Places to Camp in the Cotswolds | The Best We've Stayed At and Keep Going Back To
- James
- Jul 19
- 12 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
camper van packed at Holycombe campsite
Places to Camp in the Cotswolds Quick Summary:
Looking for the best places to camp in the Cotswolds? Here’s our honest roundup of seven campsites we’ve actually stayed at, Wolford Wood, Tobacconist Farm, Cotswold View Charlbury, Pebbly Barn Farm, Cotswold Camping at Holycombe, Hayles Fruit Farm Camping and Abbey Home Farm Cirencester plus the best local pubs, cafés, and farm shops worth building into your trip.
Loads of "places to camp in the Cotswolds" lists exist online, but most are just copy-paste directory listings by people who’ve never set foot on the grass. This one’s different. These are six sites I’ve genuinely pitched at, cooked at, eaten near, and can properly vouch for. We update this guide every time we find a new gem.
When it comes to camping, we keep it simple: peace, space, and zero crowd hassle. Give us an uncommercial, back-to-basics spot with cracking views, a fire pit, and enough elbow room to actually breathe. Add a solid local butcher, a farm shop, and a decent pub down the road for open-fire BBQ supplies, and that’s our version of a perfect weekend.
What to Consider Before Booking a Cotswolds Campsite
Electric Hookups: Some sites offer proper wild camping with zero electrics, while others have hookups on every pitch. Pick what suits your setup.
Adults-Only vs. Family-Friendly: The Cotswolds has both, definitely check beforehand depending on the vibe you want. I prefer Adults only sites.
Pub & Village Proximity: A lot of the best places to camp in the Cotswolds are within an easy walking distance of a top-notch country pub or village café.
Fire Pits & Campfires: Essential for open-fire cooking! Some sites allow open fires and supply wood, while others ban them completely.
Toilets & Showers: Facilities range from eco-friendly compost toilets in off-grid fields to full modern shower blocks.
On-Site Shops & Cafés: Super handy if you forget an essential or don't feel like cooking every single meal over the fire.
Pitch Allocation: Decide whether you prefer picking your own quiet spot in the field or having a set pitch allocated upon arrival.
Dog-Friendly Sites: Not every campsite allows four-legged companions, so double-check if you're bringing a dog along.
Walks & Wildlife on the Doorstep: Direct access to woodland, common land, or farm trails makes a huge difference to a trip.
Distance to Major Towns: Useful to know for quick fuel runs, supermarket trips, or emergencies when camping off-grid.
What to Look For When Food Planning in the Cotswolds
Local & Own-Farm Produce: The standout farm shops and cafés in the Cotswolds raise their own livestock or source directly from neighboring family farms, offering far better quality for the campfire BBQ than standard supermarket stock.
Watch the Opening Times: A lot of local farm shop cafés and butcher counters close earlier than expected (often by 3:00 PM or 4:00 PM). It’s always worth checking ahead so you don't turn up starving after a long walk.
Mix Up Your Food Spots: Don't limit yourself to just one type of spot. The Cotswolds is packed with proper country pubs, farm shops, artisan bakeries, and field-to-fork places ,it’s well worth trying a bit of everything during your trip.
7. Best Campsites in the Cotswolds for Camping & Great Local Food
1.Wolford Wood: Best for a Wild Camping Type of Experience
Set across ancient woodland and wildflower meadows, Wolford Wood is a personal favorite for anyone looking for something away from the standard commercial setup. It delivers a genuine, back-to-basics wild camping vibe without completely stripping away essential comforts.
What really makes this spot stand out is the freedom. You get to choose your own pitch in a massive open field, giving it a proper organic and rustic atmosphere. It never feels overcrowded, even when other campers are around, and it is incredibly quiet at night with loads of wildlife about. Having direct access to ancient woodland trails right on your
While it feels properly off-grid, the facilities are solid for a site this stripped back. You get clean toilets, good showers, and a helpful communal hub equipped with kitchen sinks, a shared fridge, tables, and chairs.
