The best campsites near Northampton with horseback riding

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The East Midlands city of Northampton offers some pretty rural campsites on its outskirts, beyond the urban centre. While the centre of town is quite spacious with many attractive historic buildings (architecture enthusiasts shouldn’t miss the 78 Derngate house museum by modernist Charles Rennie Mackintosh), campsites near the River Nene, which runs south of the city, are the highlight for nature lovers. Campers have a range of choices in the surrounding area, from scout camps and glamping pods to well-equipped caravan parks.

95% (210)

Top-rated campgrounds near Northampton

2. Snettisham Meadows

96%
(24)
117km from Northampton · 40 units · Tents, Motorhomes
Set on a traditional family-run farm in rural Norfolk, Snettisham Meadows is on the outskirts of the pretty village of Snettisham and short drive away from North Norfolk's beautiful white sandy beaches. Animal-mad campers, form an orderly queue please, as this 329-acre farm has several attractions up its sleeve for you, including meet-and-greets with pigs and ponies, lamb feeding in spring and deer safaris. There’s also a dog paddock for rent so four-legged companions can have a frisk around, and an area on the camping field is reserved for guests with dogs. Campfires and barbecues are permitted and you can borrow firepits from the site owners. Logs are also available to buy. The site is only 10 minutes’ walk from a village pub if you fancy a change of scenery. After a fun-filled day exploring this lovely part of Norfolk, come back to your pitch and keep your fingers crossed for clear skies and some serious stargazing. Facilities include washing-up sinks, a small shop at reception for essential supplies and tourist information, USB phone charging and a freezer for ice packs.
Pets
Electrical hookup
Campfires
from 
£22
 / night

4. Offas Dyke Retreat

147km from Northampton · 5 units · Glamping
A holiday taking in two countries – a tad ambitious? Not in the slightest. Take off to Offa’s Dyke Retreat and such escapades are very easy indeed, as you’re almost on the border of England and Wales, with plenty of gorgeous scenery and outdoorsy antics on both sides of the divide. Site is set in 3 acres with new 2023 communal space, including games room sofa snug, dinning area, new wet rooms and kitchen to be complete December 2023. You can start gazing at that scenery without even leaving this friendly glamping site in the little village of Longtown, for the outlook here is one of the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacons National Park. Ready for a closer look? Get those boots on and set off for a wander. The Offa’s Dyke path passes nearby on its way from Pandy to Hay-on-Wye, and there are lots of little local paths to explore too. A stroll of a much less strenuous variety (barely a 7 minute, in fact) takes you to the local pub for home-cooked meals, local ales. If you can manage a little further (a 6 minutes walk), you can get to a fab village shop stacked with fresh and frozen food, local tipples and homemade cakes. Stock up there and trot back to the site for a picnic or barbecue (firepit provided, with firewood available to buy on site), or use the well-equipped communal kitchen to prep your eats. 5 ensuite railway carriages with kitchenette, 2 pods and 3 further carriages use shared facilities on site include a toilet block with a couple of showers; no need to bring your own towels, as you’ll be provided with these when you get here, along with bedding for your cosy sleeping quarters.
Pets
Showers
Campfires
from 
£117
 / night

5. Hunstanton Camping & Glamping

78%
(29)
117km from Northampton · 108 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping
🌅 Hunstanton Camping & Glamping with mYminiBreak: The Coastal Escape Hunstanton Camping & Glamping offers a relaxed, back-to-basics coastal escape in Heacham, Norfolk. The site, a former dairy farm, maintains a peaceful, natural atmosphere, perfect for those looking to unplug. 🐾 Exceptionally Dog-Friendly Haven The site is dog-friendly, welcoming companions in all accommodation types. Its best feature is the immediate access to the sea, being just a quick 2-minute walk from the vast sands of Heacham South Beach. Crucially, this beach operates with no year-round restrictions for dogs, offering unrestricted playtime. 🌊 Prime Location and Local Area The site's unique west-facing position on the West Norfolk coast means guests witness spectacular sunsets directly over the sea—a daily, breathtaking ritual. You are perfectly situated to explore North Norfolk: Hunstanton: The nearby Victorian resort offers seaside fun and the famous striped cliffs of Old Hunstanton. Nature & Walks: Enjoy direct access to the Norfolk Coast Path and close proximity to the Wild Ken Hill rewilding project and Sandringham Estate for extensive hiking and wildlife spotting. Activities: The calm, shallow local waters are excellent for watersports like kayaking and paddleboarding. 🔥 Back-to-Basics Ethos and Core Facilities The ethos of the site embraces a simple, "back-to-basics" camping philosophy. Accommodation: Pitch your own tents, campervans, motorhomes, and caravans, or choose glamping in rustic Shepherd's Huts or spacious Bell Tents. Campfires: Campfires and BBQs are encouraged and allowed, with private fire pits/braziers provided for glamping units, perfect for gatherings under the clear, dark Norfolk skies Core Facilities: Essential amenities are clean and functional: shared toilet/shower blocks with hot water; designated washing-up station and access to fresh drinking water. Limited electric hook-ups are available for pitches upon request, though the emphasis is on a connected-to-nature experience. Wifi available. This site offers an unforgettable escape, blending traditional outdoor life with coastal charm.
Pets
Electrical hookup
Campfires
from 
£17
 / night

