Romantic places to see the sunrise and sunset in your campervan

Owning a campervan opens a whole host of wonderful new experiences for you and your passengers. The vast range of awe-inspiring landscapes across the British Isles, for example, are now ready and waiting for you. You can hit the open road and not worry about where you'll end up, as you have your own cosy little bedroom-on-wheels to retreat into at the end of a busy day's driving and sightseeing.

The UK has a host of romantic places to witness those daily miracles, sunrise, and sunset. In this article, we're going to list a few of our favourite spots to watch these majestic natural events from the comfort of your campervan.

First, though, as chasing the sunrise will involve an early start, here are our top tips for driving your campervan safely at the very start of the day. Always make sure you have the right insurance for a campervan to protect you for your journey, too.

3 top tips for driving in the early morning

1. Make sure you're refreshed and ready for an early drive

According to research by ROSPA, accidents caused by tiredness are most likely to occur between 2am and 6am. If you’re planning an early start, make sure you get to bed early the night before and take a flask of tea or coffee for the morning drive to get your brain in gear. Be more aware of other drivers at this time of the day, too, as they’re also more likely to make a mistake.

2. Be prepared for the poor light conditions

Driving somewhere to watch the sunrise will, obviously, mean driving in low light. You must make sure you can see the road ahead safely: so, make sure your headlights are clean and properly aligned, and your windscreen is clean and clear of any condensation or (if you’re travelling in winter) snow. Switch off any lights inside the camper until it gets light outside, as these will only reduce your outward vision.

3. Drive with extra care in adverse weather

There is an increased chance of mists, fog, and wetter road surfaces in the early morning. Take these possibilities into account, check the forecast, set your headlights correctly, take your time – and be alert.

Here are some of our favourite places to sit and watch the sunrise and sunset. Blankets and hot chocolate at the ready!

Portree, Isle of Skye

The wild and elemental Isle of Skye has many wonderful places to watch the sun coming up or down. However, one of the most attractive options might just be its main town, the picturesque harbour settlement of Portree.

Portree Bay makes a great spot from which to watch the sun rise. The terrace of coloured houses that skirts the bay is a delight, and offsets the pinkish morning sun delightfully. And, given the right atmospheric conditions, the views over the bay and out towards the island of Raasay can be simply magical around dawn.

Benacre Broad, Suffolk

Not for nothing is this strip of the Suffolk coastline known as the 'sunrise coast'. The Suffolk shore faces east across the North Sea, and the vast views across the water are very conducive to a stunning morning light display.

Benacre Broad itself forms part of a larger nature reserve between the Suffolk coastal towns of Lowestoft and Southwold. A coastal lagoon just behind the beach, Benacre is a haven for more than 100 breeding bird species including the marsh harrier, bearded tit and hobby.

Oxwich Bay, Gower Peninsula

Some of the places we've recommended in this list involve a hike up a lonely Dartmoor hillside or Highland peak. However, if you want to see the sunset in a little more comfort, we will point you in the direction of the Gower's stunning Oxwich Bay, with its sweeping westward views.

We’d recommend the beautifully sited Oxwich Bay Hotel, whose beer garden is a mere 10 metres from the beach. Sunset views across an idyllic expanse of sandy beach, with a glass of something delicious in your hand… honestly, what could be better?

Broadway Tower, Worcestershire

The Cotswolds have some wonderful high points, where you can gaze out at the landscape for miles around. And there are few better places for an eagle's eye view than Broadway Tower on the Gloucestershire / Worcestershire border.

It's said that, on a clear day, you can see 16 counties up here. We can't name them all just now – but we can vouch for the fact that, with its panoramic views, Broadway is a great place to watch both the sunrise and sunset.

Conic Hill, near Stirling, Scotland

This angular peak is right in the centre of the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park. We enthused about this beautiful area of Scotland in our blog on the new Heart 200 route, which we warmly recommend taking in its entirety when you have a few days to spare.

And, while you're in this wonderful, remote part of the country, do stop at Conic Hill to observe the morning sunrise, with some of Scotland’s most breath-taking scenery for company.

Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, Anglesey

The views from the Anglesey town of Llanfairpwllgwyngyll are a fantastic mix of natural and man-made. From here, you can watch the sunrise over both the bridges that cross the Menai Straits – Thomas Telford's late Georgian suspension bridge, and the 1850 Britannia Bridge, which was originally a rail bridge but was redesigned in the 1970s to accommodate cars, too.

For further romantic brownie points, head further into Anglesey to see the ruined chapel dedicated to St Dwynwen – Wales' version of St Valentine.

Glastonbury Tor, Somerset

A splendidly mysterious place at any time, if you pick the right moment Glastonbury Tor can look positively otherworldly. This is because the damp, low-lying Somerset Levels around the Tor can produce a visual effect known as a Fata Morgana, when the tower appears to rise out of the mist, like a castle in the sky.

Pretty incredible, and especially if viewed at sunrise. No wonder the Tor is imbued with all sorts of mystical and mythical significance, from the Arthurian legends onwards.

