Campsites for hikers in Grey Mare's Tail Nature Reserve

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Nestled in the Moffat Hills, in Scotland’s Southern Uplands, the frothing waterfall of Grey Mare’s Tail is one of Britain’s highest, plunging around 200 feet (60 meters) from Loch Skeen down into the Moffat Water Valley. Created by glacial erosion over millions of years, the dramatic surrounding landscape is a designated nature reserve where outdoor enthusiasts can summit the peaks of Lochcraig Head and White Coomb for views extending as far as the Lake District over the English border. Wildlife enthusiasts are also drawn here to spot nesting peregrine falcons, feral goats roaming the hills and (with luck) ospreys fishing in the loch. While there are no private campgrounds within the reserve, wild camping is an option for respectful visitors following the Outdoor Access Code, and the Moffat Camping and Caravanning Site offers comfortable facilities a 20 minute drive away.

99% (192) 243 campsites

Top-rated campgrounds in Grey Mare's Tail Nature Reserve

Camping at Cardewlees

1. Camping at Cardewlees

99%
(47)
Carlisle, England · 37 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping
A welcoming, family-run farm campsite between the Lake District and Hadrian's Wall
Pets
Electrical hookup
Campfires
from 
£16
 / night
Howbeck Lodge

2. Howbeck Lodge

94%
(27)
Hesket Newmarket, England · 29 units · Tents, Motorhomes
A dog-friendly farm campsite on the northern edge of the Lake District
Pets
Showers
Water hookup
from 
£30
 / night
Cleghorn Farm

3. Cleghorn Farm

100%
(11)
Lanark, Scotland · 15 units · Tents, Glamping
*PLEASE NOTE THE CABIN IS AVAILABLE FOR MIDWEEK AND WEEKEND BOOKINGS. CAMPING WILL RETURN IN SPRING 2026.* Cleghorn Farm is a mixed farm just north east of the market town of Lanark. Comprised of 250 acres of fields and woodland and bounded to the south by Mouse Water, it is a beautiful spot to get away from it all without having to leave it all behind if you don't want to. The fields are grazed and cultivated but the woodlands are much as they were at the end of the last ice age with spectacular walks along Cleghorn Glen with the chance to see badgers, bats, deer and all manner of birds among the towering pine and beech trees. The Mouse Water (pronounced moose) tumbles down along the edge of the farm and has some glorious pools for swimming, shallows for paddling and some spectacular water falls before it joins the River Clyde.
Pets
Campfires
Potable water
from 
£10
 / night
Broom Fisheries Campsite

4. Broom Fisheries Campsite

Newbie, Scotland · 4 units
Luxury caravans ideally situated next to picturesque Scottish fishing lakes
Pets
Showers
Hot Tub
from 
£167
 / night
Otter Moss Accommodation

5. Otter Moss Accommodation

100%
(8)
Brampton, England · 4 units
Otter Moss Accommodation offers a variety of upscale camping options suitable for couples, families, and groups. Nestled within a picturesque 12-acre former farm, the majority of the site surrounds a spacious meadow. Additionally, the site boasts a charming small lake featuring three islands and a rowing boat for leisurely water activities. Situated at the northern edge of the stunning Eden Valley, guests can enjoy sweeping views of the Cumbrian Fells, with visibility extending to the Solway Firth and the Lake District on clear days. The Lake District is a convenient 40-minute drive away, while various sections of Hadrian's Wall are even closer, reachable within a 15-minute drive. Carlisle and the M6 motorway to Scotland are both just 20 minutes away, with the picturesque market town of Brampton also within a 15-minute drive and offering its own attractions. Local pubs are plentiful in the area, with a diverse selection available within a five-mile radius. Accommodation units at Otter Moss come equipped with heating, kitchen utensils, and stoves, ensuring guests' comfort and convenience. Each unit also includes firepits or barbecues, as well as bedding and towels for a hassle-free stay.
Pets
Showers
Campfires
from 
£85
 / night
Hadrian's Wall Country Yurts

6. Hadrian's Wall Country Yurts

100%
(13)
Brampton, England · 2 units
Two yurts with hot tubs in the Cumbrian countryside just a mile away from Hadrian’s Wall
Pets
Showers
Campfires
from 
£210
 / night
Cairn Meadow Pods

