Camping in Bishop Sutton

Bishop Sutton and the wider Chew Valley reward visitors willing to travel a little lighter. There are no formal campsites directly in the village itself, but a caravan park operates locally, and the surrounding Chew Valley and Mendip Hills area has a scattering of small touring and camping sites, along with a growing number of glamping options in shepherd's huts, pods and bell tents that suit the gentler, rolling landscape better than a standard tent pitch on exposed ground. As in the rest of England, wild camping without the landowner's express permission is not lawful here, including around the shores of Chew Valley Lake itself, which is a working reservoir managed by Bristol Water with restricted access; stick to permitted sites and any camping should be arranged with a farm, campsite or landowner directly.

The terrain suits camping well once you have a pitch sorted. Bishop Sutton sits low in the valley on the northern edge of the Mendip Hills, so nearby ground ranges from flat, easy walking around the lake margins to steeper, more exposed high ground on the Mendips proper towards Burledge Hill and beyond; pick a site with this in mind depending on whether you want gentle strolls or more serious hill walking from your pitch. The lake itself is the main organising feature for any stay, with fishing and birdwatching permits available directly from Bristol Water Fisheries for those keen to spend time on or beside the water.

Late spring through early autumn is the most comfortable camping season, when the meadows around Folly Farm are at their best and evenings on the lakeside are long and mild. Autumn brings large numbers of migrating and overwintering wildfowl to Chew Valley Lake, which can make a shoulder-season camping trip particularly rewarding for birdwatchers prepared for cooler nights, while winter camping here, as elsewhere on the Mendips, is really only for well-equipped and experienced campers given the exposed, elevated terrain nearby. Whatever the season, Bristol and Bath are both close enough for a supply run or a change of scene without needing to break camp.