Frequently Asked Questions

No. While a few of the locations do offer other types of accommodation they are listed in the Nearly Wild Camping directory primarily because they offer back-to-basics tent camping and most have only basic facilities.

 About 40% of the locations accept camper vans (not motorhomes). The reason for this is due to the camping areas generally being soft ground not suitable for heavy vehicles and also the Nearly Wild Camping ethos of giving campers as natural an environment as possible to immerse themselves in. The locations that do accept vans may ask you to use a different area to the tent campers area. We are working with location hosts to help them understand the needs of van campers as we have had much more interest from van owners than we expected. We are looking into how we can help landowners understand the different needs of various types of campers. For now 4x4s will generally be treated in the same way as camper vans – but do let the landowner know when booking as they may be able to accommodate you in a different way due to your off-road ability.

Many of the locations are suitable for motorbike camping but do check the description as some locations do not allow vehicles in the camping area.

Many of the hosts are in remote areas where mobile phone signal and internet speeds are not as good as in a town or city. Farmers may be out working the land and not be able to check emails until the evenings or next day. For this reason try to give plenty of notice when making a booking. You may get a quicker response by texting (where mobile numbers are listed).

This varies as each location has different criteria and facilities, some for example charge per tent/van while others charge per person. Expect to pay on average around £20 – £30 per night for an average family booking. Those charging per person per night are usually in the £5 – £15 range. All members have access to each locations’ details and prices and can also message the hosts directly for any clarification ahead of booking. Some locations offer exclusive use eg. £100 for up to 15 people. The majority of locations charge the same price all year round.

We consider this as a ‘thank you’ payment for the privilege of being able to spend time at the location. Each location has feedback comments that let you know just how surprised our campers are that the locations really are wilder and their hosts flexible and friendly. Many locations let you decide where to pitch and the biggest surprise is that some locations have five or less pitches so you won’t feel overcrowded even in peak summer.

There are many locations with woodland areas (45%). We are actively seeking to sign-up more woodland locations. Some locations offer a choice of both field and woodland camping.

Sometimes payment does not clear immediately, you can try logging out then back in again, also restarting your browser (clear your browser’s cache and cookies – how to do this depends on which browser you are using – see browsers Help) or logging on on another device.

Some credentials to put your mind at rest:

Many locations start off using ‘the 28 day rule’ which allows for occasional camping without the need for planning permission. With a minimum of a simple compost toilet or even camping toilet and tent you can be ready to accept campers for most of the peak summer weekends. You would need public liabilty insurance – make it clear to the broker that you are not a campsite, you just allow occasional camping on your land. If possible ask if this can be added to your current insurance (eg. household) as it may work out cheaper. Information for landowners

Some third party liability insurance would need to be in place (may already be). Make sure you point out to insurer that you are not a campsite, you just allow occasional camping (if that’s the case). If possible ask if this can be added to your current insurance (eg. household).

Mann Broadbent offer basic camping cover from £195  – be sure to let them know you heard about them from the Nearly Wild Camping website –  mannbroadbent.co.uk/

The Tourist Trail offer insurance deals for camping, glamping and mixed accommodation types.

Note that carrying out a risk assessment and considering health & safety issues will help the underwriters make an informed decision about the insurance cover required. Think about how you could reduce risk eg. campfires are only allowed in the designated fire pit where there is a large clearing and a bucket of water and fire blanket within easy reach.

When you are signed-in click ‘CREATE LISTING’ on the menu bar at the top of the page. You will then be guided through the process of describing the features of your location and there are tick boxes to list what facilities you may have and what type of campers you accept eg. tents and hammocks. You can also add some photo’s. You can edit your location details anytime when you are logged-in.

You may want to look at some other listings first to get an idea of what other people have included in their descriptions etc.