Camping in Atherstone

Wild camping is not legally permitted in England without the landowner's permission, so anyone wanting to camp around Atherstone should stick to registered sites, certified locations and landowner-approved pitches rather than pitching up on the canal towpath or in open farmland. That said, the countryside around the town is well suited to a camping trip: gently rolling north Warwickshire farmland threaded by the Coventry and Ashby canals, with plenty of quiet lanes for walking and cycling between pitches and attractions like Merevale, Bosworth Battlefield and Twycross Zoo.

Small campsites and certified sites tend to be spread across the farms and villages surrounding Atherstone rather than in the town itself, often on working farms that welcome tents, campervans and caravans alike. Facilities vary from very basic fields with a tap and an honesty box to better-equipped sites with electric hook-up and shower blocks, so it is worth checking what is included before booking. For those who want the outdoor feel without carrying a tent, glamping options in the wider area range from shepherd's huts and safari tents to converted farm buildings, giving a comfortable base for exploring the canals and countryside.

Spring through early autumn is the best window for camping here, when the canal towpaths are at their most pleasant for walking and cycling and the evenings are long enough to enjoy a fire pit or a walk down to the locks. Ground can get heavy after wet weather given the clay-rich Warwickshire soil, so a site with reasonable drainage is worth seeking out if visiting outside the driest summer months. Shrove Tuesday itself is a poor time to plan a quiet countryside stay, since the town centre is entirely given over to the Ball Game and accommodation of all kinds gets booked up well in advance.