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Couple sold home and bought abandoned campsite in Wales

20.07.2026 00:56 1 min 2 sources
ElHuffPost SPA + 1 more
Couple sold home and bought abandoned campsite in Wales
© Autocaravana abandonada.Getty Images

In Brief

Jon and Emily (or Emilia) James sold their home for about 155,000 euros and bought an abandoned motorhome park in Wales for 100,000 euros. They spent 50,000 euros on renovations and live in a 1989 caravan.

In June 2022, Jon and Emily (in another source, Emilia) James, aged 36 and 37, sold their home for about 155,000 euros and bought an abandoned campsite in Llanelli, South Wales, for 100,000 euros. The plot, covering 3 acres (according to one source) or three hectares (according to another), was previously used by miners and had been closed since 1989.

After the purchase, the couple had about 500 pounds left. For the first three years, they lived in a 1989 caravan without a refrigerator, running water, and with a toilet that had to be emptied manually. The couple spent 50,000 euros on renovations, following YouTube tutorials, and installed solar panels, turning the area into self-sufficient tourist accommodation with cabins, renewable energy, and a wood-fired sauna. Their story has gathered over 291,000 followers on TikTok and 202,000 on YouTube.

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Aggregated by OpenVan.camp from the public sources listed below, with AI-assisted translation and summary. We always link to the original source. Machine translation may differ from the original -- check the source for important details. Images and content remain the property of their respective owners. Copyright information

Story sources

Couple sold home to buy abandoned campsite in Wales

19.07.2026 ElHuffPost SPA Original source

Couple sold home for €155,000 to move into a 1989 caravan and create a sustainable campsite

19.07.2026 Diario AS SPA Original source
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