Camping in London

Not only at Buckingham Palace and in the coronation church of Westminster Abbey, city holidaymakers encounter the venerable British monarchy everywhere in London. In addition to magnificent buildings in the Gregorian and Victorian styles, modern buildings such as the London Eye are among the public's favourites. The British capital also has a lot to offer families: Countless green spaces invite you to play and a ride on the legendary double-decker buses is one of the highlights of a holiday in London. Whether winter camping, camping with a dog or glamping, the options for camping in London are many and varied.

Special features of camping in London

There are many options for campers around London, making it possible to combine a relaxed camping holiday with extensive sightseeing tours. Campers spend the nights on a campsite or caravan site and use the quiet pitches for their tent or motorhome as an ideal base for exploring the city. The Lee Valley Camping & Caravan Park in Edmonton, north of the centre of London, is located on an extensive site with numerous reservoirs and next to the dense Epping Forest. Nevertheless, it is only around 60 minutes by underground to the city centre. There are also campsites in the Greenwich neighbourhood to the south-east. The famous sights can be reached by underground or by boat along the Thames. There are also campsites in the Crystal Palace neighbourhood. From this hilly neighbourhood, the number 3 bus runs directly to the famous Picadilly Circus transport hub.

Campsites in and around London

London's most popular campsites are characterised by their proximity to the city and are popular holiday destinations. Many campers who want to combine the freedom of camping with a city break in London want to be able to park their motorhome or caravan as close to the city centre as possible on spacious pitches.

Lee Valley Camping & Caravan Park

Lee Valley Camping & Caravan Park near Edmonton, north of central London, is very popular thanks to its good transport links and idyllic location near Epping Forest. The pleasant pitch sizes guarantee plenty of privacy, especially for campers with dogs, who are also welcome guests on request. A golf course in the neighbourhood and the opportunity to ride ponies add to the leisure options at Lee Valley Camping & Caravan Park.

Crystal Palace Caravan Club Site

The campsite in the south-east of the metropolis with an indoor swimming pool in the neighbourhood is a great starting point for tours into the city. A beautiful lawn area serves as a tent pitch and there are gravelled pitches for motorhomes. There is a comprehensive service for motorhomes, including emptying waste water tanks and cassette toilets. A large park, restaurants, pubs and shops are within walking distance and give visitors to London an insight into the charming suburbs away from the vibrant city centre. Campers give the campsite very good ratings on Pincamp, the ADAC camping portal.

Abbey Wood Caravan Club Site

In a suburb in east London, the Abbey Wood Caravan Club Site is a good choice for parking your motorhome or pitching your tent. The good train connection can be used for sightseeing. The pleasant pitch size for motorhomes and caravans, the bread roll service, the children's playground and the rental cabins and tents that can be booked as an alternative to owning a caravan are all appreciated here. Former visitors give Abbey Wood very good ratings on Pincamp and the ADAC's evaluation criteria are also fully met by this site in many areas.

Arrival

Campers travelling from Berlin reach London after around 1,100 km, passing through the Netherlands and Belgium on the way. The distance from Munich to the British capital is around 1,150 kilometres. Via Strasbourg, the A4 and A26 motorways take you through France directly to Calais for the crossing to the British mainland. Along the route from both the south and east of Germany, there are plenty of rest areas for breaks and campsites for overnight stops. Since the opening of the Eurotunnel between Calais in France and Folkestone in England in 1994, the journey to Great Britain has often been made by car or motorhome. It takes around 30 minutes to reach British soil on the motorail train. From here, it is around 120 km to the centre of London. Holidaymakers travelling with their own motorhome or caravan particularly like to opt for the journey through the tunnel, as they can spend it in their own vehicle. An alternative to the underground crossing of the English Channel is a ferry trip across the North Sea, where you can park your vehicle on the car park deck. Car ferries depart from various harbours in France; guests can travel to Dover from Calais or Dunkirk, for example.

Activities and excursions

Historic sights and extensive parks make London perfect for an exciting city trip.

Discover London's top sights

The metropolis on the River Thames is rich in royal sights: The world-famous Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace is one of the city's oldest ceremonies. It is also worth visiting the Tower of London, which once served as a fortification directly on the Thames. In the historic interiors, the old armour and weapons in the Royal Armouries Museum, the creepy torture chamber and the glittering crown jewels are a delight. If you are interested in contemporary art, plan a visit to the Tate Modern gallery. Works by Salvador Dalí and Andy Warhol are among the highlights.

Camping in London with children

The British capital has numerous attractions for families: A ride on Europe's highest Ferris wheel, the London Eye, is guaranteed to stay in the memories of young and old for a long time. Cultural highlights such as Big Ben or St Paul's Cathedral can be seen from a bird's eye view from the glass gondolas. Guests with children are also welcome to visit the koalas, lions and other inhabitants of London Zoo. If they book in advance, the youngsters can meet giraffes, penguins and monkeys as part of the Meet the Animals programme. The numerous parks are ideal for playing and relaxing. In Kensington Gardens, for example, the Diana Memorial Playground invites children to let off steam.

Catering

A Full English Breakfast provides sufficient energy for sightseeing tours when camping in London. This includes baked beans in tomato sauce, fried bacon, tomatoes and mushrooms. Eggs and toast are just as important as the warm porridge. For a quick meal in between, there are countless fish and chip shops. The landlords serve fish breaded and deep-fried in beer batter together with thick-cut chips. In the afternoon, cream tea bridges the time until dinner: A cup of black tea is accompanied by scones spread with clotted cream. In the quaint pubs, city holidaymakers round off the day with a bottom-fermented ale or sparkling cider.

Best time to travel

It's no cliché that it often rains in the UK. It is therefore worth taking a mackintosh and umbrella to the campsites in London. However, as the weather changes quickly, the showers are usually brief. The likelihood of getting wet is particularly high in November and December. The best time to visit is between May and September. This is when the plants in the city's numerous green oases are in bloom. Holidaymakers enjoy the most sunshine in July and August. This is when the air warms up to 25 degrees Celsius. Even in winter, the minimum average temperatures rarely drop below freezing. However, fog is often to be expected during the cooler months of the year.