Camping breaks near literary hotspots

Whether you're celebrating World Book Day, or simply a fan of books, discover the scenic landscapes and interesting buildings that have inspired authors over the years.

From Harry Potter to Jane Eyre, the UK has inspired so many great literary works... Take a look at our top picks for the best places to soak up some literary culture.

DCI Ryan Mysteries, L.J. Ross - Northumberland

"We have both recently finished reading the DCI Ryan series of crime thrillers written by L.J. Ross - all 15 books! - set in Northumberland and the first one is centred around Holy Island which has inspired us to go and have a look there - especially as we don't know that county very well."

- Richardandros, caravanners from East Yorkshire

Our members also recommended going to visit the Penshaw Monument in Wearside (pictured above), which is also mentioned in the series. See where else our members recommended and share your thoughts in our Club Together discussion.

Camp out or pitch up at: Berwick Seaview Club Campsite or Old Hartley Club Campsite

 

Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien - Moreton-in-Marsh

If you’re a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, stop at the Bell Inn pub in Moreton-in-Marsh.

Considered by many to be the inspiration for the Prancing Pony - Middle Earth’s most famous pub – the Bell Inn has been awarded a printed map of Middle Earth by the Tolkien Society, which is proudly on display at the quaint bar in the Cotswolds.

The inspiration doesn’t stop there; St. Edward’s Church in Stow-on-the-Wold features an Elven-esqe tree-flanked gate, which is said to have inspired Tolkien’s door to Moria.

Camp out or pitch up at: Moreton-in-Marsh Club Campsite

Winnie the Pooh, A.A. Milne - Ashdown Forest

Revel in a childhood classic and take a stroll through the home of A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh – Ashdown Forest in East Sussex. Several locations in the Winnie the Pooh stories can be matched to real places in and around Ashdown Forest, namely the real ‘Five Hundred Acre Wood’ which inspired the story’s ‘Hundred Acre Wood’.

The Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is perfect for long walks or playing Poohsticks on the bridge across the river in Posingford Wood. Take a look at Ashdown Forest’s suggested walking routes.

Camp out or pitch up at: Alderstead Heath Club Campsite

Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling - Edinburgh

Arguably the best-selling book series of all time, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series takes inspiration from multiple places around the UK, from Gloucester Cathedral posing as Hogwarts’ hallways in the film adaptations to the fictional Platform 9¾ at Kings Cross Station in London.

To really pay homage to J.K. Rowling’s legacy we suggest visiting the Elephant House coffee shop in Edinburgh, where Rowling spent many days here working on her draft of the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. Visit the Elephant House on Marshall Street and try their Fleur’s Fantasy Coffee, named for Triwizard Champion Fleur Delacour.

Camp out or pitch up at: Edinburgh Club Campsite

Dracula, Bram Stoker - Whitby

Visit the ruins of the old abbey in Whitby, a seaside town on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors to see the inspiration for Dracula’s castle. Bram Stoker reportedly spent several holidays in Whitby, researching the vampire’s tale.

Walk up the 199 steps to Whitby Abbey to admire the old building, or experience the novel brought to life with the Dracula Experience.

Camp out or pitch up at: Thirsk Racecourse Club Campsite

 

Charles Dickens - Broadstairs

Explore the seaside town of Broadstairs in Kent, and walk in the footsteps of the great Charles Dickens. Visit the Dickens House Museum, with its wealth of memorabilia and prints - once the home of Miss Mary Pearson Strong, the inspiration for Miss Betsey Trotwood in David Copperfield.

There are plenty of homages to Dickens throughout the town – stop in at the Charles Dickens pub for a pint, which serves food in the Copperfield restaurant upstairs.

Camp out or pitch up at: Black Horse Farm Club Campsite

The Brontë sisters - Haworth

Visit the Brontë sisters 19^th century home, Haworth in West Yorkshire. The rugged landscape is etched in their most famous works, including Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre and Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights.

