Camping in Medbourne

Leicestershire's countryside around Medbourne is classic English lowland farmland: gentle, rolling hills, hedgerow-lined fields and the quiet valley carved by Medbourne Brook, making for pleasant if unspectacular camping country rather than dramatic wilderness. As in the rest of England, wild camping is not legally permitted without the landowner's express permission, so pitching up in a farmer's field or along the footpaths without asking first is not an option here, however tempting the scenery. The good news is that this part of Leicestershire and neighbouring Rutland has a healthy scattering of small, well-run campsites and farm-based sites within a short drive, many offering simple grass pitches for tents alongside hook-ups for tourers and motorhomes.

Because the terrain is gentle rather than hilly, this is easy country for family camping, with flat, sheltered pitches the norm and no serious gradients to contend with when choosing where to set up. The nearby Welland valley footpaths and quiet lanes also make for excellent camping-base walking, whether you are staying a single night between longer touring stops or basing yourself for several days to explore Rutland Water, Uppingham and Market Harborough. Rivers and brooks in the area, including Medbourne Brook itself, are generally shallow and slow-moving rather than the kind of water associated with wild swimming spots, so this is more a walking-and-pub-lunch camping destination than a watersports one.

Late spring through to early autumn is the best window for camping here, when the ground is drier underfoot and the long evenings suit sitting out with a barbecue after a day's walking; the shoulder months of May and September often bring the added benefit of quieter, less busy sites. Given the modest number of formal campsites directly around Medbourne, it is worth booking ahead in peak summer weekends and during the Easter period, when the village's Hallaton bottle-kicking tradition draws extra visitors to the area. For those who prefer a roof over their heads without giving up the outdoor feel, glamping options - shepherd's huts, safari tents and camping pods - have become increasingly common across Leicestershire and Rutland in recent years, offering a comfortable middle ground between a hotel stay and a traditional tent.