Camping in the UK
live 1 life is a UK marketplace for camping on private land. Instead of rows of pitches on a holiday park, most of what you'll find here is one field, one farm or one wood, let by the person who owns it — often with only one or two parties booked in at a time.
What kind of camping you'll find
The listings fall into a few broad shapes: bare tent pitches in a farm field with a tap and a compost loo; small campsites with a shower block and a handful of pitches; woodland clearings with a fire pit; and structures such as pods, bell tents and shepherd's huts for people who would rather not pitch anything.
Because hosts write their own listings, the detail varies. Every page shows the amenities the host actually ticked — water, toilets, showers, fires, parking, electric hookup — rather than a standard template, so read the amenity list before you book rather than assuming.
How booking works
Pick your dates on the listing page. Where a host has turned on Instant Book, available dates confirm straight away; otherwise the host reviews the request first. You pay a 25% deposit to hold the dates and settle the balance with the host on arrival.
Prices are the host's own nightly rate. live 1 life adds a 5% guest booking fee, shown in the deposit summary before you pay, and nothing is charged until you confirm.
Camping seasons and the weather
Most UK private sites open between March and October, with the quietest and cheapest weeks in April, May and late September. Peak weeks are the school holidays and the bank holiday weekends, when single-pitch sites go first.
If you want to camp outside that window, look for pods and huts — insulated structures stay usable through winter where a tent pitch in a wet field does not.
Before you book: a quick checklist
- Water and toilets. Confirm whether there is drinking water and a loo, or whether it is fully unserviced.
- Vehicle access. Check whether you can drive to the pitch or carry your kit in.
- Fires. Fire pits, stove-only or no fires at all — hosts differ, and so do dry spells.
- Arrival window. Many private hosts ask you to arrive in daylight.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I book a campsite directly through live 1 life?
- Yes. Every listing is booked through the site: choose your dates, pay a 25% deposit, and the host confirms — instantly where Instant Book is on. The balance is paid to the host on arrival.
- What is private camping?
- Camping on land owned by an individual — a farm, smallholding or wood — with the owner's permission, usually with far fewer pitches than a commercial holiday park.
- What types of camping are available in the UK?
- Tent pitches, campervan pitches, off-grid unserviced fields, camping pods, bell tents, shepherd's huts and glamping cabins. You can filter by type on the browse page.
- How do I book camping on live 1 life?
- Search camping uk on live 1 life, open a listing, pick your dates on the availability calendar and choose how to book. You can pay a 25% deposit to lock the dates immediately, or send the host a free request to book and wait for them to confirm. Either way you get a confirmation page with your booking reference and the dates that are now held.
- Do I pay the full amount up front for camping?
- No. live 1 life takes a 25% deposit at checkout to secure the dates; the balance is settled with the host. A 5% booking fee is added to eligible bookings and paid by the guest on top of the host's nightly rate; hosts do not pay it.
- Can I book camping for a single night?
- Often yes. Minimum stays are set by each host — many accept one night midweek and ask for two nights at weekends or bank holidays. The calendar on the listing shows the minimum stay before you reach checkout.
- What happens after I send a booking request?
- The host is notified straight away by email and can approve or decline from their dashboard. When they approve, you receive a booking confirmation email with the locked dates, the pitch address and directions, plus your booking reference.
Keep exploring
Thinking about wild camping instead?
The rules differ across Scotland, Dartmoor, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Our guide explains where you can pitch legally, where you need the landowner's permission, and how to camp responsibly.