Camping in Somerset

There are 96 campsites published on BritStays across Somerset, and they're not spread evenly. Two clusters dominate: Bath with 22 and Minehead with 22, followed by Weston-super-Mare with 14. Another 10 are listed simply under Somerset, with 7 around Bristol, 5 near Taunton, 2 at Bridgend and a single site at Kingston Seymour. Every one of the 96 is a camping stay rather than a cottage or lodge, so this is a page about pitching up — tents, tourers and the odd bit of glamping.

Coast, moor or city edge: picking your patch

The Minehead listings are your Exmoor end of the county. Sites like Cloud Farm Campsite and Llandow Touring Caravan Site sit in this group, and it's the natural base if you want walking, dark skies and a slower pace. Minehead is also where you'll find small, characterful attractions such as the Dulverton Heritage Centre and the Nash Point Fog Horn — the sort of thing that fills a drizzly morning without a lot of planning.

Weston-super-Mare's 14 sites are the straightforwardly seaside option, and the examples give you a feel for the range: Stonebridge Farm Campsite lists a gift shop, Dowlais Farm lists EV charging nearby, and Cleeve Caravan & Camping and Lower Milton Caravan And Camping Site round out the farm-field end of the scale. Webbington Farm is also in this area if you want a low-key outing that isn't the beach.

Bath's 22 are a different proposition again — countryside pitches within reach of a city. Bristol View Glamping lists being near a bus stop, which matters more than it sounds if you'd rather not drive in and park. Long River Farm Camping lists WiFi and EV charging nearby; Nettwood Country Breaks lists a playground, a gift shop and EV charging, which is about as family-ready as a Somerset campsite listing gets.

What the facilities data actually tells you

Across all 96 sites, the most commonly listed facilities are:

• EV Charging Nearby — 31
• Toilets — 23
• Pet Friendly — 20
• Gift Shop — 18
• Parking — 17
• Near a Bus Stop — 15
• Playground — 13
• WiFi — 13

Read those numbers carefully. Toilets appear on 23 listings out of 96, which doesn't mean the other 73 have none — it means they haven't listed them. On a campsite, that's exactly the detail you want confirmed before you book, so ask. The same goes for showers, washing-up facilities and whether hardstanding is available for a touring caravan.

Dog owners have 20 sites explicitly flagged as pet friendly, including Holiday Cottage Glastonbury, which also lists toilets and WiFi. Again, confirm the specifics: whether dogs are allowed off-lead anywhere on site, and whether there's livestock in neighbouring fields.

If you want a site with a bit of built-in sociability, The Wave Campsite at Easter Compton lists a bar, a cafe and toilets, and Moorhouse Farm Campsite lists a bar, a playground and toilets — useful on a trip where you'd rather not cook every night. At the other end, Huntstile organic farm and Paddington Farm Trust both sit in the general Somerset group with EV charging nearby listed.

What to do once the tent's up

Somerset gives you a lot within a short drive. Cheddar Gorge and Glastonbury Tor are the obvious landmarks, and Exmoor National Park is the big one if you're camping around Minehead. For slower days, there are several houses and gardens to work through: Iford Manor, Pixton Park and Sutton Court, plus the National Trust's Dyrham Park and the Priest's House.

Rainy-day options are mostly museums. The Museum of Bath Architecture suits a Bath-based trip; Sherborne Steam & Waterwheel Centre, Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life and the Coldharbour Woolen Museum are all worth a look if you're willing to drive out of county. With children, the Welsh Hawking Centre is a reliable couple of hours.

When to book

Camping in Somerset concentrates hard into school holidays and bank holiday weekends, and the sites with the extras — playgrounds, bars, WiFi — go first because there aren't many of them. If you need a specific combination (pet friendly plus a playground, say, or EV charging plus toilets on site), start looking three to four months ahead for July and August. Spring and September are far easier; you can often book a fortnight out, and Exmoor and the Bath countryside are at their best with fewer people about.

Whenever you book, do three things: ring or message to confirm the facilities you're relying on, check pitch type and vehicle access if you're towing, and ask about arrival times — campsites often have a narrower window than they advertise.