Forget the obvious. These are the places most people never find & they are worth every mile

Lesser known, harder to find, and completely worth every mile.

Everyone knows the Lake District, the Giant's Causeway and Snowdonia. But some of the most extraordinary places in the UK and Ireland sit just around the corner from the tourist trail, completely quiet, completely stunning, and waiting for someone with a campervan to find them

Forget the obvious. These 8 places are worth the detour. 🚐

We spend a lot of time talking to customers about where to go. And while the NC500, Pembrokeshire and the Lake District are all brilliant, there is something especially exciting about arriving somewhere that nobody else seems to know about.

These are the places we find ourselves talking about most. Lesser known, harder to find, and completely worth it. Some are barely an hour from a motorway junction. Others require a bit more commitment. All of them are the kind of place you pull up at, step outside the van, and quietly think: yes. This is exactly it.

Here are nine of our favourites, two each across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. We hope one of them becomes yours.

ENGLAND

1) The Northumberland Coast

Most people who visit Northumberland head straight for Bamburgh Castle and stop there. What they miss is the rest of it.

Ross Back Sands is a five kilometre stretch of completely deserted beach, accessed via a 1.5km footpath through Ross Farm and across the dunes. Just enough distance to put off most visitors. The reward is a sweeping panorama of white sand with Lindisfarne Castle at one end and Bamburgh Castle and the Farne Islands at the other.

The unusual facts

Northumberland has more than 70 castle sites still standing, more than any other county in England, a legacy of centuries of border conflict between England and Scotland
Alnwick Castle served as Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter films, and Bamburgh Castle recently doubled as Indiana Jones territory in the Dial of Destiny. Northumberland has been standing in for everywhere from Hogwarts to ancient Egypt for decades
The Chillingham Wild Cattle, found only in Northumberland, are rarer than a Siberian tiger or giant panda. Around 90 remain, roaming freely through 330 acres of Chillingham Park, genetically isolated for hundreds of years and considered a scientific marve

Why visit

Vast empty beaches, extraordinary stargazing from the van, and a coastline that genuinely feels untouched. Dogs are welcome on most of the beaches year round, making it one of the best dog-friendly coastlines in England

Nearest Campsite

Waren Caravan and Camping Park, Bamburgh

Right on the coast with sea views and electric hook-up. Dog friendly.

2) Dunster, Exmoor

Most people drive through Exmoor on the way to somewhere else. Dunster is the village they almost always miss.

Dunster sits at the edge of Exmoor National Park, a timeless place full of cobbled streets, thatched roofs and olde-worlde charm, sandwiched between the moors and the Bristol Channel. A 12th century castle stands above the village, and at St George's Church there are remains of a 900-year-old monastery.

The unusual facts

Exmoor was the first place in England to receive Dark Sky Reserve status. On a clear night the Milky Way is visible with the naked eye directly above the village
The village was once a wealthy trading port, and the castle changed hands during the English Civil War without a single shot being fired
Dunster's octagonal Yarn Market in the high street has stood since 1609 and was used by wool traders from across Somerset

Why visit

It feels like stepping out of the van and into a completely different century. The walks from the village take you through ancient woodland, out onto the open moor and down to the coast. Proper cream teas, a castle, and almost no queues at any of it. Dogs welcome on most of the surrounding paths and beaches.

Nearest Campsite

Burrowhayes Farm Caravan and Camping Site, Porlock

On the edge of Exmoor with direct access to moorland walks. Dog friendly.

WALES

3) The Elan Valley, Mid Wales

Ask most people where the Elan Valley is and they will look blank. Show them a photograph and they will immediately want to go.

The Elan Valley is a chain of Victorian reservoirs in an almost entirely empty Mid Wales landscape. Extraordinary for stargazing, walking and wildlife, and one of the best-kept secrets in Britain.

