Camping in Ely

The land around Ely is about as flat as England gets, which makes for easy cycling between pitch and cathedral but also means campsites here are defined more by water, hedgerows and open sky than by dramatic scenery. Most sites sit a few miles out of the city along the River Great Ouse or towards villages such as Wicken and Queen Adelaide, offering grassy touring pitches, hook-ups for caravans and motorhomes, and increasingly a handful of glamping pods or safari-style tents for those without their own equipment. The flat terrain and well-drained fen soil generally make for firm, level pitches, though the low-lying ground can turn heavy after prolonged rain, so it is worth checking site conditions with the owners before travelling in a wet spell.

Wild camping has no general legal right in England, Wales or the Fens, and the flat, largely farmed and privately owned land around Ely offers few practical or legal opportunities for it in any case; the region's official campsites, several run by local farming families, are the realistic option and tend to be good value compared with more touristy parts of the country. Weather here is typically drier than the national average, since the Fens sit in one of England's lowest-rainfall areas, though the open, exposed landscape means wind can be more noticeable than in sheltered or wooded counties, particularly for tent campers.

The best months for camping around Ely run from late spring to early autumn, broadly May to September, when long daylight hours suit cycling the flat fen lanes and the riverside campsites are at their liveliest. July and August bring the warmest, driest weather and the fullest facilities, but also the highest demand, so booking ahead is wise. Shoulder months of May, June and September offer a quieter, cooler alternative with the Fens' big skies and bird life, including the wintering wildfowl at nearby Welney, still within easy reach, while winter camping here is a minority pursuit better suited to well-equipped motorhome owners than to tents.