Camping in Wells

Wells itself has no campsites within the city, but the surrounding Mendip Hills and Somerset Levels offer a good spread of options within a short drive. As in the rest of England, wild camping is illegal without the landowner's explicit permission — the informal tolerance found in parts of Scotland and Dartmoor does not extend here, so pitching up on open land or hillside without asking first can mean being moved on or worse. Fortunately there is no need to try: licensed campsites within a few miles of Wells range from simple, small farm sites to fuller-facility touring and camping parks, many of them geared towards exploring the Mendip Hills, Cheddar Gorge and Wookey Hole caves on foot or by bike.

The Mendip Hills' limestone terrain means grass pitches can be firm and free-draining even after rain, which makes this good territory for tents as well as tourers, though the hills themselves are steep and rocky in places so it is worth checking a site's exact location before booking if you want easy, level ground. Spring through early autumn is the most comfortable window for camping here, with long evenings for walking up onto the plateau above Priddy or exploring the gorges, while sites open in winter tend to suit those visiting for caving or off-season quiet rather than long days outdoors. For anyone who wants the Mendip scenery without the tent-pitching, glamping options in the area — shepherd's huts, yurts and pods — have grown considerably in recent years, offering a warmer, more sheltered alternative that still puts you within easy reach of Wells Cathedral, Cheddar Gorge and the Somerset Levels.