Planning to visit the UK? Here’s our mini-guide to visiting Wales by motorhome!
Want to visit Wales in a motorhome? Road-tripping in a motorhome or converted van is an increasingly popular form of travel. Travelling at whim, like a snail carrying its house on its back, is no longer the pleasure of hippies.
Sleeping in your own vehicle also appeals to adventurers of all ages, even those with a taste for comfort. Who wouldn’t want to enjoy the freedom of movement without being cooped up in a hotel? With its islands, lakes, mountains and 1,200 kilometers of coastline, from Cardiff to the national parks, the country is full of surprises. Here’s our guide to visiting Wales by motorhome or converted van.
Route ideas in Wales by motorhome
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Lukasz Pajor
How do I get to Wales?
Visiting Wales by motorhome requires a minimum of preparation. To enter Wales, you can first cross into England from France (via Calais or Cherbourg). Or you can rent a vehicle on the spot, arriving at Cardiff airport, for example.
Next, you’ll need to draw up an itinerary and a schedule of stages to suit the length of your road-trip. Your itineraries will logically depend on the length of your trip. South Wales is more urbanized than the north of the country. And it’s like visiting the southwest of France, from Royan to Biarritz: an area of 20,000 km² requires at least two or three weeks to get a good overview.
The different routes
The land of dragons offers three main itineraries: through the mountains (The Cambrian Way), along the west coast (The Coastal Way) and through the north with its castles (The North Wales Way).Here are a few ideas for possible itineraries to visit Wales by motorhome or converted van.
- South Wales in a week: Newport and the Roman site of Caerleon, Cardiff, Swansea, the Gower Peninsula, Brecon Beacons National Park, the Pembrokeshire coast,
- North Wales in seven days: same route, plus Ceredigion coast, Aberystwyth and Rheidol Valley, Elan Valley, Snowdonia National Park, Llyn Peninsula (cliffs and sandy beaches), Llanbedrog, Porthdinllaen, Nefyn, Porth Neigwl Bay, Abersoch, Bardsey Island, Isle of Anglesey,
- Wales in a month: same stages, but staying longer, Chester, Liverpool, Birmingham (England), Bristol, Forest of Dean, castles and abbeys in Welsh villages (Caerphilly, Tintern Abbey), The Mumbles, Three Cliffs Bay, Pobbles Bay and Brandy Cove beaches, Tenby, Skomer and Skokholm islands, Marloes, west coast via St. David’s, Fishguard, Aberporth and New Quai, Preseli Mountains, Devil’s Bridge, Mynach waterfalls, Porthor beach, Aberdaron (Llyn). David’s, Fishguard, Aberporth and New Quai, Preseli Mountains, Devil’s Bridge, Mynach Falls, Porthor Beach, Aberdaron (Llyn), Holy Island, Holyhead, South Stack Lighthouse and South Stack Island, Wales Coast Path (1,400 km coastal walk from Queensferry to Chepstow.
These are, of course, only indicative stages. You’ll need to adapt your itinerary according to what you want to see. If you’re coming for a short time, limit your stops to avoid spending too much time on the road.
Driving a motorhome in Wales: traffic rules you need to know
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Helen Hotson
The basic principles
As throughout the UK and Ireland, driving in Wales is in the left-hand lane. Overtaking is done from the right. Driving on the left is confusing at first. Our habits are reversed, and we have to relearn how to drive. Above all, we first look to the right before entering a road: this reflex is totally unnatural.
But it’s a move you’ll have to make, and you’ll get the hang of it relatively quickly. Be careful if you come with a camper van or van with left-hand drive! The rules of the road do not differ from those prevailing throughout the UK. In this sense, traffic circles are clockwise.
In addition, to drive in Wales, you need to bring all your identity documents and the vehicle:
- Driver’s license,
- Identity card or passport,
- Vehicle papers,
- Joint accident report,
- Certificate of insurance.
The vehicle must be equipped with a warning triangle, fluorescent vest, first-aid kit, fire extinguisher and spare bulbs.
Roads and limits
The road network in Wales is of good quality, but country roads can be very narrow and hedged. Take extra care when crossing the road, and bear in mind the wide gauge of your motorhome. You should also drive at a walking pace in the countryside, as many sheep graze by the roadside. They could cross the road at any moment.
Beware of speed limits: they are expressed in milers per hour (MPH). It’s a bit confusing, but you’ll soon get the hang of it. Bear in mind the conversion coefficient from miles to km/h (1 km/h = 0.62 MPH). Distances are expressed in yards: 1 yard equals 0.91 meters. Speed limits for cars, vans and motorhomes are as follows:
- In built-up areas: 30 MPH (48 km/h),
- In pedestrian zones: 20 MPH (32 km/h),
- On two-way lanes: 50 to 60 MPH (80 to 96 km/h),
- On freeways: 70 MPH (112 km/h).
Finally, the maximum permitted blood alcohol level is 0.8 g/l.
