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Medieval farm, Slovenia
Pitchup.com lists more than 5,500 campsites in 67 countries. One of the most scenic is the remote Šenkova Domačija farm near Zgornje Jezersko in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, close to the border with Austria. This heritage farmstead dates to 1517 and is surrounded by pastures and peaks. The farm has 25 pitches (including 10 for tents) in a meadow under old ash trees, plus a communal campfire and kitchen, a shop and restaurant serving breakfast and dinner. Campers can ride horses on short guided hacks or longer treks into the mountains, or tackle the trails on foot.
From £16.93 for a tent and two adults, open 1 April-30 September, pitchup.com
Pool with a view, Bulgaria
In north-central Bulgaria, Pitchup recommends Camping Veliko Tarnovo, a British-run site that has an outdoor pool on an elevated garden terrace overlooking miles of countryside. There are 30 pitches demarcated by trees and shrubs, equally divided between tents, caravans and motorhomes, plus a campers’ kitchen and a coffee shop serving light snacks. The nearest village, Dragizhevo, is a 10-minute walk away for bars and shops, and the historic city of Veliko Tarnovo is a 20-minute drive. Campers can hike to nearby waterfalls, including Kapinovski falls, Hotnitsa falls and the series of Krushuna waterfalls.
From £14.68 for a tent and two adults, open 2 May-30 September, pitchup.com
Hilltop site, Croatia
The small hilltop site of Etno Kuća pod Okićem is part of a farm dotted with fruit trees that sits under the ruined fortifications of the 13th-century town of Okić. The farm is on the edge of the Žumberak and Samobor mountains, about 45 minutes from Zagreb. There is a via ferrata climbing route close by, and the mountains are home to bears, wolves, spotted salamanders and goshawks. The family-friendly Pitchup site has a playground and football pitch, and the owners run guided excursions for kids.
From £29.37 for a tent and two adults, open 1 April-31 October, pitchup.com
River and lake, Slovenia
James Warner Smith of Hipcamp, who is also the editor of the Cool Camping guidebooks, recommends Camping Menina in the upper Savinja valley, for its canoeing and rafting access. This is a big, family-run, riverside campsite surrounded by forest. The Savinja River feeds the camp’s lake – there is swimming and paddleboarding on the lake and aquatrekking and bellyaking (kayaking on your belly) down the river. There is also an adrenaline park, sports park, a shop, a pancake house, restaurant and spa. Although there are 200 pitches, they are well spread out.
From €10 a pitch plus €12.50 adults, open year-round, campingmenina.com
Views of Mont Blanc, France
Paul and Helen Webster, the authors of Wild Guide: French Alps, recommend Camping d’Alpage les Jorets in Savoie for its spectacular setting 1,740 metres above sea level. “This friendly, rustic campsite is perched in an improbable position on a high meadow with breathtaking views of Mont Blanc,” they say. “But be sure to drag yourself away from the view and explore the surrounding scenery on foot. The campsite is accessed by a steep unsurfaced track, forbidden to campervans and motorhomes (it is suitable for tents and small vans only). Many campers choose to walk in from the nearby Col de la Lézette (15 minutes).” There are two shower blocks with hot water and a refuge-type chalet for socialising.
€10.20 for a pitch plus €7.60 adults, open 13 June-5 October, campinglesjorets.fr
On the riverbank, Spain
The Wild Swimming Spain guidebook focuses on the country’s most beautiful rivers, lakes and waterfalls – and their nearest campsites. The authors, Lola Culsán and John Weller, recommend Camping La Serradora near the village of Peralejos de las Truchas, in rural Guadalajara. “It is surrounded by enormous pine forests, with red cliffs nearby,” they say. “There is an excellent restaurant and bar, while the village shop is a great source of information about local hiking.” And the swimming? “The nearby Río Tajo was spring green, fresh and zingy. We were far, far from the madding crowd, immersed in the wild. We found a spot where it opened out and slipped into the pure, clear water.” Canyoning, river tubing and rafting are also on offer.
From €22 for two adults, open April-October, laserradora.es
Safe swimming, the Netherlands
While the majority of Huttopia’s campsites are in France, it has a few scenic outposts. At Huttopia de Roos, campers can pitch their tents by the Overijsselse Vecht river – and dive straight in. A branch of the river, with no current, runs through the campsite, and there is a shallow area with a small sandy beach, so it is safe for children. There are pontoons in deeper areas for stronger swimmers to jump off, and the banks are dotted with sloes, hawthorns and oaks. Facilities include a cafe and bar, and there is kids’ entertainment in the summer.
