Northern Ireland by campervan: overnight rules and ferries

Last checked November 2026.

Northern Ireland is part of the UK but not of Britain, and it has its own laws. For a campervan the rule that matters most is simple: you can’t sleep in a council car park. There are a few paid motorhome stops instead, such as the council’s Sandhill Drive in Portrush and the aire at Broughshane, and there are plenty of campsites along the Causeway Coast, in the Glens of Antrim and below the Mournes. Ferries cross from Cairnryan and Liverpool, and from the Isle of Man to Larne.

Where you can and can’t stay overnight

Council car parks. Since April 2015 the public car parks have been run by the councils. They come under the Off-Street Parking Order (Northern Ireland) 2000, whose article 23 says no one may use a parking place, or a vehicle left in one, “for sleeping or camping purposes” or for eating or cooking. The draft orders that Belfast, Newry, Mourne and Down, and Mid Ulster councils have published to replace it keep the same ban.

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council also points out that a motorhome counts as a caravan under the Caravans Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, so land used for overnight stays needs a caravan site licence. That’s why it doesn’t allow touring vehicles to stay overnight in its car parks or on its amenity sites, and sends them to licensed campsites.

Council by council:

Causeway Coast and Glens: the council runs Sandhill Drive Motorhome Park in Portrush (BT56 8BF), a pay and display car park for up to 10 motorhomes, where an hourly rate covers both day and overnight parking. It’s an easy walk to the town centre and both strands. Its service point (water, electricity, grey water drain and chemical toilet sluice, with tokens from the visitor information centre in the Town Hall, tel: 028 7082 3333) was out of order for maintenance in November 2026. If it’s full, the council’s Carrick Dhu and Juniper Hill holiday parks can take you. The council’s other car parks, such as Ballintoy Harbour and Dundarave in Bushmills, come under the 2000 order’s ban on sleeping.
Mid and East Antrim: the aire at Houston’s Mill, Broughshane (10 Buckna Road, BT42 4NJ, tel: 028 2586 2777) takes four motorhomes overnight for £7 a night. Pay and give your registration number at the Community Office in Broughshane House on weekday mornings, or at The Thatch Inn on Main Street. Tokens for electricity, water and toilet waste disposal are £3. Portglenone Marina, on the River Bann west of Ballymena, has six motorhome pitches all year at £22.40 a night, with showers and a laundry; book through Carrickfergus Marina, tel: 028 9336 6666. There are also service points at Carrickfergus Harbour car park and at Bentra Golf Course near Whitehead.
Newry, Mourne and Down: in Newcastle, Castle Park has four motorhome spaces for stays of up to 12 hours, but overnight parking isn’t allowed, and the council’s draft new car park order sets a 12-hour maximum stay in its free car parks. Annalong has a motorhome service point with water and electricity in the Cornmill car park on Glassdrumman Road (tokens from Sydney’s shop on Main Street). For the night, use the campsites below.
Fermanagh and Omagh: no overnight stays in council car parks or amenity sites; the council lists licensed sites such as Castle Archdale near Lisnarick.

National Trust. The Trust doesn’t allow overnight parking at any of its places, including the Giant’s Causeway, though it runs a caravan park at Castle Ward on Strangford Lough.

Elsewhere. On private land you need the landowner’s permission. Some country pubs will let you stay in the car park if you eat there, but always ask first. Brit Stops members can stay a night with hosts across the UK and Ireland.

The Giant’s Causeway

The National Trust looks after the Giant’s Causeway, on the B147 Causeway Road two miles from Bushmills. You can walk down to the stones free, but the car park by the visitor centre is only for people with a Visitor Experience ticket (£15 for an adult in 2026, parking included), National Trust members and neighbour pass holders, and it’s worth booking. Online bookings are only for vehicles that fit in a standard car parking space: anything bigger is asked to park off-site.

