Camping in Doddington

The flat, drained landscape around Doddington is a distinctive setting for a camping trip, with huge skies, long straight dykes and quiet droves replacing the hills and woodland found elsewhere in England. As with anywhere in England and Wales, wild camping without the landowner's permission is not legal, so a recognised campsite, farm pitch or glamping site is the way to enjoy a night under Fenland skies here. The area around Doddington, March and Chatteris has a handful of small touring and camping sites, often on working farms, offering pitches for tents, campervans and caravans within easy reach of the village and the surrounding nature reserves.

The terrain itself is almost entirely flat, low-lying peat and clay fen, reclaimed from marshland over centuries of drainage. It suits easy walking and cycling rather than rugged countryside camping, and pitches tend to be open and exposed to the wind that sweeps across the Fens, so a sturdy tent and good waterproofs are worth packing whatever the season. Spring through early autumn is the most comfortable time to camp, when the ground is drier and the long evenings make the most of the open horizon; the Fens are notorious for surface water and soft ground after wet weather, so winter camping is best left to well-equipped and experienced campers, or skipped in favour of one of the area's glamping options.

For those who prefer a roof over their heads without giving up the outdoor feel, a small number of glamping pods, shepherd's huts and static caravans are dotted around the Fenland villages near Doddington, often on the same farms that host touring pitches. These give easy access to RSPB Nene Washes for birdwatching, the riverside walks in March, and the quiet lanes around Doddington itself, while offering a warmer, drier alternative to canvas when the Fen wind picks up. Whichever option you choose, booking ahead is sensible, as this part of Cambridgeshire has fewer sites than better-known camping counties and pitches can fill up around the village's carnival weekend in July.