Camping in Colne

The moors and valleys around Colne offer some genuinely rewarding camping country, though it is worth being clear from the outset: wild camping is illegal in England without the explicit permission of the landowner, and this applies as much to the open fell around Pendle Hill and Trawden Forest as anywhere else. Anyone wanting to sleep out under a Pennine sky should book a proper site or seek permission directly from a farmer or landowner rather than pitching up unannounced on the moor.

That said, the terrain here suits camping well. The land around Colne rises steadily from the town into the Pennine foothills, with Trawden Forest to the east offering gentler, greener countryside around Lake Burwain, and Pendle Hill itself dominating the skyline a few miles to the south-west. Small, family-run campsites and caravan parks are dotted through the villages surrounding Colne — Trawden, Foulridge and further out towards Barley and Downham on the Pendle Hill side — typically offering grass pitches for tents alongside hookups for tourers and motorhomes. Several also have a handful of glamping options, from simple bell tents to insulated pods and shepherd's huts, which suit visitors who want to be close to the hills without relying entirely on their own kit, particularly useful given how quickly Pennine weather can turn.

The best camping season here runs from late spring to early autumn: the ground is drier underfoot, the evenings are long enough for a walk up onto the tops after pitching, and the moorland around Pendle and Trawden is at its most colourful, with gorse and heather adding a real lift to the landscape. Spring and early summer bring the added bonus of lambing season across the surrounding farmland, while a settled September can give some of the clearest long-distance views from the higher ground. Winter camping is possible at some sites with all-weather facilities, but conditions on the exposed moorland can turn quickly, so it suits only those properly equipped for cold, wet and windy nights. Whatever the season, Colne's position at the end of the M65 and on a direct rail line makes it an easy base to combine a night or two under canvas with exploring the town, Wycoller Country Park and the wider Pendle Witch Country on foot.