A family motorhome road trip to the West Country

Eager to escape home but have comforts to hand, our managing editor Simon Ward and family hired a motorhome and hit the 'Highway to the Sun'.

The COVID-19 world has meant narrower horizons for all of us but the lure of the open road with self-contained sleeping arrangements has led to a surge of interest in caravans, campervans and motorhomes. And if you fancy trying one of these for size then Camptoo, which works like an Airbnb for vehicle owners, is a good place to start.

I’d been very keen to drive a home on wheels for some time – wife, son (11) and daughter (nine) were not quite so enthused by the prospect.

But the pandemic meant it ticked lots of boxes – a bit of a road trip without having to stay indoors in places surrounded by other people plus the ability to cater for ourselves if we fancied. The West Country was going to be our destination.

Setting out

I’d decided to rent our motorhome, christened Her Majesty no less, from Stuart in Basingstoke as it was on the way west from our Sussex home. Plus we could leave our car at his house and we’d agreed to pick it up later in the day, and return it later too. As we turned into his cul-de-sac the size of what I was going to get behind the wheel of struck me for the first time.

But as we were given a tour it was clear there was also going to be plenty of room for everyone and everything even with our propensity to overpack.

Simon Ward/loveEXPLORING

Briefing over, we were on our way and, leaving the housing estates of Basingstoke behind, hit one of the most deservedly celebrated of British roads, the A303, also known as the ‘Highway to the Sun’. We rubbernecked at Stonehenge framed by the reds and oranges of the early evening sky before turning in at a nearby site. Seats became beds, curtains were drawn, sleeping bags were unfurled and our transport turned into two bedrooms and a bunk area.

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The burst of late summer meant we could enjoy breakfast in the morning sun before reconfiguring everything, which took a matter of minutes, and heading back to the road west.

READ MORE: Discover more brilliant stops along the Great West Way

The high drivers’ cab with accompanying big windscreen gave a wonderful widescreen view of the rolling green hills occasionally dotted with spiky-topped sweetcorn fields as we left Wiltshire behind and joined a procession of cars, campervans and caravans heading through Somerset and then south to the Devon coast.

First stop: Seaton

Our first destination was Seaton in East Devon, where the coastline is still Jurassic but the town is probably most famous these days for its trams wending their way through wetlands alongside the River Axe on an old railway line.

Our resting spot was Manor Farm Caravan Site, perched on a hill a mile out of town with views across to the bay, the river and the Axe Valley, and the campervans are parked at the very top, so cups of tea in camping chairs were consumed with an ever-changing open-air panorama.

READ MORE: The best places to camp in the UK

Leaving the van where it was, rather than attempting to drive it and try to park it in narrow Devonian streets, we walked the short distance down into the town. The 600-plus-mile South West Coast Path runs along the stony seafront and you can head east for a challengingly hilly hike over the border into Dorset and along to Lyme Regis.

Or you can do what we did and walk west along the beach at low tide to the neighbouring village of Beer. With its fishing fleet hauled up on the beach you sense only the technology has changed here over the centuries.

Simon Ward/loveEXPLORING

The Greene King-owned Anchor Inn offers a beer garden across the road from the pub overlooking the bay, with the current system of table service making it feel a far more continental experience.

The following day we walked down the hill to town again, this time to board the Seaton Tramway. A somewhat curious tourist attraction founded by one Claude Lane, who’d run trams in Eastbourne and had the bright idea of bringing part of the Seaton rail branch line back to life.

Simon Ward/loveEXPLORING

The 14 trams, many built for the attraction, bump along the River Axe out through Seaton Wetlands, where the only locals are the likes of gulls, egrets and oystercatchers. No wonder the trams are often described as “bird hides on wheels”.

Heading for Wookey Hole

We spent two days enjoying our Devon sea view then it was time to pack up and climb back behind the wheel of Her Majesty and head north. We’d decided to take the less scenic route (M5) to ensure sufficient road space and that’s probably the major downside of travelling this way. But the sight of the Somerset Levels, with its ancient hills, made up for it.

We stopped over at Bucklegrove Holiday Park, which is owned by the Wookey Hole Resort, our destination the following day. For now, it was time to get parked up and go for a stroll up the nearby hill to see a view stretching out across to the ruin-topped Glastonbury Tor, like Stonehenge a place of pilgrimage for centuries.

Simon Ward/loveEXPLORING

It was an ancient discovery made more recently that occupied us the next day. Wookey Hole has offered an ever-changing array of attractions over the years, but the main draw is the caves, now visited via a self-guided tour. While the likes of the Witch’s Kitchen and the Cathedral Chamber are still imposingly impressive, the lack of information in context is a bit of a disappointment. The Penny Arcade, featuring a range of vintage and restored amusement machines, is a lot of fun though.

Wells and home

With the whole of our final day to wend our way back east we also decided to brave the potential perils of driving in a built-up area to make a motorised pilgrimage to Wells, England’s smallest city, to see its famous cathedral.

Simon Ward/loveEXPLORING

One-way system in place and an automatic donation station too, the cathedral is pretty much open in its glory as normal and has to be a must-see in this part of the world.

READ MORE: These are the world's most beautiful cathedrals

Then it was back onto the ‘Highway to the Sun’ and the end of our late summer adventure. The motorhome totally lived up to my expectations and everyone else was converted too. It was amazing how quickly everything could be stowed away every time we moved on, using airplane-style lockers. And having had mixed experiences with camping and the weather this summer, the cover and the comfort, plus having facilities such as a fridge and toilet, definitely sealed the deal. We’ll be on the road again in the future.

Book it

Camptoo offers campervans, motorhomes and caravans for hire from owners at various prices depending on availability.