If you are looking for the best adventure campsite in North Somerset, we have a list of 10 excellent reasons to pick Mendip Basecamp for your next family holiday. Our facilities are simple but essential, with just the right mix of off-grid authenticity and convenience. Hot showers, charging points, a cafe, a restaurant, and a camp shop help with a comfortable stay, and exciting onsite adventure activities like axe throwing, skiing and more offer excitement and adventure.

In the evenings, you can enjoy a campfire and toast marshmallows, go bat detecting, and spot the constellations as the stars emerge. With a mix of outdoor activities, relaxation, nature and comfortable amenities, Mendip Basecamp is one of the best campsites for family adventure experiences.

Here are 10 reasons to stay at Basecamp this summer, plus a bonus itinerary to help you plan your perfect family holiday.

Our location is super convenient

On top of a hill circled with ancient woodland, with far-reaching views and plenty of space to pitch your tent or park the van, you could be forgiven for thinking you would have to drive miles to get here. Mendip Basecamp is ideally located for quick weekends away with the family or longer stays to enjoy everything North Somerset can offer. The motorway is easy to access, and there are buckets of local destinations, history and culture in nearby Bristol, Wells and Cheddar.

The location is fab. Facilities are great.

If you would rather stay put and explore Basecamp, there are loads of adventure activities available, like air rifles or caving, walking trails through the woods, a disc golf course and more!

Helpful links

A woman with long hair and sunglasses on her head is bent over holding the corner of a tent spread flat on the grass. A man and child are beyond her, also laying out their tent. A small group of boys stands to the side, talking amongst themselves. Trees surround the camping field, and there are colourful flags on flag poles on the right of the frame. The sun is shining and in the far background is the Mendip Basecamp entryway.

2. Rustic but comfortable camping

It feels like a campsite run by people who know about camping.

Mendip Basecamp was built by people who do indeed know about camping. You may be navigating at night by torchlight or waking up with the birds, but you can still have a hot shower and real sinks for washing up. Ultimately, we aimed to create a site that provides comfortable basic amenities and promotes independence and freedom to enjoy the outdoors. You can even enjoy tasty breakfast rolls and excellent coffee in the Pavilion, so you can pick your level of ‘roughing it’ daily!

Mendip Basecamp Facilities
  • Wifi
  • Hot showers and flushing loos
  • Fire pits and BBQs
  • Friendly dogs allowed
  • Park by your tent
  • Campsite shop
  • Country pub with food and live music
  • Activity centre on-site
  • Families only
  • Freezer
  • USB charging
  • Accessible toilets and showers
  • Giant sandpit

3. Pick your own camping spot

We are lucky to have the space for campers to pick their pitch. How cosy you would like to get with your neighbours or spread out in a peaceful corner is up to you! Visitors often say they enjoy the freedom to choose where they set up camp, and children have fun running around looking for their favourite place.

This has to be one of most spacious & accommodating campsites I have had the pleasure of using in a long while.

When you book at Mendip Basecamp, you can bring your tent or campervan for the full DIY camping experience or stay in one of our ready-pitched bell tents or safari tents for a streamlined trip. Alternatively, we have comfy bunkrooms in the Lodge ready for you and your family or group. Regardless of where you sleep, your family will love the opportunity to slow down and enjoy the space you will find at Basecamp.

4. Next-level family adventure activities

A long-haired child and adult man stand to the right of the frame facing away from the viewer. They are holding throwing axes above their heads in both hands, about to release them at the wooden targets positioned across from them

We know it can be hard to cater for everyone in a family group. Ages, interests and abilities vary so we offer activities that the entire family can enjoy. Mendip Activity Centre is only a short walk from Basecamp, and you can learn to ski, go caving, or try out a target sport. We also have a toboggan slope, a permanent disc golf course and loads more exciting activities for your family to try.

Top tip

When booking your activities, we suggest you check where your session will take place and leave your family enough time to get from one activity to another. Some sessions run offsite, like our water sports in Hewish, so if you have any questions about travel timing, please ask a staff member or contact us

5. Relax and connect with nature

From our point of view, this is one of the biggest reasons to stay at our family adventure campsite. Delicate flowers, sweet meadowgrass, gnarled trees, singing birds, silent rabbits, flighty deer and more - Mendip Basecamp is a place to stop, listen, look and smell. With so much available, your family will always find a moment (or many) to connect with the outdoors and each other. We love hearing from visitors who have taken the opportunity to savour the sunsets on our little slice of North Somerset and think everyone should check it out.

6. Enjoy a campfire under the stars

The sun is setting in this dusk scene showing a lit campfire and two people facing away from the camera. The campfire lights up their immediate surroundings and contrasts heavily with their dark surroundings. One person is holding up their phone to take a picture of the dusk sky.