Explore the nearby moors to find Top Withens, a ruined farmhouse which is said to be the inspiration for Heathcliffe's home, Wuthering Heights and other landmarks from Emily Brontë's novel. Walk the 44-mile Brontë Way walking trail which joins the dots between many of the region's key landmarks.

Camp out or pitch up at: Hebden Bridge Club Campsite, York Rowntree Club Campsite

 

Thomas Hardy - Bockhampton

Discover Thomas Hardy’s birthplace and wander the woods where he grew up in Bockhampton, Dorset. Many of Thomas Hardy’s books hark back to the southwest landscape of his youth – a leisurely drive through the country lanes in Dorset would plunge you into the world of Tess of the D’urbervilles.

Thomas Hardy fans can visit the National Trust Hardy’s Cottage in Bockhampton, built from cob and thatch by his grandfather nearly 200 years ago.

Camp out or pitch up at: Hunter’s Moon Club Campsite

Roald Dahl - Cardiff

Writer of children’s classics like the BFG, Matilda and The Twits, Roald Dahl was born in Llandaff outside Cardiff in 1916. Visit the Cardiff Story Museum, a must-see to find out more about Roald Dahl’s history in the city.

For a deeper look into Dahl’s past, explore the old roads of Cardiff – you can even visit the sweet shop where he bought his childhood sweets, although it is now a Chinese takeaway!

Camp out or pitch up at: Tredegar House Country Park Club Campsite

 

Beatrix Potter - Lake District

Best known for her beautifully illustrated children’s books of Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle-Duck and friends, Beatrix Potter spent many childhood days in the Lake District.

Visit the Lake District Visitors Centre at Brockhole for all things Beatrix Potter, or walk the Beatrix Potter trail around Brockhole’s lakeshores and learn about the wildlife that inspired her. In Bowness-on-Windemere, explore the World of Beatrix Potter attraction for a self-guided walk through the world of Peter Rabbit and friends.

Camp out or pitch up at: Troutbeck Head Club Campsite, Borrowdale Club Campsite, Englethwaite Hall Club Campsite, Coniston Park Coppice Club Campsite, Kendal Club Campsite.

 

Arthur Conan Doyle - London

Delve into the realm of Sherlock Holmes, or as we know it, London. Visit his home on Baker Street, now a museum dedicated to the master detective’s disorderly study filled with odd Victorian bits and bobs, plus a recreation of Dr Watson’s tidier quarters.

There’s plenty of Sherlock Holmes fun to be had in and around London – Start your day off with the Arthur Conan Doyle Walk, starting at Piccadilly Circus tube station, which explores his London and the places that are important to him, then head to Madame Tussauds for the Sherlock Holmes murder mystery experience. Finish your trip with a pint at the Sherlock Holmes pub in Piccadilly.

Camp out or pitch up at: Abbey Wood Club Campsite

1984, George Orwell - London

Although published in 1949, all the events in the iconic novel 1984 take place in a fictionalised version of London at some unspecified time in the future. In the book, London is the capital of a province called Airstrip One, which is itself part of the fictional nation of Oceania.

Camp out or pitch up at: Abbey Wood Club Campsite, Alderstead Heath Club Campsite, Wyatts Covert Club Campsite and Commons Wood Club Campsite.

The Year of the Runaways, Sunjeev Sahota - Sheffield

This contemporary novel was published in 2015 and is set against the backdrop of Sheffield. The Year of the Runaways tells the tale of the dreams and daily struggles of an unlikely family thrown together by circumstance. Thirteen young men live in a house in Sheffield, each from India and in search of a new life.

Camp out or pitch up at: Poolsbrook Country Park Club Campsite, Castleton Club Campsite, Lickpenny Matlock Club Campsite.

Kidnapped, Robert Louis Stevenson - Scotland

Bow Fiddle Rock, near Portknockie, Scotland. Photo by Tom Lloyd

Set in Scotland just after the Jacobite rebellions, Kidnapped is a classic novel published in 1886. Narrated by the teenager David Balfour who was recently orphaned, it tells David’s story as he leaves rural Essendean to seek a better life with his relatives, the Balfours of the House of Shaws.

