Romantic Camping Ideas in the UK: A Getaway for Two
· Updated
A romantic camping getaway comes down to three choices: a quiet site with grown-up neighbours, somewhere warm and comfortable to sleep, and an evening built around a fire and a dark sky. Get those right and the rest looks after itself. The couples who come home disappointed almost always pitched next to a family field at the August bank holiday and spent the night listing to a portable speaker two rows over.
This is our guide to doing it properly in Britain, whether that means a bell tent with a hot tub in the Cotswolds or a wild-feeling pitch on the west coast of Scotland with the whole horizon to yourselves. It sits alongside our wider advice on planning your first camping trip, and you can find and compare adults-friendly sites, glamping and caravan parks across the country at Camping Sites in Britain.
Choose a quiet, adults-friendly site
The single biggest decision is the site itself, and for a couples' trip you want somewhere small and calm rather than a big holiday park. Look specifically for the words "adults only", "over 18s" or "couples and adults" in the listing, and for small pitch numbers. A site with 15 pitches and a two-night minimum attracts a completely different crowd to a 300-pitch park with an entertainment tent.
Certificated sites are worth knowing about. The Camping and Caravanning Club and the Caravan and Motorhome Club both run networks of small "certificated" locations limited to five caravans or a handful of tents, often on a farm or in an orchard, and they are usually quiet, cheap and beautifully sited. They book up for summer weekends, so plan ahead.
Timing matters as much as the place. Midweek in June or the second half of September gives you warm evenings, long light and empty fields, and it is far cheaper than a peak-summer Saturday. Avoid the school holidays and both bank holiday weekends if a peaceful trip is the point.
Glamping and hot tubs: the comfortable option
If sleeping on a mat in a small tent is not your idea of romance, glamping solves it, and a private hot tub is the upgrade most couples remember. A shepherd's hut, a furnished bell tent or a safari tent gives you a real bed, a solid roof and usually electricity, so a wet evening is cosy rather than grim. Hot tub glamping costs more than a tent pitch, often between £120 and £250 a night depending on region and season, but for a special weekend it earns its keep.
| Type of stay | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Quiet tent pitch | Your own tent and kit, adults-friendly field | Couples who already camp and want peace and low cost |
| Furnished bell tent | Real bed, rugs, lighting, no setup | A first romantic trip without buying gear |
| Shepherd's hut | Solid walls, heating, often an en suite | Cooler months and rain-proof comfort |
| Pod or hut with hot tub | Private tub, deck, usually a fire pit | Anniversaries and proper occasions |
| Wild-feeling remote pitch | Space, silence and dark skies | Couples chasing solitude and stars |
Glamping also makes stargazing and hot tub soaking part of the same evening, which is hard to beat. If a spa-style trip appeals more than a hot tub on a deck, our guide to the best campsites for thermal spa experiences covers sites built around that. Browse what is available near you through the campsite directory.
Pack for cosy, not just for camping
Comfort is what separates a romantic weekend from an ordinary one, so the kit list changes. On a tent trip the goal is a warm bed and a soft glow after dark. On a glamping trip most of this is provided, so you can bring the treats instead.
- A proper double sleeping setup, either a double sleeping bag or two singles zipped together, over a self-inflating double mat or a camp bed. Cold and lumpy is the fastest way to ruin the mood
- Extra blankets and a couple of decent pillows from home, not the deflating travel kind
- Warm layers for the evening, because British nights turn cold even in July and you will want to sit out after dark
- Soft lighting: a warm-white lantern, a string of battery fairy lights and a candle lantern beat a harsh head torch for atmosphere
- A flask for hot chocolate or mulled cider by the fire, and a couple of unbreakable wine glasses or tumblers
Because you are bringing more than usual, this is a trip that suits arriving by car rather than by rucksack. Our advice on a successful car camping trip is worth a read if you are loading up the boot, and running through a pre-camping checklist the night before stops the small forgotten things that spoil an evening.
