Camping at Silverstone events: What you need to know

Silverstone is the biggest and most famous racetrack in the UK. Home to the British Formula 1 Grand Prix and other major racing events, it’s a great place to visit if you’re a fan of motorsport. Here’s all the information you need to know about camping at and attending Silverstone events.

Getting to Silverstone

The Silverstone Circuit is located in the heart of the UK, in Northamptonshire. If you’re camping nearby you can drop into the Visitor Information Centre, where you can find information about events and nearby attractions and book tickets. The centre is open 10am – 5pm Monday to Friday, and 11am – 4pm at weekends.

Silverstone is easy to get to, being only an hour and a half's drive north of London. If you would prefer to avoid the traffic, the nearest train stations are Northampton, Banbury and Milton Keynes.

What to Take

There are a few key items you should add to your packing checklist! The most important is binoculars – no matter where you’re sitting a pair of these will help you get the best view possible. It’s also worth taking a portable radio, or tuning your phone/ipod radio app to 87.7fm. Here you’ll get all the information on the action, lap times, what’s happening in the pit and vital weather information! Don’t forget to wear layers, and if rain is predicted then wellies and a rain mac or poncho are a must – as are ear plugs to quieten the engine noise. Being so close to the track means it really is very loud! If you’re a keen photographer then take your camera – whichever has the fastest shutter speed or the best zoom to catch a snap of the cars as they whizz past at 190mph!

One thing you don’t need to worry about is food. Of course you can take your own, but Silverstone has it covered with fast-food. You have a huge choice of food – from Indian to Mexican, plus Carribean and Italian, and the classic burger van if you’re craving some chips. Hot food will really help improve the mood if it’s a cold day.
Another great thing Silverstone offers is the FanVision portable TV. They show wireless feeds of live broadcasts with the Radio 5live commentary. You can rent them from kiosks, but they sell out very quickly!

Camping

There are plenty of options for camping near to Silverstone. You can camp further out and travel in on race day, or you can camp at one of the sites close by.

The closest is Silverstone Woodlands – it’s also the official campsite of the Silverstone Circuit. They offer live entertainment and music on busy weekends, and most of the camping is within easy walking distance of these zones. If you prefer a bit of peace and quiet, stay further out in the Family Camping area, here the littler ones stand a better chance of getting some sleep! Woodlands have also started offering ‘comfy camping’, a luxury take on the glamping trend. Here you can stay in a bell tent, with inflatable mattresses, hand loomed rugs and fairy lights – plus 24hr customer service!

Woodlands offers electrical hook-ups, which are pre-book only and none are available on the gate. Disabled camping is also available, where you’ll find wheelchair-accessible toilets and a complimentary shuttle bus to the circuit entrance.

Camping is also available at the nearby Whittlebury Park Golf & Country Club. From here there are private paths into Silverstone circuit itself, plus championship golf courses set on over 600 acres of parkland. Visitors are welcome to play, with tee times reservable in the pro-shop. The park provides camping year-round, but its proximity to the circuit means it is busiest at event times so it’s best to book well in advance!

So whether you’re going to see a big race like the Silverstone Classic or taking to the wheel in a driving experience, you’ll find plenty of options for camping to make your visit as smooth as possible - and as fun as possible too!