Tobacconist Farm Campsite: Adults-Only Camping in the Cotswolds

James
Jul 7
6 min read

Updated: Jul 28

Tabacconist farm cows on the path

Tobacconist Farm Campsite Quick Summary

Tobacconist Farm is an adults-only campsite in the Cotswolds near Minchinhampton, with a fire pit on every pitch, spotless facilities, and a five-minute walk to the village. From £28 a night for two.

Campsite Scorecard

Location: ⛺⛺⛺⛺

Setting & Views: ⛺⛺⛺⛺⛺

Facilities: ⛺⛺⛺

Value for Money: ⛺⛺⛺⛺

Food & Drink Nearby: ⛺⛺⛺⛺

Peace & Quiet: ⛺⛺⛺⛺

Price per night: From £28 for two

Hook up: Yes, 12 available

Dogs welcome: Yes, up to 3 per pitch

Campfires: Yes, fire pit on every pitch

Nearest town: Minchinhampton, 5 mins walk

Best for: Campervan / Tent / Solo / Couples / Adults Only

The Adventure Starts:

I was driving back from Devon to Birmingham in my campervan and i decided i need to split the journey so this sounded like the ideal place to stop over.

I'd heard about Tobacconist Farm a few times, one of those places that kept cropping up in conversation whenever Cotswold's camping came up. Adults only, fire pit on every pitch, 4.9 stars across nearly 800 reviews. That can't be luck, that's sounds like a seriously well run site. Time to find out for myself.

Arriving at Tobacconist Farm:

Tobacconist Farm sits on the edge of Minchinhampton Common in the Cotswolds, 2.5 acres, 18 spacious pitches, and an adults only policy that immediately tells you something about the kind of place this is. No kids, no noise, no chaos. Just proper camping just how i like it! I always try and find Adult only sites if possible.When i got to the main gates i rang the bell and Lucy the owner came out a showed me my spot. It was a lovely spot separated between two green areas.

I setup my all my campervan gear up, plugged in my Anker solar panals, pointed them towards the sun, then i cracked open a cider, chilled out, before checking out the sites facilities and grounds

The Site,Tobacconist Farm Campsite:

The facilities here are genuinely impressive for a small independent site, heated shower block, free laundry, communal fridge, and everything spotlessly clean and well maintained. The grounds are immaculate too, which given the size of the place takes some doing.

Every pitch comes with a fire pit to borrow and wood to buy on site, and if you need more logs, Lucy will bring them straight to your pitch on her quad bike. There are also some long benches dotted around the site if you need them.

On the other side of the site you'll find Alun and Alice, the resident donkeys, who add a lovely natural feel to the whole place. Go and say hello to them!

With only 18 pitches across 2.5 acres it never feels crowded. There's plenty of space between everyone, which is exactly what you want when you're trying to properly switch off from city life.

Tobacconist Farm campsite view up the field
My BBQ heating up
Campervan at view and setup

Once I'd had a proper relax I jumped on the DYU ebike and headed into the village for a pint at the Crown inn, passing a group of cows wandering down the path along the common like they owned the place, which to be fair, they probably do.

Minchinhampton Village:

Minchinhampton is a proper Cotswolds village, the kind that hasn't been taken over by gift shops and tourist tat. Independent pub, cafés, local shops, and a common that the local cows clearly consider their own personal territory.

The Crown Inn was the obvious first stop. A warm, cosy pub in a beautiful historic building with a great secluded courtyard out the back, which is exactly where I parked myself. It was absolutely boiling that afternoon so the shade of the courtyard was very welcome. A couple of pints of cider later and I was feeling considerably more relaxed than I had been at the start of the journey back. Its a nice pub full of locals.

That's the thing about a place like this, two minutes cycle from a proper pub, Taylor L and Sons a very good butchers and some other interesting independent shops from what i can see.

I then headed back to camp to get the food on.

A good pint of cider at the Crown inn
The Beer garden at The Crown Inn
The market square at Minchinhampton

Evening at Camp, Wagyu x Galician Beef Burgers:

Galician beef burgers from Thomas Joseph Butchery, ordered online and worth every penny. 26 pounds for two burgers.

Got the little box BBQ going, coals up to temperature, and cooked them until just slightly pink in the middle, which for a burger of this quality is exactly where you want it. Brioche bun toasted, American cheese,sliced green chilli, gherkins and a burger sauce mayo. Simple build, let the meat do the talking.

These burgers were something else. Rich, deeply flavoured, almost buttery, truly magnificent is the only way to describe them. I could only manage one, which tells you everything about how big and rich they were.

I am going to order some aged Galician beef from them soon.

Thomas Joseph Butchery wagyu burgers
Thomas Joseph Butchery Wagyu burgers review
Thomas Joseph butchers wagyu burgers

With the fire pit going and a Gin and tonic in hand, looking out across the field and up at the stars, thinking this is exactly why you camp.

Morning, Henry's Bakehouse, Minchinhampton:

Henry's Bakehouse was the find of the trip. I went for their recommended breakfast brioche bun, local sausages, bacon, fried egg, cheese and homemade chilli jam, all tucked into a soft brioche. Washed down with a flat white. Bang on.

Henrys Bakehouse shop
The Breakfast Brioche bun at Henrys Bakehouse
Minchinhampton high street

A Walk on Minchinhampton Common:

With breakfast sorted there was only one thing to do, get out on the common for a proper walk.

Minchinhampton Common is something else, its massive. Highland cattle roaming freely everywhere you look, horses grazing, the odd donkey, it feels completely wild despite being five minutes from a village. The kind of place that makes you wonder why you ever bother staying in the city.

I walked all the way out to the golf course and then on to the Old Lodge, a brilliant spot with a cold drink waiting in the front garden. Sat there for a while, taking in the views, before heading back to pack up and hit the road.

Highland cattle roaming on Minchinhampton common
The Old Lodge Minchinhampton common
The Old Lodge outside

The Verdict:

Tobacconist Farm campsite is one of those rare sites that genuinely lives up to its reputation. Adults only, fire pit on every pitch, spotless facilities, five minutes walk from a proper Cotswold's village, and Stroud only 3.5 miles down the road, it ticks every box for the kind of camping we're always chasing at Fishing Field Fork.

I'm already planning the next visit. Stroud Farmers Market runs every Saturday and is one of the best in the country, local produce, artisan food, independent traders, right up my street.

The plan is to load up on local produce and cook it all on the open fire back at the campsite proper field to fork."

That one's going straight in the diary.

Would I go back? Without question.

Overall 9 / 10

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 3am 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 , ands-down the best natural firelighters you can buy for getting the BBQ and fire pit going effortlessly.

Planning a trip to the Cotswolds?

Tobacconist Farm is one of our absolute favorite adults-only spots. See how it compares to our other top picks in our full guide to the best places to camp in the Cotswolds, featuring our top 6 pitches, campfire setups, and local pub stops.