Camper Van Diaries | Belmont Park & Ride Durham | April 2024
When we think of van life and the places we would be visiting, we often picture lush green fields, serene streams, breathtaking sea views, and all the other picturesque scenes we see in Instagram van life posts.
So, a night spent in a Durham park and ride facility wasn’t quite what we had in mind during the time we were building the van. π
While the reality of van life may not always match the idealised images we see online, it’s often the unexpected experiences and challenges that make the journey so rewarding.
The Durham Park and Ride, though not the most glamorous of locations, provided a practical and affordable place to rest for the night and explore the City the following day
The contrast between the idyllic visions and the actual experiences can be both humorous and a testament to the adaptability and resilience required for the van life lifestyle.
Finding joy in the small moments is all part of the van life experience.
Even a night in a park and ride can become a great memory, a reminder that the true essence of van life lies not in the picture-perfect locations, but in the spirit of exploration, flexibility, and the willingness to embrace the best park ups for the places you want to visit and explore.
The Park & Ride was Β£5 for the night and Β£2.20 per person the following day to hop on the Bus into Durham City.
We use a few apps to look for sites. Park4night, Search for Sites, and more recently the Caravan and Motorhome club (which we have joined, more on that in another blog post)
We came across the Durham park and ride I think on the Park4nights app.
We always look at reviews first and go with any that have multiple good reviews.
The motorhome section of the park and ride is behind a barrier.
One of the team members at the reception opens it up for you to drive in and closes it behind you, making the site feel very secure.
There were three other vans there when we arrived.
We pulled in beside them and set up for the evening. Poor Taylor looked quite small at the side of the other motorhomes.
The secure, gated area of the park and ride provided a sense of safety and privacy for the overnight stay.
With the barrier closed behind you, the space felt more secluded and protected, allowing you to settle in comfortably for the night.
The reception building where you get park and ride tickets has toilets you can use until around 10pm. No other facilities are available on-site.
There is a bit of traffic noise as you are close to the road, but it is not enough to stop you from sleeping.
The following day, we walked over to the bus station, paid our Β£2.20 each, and headed off to Durham to explore.
We had wanted to visit Durham for many years, having seen it featured in various people’s vlogs in the past.
Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate with us, as it rained throughout the day.
However, we tried not to let the inclement weather dampen our spirits.
A friend had recommended that we try a cafe called Flat White, which piqued our interest as it was our favorite type of coffee.
We couldn’t resist the opportunity to give it a try.
The cafe is tiny, we were lucky to get the last free table. It was worth squeezing in as the coffee tasted great and so did the food.
We bought an aubergine chocolate cake to take back to the van (thankfully you couldn’t taste any vegetables, just lovely chocolate cake π)
We had a drink at “The Shakespear” pub, which is supposedly the most haunted pub in Durham.
We didn’t see any ghosts but had what could be the hardest pork scratchings known to man. ( I was chomping on one piece for at least half an hour)
We looked around the cathedral (a donation of Β£5 is suggested upon entry) and Nick soon realised it had been a filming location for Harry Potter and Avengers End Game.
If you have watched our vlogs before you will know we love a good filming location, especially Harry Potter ones.
Nick was soon on Google looking up the various locations that were in the film and we found quite a few. It was the biggest smile on his face all day.
The weather was terrible, with relentless rain pouring down all day.
We headed for a quick look around the indoor market and then made our way back to the park-and-ride facility.
We considered staying a second night at the park and ride but ultimately decided to pack up and head further north, closer to Alnwick Castle, which we wanted to visit the following day.
For anyone wanting to visit Durham City in a camper van, we would thoroughly recommend this site. Β£5 is super affordable for the night with a short walk to the bus the following day to explore the city
What3words for the park areΒ ///workforce.snowy.couriers
More about that in the next Camper Van Diaries blog post.
Watch our time at Durham in our vlog below
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- Camper Van Diaries | Belmont Park & Ride Durham | April 2024
I think you guys will the the safari lodges in west midlands its a bit dear for two but the kids would love it go check it out lads
The lodges cater for 4-8 sleepers and you can pick between, lions, elephants, tigers, red panda, wild dogs, rhino, giraffes, etc i know how you like your experiences to places like this safari lodges uk west midlands check website π
We have seen that on a vlog recently, looks really good
Hopefully no human turds outside the van this time!