Camping in North Wessex Downs AONB

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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.

95% (2.1K) • 4,457 campsites

Top-rated campgrounds in North Wessex Downs AONB

Penn Meadow Farm

1. Penn Meadow Farm

91%
(294)
Beaconsfield, England · 50 units · Tents, Motorhomes
Penn Meadow Farm is a beautiful 145 acre, family farm, nestled perfectly into the Chiltern Hills area of outstanding natural beauty. We’re just a 5 minute walk across our grassy fields to the oldest free-house pub in England (The Royal Standard of England) Say hello to our resident alpacas, sheep, pigs, pigmy goats, flock of 250 sheep and of course our lovely boarder collies. We aim to be a very relaxed spot to be able to rest for a few nights and maybe enjoying a nice camp fire in the evening. The site includes; Showers and Toilet block with toilet paper stocked. Open family pitches for you to choose where you want to set up Running drinking water Shared open kitchen Fires allowed but must be off the ground BBQ's allowed To ensure everyone’s enjoyment and safety, please follow these rules: Supervise children: Always supervise your children and ensure they do not wander off alone. Clean up after yourself: Dispose of all waste properly in the designated bins and leave no trace behind. Wash any items you use and return them to where you found them. Respect other campers: Be courteous to fellow campers and respect their privacy and space. Pets: If you bring pets, ensure they are well-behaved, kept on a leash or have impeccable recall, and cleaned up after. Do not allow your pet to enter another camper's space. Quiet time: Maintain quiet hours between 10pm and 8am. All music must stop by 10pm, and noise should be minimal after 10pm. Campfires: Penn Meadow Farm allows fires; but must be kept off the ground in BBQs or firepits. Fire pits are available to rent from check in. Never leave any fires unattended and ensure they are completely extinguished when finished. Cars/vehicles: Cars and vehicles can be on the field but should move minimally and always under 8mph. Car stereos should not be used for music entertainment. We do not typically book Large non-family groups unless they are seeking a calm and peaceful stay. These groups must have authorization prior to the visit.
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Cotswolds Camping at Holycombe

2. Cotswolds Camping at Holycombe

95%
(170)
Warwickshire, England · 10 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping
Think Countryfile meets Time Team. Camping in six-acres of unspoiled Cotswold countryside, built in the grounds of a Norman castle.
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
Woodlands Camping

3. Woodlands Camping

97%
(121)
Ropley, England · 10 units · Tents, Motorhomes
A back-to-basics campsite in the South Downs National Park
Pets
Campfires
Showers
The T Barn

4. The T Barn

99%
(86)
Cirencester, England · 17 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping
Bell tents and shepherd’s huts with hot tubs on a picturesque Cotswolds farm near Cirencester
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Stockbridge View Campsite

5. Stockbridge View Campsite

94%
(116)
Stockbridge, England · 62 units · Tents, Motorhomes
A simple campsite in the Test Valley, just a 15-minute walk from Stockbridge
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Sindles Farm Glamping and Camping

6. Sindles Farm Glamping and Camping

100%
(18)
Emsworth · 9 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping
We are a small, friendly site on a working farm in the beautiful South Downs National Park. We have shepherds huts, bell tents and a land pod in an old sheep paddock, all with private fire pits. We’re surrounded by footpaths and bridleways that can be explored all day, and 10 minutes drive from the sea. We also have a small grass-pitch campsite that opens in the summer for tents and camper vans.
Pets
Showers
Potable water
Sopley Farm Camping

7. Sopley Farm Camping

96%
(12)
Christchurch, England · 15 units · Tents, Motorhomes
Our camping field is set on the grounds of a pick your own fruit and veg farm, we have acess to one end of the lake, views over it and plenty of nature. There is a small kids play and picnic tables at the farm shop and bakery. Our pods and huts are dotted around the lake shore and some in small private clearings. Situated on the edge of the New Forrest National Park and within 20 minutes of the beaches of Christchurch. There is easy access to walking and cycling. With plenty of good pubs and restaurants, some withing walking distance of the site. The farm itself is home to a farm shop and delicious bakery. So you can easily garb a coffee and pastries for breakfast. Or some local farm produce. Walking around the lake is reserved for those who wish to book our huts or pods on the lakeside to preserve their privacy and tranquility of the lake and it's nature.
Pets
Electrical hookup
Campfires
Spring Hill Wild Camping

8. Spring Hill Wild Camping

96%
(104)
Andover, England · 15 units
Spring Hill Wild Camping is a camping site set in the beautiful Hampshire village of St Mary Bourne. Within easy walking distance of the two local pubs, the well stocked village shop and a pick-your-own fruit farm with cafe and play areas. The campsite aims to be a low impact, environmentally friendly site, providing only the basic necessities for camping; well maintained toilets and clean water. If you are looking for hot showers and a pool, this is not the campsite for you. If you are looking for beautiful views, countryside walks and open fires Spring Hill Wild Camping is the campsite for you.
Campfires
Potable water
Crooked Willows Farm

