Nights away : camping

If you’re looking for Nights Away permits and supporting information, click here 

This page is a great opportunity to share information on nights away. If you have had a great experience, share it with the rest of the District Scouting community! You’ll also find information about some of the options for overnight camps in the UK and abroad, many of which have a full range of activities available.

This isn’t a comprehensive directory, but we hope that it provides you with some ideas or that you find something of interest to your Group. But don’t forget that groups can combine, if that helps ensure that our young people get more night away and #Skills for Life.

Local camping venues and activity centres

The following is a list of campsites and activity centres not too far from our District – where they have a website, click on the link.  Groups from the District recommend heading to Braid Wood Scout and Guide Activity Centre located in the Chiltern Hills, near Chesham. It includes an open field, a wooded area and campfires are allowed and some good hiking in the area. Facilities include a toilet and shower block.

Want to go further afield?

A great source of information about camp sites is provided by The Association of Scout and Guide Centres (ASGC) : Campsite Directory

Don’t forget that there is also a network of  Scout Activity Centres across the UK which offer overnight adventures as well as day trip options.

The Youth Hostel Association (YHA) offers free membership to all scout groups/units. Further details of how to apply for this can be found from the YHA here.

You should check that your chosen site is not  on the prohibited and restricted camping directory, details of which  you can find here

You can book camp experiences via OSM – click here for access.

There are of course other ways that Cubs, Scouts, Explorers and Network can get into the open and combine overnight with other activities  – for example via the Docklands Lord Amory or Outward Bound Trust or go further afield with specialist tour operators such as Venture Abroad

Tell us about your nights away adventure

Found a great camping site? Where was it, what were the facilities like? What did you enjoy and what could have gone better? Been to Disneyland Paris with your Cub pack? Enjoyed a Scout adventure abroad? “Tell us about it here!” opens a form for you submit and we can post your review on this page – alternatively download the paper form here: Nights away which should be e-mailed to digital@richmondscouts.org.uk.

More ideas (coming soon)

What’s coming up in the UK and beyond?

Here are links to various Jamborees and other events available in 2025 and beyond. Some of these camps are cyclical and assume that they will be proceeding :

Don’t fancy any of those? How about trying the all-year-round Jamboree at:

Kandersteg International Scout Centre, Switzerland