Top

Canada Association of Tourism Employees

The Finest Locations to go Tenting within the UK

Both Kati and I have lived in the UK and it’s a great place to camp. Yes, camp. Most people think of London when they think of the UK, but there is so much more to see and do. And it’s a chance to experience the real country and meet the real people of the UK and experience incredible landscapes and history. Although it is an island, the United Kingdom borders several other nations by sea, and although some may find it confusing and use the terms interchangeably, there is a difference between the United Kingdom, Great Britain, and England. Great Britain includes Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom does not. While the Union spanned several hundred years, the United Kingdom has been around for at least 30,000 BC. They ruled for 400 years until Germanic Anglo-Saxons invaded the areas and settled in what would become Wales and Cornwall, and finally Scotland.

The island and its surroundings are full of internationally recognized cities like London, Manchester, Cornwall, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow, but much of the country is still pastoral with large forests, plains and mountains that dot the landscape. Camping in the UK is a wonderful experience with plenty of options for people who want to be near towns or villages, or be near the mountains or rivers. Tent-style campsites are commonplace and in recent years many farmers and campsite owners have opened their property up to campers while keeping their fields safe and not overcrowding. If you want to spend some time with Mother Nature and see the UK from a different perspective, check out some of these awesome UK campsites.

Gill Head Farm, Cumbria

As already mentioned, many farmers and people with large areas have opened their plots for campers. Usually these are located outside of the host’s property so visitors can experience a sense of privacy and that is exactly what you get here. Gill Head Farm is located in the Cumbria region of the UK and the land owners run a working farm. The view here is amazing and will make you feel like you wake up in the morning and immerse yourself in another world. The rural surroundings extend far into the mountains with wide fields that seem to extend endlessly. Gill Head Farm is pretty well equipped too. So if you don’t have a lot of camping gear or are looking for a “glamping experience”, small cabins and pre-built shelters are also available upon request if tents aren’t really enough to do it for you.

Cilrath Wood Camping, Pembrokeshire

Wake up in the morning and feel like you’re in a fairy tale. If someone told you that there might be fairies here, you might be inclined to believe it. The pitches here are surrounded by an unspoilt natural landscape with campsites, all of which are located on a private meadow. The flowers glow in the morning, while nearby forests and ponds are perfect for exploring. The space offers a real sense of seclusion as you like to be surrounded by trees, meadows and ponds, with the only building nearby being an 18th century farmhouse. Despite its solitude, the beaches of Saundersfoot and Amroth are not far enough away for a day trip.

If you want to use your own tent, Cornish Tipi Holidays offers wild camping in addition to the tipis. An incredible place to pitch.


Cornish Tipi Vacation, Cornwall

Bringing a little bit of North America to Cornwall, Cornish Tipi Holidays is the ideal place for anyone who wants just a little bit of camping experience without having to buy all of their gear. Guests are welcome to bring their own tent at any time, but Cornish Tipi Holidays offers guests a tipi-style sleeping space in a hidden wooded area just outside the town of Cornwall. Whichever accommodation style you choose, guests can also choose their preferred location with completely secluded forest spots, spots in the meadows or even near the lake where they can fish, swim, canoe or just relax by the water. After a day outside, light the fire pit, roast marshmallows, and do a little star gazing.

Invercaimbe Caravans and Camping, Invercaimbe

This campsite in Invercaimbe, Scotland is a small, family run place that offers some incredible sights. For the astronomers out there, bring your telescopes and binoculars as the night view here is breathtaking, with almost no light pollution and there is plenty to see in the night sky. During the day you overlook the islands of Eigg, Rum and Skye and are just a stone’s throw from some of the UK’s best beaches. The area is quite remote with few amenities. So be sure to pack what you will need in advance, but what the area lacks in amenities it makes up for in scenic views.

Troytown Farm, Isles of Scilly

The Isles of Scilly hardly seem to belong to Great Britain. The archipelago is located in south west England near the Cornish coast and Troytown Farm is a great place for those looking to spend a few days on the beach. If the name doesn’t suggest it, the campsite is on the property of a local farm, but the tent and shelter pitches are in a meadow that slopes straight down to the beach and then into the sea. Guests who want to spend some time here can pitch their tent right on the water if they choose Periglis Beach on one side and wild rock formations on the other. Enjoy a bit of Atlantic isolation with views of the ocean, or try Troytown Farm’s dairy products and enjoy fresh homemade ice cream made right on the property.

