Camping in Pewsey

Pewsey Vale's combination of a working canal, quiet farmland and rising chalk downland makes it an appealing spot for a countryside camping trip, though it comes with the same rule that applies across England: wild camping is illegal without the landowner's permission, and this remains true even on the open downs and along the canal towpath around Pewsey. The Kennet and Avon Canal towpath, managed by the Canal and River Trust, is a public right of way for walking and cycling but is not open land for pitching a tent, and Salisbury Plain to the south includes Ministry of Defence training land where access is tightly restricted. Anyone wanting to camp in the area needs to book a proper site.

Fortunately the vale and its surrounding villages hold a decent spread of campsites and glamping options, from small, low-key farm sites with a handful of pitches to more established touring and camping parks with hook-ups for caravans and motorhomes. Many sit within easy reach of the canal towpath or the foot of the downs, making them good bases for walkers heading up to Martinsell Hill, Giant's Grave or the White Horse Trail, as well as for cyclists following the canal towards Devizes or Hungerford. Glamping has grown steadily in the area too, with shepherd's huts, bell tents and safari-style tents offering a more comfortable stay on working farms around the vale, several with views back across the valley to the chalk escarpment.

The best camping season runs from late spring to early autumn, when the clay-based vale floor is at its driest and evenings on the downs are long and clear; the flat, sheltered valley floor suits family camping, while sites closer to the escarpment edge trade a little more exposure for wide views over the vale. Because the surrounding downland is chalk, drainage improves markedly the higher you go, so sites tucked against the hillside tend to cope better after rain than those on the valley bottom. Given the modest number of sites directly in the vale, booking ahead for peak weekends and the September carnival period is worthwhile, particularly for the smaller, more sought-after farm and glamping sites.