11 Unmissable UK Outdoor Attractions to Camp Near
· Updated
The best camping trips are built around one brilliant thing to see. Britain has more of those than any road trip could hold, so here are the 11 we would plan a trip around, from the highest summit in the country to a beach of hexagonal stone columns, each with a proper pitch within reach.
Most of them sit inside our national parks, which is the natural spine for a trip like this. So this piece is part of our guide to camping in the UK's national parks, and every attraction below has a nearby campsite you can find and compare on Camping Sites in Britain.
The 11 at a glance
Here is the full list, what makes each one worth the drive, and where to pitch up nearby.
| Attraction | Where | The headline fact |
|---|---|---|
| Scafell Pike | Lake District, Cumbria | England's highest peak, 978m |
| Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) | Eryri (Snowdonia), Wales | Highest in Wales, 1,085m |
| Ben Nevis | Near Fort William, Highlands | Highest in Britain, 1,345m |
| Giant's Causeway | County Antrim, Northern Ireland | Around 40,000 basalt columns |
| Durdle Door | Jurassic Coast, Dorset | Natural limestone arch, 185 million years of rock |
| Hadrian's Wall | Northumberland | 73 miles of Roman frontier, begun AD 122 |
| Cairngorms plateau | Cairngorms, Scotland | The UK's largest national park |
| Loch Ness | Great Glen, Highlands | More water than every lake in England and Wales combined |
| Yorkshire Three Peaks | Yorkshire Dales | 24 miles, three summits, one day |
| Stonehenge | Wiltshire | Around 5,000 years old |
| Seven Sisters | South Downs, Sussex | Chalk cliffs rising over 100m |
The three highest summits
If you want the big one, pick a nation and climb its roof. The three national high points sit within a day's drive of the country's finest mountain campsites.
Scafell Pike, Lake District
Scafell Pike is the highest mountain in England at 978m, and the most direct route up from Wasdale Head gains that height in a little over three miles. Wasdale is one of the quieter valleys in the Lake District National Park, with campsites at the foot of the climb so you can be walking by breakfast. For the wider family, our guide to the top family activities in the Lake District covers the gentler days out nearby, and you can compare pitches across campsites in the Lake District and Cumbria.
Snowdon, Eryri
Snowdon, or Yr Wyddfa, is the highest peak in Wales at 1,085m, and the only British summit with a railway to the top. The Snowdon Mountain Railway has run from Llanberis since 1896, which means you can walk up and ride down if the legs give out. Eryri (Snowdonia) has a dense spread of valley campsites around Llanberis, Beddgelert and Betws-y-Coed, most within 20 minutes of a trailhead.
Ben Nevis, Fort William
Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in Britain at 1,345m, and the summit was once home to a working weather observatory staffed year round until 1904. The Mountain Track starts near Glen Nevis, just outside Fort William, where the campsites fill fast in summer. Book ahead, and read our advice on how to choose a campsite in the Highlands before you commit. You can browse campsites across the Highlands to build the rest of the route.
Coast and rock
Some of Britain's most photographed places are made of stone and salt water. These three reward a coastal pitch and a clear morning.
Giant's Causeway, County Antrim
The Giant's Causeway is a stretch of around 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, formed when lava cooled and cracked roughly 60 million years ago. It is Northern Ireland's only UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the coast road either side of it, the Causeway Coastal Route, is one of the finest drives in these islands. Campsites cluster around Bushmills and Ballycastle within a short hop of the stones.
Durdle Door, Dorset
Durdle Door is a natural limestone arch on the Jurassic Coast, cut by the sea from rock laid down around 185 million years ago. It sits on the only natural World Heritage Site in England, a 95-mile stretch of coast from Exmouth to Studland. Lulworth has campsites within walking distance of the arch, and you can compare campsites across Dorset to base yourself for the whole coast. If the geology is the draw, our guide to the UK's geological wonders near campsites maps out more of it.