Camp out or pitch up at: Melrose Gibson Park Club Campsite or Lidalia Caravan Affiliated campsite.

How Green Was My Valley, Richard Llewellyn - South Wales

Black Mountains, near Brecon. Photo by Richard Parry.

Published in 1939, How Green Was My Valley, was based in South Wales. It tells the story of the Morgans, a respectable mining family of the South Wales Valleys, told through the eyes of one of their sons, Huw Morgan. Huw's academic ability sets him apart from his elder brothers and enables him to think of a future away from the dangerous coal mines.  

Camp out or pitch up at: Tredegar House Country Park Club Campsite, Brecon Beacons Club Campsite, Aberbran Club Campsite, Pandy Club Campsite.

Jamaica Inn, Daphne du Maurier - Cornwall

Tintagel, Cornwall. Photo by Beverley Dodds.

Inspired by du Maurier’s stay at the real Jamaica Inn which still exists as a pub in the middle of Bodmin Moor, the gothic Jamaica Inn, published in 1936, is a period piece set in 19th century Cornwall. The plot follows Mary Yellan, a woman who moves to stay at Jamaica Inn with her Aunt Patience and Uncle Joss following the passing of her mother.  

Camp out or pitch up at: Camelford Club Campsite, Trewethett Farm Club Campsite, Looe Club Campsite and Carnon Downs Club Campsite.

Here are a few of our favourite novels featuring European countries which we have paired with our Overseas campsites and trips. Check out all of our European campsites.

Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy

Ha'Penny Bridge, Dublin, Ireland

Published in 1990, bestselling author Maeve Binchy wrote the romantic fiction Circle of Friends which is set in 1950s Dublin, as well as in the fictitious town of Knockglen in rural Ireland. The coming-of-age story follows a group of university students as they navigate relationships and life.

Whilst visiting the bustling city of Dublin, stay at the nearby River Valley Caravan Park.

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

The Eiffel Tower, Paris, France. Photo by Phil Taylor.

The Da Vinci Code was a phenomenal bestseller worldwide after being published in 2003 and was later turned into a blockbuster film starring Tom Hanks. Set in Paris, the storyline starts after a dead body is discovered inside Paris’s Louvre museum. Besides the corpse, there are a series of cryptic codes and it’s down to a Harvard professor and a French cryptologist to break the codes and unravel a mystery that goes back to the depths of time.  

Discover the wonders of Paris with a stay at campsites close to the city: Camping de Paris, Huttopia Versailles and Maisons Laffitte.

 

The Moon Sister by Lucinda Riley

Set in Granada, just as Spain descends into civil war, The Moon Sister was published in 2018, and tells the story of Tiggy D’Aplièse who is searching for her own destiny after the death of her father. It’s a spellbinding tale of love and loss, inspired by the mythology of the famous star constellation.

Walk in Tiggy’s footsteps and stay at Las Lomas campsite - which is only eight miles away.

 

We’ve ventured a little bit further afield with some favourites Worldwide, with recommendations of tours available through the Club.

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Yosemite National Park, California. Photo by David Smith.

In 1952, John Steinbeck, an icon of Americana literature, wrote East Of Eden, which he regarded as his greatest masterpiece. Set in California, the novel is Steinbeck's classic rendition of the biblical Cain and Abel story, told through two generations of brothers who betray one another but discover that forgiveness is possible.

Embark on the Caravan and Motorhome Club Worldwide California Calling tour to immerse yourself in the surroundings that served as the backdrop for this epic drama. Discover the best of California on this Golden State tour, which also includes stops in Arizona and Nevada.

 

The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series of novels is set in the country of Botswana in South Africa and has been adapted for both radio and television. The main character Mma Precious Ramotswe features prominently across the series, who sets up her detective agency using inheritance from her father. The novels are about the adventures and flaws of the different characters she comes across, as well as the mysteries that the agency solves.

Explore the gorgeous country that is so beautifully described in this wonderful book series by booking the Caravan and Motorhome Club Tale of Three Countries Tour where you can venture off the beaten track and discover the diverse wonders that Southern Africa has to offer.