The best campsites in East Midlands with horseback riding

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East Midlands is the UK’s unassuming heartland, where industrial cities and historic market towns are hemmed together by a patchwork of farmlands and river valleys. Mild temperatures make this a year-round destination for outdoor adventures, and campers can sleep in tents, yurts, tipis, and glamping pods. Hike through the valleys in the Peak District National Park, stroll around stately homes, or explore woodland trails in the footsteps of local legend Robin Hood. In summer, the sandy shores of Skegness offer a traditional English seaside experience, while fall is the time for forest walks and bike rides, ablaze with autumnal colours.

96% (211) 85 campsites

Top-rated campgrounds near East Midlands

Purple Badger Camping&Fishing Lakes

1. Purple Badger Camping&Fishing Lakes

97%
(66)
12 units · Tents, Glamping · Beeby, England
Glamping and campfire-friendly camping by a pair of fishing lakes in the Leicestershire countryside
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
from 
£35
 / night
The Old Vicarage

2. The Old Vicarage

79%
(17)
6 units · Tents, Glamping · Retford, Nottinghamshire, East Midlands
The Old Vicarage offers a relaxed and tranquil atmosphere for your stay for camping. We have BBQ's, camp fires to hire and have the shallow river to play in. Free Wifi. Well behaved dogs allowed on leads at all times. Riverside site in grounds of a 17th-century house in Nottinghamshire Close to Sherwood Forest and 25 miles from Nottingham Cave bar on site open on Bank Holidays You'll sense the history all around you at The Old Vicarage, from the old house to the remains of the water mill in the river bed. Stays here are in the grounds of a 17th-century house in the village of Elkesley, six miles from Worksop and 25 miles from Nottingham. Its grounds run down to the banks of the Poulter river, and are lined with stands of acacia, sycamore, ash and oak trees which were originally donated to the first vicar by the Duke of Newcastle in the 1830s. There's plenty of space around the site for traditional outdoor activities, with a rope swing and stepping stones over the shallow river and a bridge that's perfect for playing Pooh Sticks. In the surrounding area there are animal parks and nature reserves to walk around, or to head back further in time, you could take one of the trails through ancient Sherwood Forest, around quarter of an hour's drive away. Guest facilities on site centre around the Cave Bar, a cool little space built into an exposure of 500-million-year-old sandstone, plus an outdoor terrace for sipping drinks out in the sunshine. Other amenities include a washing-up area and bathrooms with plentiful hot showers, toilets and baby changing facilities. No Fire Pits BBQ;s off the floor. No disposable BBQ;s CHECK IN BETWEEN 2PM AND 6PM CHECK INS AFTER 6PM INCUR A FEE OF £10.00 FOR LATE CHECK IN
Pets
Showers
Potable water
from 
£28
 / night
Cuckoo Farm Campsite

3. Cuckoo Farm Campsite

99%
(202)
13 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Rutland, East Midlands
Family camping with campfires on an organic farm, set alongside the beautiful River Chater
Pets
Electrical hookup
Campfires
from 
£20
 / night
Heygates Lodging

4. Heygates Lodging

100%
(21)
2 units · Glamping · Market Harborough, Leicestershire, East Midlands
A place to unwind in the heart of the countryside. Canalside walks are on your doorstep and nature is never far away - birds of prey such as red kites and buzzards are plentiful, and you may be lucky enough to see otters in the canal. There's a variety of pubs and restaurants within a short drive, and the market towns of Rugby and Market Harborough area about 20 minutes away. Unwind in the hot tub, enjoy local beers and ciders or pick from our expertly curated wine list. Our Lodges have their own fire pits and BBQs, and all fuel is provided. Each lodge has its own hammock, and a designated private fishing peg at a turning point in the canal, meaning that you'll be largely undisturbed by passing boats.
Pets
Showers
Campfires
from 
£180
 / night
White House Farm Campsite, Wardlow

5. White House Farm Campsite, Wardlow

91%
(93)
61 units · Tents, Motorhomes · 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
Campfires
Showers
from 
£24
 / night
Arthingworth Camping

