Staycations are here to stay in the UK and its good news for the original British getaway: a good old-fashioned camping trip is still in.
As the 2023 camping season approaches, sleeping under the stars is expected to be more popular than ever. Last year, Mintel Market Intelligence agency reported roughly 4.5 million new campers had taken to the countryside since the start of the pandemic for their first-ever camping holiday.
The affordable nature of taking trips in a tent in the cost-of-living climate has made the prospect of swapping luxe pads for BBQs and blankets around the campfire ever more appealing.
We are spoilt for choice in the UK with rugged coastlines, woodlands and numerous Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Scottish Highlands, Welsh national parks and English Midlands all provide an idyllic backdrop to a camping trip.
From communing with the Great Outdoors to embracing the early starts to catch some waves, here are the best campsites and caravan parks to pitch up on this summer.
Grange Farm, Isle of Wight
Best for: History buffs
A short ferry ride from the English coast on the Isle of Wight, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with a rich British history dating back to the 15th century, sits Grange Farm.
The 60-acre farm in the village of Brighstone accommodates tents, caravans and motorhomes with power hook-ups. Think spectacular 360-degree coastal and countryside views, modern bathroom facilities and an in-house pig called Mash.
Open seasonally until the end of October; pitch up from £34.50 per night for a standard tent or campervan in peak season.
Wooda Farm Holiday Park, Cornwall
Best for: Young families
Straddling the border of Devon and Cornwall in the seaside town of Bude is the rural Wooda Farm Holiday Park. Here, screen time gives way to back to basics outdoor living, beach days and farm animals.
Owned by the Colwill family since 1975, facilities boast family bathrooms, large children’s play areas, games rooms and a nine-hole pitch-n’ putt golf course for kids to enjoy.
Take the whole family; non-electric pitches from £49 a night for a family of four.
Linwater Caravan Park, Edinburgh
Best for: Escaping the city
A spacious site just south of Edinburgh, Linwater Caravan Park embodies tranquillity and countryside culture while being only four miles from the airport for all the benefits of city life without being in the centre of the hustle and bustle. Destress by river fishing the Union Canal or hop on a bike to explore the Pentland Hills and Edinburgh’s Botanical Gardens.
From £34 a night in August, for a grass pitch for two adults.
Newgale Campsite, Pembrokeshire
Best for: Surfing
Newgale Beach is a surfer’s heaven: two miles of white sand and sea with a huge break and beginner friendly waves. Better still, there’s plenty of space to prolong your surf at Newgale Campsite, just a two-minute walk over the road from the best water sports Pembrokeshire has to offer.
At low tide, wetsuits and surfboards can be hired from the surf shop next to the Duke of Edinburgh pub. Avid surfers can pitch up as basic tent campers in peak season for only £20 a night.
Cwmdu Campsite, Bannau Brycheiniog, South Wales
Best for: Starry skies
There may be no need to travel to the likes of Iceland and Finland for a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis, a bucket list topper for many UK residents. Visit Cwmdu Campsite in the heart of the Bannau Brycheiniog to potentially save hundreds in travel fees for the same incredible experience.
Campers in the designated Dark Sky Reserve area may be lucky enough to glimpse the Northern Lights as they stargaze if they journey off the beaten track. Try nearby Sugar Loaf Mountain for the best shot at seeing the lights and constellations on a clear night. Sleep under the stars at Cwmdu and enjoy the night views for £20 a night this summer.
Read more on UK travel:
- 3 easy camping recipes to make on your next staycation
- The best UK paddle boarding destinations and where to stay
- Lake District guide: Where to eat, drink, walk and stay
Abbey Home Farm, Cotswolds
Best for: Natural wilderness
For an off-the-grid camping experience, it doesn’t get much better than Abbey Home Farm near Cirencester. The farm campsite, committed to organic practices, conservation, and biodiversity education, welcomes tents to their Cotswolds fields.
Laid-back facilities keep it simple with compost toilets and water from the farm borehole. Visitors are encouraged to camp in vehicle-free areas for the best views and use wheelbarrows to transport camping gear to the pitches. Get back to nature and camp for £8 a night per adult with a two-night minimum stay over bank holidays and peak summer weekends.
Scaldersitch Farm, Peak District
Best for: Luxury
Forget getting down and dirty in a traditional park and pitch up at Scaldersitch Farm’s boutique accommodation. You don’t have to say goodbye to home comforts in these Peak District luxury tipis and yurts fitted with wood-burning stoves, hot tubs and private washrooms – it’s safe to say ‘glamping’ is a more accurate description for this farm experience.
Find a good selection of pubs and farm shops in Hartington Village, within reach of a 20-minute walk from the site. A two-night stay in the woodpecker tipi would set you back from around £360.
Painters Farm Campsite, Kent
Best for: Exploring England
Camping at Painters Farm’s two-acre Cherry Orchard site in the Kent Downs, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, offers a wealth of things to do and places to explore. Painters Farm prides itself on being informal and friendly, with an attractive welcome of cherry blossoms and barns strung with fairy lights.
Head into the medieval streets of Faversham to learn about the 17th-century port or visit the World Heritage sites of Canterbury just 15 minutes away. A journey into the coastal town of Whitstable is also a mere 25-minute drive from your pitch.
Stay in summer from £24 per night and hire a fire pit for unforgettable campfire memories.
Lakemoor Devon Campsite, Devon
Best for: Wild swimming
There are always going to be plenty of options for wild swimming when you are camping in a semi-wild riverside meadow on the banks of the Taw River and its beaches.
Lakemoor Devon Campsite offers lakeside views for the whole family to enjoy, whether you are a pro paddler, seasoned swimmer or prefer to stay dry on BBQ duty. Tent pitches from a cool £15 per night for two adults all season.
Gaggle of Geese, Buckland Newton, Dorset
Best for: Pub lunching
Set in rural Dorset, free house pub the Gaggle has crazy golf, shepherd huts, glamping and camping right in its wildflower back garden – plus a herd of resident pygmy goats.
Converted shepherd huts benefit from modern and accessible shower and toilet blocks but the crowning jewel is the pub pizzas and takeaway meals available just across the site. Gone is the need for an unreliable gas cooker and a long weekend fuelled by pasta and usually stale non-perishables.
Two adults can camp at the Gaggle of Geese from £22 a night.
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