9. Crooked Willows Farm

90%
(40)
Wimborne. Dorset, England · 10 units · Tents, Motorhomes
Adults-only, back-to-basics camping on a Dorset farm
Pets
Campfires
Potable water
Little Fleece at Folly Farm

10. Little Fleece at Folly Farm

100%
(74)
Newbury, England · 1 unit
A cosy and luxurious shepherds hut for two on a beautiful farm in the Wessex Downs.
Showers
Campfires
Hot Tub
Swan Island Glamping and Camping

11. Swan Island Glamping and Camping

89%
(315)
Oxfordshire, England · 38 units · Tents, Glamping
A Thames’ island campsite in the Oxfordshire countryside – with a lovely pub just over the bridge
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Quaint Farm in a National Park

12. Quaint Farm in a National Park

100%
(33)
Liphook, England · 2 units
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
Stowford Manor Farm Campsite

13. Stowford Manor Farm Campsite

87%
(54)
Trowbridge, England · 51 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping
We are a family run farm situated in the beautiful Frome valley. The farm has a range of interests from the traditional Jersey milking cows to a community of workshops used by local craftsmen. The cafe serves cream teas from Easter to the end of September and pizzas are sold in evenings during the summer months. Ours is a small family run camp site with the River Frome on one side, next to the medieval buildings of Stowford Farm. The river is suitable for fishing, boating, swimming and paddling. Historic Bradford-on-Avon is only a 5 minute drive and the City of Bath 15 minutes. For those who enjoy more rural pleasures, 200 metres from the campsite Farleigh Hungerford boasts the only river swimming club in the country, and you can become an instant member for a very small fee.
Pets
Electrical hookup
Campfires
Cotswolds Camping

14. Cotswolds Camping

87%
(174)
Charlbury, England · 56 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping
Simple camping surrounded by all the delicious Oxfordshire and Cotswolds village food offerings
Pets
Electrical hookup
Campfires
Elmwicke Camping

15. Elmwicke Camping

96%
(71)
Cheltenham, England · 50 units · Tents, Motorhomes
Family camping on a Severn Valley farm, with campfires to enjoy, animals to meet and tractor-and-trailer rides
Pets
Electrical hookup
Campfires
The Pig Place Campsite

16. The Pig Place Campsite

92%
(93)
Adderbury, England · 45 units · Tents, Motorhomes
Canal-side camping for adults on a rustic Oxfordshire pig farm
Pets
Electrical hookup
Campfires
Nordic Glamping at Botswicky

17. Nordic Glamping at Botswicky

100%
(8)
England · 4 units
Handcrafted, eco-conscious stays in harmony with nature. Tucked away in a secluded pocket of countryside, Nordic Glamping offers an off-grid retreat designed for those who seek peace, privacy and a gentler pace of life. Our four beautifully handcrafted yurts sit within ten acres of unspoilt organic hay and wildflower meadow surrounded by ancient woodland, thick hedgerows, a bubbling stream, a weather-led newt pond and charming little bridges. There is a lot to explore! This untouched, undulating landscape is home to thoughtfully designed, eco-friendly facilities: composting toilets, hot copper-headed showers, fresh running chalk stream filtered water and a covered kitchen and dining area. Shaded spaces for gathering or unwinding allow you to unwind and disconnect in nature comfortably. Each yurt has been handcrafted by ourselves and contains everything you need for a cosy stay on site. Our handmade beds have comfortable mattresses and are dressed with organic cotton or linen bedding, wool blankets and super soft pillows. Everything here is off-grid for a low as impact to nature as possible - although a reliable 4G signal is on hand for those absolutely necessary connections ;-) Nordic Glamping shares Botswicky Copse with award-winning organic farmer Helen Browning. Together, we’re committed to working with the land and not against it - ensuring its vitality for generations to come. We’re proud members of the Greener Camping Club, which helps support more sustainable, low-impact camping in the UK. To stay with us, we kindly ask that one person per booking is, or becomes, a member. A seasonal membership is just £12 and supports our shared vision of responsible travel and eco-conscious living. (*Existing members do not need to pay again.)
Pets
Showers
Campfires
Lepe Beach Campsite

18. Lepe Beach Campsite

89%
(149)
New Forest, England · 20 units
Traditional tent camping with views of the Solent and Isle of Wight. Oh and did we mention it's only 150 yards from the beach!?
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
Wingbury Farm Glamping

19. Wingbury Farm Glamping

98%
(26)
Aylesbury, England · 3 units
Modern pod glamping with hot tubs in a quiet Buckinghamshire meadow
Showers
Campfires
Hot Tub
The Old Airfield

20. The Old Airfield

85%
(143)
Burley, England · 114 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping
A New Forest airfield that's been overtaken by nature, less than 10 minutes' drive from the coast
Pets
Campfires
Showers

Recent reviews from the Hipcamp community

North Wessex Downs AONB camping guide

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

In North Wessex Downs AONB, you can 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. You can also explore different options for camping near North Wessex Downs AONB on Hipcamp.

In North Wessex Downs AONB, the world-famous Stonehenge is an easy detour, and there are more hiking opportunities in the surrounding Salisbury Plains. 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. 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.

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

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