The unusual facts

To build the reservoirs in the 1890s, Birmingham Corporation forcibly evicted over 100 people from the valley, demolishing 18 farms, a school, a church and three manor houses. The water then travelled 73 miles to Birmingham entirely by gravity, without a single pump, a feat of Victorian engineering that was reported at the time as the eighth wonder of the world
Percy Bysshe Shelley, one of England's greatest Romantic poets, lived in the valley and tried to buy Nantgwyllt mansion. The house was later demolished to make way for the reservoir, submerging the landscape that inspired some of his most celebrated work
During the Second World War, Barnes Wallis used one of the smaller Elan Valley dams to test the explosive charges for his bouncing bomb before the famous Dambusters raid on Nazi Germany's industrial dams in 1943

Why visit

Empty roads, jaw-dropping reservoir scenery, red kites circling overhead, and one of the finest dark sky experiences in the UK right outside the van door at night. Barely a tourist in sight even in peak summer.

Nearest Campsite

Elan Valley Campsite, Rhayader

Simple, well-located site right in the valley, perfect for exploring on foot or by bike. Dog friendly.

4) The Llŷn Peninsula, North Wales

Porth Iago is one of the most beautiful secret beaches in Wales, set on the Llŷn Peninsula with clear water, sand and a genuinely remote feeling. The peninsula stretches out into the Irish Sea like a finger pointing at Ireland, and most visitors to North Wales never make it past Snowdonia.

The unusual facts

The Llŷn Peninsula has its own microclimate, meaning it sees significantly less rainfall than the surrounding mountains. The water off its beaches is some of the clearest in Wales
Dolphins, porpoises and even basking sharks are regularly spotted offshore in summer
The very tip of the peninsula at Aberdaron was historically a final resting stop for medieval pilgrims on their way to Bardsey Island, considered so holy that three pilgrimages here equalled one to Rome

Why visit

A slower, quieter, genuinely Welsh version of Cornwall. Narrow coastal roads, unhurried villages and almost always empty beaches. Works best as part of a slow coastal itinerary rather than a rushed stop. Perfect campervan territory.

Nearest Campsite

Porth Iago Campsite, Pwllheli

A simple hilltop site at the very tip of the peninsula with dramatic sea views. Dog friendly.

SCOTLAND

5) Galloway Forest Park

Everyone talks about the Highlands. Almost nobody talks about Galloway, which means you get Scotland's most magical dark sky experiences without the NC500 traffic.

Galloway Forest Park is the biggest forest in the UK. Home to around 60 roaming red deer, waterfalls, lochs, and a Dark Sky Observatory sitting inside one of the UK's biggest areas of officially designated dark sky. Glen Trool within the park is a lush loch-side hideaway with forest walks and wild mountain biking trails.

The unusual facts

Galloway was Scotland's first ever Dark Sky Park, designated in 2009. On a clear night the Milky Way is clearly visible and over 7,000 stars can be seen with the naked eye
The park is home to red squirrels, golden eagles, red kites, otters and ospreys. This level of wildlife diversity in one accessible location is rare anywhere in Britain
Robert the Bruce raised his standard at Glen Trool in 1307 and won a famous guerrilla victory over English forces here, a turning point in the Wars of Scottish Independence

Why visit

All the drama of Scotland with a fraction of the crowds. Ancient woodland, red deer, red squirrels and loch-side pitches that feel entirely off-grid. Just two hours from Glasgow, yet completely wild. Dogs welcome throughout the forest trails.

Nearest Campsite

Galloway Forest Holiday Park

A Forestry Scotland site deep in the forest, right beside the loch, with basic but beautiful pitches. Dog friendly.

6) Achmelvich Beach, Sutherland

Most people driving the NC500 pass within a few miles of Achmelvich and never turn off. The single-track road puts most visitors off. That is exactly why you should go.

Achmelvich Bay sits on Scotland's far northwest coast near Lochinver, a small collection of pristine white sand beaches nestled amongst rocky bays and headlands. On a clear day the water is such a vivid turquoise that photographs are regularly mistaken for the Caribbean. It holds Marine Conservation Society recommended status, a Blue Flag award and Scotland's Beach Award, making it one of the most formally recognised yet least visited beaches in Scotland.

