Outdoor & Adventure for Expats in the UK

A holiday park in the UK is a managed leisure site offering a range of accommodation types — including static caravans, lodge cabins, touring pitches for motorhomes and caravans, and glamping pods — usually with shared facilities such as a swimming pool, clubhouse, restaurant and children's play areas. They sit somewhere between a traditional campsite and a self-catering resort. Operators like Pure Leisure Group and Shorefield Holidays run parks that are open most of the year, and many offer holiday home ownership as well as short-break bookings. A standard campsite typically offers only tent or touring pitches with more basic facilities.

It depends on what you're looking for. Cornwall is the classic choice for dramatic Atlantic coastline, surfing beaches and mild weather — but it's very popular and roads can be congested in summer. The Cotswolds is better for walking, picturesque villages and easy access from London. Norfolk and Suffolk offer quieter coastlines, excellent birdwatching and a gentler pace. Dorset is ideal for the Jurassic Coast, fossil hunting and coastal walking. For something truly remote and luxurious, Rural Retreats covers the whole of Britain and Ireland including Scotland, Wales and the islands.

As early as possible for school holiday periods — particularly the six-week summer break (mid-July to early September), Easter and the May half-term. Popular destinations like Cornwall, the Lake District and the Cotswolds can book out 6–12 months in advance for peak summer weeks. If you can travel outside school holidays, you'll find far more availability and lower prices. Autumn and spring can be genuinely beautiful for coastal and countryside holidays — many expats find October particularly good value.

Yes — all of England's national parks have designated campsites, many in spectacular locations. In Scotland, wild camping (pitching anywhere in open countryside) is a legal right under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. In England and Wales, wild camping technically requires landowner permission, though it is widely practised in remote parts of national parks like the Lake District with minimal enforcement. For camping with proper facilities, the network of established sites within national parks is extensive and generally well-maintained. OLPRO is a popular choice for camping gear among UK first-timers.

Self-catering simply means accommodation with a fully equipped kitchen, where you prepare your own meals rather than having them included. Most UK holiday cottages and lodge holidays are self-catering. It's typically more economical than hotel stays for families or groups, gives you flexibility around mealtimes, and lets you cook local produce from nearby farm shops and markets — very much part of the UK countryside holiday experience. All the cottage agencies listed here — Cornwall, Cotswolds, Norfolk, Dorset and Suffolk Hideaways and Rural Retreats — list exclusively self-catering properties.