Editor's picks: ideal campsites for Christmas holidays

Enjoy a Christmas holiday

We think holidays in winter are something magical. And you don’t get much more magical than Christmas. In winter, everywhere is a little bit quieter and nothing beats a walk in the woodland or countryside when it’s covered with frost glistening in the sunshine.

Perhaps you like the idea of a few days away before 25 December, browsing the Christmas markets, looking for the perfect gift to take home, and getting in the spirit of the season seeing twinkly Christmas lights in towns and cities. Or maybe a break over Christmas appeals – just think, you could have a leisurely lie in on Christmas Day, then let someone else do the cooking with a country pub roast dinner. Then you can come back to your accommodation and snuggle up with a cuppa and a festive film, or just take a moment to relax and spend quality time with loved ones playing games. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it?

All the featured campsites below are open over the festive season. Between them they offer a range of accommodation, from perfect pitches and glamping, to luxury holiday homes and lodges, so you can pick yourself the perfect present by booking a break away at Christmas.

  Doubletrees Farm Caravan & Campsite, Cornwall

One of the most famous visitor attractions of the southwest, the Eden Project is a vast botanic garden with tropical biomes set in a crater the size of 30 football pitches. During December the whole site is a riot of festive lighting and seasonal music. Festivities vary each year but expect to be able to book to meet Santa and take to the glittering ice rink among other things.

With views across to Carlyon Bay, Doubletrees Farm is a 48-pitch campsite only one mile from the Eden Project; 10 of the pitches are hardstanding. There are electric hook-ups available, plus toilets, showers, a laundry room and dog exercise area. Within a five-minute walk is a pub, shop, takeaways and bus stop. If you fancy a wintry stroll along the beach, Carlyon Bay is less than two miles away from Doubletrees Farm, with a large car parking facility, too.

Luxulyan Road
St Blazey Gate
Par
St Austell
Cornwall
PL24 2EH
01726 812266
Open 1 March – 31 December

Doubletrees Farm Caravan & Campsite 

  Harrow Wood Farm Caravan Park, Dorset

The New Forest is a popular tourist attraction, but how about exploring the beauty of it in wintertime? Wrap up warm and enjoy early morning walks on frostbitten trails, looking for wildlife and enjoying the peace and quiet of a non-tourist-filled forest.

Harrow Wood Farm is just two miles from the forest, five miles from Christchurch and 10 miles from Bournemouth. The site has a fishing lake and a one-mile circular walk around the farm. Facilities include toilets and showers, sinks for dishwashing and a laundry. The campsite does not accept dogs.

Nearby Bournemouth and Christchurch are both lit up with festive illuminations, usually from the end of November. Bournemouth’s Christmas market is held from mid November until the end of December.

Poplar Lane
Bransgore
Christchurch
Dorset
BH23 8JE
01425 672487
Open 1 March – 31 January

Harrow Wood Farm Caravan Park 

  Cardiff Caravan Park, Cardiff

Wales’ capital city becomes a winter wonderland in the festive season. Cardiff’s Christmas market takes place mid-November until Christmas. At the heart of the vibrant city, Bute Park is 130 acres of landscaped gardens, parkland and arboretum, set behind historic Cardiff Castle. Bute Park hosts a light trail and street food vendors during the festive season, too.

Just a 15-minute riverside walk from the city centre is Cardiff Caravan Park. Set within a tranquil parkland location, it’s hard to believe that the city is so close by. The campsite has Grasscrete pitches with individual water supply and electric hook-up. There are toilet and shower facilities available, plus a laundry room, dishwashing area and cycle hire. There are many cycle routes direct from the site and water taxis can take you along the river to Cardiff Bay where there is a selection of waterfront bars and restaurants to choose from. You’ll also find the stunning Wales Millennium Centre here, an arts and entertainment venue.

