Camping and Caravan Club Origins: Wantage, August 1901

It all began right here in Oxfordshire.

In August 1901, six friends pitched their tents in an orchard on the outskirts of Wantage. That small group of cycle-campers, led by Thomas Hiram Holding, unknowingly sparked a movement that would grow into one of the oldest and largest camping organisations in the world — The Camping and Caravanning Club.

Holding, regarded as the father of modern lightweight camping, had discovered his passion for outdoor life during an 1853 wagon-train journey across America. Combining his love for camping and cycling, he founded The Association of Cycle Campers, which held its very first meet here in Oxfordshire.

From those humble beginnings, the Club has grown to over 730,000 members, united by the same love of the outdoors that began beneath Oxfordshire skies more than 120 years ago.

From Cycle Campers to The Camping and Caravanning Club

After its 1901 founding in Wantage, the Club quickly gained momentum.

  • In 1906, the first issue of Cycle Camping magazine was published, allowing members to share advice, experiences, and camping routes.

  • By 1909, the Club had grown to 602 members and changed its name to The Amateur Camping Club. That same year, it launched a supplies department providing lightweight equipment to members and elected explorer Robert Falcon Scott as its President.

  • Following Scott’s tragic South Pole expedition, Lord Robert Baden-Powell became Club President in 1919, further strengthening the Club’s role in outdoor education and youth engagement.

  • Later that year, the Club became The Camping Club of Great Britain and Ireland, reflecting its growing national membership.

In 1913, the first permanent Club Site opened at Walton-on-Thames — still open today — marking the start of the Club’s national network of official campsites.

Growth Through the Decades

  • 1933: The Club hosted the first Federation of International Camping and Caravanning (FICC) Rally at Hampton Court Park, helping to establish camping as a global pastime.

  • 1947: The Club became incorporated as a company limited by guarantee and adopted Articles of Association still in use today.

  • 1950–1980s: Presidents including Stephen Hilhouse, J.A.C. Champion O.B.E., Donald Dewey, and Sir John Cripps C.B.E. oversaw periods of significant growth, innovation, and international collaboration.

  • 1983: Reflecting the evolution of caravanning, the Club became The Camping and Caravanning Club Ltd.

  • 1990: The Club moved its head office to Coventry, its home ever since.

Into the Modern Era

  • 1999: The Club launched its first website, bringing camping news and campsite bookings online.

  • 2001: The first National Camping Week (now National Camping and Caravanning Week) was introduced, inspiring people nationwide to discover the joy of camping.

  • 2002–2023: Environmentalist Professor David Bellamy O.B.E., broadcaster Julia Bradbury, and wildlife cameraman Hamza Yassin each served as Club Presidents, promoting conservation, accessibility, and outdoor adventure.

  • 2024: The Club unveiled a major rebrand to celebrate its enduring mission — to inspire the camper in everyone.

The Role of District Associations

As membership spread, the Club created District Associations (DAs) — local volunteer-run groups enabling members to meet and camp together in their regions. DAs organise Meets (up to 5 days) and Temporary Holiday Sites (up to 28 days), offering affordable, social camping opportunities across the UK.

There are now 13 Regions and dozens of DAs, each forming the backbone of the Club’s community spirit.

Oxfordshire DA – Custodians of the Founding County

Being the District Association based in the birthplace of the Club is something we are immensely proud of.

We carry the spirit of those first six campers by:

  • Hosting a full calendar of weekend Meets and Temporary Holiday Sites across Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties;

  • Welcoming all Club members — from first-time campers to lifelong caravanners;

  • Keeping camping friendly, inclusive, and affordable through volunteer-led organisation; and

  • Promoting the shared values of friendship, simplicity, and connection with nature that were born here in Wantage.

Oxfordshire DA Today

  • Volunteer-run and community-driven: Our committee and stewards give their time freely to create memorable camping experiences.

  • Inclusive and welcoming: We invite all members of The Camping and Caravanning Club to camp with us, wherever they are from.

  • Rooted in heritage: Every meet and rally we hold celebrates Oxfordshire’s landscapes and the Club’s historic origins here.

  • Proud storytellers: We keep alive the story that modern Club camping began in Wantage, sharing that history with every new generation of campers.

Our Pride, Our Promise

As Oxfordshire District Association, we are the proud custodians of the birthplace of The Camping and Caravanning Club.

From that first tent pitched in a Wantage orchard in 1901 to the thriving community of today, we honour our heritage by keeping camping friendly, affordable, and open to everyone.

When you camp with Oxfordshire DA, you’re not just joining a meet:
you’re continuing a tradition that began right here, in the heart of Oxfordshire, over 120 years ago.