Camping in London

There are 42 campsites published on BritStays across London, and they cover more ground than you might expect: scout centres on the city's wooded edges, a holiday park with a laundrette, club sites with proper accessible facilities, and a few quiet fields where the facility list is short and the point is simply pitching up. Almost all of them (36) are listed under London itself, with a handful further out in New Malden, Orpington, Purfleet and Sidcup.

Getting there, and getting about

The standout detail in this set is transport. EV Charging Nearby appears at 31 of the 42 sites, Near a Train Station at 16 and Near a Bus Stop at 15. That changes how you plan a camping trip here: you don't have to treat the car as the only way in and out. 1st Malden Scout Group Grounds in New Malden lists bus, train and EV charging together, and Debden House Holiday Park lists a train station nearby alongside toilets and a laundrette. If your plan is to camp cheaply and spend your days in town, those are the kinds of listings worth shortlisting first.

One caution: only 4 sites in this set list Parking as a facility. That doesn't mean the rest have none, but it does mean you should confirm vehicle access, pitch-side parking and any car limits directly with the site before you commit — particularly on scout and activity centre grounds, where parking is often separate from the camping field.

Which sites suit which kind of trip

For families, look for the sites listing the extras. Lee Valley Campsite, Sewardstone lists a Playground, Toilets and Disabled Access. Pinewood Scout Centre lists a Swimming Pool, Toilets and Disabled Access, which is unusual in this set. Alderstead Heath Club Campsite lists Disabled Access, Baby Changing and Pet Friendly together, which covers most of the awkward bits of camping with small children and a dog at the same time.

For couples or anyone after something plainer, several listings are deliberately sparse. Ferryman Field and Frylands Wood Scout Outdoor Centre list EV Charging Nearby and little else; Downe Activity Center and Downe Activity Centre in Orpington list no facilities at all. Treat those as bring-everything trips and ask what's on site before booking.

Dog owners have fewer confirmed options: Pet Friendly is listed at Woollett Hall Farm in Sidcup (alongside Toilets and a bus stop) and at Alderstead Heath Club Campsite. Elsewhere, ring ahead rather than assuming — scout and activity centres often have their own rules about dogs on site.

Reading the facility lists honestly

Across all 42 sites, the counts are worth knowing before you pack:

• Toilets — 17, so fewer than half list them. Assume basic or none unless stated.
• WiFi — 7. Plan to use mobile data.
• Disabled Access — 5. Check specifics directly if you need step-free pitches or accessible washrooms.
• Laundrette — 3, Debden House Holiday Park among them.

Sites like Farningham Wood Scout Campsite, Bears Wood Scout Campsite and The Chefs Walk sit somewhere in the middle, listing toilets and transport links but not much more. Gilwell Park Scout Activity Centre lists EV Charging Nearby, so again, ask what else is available for your dates.

What to do once you're pitched

The appeal of camping here is that you can swing between city and countryside in a day. On the landmark side there's the Tower of London, Kensington Palace, Buckingham Palace and The Shard, plus Bruce Castle if you'd rather something quieter. National Trust properties Red House and Quebec House are both in reach, and Emmetts Garden suits a slower day out.

For rainy afternoons and children who've had enough of a field, there's Twist Museum, Chiswick House, Dennis Severs' House and Harlow Museum & Walled Gardens. Further out you'll find Oak Farm Animal Park in Buckinghamshire, Trilakes Animal Park in Berkshire, the Flitch Way Railway Carriage Museum in Essex and H2O Rampage Aqua Park in Hertfordshire for a hot weekend.

When to book

Camping around London runs on a short, busy season, and supply is genuinely limited — 42 sites for a region this size. Book summer weekends and school holidays as early as you can, and bank holidays earlier still. Scout and activity centres are often block-booked by groups, so weekday nights and shoulder season (late spring, early autumn) are your best bet for a quiet pitch at short notice.

Before you pay, confirm three things in writing: whether your pitch has vehicle access, what the toilet and shower arrangements actually are, and the cancellation terms if the weather turns. Then check the walking route from the station or bus stop in daylight hours, because arriving after dark with a tent and no plan is the part people regret.