Cornwall

With miles of beautiful coastline and endless sandy coves and beaches Cornwall is an ideal place to visit in a campervan.

Summer school holidays (late July and August) are extremely busy times. To stay during this period book ahead and plan your travel well to avoid delays and traffic queues.

If you can visit in quieter times such as June and early July, or September.

Get the most of of a trip to Cornwall with a guidebook.  See from our recommendations below.

Guidebooks

ImageTitlePriceLink
DK Eyewitness Top 10 Cornwall and Devon
An intensely picturesque and idyllic corner of England – Cornwall and Devon encompass a landscape layered with beautiful moorland, quaint villages, white-sand beaches, and ruined castles.
£6.00 Buy
Cornwall : 40 Coast & Country Walks (Pocket Mountains)
With over 400 miles of mainland coastline and an excellent public path network, Cornwall is all about rugged shorelines, gorgeous sandy beaches, turquoise waters, meandering rivers and wide open countryside.
£6.00 Buy
Lonely Planet Devon & Cornwall (Travel Guide)
Up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you.
£10.00 Buy

Campsites

Camping in Cornwall

Cornwall is a busy place to camp all summer long, especially during the school holidays.

Be sure to book ahead with campsites to ensure you get a place.


North Cornwall

Tintagel

A pretty town, the site of King Arthur’s castle.

Free camping in Tintagel

King Arthur’s Car Park, opposite The Old Post Office, Fore Street. Large level car park in centre of Tintagel town, easy access for large motorhomes. Reasonably secluded at far end of car park. Officially licensed for motorhomes to stay overnight. £3 for the night (4.00pm to 10.00am approx). No services. Public toilet block in the car park closes at 10pm.

Bodmin Moor

A vast area of outstanding beauty.

Free camping at Bodmin Moor

Very rural site at Rough Tor on Bodmin Moor. Just east of Camelford two roads head towards Rough Tor and Brown Willy (these are mountaintops). Narrow road and great switch back road – excellent at full speed but DO make sure road is clear. Great walks up to the Tors.

Several layby’s on the A30, but the road is busy. One layby in particular: on top of moors 1 mile north of Bodmin approx layby on left (going south) with burger van in situ, sign posted to Temple Fishery. Parking in pull-ins of road loop.

Widemouth Bay

Free camping near Widemouth Bay

A layby next to the Budemeadows campsite on the A39. The layby is used by loads of surfers, no reports of any problems.

Free camping near Launceston

Heading into the county on the A30, past Launceston, you come off the dual carriageway and, on the left-hand side, there is a small lake and fishing advertised. Pull in and turn to left but not down to the fishery. Empty moorland in front of you!


South Cornwall

Carn Brea

Just off the Penzance/St Just road near to the airport. Last hill in Cornwall – flat level site but very isolated.

Lamorna Cove

Free camping at Lamorna Cove

Spectacular parking area, but inaccessible for campers over 6 meters and overnight parking not allowed. Great position on edge of harbour wall – great views with walks on either side. Could be fantastic in a winter storm.

Marazion

Free camping at Marazion

Overnight parking is allowed at Kings Road car park. Owners of large motorhomes would be wise to check the availability of spaces before attempting to drive into the town. Price £4, no facilities.

Two layby’s, one either side of the road. Take A30 from Penzance and off on to the A394. Lay-by’s are only a short distance along. They are well back from the road and are landscaped with bays. Bins are provided for rubbish and views are great.

Penzance

Free camping in Penzance

The parking layby on the coast road to Marazion. Once the pub traffic goes it is quiet. Outstanding views to St Micheals Mount.

Hayle

Free camping in Hayle

There are three car parks, although they are sometimes patrolled by Police and overnighters sent away.:

  1. By the north Quay as you come into Hayle from the south. It is wide open and a little windy but only a very short walk to the shops. Park near the arches to get out of the wind.
  2. As you go thru town there is a very narrow road across a bridge signposted swimming pool. There’s a car park alongside with a nice view across the copper pool.
  3. Instead of turning to swimming pool car park go straight on. It is signed as a private road but has access to a beach car park.

Lizard

Free camping at the Lizard

The National Trust car park by the Lizard lighthouse. Toilet block open all night. Lovely spot, but be warned, the lighthouse beam flicking across the fields may look pretty but if a fog comes in at night you’ll be woken up by a loud fog horn that blasts for 5-10s every 45s or so and it is only a couple of hundred feet from the car park.

Redruth

Free camping in Redruth

Lookout for a small lorry park.

Portreath

Free camping in Portreath

A good place to wild camp is on the B 3301 coast road from Portreath to Hayle. Follow that road out of Portreath up the big hill, after about 2 miles from Portreath you will pass on the left hand side an entrance for Tehidy Country Park. Virtually opposite to the entrance there is a track leading to basset cove car park. Very good sea view.

Falmouth

An historic and pretty town set on the south coast.

Free camping in Falmouth

Long stay Lorry and coach park

Portscatho on the Roseland Peninsula

Idyllic small harbour with pubs.

Free camping in Portscatho

Come into the village off the main Tregony/St Mawes road – car park on left and short walk into town.

Eden Project

A fantastic biological attraction.

