Riverside camping near Kelso

The border town of Kelso has historic appeal and adventure on its doorstep.

96% (28 reviews)
96% (28 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Kelso

Star Hosts in Kelso

Under £50

12 top river, stream, or creek campsites near Kelso

98%
(91)

Walkmill Campsite

10 units · Motorhomes, Tents10 acres · Northumberland, North East England
Refreshingly understated private camping in the unspoiled Northumberland countryside
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£25
 / night
79%
(7)

West Highland Way Hotel & Campsite

46 units · Glamping, Motorhomes, Tents10 acres · Glasgow, Lanarkshire, South Scotland
A welcoming campsite on the West Highland Way
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£30
 / night
100%
(19)

Camping at Cardewlees

37 units · Glamping, Motorhomes, Tents1 acre · Carlisle, England
A welcoming, family-run farm campsite between the Lake District and Hadrian's Wall
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£20
 / night
93%
(23)

Culdees Castle Estate Glamping

5 units · Glamping, Motorhomes17 acres · Perthshire , Scotland
Luxury woodland cabins, each with a private hot tub, in the grounds of a Scottish castle
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£25
 / night
100%
(3)

Cleghorn Farm

11 units · Glamping, Tents250 acres · Lanark, Scotland
*PLEASE NOTE THAT WE ARE ONLY OPEN FOR WEEKEND BOOKINGS FOR CAMPING. THE CABIN IS AVAILABLE FOR MIDWEEK BOOKINGS* 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.
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£10
 / night
Booked 4 times

Nearly-wild camping @ Heggs Farm

1 unit · Tent136 acres · Reeth, England
Get back to basics and immerse yourself in the joy of simple living with a nearly-wild camping experience @ Heggs Farm, Arkengarthdale--part of a collaborative, 200-acre renaturing project, spanning the northern tip of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Stretching from the wooded banks of the Arkle Beck, up to the dizzying heights of Fremington Edge, our site is a wonderfully biodiverse and off-the-beaten path spot, offering adventure-loving families and small groups the chance to unplug completely, and get a taste of no-frills camping, the way mother nature intended. What's more, every booking is for exclusive use of the camping area by you and your group, guaranteeing you a truly unique (and undisturbed) experience. Why Heggs? Get a taste of 'wild-camping' with a few bare bones facilities: Pitch up where you like, make the most of a private firepit cooking area, and enjoy our compost loo with a view. Our remote, no-frills site is the perfect intro to simple living; yet sits close enough to 'civilisation' to hike out for picnic supplies, and/or a pub dinner. Reconnect with nature through wholesome, unplugged activities: Fill your days with poo sticks, pebble skimming, and foraging for kindling. Spend your evenings playing scrabble by torchlight, identifying owl calls, and marvelling at the constellations in our Dark Skies conservation area. No wifi = no distractions. Explore endless routes right from the doorstep: Arkengarthdale is one of the Dales' most beautiful yet undiscovered valleys. Multiple bridleways and footpaths connect Heggs to Reeth and Langthwaite, running along both sides of the Arkle Beck, and up the slopes of Fremington Edge. Part of the adventure is getting here: Our walk/cycle-in-only camping area is all part of the magic of our tucked-away site. Free bag transfer is available to our farmhouse from the nearest roadside parking spot (20 mins walk); or from the public parking areas in Reeth or Langthwaite (40 mins walk). From the farmhouse, the camping area lies a further 200m along a rough grass track. NB Limited parking for 4WD vehicles is available on site, 7-8mins walk from the camping area along the public footpath. Please note we cannot accept campervans or trailer tents. Every stay plants trees, literally: All profits from nearly-wild camping support our ongoing habitat restoration as part of the Heggs-Castle renaturing cluster. Enjoy the 'feel-good' factor as you roam free across the site and explore our latest woodland creation areas. Find out more at heggscastlecluster.org. What's included/provided with my booking? -Exclusive use of the camping area for you and your group (up to a max of 8 people), including compost loo and firepit with grill. -Access to weatherproof cow byre HQ for storage of camping equipment, including bikes. -1 x wheelbarrow load of firewood, with kindling and natural firelighters (more can be bought on site). -Unlimited potable water in canisters with taps. -Large Ghillie Kettle, firepit cooking utensils and heatproof gloves, biodegradable washing up liquid, washing up bowl, tea towels, first aid kit, fire extinguisher. -Bag transfer from/to the nearest roadside or public parking place on arrival and departure. Please pack everything else you need to sleep, cook (portable gas stoves welcome), eat, and keep yourself and your equipment safe; remembering that you’ll have to carry your own gear for the last 200m to the cow byre, and then beyond to wherever you pitch up. Note too that the site is completely unlit after dark, there are no charging facilities, and phone signal can be spotty. Headtorches, camping lanterns, and portable battery chargers are all strongly recommended. Where can I stock up? Our local businesses would love your support! Award winning bread, cafe-quality ready meals, and Thursday night pizzas can be pre-ordered for collection at Two Dales Bakery; the Bike Centre is known for its incredible cake selection (and excellent rental service); Reeth Post Office sells the usual camping cupboard staples, as well as local milk, cheese and sausages; and Reeth's Friday morning market has all your meat, cheese, and fruit and veg supplies covered. For dining out, there are five pubs within easy-ish walking/cycling distance: The CB Inn, The Bridge Inn, The Black Bull, The King's Arms and The Buck. Ramsay’s Fish and Chip Van also visits Reeth between 4-6pm every Friday evening; you’ll find it parked up in Langhorne Drive. Finished reading and not sure it's for you? Search for our off-grid annexe on AirBnB for simple, off-grid living with a few creature comforts e.g. hot running water, a bed and a bath. This can also be booked in tandem with our nearly-wild camping area, subject to availability.
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£45
 / night

