Wild camping in
Lancashire

The moorland above the Anglezarke and Rivington reservoirs near Chorley provides accessible wild camping for those in the Greater Manchester and Lancashire areas. The moors are modest in height but offer views across the Lancashire plain to the sea. Winter Hill, with its distinctive TV mast, is the highest point. The terrain is heather and bilberry moorland with some peat bog. The reservoirs below are popular for walking and running. Rivington Pike, a prominent hilltop tower, is a local landmark. The area has a fascinating industrial heritage with connections to Lord Leverhulme. Chorley and Horwich provide supplies. Good for a quick overnight escape from the cities.

A small but rewarding limestone hill above Arnside on the edge of Morecambe Bay. Wild camping on the summit is occasionally tolerated for a discreet overnight bivvy. The views across the bay to the Lake District fells and south to Lancashire are extensive. The limestone supports a rich flora including orchids and butterflies. The terrain is well-drained limestone grassland and woodland. The Kent Estuary below has dramatic bore tides. The RSPB Leighton Moss reserve is adjacent. Arnside has cafes and a promenade. The area is part of the Arnside and Silverdale AONB, a nationally important landscape. Best suited for a single-night microadventure.

A well-equipped campsite near Carnforth on Morecambe Bay with views across the bay to the Lake District. The site has modern facilities with showers, electric hookups, a shop, and a bar. The RSPB Leighton Moss reserve is nearby for birdwatching. Carnforth station, where the film Brief Encounter was shot, has been restored. The Silverdale AONB and Arnside are easily accessible. Lancaster with its castle is a short drive. The campsite suits families and touring couples wanting a comfortable base between the Lake District and the Lancashire coast. The bay views and sunsets are a highlight. Open March to October.

The beach at Crosby near Liverpool is home to Antony Gormley's Another Place installation, 100 iron figures standing in the sand looking out to sea. While camping here is not practical due to the urban surroundings, the beach provides a remarkable wild art experience at sunset and sunrise. The figures are gradually being claimed by barnacles and the tides. The beach stretches for miles with views across the Mersey to the Welsh hills. The area has been transformed from industrial wasteland to a cultural destination. Liverpool city centre with its outstanding museums and music heritage is easily accessible. Best experienced at low tide when all figures are visible.

The moorland above Darwen in Lancashire, topped by Darwen Tower (a Victorian jubilee monument), provides accessible wild camping on open access land. The views from the tower extend across Lancashire, Greater Manchester, and on clear days to Snowdonia and the Lake District. The terrain is rough heather and grass with some peat bog. The tower is a local landmark and the moor is popular with walkers from the surrounding towns. Camp on the flatter areas away from the main paths. The moor connects to the West Pennine Moors, a large area of open access land. Darwen and Blackburn provide supplies. A good urban-edge wild camping spot.

The extensive sand dune system at Formby on the Lancashire coast, managed by the National Trust, provides a surprising area of wildness between Liverpool and Southport. Wild camping in the dunes is not permitted but the area is worth noting for its red squirrel population and asparagus beds. The beach is vast and beautiful with dramatic dune formations. Prehistoric human and animal footprints are exposed at low tide. The pine woodland behind the dunes supports one of England's few remaining coastal red squirrel populations. Freshfield station provides easy rail access from Liverpool. The coast path between Formby and Southport is excellent.

A simple farm campsite in Silverdale, part of the Arnside and Silverdale AONB on the shores of Morecambe Bay. The site has basic facilities and stunning views across the bay to the Lake District. Morecambe Bay is famous for its cross-bay walks (guided only due to quicksand), sunsets, and wading birds. The RSPB Leighton Moss reserve is one of the most important reed bed sites in England, with bitterns, otters, and bearded tits. The limestone pavement at Gait Barrows is nationally important. Silverdale and Arnside are charming villages. The coast here is very different from the windswept Atlantic - sheltered, muddy, and rich in bird life.

