Caravanning in Rutland

What caravanning in Rutland looks like

There are nine caravanning stays published on BritStays in this region. Six are listed simply under Rutland, and there is one each in Greetham, Oakham and Bourne. That is a small, manageable choice, so you can compare every option properly before you commit.

This is a countryside page rather than a seaside one. Several of the sites carry farm names, including Road End Farm Caravan Site, Greendale Farm Caravan Park, Windmill Farm Caravan Park and Home Farm Camping and Caravaning. None of the listings point to a coastal setting. If a sea view is essential to your trip, look elsewhere. If you want a quieter pitch with day trips to castles and stately homes, read on.

Which site suits which trip

The listed facilities give you a fair idea of each site's character, even where the detail is thin.

• Families wanting plenty on site: Rutland Caravan and Camping in Greetham lists a swimming pool, a clubhouse and a cafe. Wagtail Country Park lists evening entertainment, a bar and a cafe, which helps if you'd rather not drive anywhere after a long day.
• Couples who like a meal without leaving the site: Windmill Farm Caravan Park lists a bar, a restaurant and a picnic area.
• Anyone happy to leave the car parked: Wishing Well Caravan Site and Road End Farm Caravan Site are both listed as near a bus stop. Three stays in this set have that facility in total.
• Dog owners: three of the nine stays are listed as pet friendly. Cresslands in Bourne is one, and it also lists toilets and parking. For any other site, ask before you book rather than assume.

Oaklands, Greendale Farm Caravan Park and Home Farm Camping and Caravaning show no facilities on their listings. That doesn't mean they have none. It means you'll need to contact them directly to find out what's there.

Reading the facilities honestly

Across the nine stays, these are the most commonly listed facilities:

• Toilets, pet friendly, parking, laundrette and near a bus stop: 3 stays each
• Cafe, gift shop and WiFi: 2 stays each

A laundrette appears at only a third of the sites. If you're staying a week or more, that's worth checking. WiFi is listed at just two, so don't count on a signal for work or streaming.

None of the listings give a sleeping capacity, because you bring your own accommodation. The useful questions are about the pitch itself. Ask about pitch size, the surface, whether electric hook-up is available, and how far you'll be from the toilet block.

What to do once you're there

Oakham Castle is the obvious heritage stop close to home, and Greendale Farm Caravan Park is the stay listed under Oakham. Families will find Rutland Falconry & Owl Centre a good half-day out.

If you enjoy grand houses, the wider area has plenty:

• Burghley House
• Rockingham Castle
• Apethorpe Palace
• Boughton House
• Belton House and Woolsthorpe Manor (Isaac Newton's Birthplace), both National Trust properties

For more active days, Twin Lakes Adventure Park is a theme park. Fenland Aqua Park and Peterborough Wake Park, both in Cambridgeshire, are water parks for older children and adults.

On a wet day, there are smaller museums to try. The John Taylor Bellfoundry Museum and the Foxton Inclined Plane Trust Museum are both in Leicestershire. Whittlesey Museum is in Cambridgeshire, Flintham Museum is in Nottinghamshire and Rushden Hall and Museum is in Bedfordshire.

Some of these are in neighbouring counties, so check travel times before you plan a day around one. That matters especially if you're relying on the bus.

When to book

With only nine stays in this set, the choice can narrow quickly at busy times. Sites with the most on offer, such as a pool or evening entertainment, are the ones families tend to want during school holidays and bank holiday weekends. If you have your heart set on Rutland Caravan and Camping or Wagtail Country Park for those dates, book as early as you can.

Couples and anyone with flexible dates will usually have more choice outside the school holidays. Quieter farm sites suit those weeks well.

Before you pay a deposit, confirm the following directly with the site:

• Whether dogs are allowed, and any limits on numbers or breeds
• The dates the site is open, as these aren't listed here
• Pitch type and whether electric hook-up is included
• Laundrette and WiFi availability, if they matter to you
• Whether a bar, restaurant or cafe will be open during your stay

Keep a note of what each site tells you, and ask for the cancellation terms in writing.