Garden Yurt in a hidden glen

1 unit · Glamping1 acre · England
A cosy, romantic getaway. Unwind and reconnect, surrounded by nature and amazing dark skies. The spacious, well-equipped yurt is tucked away in a large private home garden in a beautiful glen, with Scaur Water just over the road. The Yurt at Craignee is a cosy, off-grid retreat, with wood burner and garden area, surrounded by peace and wildlife. Enjoy lots of home comforts with an extra dash of adventure! #bbcwildlife60places winner STL Number: DG01053P
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£94
 / night

Lake District Herdwick Huts

5 units · Glamping2 acres · Rydal, England
You will not find a more stunning place to stay and explore within the UK. Set in the very heart of the Lake District National Park, there is good reason why this magnificent location inspired the poet William Wordsworth to commit some of his most world-renowned poetry to paper. These beautiful huts are nestled underneath the Fairfield horseshoe mountain range and Nab scar, so there is no need to drive anywhere for the finest mountain hikes. With Rydal Lake, a wild swimmers hot spot, and waterfalls and plunge pools on site, it really is hard to beat! You will not find a more stunning place to stay and explore within the UK. Set in the very heart of the Lake District National Park, there is good reason why this magnificent location inspired the poet William Wordsworth to commit some of his most world-renowned poetry to paper. Grasmere is on the doorstep, voted one of the top places to visit in the Lake District, with the famous '‘Coffin route’ walk offering a spectacular lake and mountain view stroll straight from your hut door. With low level to high level walks exploring the Lakes from Rydal caters for everyone. Ambleside and Grasmere are both walking distance for cafes, restaurants and cinemas and Rydal offers scenic off-road strolls to arrive by. Each with fresh linen, wood burning stove and cast iron gas hob, you are sure to be comfortable even in the thick of winter.
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£110
 / night
100%
(16)