A well-equipped campsite in Silverdale overlooking Morecambe Bay. The site has modern facilities with showers, electric hookups, a heated pool, and a clubhouse. While more commercial than some sites, the location on the edge of the Arnside and Silverdale AONB is excellent. The limestone landscape with its pavement, wildflowers, and butterfly populations is nationally important. RSPB Leighton Moss is a short drive. The cross-bay walks and Arnside Knott are popular outings. The campsite suits families wanting facilities while accessing natural landscapes. Carnforth, with its famous Brief Encounter railway station, is nearby. Open March to November.

A heather-covered fell rising above the Ribble Valley in Lancashire, Longridge Fell provides accessible wild camping within easy reach of Preston and Blackburn. The open access land covers the upper slopes and provides views across the Ribble Valley to the Bowland Fells. The terrain is rough heather and bilberry with some boggy patches. The summit area has flat ground suitable for a tent. Jeffrey Hill is a popular access point with a car park. The fell is crossed by the Ribble Way long-distance path. Longridge town below has shops and pubs. The fell is quieter than the more famous Bowland moorland to the north.

The Lune Valley in northern Lancashire is a beautiful river valley running from the Howgill Fells to Morecambe Bay. Wild camping along the upper valley is tolerated where the land is open access. The river provides excellent walking and the Lune Valley Ramble follows its course. The aqueduct at Lune carrying the Lancaster Canal over the river is an impressive piece of engineering. Kirkby Lonsdale, at the head of the valley, is an attractive market town where Ruskin declared the view from the churchyard one of the loveliest in England. The Devil's Bridge is a medieval packhorse bridge. The terrain is pastoral river valley with moorland on the higher ground.

Rising above the Lancashire mill towns, Pendle Hill (557m) is steeped in the history of the 1612 Pendle Witch Trials. Wild camping on the hill is tolerated and the views from the summit across to the Yorkshire Dales, the Bowland Fells, and Morecambe Bay are extensive. The terrain is rough grassland and moorland with some steep sections. The summit is a flat plateau that can be boggy. Barley village at the foot of the hill has a pub and tearoom. Clitheroe, a charming market town, is nearby with a castle and independent shops. The hill has a dark, atmospheric quality, particularly in autumn mist. Nick o' Pendle and the Big End provide varied ascent routes.

The bleak moorland on the Lancashire-Yorkshire border above Saddleworth provides wild camping opportunities on open access land. The moor is dark gritstone country with deep peat and heather. The Pennine Way traverses the area. The views from the moor extend across Greater Manchester and into the Yorkshire valleys. The terrain is challenging with deep peat groughs and frequent poor visibility. The area has difficult historical associations but is reclaiming its identity as outdoor recreation land. Uppermill and Delph are attractive mill villages. The Saddleworth area has a strong community identity distinct from both Manchester and Yorkshire.

A campsite in the grounds of a country house near Morecambe Bay. The site has good facilities with modern showers, electric hookups, and a bar. The location provides easy access to both the Lake District and the Forest of Bowland. Morecambe Bay is nearby for walks and birdwatching. The site has a sociable atmosphere with events and activities during the season. Lancaster, a historic city with a castle and university, is a short drive. The Lune Valley provides excellent cycling. The campsite suits those wanting a comfortable base between the Lake District and the Lancashire countryside. Open March to October.

The Wyre Estuary between Fleetwood and Knott End in Lancashire offers flat coastal walking and birdwatching along the Wyre Way. Wild camping is possible on the marshes and grassland above the estuary, though the terrain is flat and exposed. The estuary is important for wintering wading birds. Fleetwood has a tram connection to Blackpool. Knott End is a small, quiet village with a ferry across the river. The area has vast skies and atmospheric marshland. The Fylde coast between Fleetwood and Lytham has beaches and the famous Blackpool illuminations in season. A flat, windswept landscape with its own understated charm.

A youth hostel with camping in the village of Arnside on the Kent Estuary, part of the Arnside and Silverdale AONB. The site has access to hostel facilities including showers and a kitchen. Arnside Knott, a limestone hill with stunning views across Morecambe Bay, is a short walk from the site. The Kent Estuary hosts spectacular bore tides. The RSPB Leighton Moss reserve is nearby. Arnside has cafes, a pub, and a pleasant promenade. The cross-bay walk to Grange-over-Sands is a memorable experience (guided only). The area has a gentle, sheltered character compared to the more exposed western coast. Open March to October.