Weekend Motorhome Breaks

You do not need a fortnight to have a proper adventure. Some of the best motorhome trips we hear about from our customers are the spontaneous weekend breaks — the ones that start with a Friday afternoon collection from our Pontefract depot and end with a Sunday evening return, having packed in two days of fresh air, beautiful scenery, and the kind of relaxation that a weekend at home never quite delivers. At Heath's Motorhome Hire, we have seen time and again that 48 hours in a motorhome can feel like a week away.

The beauty of a weekend motorhome break is its simplicity. There is minimal planning involved — choose a direction, book a campsite pitch or two, throw some food and clothes into the motorhome, and go. You do not need to spend hours researching hotels, comparing prices, or worrying about check-in times. Your accommodation is on wheels, and it goes wherever you go. By Friday evening, you could be parked up in the Yorkshire Dales with a glass of wine and the sunset painting the fells in shades of gold. By Saturday morning, you could be walking along a ridge with views in every direction. That is the power of a motorhome — it compresses the holiday experience into a format that fits around even the busiest life.

From our Pontefract base, the options for a weekend break are extraordinary. Within an hour, you can reach the Yorkshire Dales to the north-west, the North York Moors to the north-east, the Peak District to the south-west, or the East Yorkshire coast to the east. Each of these destinations offers a completely different landscape and a completely different mood, and choosing between them is half the fun. If you want dramatic limestone scenery, waterfalls, and country pubs, head for the Dales. If you want heather moorland, steam trains, and fishing villages, head for the Moors. If you want gritstone edges, wooded valleys, and challenging walks, head for the Peak District. If you want sandy beaches, clifftop walks, and fish and chips, head for the coast.

The Yorkshire Dales are a perennial favourite for weekend breaks. Malham, about an hour and a quarter from Pontefract, offers the spectacular Malham Cove and Gordale Scar — two of the most impressive geological features in England — within easy walking distance of the village. Settle, with its Tuesday market and the Settle-Carlisle Railway, is a charming base for a night. Hawes, at the head of Wensleydale, combines the Wensleydale Creamery, Hardraw Force waterfall, and superb walking in the surrounding fells.

The North York Moors offer equally compelling weekend options. Helmsley, a handsome market town on the edge of the moors, is about an hour and a quarter from Pontefract and makes an ideal base. From there, you can walk to Rievaulx Abbey, explore the market square, and head up onto the moors for panoramic views. Alternatively, head straight for the coast — Whitby, Robin Hood's Bay, and Staithes are all within reach, and a night parked up near the sea with the sound of waves and seabirds is as restorative as any spa weekend.

The Peak District, around an hour to the south, is another outstanding weekend destination. Bakewell, home to the famous pudding and a lively Monday market, sits in the heart of the White Peak and is surrounded by walking opportunities. Chatsworth House, the magnificent seat of the Duke of Devonshire, is nearby and offers a full day of exploration across its house, gardens, farmyard, and parkland. The gritstone edges above Hathersage and Stanage offer more challenging walking with spectacular views across the Dark Peak.

For a seaside weekend, the East Yorkshire coast is closest. Bridlington, about an hour and a half from Pontefract, has sandy beaches, a lively harbour, and the magnificent chalk cliffs of Flamborough Head just to the north. The RSPB reserve at Bempton Cliffs, where tens of thousands of seabirds nest on the sheer white cliffs, is one of the finest wildlife spectacles in England. Further south, Hornsea and Withernsea offer quieter, more traditional seaside experiences.

A few tips for getting the most out of a weekend motorhome break: book your campsite pitch in advance, particularly during school holidays and bank holiday weekends, as popular sites fill up quickly. Arrive on Friday evening and get set up before dark, so that Saturday morning is free for adventure. Pack simply — you need far less for two nights than you think. And do not try to cram too much in. The joy of a weekend break is in slowing down, not in racing from one attraction to the next. One good walk, one good meal, and one good night's sleep in a beautiful place is worth more than a dozen ticked boxes.

At Heath's Motorhome Hire, we make weekend breaks as effortless as possible. Our collection and return process is quick and friendly, and we are happy to suggest destinations, campsites, and routes based on your interests and the time of year. A weekend motorhome break is the perfect antidote to a busy week — and it might just be the start of a lifelong love affair with motorhome travel.