Camping in Amplecarr

Camping directly at Amplecarr is not an established option, and it is worth being clear that wild camping without the landowner’s permission is illegal in England, including on the farmland around Husthwaite — this is all privately owned agricultural land, unlike the more permissive access rules in parts of Scotland. That said, the wider area around the Hambleton and Howardian Hills has a good selection of proper campsites and glamping sites, particularly around Ampleforth, Coxwold and the Howardian Hills AONB, many offering bell tents, shepherd’s huts and treehouses alongside traditional pitches, set within the rolling farmland and woodland that defines this part of North Yorkshire.

The terrain here is gentle, undulating farmland and low wooded hills rather than the open moorland further north and east, which makes it a comfortable spot for family camping and an easy base for walking routes like the Howardian Way between Coxwold and Kirkham Priory. Ground can get soft after rain, particularly on farm tracks and permissive paths, so it is worth checking conditions with any site directly before you travel, especially outside the summer months.

May to September is the most reliable window for camping in this part of North Yorkshire, with long evenings, generally drier ground and the Howardian Hills at their most colourful once the lavender fields near Terrington come into bloom in July. Husthwaite’s recent recognition as a Dark Skies Friendly Village is a genuine draw for anyone camping nearby in the shoulder seasons, when clear nights away from urban light pollution make for excellent stargazing, though autumn and winter camping here means being prepared for cold nights and wet, often muddy, rural ground. For those who want the countryside setting without the tent-pitching, glamping sites in the surrounding villages offer a more comfortable way to experience the same landscape, from bell tents with fire pits to more unusual stays such as treehouses with hot tubs.