Camping in Moreton-in-Marsh

Moreton-in-Marsh and the surrounding North Cotswolds countryside offer a handful of well-run campsites and glamping sites set among rolling farmland and drystone-walled fields, typically a short drive from the town centre and its Tuesday market. As with the rest of England, wild camping on private land here is illegal without the landowner's permission, so it is worth booking an established site in advance, particularly during the busy summer months and around the arboretum's autumn colour season, when accommodation across the North Cotswolds gets booked up quickly.

The terrain around Moreton is gentler than the higher, more exposed parts of the Cotswolds further south, with wide arable fields and mature woodland around estates such as Batsford Park giving campsites here a sheltered, pastoral feel rather than a dramatic one. Many local sites cater well for families and walkers, with some sitting close to the Heart of England Way and other regional footpaths that criss-cross the area, making it easy to combine a stay with day walks to nearby villages like Bourton-on-the-Hill and Blockley.

The best camping weather runs from late spring through to early autumn, roughly April to September, when daytime temperatures are mild and the surrounding countryside is at its greenest; the arboretum's famous fiery autumn colours in October can also make for a spectacular, if cooler, out-of-season trip. For those who would rather skip the tent, glamping options in the area, from safari tents to shepherd's huts, offer a more comfortable way to enjoy the same countryside, often with the added convenience of proper beds and en-suite facilities while still being within easy reach of Moreton-in-Marsh's shops, pubs and Tuesday market.