We took the campervan out again over the bank holiday weekend. It was warmer than our first trip, so the van felt roomier, and we had a lovely family weekend — with a few teenage mood swings thrown in. We stayed at Kelling Heath and had a great time; here’s what made the trip so enjoyable and how you can make the most of yours.
We booked late because the forecast looked poor, but decided to go anyway. Luckily, by the time we reached Norfolk the sun came out and the weekend turned into a beautiful one.
From the campsite we walked to Weybourne beach. The route is easy and mostly off-road, with just one short stretch on a country lane (under 50m). The path crosses the North Norfolk Railway bridge at Weybourne station, and there happened to be an event when we passed — singers in 1940s outfits and steam trains. It was lovely to listen to the music and watch the engines. There are lots of walking routes from the station and places to grab good food.
Watching the steam trains from the bridge was a highlight. The whistle was loud, the trains puffed out great clouds of smoke, and the kids loved it — which made me smile, since I’d thought their fascination with trains was fading at 13 and 11.
The walk to the beach took just over an hour and passed a lovely pub and a cafe. The beach is stony but sheltered from the wind, so it would be a fine spot for sunbathing in good weather. You can walk along the cliffs, and if you’re following the Norfolk Coast Path you can cross the beach to pick it up again.
Kelling Heath is huge. It’s a mix of campsites and lodges centered around a square with a restaurant, bar, evening entertainment, a shop, and swimming pools. Mobile signal was limited at our pitch, which was nice in some ways — we downloaded films and music beforehand to keep everyone happy.
There are three main camping areas, each with its own facilities block, and all pitches can have electric hookups. We stayed in the Blue Butterfly area, right by the facilities, and had a very large pitch — more space than we needed, but perfect for games like badminton. Dogs are only allowed in the red area. Our pitch was surrounded by caravans and mobile homes and felt ideal for a campervan stay. You can request a specific pitch if you have a preference.
The facilities were excellent: the toilets and showers were very clean and warm, and the block was cleaned daily. The showers were hot, though the taps shut off after 15 seconds, which was frustrating when washing hair; the hair dryers ran for about 18 minutes, which was much better. There were enough showers, sinks and toilets that we never had to wait.
Washing-up areas and bins are well organised — there are bricks for BBQs and a dedicated BBQ bin. The sinks have hot and cold taps, plugs and draining racks. Bring your own sponges, washing-up liquid and towels.
A large sports field and climbing frames near our pitch kept the kids busy while we tidied up. They loved timing each other across the course and even used their phones to record the runs.
The square has a well-stocked shop with reasonable prices for a campsite. The kids popped in daily for sweets, and we bought a ball to play with back at the pitch. The restaurant smelled amazing on Sunday with roast dinners on the go, and there’s a bar and a WiFi hub for downloading content.
During holidays there are extra activities and pop-up food stalls — we enjoyed street acts and waffles over the bank holiday. There were daytime activities too; my husband and our son tried archery on Sunday. Table tennis tables are dotted around the site, so bring a bat and balls if you can. The outdoor pool is only open in summer, but the indoor pool was operating (it was busy) and runs on a day-pass system — when we visited it was around £4.50 for kids and £7.50 for adults. There’s also a jacuzzi, sauna and steam room.
With around 300 acres to explore, you won’t be short of things to do — the setting is beautiful and there are fantastic countryside walks nearby. We’ll definitely return.
You can find booking information for pitches and lodges on the Kelling Heath website.
