Camping in Charnwood Forest

Easily reached from major Midlands towns, Charnwood’s walks, narrowboating, and camping attract.

94% (1204 reviews)
  1. Charnwood Forest
94% (1204 reviews)

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White House Farm Campsite, Wardlow

61 units · Motorhomes, Tents4 acres · Wardlow, England
What a little Derbyshire gem: back to basics Whitehouse Farm Campsite is a simple site in a most scenic setting five minutes’ drive from the pretty village of Tideswell. The site’s central location in the Peak District National Park means it’s a top spot for those who want to ramble or ride bikes – several circular trails leave from Tideswell and the traffic-free Monsal Trail is a five-minute drive away. And there’s plenty more activity if you require it too, as activity centres nearby can sort you out days of horse riding, abseiling, climbing and caving. All this activity isn’t mandatory, of course – this is an equally fine location for days pottering off to local pubs, pigging out on pudding in Bakewell or taking a leisurely stroll around the Chatsworth Estate, 20 minutes away. And if even that’s too much, you’d be welcome to spend some time loafing about on site: there’s heaps of space here, and as facilities have been kept quite minimal (just showers and toilets) there should be a good serving of peace and quiet to go with it all. Guests are welcome to light up a barbecue or campfire for cookouts and keeping warm; Tideswell’s the place for supermarket supplies, and it’s also handily got a fish and chip shop and a couple of pubs for days when your firelighting skills aren't up to much.
Pets
Potable water
Campfires
Showers
Trash
from 
£24
 / night

Under £50

Value Prop
Value Prop
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Camping in Charnwood Forest guide

Overview

This surprisingly wild, craggy, and forested area of countryside sits roughly between Leicester, Loughborough, and Coalville. It encompasses several popular outdoor spaces including Bradgate Park and parts of Middle England’s major reforestation project, the National Forest. Take a walk in Bradgate Park, try your hand at narrowboating, or relax at a waterside country pub on the Grand Union Canal, then visit historic spots like the Battle of Bosworth Field battle site. The region’s best camping is around the parish of Quorn, where pitching places include Broome Island—only accessible by boat.

Where to go

Bradgate Park & Swithland Wood

The big go-to outdoor playground for citizens of Leicester, Bradgate Park is a delightful old deer park and a montage of moors, crags, and woods seeming more similar to the Peak District than to the suburb-adjacent country park it is. Come to walk, explore wildlife-reclaimed industrial land, bird-watch in Swithland Woods, and visit the former home of Lady Jane Grey, Britain’s shortest-reigning monarch.

Moira & The National Forest

The area around Moira was heavily scarred by its former coal mining industry, which was why it was chosen as the location for the National Forest. This major reforestation project straddles parts of Leicestershire, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire, combining existing old-growth forest with newer plantations, and has rejuvenated the area as an outdoor destination for walkers, cyclists, and horse-riders. Ex-mining village Moira now hosts the National Forest Discovery Centre, some restored mining attractions, and camping options nearby.

Ashby Canal

The Ashby-de-la-Zouch Canal links Leicestershire’s Moira and Warwickshire’s Bedworth, with the section between Bedworth and Snarestone navigable. Interesting sights along its course include the Battlefield Line heritage railway between Shackerstone and Shenton, plus the Bosworth Field battle site. The canal winds close to several campsites catering to tent campers, caravanners, and glampers.

Grand Union Canal

The UK’s longest canal brushes the northeast of Charnwood Forest at villages like Mountsorrel and nearby Sileby, with its convenient railway station. The 137-mile waterway, connecting Birmingham and London, is full of surprises, showing off a greener, quieter side to the big towns it passes through and crossing some pretty countryside too. Narrowboat, walk, or cycle the towpath, visit idyllic canal-side pubs and camp at unique waterside sites like Broome Island near Quorn—accessible only by boat.

Top towns in and near Charnwood Forest