New Year Adventures You Can Drive To: UK Winter Trips That Shine in a Campervan

UK winter campervan trips offer peaceful coastlines, dramatic landscapes, quiet roads, and the freedom to travel without crowds. With the Nissan Elgrand, Mercedes Viano and Mazda Bongo, winter becomes one of the best seasons for exploring the UK in comfort and warmth.

UK winter campervan trips have become one of the most rewarding and restorative ways to start the new year. The colder months offer something summer never can. Empty beaches. Quiet roads. Crisp morning walks. Cosy evenings with the heater on. A sense of calm that settles in as soon as you arrive at your chosen spot. For many of our customers, winter quickly becomes their favourite time to travel because they discover a new side of the UK that feels still, untouched and incredibly grounding.

At Free Spirit Campervans, we see a significant increase in winter travel interest every January, especially among people seeking shorter, more meaningful escapes. With a warm interior, a comfortable sleeping space, and a fully equipped campervan, you can turn a standard winter weekend into something memorable without waiting for summer or relying on flights and hotels.

If you want to make 2026 the year you travel more, winter is the ideal place to begin.

 

Winter is the ideal season for peaceful, meaningful travel

Travelling in winter gives you the chance to experience places differently. Popular spots like Dorset, North Wales, Cornwall, the Lakes, and the Scottish Highlands feel less crowded. A coastal walk that would be packed in July suddenly feels quiet and personal. A national park becomes a place where you notice every detail instead of navigating foot traffic.

Winter light also transforms everyday scenery. Sunrises are easier to catch. Evenings feel cosy. Clouds, frost, and soft, muted colours create an entirely different atmosphere for photography, walking, and unwinding after a long week.

If you already enjoy off-season escapes, this blog offers additional seasonal ideas.

 

Our three models make winter travel warm, comfortable and reliable

Every winter journey feels different depending on the campervan you choose. We specialise in three models because they consistently deliver the comfort and reliability winter travellers want.

Nissan Elgrand

Warm, quiet and brilliant for long winter drives.

Our Nissan Elgrand is often the model that surprises people the most. It feels incredibly warm and quiet inside, which makes a real difference on long winter drives when the weather outside is unsettled. The insulation and interior comfort levels are excellent, and the cabin design creates a calm space that feels far more refined than many people expect from a campervan of this size. The drive is smooth and confident, even on colder mornings, and the engine has enough power to take on hilly routes without effort. Our stock of Elgrands also includes some switchable 4X4 models for snowy escapes. 

It also offers generous interior space, ideal if you travel with family or need room for extra layers, blankets, or winter walking gear. With the electric doors, raised seating position and practical layout, it is one of the easiest models to live with. When customers collect an Elgrand, they often say it feels like stepping into a luxury MPV that just happens to convert into a winter-ready campervan.

Mercedes Viano

A smooth, premium drive that feels secure on longer winter routes.

Our Mercedes Viano offers a genuinely premium feel and is one of the best choices for a secure, refined drive through winter. Mercedes’ engineering really shows in how stable it feels on the road. The steering is precise, the suspension absorbs rougher surfaces well, and the cabin is incredibly comfortable on long journeys. This makes it ideal for winter road trips, where conditions may change throughout the day.

Inside, the finish is high quality, with supportive seating and a layout that suits both travel and day-to-day use. When converted, the Viano becomes a roomy, practical campervan with excellent storage for boots, coats, and cold-weather gear. Many of our customers choose the Viano because they want a premium, reassuring vehicle during the darker months. Once you settle into a winter trip with a Viano, you can feel the difference in every mile.

Mazda Bongo

Compact, flexible and ideal for spontaneous winter getaways.

Our Mazda Bongo remains one of the most flexible and easy-going campervans in our range. People love it because it has a compact footprint that suits narrow lanes, coastal roads and last-minute winter getaways. It is incredibly easy to drive and park, and the automatic elevating roof creates a spacious feel once you set up for the night. The warmth inside is impressive for a campervan of its size, and the interior layout makes clever use of every inch.

If you like to decide on Friday afternoon that you want a weekend away, the Bongo suits that lifestyle perfectly. It warms up quickly, handles both short and long journeys with confidence, and provides enough storage for winter essentials without ever feeling cramped. It is the campervan that encourages spontaneity and makes even the shortest winter escape feel like a proper adventure.

