Campgrounds for backpackers in England

Gateham Grange Camping

• Back-to-basics Peak District site, a five-minute drive from Hartington
• Peak Wildlife Park 15 minutes’ drive; Alton Towers half an hour
• Dark night skies and expansive views, plus a fresh water supply

Blagdon Farm

• Rural site on the border between Devon and Cornwall
• Smallholding with farm animals
• One and a half-acre coarse fishing lake: land carp of up to 22lb

The Rising Sun Coffee Tavern

• Secluded pub garden setting

Come to Good Farm

• Small, peaceful site in a valley 35 minutes’ walk from Loe Beach
• A 20-minute drive from Falmouth and 40 minutes from the Eden Project
• Fresh chicken and duck eggs available; pub a short walk away

High Cottage

• Comfortable, self-contained bunkhouse in Shropshire countryside
• Offa’s Dyke five minutes’ walk; 10 to Llanymynech Rocks Nature Reserve
• Double bed, dining area and microwave; pub and shop 10 minutes’ walk

Furze Park Camping

• Back to basics pitches on a 130-acre farm on the edge of Exmoor
• A 10-minute drive from Combe Martin beach; 20 minutes from Woolacombe
• Communal firepit and barbecue area; pub five minutes' drive away

High Barn Retreats

• Dog-friendly wild camping site in the South Downs National Park
• A 25-minute drive from Lewes and half an hour’s drive from Brighton
• A five-minute drive to pubs, local shops and the beach in Rottingdean

Hunts Farm

• Rural Surrey site over 35 acres, 10 minutes' drive from Guildford
• Thorpe Park and Chessington theme parks within a half-hour drive
• Pick your own pitch; pub 10 minutes' walk away

Cligga Cliff Farm

• Small, friendly and family-run site on the north Cornish coast
• On the South West Coast Path 10 minutes' walk from Perranporth beach
• Firepit and hay bale for each pitch; free-range eggs and pork for sale

Broadleaf Forest Adventures

• Off-grid site in a secluded corner of rural Cheshire
• A 20-minute drive to the edge of the Peak District; 10 to Congleton
• Eco retreat with campfire areas

Low Farm Camping

• Dog-friendly working farm site surrounded by the Suffolk countryside
• A 25-minute drive from the nearest beach; 40 minutes from Sutton Hoo
• Communal freezer on site; firepits and barbecues permitted; pub nearby

FSC Castle Head

• Grass pitches in the grounds of an environmental education centre
• A five-minute drive from Grange-over-Sands; 20 minutes from the M6
• Between the Morecambe Bay coast and Lake District National Park

White Mark Farm

Jemima Hut at the Farm

• Cosy shepherd's hut on a family farm in the Kent Downs
• A 25-minute drive to Canterbury; 35 minutes to Dover and the coast
• Private garden, toilet and kitchenette; pub 10 minutes' walk

Collacott Camping

• Quiet family-run campsite on working Devon sheep farm
• Barnstaple 10 minutes' drive; Croyde beach half an hour
• Easy access from the A39

Whitelake Park

• Pop-up site 20 minutes’ walk from Glastonbury Festival pedestrian gate
• Shepton Mallet 10 minutes’ drive; Glastonbury Tor 20 minutes
• Adults-only; within an arts venue; retro bus with USB charging points

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

Swinton Bivouac

• Luxury site with upcycled features in the Yorkshire Dales
• Three miles from the market town of Masham
• Hot tub, café, craft workshops and regular activities