Eilean Donan Castle, Highlands

This Highland castle is blessed with an incredible setting – on a tidal island, where no fewer than three sea lochs meet. Everything about the place is magical. The castle itself is in fact a 20th-Century restoration of a previous medieval building, but it's so sensitively done that you wouldn't know to look at it. Then there's the beautiful three-arched footbridge that connects the island to the mainland.

This truly is a place to lose yourself in Scotland's wild natural majesty and turbulent history. It's also a great place to see the sun go up – or down.

Stonehenge, Wiltshire

Visiting the colossal, perennially enigmatic (who built it, and why?) prehistoric stone circle at Stonehenge is something everyone should experience. And if you can get there early enough to watch the sun rising between these huge, mysterious monoliths, then so much the better.

Of course, on the summer and winter solstices, thousands have the same idea – congregating at Stonehenge to mark the start of the year's longest and shortest days respectively. But to be honest, sunrise or sunset here is an incredible sight on any day of the year.

Barafundle Bay, Pembrokeshire

We're huge fans of Barafundle Bay – indeed, we singled it out for inclusion in our article on the best picnic spots for you and your campervan. And, with its azure waters and pristine golden sands, it's not hard to see why this Pembrokeshire beach draws visitors from across west Wales and beyond. That idyllic location also makes it a perfect spot for a romantic sunset-watching session.

Peak District, Derbyshire

There are some great spots around the Peak District when it comes to watching the sun rise or set. If we had to pick one, though, it might be the top of Mam Tor, a 1,696-foot (517m) hill near the town of Castleton. From the top of this hill, you'll get some unforgettable views over the Edale Valley to Kinder Scout and the Derwent Moors.

There are some narrow, winding and/or vertiginous roads around the Peak District, so drive with care – and make sure your campervan insurance includes breakdown cover.

Dartmoor, Devon

Devon's vast moorland expanse is chock full of isolated, craggy spots, with far-reaching views across the moors. As such, it makes for an excellent place for some sunrise- or sunset-watching. Those huge, often uninterrupted vistas make a stunning backdrop as the sun climbs into the sky or falls beneath the horizon. Why not try the elevated viewpoint of Rowtor, a craggy peak on Dartmoor's northern moors? You may even get some wild ponies for company…

Finnieston, Glasgow

As it happens, the Glasgow suburb of Finnieston has recently become one of Scotland's trendiest neighbourhoods. Of more interest to us here, though, is that it also makes an excellent place to watch the sun rise. It does so, here, over the famous Finnieston Crane, a giant cantilever crane which, though no longer in active service, is a symbol of Glasgow's long and important industrial and engineering heritage.

The crane makes an iconic picture – particularly with the sun's rays creeping upwards behind it. After you've captured this iconic Scottish sunrise, there are plenty of options around here for that much-needed morning coffee.

Corfe Castle, Dorset

Some sunrise views are all about the acres of empty space between you and that extraordinary light show. Others rely more, for their drama and contrast, on a particular feature in the landscape.

And that's certainly the case at Corfe Castle, an arresting and somewhat eerie ruined 11th-Century fortress on Dorset's picturesque Isle of Purbeck. High above the pretty stone village with which it shares its name, Corfe seems to have been taken straight from the pages of some old epic saga – and a misty morning sunrise really brings home these mythical associations.

Penarth, Glamorgan

Many of our best sunrise and sunset locations are by the sea. There's something about the sight of the sun emerging and disappearing over a distant, watery horizon that's hard to beat. And few places do this better than the seaside town of Penarth.

Stroll along the pretty pier and watch the sunlight as it starts to illuminate the Bristol Channel. Then stay a while longer, until the pier's cosy café opens. What better place for that first cuppa of the day?

St Abbs, Scottish Borders

A little fishing village not far from the English-Scottish border, St Abbs is a pretty place, with its 19th-Century lighthouse and stone harbour. It also has a north-easterly aspect out into the North Sea, meaning that the sunrises are rather spectacular. The various craggy rock formations offshore – the very rocks that the lighthouse was built to warn against – make for a suitably dramatic stage against which the sun does its thing.

Llandudno, Conwy, North Wales

Wales' biggest seaside resort, Llandudno is an elegant coastal town – its ongoing popularity since the mid-Victorian era means that there is plenty of distinguished 19th-Century architecture to feast your eyes upon. If you want that authentic old seaside resort experience, there are a few better places to find it than Llandudno.

It also makes an excellent place to catch the sunset, as it lights up the town's historic pier and surrounding coastline.

Campervan insurance – for wherever your wanderlust takes you

There's no doubt about it, Britain has some truly unforgettable landscapes, of which this blog presents just a tiny sample.

Better still, your beloved campervan allows you the freedom to go and explore every corner of our incredible land. So hit the road and go where your desire takes you!

Just make sure you have the right insurance for your campervan before you set off.

Benefits of protecting your camper through the specialists at Lancaster can include:

• Discounts for Motorhome Club members
• EU cover up to 90 days
• Optional breakdown cover
• 24/7 claims line and UK-based call centre

Get a quote for campervan insurance today.