From €20 a night for two, open 17 April-26 October, europe.huttopia.com
By the lake, Italy
Mountain vistas of the Monti Sibillini national park provide a backdrop to Natura Camping in Le Marche (formerly Camping Ruffella Belvedere). “This tents-only campsite has direct access to Lake Fiastra, perfect for swimming and kayaking,” says Michele Tameni, author of Wild Swimming Italy. “The grassy beach area, with gentle inlets reaching into the lake, is fantastic. The genuinely welcoming owners and the easy-going vibe perfectly complement the wild beauty of the mountains, where hiking trails lead to waterfalls and ancient hermitages.” There is a bar serving food and barbecues for campers to use.
From €5 a tent plus €5pp, open after maintenance on 21 June (usually open 1 May) to 30 September, naturacamping.it
Ben Love, the author of Wild Guide: Scandinavia, has worked as a canoe guide in Iceland and Sweden. One of his favourite spots to pitch is the Þakgill campsite in south Iceland, which he describes as “an amazing camping area in a flat valley bottom, surrounded by jagged rock slopes. You eat your meals in a cave fitted with a wood-burning stove, lit by wall-mounted candles.” Love adds that the campsite is protected from the wind, but basic cabins are also available to rent in wilder weather. The site is about 12 miles from Vík, the southernmost village in Iceland, and there are hiking routes for all levels.
About £14 a night for over-11s, open until 30 September, thakgil.is
By the beach, Greece
For a beach break, Sam Firman and Nick Hooton, the authors of Wild Guide: Greece, suggest Camping Sofas, 12 miles from Parga in the region of Epirus in the north-west of the country. “It is a charming, tranquil campsite with its own beach, a cool beach bar and delicious food served up by the delightful Eleni, Zacharias and family.” The site, which has been family-run since it opened in 1981, is set in a large olive grove. If campers tire of their own stretch of sand, there are several other beaches nearby, including picturesque Agia Paraskevi, which has an island within easy swimming distance.
From €7.50 adults and from €3 for a tent, open late April to mid-November, campingsofas.gr
Among the dunes, Ireland
“Clifden Eco Camping in County Galway is among the dunes and inlets of Ireland’s Atlantic coast and has its own private beach,” says Hipcamp’s Warner Smith. The coastal campsite, which was the first certified climate-neutral accommodation in Ireland, offers a semi-wild experience, with spacious pitches, and the potential for spectacular sunsets and world-class stargazing. “The area has some of the darkest skies in Europe,” says Warner Smith. There is a new beachfront sauna, and campers can hire bikes to explore the Wild Atlantic Way. The town of Clifden, Kylemore Abbey and Connemara national park are short drives away.
From €20 for a tent and one adult, €8 for each extra adult, open year-round, clifdenecocamping.ie
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Stargazing and mountain hikes, Spain
Edwina Pitcher, the author of Wild Guide: Andalucía, lives in Cádiz and has walked and swum across much of Spain and Portugal. She recommends Camping Trevélez in the Alpujarras, Granada. “Surrounded by the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada and at around 1,550 metres above sea level, this is the highest campsite in mainland Spain and has extraordinary stargazing,” she says. “It is a great base for hiking to mountain villages or snowy Mulhacén, peninsular Spain’s highest peak, with several mountain lakes known as the Siete Lagunas.” There are 100 shady pitches (as well as wooden cabins and rustic houses) to stay in over winter, plus a pool, shop and bar/restaurant.
From €6 for a tent plus €6 adults, open year-round, campingtrevelez.com
Lake swimming, Austria
Kerry Walker and Luke Waterson, the authors of Under the Stars Europe, have unearthed some of the best camping and glamping spots across 22 countries. One of their favourite finds is Petzen Camping and Glamping, which “occupies a “dreamy spot on the shores of Pirkdorfer See … where the wooded mountains of southern Carinthia ripple into Slovenia.”Campers have views of Petzen (2,125 metres), the highest of the eastern Karawanks, and can swim in the lake’s “warm, placid waters” or the natural swimming pool. There is a restaurant serving regional food, a tree sauna, campfire area and playground; paddleboards and pedal boats are available to rent. Campers can bring their own tents or book a glamping tent or stilted sky tent.