One practical detail to keep in mind is that you can’t park directly next to your pitch. You’ll need to carry your gear or use one of the wheelbarrows provided on-site, which helps preserve the tranquil, car-free feel of the meadow. It’s tucked away in nature, yet ideally located close enough to Moreton in Marsh for quick pub runs, supplies, or farm shop stops.
Price: £22 per adult
Hookup: No, wild camping style
Best for: Tents, motorbike camping, walk in the woods, foraging, chilling out
2. Tobacconist Farm: Best Adults-Only Campsite
Set on the edge of Minchinhampton Common near Minchinhampton, Tobacconist Farm is a fantastic, chilled-out campsite with a completely uncommercial, old-school hippy vibe. Featuring classic campervans and motorhomes parked near the top of the site, it offers a relaxed atmosphere that feels a world away from crowded, commercial grounds.
Spacious pitches and great facilities make this spot genuinely special. With only 18 pitches spread across 2.5 acres, it never feels cramped. The site is impeccably maintained, with toilet and shower facilities kept in tip-top condition, honestly some of the best I've come across anywhere while camping. Plus, the resident donkey pair, Alun and Alice, add a unique charm to the whole experience.
Adults-only peace are the real highlights here. Because it’s strictly adults-only, you won't have kids running around, keeping the entire field quiet and serene. Every pitch gets its own dedicated fire pit for an evening under the stars, and Lucy on-site will even bring firewood straight to your pitch on her quad bike if you run low.
Unbeatable local access rounds out the location perfectly. It’s an easy five-minute walk into the local village for a great pint at The Crown Inn, which has a brilliant courtyard for warm evenings. You've got scenic walking trails across Minchinhampton Common right on your doorstep, brilliant local farm shops nearby, and the famous Stroud Farmers' Market, genuinely one of the best in the UK, just down the road.
Price: From £28 a night for two
Hookup: Yes, but fire pit and wood included
Best for: Adults-only escape, couples, solo trips, campervans, tents, Stroud farmers market, walks
3. Cotswold View, Charlbury: Best Equipped Campsite
Set across 54 acres overlooking Wychwood Forest and the Evenlode Valley, Cotswold View is a fantastic choice if you want top-tier amenities. Having an electric hookup right on the pitch meant my Totalcool fridge-freezer ran straight off the mains from the second I set up camp. The site is packed with things to do, featuring a games room, tennis court, disc golf, an animal farm trail, and The Old Shed Café right on site serving up proper breakfasts and wood-fired pizzas.
A busier, family-friendly feel comes with having this level of infrastructure. It definitely has a more commercial vibe than some of the smaller, stripped-back sites, and it gets quite busy and lively with families on summer weekends. That said, you get a huge range of facilities for your money, and the grounds are kept in immaculate condition. Thoughtful touches like the horsebox bar, stocked with local Hawkstone beers and ciders, plus a main reception selling regional sausages and bacon make a big difference.
Excellent local food and pub access make this an ideal base for exploring the area. The picturesque village of Charlbury is just a short walk away, home to outstanding pubs like The Bell and The Bull Inn. Major foodie hubs like Daylesford Organic and Diddly Squat Farm Shop are also well within easy driving distance. If you don't fancy cooking over the campfire after a long walk, a lot of local takeaways deliver straight to the campsite, there’s even a dedicated board in the information hub detailing all the best local delivery and dining options.
Price: The average price is £37 to £48 for two
Hook up: Yes
Best for: Families, anyone wanting more facilities, tents, campervans, motorhomes, good local pubs
4. Pebbly Barn Farm: Best All-Rounder
Located near Moreton in Marsh, Pebbly Barn Farm is a fantastic, versatile option that strikes the perfect balance between great amenities and open space. The expansive field offers loads of different areas to set up your pitch, allowing plenty of room to breathe. The site is kept in immaculate condition given the size of the grounds, and on quieter weekends, it feels like a proper chilled-out retreat.
Upgraded facilities and welcoming owners really elevate the stay here. On top of the original amenities, the site now features brand-new freestanding toilets, clean shower blocks, and a dedicated washing-up area. The owners are exceptionally friendly and welcoming, making sure you have everything you need for a comfortable stay without being overbearing.
