Quirky Campers, a unique British campervan hire service providing beautiful, handcrafted campers, has unveiled Southern England’s ultimate campervan Christmas road trip with nine locations featuring on the 400-mile circular route, which starts in London.

Richmond and Kew Gardens, Hever Castle, Salisbury and Mompesson House, Cheddar Gorge, and Mousehole have all been highlighted with the following comments:

Richmond and Kew Gardens: Start your road trip right in the heart of the UK, London. Richmond is on the outskirts, but a perfect stopover if you’re picking up a van in the city. Richmond is a quintessentially British town, with beautiful houses, cobbled streets, cafes and shops galore and at Christmas the whole town is lit up like a giant Christmas tree. Take a stroll around Richmond Park to see the famous Royal deer, then when the sun goes down finish your day with a trip to Kew Gardens for their winter illumination display. A stunning show of lights that incorporates the natural beauty of the arboretum. There’s plenty of mulled wine stalls along the way to keep you warm and cheery.

Hever Castle: This stunning castle is set in 125 acres of gorgeous grounds, worth exploring at any time of year, but at Christmas the whole site comes alive with festive cheer, there is so much on offer here, it will feel like Christmas has come early. Start with the little ones at Santa’s grotto for a meet and greet with the big man himself, take a break to explore the castle and grounds along the Christmas trail, followed by a cosy trip across the lake in one of the rentable boats. Then when the evening dusk draws in, head to the Christmas illuminations, a stunning walk filled with glorious colour and light. Finish the fun filled day browsing the festive stalls, with a hot cider in one hand and a mince pie in the other.

Salisbury and Mompesson House: Get ready for Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol brought to life. Mompesson House in Salisbury is decorated every year for Christmas, as you enter the house you’re taken through the tale of a Christmas Carol, starting at Marley’s front door and ending with the Cratchitt’s Christmas feast. Once you’ve satiated your literary appetite head to Salisbury Town for Christmas markets, live music, Christmas fairs and their Christmas on the square pop up event.

Cheddar Gorge: Cheddar Gorge is a spectacular natural wonder, a limestone gorge in the Mendip hills, and over the festive period, the mystical site of Santa’s Grotto. A wonderful and magical day out for a family adventure. Let your inner explorer take the lead as you venture through the spectacular caves and wonder at the stunning stalagmites and stalactites. Over the festive season parts of the gorge are transformed into an elves workshop and Santa’s Grotto Experience so don’t forget your Christmas letters and stay on the nice list!

Mousehole: Mousehole may feel like the very end of the world but its world famous Mousehole Harbour light display will blow your mind. The whole village lights up during the festive period, and the harbour sparkles with delight and laughter. There’s a variety of festive events throughout the month, everything from live music to festive markets, everyone is catered for in this adorable village. Finish up at Mousehole to see in the New Year, to watch the fireworks from a cosy spot on the beach, with blankets and champagne as the fireworks explode over the harbour, the display reflecting in the water around you as you cheer in the New Year with locals and visitors alike.

The tour also takes in several Christmas markets, such as Kingston Christmas Market, Winchester Christmas Market, Bath Christmas Market, Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market and Healey’s Christmas Market in Cornwall.

Recommended campsites along the way include Chertsey Camping and Caravanning Club Site in Surrey, Setthorns Campsite in The New Forest, and Cannamore Camping in Dartmoor.

For the full list of locations and details visit: quirkycampers.com/uk/blog/quirky-routes-the-ultimate-festive-uk-road-trip-southern-edition.

“We were inspired to create the Festive UK Road Trip for Southern England after hearing from several people that won’t be spending the holidays at home – instead they have decided to hit the road and enjoy a festive adventure,” explains David Ffrench, CEO and co-founder of Quirky Campers. “We wanted to help by sharing the best Christmassy spots in Southern England, and some of the wonderful British campsites that are open all year round.”

The Ultimate Festive UK Road Trip (Southern Edition) has been designed to start before Christmas and end on New Year’s Day. It takes around 9 hours to complete. However, as there are so many locations of interest to visit along the way, Quirky Campers recommends setting aside much longer to fully appreciate the experience.

There are several camper vans in Southern England that would be suitable for the festive winter trip, including:

Esteban (London) This super stylish, rustic chic luxury campervan conversion which has been kitted out with a top-end finish. If you are seeking a rolling boutique hotel, then we think this campervan for hire in London is perfect for you. This freshly converted 2-berth camper has a fixed super king bed at the rear, complete with a hotel-grade Hypnos mattress. If you do manage to drag yourself out of this snuggly space, you’ll love living and chilling out in the rest of Esteban’s fresh, cosy and cool interior.

Zack (London) The Alpine detailing on the outside of this unique campervan is just the tip of everything it has to offer. As the mountains suggest, stepping into Zack’s interior feels like stepping into the warmth and cosiness of a mountain lodge retreat. With gorgeous wood panelling, and an intuitive thermostat that sets the temperature in the van just right, you’ll be snugger than a snowboarder in a hot tub.

Blackberry (Bruton) Get a taste of the tutti frutti family experience in the lushest, most colourful campervan out there. She may be sleek and stealthy on the outside, but inside Blackberry oozes fun and games for all the family, her bright vibes will be keeping everyone cheerful, even on the dullest of days. A fully equipped campervan that can fit up to 4 adults, or 2 adults and 3 teens or children, Blackberry has been built with the big adventures in mind.

Mahale (Norfolk) Welcome to the lap of luxury, Mahale is your tranquil sanctum made real. Nothing could better encompass a getaway from the busyness of day-to-day life than a trip in Mahale. The interior has been lovingly created with peace in mind, everything from her smooth design, her soothing colour palette, to the cosiness of the wood-burning stove, is made for a calm, relaxing retreat.

Yonder (Coalpit Health, Bristol) Meet Yonder, the ultimate adventure campervan that will take you on a unique journey. Once a plain old work van, Yonder has undergone a transformation to become the van of your dreams. With her unique design and ample storage space, she’s the perfect choice for any road trip.

Quirky Campers was launched by husband and wife team, Lindsay Berresford and David Ffrench in 2010, starting with renting out their own campervan, Bella, while they were travelling in Kenya. The family owned business acts as an agent for a collection of friendly and likeminded campervan owners, each with a vehicle that they have lovingly created and want to share with the world.

The business also sup ports people to convert their own vans with an extensive network of Quirky Approved converters who can help; and has a dedicated campervan sales page on the website as well.

Quirky Campers can be picked up from various locations across the UK. Prices include fully comprehensive insurance and booking fees and many are pet-friendly. They have also recently launched the UK’s first and only accessible family campervan for hire.