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Campsites in North Wessex Downs AONB

Discover and book the best camping, glamping, caravan parks, and more.

United Kingdom
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England
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North Wessex Downs AONB

Best camping, glamping, and outdoor stays in North Wessex Downs AONB

Hillside hikes, canal cruises, and ancient monuments are among the highlights of this AONB.

Top-rated stays

97%

(18)

The Real Campsite at Park Farm

9 units · Tents2 acres · Faringdon, OxfordshireBack-to-basics camping in rural Oxfordshire with big views

Marshwood Farm Camping

10 units · Glamping, Tents1 acre · Dinton, WiltshireQuiet, family-friendly camping and glamping on a farm in rolling Wiltshire countryside

75 units · Glamping, Motorhomes, Tents1 acre · Charlbury, OxfordshireSimple camping surrounded by all the delicious Oxfordshire and Cotswolds village food offerings

Croft Cottage Camping

12 units · Motorhomes, Tents1 acre · Fordingbridge, HampshireSmall-time camping with a family-friendly buzz, a walk away from the beautiful New Forest

Big Skies Cotswold Glamping

12 units · Glamping, Tents2 acres · Cheltenham, GloucestershireBell tent glamping with campfires and great views in the Cotswolds

Camping in Nature at Vallis Veg

15 units · Tents18 acres · Frome, SomersetBack-to-basics, natural camping with campfires encouraged and easy walks to the local attractions in Frome

Glamping at Parley by PitchingIt

12 units · Glamping1 acre · ENGSet on the Parley Estate near Bournemouth, with a Georgian mansion sitting in four-acres of lovely Dorset parkland, Glamping at Parley by PitchingIt offers pre-erected bell tents on level grass meadows. No fuss, no puzzling tent poles to mess around with. Just arrive on site, move in and your holiday has started. Local attractions and activities include: - Bournemouth Beach & town centre for shops and restaurants 5min drive - Golf: on site 18 hole course and driving range! - Local pub short 10 min walk - Adventure Wonderland (kids’ theme park): five minutes’ drive - Snowtrax Alpine Activity Centre: 10 minutes - Go Ape Moors Valley (tree-top zipwires): 15 minutes - Bournemouth Beach: 15 minutes - Splashdown (water park): 20 minutes - Moors Valley Country Park and Forest: 20 minutes - Mudeford Sandbank: 20 minutes - Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum: 20 minutes - Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park: 25 minutes.

35 units · Glamping, Motorhomes, Tents4 acres · Apperley, GloucestershireHilltop camping and glamping with good food, good views – and a swimming pool

12 units · Glamping, Tents59 acres · Dorchester, DorsetNearly wild camping in a vast Dorset woodland

Woodland Tipi & Yurt Holidays

11 units · Glamping17 acres · Herefordshire, HerefordshireLuxury yurt and tipi camping in a magical woodland setting

18 units · Glamping, Motorhomes, Tents3 acres · Crewkerne, SomersetA small, quiet, eco-friendly campsite on a working sheep farm

41 units · Glamping2 acres · Sawbridgeworth, HertfordshireBeautiful natural lakes glamping site in East Hertfordshire surrounded by farm and fields. The site has one area for glamping and another for camping guests who bring their own tent. There are showers, toilets and mobile washing up sinks in the fields and cold drinking water, as well as kitchen facilities and a BBQ at each glamping unit. Each bell tent has firepits in the open field but not in the wooded areas. It's a 10-minute drive into Sawbridgeworth (or a lovely gentle half-hour walk beside the River Stort following the Stort Valley Way). In town, take a look around the Tudor House Gallery (01279 600112), gathering treats for yourself from the gift shop, or visit some of the many antique shops in the town. If activities are more your style, then you can make use of the various riding stables that are dotted around Sawbridgeworth and Harlow. Hoskins Farm Riding Stables (01279722165) is less than 10 minutes' drive away and caters for all experience levels. The art gallery, Parndon Mill (01279426042) is also nearby taking just over 10 minutes to reach, they have lots of arts and crafts exhibitions and also host various art classes throughout the week. There are several good pubs within walking distance of Glamping at Redricks. The Moorhen (01279 423066) is over a half-hour walk away – casual and relaxed and good for families with kids, you can enjoy their wide range of beers, wines and dinner options in their sunny beer garden. Half an hour's walk will also get you to The Plume of Feathers (01279 424154), where they have a new stone-baked pizza oven and a patio with an outdoor bar, and The Dusty Miller (01279424180) – both are in nearby Gilston.

from

£120

/ night

Outdoor stays for every style

Find your new favourite spot.

Miles of rolling countryside await in the North Wessex Downs, but this AONB also has plenty of surprises up its sleeve. White chalk horses gaze down from the hillsides, ancient stone circles lie in the valleys, and lively market towns pepper the riverside. Explore the natural landscapes on foot, by bike, or on horseback; cruise the canals by boat or kayak; or escape to a tranquil campsite by the waterfront or in the forest. May through September is the most pleasant time for camping, but the weather can be temperamental even in summer, so pack for all-seasons.

Where to Go

Wiltshire

Most of the North Wessex Downs lie within Wiltshire, where you can hike, cycle, or horseback ride across open chalklands. Visit the UNESCO-listed Avebury stone circle, explore the Great West Way heritage trail, or marvel at the Wiltshire White Horses, giant chalk drawings etched onto the hillsides. To the south, the world-famous Stonehenge is an easy detour, and there are more hiking opportunities in the surrounding Salisbury Plains.

Hampshire

Downton Abbey fans won’t want to miss a visit to Highclere Castle—the real-life Downton Abbey—in the southeast corner of North Wessex Downs. Explore the surrounding farmlands by bike, stop off at pretty Hampshire villages, or stay at quiet country campgrounds. To the south, the cathedral city of Winchester and the New Forest National Park are less than an hour’s drive.

Berkshire

Newbury and Reading are the gateways to the eastern downlands, where the hillside towns are dotted with thatched-roof cottages and traditional pubs. Take a leisurely boat cruise along the Kent & Avon Canal, stop to browse the markets in Hungerford, or hike the 20-mile Lambourn Valley Way.

Oxfordshire

The northern borders of the North Wessex Downs spill over into Oxfordshire, where highlights include the market town of Wantage and the Uffington White Horse. Continue north to visit the university city of Oxford or take a road trip along the winding country lanes of the Cotswolds, another AONB.