Discover our adult only parks in the North of England
From well known beauty spots, rugged coastlines and wild moors, to major cities, historic sites and chocolate box villages, the North of England has something for everyone. Six of our adult only touring parks are in fantastic locations in this region, all offering quality facilities and the kind of friendly, personal service and attention to detail that makes a stay even more memorable.
The size of these Tranquil Parks varies, as does the range of onsite and nearby amenities. But they all look forward to hosting your caravan, motorhome or campervan, (or in some cases tent), along with your pets. All these parks are dog friendly and all are family businesses.
Two of our six adult only touring parks in the North, are located near the Scottish border in Northumberland and Cumbria, while the other four are in the Yorkshire region. In this article we’re looking at their main features and latest news to give you useful information for each park, starting with the northernmost park and going southwards.
Tranquil Parks Near the Scottish Border
Chain Bridge Touring Caravan Site, Northumberland
Chain Bridge Touring Caravan Site was named ‘Best Adult Only Site’ in this year’s Top 100 Sites. That’s a huge achievement for this small park which has just 16 pitches. But with its riverside views and walks, excellent facilities, quality pitches, peace and tranquility plus welcoming, helpful owners is a winning combination.
The park’s stunning location is just 50 metres from the River Tweed which forms the border between England and Scotland in this area. Walk along the river for less than half a mile and you’ll get to the historic Union Chain Bridge. It was the world’s longest wrought iron suspension bridge when it opened in 1820, spanning the river to join England and Scotland.
Even closer is the Chain Bridge Honey Farm which has a visitor centre, shop and cafe. Another local attraction is Paxton House, about 3 miles away. It’s a very grand Palladian country house offering tours, exhibitions, a cafe and beautiful grounds.
Four miles downstream from the park lies the coastal town of Berwick-upon-Tweed where the Tweed meets the sea. The rugged Northumberland coast has plenty of places worth seeing including St Abbs Head, Melrose, Alnwick, Bamburgh and Lindisfarne, or take a boat trip to the Farne Islands.
Owners Nina and Patrick have developed the site’s great communal facilities which include underfloor heating in the showers and a well equipped and comfortable common room and TV room as well as a drying room. Nearby you can try trout fishing on the Tweed. Pitches are all large hard standings, with electric and water to each pitch.
Green Acres Caravan Park, near Carlisle, Cumbria
Established more than 50 years ago, Green Acres Caravan Park is now run by Mike and Josie, the third generation of the same family. The couple’s vision, hard work and innovation have turned it into an award winning park – the AA named it Campsite of the Year North West England 2022/23 and it has been Regional Winner for the North West in the Top 100 Sites for 2023 and 2024!
This tranquil site is located in the heart of Cumbria, about 6 miles north of the historic city of Carlisle, which has many interesting places to visit. The park itself is in a quiet location, perfect for relaxing and enjoying the peaceful countryside surroundings, even though it’s just 5 minutes from J44 of the M6.
On site you will find superb modern 5 star facilities with individual shower rooms, which many guests have likened to being at a spa! Mike and Josie have also created a large indoor sports hall where guests can play badminton, table tennis, pool and board games! The new BBQ area also has a boules pitch, and there’s a dog walk which leads to local footpaths as well as a raised viewing point.
Among the most recent innovations is the introduction of a small onsite shop where you can buy essentials and Green Acres souvenirs. Another recent innovation is food evenings, including Aupa street food, fish & chips and Sunday roasts.
The nearest pub is 2.6 miles away and there’s a garden centre with a cafe 1.3 miles away. The Lake District (24 miles away) and the Scottish Borders make great days out, with Green Acres just 4.5 miles from Hadrian’s Wall. There are also several museums and places of interest in the local area.
Tranquil Parks in the Yorkshire region
Overbrook Caravan Park, Thornton le Dale, North Yorkshire
Overbrook Caravan Park is a small, friendly park where you will feel as though you’re staying in a large cottage garden! The small-scale nature of this park allows the friendly resident owners Natalie and Darren to provide a high level of service and to ‘go the extra mile’ for guests.
This park has a fantastic location on the outskirts of the picture-postcard village of Thornton le Dale on the edge of the North York Moors. It’s a 10-15 minute walk into the village which has shops, places to eat and a bus service. The village has always attracted visitors due to its quaint ‘chocolate box’ feel, but the Bangers & Cash TV series has showcased the village to a whole new audience in recent years.
Natalie and Darren make a huge effort to keep the planting and borders looking beautiful. These tend to be a major talking point for guests who admire and appreciate the work that goes into maintaining this lovely setting. In 2024 the park was given 4 stars by VisitEngland, with a score only just below the 5 star mark.
Head to the North York Moors or Dalby Forest for great walks, or drive to the coast as Whitby, Filey, Scarborough and Robin Hood Bay are less than half an hour away. There’s plenty of information on dog friendly beaches in the information room. This part of the country has many museums and attractions and a large number of stately homes and mansions, the most famous of which is Castle Howard. Overbrook is also ideal for touring the Vale of Pickering, Newton Dale and Ryedale.
The park is on the site of an old railway station and there are 4 wonderful self catering options – Station House Cottages – which are also adults only, available for short breaks or full weeks. These are ideal if you or your friends or family would like to enjoy Overbrook without a caravan, motorhome or campervan.
