Camping in Marden

Marden and the surrounding Weald of Kent offer a gentle, orchard-and-hopfield setting for a camping trip, though as with anywhere in England, wild camping without the landowner's permission is against the law, so any stay needs to be on a recognised site or with the owner's consent. The terrain here is classic Wealden countryside: soft, rolling farmland cut through by the River Beult, with hedgerows, orchards and the occasional oast house rather than dramatic hills, which makes it well suited to relaxed touring, tent camping and family stays rather than rugged wild camping.

The area around Marden has a reasonable spread of sites, from back-to-basics camping and touring pitches to more comfortable glamping options such as pods and shepherd's huts set in the countryside towards Royal Tunbridge Wells and the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty nearby. Adult-only touring parks and dog-friendly family sites both feature among the options within a short drive of the village, many within easy reach of the River Medway and the woodland walks that thread through this part of Kent.

Late spring through early autumn is the best window for camping here, when the orchards are in blossom or fruiting and the Wealden footpaths are at their driest and most walkable. September brings the added interest of the hop and fruit harvest, echoing Marden's long history as one of Kent's hop-growing villages, when hundreds once travelled down from London each year to help bring in the crop. Anyone who prefers a roof and a proper bed without giving up the countryside setting will find glamping pods and shepherd's huts a good compromise, and many sites in the area supply them alongside standard touring and tent pitches, so it is worth checking exactly what a site offers before booking, particularly outside the main summer season when smaller sites may reduce their opening hours.