The Black Swan

3 units · Glamping1 acre · Kirkby Stephen, England
Our three, brand new wood and canvas yurts are nestled in our private, woodland hotel garden beside the beautiful conservation (SSSI) river of Scandal Beck. Just a short drive from The Lake District, The Yorkshire and Durham Dales as well as The Scottish Border, we are perfectly located for you to explore. The yurts themselves are individually decorated with full size furniture, electricity and double beds. The yurts are all located in the garden of The Black Swan Hotel, Ravenstonedale, a multi award-winning hotel, restaurant and bar; recipient of 2 AA Rosettes as well as AA pub of the year for England 2018/19. As part of your stay in our yurts you will receive a full cooked breakfast and buffet option included in the price for 2 people in our hotel restaurant. We like to think of ourselves as a cosy home from home with a relaxed dining atmosphere throughout. We are very dog friendly in the hotel, restaurant, bar and yurts so please bring your furry family members. Our beautiful woodland is also home to red squirrels (which are seen daily), protected, freshwater crayfish in the river, an otter (seen very infrequently but the nemesis of our ducks), 6 Indian runner ducks, free range chickens and our two cockerels! (Dogs are very welcome but are to be kept on a lead whilst in the woodland itself). We are very dog friendly and charge an additional fee of £15 for 1 dog/ £20 for 2 dogs for an additional cleaning fee and for some dog friendly goodies such as poop bags and treats. The price of this yurt is based on an occupancy of 2 people. Any other people who will be staying on the sofa bed will add a charge of £40 per person per night for breakfast and their stay. All yurts come with electrical battery pack, chargeable lanterns, tea/coffee, homemade biscuits, log burning stoves, towels, full breakfast included from the hotel, an outdoor seating area and access to our outdoor toasty warm woodland shower as well as our very cute, wooden toilet cabin. Hairdryers are available in the hotel for your use.
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£170
 / night
83%
(3)

Smardale Mill Shepods The Ash

3 units · Glamping1 acre · Hawes, North Yorkshire, North East England
Smardale Mill Shepods are the perfect place to escape, unwind and relax. These modern style shepherds huts are tucked away in an idyllic setting in Cumbria. Situated on a working family farm there is always plenty to see and do. Each shepod sleeps two comfortably with the option of a further two guests on the sofa bed.
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£90
 / night
100%
(1)

Derecroft Glamping Luxury Pods

1 unit · Glamping40 acres · Derecroft, England
Super-spacious glamping pods with hot tubs in County Durham
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£194
 / night
100%
(2)

Ayrshire Airstream

1 unit · Glamping5 acres · Irvine, Scotland
A seriously comfortable 1978 Airstream, complete with a hot tub, fire pit and its own bar.
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£220
 / night

Dog-friendly getaways

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Riverside camping near Kelso guide

Overview

Nestled in the heart of the Scottish Borders, just a stone’s throw from the Scotland-England border, Kelso is a vibrant town set picturesquely at the meeting of the Tweed and Teviot Rivers. As is typical of border towns, Kelso is steeped in dramatic history, much of it centred around the now-ruined, though once powerful, Roxburgh Castle where James II met his fate. Today, the grand, and still inhabited, Floors Castle is the main attraction and is worth a visit to explore the fine art collection and wander the grounds’ woodland, riverside trail and Victorian walled garden or let the children play in the enclosed adventure playground. 

Where to go

Jedburgh

A 20-minute drive southwest of Kelso, Jebdurgh is another historic border town that’s worth a visit for its picturesque town centre and association with Mary Queen of Scots. Just outside of the town, the small Jedburgh Camping and Caravanning Club Site has pitches for tents, caravans and campervans.

Hawick

West of Jedburgh, Hawick is famed for its textile heritage, particularly its knitwear and cashmere. It’s equally famed for the Common Ridings, a spectacle of horsemanship held annually  in early summer. Between Hawick and Jedburgh, Wild Woods Camping Ruberslaw offers a variety of pitches for tent campers, including semi-wild pitches and pitches inside the site’s walled garden.

Lauder

A 30-minute drive north of Kelso, the small village of Lauder sits on the edge of the Lammermuir Hills, providing walkers and cyclists opportunities to explore the network of paths around the hills. The Southern Upland Way long distance walking route also passes by the town. The Lauder Camping and Caravanning Club Site has pitches for tents and tourers, as well as a selection of timber chalets.

When to go

The Scottish Borders is a great region to visit all year-round: unlike better-known destinations, such as Edinburgh and the Isle of Skye, it rarely suffers from crowds in the summer months. It also doesn’t experience as harsh climates as more northerly parts of the country. July and August are ideal for enjoying long days and (hopefully) sunny weather. This is also the time of the Common Ridings, which take place in several border towns. 

Know before you go

  • If you choose to wild camp, be sure to adhere to the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. Note that while wild camping is permitted in Scotland, it is illegal just over the border in England.
  • While you can get around by using public buses, having your own transport offers more flexibility. The closest train station is Tweedbank, which is a 45-minute bus journey away.
  • There are a few small supermarkets in Kelso where you will find the essentials. For bigger purchases, head for Tweedbank.

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