Wild Camping at Dark Lane

Local footpaths pose challenging treks or gentle meanders, and for anyone with even a passing interest in history, the camping field itself is situated at the base of the footpath to Wolfhall (15 minutes’ walk), the ancestral home of Henry VIII’s third bride, Jane Seymour. Nearby, the ancient Savernake Forest (35 minutes by bike) was once Henry’s hunting ground and today it is criss-crossed with walking and cycling trails. Other historic hiking and biking routes include The Ridgeway (an hour), which runs over ancient paths once used by cow herders and soldiers, while the Vale of Pewsey (40 minutes) has walking, cycling and riding options a-plenty passing pretty villages. Heritage sites are in no short supply in this area either. Built in 1821, Wilton Windmill (10 minutes) is notable for being the only operational mill in Wiltshire, while Crofton Beam Engines (five minutes) charts local industry at a former pumping station. You can also cycle to the Pewsey White Horse, carved out of the chalk hillside in the 1930s, in just under an hour.