7. Cairn Meadow Pods

99%
(42)
Cumwhitton, England · 4 units
Glamping pods in Cumbria's secluded Eden Valley with views of the Pennines
Pets
Showers
Potable water
from 
£98
 / night
Beirhope Alpacas

8. Beirhope Alpacas

98%
(137)
Kelso, Scotland · 11 units
A small, off-grid campsite with alpacas in the historically rich southern Scottish borders
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£20
 / night
Pirnie Lodge Farm

9. Pirnie Lodge Farm

100%
(2)
Slamannan, Scotland · 3 units
Lodges with hot tubs in peaceful countryside near Falkirk
Pets
Showers
Hot Tub
from 
£152
 / night
Garrison Shepherd's Huts

10. Garrison Shepherd's Huts

100%
(2)
Bowness On Solway, England · 4 units
Shepherd’s hut glamping near Hadrian’s Wall and the Solway Firth.
Pets
Showers
Hot Tub
from 
£100
 / night
Dod Mill Fishing Hut

11. Dod Mill Fishing Hut

Lauder, Scotland · 1 unit
Artistic riverside cabins in the grounds of a 17th-century watermill
Pets
Showers
Campfires
from 
£150
 / night
Esk Yurt

12. Esk Yurt

100%
(5)
Peebles, Scotland · 1 unit
Adult only yurt glamping in the Scottish Borders with exceptional views, hiking trails, and wild swimming
Showers
Potable water
from 
£130
 / night
Craigend Farm

13. Craigend Farm

Dumfries, Scotland · 2 units
Smart glamping pods on the rural outskirts of Dumfries
Showers
Wifi
Potable water
from 
£115
 / night

Nestled in the Moffat Hills, in Scotland’s Southern Uplands, the frothing waterfall of Grey Mare’s Tail is one of Britain’s highest, plunging around 200 feet (60 meters) from Loch Skeen down into the Moffat Water Valley. Created by glacial erosion over millions of years, the dramatic surrounding landscape is a designated nature reserve where outdoor enthusiasts can summit the peaks of Lochcraig Head and White Coomb for views extending as far as the Lake District over the English border. Wildlife enthusiasts are also drawn here to spot nesting peregrine falcons, feral goats roaming the hills and (with luck) ospreys fishing in the loch. While there are no private campgrounds within the reserve, wild camping is an option for respectful visitors following the Outdoor Access Code, and the Moffat Camping and Caravanning Site offers comfortable facilities a 20 minute drive away.

99% (192) 243 campsites

Top-rated campgrounds in Grey Mare's Tail Nature Reserve

Camping at Cardewlees

1. Camping at Cardewlees

99%
(47)
Carlisle, England · 37 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping
A welcoming, family-run farm campsite between the Lake District and Hadrian's Wall
Pets
Electrical hookup
Campfires
from 
£16
 / night
Howbeck Lodge

2. Howbeck Lodge

94%
(27)
Hesket Newmarket, England · 29 units · Tents, Motorhomes
A dog-friendly farm campsite on the northern edge of the Lake District
Pets
Showers
Water hookup
from 
£30
 / night
Cleghorn Farm

3. Cleghorn Farm

100%
(11)
Lanark, Scotland · 15 units · Tents, Glamping
*PLEASE NOTE THE CABIN IS AVAILABLE FOR MIDWEEK AND WEEKEND BOOKINGS. CAMPING WILL RETURN IN SPRING 2026.* Cleghorn Farm is a mixed farm just north east of the market town of Lanark. Comprised of 250 acres of fields and woodland and bounded to the south by Mouse Water, it is a beautiful spot to get away from it all without having to leave it all behind if you don't want to. The fields are grazed and cultivated but the woodlands are much as they were at the end of the last ice age with spectacular walks along Cleghorn Glen with the chance to see badgers, bats, deer and all manner of birds among the towering pine and beech trees. The Mouse Water (pronounced moose) tumbles down along the edge of the farm and has some glorious pools for swimming, shallows for paddling and some spectacular water falls before it joins the River Clyde.
Pets
Campfires
Potable water
from 
£10
 / night
Broom Fisheries Campsite