Pontcanna Fields
Cardiff
CF11 9XR
029 2039 8362
Open all year

Cardiff Caravan Park  

  Somers Wood Caravan Park, Warwickshire

Somers Wood is an adults-only site adjacent to Stonebridge Golf Club (which has a bar and restaurant) and 20 acres of Packington Somers fishing lakes. Meriden village is one mile away with shops, pubs and restaurants. There are hardstanding pitches (four fully serviced), and all have electric. There’s a heated shower block, toilets and showers, along with a laundry room.

Birmingham city centre is easily accessible by car, bus or train. And, from during November and December, the city hosts the Frankfurt Christmas Market – the largest authentic German market outside of Germany and Austria with over 120 stalls, live music and an ice rink.

Meriden
Warwickshire
CV7 7PL
01676 522978
Open all year

Somers Wood Caravan Park  

  Park Foot Holiday Park, Cumbria

Some people prefer to escape the hustle and bustle of Christmas, and where better than the countryside, close to the shores of one of the Lake District’s beautiful lakes? Park Foot is situated less than half a mile from the lakeshore at the northern end of Ullswater. The village of Pooley Bridge is just a mile away with a few shops and places to eat, while the larger town of Penrith is seven miles away.

If you fancy seeing festive lights during your stay, then Keswick is a 30-minute drive, with its big light switch on usually taking place towards the end of November. You could also get the train from Penrith and head to Carlisle where there is a Christmas market in early December.

Park Foot’s Striding Edge field has hardstanding electric and fully serviced pitches. There are toilets, showers, a shop, and a bar/restaurant.

Howtown Road
Pooley Bridge
Penrith
Cumbria
CA10 2NA
01768 486309
Open 17 February – 5 January

Park Foot Holiday Park  

  Pinecones Caravan & Camping, Norfolk

Already a huge attraction, Sandringham House stands in a 20,000-acre estate in the Norfolk countryside. In November and December, the estate hosts Luminate, a winter light trail through the parkland with stunning lighting elements and music. Additionally, in late November there is a Christmas craft, food and gift fair – ideal for stocking up on unique presents.

Just a 30-minute walk from Sandringham Estate is Pinecones Caravan and Camping. The site offers fully serviced hardstanding and grass pitches, plus luxury fully serviced hardstanding pitches with heated picnic huts on the pitch (heating cards are purchased from reception). Individual showers, a washing-up area, launderette, shop, bike hire and takeaway food are all available on site. Pubs are a 15-minute walk, and a bus stop is 10 minutes away.

A149 Dersingham Bypass
Dersingham
Norfolk
PE31 6WL
01485 544224
Open all year

Pinecones Caravan & Camping 

  Wagtail Country Park, Lincolnshire

The National Trust’s Belton House is a country estate with formal Italian and Dutch gardens and a historic deer park. And, from November through to January on selected dates you can enjoy Christmas at Belton. This evening event sees the gardens lit up after dark with a Christmas-themed illuminated trail. Backed by a soundtrack of festive classics, you can wander beneath tree canopies full of colourful lights, see giant baubles and a waterside fire garden. You can also buy mulled wine or hot chocolate to keep you toasty.

Wagtail Country Park is situated in the countryside, a 10-minute drive from Belton House, developed around a fishing lake and with an on-site pub. There are hardstanding pitches with electric. Facilities on site include toilets and showers, wet rooms and a laundry room.

Cliff Lane
Marston
Grantham
Lincolnshire
NG32 2HU
07814 481088
Open all year

Wagtail Country Park  

  Belmont Camping, Cheshire

Dunham Massey is a Georgian house, gardens and deer park under the care of the National Trust. Between mid November and early January, the gardens and deer park are lit up for a Christmas spectacular. Enter the after-dark, illuminated trail into a wonderland of seasonal cheer and Christmas colour including tunnels of light, a fire garden and large illuminations. There is also a host of street food vendors.