Pitches from €7 plus €8.50 adults, open year-round, pirkdorfersee.at
Sea views for free, Estonia
Estonia is a camper’s paradise: more than 50% of the country is forested, there are more than 2,000 islands, and wild camping is allowed. And, say Walker and Waterson, state campsites are free. These sites, run by RMK, the Estonian body for forest management, are pretty wild, so they don’t have showers, electric hook-ups or flushing toilets, but they usually have fire pits, picnic tables and compost loos. There are hundreds of sites to choose from in amazing locations, but Hirmuste Telkimisala on Hiiumaa, Estonia’s second-biggest island, is hard to beat. Campers can pitch their tents on a beach backed by pine forests, and watch the sun set over the sea.
Free, open year-round, rmk.ee
Wilderness camping, Sweden
Another area loved by Walker and Waterson is the Glaskogen nature reserve in Värmland, south-central Sweden, a forest with more than 80 lakes. Wild camping is allowed (you can stay up to two days in the same spot) but there is a “wilderness campsite” offering a few more comforts at the tiny settlement of Lenungshammar. They describe it as “a lush plot bounding two lakeshores”, with tent pitches separated by trees. There are also more than 60 pitches for caravans and motorhomes in forest groves, all with their own fire pits and many next to the lake. The site has a sauna, shop, cafe and canoe/kayak rental, and there are nature trails to explore.
From about £7.70, open year-round, glaskogen.se
Island escape, France
Huttopia campsites are in locations by lakes, forests, rivers, seas and mountains, mainly in France. Its experts have selected Huttopia Noirmoutier as one of the best places to reconnect with nature. This beachfront campsite, on the Isle de Noirmoutier in the Vendée, is between sea, forest and salt marsh. The site stretches for nearly a mile along Sableaux beach, and it is 1.2 miles to the village. Onsite there is a food truck selling ice-creams and pizzas, a small shop, and bikes and paddleboards for hire. Pitches are among the pines or by the beach.
From €17.90 for two, open 3 April-30 September, europe.huttopia.com
In the forest, Germany
Another Walker and Waterson favourite is Waldcamping Thalheim, in a birch forest in the Ore Mountains near the Czech border. Campers can pitch their own tents or small campervans (no motorhomes) or book a tipi, covered wagon, tree tent or even a bed in the forest. The owners describe the camp as “wild, romantic and rustic”, with furniture made from tree trunks, a large communal fire pit and an upcycled sauna. There are signposted trails to viewpoints, a swimming lake, a 12-mile walk, and workshops such as herbal foraging.
From €9 adults, plus from €3 a tent, open 30 April-6 October for camping, year-round for some glamping, waldcamping-thalheim.de
Europe’s highest campsite, Switzerland
Camping Arolla in the Val d’Hérens lays claim to being Europe’s highest campsite, at 1,950 metres above sea level. The view, as you might expect, is sensational. “Meadows lift the gaze to pine and larch forests and the ragged, glacier-snared summits of the Valais Alps,” say Walker and Waterson. “The eco-aware site makes the most of its natural surrounds and grandstand vista, with grassy pitches elevated above the glacial stream of Borgne d’Arolla.” There is a choice of camping or glamping (including tents suspended between the trees), a shop selling organic local produce and fresh bread, and a help-yourself herb garden. Hiking is the name of the game here, from short walks to alpine huts for lunch, to long-distance trails such as the Chamonix to Zermatt Haute route or the Matterhorn tour.
From about £6.40 for tents, plus £7.70 adults, open 1 June-26 October, en.camping-arolla.ch
Surf camp, Portugal
The Salema Eco Camp is a short walk (or a free transfer) from a surfing beach, Praia da Salema, on the Algarve’s south-west coast. Walker and Waterson recommend pitching your tent under the “lofty pines”, while glampers can choose from tipis, safari tents and lodges. There is a shop selling picnic and barbecue food, a restaurant serving local dishes and a rental service for surf gear and mountain bikes. The camp is a regenerative tourism project helping to restore the local ecosystem and is working towards zero waste: it has its own wastewater treatment plant and composting system. There are weekly butterfly tours and workshops on topics such as plant propagation.
From €7 for tents, plus €6 adults, open year-round, salemaecocamp.com
Camping in a fortress, Denmark
For a campsite with a difference, Love recommends Camping Charlottenlund Fort – 65 pitches within a 19th-century fortress. The fort is on the Øresund (strait), with a beach on one side and a forest on the other, and only 25 minutes by bike into Copenhagen. The kitchen and bathrooms are in the old casemates (chambers from which guns were fired), and there is a cafe selling bread and pastries. The fort was built in 1887 and was part of Copenhagen’s sea fortification until 1932. It is now a protected monument. From a bench at the highest point, visitors can see Sweden across the water.
About £7 for a tent, plus £13.50 for adults, open 11 April-19 October, campingcopenhagen.dk
