Getting into the great British countryside for a summer break, more often than not, means taking the car. However, there are plenty of camping or glamping sites you can access by public transport, with a short taxi transfer from a train station.
These 15 sites, selected by glamping portal Canopy & Stars, are no more than a 30-minute drive from a station and they also have a shop or pub within a 1.5-mile walk, meaning you can travel light too.
Brownscombe Roundhouse, Devon
5 miles from Newton Abbot, served by GWR and CrossCountry trains
The sun will arc across the sky from your perspective in the wood-fired hot tub at this roundhouse, tucked into the corner of a sheep field.
There’s also a wonderful tin bath outdoors, on the covered deck, complete with a bath tray to keep the prosecco, or cup of tea, handy.
When you’re not lounging around you might be firing up the barbecue when the sun’s shining, or in the small kitchenette if it’s a cooler evening.
The imposing Compton Castle and Bickley Mill inn are walkable, while Preston Sands beach is just over three miles south. Sleeps two, from £155 per night
Rookers Rest, Somerset
5.5 miles from Yatton station, served by GWR trains
Set far away from anyone else, Rookers Rest is snuggled into its own woodland, with the clearing where your firepit sits right outside your bedroom.
It’s almost too easy to lounge around here, enjoying the hammock in the summer months, when the wood is alive with deer and kingfishers, or spotting starlight round the fire in the cooler months.
Start the day under the open-top shower with the morning sun beaming in, and the promise of eggs a-la-however waiting on the double electric hob when you get back in. They’ll undoubtedly be eaten on the al fresco table, under the covered deck. Later, you might want to explore Weston-super-Mare or Sands Bay Beach, just over seven miles west. Sleeps two from £95 per night
Mabbs, Cornwall
7 miles from Penzance train station, served by GWR trains
Streams ripple through the length of the Cot Valley and down through the meadow where Mabbs, and sister safari-style tent Mobbs, sit in peaceful seclusion.
Mabbs is a simple space, with everything you need and nothing you don’t. You can spread out on the sofa, pad across the floorboards from the kitchen to the deck or back to the en suite bathroom feeling instantly at home in the calmly comfortable canvas lodge.
Solar power provides USB charge points and lighting, but you’ll want to turn it all off to see the fantastic stars of rural Cornwall’s unspoilt skies.
Glorious Gwynver beach is four and-a-half miles away, Lands End Airport just down the road, and Carn Euny Ancient Village just over a mile’s walk. Sleeps five, from £175 per night
Tinkers Treehouse, East Sussex
3.5 miles from Stonegate station, served by Southeastern trains
The first thing that strikes you as you crunch down the woodchip path to Tinkers Treehouse is the perfect peace of its forested surroundings. If you tread quietly, you might even spot deer or the resident badgers on your way.
As you round the corner, your sophisticated apartment in the trees draws into view. On the ground below the balcony is the fire bowl, where you can spend evenings toasting marshmallows or just listening to the crackle of the logs and watching the stars.
The Bull Inn in Ticehurst is a short walk away, and Bewl Water, with its waterborne acitivites, walks and cycle trails, is also close by. Sleeps two from £180 per night
Sun-Dapple, Devon
8.5 miles from Okehampton station, served by GWR trains
This unique handcrafted wood house, known as a Truffle, is one of five, spaced out across 15 acres of oak woodland that’s home to a variety of flora and fauna including wild orchids, a young family of deer, buzzards and woodpeckers.
As well as an inviting wood burning stove inside, there’s a sheltered outside cooking area with an Aquaforno cooking system that includes a barbecue and pizza oven, and a gas hob so you can make a speedy cup of coffee to get you going in the morning.
Dartmoor is 10 miles south, and can be reached by bus. Sleeps two from £130 per night
Orchard Treehouse, Worcestershire
4 miles from Pershore station, served by GWR trains
On the edge of the Cotswolds National Landscape and Bredon Hill National Nature Reserve, you’ll be surrounded by wildlife when staying at Orchard Treehouse.
Light the wood-burner and relax in the king-sized bed made from the very forest seen from the treehouse. From the hot tub, you can stargaze uninterrupted until your fingertips are wrinkled.
There’s a welcome pack of locally-sourced goodies waiting for you, and owners Emma and Richard are happy to arrange grocery deliveries and fill the fridge for you ahead of your arrival. Sleeps two (with additional space for two children) from £249 per night
The Sea Shed, Pembrokeshire
1 mile from Manorbier station, served by Transport for Wales trains
Just 15 minutes’ walk from craggy cliffs and the wide-open bay of Manorbier Beach, The Sea Shed is waiting.