6. Quaint Farm in a National Park

100%
(26)
136km from Northampton · 2 units · Glamping
Our 17 acre Farm is set deep within the beautiful South Downs National Park on the outskirts of the quiet village of Milland (near Liphook) in rural West Sussex (close to its border with Hampshire and Surrey). We have direct access to an excellent bridleway and footpath network through peaceful open countryside and quiet lanes as well as being on the Serpent Tail and close to the South Downs Way.​ Our Glamping Pod and Shepherd's Hut are available to book all year round. We also offer stabling if you would like to take your horses or ponies on holiday with you! Milland village (0.8 miles) has the Rising Sun pub, serving great food and drink, and Milland Stores, which stocks all your essential fresh and local produce as well as having a small cafe.
Showers
Campfires
Wifi
from 
£125
 / night

8. The Old Vicarage

79%
(17)
114km from Northampton · 6 units · Tents, Glamping
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

The East Midlands city of Northampton offers some pretty rural campsites on its outskirts, beyond the urban centre. While the centre of town is quite spacious with many attractive historic buildings (architecture enthusiasts shouldn’t miss the 78 Derngate house museum by modernist Charles Rennie Mackintosh), campsites near the River Nene, which runs south of the city, are the highlight for nature lovers. Campers have a range of choices in the surrounding area, from scout camps and glamping pods to well-equipped caravan parks.

95% (210)

Top-rated campgrounds near Northampton

2. Snettisham Meadows

96%
(24)
117km from Northampton · 40 units · Tents, Motorhomes
Set on a traditional family-run farm in rural Norfolk, Snettisham Meadows is on the outskirts of the pretty village of Snettisham and short drive away from North Norfolk's beautiful white sandy beaches. Animal-mad campers, form an orderly queue please, as this 329-acre farm has several attractions up its sleeve for you, including meet-and-greets with pigs and ponies, lamb feeding in spring and deer safaris. There’s also a dog paddock for rent so four-legged companions can have a frisk around, and an area on the camping field is reserved for guests with dogs. Campfires and barbecues are permitted and you can borrow firepits from the site owners. Logs are also available to buy. The site is only 10 minutes’ walk from a village pub if you fancy a change of scenery. After a fun-filled day exploring this lovely part of Norfolk, come back to your pitch and keep your fingers crossed for clear skies and some serious stargazing. Facilities include washing-up sinks, a small shop at reception for essential supplies and tourist information, USB phone charging and a freezer for ice packs.
Pets
Electrical hookup
Campfires
from 
£22
 / night

4. Offas Dyke Retreat

147km from Northampton · 5 units · Glamping
A holiday taking in two countries – a tad ambitious? Not in the slightest. Take off to Offa’s Dyke Retreat and such escapades are very easy indeed, as you’re almost on the border of England and Wales, with plenty of gorgeous scenery and outdoorsy antics on both sides of the divide. Site is set in 3 acres with new 2023 communal space, including games room sofa snug, dinning area, new wet rooms and kitchen to be complete December 2023. You can start gazing at that scenery without even leaving this friendly glamping site in the little village of Longtown, for the outlook here is one of the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacons National Park. Ready for a closer look? Get those boots on and set off for a wander. The Offa’s Dyke path passes nearby on its way from Pandy to Hay-on-Wye, and there are lots of little local paths to explore too. A stroll of a much less strenuous variety (barely a 7 minute, in fact) takes you to the local pub for home-cooked meals, local ales. If you can manage a little further (a 6 minutes walk), you can get to a fab village shop stacked with fresh and frozen food, local tipples and homemade cakes. Stock up there and trot back to the site for a picnic or barbecue (firepit provided, with firewood available to buy on site), or use the well-equipped communal kitchen to prep your eats. 5 ensuite railway carriages with kitchenette, 2 pods and 3 further carriages use shared facilities on site include a toilet block with a couple of showers; no need to bring your own towels, as you’ll be provided with these when you get here, along with bedding for your cosy sleeping quarters.
Pets
Showers
Campfires
from 
£117
 / night

