Wild camping in
Peak District

At 582m, Black Hill is the highest point on the old Cheshire-Yorkshire boundary and one of the bleakest summits in the Dark Peak. Wild camping here is for experienced moorland walkers only. The summit plateau is extremely boggy and featureless, though restoration work has improved conditions. The Pennine Way crosses the summit. Views on clear days extend across Manchester and the Peak District. The terrain is deep peat with cotton grass and heather. Holmfirth (Last of the Summer Wine country) is the nearest town to the east. The area is genuinely wild and atmospheric. Navigation in poor visibility is challenging.

The bleak plateau of Bleaklow (633m) between Glossop and the Woodhead Pass is one of the most inhospitable areas in England. The name is fitting - this is a vast expanse of peat hag and bog that tests navigation skills to the limit. Wild camping here is for experienced hillwalkers only. The wreckage of a B-29 Superfortress that crashed in 1948 lies on the plateau, a poignant memorial. The Pennine Way crosses the plateau. Camp on the drier ground near the gritstone edges rather than on the saturated peat. Access from Old Glossop or Snake Pass. Conditions are frequently hostile with cloud, rain, and wind.

A large campsite in the grounds of Chatsworth House, one of England's greatest stately homes, in the Peak District. The site has excellent facilities with modern showers, electric hookups, and a shop. The parkland setting beside the River Derwent is beautiful, with the great house as a backdrop. Chatsworth House, gardens, farmyard, and adventure playground provide days of entertainment. Bakewell, the home of Bakewell pudding, is a short drive. The surrounding Peak District provides walking on Curbar Edge and Baslow Edge. The campsite is well-managed and popular with families. Matlock and Matlock Bath provide additional attractions. Open March to November.

A small farm campsite near Tideswell in the White Peak, set in a limestone dale with views across the plateau. The site has basic facilities with showers and fire pits. Tideswell has a magnificent church known as the Cathedral of the Peak. The surrounding limestone dales of Miller's Dale, Monk's Dale, and Chee Dale provide excellent walking with limestone cliffs, wildflowers, and the River Wye. The Monsal Trail cycle route follows the old railway line through several tunnels. Buxton and Bakewell are nearby. The campsite has a genuine, rural character with a warm welcome. Open Easter to October.

Dovedale is one of England's most famous beauty spots, a limestone gorge with stepping stones, caves, and dramatic rock pinnacles. Wild camping in the dale itself is not tolerated due to heavy visitor use, but the White Peak plateau above offers options. The limestone landscape is characterised by dry stone walls, dew ponds, and wildflower meadows. The terrain is dry and well-drained. Hartington, Ashbourne, and Bakewell are attractive market towns. The Tissington and High Peak trails provide excellent cycling on old railway lines. The Peak District was Britain's first national park. Water can be scarce on the limestone plateau.

The official start of the Pennine Way, Fieldhead Campsite sits at the head of the Edale valley beneath Kinder Scout. The National Park visitor centre is adjacent. Facilities include showers, electric hookups, and a drying room. The village of Edale has two pubs, a cafe, and a small shop. The surrounding gritstone edges provide excellent walking and scrambling. The Mam Tor ridge walk is one of the Peak District's finest. The campsite is accessible by train on the Hope Valley line from Manchester and Sheffield. Popular with Pennine Way walkers and weekend visitors from nearby cities. Open year-round. Book in advance for bank holidays.

A well-positioned campsite in the popular village of Hathersage in the Hope Valley, Peak District. The site has good facilities with showers, electric hookups, and a drying room. Hathersage has an excellent outdoor swimming pool (heated, open-air lido), several outdoor gear shops, and good pubs. Stanage Edge is directly accessible for climbing and walking. The village has connections to Charlotte Bronte, who set part of Jane Eyre here. The Hope Valley railway provides access from Sheffield and Manchester. The campsite is a popular base for Peak District activities. Castleton and Bakewell are easily accessible. Open March to November.

A campsite in the village of Hayfield, the starting point of the famous 1932 Kinder Scout Mass Trespass. The site has good facilities with showers and electric hookups. Hayfield is a pretty village with pubs, shops, and a strong walking heritage. Kinder Scout and Kinder Downfall are accessible from the village via the Kinder Reservoir route. The Sett Valley Trail provides easy cycling to New Mills. The campsite is convenient for the Dark Peak area with its dramatic gritstone scenery. Manchester is 30 minutes by car, making this a popular weekend escape. The Royal Hotel pub is excellent for post-walk refreshment.

The highest point in the Peak District at 636m, Kinder Scout is a vast peat plateau with dramatic gritstone edges. The 1932 Mass Trespass here was a pivotal moment in the right-to-roam movement. Wild camping on the plateau is tolerated but the terrain is tough, with deep peat groughs and limited flat ground. Kinder Downfall, a waterfall on the western edge, is spectacular, especially when wind blows the water back upwards. Camp on the edges for better ground and views. Access from Edale or Hayfield. The Pennine Way starts at Edale and crosses the plateau. Navigation in mist is challenging due to the featureless terrain.

