Camping in North York Moors

Camping in the North York Moors means accepting that height and weather are linked in a way they are not further south. The moorland plateau sits between 800 and 1,400 feet, catches wind straight off the North Sea and can be several degrees colder than the dale bottom a mile away. The good news is that almost every established campsite is sensibly sited in a valley, on the coast or in the shelter of the southern forests, so you get the views without pitching in the teeth of it.

Terrain varies enormously. Coastal sites around Robin Hood's Bay and Whitby are grassy, gently sloping and often windy, with cliff-top paths straight from the gate. The southern fringe around Pickering and Allerston is flatter, drier and better for larger units and awnings. Dale sites in Rosedale, Farndale and Eskdale are the prettiest but usually the smallest, with narrow approach lanes that are no fun in a big motorhome. Ground drains reasonably well on the limestone belt in the south and much more slowly on the moorland peat and clay to the north.

On wild camping, be clear: it is not legal in England without the landowner's permission, and the North York Moors has no equivalent of the Dartmoor or Scottish provisions. Most of the open moor is privately owned grouse moor, much of it is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and fire risk during dry spells is taken very seriously. If you want to sleep out, ask the farm, use a recognised backpacker pitch or stay on a site — several are used by Coast to Coast and Cleveland Way walkers and will let you pitch late.

The season runs roughly March to October, and most sites close over winter. May, June and September are the sweet spot: firm ground, long evenings and no school-holiday premium. August is busy everywhere on the coast and needs booking well ahead, but it is also when the heather turns, which is a reasonable excuse. Bring more warm layers than the forecast suggests and pegs that will hold in thin, stony ground.