden benches, offering an authentic 18th-century experience. Theatre lovers and historians will gain much enjoyment from a visit.
• Yorkshire Dales National Park: This stunning expanse of hills, valleys and cliffs covers approximately 750 square miles and is renowned for its traditional stone-built villages, dry-stone walls and historic sites. Visit Bolton Castle and Aysgarth Falls or hike, cycle and explore the impressive underground caves at White Scar.

This welcoming pub has been community-owned since 2020 and offers travellers an idyllic base from which to explore the beauty of Hadrian’s Wall, the waters of Kielder Lake and the charming, picture-postcard villages of Bellingham and Otterburn. There’s spacious and secure off-road parking, and hearty meals and fine ales on offer in the pub itself. It’s also pet-friendly so your pooch can come for a pint too!

Nearby attractions:

• Hadrian’s Wall: Built over a thousand years ago, during the reign of Emperor Hadrian, this Roman frontier stretched 73 miles across northern England and marked the physical northern boundary of the Roman Empire and defended against northern tribes. Today it’s a very popular UNESCO World Heritage site with visitors centres, attracting travellers with its historic ruins, scenic walks and insight into Roman Britain.
• Kielder Lake: This forest park is home to England’s largest forest and the biggest man-made lake in Northern Europe. It’s quite a playground for outdoor types – cyclists, walkers and nature spotters will absolutely love it here. It’s also a Dark Sky park (i.e. protected from the possibility of light pollution through human development or industry) with, at nearly 580 square miles, the largest area of protected night sky in Europe.

This 16th-century coaching inn was built to serve travellers on the old drover’s route between Kendal and Penrith. It’s perfectly set in the scenic Lune Valley at the foot of the Howgill Fells, between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales. At just 2 minutes off the M6 at Junction 38 it’s also highly convenient for campervan or motorhome travellers. Serving pub classics with ingredients sourced locally, a comforting bite to eat is a great option, and a pint in front of the pub’s open fire is a must. With its stone walls and rustic charm, this is a real rustic gem.

Nearby attractions:

• Lowther Castle and Gardens: History lovers, particularly those interested in the monarchy, will gain much from a visit to the 12th-century Lowther Castle (though the current Gothic Revival structure was constructed in the early 19th). Legend has it that Mary Queen Of Scots stayed here for at least one night following her escape from Scotland in 1568.
• Aira Force: This incredible 75-feet waterfall. Is one of the natural wonders relatively close by to your stay in Tebay. There are toilets, a visitors centre and a cafe, plus graded paths and viewing platforms (with disabled access) to get you up close, making Aira Force one of the most accessible waterfalls in the Lake District.
• Long Meg & Her Daughters: Antiquarians (students of megalithic culture) will love visiting Long Meg & Her Daughters. The stone circle probably dates from approximately 1500 BC and was likely to have been used as a meeting place or for some form of religious ritual. Long Meg is the largest stone, with her daughters being the 68 stones in the circle which surrounds her. Local legend has it that Long Meg and her daughters were witches turned to stone for dancing wildly on the moor on the Sabbath. Whether that’s true or not, this is a truly impressive and peaceful prehistoric spot.

Once you’ve bought your campervan or motorhome from Lowdhams, you’re going to want to use it to visit somewhere new and interesting. The Brit Stops website opens up a world of charming locations and welcoming hosts up and down the UK.  The three Northern locations we’ve selected here should give you a good start – but use Brit Stops to find your own new favourite places!