A Festive Belgian Adventure: Caravanning from Dorset to Bruges

We set off from our home in Dorset on a late November day and headed east to the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s Black Horse Farm site. Whether you’re taking the ferry from Dover or the tunnel from Folkestone, this campsite provides the perfect stop-over on route to/from mainland Europe, with its designated ferry pitches making it extra convenient for those arriving or leaving at unsociable hours.

Our favourite way to cross the Channel is the Eurotunnel or Le Shuttle. As a wheelchair user myself, it’s convenient to be able to stay in the car for the entire crossing, and it will always astound me that you can be driving down a French motorway just 35 minutes after leaving England. Whether you’re travelling in a car, camper van, motorhome or caravan, boarding is a straightforward process, and after breezing through passport control, we were soon being directed to our carriage, excitement building between us.

One of the reasons we chose Belgium as our destination – other than its world-famous chocolate, of course – was because it’s unbelievably quick and easy to get to. We disembarked at Calais, blinked once, and then arrived at our next campsite. Okay, maybe not literally, but it took us a little more than an hour on those smooth, free-flowing motorways, so it sure felt like it!

Our home for the next week was Klein Strand – a large campsite that’s open all year round, nestled in a quaint village but within easy reaching distance of (and with good transport links to) vast beaches and cobbled cities. The perfect location for our winter escape!

After setting up the caravan on a cosy pitch lined by hedges, the sun went down, and the decorations went up. After all, it wouldn’t be a festive adventure without a few baubles. Christmas time is a fantastic excuse for maximum cheesiness, so we dressed our miniature tree in twinkling lights, snug in super-soft matching pyjamas, with hot chocolate in hand and merry tunes playing. Thankful for the Alde wet central heating, our caravan quickly became a warm, cosy home-from-home, and we settled down for our first night in Belgium, looking forward to the days ahead.

When we opened the blinds the following morning, we were greeted by deceitfully vivid blue skies. The sun may have been shining, but it was a chilly 6° outside, with strong winds putting temperatures in the negatives and rain forecast later in the day. Wild weather is one of the realities of winter touring, but we were determined to embrace it and not let it stop us from exploring.

An underrated gem of Belgium is its 65km stretch of sandy coastline, backed by grassy dunes and dotted with characterful towns. The motorhomers among you will be pleased to know that there are designated parking areas at numerous points along this stretch.

Bundled up in layers, we drove 15 minutes northwards, to De Haan, which came highly recommended by numerous locals for its quiet beach and historic architecture.

Fluffy white clouds sailed overhead at great speed as we braced ourselves against the cold wind and got out for a stroll. The beaches in Belgium are fantastic for wheelchair users, cyclists and walkers, with smooth promenades you can go for miles along, stopping in the occasional café for a coffee and a waffle. We got far enough to see the choppy waves crashing violently on the shore, breathe in the fresh sea air and feel the sand being whipped up around our legs, before darting back to the car. Our cobwebs were well and truly blown off!

Despite the weather, we were already having a great time. Not ready to go back just yet, we took a scenic drive along the coast road, soaking up the scenery and catching glimpses of other seaside resorts as we passed through. Adorning glistening Christmas lights, De Haan, Ostend, Middelkerke, and Nieuwpoort each have their unique charm, which we hope to delve deeper into on a future trip.

Along the coast, we also discovered little nods to Belgium’s wartime history. The country played a significant role during both the World Wars, which makes it an especially poignant place to visit. One experience that is a MUST, is witnessing the daily Last Post Ceremony in Ypres.

The following evening, we headed there for 8 pm, for this touching tribute to the tens of thousands of people who gave their lives during the First World War. A bustling crowd gathered as we arrived under the grand, stone arches of the Menin Gate… then fell pin-drop silent as the buglers played their salute. This silence continued throughout the reading of ‘For the Fallen’ and the laying of the wreaths, only gently breaking after the final call of the bugles. I won’t be alone in saying it was incredibly moving to be a part of, and something we will remember for a very long time.

Belgium was already gifting us countless memories, and yet there was so much more to come!

Join us in Part 2, where we get a real taste of Belgium at an immersive chocolate museum, and the magic of Christmas arrives in Bruges