12 Camping Sites Near London You Can Actually Get To From the City
Sometimes you don't need to drive for three or four hours to feel like you've escaped London.
There are campsites inside Greater London, around the edge of the capital and just beyond it where you can pitch a tent, wake up surrounded by trees or riverside scenery and still be close enough to get back into London without turning the trip into a major road journey.
And perhaps more importantly, you don't always need a car.
Some of these places can be reached by train or bus, while others are much easier if you're driving.
So if you've been thinking about going camping but keep telling yourself it's too much effort from London, here are 12 places worth looking at.
1. Abbey Wood Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite camping actually in London
Abbey Wood, southeast London
If you want to go camping without really leaving London, Abbey Wood is probably the obvious place to start.
The campsite is in SE2, within Greater London, and offers tent pitches as well as pods and pitches for caravans and motorhomes.
And the transport connection is one of its biggest advantages.
Abbey Wood station is around a five-minute walk from the campsite, with Elizabeth line services providing a quick connection into central London. Visit London describes the site as around 20 minutes from central London.
That means you could quite realistically spend the night in a tent and then head into central London the following day.
Greenwich is also nearby, so you can combine your camping trip with the Royal Observatory, National Maritime Museum, Cutty Sark or Greenwich Market.
Best for: Londoners without a car, first-time campers and anyone who wants the easiest possible camping escape.
2. Lee Valley Campsite, Sewardstone woodland camping on London's edge
Chingford
This is where camping starts to feel much more like an escape.
Lee Valley Campsite, Sewardstone is on the outskirts of Chingford, surrounded by countryside and trees while still being close to London.
The campsite has grass pitches with and without electric, hardstanding pitches, premium pitches and other camping options. You can also hire bikes and other extras during your stay.
The site is currently open March through January, closing in February, according to its 2026 season information.
There are also useful facilities nearby, including places to eat and drink, while Epping Forest and the Lee Valley are within easy reach.
For Londoners, it's a particularly interesting option because you're close enough to the city to make this a genuine weekend escape rather than a full holiday.
Best for: woodland surroundings without travelling far from London.
3. Lee Valley Camping and Caravan Park, Edmonton camping with London still close
North London
Camping in north London might sound strange, but this site proves it can work.
Lee Valley Camping and Caravan Park in Edmonton sits beside a lake surrounded by wildlife, while still being part of a leisure complex with an 18-hole golf course, athletics facilities and a cinema nearby.
The campsite has tent pitches, camping pods and pre-pitched tents, as well as facilities for caravans and motorhomes.
And unlike some seasonal sites, it is currently open all year.
The site's official information also highlights public transport connections into London, making it one of the more practical options if you don't drive.
One important current detail: because of the elevated wildfire risk, BBQs and fire pits are currently prohibited at the site until the relevant threat level reduces. This is a temporary rule, so check the latest visitor information before your trip.
Best for: families, beginners and campers who still want plenty of facilities nearby.
4. Lee Valley Almost Wild Campsite for the closest thing to wild camping
Broxbourne, Hertfordshire
If you read “camping” and don't want a holiday park, this is probably the most interesting option on the list.
Lee Valley Almost Wild Campsite sits beside the River Lee Navigation, on the Hertfordshire–Essex border.
The whole point is to give you a much more basic outdoor experience.
There is no mains electricity, no Wi-Fi and no hot water or showers. Instead, you'll find composting toilets, cold drinking water and solar-powered lighting.
You can choose riverside pitches or woodland glade pitches, and you can even bring a canoe and launch it from the site.
The campsite is also within a short walk of Broxbourne railway station, making it one of the most interesting choices for anyone trying to camp without a car.
There is a minimum age of 12, so this isn't designed for families with very young children.
The 2026 season runs April to October, weekends and Bank Holidays only.
Best for: experienced campers, couples, older children and anyone wanting a genuine back-to-nature weekend.
5. Lee Valley Caravan Park, Dobbs Weir riverside camping
Hoddesdon / Dobbs Weir
Another Lee Valley option, but with a more conventional campsite experience.