Lost Gardens of Heligan

A once lost gardens that have be restored. A great place to visit.

Free camping near the Eden Project / Heligan

Follow the A390 into St Austell from Liskeard, after large roundabout and before ASDA-supermarket, turn left towards Penrice Hospital and Porthpean. Road narrows, continue until cross road. Turn left towards Trenarren (Black Head). Great views over St Austell Bay and towards the Gribben (Fowey). Car park before houses. Take left hand lane – rather uneven but passable – until you come to large open space with level parking. Superb walks out to Black Head

Mevagissy

A beautiful and historic Cornish town. The roads are very narrow so enter the town with care.

Free camping in Mevagissy

  1. There is a layby between St Austell and Mevagissey, where you can park up.
  2. The car park in Mevagissey will allow you to overnight at a nominal charge and it is in the middle of town and handy for shops, quay, restaurants etc. Beware: Do not try to drive through Mevagissey as it is very narrow, just go straight into the huge car park on the left.

Free camping on the A39 road

After entering Cornwall over the Tamar bridge on the A390, onto dual carriageway after Trerulefoot Roundabout, up the hill past Menheniot turning, toilets and layby on the left. Alternatively, continue on for approx. 1/2 mile, turn left towards Looe and then immediately left again (Old road left abandoned).

Recommended Websites

  • North Coast Log Cabins  – have been making beautiful log cabins in Devon & Cornwall for years.  They have an excellent reputation for quality and craftsmanship.
  1. Any suggestions on overnight parking in Looe please ?

    Reply

  2. Please be aware..Full restrictions have recently been implemented all around the Bude area this summer,C.C.Council have stopped all overnight stays in many usually used lay-bys and carparks in cars,campers,caravans.
    National trust have put up height restriction barrier at northcott and doing daily patrols to move people on at Duckpool,Sandymouth etc.Minimal places you can now free camp without hassles or hefty fines!

    Reply

  3. Can you use any of these in a caravan? we really want to tour cornwall on a budget with our little un, only got an old 3 berth? please let us know

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  4. Anyone know anywhere to park st ives

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  5. Currently in Praa sands, near Penzance. £8 for 24hr parking and doesn’t appear to have any restrictions. Beautiful sea views, nice bar/restaurant and free toilets, though I’ve not used them yet.

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    1. Nice chap who owns it he normally has green Larry that’s converted to camper .AND HE DOES CHECK TICKETS beware.

      Reply

  6. Currently staying in King Arthurs carpark in Tintangel, £3 overnight or £4 for 24 hrs for self contained vans, as no facilities, though pub will let you use theirs during opening for 50p charge. Beautiful place, beautiful cove and plenty of places to choose from, for eating and drinking.

    Reply

  7. As a campervanner, I look for free overnight stops. As a resident of St Just, I hope that no-one overnights in our car park! It’s for short stay visits to the town, and is often full these days – if campervanners continue to stay overnight, we’re likely to lose its free status, height barriers erected, and no vans will be able to visit the town at all. Please use the St Just Rugby Club at the bottom of the hill – £5 per night, and facilities.

    Reply

  8. Hi Sue,

    Found your camper stop in Gwithian, just outside Hayle by the beach. Perfect spot for campervans a you can wake to a view of the ocean right behind you and lots of greenery everywhere. Highly recommend to everyone who wants to wake up with great views!

    Reply

  9. Near Hayle, Gwithian there are a lot of different places to park and loads of motorhome park here on the weekend. Very handy place to look around Cornwall and return back to. My favourite spot is a little car park gps 50.21652n -005.39239w
    Enjoy we did the walk to the beach is lovely and the beach is amazing

    Reply

  10. Just out of Penzance Cornwall. There is an amazing parking place overlooking St Michael’s mount car park is called Long Rock. Cost is 1 pound 24hrs but machine is out of order. 15 min walk into Penzance.

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  11. You can park overnight in campervan on the promenade in Penzance for free. Make sure you walk accross to Newlyn and grab some delicious food and drink at the Newlyn Meadery.

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  12. Hi great page, I have used a
    Hi great page, I have used a number of your sites in the last 3 weeks hayle is great and probably my fav. Right by the beach. Even bumped into the couple in the bus. Still using the same 3 spots. Also spots near St austrell very good. I’m heading to truro tomorrow so will try portscatho tomorrow night. Thanks…

    Reply

  13. Hi
    Hi

    The Rugby Club has overnight coach parking:
    http://www.coach-driver.co.uk/parking.html

    Also a coach park run by the council, but the website suggests this for coaches only (upate: it says no motorhomes or coaches):
    https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/transport-and-streets/parking/cornwall-council-car-parks/car-park-locations-charges-and-facilities/falmouth/gyllyngvase-beach-coach-park-queen-mary-road-falmouth-tr11-4dp/

    Reply

  14. camping
    Hi Darren we are going to falmouth and need to camp in our hymer for free, i notice you say there is a long stay carpark, can you tell me where it is in falmouth?

    Thanks or if you have any other suggestions near by would be greatly appreciated

    Reply

    1. I camped up for months last year when working in Falmouth on pendennis point with no problems and an amazing view.
      There were always a fair few vans there.
      I would always get there after 6pm and leave at about 630am.

      Reply

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