With a few days away here, you have the perfect chance to explore Pembrokeshire. It’s just a five-minute walk to the gates of Manorbier Castle, and all the village has to offer, and a quick walk to the beach too.
You are situated right on the Ironman Wales cycling trail too, so it’s a great area to explore on two-wheels. Sleeps two from £99 per night
The Resting House, Scottish Borders
8.5 miles from Gorebridge station, served by ScotRail trains
An easy hop on the train from Edinburgh (as well as East Lothian’s seaside towns), this cosy Shepherd’s Hut offers a restful escape from the hustle and bustle of city life – the owners can even arrange direct pickups from Gorebridge station.
Open the doors to the deck, beyond which sits the firepit, the Hikki tub and the countryside stretching for miles. It’s the sort of view to spend hours gazing at and, thanks to the hanging chair on the porch, you can.
Start the day with a refreshing rainfall shower, and you’ll be ready to explore the grounds, venture to the coast or even dip into town. Sleeps two from £134 per night
Galtres Treehouse, Yorkshire
10 miles from York station, served by LNER, TransPennine Express, CrossCountry and Northern trains
It’s very hard not to feel like the king or queen of a wooden castle at Galtres Treehouse. It sits within its own little pocket of wood, overlooking 50 acres of ancient parkland, not far from a stately home. Outside, beyond the gigantic deck, you find the firepit for warming yourself while you’re star spotting and the historic, brick-lined swimming pond, fed by a fresh spring and perfect for pairing with your private sauna. Sleeps two from £249 per night
The Victorian Railway Carriage, Suffolk
3 miles from Bures station, served by Greater Anglia trains
For true railway enthusiasts, what could be better than a stay in your own liveable piece of Victorian railway memorabilia? The original fittings – chunky doors with heavy brass handles, ornate light switches, dark wood panelling – have been added to with all the mod-cons for a comfortable stay (there’s also a clawfoot bath and cosy wood-burner).
Owner John can pick you up from the nearest train station by arrangement. Daws Hall Trust Nature Reserve is walkable, as is the pretty river Stour. Dedham Vale National Landscape is around 10 miles east. Sleeps four from £120 per night
The Riverside, Surrey
4 miles from Woking station, served by Southwestern Railway
Riverside is a space with a story. It is one of four cabins originally built in the 1930s for city folk to come out of town and fish in summer, but owner Andrea brought her professional art and antique valuer’s eye to the task of turning it into a homely place for all seasons. Your covered terrace is the perfect peaceful spot for sitting in silence and watching the world glide by. Sleeps two from £125 per night
Justin, Leicestershire
6 miles from Bingham station, served by East Midlands Railway
Hewn from tin and farm finds, a luxe shepherd’s hut for two with a hot tub close to the Grantham Canal – walk to the Windmill Inn, or fine dining restaurant Jericho, then saunter back under the stars.
The hut is deep in the Vale of Belvoir and there’s a wood-fired hot tub for two, underfloor heating, a private bathroom plus a well-dressed king-size bed. Sleeps two from £100 per night
Middle at Middle Lypiatt Glamping, Gloucestershire
3 miles from Stroud station, served by GWR
If you’re looking to bring the whole gang, this large safari tent sleeps eight and is raised four metres above the ground on stilts.
There are 12 acres of grounds to roam, as well as a hot tub and barbecue, and plenty of books and games inside if the weather should turn.
Stround is around two and-a-half miles west and The Woolpack Inn is around an hour’s walk north. Sleeps eight from £205 per night
Ondine, Oxfordshire
2 miles from Henley-on-Thames station, served by GWR
Ondine floats happily on the River Thames, and is the perfect balance for a wild adventurer with a side of urban explorer.
While you could easily wander to Henley-on-Thames and check out the markets, grab a coffee or even visit the cinema, you’re also far enough out of the town to be backed by miles of countryside, with walks wiggling their way through patchwork fields, and woods at every turn.
With roughly a mile from the houseboat to the edge of the Chiltern Hills National Landscape, there’s miles of countryside to explore. Sleeps two from £185 per night
Hay Barn, Devon
12 miles from Newton Abbot station, served by GWR and CrossCountry trains
This lovingly renovated hay barn is at the heart of a home, that’s also a well-being, art and nature retreat. Stretching over 16 acres of wildflower meadows and woodland, Southcombe Barn backs onto the open moor of Dartmoor National Park, so your experience can extend just as far as the horizon.
This is a place for people to relax, disconnect from everyday life, connect with nature – and perhaps enjoy the site’s wood-fired sauna. Sleeps two from £123 per night
All sites can be booked through Canopy & Stars, which has a collection of more than 100 glamping sites accessible by public transport. Guests travelling by public transport from July 2024 can also claim a £75 voucher towards a future booking