Book your motorhome hire through Experience Freedom and enjoy access to over 2,700 campsites with our partners at the Caravan and Motorhome Club. With so many gorgeous campsites to choose from we've put together our Literary Locations of Southern England suggested tour, to inspire your journey. With so much to see and do, why not stay an extra night here and there and really make the most of your trip?
Radcliffe Camera, Oxford, with Brasenose College on the left and All Souls College on the right
Day 1 - Head south from the depot to Dorney, the scenic village that was the setting for the seventies children’s classic The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper. There’s a choice of delightful local pubs to enjoy a meal before checking into your campsite for the night.
Stay for 3 nights at Henley Four Oaks, 27 mins drive from Dorney, just across the county border in Oxfordshire. Latest arrival is 8pm.
Day 2 - Visit Oxford for the day, the location for a huge range of books including Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series as well as A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. Visit the Bodleian Library and enjoy browsing the extensive shelves of Blackwells on the historic Broad Street. Enjoy the 40 minute drive over the Chilterns and beat the traffic by parking at the Redbridge Park and Ride. Nearby postcode: OX1 4XG.
Day 3 - There’s nothing better than messing about in boats, and not many places better or more beautiful than this section of the Thames. Pangbourne, near Reading, is about a 30 minute drive away and was the home of Kenneth Grahame, writer of The Wind in the Willows, and the setting is said to be nearby at Mapledurham. Find out more at the River and Rowing Museum back in Henley.
Bourton-on-the-Hill, Cotswolds
Day 4 - Leaving the Home Counties today to head for historic Bath, approximately an hour and a half’s drive so time to enjoy the scenery. Famous as much as the location of Jane Austen’s novels Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, as for the Roman Baths, this beautiful city is well worth taking the day to explore.
Stay There are a range of popular affiliated sites and Certificated Locations nearby to stay the night, visit the Caravan and Motorhome Club to find your ideal campsite.
Day 5 - From Bath it’s only just over an hour’s drive to the city of Gloucester, which also dates back to Roman times. Famous for Beatrix Potter’s The Tailor of Gloucester and the spectacular Gloucester Cathedral, the surrounding Gloucestershire also provided the setting for Laurie Lee’s Cider with Rosie, and Totleigh Towers in P.G. Wodehouse’s Jeeves stories.
Stay the night at Tewkesbury Abbey, a short drive from the city of Gloucester and surrounded by rolling fields and riverbanks.
Day 6 - Continue exploring the Cotswolds today, which has inspired many authors including J.R.R. Tolkien. The Bell Inn in Moreton-in-Marsh is said to be the inspiration for the Inn of the Prancing Pony at Bree in The Lord of the Rings, where the hobbits first meet Strider and escape the Black Riders, and is a beautiful 200 year old coaching inn built from golden Cotswold stone.
Stay two nights at Moreton-in-Marsh campsite.
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Day 7 - Today, take the short drive to Stratford-upon-Avon to discover Stratford’s most famous son, William Shakespeare. The Royal Shakespeare Company are based in the town with three theatres hosting regular productions, and a short walk from there to Holy Trinity Church where the Bard was baptised and buried. Take in a play or just spend the day sightseeing around the town. Enjoy some refreshments in one of the many cafes and restaurants before heading back to your campsite to get ready for the journey back tomorrow.
Day 8 - Head back to the depot (1 hour 40 minutes drive) to drop off your motorhome before heading home, with great memories of your trip. We’d love to see your photos, please do share them with us by tagging #experiencefreedom.
Experience Freedom has partnered with the Caravan and Motorhome Club and Just Go to give you access for the duration of your hire to over 2,700 campsites across the UK and Europe at member rates with Campsite+ saving you £15 per night!
Book motorhome hire for your next trip on our website, using the handy booking tool for Just go or Bunk Campers, and you'll receive a £30 gift voucher which can be used towards your campsite fees!
Reading list
We've compiled a list of the books that inspired this itinerary, which would make for perfect reading before or during your tour!
The Dark is Rising - Susan Cooper
Northern Lights - Philip Pullman
A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness
The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen
The Tailor of Gloucester - Beatrix Potter
Cider with Rosie - Laurie Lee
The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R. Tolkien
Hamnet - Maggie O’Farrell
Shakespeare: The World as Stage - Bill Bryson
