Brit Stops 2021: a great way to get back on the road
European travel is still rather tricky for motorhomers. Quarantine and travel restrictions plus Covid-19 testing requirements make it easier to stay in the UK.
Fortunately, campsites have reopened already and are welcoming visitors with self-contained facilities. Judging from the number of campervans and motorhomes I’ve seen locally in North Yorkshire, many owners are keen to get back on the road.
Campsites are always the obvious choice in the UK, but personally we find them a bit of a faff, especially for just one night. They’re not cheap, either. Fortunately, there is another way. The Brit Stops scheme gives you access to 1,060 UK motorhome stopovers and aires. Brit Stops are locations such as pubs, cafes, farms and vineyards that have agreed to let members stop overnight in their car parks.
Most Brit Stops are free, although some aire-type locations do have overnight charges. The hope is that in return for a free night parking in a scenic location, you’ll sample some of your host’s wares. But there’s no requirement to do so — all you have to do is to make yourself known to the management.
One year’s Brit Stops membership costs £28. That’s roughly the same as a single night on a decent campsite.
In return for this, you get access to more than 1,000 locations across the UK. We think it’s a great scheme and would highly recommend it to other motorhomers.
Things to remember
Brit Stops do not generally provide any facilities (unless specified otherwise in the guide). You’ll be expected to be fully self-contained, including toilet and waste water. So if you’re planning Brit Stops into your trip, make sure you remember to turn up with enough water and empty waste tanks.
Check out the parking arrangements and arrival restrictions, too. Some sites have size limits and you’re sometimes asked to phone ahead or turn up before the business closes for the day. Brit Stops hosts aren’t paid, so if they have a poor experience with ignorant motorhomers, they may well choose to withdraw from the scheme.
Get started: buy the guide!
To use Brit Stops stopovers this year, you need to buy the 2021 guide. This includes details of all locations and the 2021 windscreen permit, which must be displayed when you visit Brit Stops sites.
You can buy the guide direct from the Brit Stops website at www.britstops.com.
Each guide is valid for one Brit Stops year, which runs from 1st March to 28 February.
Brit Stops 2021 costs £28 plus P&P
Disclosure: I received a free copy of Brit Stops 2021 from the publisher for the purposes of this review. I was not required to write a positive review.