A camping trip is the best when you have a campfire, so we were keen to offer them at our family adventure campsite. We repurposed old washing machine drums into firepits so our guests could have a safe, authentic camping experience, and everyone has loved it since. You can rent a firepit for the length of your stay, which comes with a fire-starter kit, and we have all the campfire essentials like firewood, kindling and firelighters available in the onsite camp shop.

Watch the stars emerge and bask in the golden-orange glow with a toasty marshmallow (or four).

We hope to return soon, we couldn’t get enough of our marshmallows on the hired fire pit!!

7. FREE activities at Mendip Basecamp

A woman wearing sunglasses with her hair tied up is in the foreground, dressed in a vest top and skinny jeans. She is twirling a hula hoop around her waist and smiling. A man and children of different ages are in the background also participating in different free circus skill activities.

Spark curiosity and exploration with our schedule of free activities for children of all ages (and adults too!), and make sure to check out the amazing sandpit. During the week, we offer treasure hunts, nature crafts, meet the Yeti sessions, climbing, circus skills and outdoor games. Friday and Saturday are a family affair, with live music at the Lodge - these evenings are always popular, so get your seats early!

Superb site, tons of activities and really friendly family atmosphere.

8. No check-out time at our adventure campsite!

Is this one of the ultimate holiday luxuries? It just might be. No one likes rushing about on their last day, so we do not worry about it at Mendip Basecamp. In the spirit of holiday freedom, visitors can make their way out in their own time, and depending on the day, we even offer free activities that will keep the kids busy while you pack up.

9. Summer events and festivals

Alongside our free weekend music nights, Mendip Basecamp hosts the Harvest Home Festival at the end of August. With camping and an exciting list of activities included free with each ticket, the festival has been a hit with families near and far.

Free activities at the festival often include:

  • Frisbee Golf
  • Climbing Tower
  • ArcheryActive
  • Orienteering
  • Campfires
  • Nerf battles
  • Circus skills
  • Kids entertainment and mini disco

Tickets for the 2024 Harvest Home Festival are on sale now, so click here to book your space. We look forward to seeing you there!

10. You will become part of a wonderful community

A lovely atmosphere and community feel to a perfect campsite.

Since Basecamp opened, we have had the privilege of seeing families return each summer and create new holiday traditions. Shared experiences are part of family and community life, and it is fun to have played a role in providing access to nature and activities that promote exploration, adventure and growth.

Those are just 10 reasons why we think you should visit the best adventure campsite in North Somerset this summer

We are sure there are more things to add to the list, but this is a great start. We would love to see your family at Mendip Basecamp - you can click here for more information about our adventure campsite and leave a review here if you have stayed with us before.

What should my family do on our adventure camping holiday?

To help get your planning wheels turning, we have created an example itinerary of things to do at Mendip Basecamp.

Day 1

Arrive from 3pm and settle into your accommodation

  • Pitch your own tent
  • Or check into a pre-pitched bell tent
  • Rent a firepit

Enjoy a pint of our very own locally brewed Yeti beer in the sun.

Head for a wander around the site to get your bearings.

Enjoy a free evening activity such as nature craft, or hire one of our bat transceivers to go bat spotting

Light your campfire and chat about tomorrow’s plans

  • Will it be an onsite or offsite activity day?
    • Day 2

    Enjoy the morning birds with a coffee and a croissant from the Pavilion

    Onsite activities
    • Head down to Mendip Activity Centre and take part in Axe Throwing, Air Rifle or even our very own activity ArcheryActive
    • Lunch in the Alpine Lounge, our lovely cafe overlooking the ski slope
    • Rock Climbing in Sandford Quarry - A beautiful 30-minute walk or a 10-minute drive from the campsite
    • BBQ dinner - we sell a delicious range of locally produced BBQ foods in the camp shop or you can bring your own
    Offsite activities
    • Try out the assault course at Hewish, our watersports site
    • Enjoy a picnic lunch near the Yeo River
    • In the afternoon, choose from a range of watersports including Canoeing, Kayaking or Paddle boarding
    • Enjoy dinner at a pub in one of the surrounding villages, or pop into Weston-super-Mare for a classic fish and chips on the beach experience
    Day 3

    Enjoy another onsite activity in the morning like skiing or snowboarding

    Or

    Check out the local area: farm shops, local walks, pubs, National Trust properties, Bristol or Cheddar

  • Create a tasty picnic lunch with farm shop produce or bring your own

    • In the afternoon, choose one of our exciting self-led activities such as Disc Golf or Tobogganing

    Enjoy one of our Free music evenings at the Lodge

  • If you can’t be bothered to cook, grab some pub grub when you’re there!