FREE CAMPING IN SOUTHERN ENGLAND

These Free Camping Sites are compiled by: Rutger Booy at www.rutgerbooy.nl at were correct at April 2009. The references refer to AA Map references. For free camping in Europe check out our free camping europe section

Note that some of the stops may have changed due to development works and change in parking restrictions etc.

Canterbury

35G2 Kent - Canterbury - The Kingsmead coach park is open to motorhomes. On payment of a £5 fee (2007), all day parking is allowed, and there is access to toilet waste disposal facilities - at road level so that onboard tanks can be emptied, and fresh water for refilling tanks. Overnight parking is not permitted.

35G2 Kent - Canterbury - The Dover Road Park & Ride facility, about 1 mile from Canterbury city centre along the A2, has dedicated spaces for motor homes, the charge is £2 per day and includes bus fare (2007). Water is available and there is a ground level dump station for black & grey waste (free on payment of parking fee). Overnight parking of motor homes is allowed at 2x day daily rate. 24 large parking bays.

Brighton/Hove

15F2 East Sussex - Brighton/Hove beach front - next to Brighton beach. It's located on Hove Street South, behind the King Alfred leisure Centre car park opposite the bottom of Hove Street off the A259 coast road, West from Brighton pier and left at the traffic lights after the King Alfred.

15F2 East Sussex - Brighton/Hove beach front - Madeira Drive, which is on the seafront east side of Palace Pier.  They block the road off some nights, but will open it for motorhomes. Free parking from 18.00 hrs till 06.00 hrs (2008)

Isle of Wight

12E4 Hampshire - Isle of Wight - Parking on the coast in the daytime has high parking charges. There are several places inland for overnight.

Next to Blackgang Chine there is a National Trust car park.
South of Bembridge follow signs to Culver Down. There is a width restriction.
There are several National Trust car parks suitable for overnight with good views.

New Forest

12A6 Dorset - In the New Forest try the truck parking near the Avon Forest Country Park on the A31 outside Ringwood. Go past Ringwood towards Poole, under the Ashley Heath Roundabout and take the next roundabout left opposite a ‘Little Chef’ (park is signposted). The Avon Forest Country Park itself has height barriers There are toilets/water and but closed after 17.00 hrs.

Stonehenge

23J6 Wiltshire – Stonehenge - from Southhampton, follow main route to Stonehenge (indicated). The monument is then on your left and on your right is a parking. Drive past and after 100 metres take small road on your left. Perfect parking spot on a hilltop overlooking Stonehenge. Room for app. 10 motorhomes (2008)

Dartmouth National Park

08B3 Devon - Dartmoor National Park - Dartmoor has loads of great parking spots. The bigger ones are generally marked on maps but there are also plenty which aren't. Just drive along a road and chances are you'll find a decent spot to park up. They don't usually have any facilities and the bigger spots can get fairly busy from early on in the morning with tourists.

Cornwall

02A3 Cornwall - St Just - Large car park in centre of town - free and with no restrictions on overnight parking. Local pubs and shops. Close to lands End, Sennen Cove, Cape Cornwall and Penzance.

02A4 Cornwall - Levant Mine National Trust - The National Trust and Trevithick Trust own and run Levant mine, a working Cornish steam engine. Just above the site is a large level parking area with stunning views over the Cornish coast, engine houses and out towards Pendeen Watch lighthouse.

02B2 Cornwall - Porthcurno - Car park, all-day ticket app. £4. Toilets open over night.

02C3 Cornwall - Marazion - Overnight parking is allowed at Kings Road car park. Price £4 (2007), no facilities.

02C3 Cornwall - Marazion - Two layby's, one either side of the road. Take A30 from Penzance and off on to the A394. Lay-by’s are only a short distance along. They are well back from the road and are landscaped with bays. Bins are provided for rubbish and views are great.

02C3 Cornwall - Penzance - The parking layby on the coast road to Marazion. Once the pub traffic goes it is quiet. Outstanding views to St Micheals Mount.

02D4 Cornwall - Hayle - There are three car parks:
1. By the north Quay as you come into Hayle from the south. It is wide open and a little windy but only a very short walk to the shops. Park near the arches to get out of the wind.
2. As you go thru town there is a very narrow road across a bridge signposted swimming pool. There’s a car park alongside with a nice view across the copper pool.
3. Instead of turning to swimming pool car park go straight on. It is signed as a private road but has access to a beach car park.

There are reports that these car parks are sometimes patrolled by Police and overnighters sent away.

02E1 Cornwall - Lizard - The National Trust car park by the Lizard lighthouse. Toilet block open all night. Lovely spot, but be warned, the lighthouse beam flicking across the fields may look pretty but if a fog comes in at night you'll be woken up by a loud fog horn that blasts for 5-10s every 45s or so and it is only a couple of hundred feet from the car park!

02E5 Cornwall - Portreath - A good place to wild camp is on the B 3301 coast road from Portreath to Hayle. Follow that road out of Portreath up the big hill, after about 2 miles from Portreath you will pass on the left hand side an entrance for Tehidy Country Park. Virtually opposite to the entrance there is a track leading to basset cove car park. Very good sea view.

02E6 Cornwall - Chapelporth Beach, near St Agnes - Part of the set of Blue Juice, a lovely little cove, owned by the National trust who don't seem to mind you parking up.

03G4 Cornwall - Portscatho on the Roseland Peninsula - idyllic small harbour with pubs. Come into the village off the main Tregony/St Mawes road - car park on left and short walk into town.

03J5 Cornwall - There are a number of free sites around Eden/Heligan.