For an all-year site close to Dunham Massey, there’s Belmont Camping, which is 14 miles away. Among the pitch choices here are hardstandings with electric hook-up and some fully serviced super pitches. There are also toilets and showers. The site is located between Chester, Liverpool and Manchester, set in the grounds of Belmont Hall, overlooking fishing lakes and close to Tatton Park and Northwich – meaning there’s plenty locally to enjoy a winter break.

Belmont Hall
Great Budworth
Northwich
Cheshire
CW9 6JA
07496 408032
Open all year

Belmont Camping 

  Castle Howard Lakeside Holiday Park, North Yorkshire

Castle Howard is an eighteenth century residence with 1,000 acres of country landscape and is Yorkshire’s finest historic house and estate. During the Christmas period it has a lot of events planned for the whole family and the house and gardens are decorated with trees, lights, garlands and flowers, plus a 25-foot tree in the Great Hall. There will also be Christmas gifts available to purchase, a twilight Christmas trail and the chance to meet Santa.

Quite handily, there is a campsite just 15 minutes’ walk from Castle Howard, near the small village of Coneysthorpe, and by the waters of the estate’s Great Lake. The touring area has hardstanding pitches with electric and is surrounded by mature trees. There are toilet and shower facilities, plus a washing machine and tumble dryer. Also just a short walk away is the Yorkshire Arboretum, which is open until the end of November.

Coneysthorpe
York
North Yorkshire
YO60 7DD
01653 648316
Open 1 March – 3 January

Castle Howard Lakeside Holiday Park 

  Long Hazel Park, Somerset

Long Hazel Park is located in the village of Sparkford, just half a mile from the Haynes Motor Museum and beside the A303 for easy access. This adults-only site is set in landscaped grounds with hardstanding pitches with electric hook-up. There are also 10 fully serviced pitches with the addition of fresh water and water drainage on the pitch. Facilities include toilets and showers, a dedicated accessible suite, laundry room and dishwashing. Locally, there are plenty of walks, including some through woodland for that wintry morning stroll.

30 minutes’ drive away is Glastonbury with its famous tor. As well as Christmas lights adorning the town, and plenty of shops to buy your gifts from, there is the annual Christmas market – the Frost Fayre – on 26 November.

High Street
Sparkford
Yeovil
Somerset
BA22 7JH
01963 440002
Open all year

Long Hazel Park  

  Greenhill Leisure Park, Oxfordshire

Nestled in the Oxfordshire countryside, with four fishing lakes, Greenhill occupies nearly 400 acres of land and is ideal for walking and wildlife spotting. There are hardstanding electric hook-up pitches and fully serviced pitches, toilets and showers, a shop, two launderettes, plus an eight-acre dog exercise field and a pizza bistro.

This campsite is just 10 minutes from Blenheim Palace – the only non-royal country house in England to hold the title of palace.
The gardens, palace rooms and estate of this monumental country house are adorned with festive lights and decorations from November until January. You can purchase separate or combined palace and garden tickets and there’s also a Christmas market taking place. You can also easily visit Oxford, the city of dreaming spires, to experience the historic architecture amid Christmas lights and its festive market during December. There are several park and ride locations on the outskirts of the city.

Station Road
Bletchingdon
Oxfordshire
OX5 3BQ
01869 351600
Open all year

Greenhill Leisure Park  

  Edinburgh Caravan and Motorhome Club Site, Edinburgh

Edinburgh’s a pretty magical place no matter what time of year. However, it gets extra special over the festive season with the Winter Festival. This event runs from mid-November until early January and incorporates Christmas, New Year and Hogmanay. There’s panto, light trails or the traditonal Christmas market, among many other things.

The Caravan and Motorhome Club’s site at Edinburgh is right by the Firth of Forth, near the coastal suburb of Portobello and all its attractions. The bus stop that will get you to the city is within half a mile. This is likely to be a busy site so try to book well in advance of your trip.

35-37 Marine Drive
Edinburgh
EH4 5EN
01313 126874
Open all year

Edinburgh Caravan & Motohome Club Site