Waterside camping in Wychwood Forest
Weave between Cotswolds legends and woodland paths in this ancient Royal Forest in west Oxfordshire.
- Wychwood Forest
Popular camping styles for Wychwood Forest
Waterside camping in Wychwood Forest guide
Overview
A small 1,200-acre woodland just north of Witney in Oxfordshire, Wychwood was once a sprawling, important mediaeval Royal Forest. Today, this area is best known for its craft fairs, tree-shaded walks, and three charming Wychwood villages (Ascott, Shipton, and Milton), all originally part of the forest and home to fabulous country pubs and elegant wool-era churches. The forest is fringed by dreamy honey-stone Cotswolds villages such as Charlbury, Chipping Norton, and Burford, around which you’ll find masses of scenic meadow campsites, well-equipped campervan spots, and stylish glamping yurts, huts, and pods.
Where to go
Northern Cotswolds
The Cotswolds AONB ranks among England’s most delightful landscapes, sprinkled with golden, thatch-roof villages. The AONB’s northern flank takes in Wychwood and around, where architectural delights include the villages of Chipping Norton, Burford, Stow-on-the-Wold, Broadway, and Chipping Campden. Out in the wild, you can walk the long-distance Cotswold Way, try biking and horse riding, and dip into lakes and rivers to cool off.
Oxford, Woodstock & Around
Oxford is one of England’s most dazzling cities, packed with university colleges, perfectly clipped lawns, and major literary heritage. Go punting along the Thames, roam the museums and libraries, tap into the lively pub scene, and explore leafy Port Meadow—all under an hour’s drive from Wychwood. Just north of Oxford, Woodstock centres on the UNESCO-listed Blenheim Palace, one of the country’s most fantastical stately homes and the birthplace of Winston Churchill. And whether you fancy camping or caravanning by a river or kicking back in a glamping bell tent on a low-impact farm, there’s buckets of choice here.
Southern Cotswolds
Also within easy reach of the Wychwood area, the Cotswolds’ less-touristy southern half meanders around Roman Cirencester, picture-pretty Bibury, and peaceful Painswick, then on toward Bath. Dog-friendly campsites on family farms, secluded log cabins, and lakeside caravan parks are just a few of the picks for campers here, providing bases from which to hike along the Cotswold Way and go cycling, horse riding, paddle-boarding, kayaking, and more.