Cook a proper meal over the fire
A cooked meal over an open flame is the centrepiece of a romantic camping evening, and it does not have to be complicated. Check first whether fires are allowed: many campsites permit them only in a raised fire pit or off the ground, some ban them entirely in dry spells, and open ground fires need the landowner's permission everywhere. The official Countryside Code asks you not to light fires where they might cause harm, so use the site's fire pit or a raised BBQ and never leave it unattended.
For two people, keep it simple and good. A steak or a piece of salmon in foil with butter, lemon and herbs cooks in minutes on a grill grate. Halloumi, asparagus and flatbreads char beautifully. Slow-cooked options like a small stew in a cast iron pot reward a lazy evening. Finish with the obvious: toasted marshmallows, or bananas split and stuffed with chocolate and baked in their skins in the embers. Prep and marinate at home so all you do on site is cook.
Find a dark sky for the stars
Britain has some of the best accessible stargazing in Europe, and a clear night under a truly dark sky is the moment most couples remember. The darkest skies are in the officially recognised Dark Sky places, where light pollution is controlled. Galloway Forest Park in southern Scotland was the UK's first, Northumberland holds one of the largest protected dark skies in Europe, and Exmoor, the South Downs, Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons) and Eryri (Snowdonia) are all recognised too. The National Parks dark skies pages list them and the best viewing spots within each.
You do not need a telescope. Pick a moonless night, or a night the moon sets early, let your eyes adjust for 20 minutes away from any white light, and lie back on a blanket or in the hot tub. A free star-map app on a red-light setting helps you find the Milky Way, and late summer into autumn gives the darkest evenings without the deep cold. For sites in the right places, browse the Highlands campsites, which cover some of the emptiest, darkest country in Britain.
Catch the sunset
West-facing coast is where you want to be at golden hour. A pitch that looks out over the sea to the west turns every clear evening into a show, and the whole west of Britain delivers: Pembrokeshire, the Gower, Cornwall, Anglesey and the west coast of Scotland all face the setting sun. Cliff-top and dune sites are best, and a flask and a blanket make it an occasion rather than a photo stop.
Check the sunset time before you travel and plan the evening meal around it, eating a little early so you are free to watch. In midsummer the sun sets close to 10pm in the far north, which is late for dinner but gives you an enormous, slow dusk. Pembrokeshire in particular pairs west-facing beaches with dark skies, so you can watch the sun go down and the stars come up from the same spot. See what is on offer along the Pembrokeshire campsites.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the most romantic place to camp in the UK?
The west coast of Scotland, Pembrokeshire and the Lake District top most lists, combining west-facing sunsets, dark skies and dramatic scenery. For comfort with the same views, look at hot tub glamping in the Cotswolds, mid Wales or the Yorkshire Dales.
Do any campsites have private hot tubs for couples?
Yes. Many glamping sites offer shepherd's huts, pods and bell tents with a private hot tub on a deck, often adults-only. They typically cost between £120 and £250 a night and book up months ahead for weekends, so reserve early.
When is the best time for a romantic camping trip?
Midweek in June or the second half of September. You get warm evenings, long daylight and quiet, empty sites at a fraction of peak-summer prices. Avoid school holidays and both bank holiday weekends if peace is the point.
Can we have a campfire on a romantic camping trip?
Only where it is allowed. Most campsites permit fires in a raised fire pit or off the ground, some ban them in dry weather, and open ground fires always need the landowner's permission. Check the site rules and follow the Countryside Code.
Is glamping better than camping for a couple?
It depends on what you want. Glamping gives you a real bed, heating and no setup, which suits a first trip or a special occasion. A quiet tent pitch is cheaper, more private and better for couples who already enjoy camping.
The short version
Book a small, adults-friendly or glamping site midweek, bring a warm bed and soft lighting, cook something good over the fire, and pick a spot with a west-facing sunset and a dark sky. Do that and a romantic camping getaway is one of the best-value special weekends in Britain.
When you are ready to book, start with our advice on planning your first camping trip and search adults-friendly sites and glamping across the country in the campsite directory.
