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Wild camping may no longer be possible south of the Scottish border, but there are still plenty of places where travellers can bed down in nature. From a woodland retreat amid the horses of the New Forest to a riverside pitch in the foothills of the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons), here are a few of the best.
BySian Anna Lewis
Published July 28, 2023
• 6 min read
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Now that the legal right to wild camp in Dartmoor National Park has been lost, you can no longer sleep beneath the stars without landowner permission in England and Wales. But for those keen to sleep out in the wilderness, there are still a great deal of tucked-away campsites and glampsites that offer secluded pitches and the chance to go off-grid.
1. Challacombe Meadows, Devon
Best for: privacy
You can book a completely private pitch at Wild With Consent, a booking platform that grants access to secluded sites where the permission from landowners has already been granted, if you have a self-contained campervan. While there are a number of thrilling stays, from a Northumbrian pitch with views to Holy Island to a coastal spot steps from a Pembrokeshire beach, Challacombe Meadows is one of the best. It’s close to miles of walking trails near Widecombe in the Moor in Dartmoor National Park, and you can set up wherever you please for a sleep amid the wildflowers. Basic toilet facilities and running water are a short walk away, and there’s a cosy pub and a farm shop also nearby, for when it’s time to return to civilisation. Pitches from £45 per tent.
2. Bush Farm, Cornwall
Best for: freedom of choice
At Bush Farm, a semi-wild 200-acre site a few miles northwest of Plymouth, campers are offered the freedom of choice: map in hand, you can pitch your tent wherever you please, whether it’s in the meadow, on the hilltop, beside the river or somewhere deep in the woodland. Days can be spent wild swimming, strolling through the countryside or exploring the southern Cornish coast, and, come the evening, there’s stargazing beneath ink-black skies. Pitches from £12 per person.
3. Fire & Stars Woodland Camping, Leicestershire
Best for: going back to basics
Fire & Stars, a quiet woodland site halfway between Birmingham and Nottingham, has just 21 peaceful pitches across 47 acres of wild forest. As the site’s name suggests, this is a place that’s best seen in the amber glow of a campfire, with the night sky unfurling above. This is a true back-to-basics option — there are toilet facilities, but you’ll need to bring your own drinking water and anything else you might need. Some of the profits from the campsite are redirected back into the upkeep of the woodland. Pitches from £50 for up to six.
4. The Wildman Woods, Carmarthenshire
Best for: life on the riverbanks
At this little-known site, you can pitch your tent on the banks of the River Sawdde in the foothills of Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park. The Wildman Woods are as rustic as they sound, with leafy pitches scattered among the trees within earshot of the water. During the day, it’s the perfect place for a paddle. The Beacons Way footpath winds past the campsite on its way to the summit of Fan Brycheiniog, so hiking boots are a must. Pitches from £10 per person.
5. Penrhos Isaf Bothy, Gwyned
Best for: packing light
Bothies, simple huts traditionally used as mountain refuges that are open to all and usually free of charge, may be more commonly associated with the Scottish Highlands, but there are plenty dotted around northern England and Wales, too. They’re a great alternative to wild camping if the weather is looking unstable and you don’t mind sharing with other travellers, who can arrive at any time. Penrhos Isaf is among the best, based in the foothills of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) in Eryri National Park (Snowdonia National Park); it’s a charming stone farmhouse shrouded in the forest, equipped with a wood-burning stove. Bothy free.
6. Ashurst Campsite, Hampshire
Best for: woodland wanders
Camping New Forest has an array of woodland campsites on Forestry England land. While these sites usually have full campsite amenities and are campervan and caravan-friendly, they also have a string of tent-only pitches in semi-private woodland glades, where you can enjoy your campfire in peace. Ashurst Campsite, a tree-shaded site deep in the New Forest, has a peaceful grove of ancient oaks, where the local wild ponies graze freely. Pitches from £21.90 for two.
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