Motorhome Facilities Home Page

Town facilities by Region

Wales North West West Midlands South West South East London Eastern England East Midlands North East Scotland

Click on the map or one of the links below to towns for which we have information on the facilities available for motorhome users by region:

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Scotland

Aviemore Pay and display nearly opposite Tescos - no height barrier - not massive. Tescos let us park but the carpark is operated by Eurocarparks so I went in and spoke to the manager who said we could park in the loading bay!
Kinlochleven Big carpark by the Aluminium story - no height barriers - not sure if you had to pay.
Fort William Big pay and display carpark at one end of town - not Tescos end. No height barrier.
Drumnadrochit Carpark which is pay and display in the town - we were going in the Loch Ness museum but because we couldn't get in they gave us a contribution towards the pay and display car park.
Glencoe Parking at the Visitor Centre - free - best Visitor Centre I've ever been in!

North West

Blackpool Anytime, I think, there is unrestricted free parking next to the beach. Going N, out of Blackpool towards Fleetwood, Princes Way bends right away from the beach. As it does, there is a turning left by a big toilet block. (Handy for dumping.) The road is called Sea Wall.
Matlock Free Long Stay Car Park near old railway station. From centre of Matlock take Matlock Bath road, cross river and immediate right. Two minutes walk from centre. Rough surface, nice views, may be OK for overnighting.
Bakewell Pay & Display Car Park near farmers' market and showground. Large spaces for motorhomes. Two minutes walk from centre.
Sedbergh Two carparks - one is free (didn't use that - sorry!). However, the other carpark is pay and display and has a huge list of restrictions eg caravans etc but doesn't mention motorhomes. So I rang them up and the senior attendant said we could park in the coach and trailer bays - not ideal but worth ringing - they didn't know in Tourist Information which is right next door.
Chester You can park in the roodee - no height barriers - massive carpark - I think you can sleep overnight as well.
Castleton Pay and display by the tourist information. You can also park in laybys by the Blue John mines or in the carpark there which is also pay and display.
Kendal Seem to remember that we couldn't park here but that there were two unbarriered carparks but they were full!
Tarporley Park behind the British Legion - bit of a squeeze but no barrier and pay and display.
Colne - Lancashire Small town mid pennines near to pendle hill + surrounding beautiful countryside,involved in the Lancashire Witch Trials etc. Situated at the end of the M65, 40 miles eitherway to Leeds or Manchester, 12 miles from Skipton, 10 miles from Hebden Bridge, 7 miles from Haworth + Bronte Country. Loads of carparks in the town centre without height barriers suitable for overnight stop offs at little or no cost (20 p per hour day times.) The one behind the Red Lion Pub on Market Street is right in the centre of town + very flat, opposite the market, a tesco metro + co-op. Many pubs to visit along the main street with chinese, indian, turkish takeaways doing the usual pizza, kebabs etc - particulary good fish + chips from the cemetery chippy on keighley rd open early evenings only. On North Valley Road theres also mcDonalds/KFC, matalan, instore + aldi, just down the road at the beginning of the M65 there is a large Asda and a 'famous'shopping outlet called Boundary Mill for clothing, homewares etc.

North East

Ilkley Ilkley is a small town on West Yorkshire/North Yorkshire border, famous for it Cow and Calf Rocks and Ilkley Moor.
Ilkley Lido & Swimming Pool, north of the A65/town and across the Wharfe River, has non-paying parking with no height barriers and has little activity after 8pm or so. There are toilets, but not often open, mini golf and walks in the woods on site. The town is half a mile away. To get there, Turn north, off A65 at the central town traffic lights by the Crescent Hotel, turn first right over the River Wharfe, and its 200m on the left.
There is a non-paying car park near the Old Ilkley College, Ilkley Moor, a quarter of a mile south of the town. Its 10m after the cattle grid, going up Wells Road. To get there, Turn south, off A65 at the central town traffic lights by the Crescent Hotel, up to the junction by the zebra crossing, left and immediately right up Wells Road. No water, no toilets. Fairly quiet at night.
Lay-by parking on A65 out of Ilkley towards Skipton, after the 40mph limit sign. On a slope and noisy but useful in emergency. No toilets, no water.
Helmsley Parked in castle carpark and we were able to walk into town from there - no problems.
Pickering Definitely parked in a carpark but can't remember where - it was near the coop - you had to cross the main road. It wasn't a massive carpark but didn't have a height barrier.

Wales

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth front is also great for off-season parking - Victoria Terrace is OK. Up by the floodlit cliffs. There is a toilet for dumping one street over in Queens Road.
Prestatyn Prestatyn is definitely not MH friendly there is only one real car park for those with any height more than a car and that is the one by the bus station where the market is held on a tuesday and friday. they do have height barriers tho and if there are travellers around they close them off.
Kwiksave [Somerfield] car park has no barrier but will clamp you if you stay more than 2 hours. Most of the beach CP's have height barriers too.

Nova Centre Beach Car Parks, turn towards beach at main traffic lights on outskirts of town (the sea side of the town). The car parks by the Nova Centre (which is a swimming pool and cafe) have height barriers but if you go into the Nova Centre reception and tell them you have a motorhome they will get security to open the barrier for you. Note - Only accessible during the Nova Centre opening hours.

