Van Miles

We don’t always go away somewhere big for New Year. Sometimes a couple of nights in the van, a few good walks, a pub and something a bit different to do is enough. For New Year 2023/24 we decided on Northwich in Cheshire.

It turned out to be a very wet and muddy weekend, but we still managed to pack plenty in.

Friday – Acorns Caravan Park & the Whitegate Way

We set off on the Friday and headed to Acorns Caravan Park, where we had booked two nights for £36.

The site was quite basic with no toilets or showers, but for us the location was the main reason for choosing it. The Whitegate Way runs right past the caravan park, so we could leave the van where it was and head straight out for a walk.

The Whitegate Way is around six miles long and follows the route of an old railway line. It’s now a traffic-free route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders and is ideal if you have dogs with you.

Unfortunately, after all the rain, our walk was very muddy. This seems to be becoming a theme with our winter campervan trips!

We followed the trail to Whitegate Station, where the old station building is now home to Station House Café. We stopped for a coffee before making our way back to the campsite.

It was a nice easy first afternoon and exactly what we wanted after travelling over.

Saturday – Anderton Boat Lift to Northwich

Saturday was another wet day, but there was no point sitting in the van waiting for the weather to improve, so we headed to Anderton Boat Lift.

The Anderton Boat Lift was built in 1875 and links the Trent & Mersey Canal with the River Weaver, lifting boats around 50 feet between the two waterways. It’s often called the Cathedral of the Canals and is one of Northwich’s best-known landmarks.

From the boat lift we decided to walk towards Northwich town centre.

There are lots of paths around Anderton Nature Park and the Northwich Woodlands, so despite the weather it made a good place to start a walk. We eventually made our way into Northwich and had a wander around the shops.

It probably would have been a much nicer walk on a dry day, but we were committed by then!

An Adults-Only Beauty and the Beast

That evening we had something completely different planned.

We moved the van into Northwich and parked at Memorial Court car park as we were going to the theatre there.

We had tickets for an adults-only version of Beauty and the Beast. It was very funny and definitely not your traditional Christmas pantomime!

Afterwards we picked up a pizza on the way back and returned to Acorns Caravan Park for our second night.

It had been a full day – walking in the rain, Northwich town centre, a very grown-up panto and pizza in the van. Pretty much our sort of campervan weekend.

Sunday – Garden Centre & Marbury Country Park

Sunday was New Year’s Eve.

Before moving on to our pub stop for the night, we went to a local garden centre for some lunch and a wander around.

We then headed to Marbury Country Park for another dog walk.

Once again, it was incredibly muddy. If you’re planning a winter visit around here, decent walking boots are definitely a good idea.

Despite the mud, it was nice to get the dogs out and have a good walk before settling down for New Year’s Eve.

New Year’s Eve at The Lodge

For our final night we moved to The Lodge, Winnington, Northwich, CW8 4DA.

This was a pub stop with a large car park, which made it an easy option for New Year’s Eve.

It was absolutely freezing outside that evening, so we went into the pub for some food. The menu was reasonably priced pub food and the pub had been decorated ready for the New Year celebrations.

It looked as though there was going to be a singer or band on later and the pub was gearing up for a proper New Year’s Eve.

We could have stayed, but instead we ate our meal and headed back out to the van.

And I was quite happy about it!

Despite how cold it was outside, the van was super toasty and warm. There is something I really like about being tucked up in a warm van on a freezing winter night.

So rather than a big New Year’s Eve party, we spent the rest of the evening cosy in the campervan.

New Year’s Day

On New Year’s Day we discovered a walk almost directly across the road from the pub, which was perfect for giving the dogs a walk before setting off home.

It was a quiet start to the new year before packing everything away and heading back.

Would I Do Northwich for New Year Again?

Yes. Northwich might not immediately spring to mind as somewhere to spend New Year in a campervan, but that’s sometimes what I like about these trips.

Over the weekend we had the Whitegate Way, Anderton Boat Lift, Northwich town centre, Marbury Country Park, an adults-only Christmas show and a New Year’s Eve pub stop.

The weather wasn’t particularly kind to us and I mainly remember a lot of mud, but we still got out every day and did something.

Acorns Caravan Park worked well because of its location right next to the Whitegate Way. It was basic with no toilets or showers, but at £36 for two nights it gave us a good base for exploring.

The Lodge also worked well for our final night. We could have joined the New Year’s Eve celebrations in the pub, but sometimes being warm and cosy in the van is exactly where you want to be.

Another New Year, another little campervan adventure – and definitely another pair of very muddy walking boots.