Beryl’s Campground, Devon

Located in Devon, getting to Beryl’s Campsite is almost like a treasure hunt. You drive on pastoral roads with cows on the side of the road past small white signs that read “Beryl’s Campsite”. After reaching a dusty farm road, you will wonder, “Is this the right place?” And it will! Beryl’s Campsite is tucked away on a farm, surrounded by trees and hills. The hillside campsites have scenic views and walkways that lead to paddocks and Start Bay. The property is also a good family destination, with playgrounds, a small pond, and a covered picnic area for rainy days.

Camping Costwold

Imagine camping in the Cotswolds. The Abbey Home Farm has incredible pitches for your gear.

Abbey Home Farm, Gloucestershire

This campsite in Gloucestershire in the Cotswolds is a beautiful spot, surrounded by rolling plains and greenery, and quaint villages and towns that look like something out of a medieval fairy tale. If you want to go to the cities and discover local shops and village pubs you can, or if you don’t want to see anyone for days, you can too. The property at Abbey Home Farm is a very eco-friendly and organic place, so guests are encouraged to recycle, clean up, and have a DIY ethos during their stay. Set up your tent in a field and gaze at the infinite green view or stand in the forest and feel the seclusion of being surrounded by trees.

Bert’s Kitchen Garden, Wales

Bert’s Kitchen Garden is located in northwest Wales and extends into the Irish Sea, right on the often quiet and less visited Llyn Peninsula. Bert’s Kitchen Garden is more than just a campsite, it’s a place that was created with a simple idea. It is a place where nature is supposed to breathe and where guests are expected to surround themselves with nature and not against it. The campsite should be as environmentally friendly as possible with only a few parking spaces and a car-free meadow. The campsites themselves are nestled between the Welsh mountains and the sea with a path that leads to a private pebble beach. The owners of the property have their own organic farm and grow food for guests to enjoy there.

If you’re wondering who Bert is, Bert is the name of the family RV that traveled the world with the family for four years before they retired it on this farm. Now the van has been converted into a garden café that offers homemade pastries and bread along with hot coffee and tea.

Birds & Bees, Suffolk

Birds & Bees is located in Suffolk and has the charm of a nature resort with the feeling of family-friendly and down-to-earth management. The campsites began life as a dairy farm with a family who owns and operates the site as a farm when Rendham Hall bought the site in the 1970s and ran it as a dairy farm until the mid-2010s. Unfortunately the farm was no longer sustainable in 2016 but that end has a silver lining as the family realized that this little piece of Suffolk would make a great campsite. The huge hedges, colorful meadows and tree-lined old willows are the perfect place for campers who want to immerse themselves in a bit of nature. Much of the landscape has been left untouched and most of the former structures on the property have been converted into facilities for campers.

Speaking of amenities, while the property is in an eco-friendly building, guests still have access to many amenities, including a shower and bathroom, a small communal kitchenette, and the ability to purchase locally sourced meat and vegetables, as well as homemade ice cream.

Manor, Norfolk

Despite being on one of Norfolk’s most popular stretches of beach, Manor Farm offers the best of both worlds when it comes to tranquility and fun by the sea. Manor Farm is part of a family-run campsite along the coast and offers space for up to 250 pitches. However, the area is well hidden and guests must pass barns and hedges before the campsite appears in sight. And if so, you’ll be grateful that you decided to spend some time here. Wide green meadows lead to the beach area, which has a sea view, and since it is a working farm, you may even spot a lamb or two. For a day or evening excursion to more civilized areas, the local beach along with the traditional fishing village of East Runton is just a short drive away.

Cleadale, Inner Hebrides

If you’re looking for real wild camping, the Inner Hebrides, Scotland, is the place for you. Cleadale is about ten miles off the west coast of Scotland, the Isle of Eigg was bought by the local community in 1997 and they turned the place into a fully eco-friendly reserve. The whole place is powered by renewable energy and cars are not allowed, although there is a local minibus that can chauffeur people around the 6.4 km long island. The campsite here is as wild as possible, with no amenities, no unnatural noises and no one in sight. So pack your equipment accordingly. What it doesn’t have is what makes the place so special. Breathtaking views of the Pechstein cliffs, the sound of the waves crashing on the banks, and the view of the Hebridean sound.

Our last word

There is absolutely no shortage of excellent places to camp while in the UK. From coastal views to rugged mountain slopes and expansive meadows, no matter what natural space you want to immerse yourself in, there are a myriad of great options. In these uncertain times, there is something special to experience nature and to camp anywhere in the world.

Post a Comment

You don't have permission to register