Camping in Cotswolds

Camping in the Cotswolds means camping on limestone, and that has practical consequences. The soil over the wolds is thin and stony, so pegs can be hard work and a mallet plus a few spare steel pegs are worth packing. The upside is that the ground drains quickly: sites here rarely become the swamps you find on clay, and grass pitches are usable earlier in the season than in much of England.

The other consequence is wind. The high ground is genuinely exposed, with few trees and long open views, and a pitch on the top of a wold will get a battering that the same tent would never see in a valley. Sites tucked into the river valleys of the Windrush, Coln or Evenlode are much more sheltered. Nights are colder than the daytime temperature suggests, even in July, because of the altitude; a three-season sleeping bag is not overkill in May or September.

Wild camping is not legal in the Cotswolds. As across almost all of England and Wales, you need the landowner's permission, and there is no equivalent of the Scottish right to roam. In practice that means booked sites only, which is no hardship because the region is well supplied with them, from basic farm fields to full holiday parks with pools.

The season runs from around March to October, with most sites closing over winter. May, June and September are the best months: reliable weather, long light and less pressure on pitches than the school holidays. July and August book out well ahead, particularly at anywhere within reach of Bourton-on-the-Water.

Glamping has taken hold here more than in most parts of England, and safari tents, shepherd's huts and pods are widely available. They cost considerably more than a pitch but suit the shoulder season, when a heated pod is a very different proposition from canvas on a frosty morning. If you are in a tent, bring proper footwear regardless of forecast, since the walking routes off most sites cross grazed fields, and check dog policies in advance, as several of the better sites are working farms.