Walkers can use the Causeway Coast Way car park at Innisfree Farm, 60 Causeway Road, for £12 a vehicle, paid with the JustPark app; National Trust members park free. The other option is the park and ride: park in the council’s Dundarave car park in Bushmills, buy a park and ride ticket (bus fare and the Visitor Experience) at the Bushmills Visitor Information Centre and take the bus. Ballyness Caravan Park in Bushmills is the closest campsite, and in spring and summer the Causeway Rambler bus runs from the park to the Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede. None of these car parks is for overnight stays.

Ferries from Britain and the Isle of Man

Route	Operator	Crossing
Cairnryan–Belfast	Stena Line	2 hours 15 minutes, up to 12 sailings a day
Cairnryan–Larne	P&O Ferries	About 2 hours, 6 sailings a day
Liverpool–Belfast	Stena Line	8 hours, up to 4 sailings a day, by day or overnight
Douglas–Larne	Isle of Man Steam Packet	All year since April 2026 (it no longer sails to Belfast)

Motorhome fares. Stena Line’s motorhome fares are only for vehicles registered as a motorhome or campervan, up to 12 m long, 4 m high and 2.6 m wide (a longer one is booked as a vehicle plus a trailer). Measure the height and length with bikes and roof boxes on. Stena charges a motorhome the car fare on any Tuesday to Thursday sailing between Cairnryan and Belfast, and on the 10.30 sailings between Liverpool and Belfast on Sundays and Mondays. P&O charges the car fare on Tuesday to Thursday sailings for a standard motorhome under 6 m long and 2.3 m high, booked online.

Gas and fuel. Both lines allow up to three gas cylinders weighing no more than 47 kg in total. Stena Line says the valves must be closed for the whole sailing; P&O says gas bottles must be declared, isolated and secured. Stena allows up to 5 litres of spare fuel in an approved can; P&O doesn’t allow any. P&O’s check-in at Cairnryan closes 30 minutes before departure.

Dogs. If you live in Britain, your dog, cat or ferret needs a Northern Ireland pet travel document, which is free and lasts as long as you own the pet, and it must be microchipped. You scan the microchip yourself at the port in Britain before you board.

Arriving. Stena’s Belfast terminals are just off junction 1 of the M2. Curran Caravan Park in Larne is close to the ferry terminal.

Driving

Motorhome speed limits are the same as in Britain. A motorhome up to 3.05 tonnes unladen can do 60 mph on single carriageways and 70 mph on dual carriageways and motorways. Over 3.05 tonnes (and up to 12 m long) it’s 50 mph on single carriageways, 60 on dual carriageways and 70 on motorways. In built-up areas the limit is 30 mph unless signed, and 20 mph limits are becoming more common. Northern Ireland has no toll roads. Carry your driving licence and insurance details.

Driving across the border into Ireland

British and Irish citizens can travel freely between the UK and Ireland under the Common Travel Area.

Passports. British nationals don’t legally need a passport to enter Ireland, but the UK government advises carrying one in case you need to prove who you are, and some ferry companies ask for one.
Speed limits in the Republic are in kilometres per hour, not miles per hour.
Tolls. There are toll booths on the main motorways in the Republic. Dublin’s M50 has no booths: it uses barrier-free tolling, and you pay online with eFlow.
Insurance and licence. You don’t need a green card to drive in Ireland, but check that your insurance covers you there, and if you’ve hired a van, that its insurance covers both Northern Ireland and the Republic. You don’t need an international driving permit with a UK photocard licence.
Dogs. A pet coming from Britain needs an animal health certificate to travel on into the Republic; the Northern Ireland pet travel document isn’t enough.

Campsites

The Causeway Coast and Glens council runs six holiday parks, all bookable online for motorhomes. Arrive between 2pm and 8pm, and note that gazebos aren’t allowed and drive-away awnings must stay attached to the van. During the North West 200 races, Juniper Hill and Carrick Dhu take bookings for a minimum of five nights, Tuesday to Sunday.

