Campgrounds for backpackers in England

Zoar Campsite

• Small, simple family-run site on the Lizard Peninsula
• Five minutes' drive to Coverack; 10 minutes to Kennack Sands
• Spacious, level pitches with campfires allowed; dogs welcome

Whitwell Hall Country Centre

Whittlebury Park

Great Jackleigh Farm

• Semi-rural pop-up site in the Axe Valley with generously sized pitches
• A mile from Axminster town centre; 15 minutes' drive from the coast
• Firepits welcome and firewood for sale; well-behaved dogs welcome

The Walled Garden Campsite

• Green and spacious Dorset site within the Moreton Estate
• Jurassic Coast, Monkey World and Tank Museum within 15 minutes' drive
• Café and play area within the grounds; abundance of walks nearby

Whitehouse Farm Campsite

• Pop-up site for guests aged over 25 and families in Essex countryside
• Free kids’ zorbing on site; Tropical Wings Zoo 10 minutes’ drive
• Free live music and crafting activities for Essex Farm Family Festival

Joanland Field

• Secluded wild camping just outside Warnham village in West Sussex
• South Downs National Park and Knepp Castle Estate a 20-minute drive
• Quiet and off-grid grass pitches within 20 minutes’ walk of a pub

The White Stables

• Friendly smallholding in peaceful hillside location with valley views
• Minutes away from moorland walks on the Lancs/W Yorks border
• Country pub a few minutes' walk away

Kestrel Valley View

• Dog-friendly pop-up glampsite 15 minutes’ drive from Winchester
• South Downs National Park five minutes’ drive; Marwell Zoo 30 minutes
• Off-grid shepherd’s hut in a wildlife haven with stunning valley views

Woodland Camping

• Small hideaway adults-only site close to Dartmoor National Park
• Views over Teignbridge and the South Hams
• On a 15-acre smallholding half a mile from the local pub

YHA Wye Valley

• Scenic setting in the Forest of Dean, 5 miles from Symonds Yat Rock
• Orienteering course on site; miles of paths and bike trails close by
• Bar, restaurant, kitchen, lounge, firepit and canoe landing station

YHA Land's End

• Peaceful valley site 15 minutes' walk from St Just
• Views down the valley to the Atlantic Ocean
• Self-catering kitchen, showers and drying room

YHA Helmsley

• Peaceful pitches by a youth hostel in the centre of Helmsley
• On the edge of the North York Moors National Park
• Breakfast and evening meals on site, plus self-catering kitchen

YHA Coverack

• Youth hostel with pitches for small tents in a 100-year-old orchard
• A 15-minute drive to Kennack Sands and 10-minute walk to Coverack Cove
• Sea views, kitchen, dining room, barbecue area and wetsuit-drying room

YHA Clun Mill

• In the grounds of a restored watermill, half a mile from Clun
• Walking and cycling haven deep in the Shropshire Hills
• Toilet, shower, self-catering kitchen, and drying and laundry room

Seamer Campsite

• Small, family-run site on the edge of the North York Moors
• A 15-minute drive from beaches at Scarborough and Filey
• A few minutes' walk from village shops and pubs; dogs welcome

Ye Olde Swan

• Lively family-friendly island site on the Thames
• A 20-minute drive from hikes, bikes and sights of the Cotswolds
• Easy stroll from traditional English pub-restaurant on the Thames