Campsites in Great Britain

There are thousands of campsites in the UK and we have worked hard to bring you a selection of the best. If you're looking to camp in England, Scotland or Wales, or even planning a glamping holiday in the UK, we're sure we have a site to suit your needs. From camping-only sites in Cornwall to RV-friendly campsites in the Lake District and glamping sites in Scotland, there's something for every type of camper in the UK. Browse our selection of the best campsites in the UK or use the filter on the right to refine your search. Then simply choose your favorite campsite in the UK, book online, pack the car and head off on your camping holiday in the UK. Go on. What are you waiting for?

Regional camping in Great Britain

From the rolling hills of the South Downs to the mighty mountains of the Cairngorms, the UK is a beautiful and diverse landscape. And when it comes to camping, the difference between pitching your tent at one campsite and parking your RV at another can be extreme. However, we know that our recommendations on the Cool Camping website have all been tested and approved and are some of the best places you could choose - whether it's a tiny campsite on a Scottish island or a glamping site in the Welsh mountains. The UK is our home, it's the place where we grew up camping and the country we love to explore by bike, car or motorhome. Choose one of the nations - England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - and explore our recommendations today to find the holiday destination and a really cool campsite that's right for you.

From the tip of Cornwall to the windswept Outer Hebrides, we've traveled the UK by bike, car, motorhome and everything in between to discover the best campsites. We don't go by any specific criteria - we're not looking for a strict number of facilities or a certain number of stars - we're more interested in the atmosphere of the campsite, the friendliness of the owners and the overall feel of the camping experience. In short, we look for the best campsites in the UK and if we like them, we recommend them.

In this collection we have put together what we think are the best campsites in the UK. Forget noisy holiday parks and big waves of caravans and instead think independently run, friendly farm campsites where campfires are allowed, tents reign supreme and children can make new friends in the long wild grass of the camping meadow. If you're planning a camping holiday in the UK, then you've come to the right place.

In England we drove around Cornwall in our trusty Tallulah VW camper van and checked out some of the best seaside campsites before packing up our tent and heading to Devon and the rest of South West England. Meanwhile, other members of the Cool Camping team explored the landscape of the Southeast, the rolling country where sheep farmers have transformed fields into beautiful summer campsites and food adventurers have planted vineyards and apple orchards. Across the border, Wales has become one of Britain's most popular camping destinations. The mighty mountains of Snowdonia contrast with the dramatic coastline around Pembrokeshire, where dozens of eco-friendly campsites have opened in recent years, offering smaller spaces for camping and enjoying the sea.

In Scotland, space is never at a premium and campsites can usually be booked at shorter notice. Nonetheless, our travels here have taken us from busy campsites at the foot of Ben Nevis to truly hidden gems in the Orkney Islands or the Outer Hebrides. South of the border, the north of England also offers unparalleled scenery, be it the water and peaks of the Lake District or the magnificent Yorkshire Dales. We are also particularly fond of the Yorkshire coast. It's quieter than the UK coast further south, but just as spectacular.

Tent camping in the UK

While holiday parks have their time and place with music nights, night bars and indoor swimming pools, here at Cool Camping we prefer to focus on the other side of camping. These are campsites on farms, estates and private meadows; independently managed campsites where you meet the owner upon arrival, not just a member of the staff, and where you can truly camp in nature.

Many of the UK campsites on our website are tent-only and caravans are not permitted. However, most also allow motorhomes - particularly smaller motorhomes such as VWs - and some also welcome motorhomes, caravans and tent trailers. It all depends on what type of campsite you are looking for. When we recommend a campsite, it's because we think it's an excellent place to camp, just as we did with our first camping guide over ten years ago.

There's nothing like real camping in a tent. Arrive, set up the tent, look for the right poles, bend one or two stakes. It's all part of the fun of camping. A family outing where everyone comes together. And once the tent is up, there's something about the impermanence of the tent that gives you a special closeness to nature - the idea that you're temporarily invading a wild environment rather than it invading you. As the campfire burns, the kids make new friends and the sun sets, you'll realize that camping the good old way is just as exciting as it used to be.

The most popular camping regions in Great Britain

It's no surprise that there isn't a single place in the UK that we could describe as the best place for a camping holiday. Each campsite obviously has its own advantages and the regions of the UK and the island of Great Britain all have their own advantages. For example, campsites in Scotland are difficult to compare with those in southern England, and while the landscapes of Wales, England and Scotland may all be beautiful, they are also very different.

The South West of England is undoubtedly one of the most popular camping destinations. The number of online searches is one of the highest of any region and every summer campers flock to the coast of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset to hike along the sandy beaches or explore the coastal paths. While the reliable summer weather (at least for the UK) and miles of coastline are an obvious attraction, the South West is quieter in the winter season, when some campsites are still open and many British glamping sites also welcome visitors all year round. Further north, in the mountainous regions of England and especially in the national parks, most campers can be found. The Lake District remains one of the most popular mountain areas, while the Peak District National Park is more quickly accessible for those in the populous south-east of England, who also tend to stay close to home in campsites around London or in closer national parks such as the South Downs or the New Forest.