03J6 Cornwall - Follow the A390 into St Austell from Liskeard, after large roundabout and before ASDA-supermarket, turn left towards Penrice Hospital and Porthpean. Road narrows, continue until cross road. Turn left towards Trenarren (Black Head). Great views over St Austell Bay and towards the Gribben (Fowey). Car park before houses. Take left hand lane - rather uneven but passable - until you come to large open space with level parking. Superb walks out to Black Head

03J6 Cornwall - A layby between St Austell and Mevagissey.

03J5 Cornwall - The car park in Mevagissey will allow you to overnight at a nominal charge and it is in the middle of town and handy for shops, quay, restaurants etc. Beware - Do not try to drive through Mevagissey as it is very narrow, just go straight into the huge car park on the left.

04B5 Cornwall - entering Cornwall over the Tamar bridge on the A390, onto dual carriageway after Trerulefoot Roundabout, up the hill past Menheniot turning, toilets and layby on the left. Alternatively, continue on for approx. 1/2 mile, turn left towards Looe and then immediately left again (Old road left abandoned).

05J5 Devon - Dartmouth - a beautiful location next to the quayside. Follow signs for higher ferry; when reaching river turn right towards town centre. The parking restrictions are two hours only between 9am-6pm (may-sept). There is also a toilet block nearby. (2008)

05J6 Torbay - Paignton: on the seafront.

06D4 Cornwall - Tintagel: King Arthur's Car Park, opposite The Old Post Office, Fore Street. Large level car park in centre of Tintagel town, easy access for large motorhomes. Reasonably secluded at far end of car park. Officially licensed for motorhomes to stay overnight. £3 (2007) for the night (4.00pm to 10.00am approx). No services. Public toilet block across the road and up the street at Spar. There's a lot of building going on and the car park is a mess (2009)

06E4 Cornwall - Very rural site at Rough Tor on Bodmin Moor. Just east of Camelford two roads head towards Rough Tor and Brown Willy (these are mountaintops). Narrow road and great switch back road - excellent at full speed but DO make sure road is clear. Great walks up to the Tors.

06E4 Cornwall - Bodmin Moor - Several layby’s on the A30, but the road is busy. One layby in particular: on top of moors 1 mile north of Bodmin approx layby on left (going south) with burger van in situ, sign posted to Temple Fishery. Parking in pull-ins of road loop.

07F6 Cornwall - Widemouth Bay -  A layby next to the Budemeadows campsite on the A39. The layby is used by loads of surfers, no reports of any problems.

07G4 Cornwall - Heading into the county on the A30, past Launceston, you come off the dual carriageway and, on the left-hand side, there is a small lake and fishing advertised. Pull in and turn to left but not down to the fishery. Empty moorland in front of you!

Somerset

28D4 North Somerset - Portishead. This town overlooks the Severn Estuary and is 15 miles drive from Bristol, 3 miles from the M5 motorway. From junction 19 of the M5 take the A369 to Portishead. As you enter the town go past the Co-op supermarket on your left, past the start of the High Street on your left and take the next left opposite the Waitrose Esso petrol Station. Take the second right signposted to the Seafront and Lake Grounds. You can park for free day and night anywhere along the promenade. There is a café, public toilets, and an open-air swimming pool, but the whole area is really a picnic site without noisy amusements. You cannot swim in the estuary due to very dangerous tides and soft mud, but the view across the sea to Wales from your camper is excellent.

29F4 Bristol - There is a location on the Downs area of Bristol (top of Parrys Lane just off the Downs) where you can park. This is in an area known as Saville Rd and normally during the day it's used as an unofficial truck stop, complete with a mobile burger bar.

Gloucestershire

41F3 Gloucestershire - Forest of Dean - There's a fair number of decent sized Forestry Commision car parks in the Forest of Dean. Some of the bigger ones have the gates closed at 7.30pm, if you don't mind being locked in for the night. There is a small charge (the general car park fee). There are a lot of picnic areas but most of them are locked at 7.30 pm. There are also some places on the Cinderford to Coleford road.

41J5 Gloucestershire - Tewkesbury - Follow A38 through Tewkesbury towards Gloucester, pass Abbey on the left and then coach park on right, as the road bends to the left there is small lane on right signed "Lower Load." Follow this lane for half mile down to River Severn. There is as small picnic area and old ferry here. The road stops here so exit is back the way you drove in, no houses very quiet at night.

41K4 Gloucestershire - Cheltenham - Look for Cheltenham pump rooms, signposted from Cheltenham racecourse, security camera's, nice park next to it, 10min walk into Cheltenham; a nice spot.

42C4 Gloucestershire - A nice site in the Cotswolds next to a stream and about ten minutes walk from a couple of pubs in Bourton-on-the-Water. Go to Streetfinder, type in GL54 2PS, nice pull in as river crosses road.

42C6 Gloucestershire - Chipping Campden - From Chipping Campden take the B4035 towards Aston Subadge. Just outside of Chipping Campden there is a left turn, go up the hill, then it levels out go for about 1/2 mile till you come to cross roads your right of way. Turn right towards Weston Subadge up the lane 200 yards. Turn right into car park. Great views looking over Stratford on Avon and towards Birmingham.

Oxfordshire

43G2 Oxford - Oxfordshire - Oxford Seacourt Park en Drive . Follow signs “Park and Ride”. Cost one pound per 24 hrs. (pay en display). Only SMAll campervans are allowed as there are height barriers. Regular shuttle bus service to city centre. (2008)

31G7 Oxfordshire - Abingdon - The Rye Farm Pay & Display car park, on the A415 going south from Abingdon, on the left hand side just across the river bridge. £5 for 24 hours maximum (2007). Public toilets (pay) are just across the road.