Camping in Oakham

Rutland's gentle farmland and the wide open water of Rutland Water make the area around Oakham a rewarding base for campers, though as everywhere in England, wild camping without the landowner's permission is illegal, so it's worth sticking to licensed sites. There are several campsites within easy reach of the town, ranging from simple touring and tent pitches on working farms to larger holiday parks geared towards families, and a number offer direct or near-direct access to the Rutland Water cycle and walking trail, making it easy to spend a day exploring by bike straight from your pitch.

The terrain here is gentle rather than dramatic: rolling arable countryside, hedgerows and small woodlands, with the reservoir itself providing the main scenic draw and a focus for watersports, birdwatching and long lakeside walks. Sites closer to the water tend to book up fastest in summer, particularly around the sailing and fishing seasons, while those further into the countryside offer a quieter, more traditional camping experience among Rutland's villages and farmland.

Late spring to early autumn is the best window for camping around Oakham, when the trails are driest, the nature reserve is busiest with breeding birds including its famous ospreys, and Rutland Water's watersports centres are fully open. Glamping has also taken hold in the area, with a growing number of Rutland farms offering shepherd's huts, bell tents and safari-style lodges for those who want the setting without pitching a tent themselves, often with the same easy access to the reservoir and the surrounding villages that make this such a pleasant corner of the East Midlands to explore slowly, on foot or by bike.