Fancy sleeping under the stars this weekend? In my new book, Under the Stars, I’ve explored some of Britain’s wildest, weirdest and most wonderful campsites, from ancient woodlands to secret islands, and from rewilding projects to swimming lakes.
Whether you want to pitch your tent with a view of a beach, park your campervan in the mountains or stay in a remote cabin, I’ve found the perfect spots to sleep wild across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
A great campsite is about more than a nice view and decent loos (although creature comforts are important too.) I’ve picked pitches with a real sense of place, whether there’s amazing wildlife to spot, walks straight from your tent door or centuries of history. These are 10 of the very best British campsites I'd happily return to summer after summer.
1. Knepp Estate, West Sussex
Few places have changed Britain's relationship with nature like the Knepp Estate. Once intensively farmed, its 3,500 acres have been transformed into one of the country's best-known rewilding projects. Camping here means sleeping in a flower meadow surrounded by birdsong rather than traffic, with wildlife safaris and beautiful walks on your doorstep. The campsite is adult-only, so it’s wonderfully peaceful. Creature comforts haven't been forgotten either, with great showers, outdoor hot baths and even a wild swimming pond on site.
Price per night: £25
2. Pool Bridge Farm, York
If your perfect camping trip revolves around swimming, Pool Bridge Farm is hard to beat. Four freshwater lakes sit at the heart of this campsite, each with its own character, from family-friendly paddling to a 300-metre circuit for serious open-water swimmers. Wood-fired saunas line the shore, while six acres of meadow provide plenty of room to pitch your tent.
Price per night: £20
3. Brownsea Island, Dorset
Ready your neckerchief and three-fingered salute: the island where Robert Baden-Powell held the very first Scout camp in 1907 still feels wonderfully adventurous today. Brownsea Island, in the sheltered waters of Poole Harbour in Dorset, is a patchwork of woodland, heath and lagoons, and one of southern England's richest wildlife havens. Catch the ferry from Poole and spend the night at Brownsea Island Campsite, with hot showers, a dining shelter and a shop making life under canvas surprisingly comfortable.
Price per night: £39
4. Wasdale Campsite, Cumbria
How's this for a perfect camping day? Wake up in your tent, climb England's highest mountain, cool off with a swim in its deepest lake and finish with a pint in one of the country’s most remote pubs. Wasdale Campsite sits at the head of one of the Lake District's most spectacular valleys, with the path up Scafell Pike beginning from your tent door. Afterwards, the famously cold waters of Wast Water are waiting below before you warm up back at the campsite.
Price per night: £24
5. Bert's Kitchen Garden, Llŷn Peninsula
Love good grub as much as you love fresh air? This eco-friendly, car-free site in north west Wales is perfect for foodie families. There’s no wifi or electric hook-ups at Bert’s – expect instead acres of wildflower meadows, composting toilets, excellent showers and a communal kitchen. At the campsite’s heart sits a beautiful restaurant surrounded by the kitchen garden that supplies much of its menu, making this one of Britain's most memorable places to camp and eat.
Price per night: £46
6. Llanthony Court Camping, Monmouthshire
The soaring ruins of Llanthony Priory rise from the floor of the Welsh Black Mountains like the setting of a Gothic novel. Camping next door at Llanthony Court Camping, in Bannau Brycheiniog National Park (the Brecon Beacons), is pleasingly old-fashioned and affordable. And if tents aren't your thing, there's also a beautifully restored railway carriage complete with a wood-burning stove, or an off-grid dome perfect for two on site.
Price per night: £7
7. Comrie Croft, Perthshire
Choosing where to pitch is half the fun at Comrie Croft. Spread across 231 acres of woodland and meadows in the heart of Scotland, every corner of this campsite feels different. Families gravitate towards the easy-going Low Meadow, while those after a wilder feel can tuck themselves into the Birch Woods or the car-free Far Away Meadow. Once you've settled in, there are miles of walking trails and mountain bike routes on the doorstep, plus the Nowhere Sauna for easing tired legs after a day outdoors.
Price per night: £16
8. Glenbrittle Campsite, Isle of Skye
It’s a journey to reach Glenbrittle Campsite – but it’s worth it. After crossing to the Isle of Skye, follow a single track beneath the jagged peaks of the Cuillin Ridge to reach the shores of Loch Brittle. The reward is one of Britain's most spectacular camping locations. Glenbrittle is super spacious and feels akin to wild camping with its mountain backdrop, albeit with the luxury of hot showers and barista coffee from the campsite cafe.
Price per night: £14
9. Wild Orcadian at Wheems Organic Farm, Orkney
You can’t travel much further north in Britain than Orkney – this archipelago of 72 green islands off the north coast Scotland is closer to the Arctic Circle than it is to London. Catch a ferry or cross a causeway to reach South Ronaldsay, and pitch up at Wild Orcardian. Half campsite, half organic farm, these friendly camping fields come complete with big views of sea and sky – just peg in your tent or park up a campervan on one of their grassy terraces.
Price per night: £25
10. Castle Ward Caravan Park, County Down
Castle Ward in Northern Ireland will be instantly recognisable to fans of Game of Thrones as Winterfell, the ancestral seat of House Stark, as the estate provided the backdrop for some of the show’s most iconic scenes. If you want to stay the night in Stark country, set up your own tented castle at Castle Ward Caravan Park, looking out over the tidal waters of Strangford Lough. The campsite has 35 pitches in total, with hard-standing spots for caravans and weatherproof timber pods.
Price per night: £28
Under the Stars by Sian Lewis, published by Harper Collins in partnership with the National Trust, is available to buy now.