Camping in Barnard Castle

Teesdale's open moorland and river valleys make it excellent walking and camping country, but as with the rest of England, wild camping without the landowner's permission is not legal, so a proper site or a landowner's explicit consent is essential before pitching up. The good news is that the dale has a solid spread of proper campsites and caravan parks, many set along the Tees itself or tucked into the valleys running up towards the high Pennines, with pitches ranging from simple grass tent fields to fully serviced touring plots.

The terrain around Barnard Castle shifts quickly from gentle riverside pasture near the town to the exposed heather moorland of the North Pennines further west, so conditions can vary a great deal within a short drive. Sites closer to the town and lower Teesdale tend to be more sheltered, while those further up the dale towards Middleton-in-Teesdale and the approaches to High Force sit higher and more exposed, better suited to well-prepared campers used to changeable weather even in summer.

Late spring through to early autumn is the most reliable window, when daylight is longest and the moorland tracks and riverside paths are driest underfoot; the North Pennines can turn wet and boggy after prolonged rain, and higher ground is occasionally affected by low cloud and stronger winds even outside winter. For those who like the outdoors but want a bit more comfort, glamping options have grown steadily in the dale, with shepherd's huts, safari tents and camping pods offering a halfway point between a hotel and a tent, often on farms with direct access to walking routes and views across Teesdale. Whatever the choice of pitch, the reward is some of the darkest skies and quietest countryside in northern England, with the castle ruins and the Bowes Museum both within easy reach for a change of pace.