Campgrounds for backpackers in England

YHA Buttermere

• A site in the wooded grounds of a youth hostel with fell, lake views
• A 15-minute walk to Lake Buttermere and 20 to Crummock Water
• Self-catering kitchen, café-bar, restaurant, living room and library

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

Bluebell Farm

• Small family-run working farm a mile from Upton Upon Severn
• Countryside base a couple of miles from the M5
• Semi-wild camping with toilet, electric shower and chemical disposal

River Severn Bank Pop-up Campsite

• Back-to-basics site right on the River Severn, in Gloucestershire
• Gloucester and Forest of Dean Cycle Centre 25 minutes’ drive
• Front-row seats for the Severn Bore; barbecues allowed

Redhill Marina

• Self-contained glamping pods floating on a canal off the River Soar
• A 25-minute drive from Nottingham and The National Water Sports Centre
• Units have beds, basic kitchenettes, bathrooms and a deck for fishing

Redlands Farm

Bickham Bridge Field

• Wildlife-filled Devon meadow site bordered by the River Avon
• Dartmoor National Park 15 minutes' drive; half an hour to the coast
• Simple pitches with access to a river pool for wild swimming

Tranquil Hill

• Scenic dog-friendly hilltop site just outside the Shropshire Hills
• A 25-minute drive from Ironbridge Gorge; half an hour from Shrewsbury
• Barbecues and campfires allowed; shops and pubs 10 minutes’ drive away

Kingsdown International Camping Centre

Badgers Field

• Spacious nine-acre site on a working Cornish dairy farm
• Two miles from Saint Just; Cape Cornwall 10 minutes' drive
• Wildlife haven in a field bordered by woodland

Shepherds Close Farm Campsite

• Peaceful working farm site surrounded by the north Dorset countryside
• Direct access to the Hardy Way trail; 15 minutes' drive to Gold Hill
• Farm shop on site, with firepits available to hire

Revesby Deer Park Campsite

• Low-cost family pop-up site on the Revesby Estate in Lincolnshire
• Lincolnshire Wildlife Park 20 minutes’ drive; Skegness half an hour
• Free entertainment for the whole family and an optional music event

The Pavilion at Shaftesbury Estate

• Secluded, largely off-grid glamping site on a Dorset farm
• Dorset Heavy Horse Farm Park and golf courses within a 10-minute drive
• Real beds with bedding and towels provided, plus communal kitchen

Whatton House

• Nearly-wild campsite on a private estate in Leicestershire
• Ten minutes’ drive to Download Festival at Donington Park
• Grass pitches with basic facilities; pubs and shops 25 minutes’ walk

Studland Summer Camp

• Family-Friendly Naturist Campsite Near Swanage and Corfe in Dorset

Pike Low Farm Camping

• Family-run back to basics site in the Staffordshire Moorlands
• A five-minute drive from the edge of the Peak District and Alton Tower
• Friendly farm animals; free-range eggs available

Coniston Hawkshead

• Back to basics site on the edge of Coniston village and Coniston Water
• A five-minute walk to the shore and village; gondola rides nearby
• Water provided; pubs, cafés and takeaways a short walk away