Before you know it, it’ll be time to have finished spring cleaning your caravan and take to the open road again. With some bad weather still to come, why not use these darker winter months to plan those places you want to visit in just a few months’ time.
Here are half a dozen suggestions of the places you might want to add to your itinerary this Spring.
1. Kent
Where else but the Garden of England in which to see in the Spring – once the season is underway, you could even welcome in the Darling Buds of May by vising one of the filming locations.
Kent’s a big county, of course, so you’ll have your pick of tranquil countryside, historic cities – such as Canterbury and its amazing Cathedral – and a gloriously long and varied coastline.
2. Black Country
If the gently whispering secrets of the Garden of England fail to impress, then what about a visit to probably one of the most sombrely named regions of England – the Black Country.
It takes its name from the time that coal was king, and it was the industrial heartland of the country – and that historical value alone makes the region a firm favourite for visitors. But there is lots to do, from walking the canals, to visiting the open air museum or spend some time with nature at the Sandwell Valley Park.
3. North Wales
From the quieter backwaters of the heart of England, a journey westwards will take you to the grandeur of North Wales and the majesty of Snowdonia National Park – or Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri to give it its official local name.
Whether you choose to pitch your touring caravan at one of the many sites within the national park or prefer the equally stunning views across practically any stretch of the North Wales coastline, you are certain of a spectacular holiday.
4. East Anglia
If you want to stare into the vast mysteries above, head eastwards. East Anglia is known for its big, big skies, distant horizons, and desolate seascapes.
But the region spreads across many areas – Norfolk, Suffolk, the Fens, and parts of Cambridgeshire – with a long history associated with the region of Anglia in what is now the North of Germany, from which the Anglo-Saxons gave this stretch of England the name East Angles.
5. Northumberland
Travel north from East Anglia and you will find yourself amid the industrialisation of North East England or the rugged wilderness of the moors that cover more than 70% of the Northumberland National Park.
Desolate and remote, the moors give you a taste of the undeveloped border country between England and Scotland while the dramatic landscapes of the historic coast include such monuments as Bamburgh Castle or the holy site of the Isle of Lindisfarne.
6. Scottish Lowlands
While the rest of the convoy is heading towards the ever-popular Scottish Highlands, you might want to tarry a while in the Scottish Lowlands. This is the area to the south of the twin cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow – a much shorter hop across the border with England, of course.
The rolling countryside of Ayrshire and Dumfries is certain to set your heart at ease as you relax amid the landscapes that inspired the bard of Scotland, Robert Burns. To the east you’ll find the welcoming coastline of East Lothian with its inviting waters – ever-popular with surfers – and a claim to the biggest concentration of internationally renowned golf courses, including the iconic Muirfield, founded as long ago as 1744.
Further reading: 7 destination ideas for Spring