Visiting London in your campervan

August 14, 2019

Having lived in London for some years, when we had reason to visit the city twice last year, we could not envisage where we could possibly stay in the metropolis in a motorhome. After a little research we found The Caravan and Motorhome Club campsite at Abbey Wood.

It is not exactly central but there is a good train connection to the heart of the city from here and the site is clean, quiet, impeccably run and reasonably priced.

Abbey Wood is not the most glamorous area of London but the site is pleasantly green with mature trees and spacious pitches so it’s a bit of an oasis. The train connection into the city takes just 35 minutes, Greenwich and The Cutty Sark are nearby and there are grocery shops and pubs a short walk from the site so there is plenty to do and assorted ways to dine in the area.

River cruises operate nearby offering a very pleasant way to visit Greenwich, Tower Bridge, Westminster, Kew, Richmond and Hampton Court. The helpful and friendly team at the campsite are more than happy to offer advice to visitors and have leaflets on many of the local attractions in the reception area.

If you happen to be meeting up with friends or family, newly sited camping “Pods” at the campsite might make for an inexpensive and pleasant option for them too (details are on their website). They were just installing some pods when we were last there and they looked very civilised.

The site is open all year but pretty much always busy so we suggest you book ahead to be certain of getting a spot. Members of the Caravan and Motorhome Club get very preferential rates so do consider joining if you are staying for more than a couple of nights or travelling to other parts of the UK.

The club has many sites all over the UK and we have not stayed in a bad one yet so highly recommend their sites and other affiliated/certified locations for motorhomes.

Important note: Abbey Wood is situated within the London Low Emission Zone so you’ll need to register your van well ahead of going to avoid getting a fine. Visit www.tfl.gov.uk/lezlondon for more information.

London is well worth a visit and our last trip reminded us just how much the city has to offer. We were delighted with Abbey Wood as a base and will probably never trouble a London hotel again now we have discovered this excellent campsite.

We would encourage you to visit the rest of the UK mainland but we would also encourage you to plan ahead if you do. Free places to park in most parts of the country are non-existent so it is very different to motorhome travel on the continent. We will blog about how to access the best overnight halts in the UK and how to get the best prices when crossing the English Channel soon.