Dobbs Weir offers grass pitches with and without electric alongside hardstanding pitches, making it suitable for tents as well as caravans and motorhomes.
The site sits beside the River Lee and is close to the water and countryside around the Lee Valley.
There are also useful extras available, including bike hire and fire pits, although current fire restrictions should always be checked before your stay.
It's a good middle ground.
You get more facilities than Almost Wild, but you're still far enough from central London to feel like you've escaped the city.
Best for: a comfortable countryside camping weekend with riverside scenery.
6. Debden House Campsite camping beside Epping Forest
Loughton, Essex
Debden House is another option for anyone who wants to combine camping with Epping Forest.
The campsite describes itself as an oasis of tranquillity on the edge of Epping Forest, with overnight camping, toilets, showers and other basic facilities.
But there is an important 2026-specific restriction you need to know about.
The campsite is operating from 10 July to 13 September 2026, and the 2026 camping season is weekends only. The site also says availability is limited and online booking is required, with no walk-in bookings.
So don't treat this as a normal year-round campsite.
If you're planning a summer weekend in 2026, however, it could make a great base for exploring Epping Forest.
Best for: summer camping, woodland walks and campers looking for an Epping Forest escape.
7. Chertsey Camping and Caravanning Club Site a riverside escape you can reach by train
Chertsey, Surrey
If you're happy to leave Greater London but don't want to travel far, Chertsey is a particularly useful option.
The campsite sits beside the Thames and has a riverside setting, while the Camping and Caravanning Club says it can be reached from central London by train in around 50 minutes.
There are grass pitches, electric pitches, hardstanding pitches and super-service pitches, as well as showers, toilets, Wi-Fi and other campsite facilities.
The campsite is also close to the Thames Path, with Thorpe Park, Hampton Court Palace and other attractions nearby.
So you can make this a camping weekend without giving up the option of doing something more touristy during the day.
The site is open throughout 2026.
Best for: campers who want countryside, the Thames and relatively easy access from London.
8. Walton-on-Thames Camping and Caravanning Club Site for southwest London
Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
For people living in southwest London, Walton-on-Thames is another useful option.
The Camping and Caravanning Club describes it as a site that's ideally located for visiting London by train, combining a leafy setting with access to the capital.
Tents are welcome, along with caravans, motorhomes and trailer tents.
But there is one unusual thing you absolutely need to know before booking:
This campsite does not have toilets or showers.
That's not necessarily a problem for experienced campers, but it makes this a poor choice if you expect a fully equipped campsite.
The 2026 season currently runs from 27 March to 26 October.
Best for: experienced campers and southwest Londoners who want a simple camping escape.
9. Hertford Camping and Caravanning Club Site for a proper countryside weekend
Hertford, Hertfordshire
If you want to feel like you've actually left London behind, Hertford is another option worth considering.
The Camping and Caravanning Club currently has the site open all year throughout 2026, from 1 January to 31 December.
The nearest train station is around 1.5 miles away, so public transport is possible, although you'll need to account for that final stretch.
That makes it less convenient than Abbey Wood or Almost Wild if you are travelling entirely without a car.
But if you're happy to walk, cycle or arrange transport for the last part of the journey, Hertford gives you a more genuine countryside break while remaining within relatively easy reach of London.
Best for: a proper weekend away without travelling a huge distance.
10. Theobalds Park for a north-of-London escape
Goffs Oak, Hertfordshire
If you're coming from north London, Theobalds Park is another campsite worth looking at.
It sits in Goffs Oak, just beyond the northern edge of London, making it particularly convenient for people who don't want to cross the entire capital before starting their weekend.
The site is part of the Camping and Caravanning Club network, which currently lists Theobalds Park among its 2026 sites.
The surrounding Hertfordshire countryside gives you more of a rural feeling than the campsites actually inside London.
This is one where having a car makes things considerably easier, so I'd choose it if your priority is getting into the countryside quickly, rather than finding the easiest campsite by public transport.
Best for: north Londoners and drivers looking for a short countryside escape.
