The best campsites in The Great Trossachs Forest National Nature Reserve with horseback riding

Part of the wider Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, this pocket of wilderness, just one hour north of Glasgow, offers front-door access into the mountainscapes and storied lochs of central Scotland. The nature reserve is rich in biodiversity, with the land shifting from thick copses of oak, birch, and Scots pine into open heathland and exposed higher slopes full of deer. That backdrop provides a blank canvas for outdoor activities, including hiking and mountain biking, while the park’s mirror-clear lochs Katrine and Venacher are ideally set up for canoeing, kayaking, standup paddleboarding, and fishing. Campsites in the area offer lochside glamping pods and woodland pitches.

91% (48)

Top-rated campgrounds

Part of the wider Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, this pocket of wilderness, just one hour north of Glasgow, offers front-door access into the mountainscapes and storied lochs of central Scotland. The nature reserve is rich in biodiversity, with the land shifting from thick copses of oak, birch, and Scots pine into open heathland and exposed higher slopes full of deer. That backdrop provides a blank canvas for outdoor activities, including hiking and mountain biking, while the park’s mirror-clear lochs Katrine and Venacher are ideally set up for canoeing, kayaking, standup paddleboarding, and fishing. Campsites in the area offer lochside glamping pods and woodland pitches.

91% (48)

Top-rated campgrounds

1. Culdees Castle Estate Glamping

88%

(25)

5 units · Glamping · Perthshire , Scotland

Luxury woodland cabins, each with a private hot tub, in the grounds of a Scottish castle

2. Cleghorn Farm

100%

(11)

15 units · Tents, Glamping · Lanark, Scotland

*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.

3. West Highland Way Hotel & Campsite

82%

(36)

46 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Glasgow, Lanarkshire, South Scotland

A welcoming campsite on the West Highland Way

4. Muiredge

100%

(16)

8 units · Glamping · Perth and Kinross, Central Scotland

Rural glamping in a converted railway carriage, shepherd's hut, or bell tent in blissful Scotland

5. Craigmarloch Lodge

100%

(2)

1 unit · Glamping · Glasgow, Scotland

A high-end glamping cabin with a hot tub on the edge of the Highlands

6. Ayrshire Airstream

100%

(2)

1 unit · Glamping · Irvine, Scotland

A seriously comfortable 1978 Airstream, complete with a hot tub, fire pit and its own bar.

Stories from the community

A

Andrew

3 weeks ago

2 nights at Cleghorn Farm

Friendly and welcoming environment! Nice place if you’re needing to get off the grid a bit.

P

Paul

August 2025

Weekend Trip to Cleghorn Farm

The beautiful cabin is in a lovely quiet private space. There are nice views across to the hills particularly when sat by the firepit. Alex and Lauren made us feel very welcome.

H

HEATHER

June 2025

With kids

Weekend Trip to West Highland Way Hotel & Campsite

A lovely wee site with various accommodation options, the staff are super helpful.

K

Kyle & Sarah

April 2025

4 m Class B

1 night at West Highland Way Hotel & Campsite

It was amazing! The view of the surrounding fells and farms was so tranquil and peaceful. Andrew was a friendly and helpful host. The property was beautiful and there was a good community of campers there that socialized over breakfast. There were also trails on the property that we didn't get to. I would definitely recommend this campsite to anyone that is going to Scotland

M

Mandi

April 2025

1 night at West Highland Way Hotel & Campsite

Very friendly staff. Easy to find. Great facilities. Lovely walks right at back of premises. Only downside for me was the noise off other campers. People turning up and setting stuff up after 10 pm. Also loud group of lads. But I’m use to wild camping so maybe noise would be acceptable for most.

Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

The best campsites in The Great Trossachs Forest National Nature Reserve with horseback riding guide

Tips for snagging a campsite

Booking is recommended for all campgrounds in the Trossachs, particularly on weekends when out-of-towners swarm in. Most sites only operate from March to September.
In some areas of the Trossachs, wild camping is allowed, if restricted to permit-only pitches. Some bylaws prohibiting camping and campfires may be in effect in certain Camping Management Zones.

When to go

Scotland’s long summer nights are sunlit until 10pm, meaning the Trossachs swell with visitors from June to September, and advanced booking is essential. For your best chance of a prime camping spot, aim for May, June, or later in the season from September to October when the nights are cooler. Autumn brings with it fully colored-in forests and the atmospheric calls of the stag rut—when the Trossachs’ native deer compete on the hills for hinds.

Know before you go

Camping permits at the Trossachs’ most beautiful spots aren’t needed between October and February, so consider travelling outside the summer high season.
Bins are often not provided, so campers must take pack out any waste. Travel light, especially if coming by bike or boot.
Ticks, which can carry lyme disease, are present in the Trossachs, particularly during spring and summer. Keep your arms and legs covered.