Campervans and converted vans in the heart of Lancashire, between Bowland and the Irish Sea
Compare the 2 campervan and motorhome rental companies in Preston to find the best price, and book at the price shown, mandatory fees included.
Hiring a campervan in Preston puts you in the middle of Lancashire, halfway between the moors of the Forest of Bowland and the beaches of the Fylde coast. Blackpool is half an hour away, Morecambe Bay and the port of Heysham, where ferries leave for the Isle of Man, only a little further, and the M6 motorway heads to the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales. 2 partner companies and 2 depots offer campervans, converted vans and motorhomes: EasiCampers and McRent.
EasiCampers is based north of the city centre, McRent in Clifton, to the west, on the road to Blackpool.
Public ratings collected on October 28, 2026 from independent review sites.
| Vehicle | Winter January | Spring April | Summer July | Autumn October |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campervan | from €80/day median €82/day | from €91/day median €93/day | from €153/day median €163/day | from €98/day median €99/day |
| Low-profile motorhome | from €84/day median €91/day | from €95/day median €100/day | from €173/day median €186/day | from €104/day median €107/day |
| Large motorhome | from €94/day median €101/day | from €100/day median €114/day | from €196/day median €210/day | from €112/day median €116/day |
Daily prices observed on October 21, 2026 for a 14-day rental: CoolDrive selling price, mandatory fees included, 1 rental companies compared. 100% of offers with unlimited mileage. Median excess: €2,386.
Follow the Ribble up to the Roman fort of Ribchester, then to the Norman castle of Clitheroe, at the foot of Pendle Hill, the hill of the Lancashire witches. Downham, a stone village with no visible aerials or power lines, then Slaidburn open up the Forest of Bowland. After Dunsop Bridge, the narrow Trough of Bowland road crosses the heather moors to Lancaster, another departure city of our partners.
Lytham's white windmill opens the coast, before Blackpool Tower and promenade, then the fishing port of Fleetwood, at the mouth of the Wyre. Follow the Lune estuary to the small harbour of Glasson Dock, then Morecambe and its statue of Eric Morecambe facing the bay. At Heysham, a ruined chapel and graves cut into the rock overlook the sea; Silverdale and the Leighton Moss nature reserve complete the loop.
The M6 quickly leads to Kirkby Lonsdale, its Devil's Bridge and the view beloved of the critic John Ruskin. Ingleton and its waterfalls trail come before the Ribblehead Viaduct, among the Three Peaks, then Hawes, home of Wensleydale cheese. Via Sedbergh and Kendal, you reach Ambleside and the glacial valley of Great Langdale, at the foot of the Langdale Pikes.
The most pleasant months to set off from Preston: long days, with up to eleven hours of sunshine a day in May and June, Bowland's moors easy to explore and coastal campsites still quiet. September stays mild but turns wetter; it is also the start of the Blackpool Illuminations.
The warmest months stay cool and often wet, with more than 110 mm of rain each. Yet this is peak season: British school holidays, Blackpool and the Lake District packed, campsites full at weekends. Book early and favour Bowland or the Dales, which are quieter.
April is the driest month of the shoulder season, with lambs in Bowland's fields and daffodils in the Lakes. October, wetter, brings autumn colours to the Dales and the Blackpool Illuminations. In March, expect cold nights and not all campsites to be open.
A mild but very wet winter, with more than 100 mm of rain a month and barely three to five hours of sunshine a day. The passes of Bowland and the Dales can freeze. A heated vehicle and campsites open all year make short stays on the Fylde coast possible.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 °C | 2 °C | 121 mm | 4 h/day | 5 °C |
| Feb | 8 °C | 3 °C | 106 mm | 5 h/day | 6 °C |
| Mar | 10 °C | 3 °C | 97 mm | 7 h/day | 7 °C |
| Apr | 13 °C | 5 °C | 72 mm | 10 h/day | 11 °C |
| May | 16 °C | 8 °C | 68 mm | 11 h/day | 15 °C |
| Jun | 19 °C | 11 °C | 105 mm | 11 h/day | 18 °C |
| Jul | 20 °C | 13 °C | 115 mm | 10 h/day | 19 °C |
| Aug | 19 °C | 13 °C | 113 mm | 10 h/day | 19 °C |
| Sep | 17 °C | 11 °C | 128 mm | 8 h/day | 17 °C |
| Oct | 14 °C | 8 °C | 122 mm | 6 h/day | 13 °C |
| Nov | 10 °C | 5 °C | 114 mm | 4 h/day | 10 °C |
| Dec | 8 °C | 4 °C | 130 mm | 3 h/day | 7 °C |
Averages 2016–2025 computed from Open-Meteo data (ERA5 reanalysis).
