These girls Van est.2023
These Girls Van first came together in January 2023 in West Wales, Bargoed Farm. It's crazy to look back at the community from the beginning to see just how far we have come!
We meet three times a year in different parts of the UK and our meet ups have a typical itinerary, click here to see an example.
Bargoed Farm January 2023
Camping Caravan & Motorhome Show
24th-26th February 2023
I was invited by the NCC to join an incredible panel of Solo Female Travellers for three Q&A sessions over the weekend of the Camping Caravan and Motorhome Show. We discussed all manner of travel-from campervanning to towing caravans. The panel received a warm welcome from lots of ladies and it was a pleasure to share our experiences.
It was a great honour to represent our 'These Girls VAN' community, proudly wearing our girl gang logo and sharing the joy it gives me to encourage and support other women on their solo travel journeys.
I stood on the panel amongst some incredibly knowledgable and powerful women, including the magnificent Siobhan Daniels, author of 'Retirement Rebel'. Siobhan has been living and travelling in her motorhome since selling her home and possessions four years ago, her wonderful story explains how her life led her into the world of solo female travelling, and how she lives with only joy- no regrets.
Love2Stay March 2023
In March, we got together with a lovely, large group of ladies at Love2Stay in Shropshire. I was BEYOND proud of all of the ladies for making the journey to the site, as it had snowed in the days running up to the meet and the temperature had really dropped! The ladies were not put off by the weather and the campsite assured us that access was fine, so we came together and what a wonderful meet up it was! There were lots of new faces amongst the familiar ones and I love this about our meet ups- new women joining our community each time and all of us raising each other up, empowering one another and sharing a collective zest for life. We chatted in the hot tub, went for two lovely walks together and enjoyed a group 'bring and share' style tea.
Love2Stay has lots to offer a group like ours, with exceptionally wonderful facilities, spaces for us to congregate without disturbing other site users, and plenty of daytime activities (which, I must admit were not suited to the freezing March temperatures that we endured!)
Campervan Campout Festival May 2023
Campervan Campout invited me to join their panel of solo female travellers, to discuss our experiences on stage in a live Q&A session. I also held my own solo panel, which was both nerve wracking and exciting!
As time progressed, this festival also became an opportunity for some of the These Girls Van community to camp with us, which was a wonderful addition to the meets that were already organised for the year. We teamed up with the VanFam Tribe, which is a likeminded community for families.
Laneside Caravan Park June 2023
In June, These Girls Van came together for our third meet of the year, and we quickly realised that extreme weather conditions were becoming a common theme- this time we were faced with a heat wave! It didn't put us off, we hiked (some of us further than others) through Bakewell and up to Winnats Pass. Some ladies stopped mid-hike for a bite to eat and a stroll back, another group took a detour on an open top bus, and the hardcore remaining group found themselves hopping over barbed wire!
I love that our group has a strong 'no pressure' vibe- take the route that best suits you (or don't!)- there is never any pressure to join in if you would rather stay back at the van and chill.
We enjoyed two wonderful campfires together and a group bring and share meal.
This was our biggest meet of the year so far, we loved getting together in Derbyshire and it was wonderful to have more new faces among us.
Wowo October 2023
Our Autumn meet-up at WoWo Campsite in Sussex marked a real turning point for These Girls Van - the first time we ever formed our now-traditional big circle of vans in a field. That simple setup became the heart of what we love most: community, connection, and a shared sense of space. The weekend was filled with laughter and luxury in equal measure. We gathered around campfires, visited the beautiful wild spa for mud facials, sauna sessions, and invigorating cold dips - a sight to remember, with a wave of women in dry robes charging joyfully toward the spa. A pizza van arrived on Friday night, setting the tone for a weekend of warmth, laughter, and good food under the stars. This was where the These Girls Van tradition truly began.
The Rose and Crown March 2024
Our first meet-up of 2024 took us to the Rose and Crown in Lincolnshire and it was a little different from our usual set up. We weren’t pitched in our familiar circle, but that didn’t stop the magic from happening. With a campfire glowing and chatter rolling late into the night, we made it our own. A stroll to the local garden centre for tea and cake gave the weekend a lovely, local touch, and a dip in the 'lukewarm' swimming pool was just the right kind of ridiculous fun. It might have been a smaller gathering, but it was the perfect way to kick off another year of These Girls Van adventures.
