A quiet, no-frills pitch about 200 m off the Cotswold Way near Cheltenham - hot showers, valley views, and space to yourself after a long stage.
Colgate Farm Campsite sits roughly 200 metres off the Cotswold Way, near Dowdeswell Woods on the limestone hills a few miles from Cheltenham. The farm welcomes walkers, weekenders, and small parties to a simple field pitch with clean facilities and enough quiet that the main soundtrack is birds in the trees.
This is deliberately not a big commercial site. Hikers regularly describe having the place to themselves, watching the sun drop over the valley, and waking to absolute silence - with an awesome view of Cheltenham laid out below. Facilities are strong for a farm pitch: hot shower, toilet, access to electric, washing machine, kitchen, and a fire pit with free wood.
Colgate is a working mixed farm run by Charlie Llewellen Palmer, who bought the place with his late wife Lisa in 1998. Alongside cows and sheep on rotation, the farm is known for grass livery, foaling, and grazing for polo ponies - with decades of breeding and training on the Cotswold limestone. Campers stay as guests on a real farm, not in a purpose-built holiday park. Read more on the Colgate Farm website.
Pitches cost £15 per person per night. There is no advance booking: turn up, make contact with the owner on arrival (it can take a short while), and settle in. Nothing is too much trouble once you are sorted, and hosts tend to leave you in peace - which most walkers enjoy after a day on the trail.
Pay on arrival by BACS or card using the links on the Colgate Farm camping page. There are no caravan hook-ups. Groups and small parties are welcome. Dunkerton's Cider is an easy diversion nearby if you want a drink without leaving the hill.
Bring your own tent and usual backpacking kit. Some walkers note that cooking from food supplied on site can feel limited if you prefer a full self-catering setup - pack trail meals if that matters to you. What you get in return is a peaceful, non-commercialised night with views across the valley that regulars call second to none.
Colgate Farm works especially well as a second-night stop for southbound walkers, or whenever your stage plan puts you near Cheltenham and Dowdeswell. Compare other campsites, or look at B&Bs and hotels and pubs if you want a roof for the night.
Always confirm current prices, payment options, and what is included on colgatefarm.co.uk before you rely on a pitch in your itinerary.
