My van life weekend: Exploring the wild clifftops and enchanting woods of Kent in

Waking up to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore on the Isle of Sheppey, I couldn’t be happier about my weekend away with Franky – a Peugeot Boxer converted into a home on wheels.

With the doors of the van wide open, I propped myself up in bed with the sea breeze in my hair and gazed out over the cliffs where a rosy sunrise painted the horizon.

Britain’s van life movement has taken off in recent years and I was here to see what the fuss was about before potentially spending money on my own conversion.

Quirky Campers allows you to do just that, without any of the hard work or investment, by renting out bespoke campervans across the UK for two nights or more.

From the collection, I chose Franky – a two-berth camper with a modern and chic interior that instantly evokes a feeling of home the moment you step inside.

Inspired by owner Rebecca’s passion for beaches and winter mountains, not only does it look good but it’s extremely functional too.

After collecting the van from south London, I embarked on a road trip through Kent where I planned to stop for lunch at Blue Bell Hill in Aylesford on my 50-mile journey to Eastchurch on the Isle of Sheppey.

I then drove the 35 miles to Dering Wood, near Pluckley village, before heading another 20 miles to Whitstable before making the 60-mile journey back to south London.

Franky felt like a rolling Airbnb, with its stylish kitchenette equipped with everything you need to cook up a feast, from a dining set to pots and pans, a chopping board, and cooking utensils.

At the rear is a cosy dining area with a swing-out dining table that rotates out of the van.

I enjoyed using it to prepare food outside during my September road trip where the wild cliffs of Eastchurch and the magical woodland of Pluckley felt like my own private garden.

At the end of each day, I folded away the table, which formed the base of a full-size double bed, along with three additional planks stored under the seating area.

I was surprised at how comfortable it was and I was even able to leave the door ajar and fall asleep to the soothing sounds of the sea.

Other creative design elements I loved were a magnetic wall rack for metal coffee cups, Velcro curtains, a pop-out privacy screen to separate the driver compartment, and a compact indoor shower-come-drying closet, perfect for rainy days in nature.

Everything was neatly held in place when I was on the road thanks to non-slip mats inside the cupboards and magnets that kept the doors and drawers closed.

Parking up on my first night at the Isle of Sheppey’s Clifftop Camping site, I opened all the van doors to welcome in the countryside views.

The stunning clifftop is part of a family-run hay farm where I was able to buy beef and freshly laid eggs.

At night, it provided the perfect setting for a crackling open fire where I used a cast-iron casserole dish that comes with Franky to cook chargrilled vegetables and crispy lamb with tarragon.

This was followed by an evening of stargazing, using picnic chairs and blankets from the van.

The next day, I opened the van doors to miles of unspoiled forest at Dering Wood, a private forest on the edge of Pluckley village.

Here, I enjoyed waking up to birdsong and taking a morning stroll among the trickling streams and towering trees home to birds, badgers, bats, and deer.

Staying off-grid for a long weekend was possible thanks to Franky’s self-sufficient appliances.

The indoor shower and kitchen sink are fed by a 55-litre water tank and there is a 21-litre chemical toilet stored in the shower room.

What was even more useful was how the built-in electrical appliances are powered by a 190amp battery, 115w solar, and split relay charge that keeps you topped up when driving.

When additional power is needed for plug-in electrical devices, the van has a shore-line hook-up point for mains power enabling four three-pin household plugs.

I later took advantage of this at Hampton Bay Park, three miles from Whitstable, where I connected to the mains power supply and transformed the van into a home cinema with my Samsung Freestyle 2nd Gen portable projector.

Here, I saw first-hand the benefits of visiting a campsite with a mains power supply, a water tap, rubbish bins, a toilet waste disposal point, and an onsite restaurant.

While I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of van life, it did not come without its challenges.

My very first stop-off – a picnic site at Bluebell Hill in Aylesford – turned into disappointment when a height barrier prevented me from being able to enter the car park.

And another plan to park up along the seafront just outside of Whitstable was foiled when I was met by parking restrictions for overnight van parking.

In this way, renting somebody else’s van can become a game of trial an error, and I found staying organised is key.

Despite the hiccups, I thoroughly enjoyed my van life experience, which has spurred me on further to design my own camper.