Wild camping in England might be officially illegal, but there still campsites which give you that “wilderness feeling”, without breaking any laws.
As we reported back in July 2010, it is illegal just to pitch a tent in England outside a designated campsite, so usually you end up sleeping next to lots of other people and suffering their snoring of course.
There are however a number of campsites which can offer that “wow” factor as you look out of the tent in the morning and gaze upon an amazing view of nature, and feel like you’re the only one seeing this.
Gwalia Farm in Mid-Wales is a traditional small farm set in the middle of Wales, where you can share the views of the Snowdonia National Park with the local sheep, goats and chickens.
Ideal for walkers, as the site is on the Cambrian Way, Dyfi Valley Way and Glyndwr’s Way National Trail. All water comes from a natural spring and there are even earth loos in the woods.
Graig Wen Arthog in Gwynedd is another Snowdonia campsite which usually hosts tents in a more traditional campground. However during peak season, the lower campground is open offering more secluded pitches with spectacular views down the valley. There’s even a tree bog compost toilet available, for that very au-natural experience.
Ashwood Farm in East Grinstead is ideal for those who live around London, but feel the need to get right out of the city occasionally. The Surrey based campsite is set in woodland with lots of room for the kids (or big kids) to run around and generally get in touch with their natural side. Don’t worry, there are showers and toilets nearby.
Hole Station Campsite in Highampton, Devon we think is the best of the bunch for anyone really wanting to get far away from your fellow humans. The site is over 45 acres, but there are only 12 pitches on it.
Based around the location of the Hole railway station (long since closed), this site is really in the middle of nowhere, but accessible along the Devon coast-to-coast route.
Scottish campsites: If you’re wondering why we’ve not included any such campsites for Scotland, the main reason is that in Scotland you can pretty much camp where you want. Obviously some land is off-limits, but in the Highlands especially there is very little restriction.
If less wild camping is more your thing, then there are plenty of campsites around the UK offering a variety of facilities to suit.
