Springwell Forest Park: Back On The Map (Thanks to Starlink)

There was a time when Springwell Forest Park was one of our go-to spots. Not for anything fancy, mind you, no water hook-up, no bins every 3 feet, and certainly no free WiFi. But back then, you could actually get a half-decent signal. This was pre-Huawei-ban era, before every mobile provider in the UK collectively yeeted half their tech infrastructure into the skip.

Fast forward 18 months, and it’s been a dead zone for anything that requires a signal, which, when you work remotely and enjoy modern luxuries like Amazon Music and Netflix, is a bit of a deal breaker.

Dog Walkers, Horses, and BBQ Benches

Despite the digital drought, Springwell has held on as a solid dog walking and horse riding area. There’s a handful of good-sized spaces to park a motorhome, three benches (ideal for BBQs or pretending you know how to relax), and forest trails that the kids can leg it down while you pretend to know where they are. Bonus points for the bin that gets emptied regularly by the council. The place is clean, quiet, and well looked after.

The Ghost Campground and the Warm Burger Incident

Further along the Dunhill Road, you’ll spot another entrance to Springwell. Looks official. Probably was. It’s locked now, possibly the remains of a former campsite that’s been mothballed. I’ve had a nosey in before, and while it looks like it was only recently shut, it’s definitely out of commission. Would I have paid to park there anyway? Probably not. I’m tight fcuker.

A few years back, I even ordered food here via one of those delivery apps. The driver got lost in that other (locked) spot, but eventually found me. The burger was half-warm, chips were soggy, but I was drunk, so it tasted like Michelin-starred heaven at the time.

Signs of the Apocalypse (Or Just Time)

If you jump onto satellite view, you’ll see the bones of an old road hidden amongst the trees. Today, I walked a bit of it. Still got faded road markings in places, but the rest is being swallowed by nature. It’s got that proper post-apocalypse vibe — the kind of place zombies would crawl out of in a low-budget Netflix special. Writing this has just convinced me to never camp here alone.

Night Time Visitors, Privacy Blinds, and “Tea”

Road noise? Barely any. The trees absorb most of the sound from the Limavady–Coleraine road. You’ll get the occasional blue light racing past, and every now and then, a car pulls in at night for a bit of “how’s your father,” only to see us sitting there with a cup of tea and a biscuit. Their loss.

And before you ask, yes, my van does have a double bed and blackout blinds, but no, this isn’t that kind of review nor is that sort of woodland parking spot 🍍

Why We Left, Why We’re Back

The only reason we stopped coming? No signal. When you’re trying to live and work remotely, that matters.

But now? Enter Starlink.

The trees are spaced far enough away to avoid blocking the dish, and it’s been running beautifully all day. No “Obstical Alerts” (cheers Elon), no issues streaming, browsing, uploading, all the things we couldn’t do last time we were here.

Tomorrow, I might even unhook the bike and scoot around the logging roads. Lucky might come with me, trotting along beside the bike like a well-trained adventure dog. Milo? Not a chance. That wee lad would disappear into the pines like a feral woodland spirit, never to be seen again.

Location Info

Just off the A37 Dunhill Road between Limavady and Coleraine

• Motorhome-suitable parking: Yes
• Bins: Yes
• Toilets: No
• Signal: Non-existent without Starlink
• Zombies: Highly likely

Affiliate Gear That Made This Possible

Here’s what brought Springwell back into our travel plans:

• Black Portable Flat Pack Fire Pit – Had many a night here with this fire pit/BBQ
• Starlink Mini 12V Cable – Cheaper than the official one!
• ANCEL BM300 Pro 6V/24V/12V – Battery Monitor
• Full Vanlife Gear List