Living on Campsite in UK all year round… Whats it really like?
The reality of full-time caravan living—whether you’re in a holiday park, residential park, or working on a touring site—is that every aspect has a silver lining and a cloudy one. It’s the ultimate expression of Ying and Yang.
I’ve identified five key aspects of my everyday life here. Each is like a single coin (like this old Swiss Franc I found, which is from the country they call “Helvetia”!)—it has two sides. What looks beautiful to me might look ugly to you, and vice versa. It’s all about perception.
Let’s dive into the good, the bad, the cool, and the uncool of living on a caravan site.
1. You Are a Tenant, Not a Landlord
The most basic fact of campsite life is that you don’t own the land; you are a tenant. You have your private pitch, your tiny slice of heaven, but you are still subject to the Rules and Regulations of the site owners.
| The Ugly Side (Disadvantage) | The Beautiful Side (Advantage) |
| Obeying the Rules: Every site is its own micro-cosmos with its own culture. You cannot do whatever you want on your pitch without asking. We have strict rules here, and we must obey them just like any holiday guest. | No Overhead Headaches: It’s not your job to worry about the running costs of the entire site. I get to use all the infrastructure—water, gas, electricity, and the septic tank—but I don’t have to pay the massive bills for a 170-pitch site, or worry about insurance, maintenance, or equipment upgrades. |
2. Sharing is Caring (and Sometimes Annoying)
This is not your private playground. As a resident on a working site, you have access to incredible facilities, but they are shared with everyone else.
| The Ugly Side (Disadvantage) | The Beautiful Side (Advantage) |
| Shared Spaces: You have to get used to sharing things like toilets, showers, and laundry rooms with strangers. If you’re a private person, you might need to get used to taking showers in flip-flops! | Free & Clean Facilities: I don’t pay the water bill for my showers, and I don’t have to clean the modern toilet block (which is mopped twice a day). We have access to a pool, a bar, huge washing machines that handle a week’s worth of laundry in one go, dryers, and even an ironing board—all without taking up precious space in my caravan. |
3. You Are Surrounded by People (The Neighbours)
You are living in a community, and you have neighbours. This is where the true character of campsite life shines—and sometimes causes a headache.
| The Ugly Side (Disadvantage) | The Beautiful Side (Advantage) |
| The Bad Apples: In the high season, we can have 400 to 600 people here. Not all of them are polite, smiling, or considerate. Some are stressed from travel. They may be rude, noisy at midnight, leave litter, hide ducks, or break branches. Those individuals make life miserable. | The Beautiful Community: The majority of our guests and, particularly, our seasonal neighbours are absolutely lovely. We have established relationships—we know their names, their dogs, and we share a cup of tea or a glass of wine. When I walk around, most people are smiling and happy, and I really value those regular, neighbourly contacts. |
4. Immersion in Nature (The Green Bubble)
We live in a beautiful, green bubble. This site is in an expensive, posh part of the country where I certainly couldn’t afford to buy a house. Living here in a caravan is my way of accessing this gorgeous environment.
| The Ugly Side (Disadvantage) | The Beautiful Side (Advantage) |
| The Invasion: As much as nature is beautiful, it likes to move in. Spiders, cobwebs, insects, and, yes, rodents (mice and rats) are a constant threat, seeking out the warm, dry refuge of the caravan. We have to secure every drain with steel wool and duct tape. Plus, we must constantly deal with the high winds, keeping our storm belts fastened even on nice days. | A Permanent Retreat: This is my back garden. I practice yoga, watch the stream, and breathe fresh air surrounded by trees. I wake up every morning to a stunning lake. It’s a retreat, away from the hustle, stress, and pressure of the life I left behind. I wouldn’t trade this calming, soothing environment for anything. |
5. Isolation from the Old Life
We are two hours away from the town where we spent the last 15 years, where we built our business, and where our family and friends still live. This distance creates a unique emotional challenge.
| The Ugly Side (Disadvantage) | The Beautiful Side (Advantage) |
| Loneliness and Homesickness: We don’t see our family and friends often. They are busy with their own lives, and sometimes you just get lonely, miss them, and get homesick. It is a sacrifice to be away from the life and routines you used to know—your favourite pub, your NHS dentist, your closest circle. | Breathing Space and New Connections: You might need a break from the pressures and little politics of family life. This lifestyle offers breathing space and a chance to reset. We are actively building new, supportive friendships here on-site. When site owners and colleagues treat you like family, it makes all the difference. |
Final Thoughts
These are the five key facts of life on a caravan site. Each has its positive and negative side, and it’s truly up to you which side of the coin you choose to focus on. Did you stay with me until the end? If so, you must be serious about this lifestyle!
Let me know in the comments: What aspects appeal to you most, and what terrifies you?
P.S. Living here also involves working on the site, which is a whole other subject with its own set of pluses and minuses! If you are interested in what it’s like to work on a campsite, let me know, and I’ll create a separate video.
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