Top UK Permitted Parking Stops List

Maggie's Patch Car Park is a popular, independently owned private parking area located directly behind the sand dunes at Praa Sands Beach in Cornwall. Renowned among travellers as a friendly and stress-free alternative to corporate, ANPR-enforced parking lots nearby, this gravel-and-grass site is managed by a welcoming local resident, Maggie. It serves as an excellent base for day-trippers, surfers, and coastal walkers exploring the South West Coast Path.

Bamburgh Village Car Park (also known as the Links Road Car Park) is a large, mostly gravel council-run facility located off Links Road (B1340) on the southern approach into the historic coastal village of Bamburgh, Northumberland. Positioned directly opposite the iconic Bamburgh Castle, it serves as the primary parking hub for visitors exploring the fortress, the sweeping sandy dunes, and the village centre.

Derwent Reservoir Car Parks, managed by Northumbrian Water within Derwent Waterside Park, offer a stunning, scenic gateway to the North Pennines on the border of County Durham and Northumberland. The area features multiple well-maintained parking bays distributed around the water, including the Visitor Centre (Main) Car Park, Dam North, Dam South, and Millshield Picnic Area. Known for breathtaking lakeside views, thriving wildlife, and dark-sky stargazing, it serves as a peaceful hub for walkers, anglers, and touring vehicles.

Neptune Car Park is a premier seafront parking facility managed by Canterbury City Council, located directly on Central Parade in the coastal town of Herne Bay, Kent. Positioned directly along the sea edge, it serves as an excellent base for tourists wanting immediate beach access, scenic sea views, and close proximity to the town’s main attractions.

Praa Sands Beach Car Park is a premier, privately owned beachfront parking facility located in West Cornwall. It is situated at the western end of Praa Sands Beach between Marazion and Porthleven. Positioned right on the South West Coast Path, it offers immediate access to a half-mile stretch of fine golden sand and excellent surf conditions.

The car park operates on a 24-hour pay-and-display basis backed by ANPR camera enforcement. It features a flat, stoney gravel surface that provides a level base and panoramic ocean views.

Braithwaite Fold Car Park is a premier, spacious multi-use parking facility located on Glebe Road in Bowness-on-Windermere (LA23 3HE). Operated by the Westmorland and Furness Council, it is widely regarded as one of the most accessible and accommodating locations for visitors exploring Lake Windermere, featuring roughly 400 general parking bays and zero height restrictions. The terrain consists of flat, gravel, and stone surfaces, which makes it particularly popular for larger vehicles.

St Abbs Harbour is a spectacularly picturesque, traditional working fishing harbour nestled at the foot of dramatic cliffs on the Berwickshire coast of southeastern Scotland. Known for its crystal-clear waters and striking coastal scenery, this compact haven serves as a vibrant hub for the local community, scuba divers, and tourists seeking a peaceful retreat.

The Little Roodee Car Park in Chester is widely regarded as one of the most convenient and well-located municipal parking areas in the UK. Situated directly along the picturesque banks of the River Dee and right next to Chester's historic city walls, this open-air, tarmac surface facility operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It is highly celebrated for being one of the few official, city-centre locations in the country that actively welcomes motorhomes and campervans for overnight stopovers.

Tarbet Pier is a scenic, bustling visitor destination located on the western shores of Loch Lomond within Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. Situated at the strategic junction of the A82 and A83, it serves as the ultimate gateway to the West Highlands, famously looking across the water to the towering peak of Ben Lomond. Historically a Victorian-era boarding point.

Inchcape Park in Arbroath is a scenic, open seafront park situated right on the Angus coastline, nestled beautifully between Gayfield Park football ground and the iconic Signal Tower Museum. Popular for its panoramic ocean views, bracing sea breezes, and proximity to the town’s historic harbour, it serves as an excellent vantage point to watch local fishing boats and enjoy coastal walks. The park also frequently doubles as a community hub, hosting local events like the regular Arbroath Market.

Stoer Lighthouse Car Park is a rugged, remote parking area situated directly beneath the historic 1870 Stoer Head Lighthouse in Assynt, North West Scotland. This coastal vantage point sits on a dramatic clifftop promontory, offering spectacular, panoramic views of the Minch and the wild Atlantic Ocean. It serves as a popular, scenic stopover along the famous North Coast 500 route and acts as the primary trailhead for the coastal trek to the Old Man of Stoer sea stack.

King Arthur's Car Park is a private, family-run parking facility located directly on Fore Street in the heart of Tintagel, Cornwall. It serves as an exceptionally popular and highly convenient hub for visitors due to its unique status as the only Cornwall Council licensed site permitting overnight stopovers for self-contained motorhomes and campervans in the village.

The Kelpies are the world’s largest equine sculptures, standing at 30 metres tall and weighing 300 tonnes each. Designed by renowned Scottish sculptor Andy Scott, these magnificent structural steel horse heads are clad in thousands of individual stainless steel plates and sit as a dramatic gateway to the Forth & Clyde Canal. They represent the mythical shape-shifting water spirits of Scottish folklore, while simultaneously paying homage to the literal heavy horse "horsepower" that historically pulled industrial barges along Scotland's canal networks.