A small woodland campsite near the village of Longnor in the southern Peak District. The site is set among birch and oak trees with spacious pitches and a natural feel. Facilities include showers, fire pits at every pitch, and a small shop. The Manifold Valley and Chrome Hill (the Derbyshire Matterhorn) are nearby. Longnor is an attractive village with a market square, pub, and craft centre. The campsite offers a quieter alternative to the busy Hope Valley sites. Walking and cycling in the White Peak is excellent. Buxton, the Peak District's spa town, is a short drive. The campsite atmosphere is relaxed and friendly.

A campsite in the popular village of Castleton in the Hope Valley, Peak District. The site has good facilities with showers and electric hookups. Castleton is the centre of the Peak District tourist industry with its four show caves (Peak Cavern, Speedwell, Treak Cliff, and Blue John), the ruined Peveril Castle, and the annual Garland ceremony. Mam Tor and the Great Ridge provide excellent walking. The Hope Valley has numerous pubs, cafes, and outdoor shops. The campsite is well-positioned for both White Peak and Dark Peak exploration. The Hope Valley line provides rail access from Sheffield and Manchester.

A simple campsite in Macclesfield Forest on the western edge of the Peak District. The forest surrounds Trentabank Reservoir with mixed conifer and broadleaf woodland. Facilities are basic with toilets and a water point. Shutlingsloe (506m), known as the Cheshire Matterhorn due to its distinctive conical shape, is directly accessible from the forest. The Gritstone Trail passes nearby. Macclesfield provides supplies. The forest is quieter than the main Peak District valleys and provides a western approach to the national park. The heronry at Trentabank is one of the largest in the north-west. Walking and cycling routes are well-maintained.

A small farm campsite in the Manifold Valley near Alstonefield in the White Peak. The site has basic facilities in a beautiful limestone valley setting. The Manifold Track, a traffic-free cycling and walking route along the old railway, runs through the valley. Thor's Cave, a dramatic natural arch in the valley wall, is a short walk away. The area is quieter than the busy Hope Valley. Hartington and Ashbourne provide supplies. The White Peak landscape of dry stone walls, wildflower meadows, and limestone dales is quintessentially English. The campsite is simple and honest, appealing to those who prioritise location over facilities.

A Peak District National Park Authority campsite below Stanage Edge near Hathersage. The site is beautifully positioned with views up to the gritstone edges. Facilities include toilets and cold water but no showers or electric hookups, maintaining a simple, outdoorsy feel. The campsite is popular with climbers heading to Stanage, and with walkers exploring the Dark Peak. Hathersage village is a 20-minute walk with excellent outdoor shops, cafes, and the atmospheric Little John's grave in the churchyard. The campsite fills quickly in good weather and at weekends. A favourite of Peak District regulars who appreciate its no-frills approach.

The most famous gritstone edge in the Peak District, Stanage stretches for over 3 miles and is one of England's premier rock climbing venues. Wild camping on the moor behind the edge is tolerated and provides a dramatic setting. The edge faces west, giving spectacular sunset views across the Hope Valley and the Dark Peak. The terrain is heather moorland with gritstone outcrops. North Lees campsite in the valley below provides a paid alternative. Hathersage village has shops, pubs, and outdoor gear stores. Charlotte Bronte stayed in Hathersage and modelled the village of Morton in Jane Eyre on it. The edge is accessible from multiple car parks.

A dramatic gritstone escarpment on the western edge of the Peak District near Leek. The Roaches (from the French 'roches', meaning rocks) provide excellent climbing and wild camping on the moorland behind the ridge. Hen Cloud and Ramshaw Rocks are equally impressive outcrops. The area is home to a colony of wallabies, escaped from a private zoo in the 1930s. Wild camping on the moor behind the ridge is tolerated. The views west across the Cheshire Plain are expansive. Doxey Pool, a moorland pool on the summit ridge, is said to be home to a malevolent mermaid. The terrain is gritstone and heather moorland. Leek provides supplies.

A small, traditional farm campsite at the head of the Edale valley in the Peak District. The site has basic facilities with a toilet and cold water. The farm sits directly on the Pennine Way and is the last habitation before the climb onto Kinder Scout. The setting beneath the Kinder plateau is dramatic. The campsite has a quiet, no-frills character. Jacob's Ladder, the steep path onto the plateau, starts from the farm. The Edale valley is beautiful with meadows and the River Noe. The Old Nags Head in Edale village is the official starting pub of the Pennine Way. Open year-round with limited winter facilities.

The chain of reservoirs in the Upper Derwent Valley, Howden, Derwent, and Ladybower, sit beneath dark gritstone moors. The Derwent Dam was used by 617 Squadron to practice for the Dambusters raid in 1943. Wild camping on the moors above the reservoirs is tolerated. The terrain is peat moorland with gritstone edges. The Derwent Edge provides excellent walking with bizarre weathered rock formations. Mountain biking around the reservoirs is popular. Fairholmes visitor centre has a cafe. Bamford and Hope are the nearest villages. The moors are exposed and can be hostile in poor weather. The Dark Peak landscape here is dramatic and atmospheric.