York Caravan Park, City of York
When the Wilsons, a farming family in York, decided that they needed to diversify, it seemed unlikely that they would be allowed to develop a campsite on one of the city’s few remaining green field sites. Their dream came true, however, and Andrew has developed York Caravan Park into the only 5 star touring park within the City of York boundary.
This adult only park is tucked away, providing a peaceful, country oasis where you can rest and relax after a busy day sightseeing. It’s open until January so you can fully enjoy all the fabulous Christmas markets and festive celebrations that take place in York.
It’s only 2 miles from York Minster, the city’s magnificent cathedral, and one of the major attractions. There’s a half-hourly bus service right from the caravan park gate and it takes 10 minutes to the city centre. This means you can enjoy all that York has to offer without having to worry about traffic or parking.
New for this season are the Superior pitches, which like the other pitches are as spacious and fully serviced, but which offer a little extra in the form of a block paved patio area with a picnic bench and firepit. Use the ‘Pick a pitch’ to choose the pitch that best suits your outfit.
The luxury facilities include individual shower rooms, a full disabled suite, constant hot water and underfloor heating. Dogs are welcome and there’s a dog walk on site.
The lake has always been an integral central feature on the park. This year it really has come into its own in providing habitat for wildlife and a peaceful place for fishermen. The ducks and ducklings along with the Moorhens and Canada geese and a kingfisher all make their home here. The ducks like to visit the pitches in the mornings – a heartwarming start to any day. The team has been busy planting more water lillies that attract Mayfly and other flying insects that encourage a variety of birds. Fishermen can enjoy a day’s fishing free of charge and regularly catch Carp, Chub & Rudd.
Being close to the city centre, there’s a great choice of pubs, places to eat, takeaways and shopping nearby. The park team will be more than happy to give you the information you need.
Gold standard secure indoor caravan and motorhome storage is also available at competitive prices. The facility is suitable for a range of leisure equipment and features the latest security technology.
York Naburn Lock Caravan Park, Naburn, York
York Naburn Lock Caravan Park was undergoing major refurbishment at the time of writing (August 2024). This is the newest member park in the region, having joined in late 2021 after being taken on by Anderw of York Caravan Park (above) in 2019 and made into an adult only site. Although rated AA 4 Pennant Gold, the intention is to bring it up to 5 star standard and so they are rebuilding the facilities block. The work is due for completion in mid-September and until then, guests can stay at a discounted rate and use their own on board facilities.
This park is located 4 miles south of the city in an area of outstanding natural beauty by the River Ouse. It’s a short stroll from the park to the Victorian locks which used to be busy when barges transported goods and which now provide haven for wildlife and wonderful places to walk or while away the time. There is also a tearoom in one of the old buildings at the lock. Naburn village has a pub which is just a short walk away.
We can’t tell you much about the onsite facilities at this stage, except to say that the new block will be state of the art. The park also has a large, well stocked shop. There’s a choice of grass, hardstanding and fully serviced touring pitches. The park is open until early January so that guests can enjoy all the autumn and Christmas events in York. It also has access to the river bank for fishing.
There are several ways to get into the City of York from this park. You are just a few minutes’ drive from a Park & Ride on the York ring road. Alternatively you can catch the bus which has a regular service and stops by the park entrance. If you feel like a good walk, or would like to cycle in, you can follow a Sustrans route into the city along the river and there’s an excellent guide on the park’s website detailing the 4.6-mile journey. For an unforgettable trip into the city, a river bus runs from Naburn Lock between March and September, leaving at 9.30 am and returning at 4pm.
With easy access to the York ring road from the park, you can pick up the major routes for trips to the places in this area such as the Yorkshire Dales and the coast.
Blue Rose Country Caravan Park, Brandesburton, East Yorkshire
Blue Rose Country Caravan Park,provides a peaceful place to stay with excellent pitches and facilities, along with local amenities that you can easily walk to. In addition to the touring park, Blue Rose has holiday homes for sale and it’s open all year round.
Described as a hideaway between two quiet villages near the Yorkshire Wolds, the park has Brandesburton, about 1 miles away, and Leven near Beverley, about 1.5 miles away. Both villages have pubs serving food, takeaways and shops. There’s also a golf course and fishing lakes within walking distance, as well as a shooting range and horse riding school nearby.
Rated 5 stars by VisitEngland, the Blue Rose team take pride in customer care and attention to detail. This includes wonderful plantings from its own nursery, creating hanging baskets and prize-winning displays. Dogs are welcome and have an exercise area, plus there are public woods neighbouring the park. The facilities include a fully heated shower block and there’s also a clubroom on site – sign up to receive the park’s newsletter or follow on social media to find out what’s on.
Blue Rose places a great deal of importance on wildlife and conservation as the park provides valuable habitat for a wide variety of birds. There are also many small mammals in the woods at the far end of the park. To help you catch sight of the various species you’ll find helpful information on the park’s website about where to look for them. Monitoring is an important part of conservation and Blue Rose have made it easy to take part in national surveys, even if you’re not online savvy.
When it comes to exploring the area, the park has good information on local walks directly from the park. Looking further afield, this is a great base for exploring the Yorkshire Wolds, Hull and the coast with Hornsea Freeport and Bridlington just 15 and 20 minutes drive, respectively. The closest town is Beverly, a historic market town with an impressive Minster and Georgian architecture. If you want to keep your vehicle at the park, Blue Rose is on the bus route to Beverley where you can connect with other bus services. Alternatively you can go direct to Hull and the loveley seaside town of Hornsea by bus. Taxi services are available from the nearby villages.