Each one is easy to drive in winter conditions, holds warmth well and gives you the cosy, comfortable interior that makes winter travel so enjoyable.

 

Our winter offer makes January the best time to buy

We want winter trips to feel comfortable, warm and inviting, which is why our January offer is one of the best upgrades you can choose.

FREE Solar Panel or Air Blown Heating – Worth £1200!

Order your campervan today and get a FREE fully fitted solar panel or Air Blown Heating (value £1200). Offer ends 31st Jan 2026 (mention offer when ordering)– don’t miss out!

This makes an enormous difference when travelling in the colder months. Whether you are parked near a beach, in a forest or overlooking a lake, the warm interior turns your campervan into a calm, relaxing space to unwind.

The best UK winter campervan trips for 2026

Below are some of the most rewarding winter destinations our customers visit every year. Each one works beautifully with short days, crisp weather and the cosy interior of the Elgrand, Viano or Bongo.

 

1. Dorset’s Jurassic Coast

Winter brings dramatic cliffs, empty viewpoints and peaceful coastal paths. Walks at Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove feel completely different without summer crowds. The car parks are quieter, and the coastal air feels fresh and energising.
 

2. The Lake District

Perfect for scenic drives, frosty mornings and quiet lakeside walks. Winter in the Lakes has a calming stillness that is impossible to find between April and September. Park beside Derwentwater or Ullswater and enjoy the view from the comfort of your warm campervan.

3. North Norfolk

Wide beaches, marsh walks and bright winter skies. Holkham and Wells-next-the-Sea feel especially beautiful at this time of year, with far fewer visitors and long stretches of sand where you can walk uninterrupted.

4. The Scottish Highlands

A true winter adventure without leaving the UK. The roads are quieter, the scenery feels untouched, and the snow dusting makes every drive more spectacular. If you enjoy slow travel, winter is the best time of year.
 

5. The Yorkshire Dales

Ideal for cosy pubs, rolling hills and gentle winter driving routes. Perfect for short weekend escapes when you want nature, peace and a break from routine.

6. Cornwall

Enjoy the coastline the way locals do in winter. Beaches like Porthcurno, Gwithian and Kynance Cove feel serene and open. Winter sunsets over the Atlantic are some of the best of the year.

Winter campervan trips help you reset your year

One of the biggest benefits of winter travel is how deeply it resets your mindset. The combination of space, silence, nature and warm evenings inside the campervan makes it easier to slow down, feel grounded and enjoy life at a gentler pace.

If your goal for 2026 is to travel more, reconnect with nature, or increase time outdoors, winter is the perfect gateway into that lifestyle.

A Free Spirit Campervan for winter travellers

At Free Spirit Campervans, our entire approach is built around reliability, comfort and creating a campervan that works in real life, not just on paper. Every model we stock is chosen for its winter suitability, driving comfort and long term dependability.

We prepare all campervans so they are ready for year round use, including warm inviting interiors and layouts that suit both short and long trips. Whether you choose the Nissan Elgrand, Mercedes Viano or Mazda Bongo, you can travel confidently in all seasons.

Ready to plan your winter adventures?

If 2026 is the year you want more freedom, more spontaneous escapes and more time in the places that inspire you, a winter ready campervan is the best place to start. We would love to help you explore our stock and find the model that suits your lifestyle.

Phone: (01243) 649087

Visit us in Chichester to see our campervans in person.

 

FAQs for New Year Adventures You Can Drive To: UK Winter Trips That Shine in a Campervan

What makes UK winter campervan trips special?

You get quiet roads, empty beaches, beautiful winter light and warm cosy evenings inside the campervan.

Are winter campervan trips comfortable?

Yes. With warm interiors and our January offer of free Air Blown Heating or a solar panel, winter travel becomes incredibly comfortable.

Which campervan is best for winter driving?

The Nissan Elgrand which is available in 4×4, Mercedes Viano and Mazda Bongo each handle winter roads smoothly and hold interior warmth well.

Is January a good time to buy a campervan?

Yes. You get more stock availability, a longer year of use and access to our limited-time heating offer.

Can I take short winter trips or just longer ones?

Both. Many of our customers take spontaneous two or three-hour drives to local beauty spots for a relaxing winter escape.