Free camping in Portishead
This town overlooks the Severn Estuary and is 15 miles drive from Bristol, 3 miles from the M5 motorway. From junction 19 of the M5 take the A369 to Portishead. As you enter the town go past the Co-op supermarket on your left, past the start of the High Street on your left and take the next left opposite the Waitrose Esso petrol Station. Take the second right signposted to the Seafront and Lake Grounds. You can park for free day and night anywhere along the promenade. There is a café, public toilets, and an open-air swimming pool, but the whole area is really a picnic site without noisy amusements. You cannot swim in the estuary due to very dangerous tides and soft mud, but the view across the sea to Wales from your camper is excellent.
No over night parking at at lake grounds in Portishead. Signs have gone up. Effective September 2023.
There are no facilities at all at Parrys Lane/Saville Road. There is also a vigorous campaign from local residents and other groups to prevent camper parking owing to the large number of permanent and semi permanent van dwellers located there. Not recommended.
The Parrys Lane camping is not worth visiting – no facilities and I got a LOAD of hassle from dog walkers etc when I stayed there. Cars driving past at stupid hours in the morning blaring horns and dog muck smeared on my windscreen. I reckon it’s ‘cos of the numbers of vans that seem to be parked there permanently..