Camping in Chippenham

Wiltshire's gently rolling countryside around Chippenham offers a pleasant if understated setting for a camping trip, well away from the crowds that build up around the more famous Cotswold villages in peak season. Campsites in the area tend to be small, family-run affairs set on working farms or in orchards, with easy access to the River Avon, the Wilts and Berks Canal towpath, and cycling and walking routes out towards Lacock, Corsham and the edge of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is a landscape of hedgerows, wide skies and quiet lanes rather than dramatic scenery, which makes it a relaxed choice for families and those wanting a low-key countryside break within easy striking distance of Bath and Bristol.

As with everywhere else in England, wild camping is not legal here without the explicit permission of the landowner, so pitch only on registered campsites or on private land where you have secured that permission in advance. Wiltshire's farmland is almost entirely privately owned and actively worked, so opportunistic pitching is neither welcome nor legal, and campers should always book an established site.

Late spring through to early autumn is the most reliable window for camping around Chippenham, when the Cotswold villages nearby are at their best and evenings are long enough for a walk along the Avon or an evening in a village pub garden. The Chippenham Folk Festival over the late May bank holiday brings extra life to the area for those timing a trip around it, while high summer suits families wanting to combine camping with day trips to Lacock, Castle Combe and Bath. For those who would rather skip the tent altogether, glamping options in the surrounding countryside — shepherd's huts, safari tents and converted farm buildings — are increasingly common across Wiltshire, offering a comfortable way to enjoy the same rural setting without sacrificing creature comforts. Whichever you choose, book ahead in summer, as sites within easy reach of Lacock and Castle Combe are popular with visitors touring this part of Wiltshire and the southern Cotswolds.