Camping in Elkesley

Camping is one of the more natural ways to experience the country around Elkesley, and the village itself is home to a genuine riverside site: a campsite set in the grounds of a 17th-century house beside the River Poulter, with pitches for tents and camper vans, a scattering of family-friendly extras and easy walking access to the village pub and the Robin Hood Way. As with anywhere in England, wild camping without the landowner's permission is not legal, so sticking to established sites like this, or others in the wider Dukeries area, is the sensible approach. The flat, wooded terrain on the fringe of Sherwood Forest, threaded by the Poulter and close to the lake and avenues of Clumber Park, makes for gentle, family-friendly camping rather than anything rugged or remote. Spring through early autumn is the best window, when the ground is drier, the riverside pitches are at their most pleasant and the surrounding parkland and forest trails are easiest to explore on foot or by bike. Midsummer weekends can get busy at the more popular sites, so booking ahead is worth doing if you have a particular date in mind, while shoulder-season stays tend to be quieter and cooler but often reward you with better access to pitches and a calmer village pub. For those who prefer a roof over a tent, glamping options such as pods, safari tents and shepherd's huts are increasingly common across the wider Nottinghamshire Dukeries area, offering a step up in comfort while keeping the same rural setting among the old hunting estates. Whichever way you camp, Elkesley's position on the Robin Hood Way and its proximity to Clumber Park mean a tent here doubles as a base for some of the county's best short walks, with the Major Oak and the rest of Sherwood Forest a little further afield for a day trip. Facilities are modest compared to larger holiday parks, in keeping with the village's quiet, unassuming character, so this suits campers looking for a simple, low-key stay rather than a resort-style experience.