Motorhome Holidays for Couples: 5 Romantic Weekend Escapes

A motorhome weekend as a couple is a fundamentally different experience from a family trip or a group adventure. There is no itinerary negotiation, no compromising on where to eat, and no one asking "are we there yet?" from the back seat. Romantic motorhome breaks are about spontaneity, privacy, and the particular pleasure of waking up somewhere beautiful with nobody to please but each other. Here are five weekend itineraries we would recommend, all within comfortable range of our Pontefract depot.

1. The Yorkshire Spa Town Circuit: Harrogate, Ripon, and Masham

This is one of the finest romantic motorhome breaks in the north: a gentle two-night loop through some of North Yorkshire's most civilised towns, with good food and drink at every stop.

Night one: Harrogate. Drive up from Pontefract (about 45 minutes) and settle into a campsite on the outskirts - Ripley Caravan Park or High Moor Farm Park are both well positioned. This romantic motorhome getaway starts gently. Spend the afternoon in Harrogate: the Valley Gardens for a stroll, the Turkish Baths and Health Spa for a couple's treatment if you are feeling extravagant, and Betty's Tea Rooms for afternoon tea. For dinner, the Drum and Monkey or Stuzzi are both excellent. Harrogate is a town that knows how to do indulgence without pretension.

Day two: Ripon and Masham. Drive north to Ripon (20 minutes), wander around the cathedral and the market square, and stop for the Hornblower's ceremony if you are there at 9pm - the hornblower has set the watch nightly in Ripon since 886 AD. Continue to Masham, a market town with two breweries - Theakston's and Black Sheep. Both offer tours, and the Black Sheep Brewery bar serves outstanding beer with views across Wensleydale. Stay at Old Station Holiday Park in Masham for your second night.

Day three: A lazy morning, a walk along the River Ure near Masham, and a slow drive home through Nidderdale, stopping at Brimham Rocks if the weather is good. Total driving time over the weekend: under two hours.

2. Northumberland Coast

Night one: Alnmouth or Beadnell. The Northumberland coast is about two and a half hours from Pontefract, and the reward for the drive is one of the most unspoilt coastlines in England. Aim for Beadnell Bay Camping and Caravanning Club site - right behind the beach, with hardstanding pitches and sea views. Beadnell has a quiet sandy bay and a harbour with crab sandwiches available from the shack by the water. Walk the beach at sunset, then cook something simple in the motorhome with a bottle of wine.

Day two: Castles and Holy Island. Drive north along the coast road (the B1340 and A1), visiting Dunstanburgh Castle on foot from Craster (an atmospheric ruin on a headland), stopping for kippers at Robson's of Craster, and continuing to Bamburgh - arguably the most dramatically positioned castle in England. If the tide times allow, cross the causeway to Holy Island (Lindisfarne) in the afternoon for the priory, the mead tasting, and the sense of otherworldly calm. Back to Beadnell for the second night.

Day three: Late breakfast, a final walk on the beach, and a relaxed drive home. Alternatively, extend by a night and visit the Farne Islands boat trip from Seahouses for puffins and grey seals.

3. Peak District Pub Trail

Night one: Bakewell area. The Peak District is about an hour and a half from Pontefract via the M1. Pitch at Greenhills Holiday Park near Bakewell - it is well run, has good facilities, and is walking distance from the town. Bakewell is small but has character: the medieval bridge, the independent shops, and yes, the original Bakewell pudding from The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop (it is a pudding, not a tart - locals will correct you). For dinner, walk to the Monsal Head Hotel for food with one of the finest views in the Peak District - the viaduct over Monsal Dale lit by the evening sun.

Day two: A pub crawl by motorhome. This is not about volume - it is about quality. Drive to the Barrel Inn at Bretton (one of the highest pubs in Derbyshire, with views to match), then down to the Plough Inn at Hathersage (excellent food, lovely village), and finish at the Devonshire Arms at Beeley (owned by the Chatsworth estate, with Chatsworth House a short walk away). Between each pub, the driving through the Peak District is the point - Stanage Edge, the Hope Valley, and the Derwent Reservoirs are all on route.

Day three: Visit Chatsworth House and gardens in the morning if you have not already, then drive home through the Derwent Valley. A thoroughly civilised weekend.

4. Lake District: The Quiet Side

Night one: Ullswater. Skip Windermere. Head instead for Ullswater, often called the most beautiful of the lakes. Park up at The Quiet Site near Watermillock (the name promises what it delivers) or Waterfoot Caravan Park at Pooley Bridge. Take the Ullswater steamer from Pooley Bridge to Glenridding as the afternoon light hits the eastern fells - it is one of the great lake journeys in England. For dinner, the Queen's Head at Askham or the George and Dragon at Clifton are both excellent options within a short drive, with locally sourced menus and a relaxed atmosphere.

Day two: Aira Force and Askham. Walk to Aira Force waterfall in the morning - it is about 20 minutes from Pooley Bridge and the walk through the woodland is beautiful in any season. Drive the quiet road to Askham, one of the prettiest villages in the Lake District, and have lunch at the Punch Bowl Inn. In the afternoon, drive over the Kirkstone Pass (manageable in a motorhome, despite its reputation) to Ambleside for a wander, or stay around Ullswater and hire a rowing boat from the Glenridding jetty.

Day three: A morning walk along the lake shore, breakfast with a view, and the drive home via the M6. Of all the romantic motorhome breaks on this list, the Lake District feels the most like a proper escape.

5. Scottish Borders: Abbeys and Rivers

Night one: Kelso. The Scottish Borders are about two and a half hours from Pontefract via the A1, and they are among the most underrated touring areas in Britain. Kelso itself is a handsome Georgian market town with a magnificent ruined abbey, a cobbled square, and Floors Castle - the largest inhabited castle in Scotland. The Cross Keys pub on the square serves reliable food and has a warm atmosphere. The Cobbles Inn is another good option. For motorhome parking, Kelso has an overnight motorhome stopover area at Springwood Park Showground by the River Teviot, or you can look for Certified Locations through the Caravan and Motorhome Club in the surrounding area - there are several small farm sites within a few miles of town.

Day two: The Abbeys circuit. Drive a loop taking in the four great Border abbeys: Kelso, Jedburgh (30 minutes south - stop for the abbey and the town's excellent cafes), Melrose (30 minutes west - the abbey is the finest of the four, and Scott's View above the town offers one of the great panoramas of Scotland), and Dryburgh (ten minutes from Melrose, set in a loop of the Tweed in a peaceful riverside setting). Lunch at the Buccleuch Arms in St Boswells, then back to Kelso for the second night.

Day three: A morning walk along the Tweed from Kelso - salmon fishers casting in the river, herons in the shallows - before driving home. The Borders are quiet, beautiful, and almost criminally overlooked by couples planning weekend breaks.

Practical Notes

A few tips for planning romantic motorhome breaks. Book campsites in advance for Friday and Saturday nights - midweek you can often turn up, but weekends require planning. Our smaller motorhomes are ideal for couples - easier to drive, easier to park, and you do not need the extra berths. Pack good wine, decent coffee, and your favourite music for the drive. Leave the rigid itinerary at home - the best moments on a couples motorhome weekend are usually the unplanned ones. If you have not hired a motorhome before, our guide to your first night in a motorhome covers everything you need to know before you set off. For more, see our Lake District tips.