EasiCampers welcomes you on Walker Street, north of Preston city centre, handy if you arrive by train. McRent is based in Clifton, west of the city, on the A583, the road to Blackpool: a direct start towards the Fylde coast and the M55 motorway. The exact address is in your confirmation.
Preston is a motorway hub: the M6 runs north to Lancaster and Kendal, the M55 links Blackpool, the M65 heads east to Pendle and the M61 to Manchester. During the Blackpool Illuminations, from September, the M55 gets jammed in the evening and at weekends: cross the Fylde in the morning.
The Trough of Bowland and the Cross of Greet road, above Slaidburn, are single-track roads with steep gradients, cattle grids, free-roaming sheep and few passing places. A campervan copes easily; with a large motorhome, prefer the roads via Clitheroe and the Hodder valley.
The tide comes in very fast in Morecambe Bay, over quicksand: never venture onto the sands on foot, except with the official guide to the crossings. On the coast, some low roads, such as the one to Sunderland Point, are cut off at high tide: check the tide times before setting off.
Two partner companies each have a depot. EasiCampers is on Walker Street, north of the city centre, reachable on foot or by taxi from the station. McRent is in Clifton, a few kilometres west, on Blackpool Road: a taxi is essential from the station. Let the company know your arrival time to arrange the vehicle handover.
The price depends mainly on the season, summer being much more expensive than winter, but also on the length of hire, the model chosen and any one-way fees. Run a search with your dates: it shows the real offers of Preston's rental companies, mandatory fees included, bookable straight away.
Yes: ferries to Douglas leave from the port of Heysham, less than an hour from Preston via the M6. The vehicle fare depends on its length and height, to be declared when booking. The Isle of Man is not part of the United Kingdom: check that your rental company allows the crossing and that the insurance covers the island.
About an hour on the M6 to Kendal, another departure city of our partners and the south-eastern gateway to the national park, then around twenty minutes to Lake Windermere. Starting from Preston means you can sleep in the Lakes on the very first evening, or stop on the way in Morecambe Bay or Kirkby Lonsdale.
The offers observed range from the UK-Camper 2, for two people, to the UK-Camper 6, with six seats and six berths, including the Compact, Comfort, Urban and Family ranges. The Family Luxury and Family Plus take five people, while the Compact Plus and Comfort Standard are designed for two travellers, with four seats.
Functional and easy-to-use application that meets expectations.
1. The motorhome had neither a reversing alarm nor a rear camera. Essential for this type of vehicle. 2. There was no option to purchase insurance without a deductible. The options were either to take out an external one or to reduce it with Indie Campers. Additionally, in the case of the one rented in Scotland, we were informed at the last moment that no insurance covered the upper and lower parts of the sides... Incredible! We could crash it but not scratch it... 3. Regarding the rental in Dublin: a) The location is very far from the airport and much further from the city.
Available team and very good service
In the United Kingdom, you drive on the left and go round roundabouts clockwise, giving way to vehicles coming from the right. Speeds and distances are in miles. For the first kilometres, the flat roads of the Fylde, around Clifton and Lytham, are easier than Preston city centre.
Not for most rental models, which weigh under 3.5 tonnes: a category B car licence is enough if it was issued in the European Union. Holders of a licence from another country may need to show an international driving permit. The minimum age and years of driving required vary by company: read the offer conditions.
Wild camping is banned in England without the landowner's permission, and car parks in Bowland or on the Fylde seafront often forbid overnight stays. Campsites are plentiful around Blackpool, Garstang and Morecambe, and farms in the Ribble Valley welcome a few vehicles.
Preston station is on the West Coast Main Line, between London and Glasgow, and direct trains link it to Manchester Airport and Liverpool. From the station, the EasiCampers depot is close to the centre; for McRent, in Clifton, allow a taxi ride of about fifteen minutes.
Better not to drive along the promenade in a large vehicle: park at a campsite or an authorised car park on the outskirts, then take the tram that runs along the whole seafront, from Starr Gate to Fleetwood. It serves the Tower, the piers and the amusement park, and lets you see the Illuminations without driving.
Several months ahead for the summer and Easter school holidays, when Blackpool and the Lake District draw visitors from across northern England. Illuminations weekends, from September, also fill the Fylde campsites. In May, June or outside school holidays, a few weeks are often enough.
Preston is the crossroads of Lancashire: in less than an hour you reach the moors and stone villages of the Forest of Bowland, the beaches and piers of the Fylde coast, or the mudflats of Morecambe Bay, where thousands of birds spend the winter. Further afield, the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales can be reached without crossing a large city, and the port of Heysham opens the route to the Isle of Man.
Two partner companies, EasiCampers and McRent, offer vehicles from the two-berth campervan to the six-berth family motorhome. Blackburn, Lancaster and Kendal, other departure cities of our partners, also lend themselves to a one-way trip. Aim for May, June or September: the days are long and the region is less busy than in high summer.