Seven Sisters, Sussex
The Seven Sisters are a run of chalk cliffs on the Sussex coast, rising over 100m and glowing white in low sun. They sit inside the South Downs National Park between Seaford and Eastbourne, and the classic view is from Cuckmere Haven looking east. Campsites around Alfriston and East Dean put you a short walk from the clifftop path.
History you can walk into
Two of Britain's oldest human landmarks are also two of its best walks. Both sit in open country made for camping.
Hadrian's Wall, Northumberland
Hadrian's Wall ran 73 miles from coast to coast, begun in AD 122 on the orders of Emperor Hadrian to mark the northern edge of the Roman Empire. The best-preserved central section crosses Northumberland National Park, where the wall rides the crags above Housesteads and Sycamore Gap. Campsites along the B6318 military road let you walk a stretch and be back for tea.
Stonehenge, Wiltshire
Stonehenge is around 5,000 years old, and its largest standing sarsen stones weigh close to 25 tonnes each, hauled from over 15 miles away by people with no wheels. It stands on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, ringed by hundreds of ancient barrows. Campsites around Amesbury and Salisbury are the natural base, and the site is a 90-minute drive from Durdle Door if you fancy pairing stone with sea.
Wild Scotland
The Highlands hold the largest wild spaces left in Britain, and two of them belong on any list like this.
Cairngorms plateau
The Cairngorms National Park is the largest in the UK at around 4,528 square kilometres, bigger than the whole of Luxembourg, and it holds five of Scotland's six highest mountains. The high plateau is a genuine Arctic environment, with snow patches that can survive the summer. Aviemore is the hub, with campsites and campervan stopovers on the doorstep; our pick of the best sites for campervanning in Scotland covers the wider route.
Loch Ness and the Great Glen
Loch Ness holds more freshwater than every lake in England and Wales combined, running 23 miles along the Great Glen, the geological fault line that splits the Highlands in two. Monster or not, the loch is deep enough (around 230m) to hide plenty. Campsites line the shore near Fort Augustus and Drumnadrochit, and the Great Glen is one of Britain's great drives from Fort William to Inverness.
The classic challenge
Yorkshire Three Peaks
The Yorkshire Three Peaks is a 24-mile circuit taking in Pen-y-ghent (694m), Whernside (736m) and Ingleborough (723m), traditionally walked inside 12 hours. It all sits within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, starting and finishing at Horton-in-Ribblesdale. This is a serious day out, so base yourself the night before and browse campsites across North Yorkshire to pitch near the start line.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most iconic outdoor attraction in the UK?
Ben Nevis is the single most iconic, as the highest mountain in Britain at 1,345m. For a landmark rather than a summit, Stonehenge and the Giant's Causeway are the two most recognised, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Can you camp near all of these attractions?
Yes. Every attraction on this list has campsites, caravan parks or campervan stopovers within a short drive, and most within walking distance of a trailhead or car park. You can find and compare them all on our campsite listings.
Which of these is best for families?
Durdle Door, the Seven Sisters and Stonehenge suit all ages with short, flat walks. Snowdon offers a family option too, as you can ride the railway to the summit rather than climb.
Do I need to book campsites near popular attractions?
Book ahead for summer weekends near Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis and Snowdon, where valley sites fill weeks in advance. Coastal sites near Durdle Door and the Seven Sisters also sell out fast in the school holidays.
Are these attractions free to visit?
Most are free to walk to, including all three summits, Hadrian's Wall, the Seven Sisters and the Cairngorms. Stonehenge and the Giant's Causeway visitor centre charge admission, though you can view the Causeway stones on foot along the public coast path.
Which national parks do these sit in?
Scafell Pike is in the Lake District, Snowdon in Eryri, the Three Peaks in the Yorkshire Dales, the Seven Sisters in the South Downs, and Hadrian's Wall crosses Northumberland. Ben Nevis, Loch Ness and the Cairngorms cover the Scottish Highlands.
The short version
Pick one of these as the reason for your trip and the rest of the plan falls into place: a summit, a coast, a ruin or a loch, each with a pitch nearby. Most sit inside the national parks, so start with our guide to camping in the UK's national parks, then find your spot on Camping Sites in Britain.