Freeway tolls in Wales: how much does your motorhome category cost?
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Samot
Freeways in the UK are mostly free. They are marked with the code M, for motorway. There are only two freeways in Wales: the M4 and the M48. The M4 is the motorway linking London and Wales, via Bristol. It extends as far as Pont Abraham, north of Swansea.
The M48 is a branch of the M4, crossing the River Severn between South Gloucester and Montmouthshire. To the north, from Manchester and Liverpool, the M56 and M6 freeways take you into North Wales. To reach central England, take the M5, which crosses the country from north to south.
Here’s some good news for visiting Wales by motorhome. Since the end of 2018, the Severn Bridge toll has been abolished: so the freeway is free!
How and where to rent a motorhome in France?
Are you planning to travel to Wales by motorhome from France? It’s a great idea! So you’ll need to rent your motorhome in France. Nowadays, it’s very easy to rent these vehicles between private individuals. Numerous online platforms, such as Yescapa, make this type of rental possible.
How does it work?
- First, you need to choose the motorhome in your city (e.g. Bordeaux, Nantes, Toulouse, Paris, Montpellier or Marseille).
- Make sure you choose unlimited mileage, check the number of berths available and whether international travel is possible.
- Make your rental request online and share your travel information (dates, rental options, mileage, etc.) with the owner.
- If your request is accepted and after payment, you will have access to the owner’s contact details to arrange a first meeting.
- On the day, present your driver’s license and pay the deposit.
- An inventory of fixtures is drawn up and a rental contract signed by both parties. On your return, after visiting the Welsh countryside, you sign the return inventory of fixtures, and that’s it!
How and where to rent a motorhome in Wales?
Photo credit: Shutterstock – tazzymoto
You can also rent your camper directly on site. Wales is no stranger to camper vans. So there are plenty of rental outlets available. However, we advise you to book your motorhome online in advance. Private rental platforms such as Yescapa also allow you to rent a vehicle abroad. By opting for this solution, you can be sure of having a vehicle for your stay.
Motorhome parks in Wales: where to park?
Photo credit: Caramaps
Where and how to park a motorhome in Wales? In all European countries, motorhomes can park on the same sites as cars.
Parking in Wales
In Welsh cities, you’ll easily find free parking zones. More often, however, parking spaces have to be paid for.
Signs marked with a « P » indicate parking spaces. In the UK, parking is chargeable during working hours, generally between 8am and 6.30pm. You’ll be able to display a parking card on the dashboard, allowing you to park without paying. Be careful not to park in areas marked with a double yellow or red line. However, a single yellow or red line may indicate that evening or weekend parking is permitted.
In all cases, it will be easier to park outside tourist areas and the city centers of large conurbations (Cardiff or Swansea).
Camping in Wales
Where to park for the night? In the UK and Wales, wild camping is tolerated by law. This means you can sleep out in the wild, even in Snowdonia and Brecon Breacons National Parks. With its superb sandy beaches, wide open spaces, cliffs overlooking the Irish Sea and mountains, Wales is a camper’s paradise. Like Galicia (Spain) orScotland, the country can be summed up in one word: « spotland ». However, it is advisable to have the approval of the owners of the land you are camping on.
Here’s a tool much appreciated by backpackers: the Park4night app. The free version allows you to view spots shared by other travellers. These include motorhome service areas, parking lots (free or fee-paying), isolated spots in the middle of nowhere, and campsites.
How do I get to Wales in a motorhome?
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Valery Egorov
Passage through England is compulsory, as there is no port of disembarkation accessible from France. To go directly to Wales, avoid departing from Calais. In fact, the arrival town, Dover, is a 4-hour drive from Cardiff.
Britanny Ferries, with departures from Caen, Le Havre, Saint-Malo and Roscoff, is the company to take you to Wales. For the port of disembarkation in England, you can choose between Plymouth, Poole or Portsmouth, all around 2h35 from Cardiff. The 3-hour crossing costs around €200 per vehicle for a round trip.
Traffic between the ports of England and Wales is easy. Whatever your port of disembarkation, to get to Cardiff, the route passes close to Bristol and spans the River Severn via the huge Second Severn Bridge. However, you’ll need to get used to driving on the left, which can be tricky for the first few minutes!
When is the best time to travel to Wales in a motorhome?
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Billy Stock
When should you visit Wales in a motorhome or camper van? Generally speaking, Wales enjoys a humid oceanic climate, with four distinct seasons.
Summer is logically the best time to visit Wales by motorhome. Between July and August, temperatures average between 17°C and 20°C during the day. At night, the mercury can dip as low as 15°C in summer. It’s even cooler in North Wales and in the mountains.
In Holyhead in the north, for example, the climate is only considered favorable in July and August. By contrast, the Cardiff region can be visited between May and September. Autumn and winter are the seasons with the heaviest rainfall of the year.
Conclusion: to visit Wales by motorhome, it’s best to leave between May and September, and bring warm clothes for evenings and nights.