Camping in Bishop Auckland

Bishop Auckland makes a good base for campers drawn to the quieter corners of County Durham, with the town itself sitting right at the point where gentle farmland gives way to the rising ground of Weardale and the wider Durham Dales. As anywhere in England, wild camping without the landowner's permission is against the law, so pitching up on open moorland or riverside land here isn't an option, even though the Pennine landscape can look invitingly empty. Instead, a scattering of small, family-run campsites and caravan parks in the villages around Bishop Auckland — places like Witton-le-Wear, Wolsingham and further up the dale towards Stanhope — offer proper pitches with the landowner's blessing, many with views out towards the fells.

The terrain here is a mix of gentle lowland around the town, where the River Wear loops past Binchester and Escomb, and much steeper, wilder ground once you head west into Weardale itself, part of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. That makes it a useful spot for campers who want easy access to both a lively small town with museums and restaurants, and proper Pennine walking country within a short drive. The best camping season runs from late spring to early autumn, broadly April to September, when the weather is at its most settled; Weardale sits high enough that nights can turn cold even in summer, and conditions can change quickly on the open fells, so it pays to come prepared regardless of the forecast.

For those who'd rather not rely on a tent, glamping has taken hold in this part of County Durham much as it has elsewhere in the North Pennines, with pods, shepherd's huts and yurts appearing on farms around Weardale offering a more comfortable way to experience the dale. These sites tend to combine the same sweeping views and dark, star-filled skies as traditional camping with a proper bed and, often, a wood-burning stove for cooler evenings — a useful compromise for anyone keen to explore the moors above Bishop Auckland without fully roughing it. Whichever option you choose, booking ahead is worthwhile in peak summer months and around Kynren performance weekends, when demand for accommodation across the area rises sharply.