She Weekender at Mersea Boating Lake, June 2024
For our second meet-up of 2024, I took These Girls Van down to the beautiful Mersea Boating Lake to join the She Weekender and what a whirlwind it was! The weekend was a perfect mix of fun and chaos, with something for everyone. We ran a 5K, tackled an inflatable assault course, tried our hand at paddleboarding, and even found calm with yoga on the beach. As the sun dipped over the water, the laughter and chatter carried on, wrapping up an energetic and empowering weekend by the Essex coast. The women loved every moment - especially the water sports and that unforgettable seaside sunset.
Mendip Basecamp October 2024
Our final meet up of 2024 took us to Mendip Basecamp and it’s safe to say it was the highlight of the year. We gathered in a big circle out in the field, surrounded by campfires, music, and the sound of laughter carrying into the night. Live tunes from Sam Evans filled the marquee, and mornings began with yoga under open skies. A tour of the Thatchers Cider Factory — complete with samples at the pub afterwards — was the perfect local touch. It was a weekend bursting with warmth, chaos, and connection, the kind that leaves you smiling for weeks after. It was such a hit that Mendip Basecamp quickly became our October tradition.
Dukeries Retreat March 2025
We kicked off 2025 in style at Dukeries Retreat, our first ever bougie campout- what a treat it was! With wood-fired hot tubs bubbling under the stars, a disco soundtrack, and more than a little tequila flowing, it was a weekend of pure, carefree fun. We took a peaceful walk to the canal the next day (some of us carrying on to the pub, naturally), and enjoyed live music from a fantastic singer in the teepee tent. There were yoga sessions, a few facials in the wellness room, and a valiant but slightly doomed attempt at a pizza party (because no These Girls Van weekend would be complete without a bit of improvised problem-solving!) It was wholesome, relaxed, and full of laughter - the kind of weekend that reminds us exactly why we do this. We’re already dreaming of a return in 2026.
North Yorkshire Waterpark June 2025
Our summer meet up took us north to the stunning North Yorkshire Water Park - a weekend full of outdoor fun and new adventures. From ziplining over the lake to tackling the inflatable assault course, there was no shortage of laughter and bravery as so many of us pushed our limits and tried something new. Paddle boarding was a highlight, with plenty of first-timers finding their balance and cheering each other on from the water. We camped together in a wide, open field in our signature circle, shared our usual bring and share dinner, and enjoyed a peaceful walk around the lake. It was a smaller meet up, but filled with connection, courage, and the simple joy of spending time together in the fresh air.
Mendip Basecamp October 2025
We wrapped up 2025 back at our beloved Mendip Basecamp - now officially our These Girls Van tradition for October and a firm favourite for everyone. This year’s meet-up was our biggest yet, with fifty four vans parked in a delightfully wonky heart shape. Friday night brought big campfires and plenty of chatter, followed by a walk to the Railway Pub, where Thatchers Cider flowed freely (even without the factory tour this time!). Suzy led a brilliant needle-felting workshop, where we all crafted our own felted pumpkins - a cosy, creative highlight of the weekend. There was even tobogganing for a burst of high-energy fun, and once again, the amazing Sam Evans filled the marquee with live music. It was wholesome, a little chaotic, and completely perfect - the best possible way to close another unforgettable year on the road together.
Looking Back: Ten Meet-Ups, Three Years, Endless Memories
Reflecting on the last three years, it’s incredible to see how These Girls Van has grown — from small, intimate weekends up and down the country with some small and intimate meet ups like Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, to our biggest gathering yet at Mendip Basecamp. Each meet up has been unique, full of laughter, creativity, courage, and connection. We’ve shared campfires, yoga, paddleboarding, discos in hot tubs, cider tours, needle felting, tobogganing, and countless spontaneous adventures that only happen when women gather in vans and fields with nothing but freedom and friendship on the agenda. The tenth edition of These Girls Van reminds us just how special this community is, and we can’t wait to see where the next years and meet-ups take us - more chaos, more laughter, and more incredible memories to make together.