Vanderlust
Across UK in a motorhome
Join our girls for an epic road trip from Land’s End to John o’ Groats in a camper van called Bert...
Two girls and a dog in one very large motorhome driving from Land’s End to John o’ Groats ... what could possibly go wrong? I hadn’t explored much of Britain before, so as I arrived at Penzance station I was buzzing at the prospect of covering the full length – officially 874 miles, although we somehow managed 1,039 miles – of our island.
My friend Claire had agreed to join me with her collie Amiri on this crazy road trip – but we had second thoughts when we saw the size of the rig we had to drive. It was huge!
But Graham from Rockin Vans gave us a run-down of our fully equipped four-berth motor-home and we were soon off to the supermarket in “Bert” to stock up on provisions for our epic journey. Claire cracked on with the driving (I’d only ever driven a VW Polo…) and she did an amazing job.
Staying at pre-booked Camping and Caravanning Club sites, our first night was spent in lovely Sennen Cove at a simple place with a gorgeous view over the countryside and out to sea.
We were up bright and early on day two, ready to officially start our LEJOG trip. At Land’s End there were plenty of motorhome-sized spaces in the large car park, and clear directions.
There’s a mini village of shops, cafés and restaurants, an interactive exhibition and other attractions – as well as the famous signpost.
There is a barrier around it, so you can take your own photos from behind the cordon, but to be next to the signpost you have to pay a professional photographer for the privilege. We stretched our legs – and Amiri’s – on a long walk along the coast, taking in Maen’s Castle and a shipwreck.
Back at the visitor centre at Land’s End, we had the obligatory Cornish pasties and bought our souvenirs – there was a lot of choice! It’s all rather touristy but quite good fun.
After stopping off at dog-friendly Long Rock Beach just outside Penzance, we then pointed Bert inland towards Cheddar in Somerset.
The site assistant at Cheddar’s picturesque campsite was funny and helpful, and told us about a dog-friendly pub nearby for dinner. The Queen Victoria Inn in Wells was very busy, but the long wait for our delicious food was worth it.
Day three started with a trip to Cheddar Gorge. We struggled to find a parking space for big Bert, so we ended up driving through the gorge before turning around and finding a car park that could accommodate our beast.
Fuelled by cheddar cheese toasties from a café in town, we tackled the 274 steps up Jacob’s Ladder which leads to a clifftop walk – more of a hike than I
anticipated (cheddargorge.co.uk). Amiri made a lot of new friends, but I found the hike quite difficult in the blazing sunshine, so take loads of water.
I headed back to Bert for a siesta while Claire and Amiri explored Gough’s Cave. An audio guide was included and Claire said the tour was funny and informative.
Our next campsite was in Winchcombe in Gloucestershire. The site was beautiful, with its own lake, and the manager kindly brought some deckchairs over to our pitch so we could sit and watch the sun set over the water.
We spent the evening looking for places to visit on our way to the next day’s campsite and decided on Sudeley Castle. No dogs are allowed inside, so we had a walk around the countryside by the gatehouses.
On our way to drop Amiri off in Stafford (he couldn’t come with us all the way), we stayed at Hayfield campsite, which had beautiful views over the Peak District.
Day five took us to Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, which we know as the filming location for Pemberley in Pride and Prejudice. The ticket includes a self-guided tour of the house and the gardens are beautiful and well-maintained, which is impressive considering their size.
There are so many nooks and crannies, we spent ages here – and loved the famous cascade water feature (chatsworth.org, house from €14.60pp, gardens from €8.20pp).
From Chatsworth, Claire drove us to Keswick in the Lake District, where we stayed for two nights to break up the journey. At the campsite the motorhome pitches are set back from the lake, with beautiful views and plenty of wildlife.
We didn’t fancy cooking in Bert (though he was equipped for that), so wandered into town for some fantastic fish and chips. We both agreed that we’d like to come back to Keswick.
Our activity in the Lake District (apart from marvelling at the views) was the Via Ferrata near Honiton – a climb up cables on an old miners’ route on Fleetwith Pike. We did the Xtreme version, but the Classic option is a little easier. It’s a guided ascent and you wear a helmet and are attached to the mountain by cables, which you have to clip and unclip as you go. After a full safety briefing we were off.
Part of the experience is scrambling up the huge cargo net to the 2,066ft summit (I wore walking boots, but would have been better off in trainers as the steps were quite small).
But all of the climbing is totally worth it for the most amazing views over the Lake District (honister.com, from €45pp). Back at base, we had lunch in the car park, and then drove back to the Keswick site for a nap!
On day seven we crossed the border into Scotland and headed for the west coast to the campsite at Culzean Castle, overlooking the Firth of Clyde. Our prime spot provided by far the best sunset of the trip.
I figured it was unfair for Claire to do all the driving, so I climbed behind Bert’s steering wheel and managed to safely negotiate the next leg.
I got us to the Loch Ness Shores
Take the Via Ferrata to top of Fleetwith Pike for spectacular views across the Lake District
campsite in one piece, feeling very proud of myself. The campsite was great, with plenty of new facilities – I recommend the waffles from the on-site food truck.
We walked those off with a hike up to the 165ft Falls of Foyers and around the beautiful shores of the loch (no Nessie!).
Our final day dawned, and I
drove us for four hours to John o’ Groats to send postcards from the British mainland’s most northerly post box and take selfies next to the signpost (with no hustling for money – Land’s End, take note).
Looking out across the sea in the appropriately named Seaview Hotel over dinner, Claire and I reflected on our epic LEJOG trip.
We had driven a motorhome the length of England and Scotland, going to places we’d never been before, met some brilliant people and saw sights that will stay with us for ever.
Thank you, Bert. We are proud to officially be End to Enders.