Staycationing is more than a frugal form of a holiday – it’s a growing movement amongst UK holidaymakers, as families and friend groups shun the relative expense and hassle of international travel for domestic sights and delights.

With the resurgence in domestic holiday travel has come a resurgence in classic forms of UK holiday: camping and caravanning. If you’re thinking of dipping your toes in the latter, you might be wondering where to start. Here we’ll look at the chief points of entry into motorhome holidaying, and the benefits of each.

Motorhome

A motorhome is a vehicle purpose-built for camping out in comfort. Motorhomes are distinct vehicles, built from the ground up to accommodate a portable home with all the modern conveniences to which you are accustomed. There are, of course, a number of different kinds of motorhome you can buy depending on your budget and the amount of people you would like it to sleep – but these kinds boil down to three distinct kinds: A-Class, B-Class and C-Class.

The quintessential motorhome is the A-Class type, or ‘integrated motorhome’. These are built on a unique chassis with a long wheelbase, and represent the pinnacle of luxury for any camping getaway. You can expect a fully furnished and kitted-out interior, with comfortable beds and even a complete kitchen. The downside of these homes, besides their price, is that they are guaranteed to exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM – meaning you need a driving license that allows you to legally drive HGVs and subsequently, an  A-Class motorhome.

Whatever your class of motorhome, you will also need to factor in motorhome insurance. Unless your motorhome is legally declared to be off the road, it needs to be covered. Coverage means protection from multiple areas of risk, and with add-ons like breakdown cover you can ensure your vehicle – and holiday – is comprehensively covered.

Campervan

A campervan is essentially a type of motorhome – and is classed as such, being considered a B-Class motorhome. However, the humble campervan is also distinct from the typical motorhome in a number of key ways. The campervan is often a conversion from a pre-existing van, with the storage space re-configured to enable camping. As a result, campervans have a much smaller footprint than their A-Class motorhome counterparts and significantly less room for modern conveniences.

Campervans are often much cheaper to attain, with space and comfort the obvious sacrifice. However, they are also lighter, and can often be driven with no additional permissions on your driver’s licence. Altogether, they are easier to drive and can be much more ‘plug-in-and-play’ in comparison to the power and skill demands of running a motorhome.

The DIY Approach

Lastly, a growing trend amongst hobbyists and a new community of ‘van-lifers’ is that of building one’s own campervan from scratch. With a used van and some DIY knowledge, you could create your own holiday campervan to your own specifications. While a deeply rewarding process, this can also be a long and arduous one – but the savings are considerable, and the results personal to your tastes.

We’re very proud to bring you this feature in association with Staveley Head. For more features, please pay a visit to our lifestyle page.