4. Broom Fisheries Campsite

Newbie, Scotland · 4 units
Luxury caravans ideally situated next to picturesque Scottish fishing lakes
Pets
Showers
Hot Tub
from 
£167
 / night
Otter Moss Accommodation

5. Otter Moss Accommodation

100%
(8)
Brampton, England · 4 units
Otter Moss Accommodation offers a variety of upscale camping options suitable for couples, families, and groups. Nestled within a picturesque 12-acre former farm, the majority of the site surrounds a spacious meadow. Additionally, the site boasts a charming small lake featuring three islands and a rowing boat for leisurely water activities. Situated at the northern edge of the stunning Eden Valley, guests can enjoy sweeping views of the Cumbrian Fells, with visibility extending to the Solway Firth and the Lake District on clear days. The Lake District is a convenient 40-minute drive away, while various sections of Hadrian's Wall are even closer, reachable within a 15-minute drive. Carlisle and the M6 motorway to Scotland are both just 20 minutes away, with the picturesque market town of Brampton also within a 15-minute drive and offering its own attractions. Local pubs are plentiful in the area, with a diverse selection available within a five-mile radius. Accommodation units at Otter Moss come equipped with heating, kitchen utensils, and stoves, ensuring guests' comfort and convenience. Each unit also includes firepits or barbecues, as well as bedding and towels for a hassle-free stay.
Pets
Showers
Campfires
from 
£85
 / night
Hadrian's Wall Country Yurts

6. Hadrian's Wall Country Yurts

100%
(13)
Brampton, England · 2 units
Two yurts with hot tubs in the Cumbrian countryside just a mile away from Hadrian’s Wall
Pets
Showers
Campfires
from 
£210
 / night
Cairn Meadow Pods

7. Cairn Meadow Pods

99%
(42)
Cumwhitton, England · 4 units
Glamping pods in Cumbria's secluded Eden Valley with views of the Pennines
Pets
Showers
Potable water
from 
£98
 / night
Beirhope Alpacas

8. Beirhope Alpacas

98%
(137)
Kelso, Scotland · 11 units
A small, off-grid campsite with alpacas in the historically rich southern Scottish borders
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£20
 / night
Pirnie Lodge Farm

9. Pirnie Lodge Farm

100%
(2)
Slamannan, Scotland · 3 units
Lodges with hot tubs in peaceful countryside near Falkirk
Pets
Showers
Hot Tub
from 
£152
 / night
Garrison Shepherd's Huts

10. Garrison Shepherd's Huts

100%
(2)
Bowness On Solway, England · 4 units
Shepherd’s hut glamping near Hadrian’s Wall and the Solway Firth.
Pets
Showers
Hot Tub
from 
£100
 / night
Dod Mill Fishing Hut

11. Dod Mill Fishing Hut

Lauder, Scotland · 1 unit
Artistic riverside cabins in the grounds of a 17th-century watermill
Pets
Showers
Campfires
from 
£150
 / night
Esk Yurt

12. Esk Yurt

100%
(5)
Peebles, Scotland · 1 unit
Adult only yurt glamping in the Scottish Borders with exceptional views, hiking trails, and wild swimming
Showers
Potable water
from 
£130
 / night
Craigend Farm

13. Craigend Farm

Dumfries, Scotland · 2 units
Smart glamping pods on the rural outskirts of Dumfries
Showers
Wifi
Potable water
from 
£115
 / night

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Campsites for hikers in Grey Mare's Tail Nature Reserve guide

When to go

Grey Mare’s Tail Nature Reserve is open to visitors all year round. Spring and summer are the best times to visit the Southern Uplands as the weather is typically at its best and daylight hours are long. As with everywhere in Scotland, the summer school holidays draw the biggest number of visitors.

Know before you go

  • There is a small entry fee, which is paid at the car park (admission is free for National Trust for Scotland members.
  • Interpretation panels in the car park provide useful visitor information.
  • The nearest bathroom facilities are five miles away at St Mary’s Loch.
  • There is no public transit access to the reserve: your own vehicle is essential.
  • Even in summer, the weather can quickly change. Warm, waterproof clothing and sturdy walking boots are essential.
  • If wild camping, be sure to follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.