Your Campervan Camping Style
How do you want to travel?
Where you stay and how often you move shape the van you need. Start with the trips you would love to take.
Your pace.
Your kind of adventure.
Camping style: the quick answer
Love site facilities?
Prioritise comfort, an easy pitch setup and the facilities you will actually use.
Prefer fewer services?
Plan your own power, water, toilet and waste storage between service stops.
Mix it up…
Your style can change with the season, destination and length of trip.
Which camping style suits you?
Campsites with facilities
A base with services nearby. Check showers, toilets, hook-up and transport before booking.
Think: convenience
Small and simpler sites
A quieter setting may appeal. Facilities vary — small does not always mean basic.
Think: what is provided
Touring & overnight stops
Move between places and use permitted overnight stops. Check each location's terms and available services.
Think: flexibility
Off-grid means managing without hook-up — it can happen on a campsite too. It does not mean permission to stay anywhere.
What pace feels right?
You can combine these approaches in the same trip.
Stay a while
Settle into a base and explore nearby. Think about getting around without moving the van.
Keep moving
Explore a new place most days. Make packing away, bed setup and service stops easy.
Mix the two
Tour for a few nights, then pause on a campsite to refill, recharge and relax.
What does your style mean for your van?
| Your trips | Features to consider |
|---|---|
| Regular site facilities | Comfort, layout and pitch setup |
| Nights without hook-up | Battery capacity and charging |
| Fewer facilities | Water, toilet and waste storage |
| Frequent moves | Quick setup and accessible storage |
| Longer or colder trips | Heating, ventilation and drying space |
Choose for real trips
Start with the journeys you expect to take most often. Hire or borrow a van to try your routine before buying.
Ask yourself before choosing
- Where will we sleep most nights?
- How often do we want to move?
- Which facilities do we want nearby?
- How long between refill and service stops?
- What changes in wet or cold weather?
A useful first exercise
Sketch a three-night trip: where you stay, what you use and when you refill, recharge or empty waste.
No score to chase. The aim is a setup that fits your habits.
Plan the stop, not just the view
Check permission
Confirm overnight stays are allowed. Follow signs, booking conditions and landowner requirements.
Know the services
Check water, waste disposal and power. Parking does not guarantee camping facilities.
Stay considerate
Keep noise down, leave no litter and use designated waste disposal points.
Scotland: outdoor access rights for wild camping do not extend to motor vehicles. Check designated stops and local rules.
The pros and cons
Facilities, flexibility, planning and independence — the trade-offs explained.
Explore the trade-offsMy experience
A space for my own camping style and how it has changed over time.
Read my experienceThe Campervan Considered view
Choose your camping style before your equipment. Build around the trips you will really take.
Find your fitThe pros and cons of each approach
Campsite-based trips
- Benefit:Showers, toilets and waste disposal on hand
- Benefit:Hook-up keeps batteries topped up
- Benefit:A simpler van can work well
- Trade-off:Booking ahead in busy periods
- Trade-off:Less spontaneity about where you stay
- Trade-off:Pitch fees add up on longer trips
Touring and fewer facilities
- Benefit:More freedom to follow the weather and your mood
- Benefit:Quieter, smaller places
- Benefit:Easy to move on when you want to
- Trade-off:Needs more battery, water and waste capacity
- Trade-off:Planning for permission and service stops
- Trade-off:Facilities vary from place to place
My experience
My own camping style and how it has changed over time will appear here soon.
Personal story to add
The Campervan Considered view
Choose your camping style before your equipment. Build around the trips you will really take.
It's easy to plan a van around a dream trip you might take once. Most of us spend far more nights on the kind of trips we already enjoy, so start there.
If you love campsites, a simpler van can be the better choice. If you'd rather tour and use fewer facilities, put power, water and waste capacity higher up your list.
Watch or listen
The camping-style discussion will appear here when available.
Camping style episode — coming soon
Sources & guidance
Site facilities, responsible overnight stops and local guidance.
- The Camping and Caravanning Club(opens in a new tab)
- VisitScotland: motorhomes and campervans(opens in a new tab)
Rules for overnight stays vary by location. Always check local signage and landowner requirements.
Next guide
Now consider how much space your travel style needs — for people, kit and everyday living.
Considering your layout