Perfect campsites for walking

  Hillwalking, hiking and trekking: the camping guide

From short, gentle strolls to all-day hikes and rambles, these campsites make the perfect choice for a walking holiday.

Briarfields Motel & Touring Caravan Park, Gloucestershire
Briarfields is an adult-only site, well-positioned for exploring the pretty Cotswold villages and walking the Cotswold Way. You can also wander the many trails of the Forest of Dean which is little over 30 minutes’ drive away. The site is open all year and just two miles from Regency Cheltenham and only six miles from Historic Gloucester, with a bus service to both.         

Pennine View Park, Cumbria
Set between the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District National Park means you are spoilt for choice for walking options from this campsite. Pennine View is nestled in the Eden Valley and surrounded by countryside. It’s just a mile to the centre of the market town of Kirkby Stephen. The town has a selection of footpaths for all level of walker, and sites directly on the Coast to Coast walking route and close to the Pennine Way.

Smytham Holiday Park, Devon
Smytham has private access onto the Tarka Trail. This is one of the country's longest continuous traffic-free walking and cycling paths, and forms part of the Devon Coast to Coast Cycle Route. The section that can be accessed from Smytham Manor runs from Braunton to Meeth – a total of 32 miles. This can be broken up into smaller sections visiting the nearby towns, such as Bideford and Great Torrington. The trail runs along estuary sides and through wooded valleys.

Harford Bridge Holiday Park, Devon
This award-winning site is set within the Dartmoor National Park alongside the River Tavy, with some pitches available along the riverside. The site is on the Dartmoor Way cycle route, so is an excellent choice for cyclists and walkers. The historic market town of Tavistock is 2.5 miles away offering a choice of shops and places to eat. A unique feature of the area is Brent Tor – a rocky outcrop with St Michael’s Church atop it, making a distinctive silhouette on the skyline.

Bellingham Camping & Caravanning Club Site, Northumberland
Bellingham is located in the Northumberland National Park and Northumberland International Dark Sky Park – so a great spot for stargazing as well as walking. Northumberland is home to the majority of the remaining sections of the 73 miles of Hadrian’s Wall and also to five excavated forts. From this site, the Wall, its museums and visitor centres are easily accessible, including by bus. The Pennine Way also passes the site and only a short walk away is the village of Bellingham where you can continue on to Hareshaw Linn, a 30-foot waterfall.

Glen of Aherlow Caravan & Camping Park, Co Tipperary
In an area perfect for walking and sightseeing, Glen of Aherlow has views over the surrounding hills and countryside of Southern Ireland. The site lies between Ireland’s highest inland mountain range, the Galtee Mountains, and the slopes of Slievenamuck. The slopes and lakes of this mountain range are just waiting to be conquered. There are also many woodland walks including lake walks to Lough Curra and Lake Muskry.

Trevalgan Touring Park, Cornwall
Located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and just two miles from St Ives town centre means Trevalgan Touring Park has a great location. Whether you want to walk the quaint streets of St Ives browsing the shops, or take a wander out into blissful countryside, you can easily do it all from site. The site is surrounded by open farmland with an abundance of wildlife and flowers. There is a network of local footpaths which join up to the South West Coast Path and from there you can walk to St Ives and on to the stunning Carbis Bay. A regular bus service also runs from the site if you need to rest your legs!

The Quiet Site, Cumbria
Sitting among the fells that overlook Lake Ullswater, there are many walks of varying length that start from the site and others just a short drive away. One leads to Aira Force Waterfall and offers great views of Ullswater, another affords views of Blencathra and the Pennines, with a third that ranges from open fells to riverside tracks and woodland trails. There are pubs along some of these routes and also historic buildings. The site has walking maps available to download from their website or to collect from reception.

Glen Nevis Caravan & Camping Park, Highland
This site has a stunning location in the midst of spectacular Highland scenery. Pitches here have views to Ben Nevis and the surrounding mountains. Glen Nevis Caravan and Camping Park lies at the foot of Ben Nevis and is part of a Highland estate extending to over 1000 acres. There is a choice of walks on your doorstep and the path up Ben Nevis is just a short walk away.

Fairfields Farm Caravan & Camping Park, East Sussex
The South Downs Way is a National Trail that leads from Winchester to the white chalk cliffs of Eastbourne. Walks along this undulating route lead along the chalk escarpment and ridges of the South Downs which make for the most stunning views of sea and hills. Fairfields Farm is four miles to the north of Eastbourne but you can easily drive along the coastal road past Beachy Head (stopping at one of the many car parks and walking to your heart’s content) towards the National Trust’s Birling Gap. At Birling Gap is a large car park and a café, and from here you can walk all the way along the top of the Seven Sisters cliffs.

Burrowhayes Farm Caravan & Camping Site, Somerset
This site is in the heart of the Exmoor National Park which is ideal to explore with its wooded valleys, streams, hills and coastal scenery. You don’t need a vehicle to explore here, with many walks leading directly into the woods and onto open moorland. You can also access stretches of the South West Coast Path. The stream and woods provide a natural playground for children too. Situated beside Horner Water, the site has a view of Dunkery Beacon. The farm buildings have been converted to riding stables and escorted rides are available.

Image ©VisitBritain

Long Meadow Campsite, Hampshire
The beautiful New Forest offers meandering streams, leafy paths and open heath land. At Long Meadow visitors can walk or cycle the miles of trails or just sit and watch the forest ponies and other wildlife that roam freely. There is direct access from the site onto the ancient woodlands that will leave all ages spoilt for choice of outdoor activities. Bike hire can be arranged with bikes delivered to and collected from site. This campsite is within walking distance of the restaurants, shops and pubs of the village of Brockenhurst.

Trossachs Holiday Park, Scotland
Trossachs Holiday Park is a 40-acre landscaped park with oak and bluebell woods on the edge of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and The Queen Elizabeth Forest Park. Both parks offer walking routes galore, a magical atmosphere and lots of wildlife. For those looking for a little action and adventure, Aberfoyle is just a 10-minute drive away where you’ll find Go Ape Treetop Adventure – a high wire adventure playground for all ages.   

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