Camping in Ravenstonedale

Ravenstonedale sits at the meeting point of the Howgill Fells, the Westmorland Dales and the wider Yorkshire Dales National Park, making it a good base for a camping trip focused on quiet fellside and valley walking rather than crowds. As in the rest of England, wild camping without the landowner's permission is not legal here, so pitching up needs to be on a proper campsite or with agreement from whoever farms the land; the fells themselves are largely working sheep country, criss-crossed by dry-stone walls and grazing rights that campers are expected to respect. Around Ravenstonedale and neighbouring Kirkby Stephen there are small, farm-based campsites and a handful of glamping options, from simple grass pitches to yurts and shepherd's huts, generally set within working farms rather than large commercial parks, in keeping with the low-key character of the area.

The terrain rewards a tent-and-boots trip: gentle valley paths along becks and around Smardale Gill suit an easy evening walk from camp, while the smooth, steep-sided Howgill Fells to the north offer a proper day out for anyone wanting height and views without technical scrambling. Weather on this side of the Pennines can turn quickly, so a well-pitched, weatherproof tent and warm kit matter even in summer, and ground can be soft after rain given the area's many becks and springs. The best camping season runs from late spring to early autumn, when daylight is longest and the fell paths are driest; midges can be an occasional nuisance near water in high summer, as in most of upland Cumbria. Campfires should only be lit where a site explicitly allows it, given the fire risk to dry grass and heather in warm spells, and a stove is the more reliable option for cooking. For those who would rather skip the tent but still want a rural, back-to-basics stay, the yurts behind the Black Swan and similar small glamping setups nearby offer a comfortable middle ground, combining proper beds with the same sense of being tucked away in quiet fellside country.