Area	Campsite	Details
Portrush	Carrick Dhu Holiday Park (council), 12 Ballyreagh Road, BT56 8LS	Tel: 028 7082 3712. 35 hardstanding pitches, the longer ones for motorhomes. Across the road from the sea, near West Bay beach
Portstewart	Juniper Hill Holiday Park (council), 70 Ballyreagh Road, BT55 7PT	Tel: 028 7083 2023. 101 serviced pitches. Some slope, so bring levelling chocks
Bushmills and the Giant’s Causeway	Ballyness Caravan Park, 40 Castlecatt Road, BT57 8TN	Tel: 028 2073 2393. 50 hardstanding pitches, extra large ones for motorhomes, and a motorhome service point. No tents
Benone, near Limavady	Benone Holiday and Leisure Park (council), 53 Benone Avenue, BT49 0LQ	Tel: 028 7775 0555. 80 touring pitches next to Benone Strand
Ballymoney	Drumaheglis Holiday Park and Marina (council), 36 Glenstall Road, BT53 7QN	Tel: 028 2766 2743. 55 hardstanding pitches, 3 miles from Ballymoney
Glens of Antrim	Cushendun Holiday Park (council), 14 Glendun Road, BT44 0PX	Tel: 028 2176 1254. In woodland, five minutes’ walk from the beach and village. The Torr Road to the north is unsuitable for caravans
Glens of Antrim	Cushendall Holiday Park (council), 62 Coast Road, BT44 0QW	Tel: 028 2177 1699
Larne	Curran Caravan Park, 131 Curran Road, BT40 1DD	Tel: 028 2827 3797. Near the ferry terminal
Belfast	Dundonald Touring Caravan Park, 111 Old Dundonald Road, BT16 1XT	Tel: 028 9080 9100. 22 hardstanding pitches. Fully open from mid-March to the end of October, with a motorhome service point in winter
Strangford Lough	Castle Ward Caravan Park (National Trust), Strangford, BT30 7LS	Tel: 0345 266 0795. On the Castle Ward estate by the lough
Killyleagh	Delamont Country Park Caravan Park, Downpatrick Road, BT30 9TZ	Tel: 028 4482 1833
Newcastle and the Mournes	Castlewellan Caravan Park (council), Castlewellan Forest Park, BT31 9BU	Tel: 0330 137 4046. 53 hardstanding pitches, plus 19 more in Drumbuck Wood
Newcastle	Bloody Bridge Campsite, 35 Ballagh Road, BT33 0LA	Tel: 07827 591231. The closest campsite to Newcastle, at the foot of the Mournes
Annalong	Annalong Holiday Park, 38 Kilkeel Road, BT34 4TJ	Tel: 028 4376 8248. On the A2 coast road. 15 March to 31 October 2027
Kilkeel	Cranfield Caravan Park, 123 Cranfield Road, BT34 4LJ	Tel: 028 4176 2572. Close to the beach
Kilkeel	Chestnutt Holiday Park, 3 Grange Road, Cranfield West, BT34 4LW	Tel: 028 4176 2653
Rostrevor	Kilbroney Caravan Park (council), Shore Road, BT34 3AA	Tel: 0330 137 4046. In Kilbroney Park, overlooking Carlingford Lough
Lough Erne	Castle Archdale Caravan Park, Lisnarick	Tel: 028 6862 1333

More on Northern Ireland and Britain

Sources: Off-Street Parking Order (Northern Ireland) 2000 and the draft replacement orders of Belfast City, Newry, Mourne and Down, and Mid Ulster councils; Fermanagh and Omagh District Council; Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council car parks and holiday parks; Mid and East Antrim Borough Council; Newry, Mourne and Down District Council; National Trust; Stena Line; P&O Ferries; Isle of Man Steam Packet; DAERA and gov.uk pet travel guidance; Motor Vehicles (Speed Limits) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1989; nidirect; gov.uk travel advice for Ireland, driving abroad and vehicle insurance; eFlow; Brit Stops; campsite listings on the councils’ tourism websites; checked November 2026. Know of a change? Tell us in the comments below.