After a distinctly damp and chilly pause following July’s fierce heat, British summertime can only end on a warmer note, right? While you cross your fingers, peruse this list of some of the finest late-summer camping spots in the country, whether you prefer canvas or the relative comforts of something with wheels.

There’s a reason you probably haven’t heard of arguably Britain’s most beautiful beach. Sandwood Bay, in the far north of Scotland, is also one of the country’s most remote and unspoilt seaside jewels. But for those willing to make the four-mile trek from the nearest road, camping is permitted in the dunes that fringe the pink-tinted sand. There are cliffs, a sea stack and, behind the dunes, a bewitching loch.

visitscotland.com

The jumbled, wind-scoured outcrop of Hound Tor – essentially a picturesque pile of granite boulders – attracts scores of hikers by day thanks to its sweeping views over Dartmoor, its abandoned medieval village of the same name, and its relative proximity to very fine pubs (the thatched Cleve in Lustleigh is the place for a cosy pint). Responsible camping is allowed – and amazing.

dartmoor.gov.uk

You don’t have to hike to the back of beyond for a feeling of wild camping. Welsummer in Kent is less than an hour and a half from London, but, under the guidance of its founders, themselves keen wild campers, it includes a choice of secluded spots in the woods alongside ready-pitched luxury bell tents. Another bonus: an on-site organic farm shop.

welsummercamping.com

Technically you’re not supposed to stay overnight in National Trust car parks – and MR PORTER would never encourage rule-breaking – but there is a tacit understanding on the North Cornish coast that respectful parking of camper vans is OK. The rewards at Welcombe Mouth Beach or Northcott Mouth, north of Bude, are sunsets and sunrises in peace on some of England’s most startling coastline, where surfers come early in search of breaks.

nationaltrust.org.uk

A “wild” campsite with hot running water? Don’t mind if I do. Norfolk Brickyard, from which the 18th-century bricks came to build Holkham Hall, the grandest of North Norfolk’s many country piles (dinner at the Victoria Inn is a must), now plays host to secluded summer camping. The owner will only reveal its precise location after booking.

norfolkbrickyard.co.uk

Outdoorsy oenophiles ought to beat a path immediately to what must be the world’s only campsite with a dedicated wine shop. Ten Acres, set in glorious rolling hills in Devon, has a campsite alongside its own vineyard just outside the village of Winkleigh. The shop also sells camping gear and – crucially – corkscrews.

tenacresvineyardcamping.co.uk

If you’re going to sleep under the stars, you may as well wake up to a decent view. Vistas don’t get much better in Britain than the Pembrokeshire coast, where Celtic Camping occupies a plumb spot on a National Trust farmland, just five minutes by foot from the pebbly cove of Aber Pwll. There are new glamping options in bell tents for the less intrepid.

celtic-camping.co.uk

For a small fee, camper vans are permitted to park overnight at the Mill Road Car Park, right in the middle of Arundel on the banks of the River Arun itself. The restored medieval castle, with its crenellated Norman keep, is an architectural wonder, and the vibrant village, on the edge of the South Downs National Park, is home to several excellent pubs.

arundelcastle.org