Camping in Guisborough

Wild camping without the landowner's permission remains illegal in England, including across the North York Moors, so anyone wanting to sleep out under the stars near Guisborough will need a proper campsite or a landowner's explicit consent rather than pitching up on open moorland. That said, the terrain around Guisborough, the steep, heather-clad flanks of the Cleveland Hills and the gentler woodland of Guisborough Forest, makes for superb walking country, and a cluster of small campsites and caravan parks in the villages south and east of town put you within easy reach of Roseberry Topping, Captain Cook's Monument and the wider moors. Expect a mix of grassy touring pitches, seasonal glamping pods and a handful of farm-based sites that keep things simple and quiet rather than resort-style.

The best camping season here runs from late spring to early autumn: the moors are at their driest and most walkable, the heather puts on its purple show across the hills in August, and long evenings make the most of the views from an exposed pitch. Winter camping is possible at some year-round sites but the exposed, weather-battered moorland above Guisborough is a serious proposition outside the warmer months, with drainage on the clay-heavy lower ground also worth checking after wet spells. For anyone who would rather skip the tent altogether, glamping options in the area, from wooden pods to safari-style tents, offer a similar sense of being out among the hills without the packing list, and tend to sit in the same villages as the area's better campsites, close to good pubs for an evening meal after a day on the Cleveland Way.