In Wales, the mountains of the Brecon Beacons are a popular destination in the south, while Snowdonia dominates in the north. Snowdonia dominates in the north. The latter also boasts a dramatic coastline where mountains cascade into the sea, while Pembrokeshire and places like Gower are arguably the most popular coastal resorts. Those looking for true seclusion should sometimes retreat a little inland and seek out smaller farm campsites, where a truly rural location offers a quieter, less crowded feel in mid-summer.

In Scotland it is not easy to know exactly where the most popular camping holiday destinations are. The freedom of wild camping and the popularity of free RV travel make the entire country, and not just a specific region, a camping paradise. Road trips through Scotland are very popular, and the north west of the country is considered one of the most popular areas for them. The Isle of Skye and some of the remote peninsulas in the west of the country are a real highlight, and then you can take the ferry back and forth between the islands off the west coast. National parks such as the Cairngorms are popular with hikers, and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park is also ideal for water sports. Of course, in highly populated regions such as Glasgow and Edinburgh, camping is also very popular for city dwellers, with campsites nearby for those just wanting a short break.

Which British campsite is right for you?

The campsites we recommend in the UK are very diverse. Luckily, you can use filters to find the type of campsite that suits you, whether you want a campfire, a good spot for the kids or a tent-only site with no caravan in sight. Before you book your camping holiday, however, you should think carefully about what type of holiday - and what type of campsite - is right for you.

For most people, the most important thing when choosing a campsite is the right location. Maybe you want to visit a specific city and live nearby, or you want to visit a specific area in a national park or on the coast. After that, you should think about the size of the campsite you are interested in. Are you looking for a lively, busy campsite where the children can easily make friends and have plenty of space for ball games? Or are you looking for a quiet, hidden spot with just a few parking spaces and the feeling of having the space all to yourself? Once you've got a feel for what you're looking for, use our handy filters to narrow down your search options and read our reviews to get a feel for what makes each campsite special. Whatever you are looking for, we are sure we have an excellent British campsite for you.

Camping on the British coast

Oh yes, how nice it is to live on an island. One of the best things about Britain being an island nation is that no matter where you live in the UK, you are never more than 70 miles from the sea. Our coastline is twice as long as Spain's and three times as long as France's, and when it comes to coastal camping, we are truly blessed with some of the best coastal spots in Europe. In fact, coastal camping is so good in this country that we even wrote an entire guide about it in 2018 - Cool Camping Coast - which was really just a good excuse for us to explore the British coast even further. These fish and chips don't eat themselves.

Camping on the British coast isn't just about the mainland either. We are blessed with a number of smaller islands off our coast, be it the almost tropical Isles of Scilly off Cornwall or the windswept islands off the coast of western Scotland. The Isle of Wight to the south is particularly popular with summer holidaymakers and hosts a number of music festivals every year, while for a truly remote escape we also recommend some incredible campsites in the Orkney Islands.

We've already put together a dedicated online guide to the best campsites on the coast, and there are plenty of glamping options on the coast too. Whether you're planning the North Norfolk coast or a family trip to Pembrokeshire, we're sure to know a campsite that's suitable for your holiday.

Wild camping in Great Britain

Wild camping - pitching a tent in an area not designated as an official campsite - is not a public right in the UK and the rules and regulations for wild camping vary depending on the location. For example, wild camping is legal and permitted in much of Scotland, while it is not permitted in most of England. To some extent, wild camping laws are a formality. Because the etiquette of wild camping - being inconspicuous, unheard and leaving no trace - means that if you do it right, no one will ever know you were there.

From a legal perspective, we always recommend checking the laws in the area you plan to camp in to make sure you do everything right! Wild camping is permitted in some well-known locations - Dartmoor National Park is a popular wild camping spot in the south west and wild camping is very popular in Scotland (although recently some national parks have banned wild camping in certain areas). It's best to do your research before you go and if you're wild camping, always follow the Wild Camping Code of Conduct. You can find more information on numerous wild camping blogs and on our website.

If you are excited about the idea of ​​wild camping but are afraid of the laws or want to avoid the stress that comes with real wild camping, then there are many almost wild campsites that offer a simple, but still, camping experience have the security of a real campsite. Check out our guide to almost wild camping for a complete collection of campsites where things like showers and flushing toilets aren't important and where you can just surrender to nature.

Did our article help you? Or do you have questions or suggestions about our topic? Please feel free to leave your comment below. We welcome your questions, criticisms and comments and we will be happy to answer them.