Plan your trek
It’s half past three. You’ve walked 16 km with everything on your back, and the campsite is round the next bend. Here’s what helps to know before you get there.
What a day looks like
No two days are the same, but most go roughly like this. The trick is to arrive early enough to get a good spot and have the afternoon to yourself.
Wake up, coffee on the stove, pack the tent while it dries in the sun if you’re lucky.
On the trail. The first hours are the coolest and quietest, so this is when to do the climbing.
Lunch with a view, or at the bakery in the village you pass through. Top up water and buy dinner here.
Arrive at the campsite. Check in, find a flat spot in the shade, pitch the tent.
Hot shower. Wash your socks. Charge your phone. Feet up.
Dinner at the campsite snack bar or on your own stove. Early night.
Good to know
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Arriving on foot
Many receptions close for lunch and shut early in the evening, so check the hours on the campsite page. Aim to arrive mid-afternoon.
A walker with one small tent takes up very little room. Even when a site is full for caravans there is often still a corner for you, but don’t count on it in July and August.
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What it costs
Expect roughly €10–25 a night for one person with a small tent, more at big holiday parks. Some campsites have a cheap hiker or cyclist rate; others charge for a full pitch whether you arrive by car or on foot. We list a price indication on every campsite page.
Bring some cash. Small family campsites don’t always take cards.
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Food
Buy dinner in the last village you walk through, not at the campsite. Campsite shops are small, pricey and often only open in high season.
In France many campsites take bread orders in the evening for the next morning. Fresh croissants at the tent are worth the detour to reception.
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Gas for your stove
You can’t fly with gas, so you’ll buy it on arrival. Screw-thread cartridges are easy to find in outdoor shops and larger supermarkets in Germany and Austria; in France and Belgium you’ll see more Campingaz. Check which type your stove takes, and buy a cartridge in the first town you reach.
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Power and laundry
Most shower blocks have a socket or two, usually by the sinks. Bring a short cable and a small power bank, and charge while you shower.
Wash a set of clothes by hand every other evening. Some campsites have a washing machine; it’s a good reason for a rest day.
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When plans change
A campsite closes early, the weather turns, your knee complains. Every route page lists the bus or train near each stage, so you can skip a day or head home without a taxi.
Build in one spare day on longer treks. You’ll either need it or enjoy it.
What you can leave at home
Sleeping at a campsite every night means you carry less than on a wild-camping trek. That’s the whole point.
Most of your water
Fill up every morning and in villages along the way. One or two litres is usually enough.
A big power bank
You can charge every evening at the campsite. A small one is enough to get you through the day.
A trowel
There are toilets. Enough said.
Five days of food
You pass a shop or bakery most days. Carry lunch and one spare dinner.
Before you leave
- Campsite opening dates checked against your dates
- July or August? Booked ahead
- Reception hours noted for each night
- Some cash in your pocket
- Stove type known, so you buy the right gas
- Light sandals for the shower block
- A small water filter for streams between villages
- GPX and offline maps on your phone or watch
- Train or bus home looked up
- Weather and local trail conditions checked
- 112 works across the EU
Ready to pick a route?
Know a route we should add? Suggest it here. Questions or a campsite we should know about? Write to [email protected].