North Yorkshire
Riverside pitches inside the city, ten minutes' walk from the walls
Rowntree Park is the closest site to the centre of York and the only one that lets you leave the pitch and walk into the medieval city in about ten to fifteen minutes. Run by the Caravan and Motorhome Club, it occupies a strip of ground on the bank of the River Ouse next to Rowntree Park itself, the thirty-acre public gardens given to the city by the chocolate family in 1921. Non-members are accepted, though members pay less.
The pitching is straightforward: level hardstanding and grass pitches with sixteen-amp electric hook-ups, a modern toilet and shower block with family and accessible facilities, a motorhome service point, laundry and a small shop selling basics and gas. Wi-fi is available across the site. Being a Club site, the standards are consistent and the wardens keep things tidy, but it is a functional park rather than a scenic one, and the pitches are closer together than at the rural sites further out. Dogs are welcome and the riverside path gives an obvious walking route in both directions.
The attraction is entirely the location. The riverside path leads straight into the city past Skeldergate Bridge, bringing you out near Clifford's Tower and the Castle Museum. Rowntree Park next door has a cafe, tennis courts, a skate park and a large playground, which keeps children occupied without a car journey. Being low-lying beside the Ouse, the site is subject to occasional river flooding and closes over the winter, so check dates before booking. It is best suited to couples and families who want to do York properly on foot rather than to anyone looking for a countryside base.