11. Aldenham Country Park camping close to northwest London
Elstree, Hertfordshire
Aldenham Country Park is another option if you live in northwest London and want somewhere green without travelling too far.
The campsite sits within the wider country park, with walking routes and open parkland around you.
It is around 12 miles from central London, making it one of the closer countryside-style options outside the capital.
This is particularly appealing for families because the park itself gives you plenty to do during the day rather than making the campsite the only attraction.
It's also worth knowing that this is a more conventional country-park camping experience rather than the deliberately basic Almost Wild setup.
Best for: families and northwest Londoners looking for a short countryside break.
12. Abbey Wood Experience Freedom Glamping if you want camping without quite doing the camping
Abbey Wood
Not everyone wants to spend their weekend wrestling with tent poles.
If that sounds like you, glamping can be the compromise.
Abbey Wood Experience Freedom Glamping offers camping pods and glamping microlodges in wooded surroundings on the eastern edge of London. Current listings describe it as having easy access to central London while still being surrounded by parks and nature.
This isn't the choice for someone determined to pitch their own tent and sleep on a roll mat.
But if you like the idea of waking up outdoors without bringing half your house with you, it is worth considering.
And because it's in Abbey Wood, you're still in one of the better-connected parts of London for getting back into the city.
Best for: couples, families and people who want the camping atmosphere without doing all the work.
So which campsite should you choose?
If you don't have a car, I'd start with:
Abbey Wood - the station is only around a five-minute walk away.
Lee Valley Almost Wild - within a short walk of Broxbourne station.
Lee Valley Edmonton - a London campsite with public transport connections and year-round opening.
Lee Valley Sewardstone - on London's edge, with bus access and countryside surroundings.
If you want the most natural experience, choose Almost Wild.
If you want proper campsite facilities, Chertsey, Edmonton, Sewardstone and Dobbs Weir are stronger choices.
If you want to stay inside London, Abbey Wood is the obvious answer.
And if you're happy to travel a little further for a more obvious countryside atmosphere, Hertford, Chertsey, Walton-on-Thames and the Hertfordshire sites are worth considering.
You don't necessarily need a car to go camping from London
This is perhaps the most useful thing about camping around London.
People often assume that camping means loading up a car, driving for hours and finding somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
It doesn't have to.
There are places where you can take a train, walk a little and suddenly find yourself beside a river or surrounded by trees.
Abbey Wood is particularly easy.
Almost Wild is another interesting option because Broxbourne station is within walking distance.
Chertsey is around a 50-minute train journey from central London, according to the Camping and Caravanning Club.
And Lee Valley's network provides public-transport information for its different sites, so it's worth checking the route before assuming you need to drive.
So before deciding that camping isn't practical because you don't drive, check the journey.
You might be surprised by how close your weekend escape actually is.
Check the rules before you pack the tent
This is especially important in 2026.
Campsites can have seasonal opening dates, temporary fire restrictions, booking requirements and different facilities, so don't assume that information from another campsite applies everywhere.
For example, Debden House has a very specific 2026 season and weekends-only operation.
Lee Valley's Edmonton and Almost Wild sites currently have temporary restrictions on BBQs and fire pits because of wildfire risk.
Walton-on-Thames doesn't have toilets or showers.
And Lee Valley recommends booking ahead, particularly during busy periods, and says it doesn't accept same-day bookings.
So always check the campsite's own current information before setting off.
Camping doesn't have to mean leaving London far behind
That's probably the biggest surprise.
You can be in central London one day, sleep in a tent surrounded by trees that night and still be back in the city without spending half your weekend travelling.
There are campsites inside London, on the edge of London and just beyond it, with options ranging from basic riverside camping to fully equipped sites and even glamping.
You can wake up beside the River Lee.
Camp near Epping Forest.
Stay beside the Thames.
Pitch a tent in Abbey Wood.
Or escape north into Hertfordshire for something that feels much more like a traditional countryside weekend.
And if you don't drive, that doesn't automatically rule camping out either.
Sometimes the easiest way to escape London is simply to look a little closer to home.
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