A Good food and pub scene on the doorstep makes this site an absolute winner for foodies. Positioned right near Moreton in Marsh, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to dining out. Moreton in Marsh is up and coming in the food scene, Mor Bakery is opening on the high street and couple of other places that look interesting.
Grab exceptional local food at The Horse and Groom at Bourton on the Hill, not far away (a personal favorite pub).
Sample highly-rated Sri Lankan dishes at Tikiri, good Indian restaurants, or classic Italian at Bellini.
Treat yourself to fine dining at Henne, focuses on local produce, which comes Michelin-recommended.
Price: £20 per adult /one night
Hook up: Only on the caravan and motorhome club part of the site
Best for: Solo trips, quiet weekends, local village, pubs, restaurants, location
5. Cotswold Camping at Holycombe: Best for Chilling Out
Tucked away in Whichford, Holycombe is set on the site of an ancient Norman castle complete with a genuine historic moat. It operates an unallocated pitch policy, meaning you can wander the grounds, find your own perfect spot, and set up camp.
An atmospheric, one-of-a-kind vibe makes this one of my absolute favorite campsites in the Cotswolds, I make a point to visit two or three times a year. It feels completely different from anywhere else on this list. With standing stones in the main field, ancient moat surroundings, and hammocks strung up through the apple orchards, it delivers an incredibly relaxed, stress-free atmosphere. You're allowed real fire pits on your pitch, which is essential for proper evening campfire cooking.
If you don't fancy bringing your own tent or van, they also have yurts, huts, and an Airstream you can rent out. Site-wise, you get both compost and standard toilets, clean showers, kitchen sinks for washing up, and a café open on weekends when it's busy.
Brilliant walks and local food spots surround the grounds. You have direct access to ancient woodland trails right from the site, plus plenty of nearby farm shops to stock up on provisions. For eating out, you're spoiled for choice with top-tier local spots like The Norman Knight pub, The Pit, The Straw Kitchen at Whichford Pottery, and Herd at Todenham Manor Farm.
Price: £14 per adult
Hook up: Yes
Best for: Adults only, something a bit different, tents, campervans, Yurts for hire, walks, Chipping Norton
6. Hayles Fruit Farm Camping: Best for Fruit Orchards & Field-to-Fork Camping
Set across nearly 100 acres of working fruit orchards near Winchcombe, Hayles Fruit Farm is a proper countryside escape that hits the perfect balance between a peaceful rural feel and top-tier farm shop luxury. Offering a great mix of spacious grass pitches and electric hookups, it gives you plenty of breathing room surrounded by fruit trees and views rolling up into the Cotswold hills.
Having good food and gear right on the doorstep makes staying here dead easy. You can head over to The Orchard Kitchen for a good breakfast or lunch, then pop into the farm shop to pick up supplies for the evening. They stock proper local meats, fresh produce, and local ciders, along with apple juice pressed right on the farm. The shop covers way more than just food, though, they’ve got BBQ kit, Gozney pizza ovens, outdoor clothes, and Yeti gear. It has pretty much everything you need while you're out camping.
Unbeatable walking trails and relaxing activities sit right on the edge of the campsite. The Cotswold Way passes nearby, making it an ideal launchpad for scenic walks down into the historic ruins of Hailes Abbey or further along the trail into Winchcombe town centre. If you prefer a quieter pace, the site features two well-stocked coarse fishing lakes tucked away in a quiet corner of the grounds, perfect for spending a calm afternoon by the water.
Campfires and relaxed evenings are what this place is all about. Once the sun goes down, you can hire a fire pit on-site and grab seasoned logs from the shop to sit out under the stars. With clean toilets, showers, washing-up points, and a genuinely dog-friendly setup, it’s one of the best places around if you want a back-to-basics camp with great local food on site.
Price: From £12 a night
Hookup: Yes (grass and hard-standing electric pitches available)
Best for: Foodies, farm shop produce, orchard views, fishing, Cotswold Way walks, Winchcombe village, Broadway
7. Abbey Home Farm Cirencester: Best for Organic Farm Shop & Chill-Out Vibes
Set at Abbey Home Farm on the edge of Cirencester, the Greenfield Campsite is a proper back-to-nature, off-grid stay right next to one of the best organic farm shops in the Cotswolds. It's got a genuinely "hippified," chill-out feel to it, the kind of place where you end up walking round barefoot most of the day and not thinking twice about it.
