Derwent Park Caravan and Camping Site

About Derwent Park Caravan and Camping Site

Newcastle has no campsite of its own, and Derwent Park is the closest properly equipped option to the city. It sits on the edge of Rowlands Gill in the Derwent Valley, roughly nine miles south-west of the centre, and is run by Gateshead Council rather than a holiday company, which shows in the pricing and in the unhurried feel of the place. The setting is green and enclosed, with the River Derwent and the wooded slopes of the valley immediately beyond the boundary.

The layout separates the two halves of the site neatly. Caravans and motorhomes go on a level grassed area with hardstanding bays and electric hook-up on every pitch, while tents are pitched in a natural woodland glade that is left to grow wild flowers through the summer. That makes it noticeably more attractive than the average municipal site for anyone under canvas. There is a heated toilet and shower block with accessible facilities, a laundry, chemical disposal and a small play area for children. Dogs are welcome on leads. There is no shop or bar, so stock up in Rowlands Gill village, which is a few minutes walk away and has a Co-op, a chip shop and a couple of pubs.

The location earns its keep. The Derwent Walk, a traffic-free railway path for walkers and cyclists, passes close by and runs seventeen miles between Swalwell and Consett. The National Trust estate at Gibside, with its chapel and long avenue, is barely two miles off, and Beamish open air museum is a short drive south. Buses run into Newcastle from the village, and the Metrocentre and the western end of the Metro network are both easily reached, so you can spend the day in the city and be back among the trees by evening.