Camping in Hatfield Woodhouse

Hatfield Woodhouse sits at the edge of the Humberhead Levels, a vast, flat former wetland landscape, with the Humberhead Peatlands National Nature Reserve immediately to its south covering Hatfield and Thorne Moors, the largest lowland raised peat bog in Britain. It is a landscape that feels far removed from typical Yorkshire scenery: no hills, just huge skies, drainage dykes and open heathland, which makes for a memorable but very different kind of camping trip.

As with everywhere else in England, wild camping on the moors or surrounding farmland is illegal without the landowner's permission, so a pitch at a proper campsite or caravan park is the way to go. The nearest options are in and around Hatfield, Thorne and further out towards Doncaster, where you will find a mix of touring caravan and camping sites, some with electric hook-ups and family facilities. Anyone wanting a softer introduction to the area could look at glamping options, such as static caravans, pods or safari tents, which are increasingly available across South Yorkshire and neighbouring North Lincolnshire and take the edge off camping in what can be a genuinely wet, boggy landscape underfoot.

The best time to camp here is late spring through summer, when the moorland heath is at its most colourful, days are long, and breeding birds including nightjar are present on the reserve; be prepared for midges, mosquitoes and horse flies in warm, still weather, and pack good waterproof footwear as the peatland paths can be soft even in dry spells. Autumn can also be rewarding for a quieter trip, with good conditions for fungi and passing migrant birds, though sites and facilities may be more limited outside the main season. Whenever you go, the flat terrain makes this an easy area for walking and cycling from your pitch, with the long-distance Peatlands Way linking Hatfield and Thorne Moors for those keen to explore both reserves on foot.