Camping in North Hill

Wild camping is not legally permitted in England without the landowner's permission, and the same applies across the Mendip Hills around North Hill, so a proper campsite or a farmer's explicit agreement is the way to camp here responsibly. That said, this part of Somerset has a good number of small, independent campsites spread across the plateau towards Priddy, Cheddar and the villages around Wells, many of them working farms that have diversified into camping and glamping alongside their fields.

The terrain on North Hill and the wider Mendips is typically firm, well-drained limestone grassland and pasture, crossed by dry stone walls and the occasional old quarry working, which makes it good walking country but also means pitches can be exposed to wind on higher ground. Bringing sturdy tent pegs and windbreaks is sensible if camping up on the ridge rather than down in a sheltered valley. Water can also be scarce on the porous limestone away from villages, so it is worth checking what a site provides before relying on natural sources.

Late spring through early autumn is the most reliable camping season, when the ground is driest and evenings are light enough for walks along the ridge towards Ebbor Gorge or Priddy. Midsummer brings the best weather but also the busiest show caves and gorge car parks nearby, so early starts help. For those who want fewer guy ropes and more comfort, glamping options including bell tents, shepherd's huts and pods have grown steadily across the Mendips in recent years, offering a way to enjoy the hills' dark skies and quiet lanes without pitching a tent from scratch.