Camping in Middleton-in-Teesdale

Camping around Middleton-in-Teesdale puts you right in the heart of the North Pennines National Landscape, with the River Tees, the Pennine Way and the waterfalls at High Force and Low Force all within easy reach. Sites here tend to be small, family-run affairs rather than big holiday parks, making the most of a genuinely quiet, big-sky landscape of drystone walls, hay meadows and open moorland. Leekworth Caravan and Camping Park sits about fifteen minutes' walk from the town on the edge of the North Pennines, with grass and hardstanding pitches and free fishing on the Tees, while Daleview Caravan Park offers a large tent field with electric hook-ups on the outskirts of the village, and further sites such as Cote House extend the choice a little further afield in the surrounding dales.

As with anywhere in England, wild camping in Teesdale is not legal without the express permission of the landowner, whatever the local tradition of access might suggest — the fells above the dale are largely private grouse moor and farmland, and campers should stick to the established sites unless they've arranged otherwise directly with a landowner. That said, the region's official campsites make it easy to get a similar feel of remoteness without the legal grey area, with many pitches looking straight out over moorland or along the river.

Given its elevation — much of Upper Teesdale sits above 300 metres, climbing to open fell well over 500 metres — the camping season here is best treated as running from late spring to early autumn. Nights can turn cold even in summer, and the weather changes quickly on the tops, so it pays to come prepared regardless of the forecast down in the valley. Spring brings lambing and the first of the dale's famous wildflower meadows, while early autumn often delivers the clearest, calmest conditions for walking and stargazing, with minimal light pollution across the North Pennines. For those who'd rather have a roof and underfloor heating after a day on the Pennine Way, a growing number of glamping pods, shepherd's huts and safari tents in the area offer the same views with rather more comfort, and are worth booking well ahead in peak walking season.