Neil's Wheels, Latest Trips


Hey there, fellow adventurers! 🌟

As first-time campervan owners with a passion for nature, dark skies, walking, and photography, we thought it would be fun to share our journey and keep a little blog of our travels. This blog is our way of creating a treasure trove of memories to look back on when we eventually hang up the Star keys. Plus, we hope to inspire others to explore some of the beautiful spots in the UK that we've fallen in love with.

Being new to van life and retirement, we're excited to explore England and Scotland. We've already revisited some familiar places in our van, and it's been a revelation! The van has given us a totally relaxed and fresh perspective, something we never experienced while staying in hotels. Our top tip? Park up for at least two nights and use local public transport or a push bike to explore the area. It's an adventure in itself, reduces your carbon footprint, and supports local communities.

After feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information on van equipment and making a few costly mistakes, we've put together a section on essential kit that we've found really helpful.

We hope you enjoy our photos, place recommendations, and handy tips. Wishing you safe and happy adventures ahead!

Happy travels! 🚐✨

A map of locations visited

My Google Map shows all the locations that we stayed over. Referenced in the act…

Glastonbury, Avalon Birds and Steam

October 2025, Bird watching at Ham Wall, Glastonbury Views and Steam Gala

Chew Valley, Birds and RWC 2025

September 2025, Bird watching at Chew Lake and watching WRWC @ Bristol

What we have learnt so far ... Some info on Sites

Every trip is a learning experience; here are some more tips

What we have learnt so far ... Sleeping - Soooo important

Every trip is a learning experience; here are some more tips

UpLyme, Lyme Regis and Charmouth

End of July 2025, Our favourite area and a lovely new campsite. Fossils, walks, …

New Forest, Beulieu and Barton On Sea

July 2025, Ponies, Chocolate Box Villages, Striking Sea Views, Cars, Sculptures …

What we have learnt so far ... starting with Food and Drink

Every trip is a learning experience; here we share hints and tips

South Devon, The Dart, Dartmoor and Sea

June 2025. Our first longer trip in Star. 9 nights (well 8 as 1 was spent in the…

Winchester & Alresford

May 2025, Winchester Chalk streams to Vintage railways at Alresford, a relaxing …

Malvern, Ledbury and Hills

May 2025, Walking in the Malvern hills with the sun shining, the RHS show and a …

First trip in UK to Wareham, Dorset

April 2025, and the Sky is blue. Steam engines, lush green hills and the beautif…

A van called Star is made in Scotland.

February 2025. In October 2024, we were walking around the NEC, trying to decide…