Camping at Silverstone: A Guide for the British Grand Prix and Race Weekends

Silverstone sits on the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, in open country with very few hotel rooms nearby. On race weekends, and above all for the British Grand Prix, camping is how most people stay: tens of thousands of fans spend the weekend in fields around the circuit. This guide covers how race-weekend camping works, which campsites are closest to the track, and where to look if the nearest ones are full. The full list is on our Silverstone camping page.

How race-weekend camping works

Three things are worth knowing before booking. Many campsites here exist mainly for race weekends: they are farm fields that open for the Grand Prix and the other big meetings, with temporary showers, food stalls and a bar, and may not take bookings at other times. The nearest sites sell out months ahead of the Grand Prix, which traditionally runs in early July, so the choice in spring is much narrower than it is the autumn before. And distance to the gates matters more than it looks on a map: the roads around the circuit are closed or one-way at peak times, so a site within walking distance saves a long queue at both ends of the day.

Campsites differ a great deal in character. Some are lively, with live music late into the night; others set aside quiet or family fields. If sleep matters, ask which before booking.

The closest campsites to the circuit

Within about a mile and a half

Dadford Road Campsite takes its name from the road that runs along the western side of the circuit. It takes tents, caravans and motorhomes and also offers glamping, and is rated 4.4 from nearly 600 Google reviews. Whittlebury Park, to the north of the track, is a golf and hotel estate that turns part of its grounds over to race camping; it takes tents, caravans and motorhomes, has electric hook-ups, and with more than 4,700 reviews is the most reviewed site in the area. Windmill Farm Campsite is a similar distance from the track.

Under two miles

Silverstone Farm Campsite is rated 4.8, and Silverstone Camping at Buzzard Holt Hosting takes tents and motorhomes and has glamping, with a 4.4 rating from 750 reviews.

A little further out

If the nearest fields are full, or a quieter base appeals, there are year-round sites within a short drive. Near Buckingham, Weatherhead Farm offers glamping. Around Towcester, Catanger Llama Farm has glamping on a working llama farm, rated 4.8. Rectory Farm near Northampton is a small site for tents, caravans and motorhomes with electric hook-ups, and it accepts dogs. Towards Brackley, Walltree House Camping takes tents and has glamping, as does Meadow Lake Glamping, which also welcomes dogs.

From any of these, allow far more time than usual on race days and check the circuit's own travel advice for park-and-ride options.

Glamping and pre-pitched tents

For anyone who would rather not carry a tent, several of the race-weekend sites sell pre-pitched tents, bell tents or pods; Dadford Road and Buzzard Holt both list glamping. These cost considerably more than a pitch and are usually the first thing to sell out. Our guide to glamping for first-timers explains what to expect from each type.

What to check before booking

Which nights are included. Many sites sell the weekend as a package from Thursday to Monday, not by the night. Vehicle rules. Some fields are tent-only with separate parking; caravans and motorhomes usually need a different pitch type. Facilities. Showers and toilets on pop-up sites are temporary blocks, and queues at peak times are normal. Noise. Ask for a quiet field if that matters. The walk. Ask for the walking time to the gate nearest the grandstand or enclosure on the ticket, not just to the circuit boundary.

Staying for more than the racing

The country around the circuit is worth a day either side. Buckingham and Towcester are the nearest towns, Brackley is a few miles west, and Milton Keynes and Northampton have the widest choice of hotels for anyone who would rather not camp at all. For other ideas, see our guides to summer staycations and staying as a group.