Porthmadog Height barriers everywhere but you can park in Tescos - bit of a trek. There is a small carpark by the pitch and putt but you'd be lucky to get in there - it's pay and display. Other than that it's parking by the road - usually ok down Snowdon street.
Wrexham Loads of pay and display carparks and no height barriers - Island Green is always really busy - the carpark by the baths is probably a better bet.
Wrexham Loads of pay and display carparks and no height barriers - Island Green is always really busy - the carpark by the baths is probably a better bet.
Rhayader Car park behind the tourist information - no height barrier - pay and display.
Tenby Great parking at the bottom by town beach - motorhome spaces - pay and display but cheap for the day I recall.
Harlech We have parked in the castle carpark - pay and display - follow the signs - town easily accessible.
Newgale Big carpark by the lifeguard hut - along the front - you can't miss it.
Llanbedrog Pay and display above the beach - no barriers - you can't miss it!
Abersoch Only one carpark - come into the town follow road round to right and it's on the right. You can sleep for £2.

West Midlands

Stow-on-the-Wold Stow-on-the-Wold has a free long-stay car park on the Moreton side of town, but if you read all the rules it is for cars only and there is a maximum £50 penalty for parking with a non-permitted vehicle type or taking up more than one space. However, sharing the same site is a Tesco, with plenty of room to park and customer service staff who unofficially allowed us to overnight there.
Upton-on-Severn Upton-on-Severn is a pretty spot with what looks like an ideal car park, accommodating cars, coaches and lorries. However, it has the most complex set of regulations I have ever seen. Parking is free from 6pm to 2am(!) but not for HGVs, which can park overnight but cars can't. There appears to be no provision whatever for motorhomes. I bet the local council had a whale of a time drafting up that lot. But if you drive through Upton in the direction of Little Malvern, there is a stretch of the old road which has been by-passed by a new bit (for no obvious reason). This makes a very convenient parking spot for the town/village and, in our case, a quiet sleepy spot.
Cinderford Parked behind co-op in their carpark. No barrier and free as I recall.
Ludlow Couldn't find a space although there is an unbarriered carpark - ended up in Tescos and didn't walk back into town.
Bakewell You can park in the main car park in Bakewell, pay (and not cheap) but if you buy up to £10 of food in the Co-0p they will refund 2 hours parking. Nice spot, walk across the river and you are greeted by the co-op, so easy to buy supplies without too long a carry.
There is also a large market on Mondays in Bakewell..

East Midlands

East

Lavenham At the top of the main street on the left is the main car park with no height barrier. Very quiet when we were there Monday (start of June).
The Lavenham Guildhall (National Trust) is well worth a visit - in the main Market Square. A good Antique Centre in the main street.
Clare On the Melford to Haverill road, Clare Country Park is signposted and is 100 yards the main road. Lots of parking with no height barrier. Walks by the river, visitors centre and a lovely large Antique Centre adjacent.

London

South West

Woolacombe Off season parking is available at Woolacombe. There is a car park on the cliff at the N end of the Beach.
Marazion There's a carpark by the beach - no height barriers - but we took up two space lengths so paid twice.
Boscastle Massive carpark, no height barriers - even thought it's big it's best to get there early! Pay and display - you can't miss it.
Penzance Big carpark on the harbour - no height barriers - pay and display.
Clovelly Carpark by visitor centre - only place to park - no height barrier - pay and display.
Swanage Parked behind the tourist information - the carpark is up a side street - no height barrier and lots of room - We followed the signs!
Tavistock Big carpark on the way out of town - within walking distance just to Tescos. Can't remember name of road but we followed the signs - it's not a very big place. It's pay and display and no height barrier.
Poole Parked in the street here as the carparks all seemed to be multi storey - maybe there is a motorhome friendly carpark? We wanted to be near the chip shop!
Looe Two big carparks either side of river - pay and display but unbarriered.
Torquay Parking is by the side of the road - free after a certain time - traffic wardens do operate!
Totnes Parking in Morrisons and walkable into town - we shopped there as well and it was free (the carpark!)
Westward Ho! We parked along the beach but realised there is a big unbarriered carpark at the other end! Plenty of room.
Charmouth Carpark behind the Spar shop but small. Unbarriered. You can walk to the village from any of the campsites.
Avebury There is a carpark across the way from the stones - it's unbarriered but is always really busy. We didn't stop there this time as it was full!
Portscatho Pay and display by the beach - toilet block there. No barriers.
Watchet Managed to park here as I can remember it was the hottest day on record and we had to get out to get an ice cream. Can't unfortunately remember how we parked but must have been ok!
Tintagel Quite a few carparks - you can stay in King Arthurs overnight for £3 - it's the last one on the right approaching the castle.
Bideford Long Stay Car Park by the river (entrance by Kinsley statue). No height barriers. Officially "no sleeping" but Motorhomes often risk it, especially out of season. as far as I know, none has ever been ticketed as long as they have paid the parking fee.

South East

Winchester Winchester is a really good étape. Full of history and splendid shops. Stay max 24hrs in the coach park on Worthy Lane. It's the second car park on the left from Andover Road. Take £5 in coins for the machine. The leisure centre and a lovely park is just a walk away. Go down one of the roads opposite and work your way N East.
Dover Only place we have ever had a parking ticket - parked in a coach bay in desperation like two other vans - even saw the attendant who, when I spoke to him later, said he had seen me but couldn't stop to talk to me because he was taking his boss to a meeting!!! Not impressed but the carpark is pay and display and unbarriered but not very big! Follow the signs