Camping in Sandford

Sandford sits right at the foot of the Mendip Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty of open limestone grassland, dry valleys and dramatic views back across the Somerset Levels - excellent walking country and a scenic, if occasionally exposed, spot for anyone wanting to camp within reach of Cheddar Gorge without staying in Cheddar itself. As with everywhere else in England, wild camping on the Mendips is not legally permitted without the landowner's express permission, so a proper site or a farm pitch with the owner's agreement is the way to go rather than pitching up on open access land.

The wider Mendip Hills and North Somerset countryside around Sandford has a good spread of campsites and glamping options, from simple grass-pitch farm campsites to more developed touring and caravan parks, many of them family-run and geared towards walkers and cyclists using the Strawberry Line, which passes right through the village. Some sites in the area also offer glamping in bell tents, shepherd's huts or pods for those who want the Mendip Hills scenery without full camping kit - a good option if you are visiting for the Thatchers cider tour or the railway heritage centre and want a comfortable base nearby.

Late spring through early autumn is the most comfortable window for camping here, with long evenings well suited to sitting out after a day on the hills or the cycle path. Early autumn brings the added bonus of the cider harvest at nearby Myrtle Farm, when the orchards around the village are at their most atmospheric. The limestone plateau of the Mendips can be cold, wet and windy outside the summer months, so if you are pitching on higher ground rather than in the more sheltered valley around Sandford itself, come prepared for changeable weather even in a typically mild Somerset summer.