6. Arthingworth Camping

96%
(56)
12 units · Tents · Market Harborough, Leicestershire, East Midlands
Tents-only, family-friendly camping in the Northamptonshire countryside with gorgeous rural walks.
Pets
Campfires
Potable water
from 
£13
 / night
Belvoir Holidays

7. Belvoir Holidays

88%
(17)
13 units · Glamping · Leicestershire, East Midlands
Luxury bell tent glamping in the grounds of Netflix's most famous castle
Pets
Showers
Campfires
from 
£109
 / night
Spire View Yurts

8. Spire View Yurts

100%
(7)
3 units · Glamping · Chesterfield, Derbyshire, East Midlands
Yurt glamping between Chesterfield and Matlock in Derbyshire
Showers
Campfires
Hot Tub
from 
£189
 / night
Glamp-in-Style

9. Glamp-in-Style

100%
(6)
2 units · Glamping · Horncastle, England
Safari tent glamping in the heart of the Lincolnshire Wolds within the beautiful grounds of Fir-combe Hall. You can even bring your horse along!
Pets
Showers
Campfires
from 
£150
 / night

East Midlands is the UK’s unassuming heartland, where industrial cities and historic market towns are hemmed together by a patchwork of farmlands and river valleys. Mild temperatures make this a year-round destination for outdoor adventures, and campers can sleep in tents, yurts, tipis, and glamping pods. Hike through the valleys in the Peak District National Park, stroll around stately homes, or explore woodland trails in the footsteps of local legend Robin Hood. In summer, the sandy shores of Skegness offer a traditional English seaside experience, while fall is the time for forest walks and bike rides, ablaze with autumnal colours.

96% (211) 85 campsites

Top-rated campgrounds near East Midlands

Purple Badger Camping&Fishing Lakes

1. Purple Badger Camping&Fishing Lakes

97%
(66)
12 units · Tents, Glamping · Beeby, England
Glamping and campfire-friendly camping by a pair of fishing lakes in the Leicestershire countryside
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
from 
£35
 / night
The Old Vicarage

2. The Old Vicarage

79%
(17)
6 units · Tents, Glamping · Retford, Nottinghamshire, East Midlands
The Old Vicarage offers a relaxed and tranquil atmosphere for your stay for camping. We have BBQ's, camp fires to hire and have the shallow river to play in. Free Wifi. Well behaved dogs allowed on leads at all times. Riverside site in grounds of a 17th-century house in Nottinghamshire Close to Sherwood Forest and 25 miles from Nottingham Cave bar on site open on Bank Holidays You'll sense the history all around you at The Old Vicarage, from the old house to the remains of the water mill in the river bed. Stays here are in the grounds of a 17th-century house in the village of Elkesley, six miles from Worksop and 25 miles from Nottingham. Its grounds run down to the banks of the Poulter river, and are lined with stands of acacia, sycamore, ash and oak trees which were originally donated to the first vicar by the Duke of Newcastle in the 1830s. There's plenty of space around the site for traditional outdoor activities, with a rope swing and stepping stones over the shallow river and a bridge that's perfect for playing Pooh Sticks. In the surrounding area there are animal parks and nature reserves to walk around, or to head back further in time, you could take one of the trails through ancient Sherwood Forest, around quarter of an hour's drive away. Guest facilities on site centre around the Cave Bar, a cool little space built into an exposure of 500-million-year-old sandstone, plus an outdoor terrace for sipping drinks out in the sunshine. Other amenities include a washing-up area and bathrooms with plentiful hot showers, toilets and baby changing facilities. No Fire Pits BBQ;s off the floor. No disposable BBQ;s CHECK IN BETWEEN 2PM AND 6PM CHECK INS AFTER 6PM INCUR A FEE OF £10.00 FOR LATE CHECK IN
Pets
Showers
Potable water
from 
£28
 / night
Cuckoo Farm Campsite