There are two fields to choose from, and it's worth knowing the difference before you book. One's completely vehicle-free, with wheelbarrows provided at the car park to wheel your gear down yourself, while the other allows campervans and cars pitched right next to your tent. The tent-only field has the better views by a mile, more open and looking straight out over the fields and countryside, so it's worth going that way if you can.
An outstanding organic farm shop sits just a couple of minutes' walk through the woods, stocking everything from local cheeses and sourdough to Indian pots, clothes, and furniture. The café's a bit more limited though: weekday breakfast is just muesli, and lunch is really only a salad, Thai curry or a pie, so it's not somewhere to rely on for a proper sit-down meal every time.
Basic but peaceful facilities round out the experience. You get compost toilets (bring your own toilet roll), freestanding wooden washing-up points, showers and drinking water straight from the farm's own borehole. Just be aware you can hear the main road from the pitch, and phone signal is genuinely poor even with a signal booster.
Price: Non-electric grass pitches
Hookup: No, off-grid style
Best for: Off-grid stays, organic farm shop produce, great views, Cirencester day trips, barefoot back-to-nature camping
Final word on the best campsites in Cotswolds
That rounds up seven very different places to camp in the Cotswolds, along with a growing list of the best local food stops to build into your trip. We’re nowhere near done exploring this part of the country, and there’s always somewhere new worth adding to the list.
To recap:
Wolford Wood: Best for a proper, rustic wild camping feel where you choose your own pitch and enjoy genuine quiet at night.
Tobacconist Farm: Ideal for adults-only peace, effortless campfire deliveries, and easy access to Minchinhampton Common and Stroud Farmers' Market.
Cotswold View: The top pick if you want full electric hookups, immaculate facilities, and a prime location for exploring Charlbury’s renowned gastro pubs, taking a 10-minute drive to Jeremy Clarkson's famous Diddly Squat Farm Shop, or picking up local produce at Daylesford Organic.
Pebbly Barn Farm: A fantastic all-rounder for a quiet retreat with upgraded facilities and unmatched access to Moreton-in-Marsh's up and coming food scene.
Cotswold Camping at Holycombe: Unbeatable if you just want to properly chill out in a unique setting, the historic moat, standing stones, and orchard hammocks make it unlike anywhere else.
Hayles Fruit Farm: The ultimate field-to-fork orchard escape, perfect for stocking up on local farm shop produce and Badger's Cider, casting a line in the fishing lakes, or jumping straight onto the Cotswold Way near Winchcombe.
Abbey Home Farm: A genuinely peaceful, off-grid stay next to an outstanding organic farm shop, ideal if you want to properly switch off and don't mind compost loos and patchy signal in exchange.
We will update this guide every time we head back out and find another gem. Keep checking back as we uncover more of the best places to camp, eat, and unwind in the Cotswolds!
Got a favourite place to camp in the Cotswolds we should try? Let us know in the comments.
The Non-Negotiables: Small Kit That Makes a Big Difference
It’s the small details on a trip that make the biggest difference between a smooth setup and a headache. Whether it’s getting proper coffee on the move, avoiding a pitch-black stumble across a quiet campsite at night, or getting a fire roaring without fuss, these are some of the bits of kit I never go camping without:
🔦 Energizer Vision HD+ 260 Lumen Head Torch, Super Bright LED, for the 3 am toilet run when the curry's kicking in
☕ AeroPress Original Coffee Press – 3 in 1 Brew Method, 3-in-1 brew method, unbeatable travel coffee kit that permanently lives in the van.
💨 Flextail Portable Air Pump, Not only does it make quick work of topping up the airbed and stoking campfires, but with its built-in light and USB rechargeable battery, it eliminates the need for extra lanterns and bulky manual pumps.
🔥 200 Firelighters – Ecoblaze Natural Firelighters , hands down the best natural firelighters you can buy for getting the BBQ and fire pit going effortlessly.
Thanks James | Fishing Field Fork
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