Camping in Rodney Stoke

Camping around Rodney Stoke means making the most of the Mendip Hills' steep scarp slopes and the flat green expanse of the Somerset Levels below, two very different landscapes within a few minutes of each other. As with anywhere in England, wild camping is illegal without the landowner's permission, so pitching up on the nature reserve, Westbury Camp or open access land without asking first is not an option, however tempting the views. Instead, a number of farm-based campsites and small glamping sites in the parish and surrounding villages offer a legal, comfortable way to sleep out under Mendip skies, ranging from simple grass pitches for tents and campervans to furnished bell tents, shepherd's huts and static glamping pods for those who would rather not put up a tent at all.

The terrain here is a real draw for campers who like to walk or cycle straight from their pitch: the ground rises quickly from the Levels up through ancient woodland and calcareous grassland to the open Mendip plateau, so even a short stay can take in wildflower-rich reserves, quiet bridleways and long views south across the Levels towards Glastonbury Tor on a clear day. Cheddar Gorge, with its own cliff-top walks and show caves, is close enough for a day trip without needing to move sites.

Late spring through early autumn is the most popular and most comfortable window, when the reserve's bluebells and rare orchids are at their best in May and June, days are long enough for proper hill walking, and the ground is drier underfoot on the steeper Mendip paths. Autumn brings good colour in the ancient woodland and thinner crowds, while winter camping here is a cold, wet-underfoot prospect better suited to hardier campers, though it does come with the reward of Somerset Levels starling murmurations and cosy pub fires nearby. Whatever the season, booking ahead is wise, since genuine camping and glamping capacity around this small village is limited compared with the bigger sites further into Cheddar or Wells.