The unusual facts

Hidden a short 15-minute walk over the headland from the main beach is the Hermit's Castle, described as Europe's smallest castle. Built in the 1950s by a single person in a single summer, it is barely large enough to stand inside and blends so perfectly with the grey rocks that most visitors walk straight past without noticing it
The name Achmelvich comes from the Gaelic words for meadow and sandy dunes, a description that captures the machair grassland perfectly
The surrounding area of Assynt is one of the richest wildlife areas in Scotland. Cetaceans, basking sharks, otters, pine martens, ospreys and white-tailed eagles have all been recorded near the beach

Why visit

If your customers want a beach that genuinely stops them in their tracks, this is it. Completely wild, extraordinarily beautiful, and just off the NC500 route so it works perfectly as a campervan overnight stop. The surrounding hills, lochs and trails make it a brilliant base for a couple of nights rather than just a passing visit.

Nearest Campsite

Shore Caravan Site, Achmelvich

Right beside the beach with stunning views out into the Minch. The only site at Achmelvich with pitches for campervans. Note: dogs not permitted on site

⚠️ Worth knowing before you go

Dogs are restricted on the beach during peak season and the campsite on site does not allow dogs. The surrounding walks and tracks are excellent for dogs though, so it still works well for dog-owning customers who want to explore the wider Assynt area.

NORTHERN IRELAND

7) Murlough Bay, County Antrim

Most people on the Causeway Coast stop at the Giant's Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede and Dunluce Castle, then head south. Murlough Bay is tucked just beyond all of them and almost nobody makes it there.

Nestled along the remote coastline of County Antrim, Murlough Bay is a hidden paradise with dramatic cliffs, stunning sea views and a secluded beach that feels entirely cut off from the world.

The unusual facts

On a clear day you can see three countries at once from the headland, Scotland, Ireland and England, via the Isle of Man on the horizon
The bay was used as a filming location for Game of Thrones, though unlike most Northern Ireland filming locations it was never heavily promoted, keeping it wonderfully quiet
The bay has been described by naturalists as one of the finest examples of undisturbed coastal habitat remaining on the Antrim coast, home to rare plants, seabirds and grey seals

Why visit

One of the most dramatic and untouched bays on the entire Antrim coast, with clifftop walks, seabird colonies and a complete absence of tourist infrastructure. A haven for walkers, wildlife enthusiasts and photographers. Dogs welcome on the paths and beach.

Nearest Campsite

Causeway Coast Holiday Park, Ballycastle

Award-winning campsite overlooking Ballycastle Bay with easy access to the Giant's Causeway, Dunluce Castle and Carrick-a-Rede. Dog friendly.

8) The Fermanagh Lakelands, County Fermanagh

Everyone who visits Northern Ireland heads for the Antrim coast. Almost nobody makes it to Fermanagh, which sits quietly in the southwest corner and contains some of the most serene and extraordinary scenery in the British Isles.

With almost a third of its landscape covered by waterways, from the mighty Upper and Lower Lough Erne to the tranquil Shannon-Erne Canal, County Fermanagh is a place of genuine, unhurried beauty.

The unusual facts

The Headhunters Barbers Shop and Railway Museum in Enniskillen is the only barber shop and railway museum in the world
Enniskillen's Portora Royal School, founded in 1608, counts both Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett among its former pupils
The Marble Arch Caves, carved through limestone over 330 million years ago, include an underground river and a boat trip through the cave system, one of the finest show caves in Europe

Why visit

Whether gliding across the water in a kayak or soaking in the stillness of a quiet lakeside, Fermanagh is where the great outdoors meets great serenity. The campsites sit right on the water's edge and the lakeshore drives are unlike anywhere else in the UK. Dogs welcome throughout the country parks and loch shores.

Nearest Campsite

Castle Archdale Caravan Park, Lough Erne

Twenty acres along the shores of Lough Erne, within Castle Archdale Country Park, with walking trails, water sports and ferry access to White Island. Dog friendly.

🚐 We can help you plan any of these

Not sure which gem suits your trip? Drop us a message on WhatsApp and we will help you plan a route, suggest the best time to visit and make sure ENOLA or FENYX is set up perfectly for the adventure. We are always happy to talk through ideas before you book.