3. Cuckoo Farm Campsite

99%
(202)
13 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Rutland, East Midlands
Family camping with campfires on an organic farm, set alongside the beautiful River Chater
Pets
Electrical hookup
Campfires
from 
£20
 / night
Heygates Lodging

4. Heygates Lodging

100%
(21)
2 units · Glamping · Market Harborough, Leicestershire, East Midlands
A place to unwind in the heart of the countryside. Canalside walks are on your doorstep and nature is never far away - birds of prey such as red kites and buzzards are plentiful, and you may be lucky enough to see otters in the canal. There's a variety of pubs and restaurants within a short drive, and the market towns of Rugby and Market Harborough area about 20 minutes away. Unwind in the hot tub, enjoy local beers and ciders or pick from our expertly curated wine list. Our Lodges have their own fire pits and BBQs, and all fuel is provided. Each lodge has its own hammock, and a designated private fishing peg at a turning point in the canal, meaning that you'll be largely undisturbed by passing boats.
Pets
Showers
Campfires
from 
£180
 / night
White House Farm Campsite, Wardlow

5. White House Farm Campsite, Wardlow

91%
(93)
61 units · Tents, Motorhomes · 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
Campfires
Showers
from 
£24
 / night
Arthingworth Camping

6. Arthingworth Camping

96%
(56)
12 units · Tents · Market Harborough, Leicestershire, East Midlands
Tents-only, family-friendly camping in the Northamptonshire countryside with gorgeous rural walks.
Pets
Campfires
Potable water
from 
£13
 / night
Belvoir Holidays

7. Belvoir Holidays

88%
(17)
13 units · Glamping · Leicestershire, East Midlands
Luxury bell tent glamping in the grounds of Netflix's most famous castle
Pets
Showers
Campfires
from 
£109
 / night
Spire View Yurts

8. Spire View Yurts

100%
(7)
3 units · Glamping · Chesterfield, Derbyshire, East Midlands
Yurt glamping between Chesterfield and Matlock in Derbyshire
Showers
Campfires
Hot Tub
from 
£189
 / night
Glamp-in-Style

9. Glamp-in-Style

100%
(6)
2 units · Glamping · Horncastle, England
Safari tent glamping in the heart of the Lincolnshire Wolds within the beautiful grounds of Fir-combe Hall. You can even bring your horse along!
Pets
Showers
Campfires
from 
£150
 / night

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The best campsites in East Midlands with horseback riding guide

Where to go

Nottinghamshire

The stomping ground of Robin Hood, it’s little surprise that Nottinghamshire is famed for its forests. Campers can pitch up in the heart of Sherwood Forest, enjoy walks and bike rides through the woodlands, or go zip-lining through the trees. Nearby, stroll through the bluebell woods of Clumber Park, which are magnificent in springtime; spot wild deer in Wollaton Park; or take a canal boat cruise along the Trent River.

Derbyshire

Derbyshire is hiking country and the gateway to the Peak District National Park, where moorlands, dales, and gritstone cliffs blanket the landscapes. Hiking, mountain biking, and rock climbing are all popular activities within the park, while a pitstop in Bakewell (home of the Bakewell Tart) and a visit to Chatsworth House are also regional musts. Campers have options, whether you want to park up your caravan on the Chatsworth Estate or pitch your tent on the moors.

Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire’s headline act is Lincoln Cathedral, but there's more to discover than history and heritage in this rural county. Come in spring to see the region's renowned tulips in full bloom, then escape to the lowland forests and valleys of the Lincolnshire Wolds, where walking trails and camping sites line the hillsides. Along the coast, Skegness is the quintessential beach resort of the Midlands, where summer campers can pitch up right by the seaside.

Leicestershire

Heritage towns, deer parks, and 15th-century battlefields dot the countryside of Leicestershire. Simple pleasures await campers, whether walking amid fields of snowdrops in the Dimminsdale Nature Reserve (visit in late winter), glamping in the shadows of Belvoir Castle, or checking into a tranquil caravan park in the middle of the countryside.