Camping in Stanton By Dale

Stanton By Dale is not a campsite destination in its own right, and as with anywhere in England, wild camping without the landowner's permission is illegal, so any pitch needs to be on a proper site or with an owner's consent. The Erewash Valley's terrain is gentle and low-lying, following the line of the Erewash Canal and Nutbrook Trail, which makes for easy, flat walking and cycling rather than dramatic wild country, and any camping nearby tends to reflect that: small, quiet sites rather than remote wilderness pitches. Anyone looking to camp close to the village will need to look slightly further out into the wider Erewash and Amber Valley countryside, or towards the Peak District fringes further north and west, where campsites and caravan parks are more established. Spring through early autumn is the sensible window for camping in this part of Derbyshire, when the ground is drier and the canal towpaths and Nutbrook Trail are at their most pleasant for walking or cycling back into the village for a pint at the Chequers Inn or Stanhope Arms. Given the flat, historically industrial landscape around the old ironworks and Nutbrook Canal, this is a better area for a couple of nights of easy, low-key camping than for a full wilderness trip. For those who would rather skip the tent altogether, glamping options such as shepherd's huts, pods and small bell tents are increasingly common across the East Midlands and are worth checking in the towns and villages surrounding Stanton By Dale, offering a more comfortable way to enjoy the same quiet valley scenery.