5. Hunstanton Camping & Glamping

78%
(29)
117km from Northampton · 108 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping
🌅 Hunstanton Camping & Glamping with mYminiBreak: The Coastal Escape Hunstanton Camping & Glamping offers a relaxed, back-to-basics coastal escape in Heacham, Norfolk. The site, a former dairy farm, maintains a peaceful, natural atmosphere, perfect for those looking to unplug. 🐾 Exceptionally Dog-Friendly Haven The site is dog-friendly, welcoming companions in all accommodation types. Its best feature is the immediate access to the sea, being just a quick 2-minute walk from the vast sands of Heacham South Beach. Crucially, this beach operates with no year-round restrictions for dogs, offering unrestricted playtime. 🌊 Prime Location and Local Area The site's unique west-facing position on the West Norfolk coast means guests witness spectacular sunsets directly over the sea—a daily, breathtaking ritual. You are perfectly situated to explore North Norfolk: Hunstanton: The nearby Victorian resort offers seaside fun and the famous striped cliffs of Old Hunstanton. Nature & Walks: Enjoy direct access to the Norfolk Coast Path and close proximity to the Wild Ken Hill rewilding project and Sandringham Estate for extensive hiking and wildlife spotting. Activities: The calm, shallow local waters are excellent for watersports like kayaking and paddleboarding. 🔥 Back-to-Basics Ethos and Core Facilities The ethos of the site embraces a simple, "back-to-basics" camping philosophy. Accommodation: Pitch your own tents, campervans, motorhomes, and caravans, or choose glamping in rustic Shepherd's Huts or spacious Bell Tents. Campfires: Campfires and BBQs are encouraged and allowed, with private fire pits/braziers provided for glamping units, perfect for gatherings under the clear, dark Norfolk skies Core Facilities: Essential amenities are clean and functional: shared toilet/shower blocks with hot water; designated washing-up station and access to fresh drinking water. Limited electric hook-ups are available for pitches upon request, though the emphasis is on a connected-to-nature experience. Wifi available. This site offers an unforgettable escape, blending traditional outdoor life with coastal charm.
Pets
Electrical hookup
Campfires
from 
£17
 / night

6. Quaint Farm in a National Park

100%
(26)
136km from Northampton · 2 units · Glamping
Our 17 acre Farm is set deep within the beautiful South Downs National Park on the outskirts of the quiet village of Milland (near Liphook) in rural West Sussex (close to its border with Hampshire and Surrey). We have direct access to an excellent bridleway and footpath network through peaceful open countryside and quiet lanes as well as being on the Serpent Tail and close to the South Downs Way.​ Our Glamping Pod and Shepherd's Hut are available to book all year round. We also offer stabling if you would like to take your horses or ponies on holiday with you! Milland village (0.8 miles) has the Rising Sun pub, serving great food and drink, and Milland Stores, which stocks all your essential fresh and local produce as well as having a small cafe.
Showers
Campfires
Wifi
from 
£125
 / night

8. The Old Vicarage

79%
(17)
114km from Northampton · 6 units · Tents, Glamping
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

Camper favorites near Northampton

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

The best campsites near Northampton with horseback riding guide

Where to go

Pitsford Water

Just north of Northampton, this reservoir offers a range of outdoor activities including hiking, fishing, sailing, and birdwatching. While there is no campsite at Pitsford Water itself, suitable day-time camping can be found for campers in motorhomes who can stop to enjoy the setting en route to an overnight campsite. Explore the meadows, grassland, and woodlands while still being close to Northampton city.

Fotheringhay Castle

Northeast of Northampton, on the outskirts of the neighbouring city of Peterborough, is a ruined 12th-century castle site. It’s near the village of Fortheringhay, offering an almost-wild-camping experience. A couple of safari-style tents are available on farmland, as are limited caravan sites, but campers must bring most of their own supplies, including water for showering. Campers can paddleboard, kayak, or swim at the River Nene.

Milton Keynes

Less than 30 minutes’ drive south of Northampton, Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire is renowned for its grid-like plan and greenery. Here, campers don’t need to go beyond town to find somewhere to stay, as campsites, cabins, and farm stays all sit within Milton Keynes. With 15 lakes and 11 miles of canals, the area is a great spot for campers who enjoy boating and other water sports.

When to go

The best time to camp in and around Northampton is in the warmer months, between May and September, when camping in a tent or unheated vehicle is most comfortable. The East Midlands experience mild summers with long days, plus cold winters with occasional snow, when many caravan parks and other camping facilities close for the season. If you want to brave the cold, cabins and more permanent structures may be available.