Camping in Kirkby Stephen

Kirkby Stephen sits at the meeting point of the North Pennines and the Yorkshire Dales, and the countryside around it offers some genuinely wild camping country, from riverside meadows along the Eden to the high, open moorland of Hartley Fell and Nine Standards Rigg. It is worth being clear from the outset that wild camping without the landowner's permission is not legal in England, unlike in Scotland, so anyone hoping to pitch up on the open fell needs to seek permission first or stick to a proper campsite. Fortunately there are good options nearby, from simple farm campsites welcoming Coast to Coast walkers to more established sites with better facilities in the villages around the town.

The terrain here is properly Pennine: steep, exposed and quick to change, so a night on the tops should only be attempted by experienced campers with the right kit, even in summer. Down in the valley, sheltered sites along the Eden or in villages like Nateby and Ravenstonedale offer a gentler introduction, with easy access to walking routes without the full exposure of the high fells. The best camping season runs from late spring through early autumn, broadly May to September, when the ground is drier underfoot and the long evenings make the most of the valley's big skies; the Pennines can see snow and severe weather well into spring and again from October onwards, so shoulder-season trips need careful planning. For those who would rather skip the tent altogether, a growing number of glamping pods, shepherd's huts and camping barns have appeared around the Eden Valley in recent years, giving a taste of the outdoors with a proper bed and, often, a wood burner for cold Pennine nights.