Camping in Winton

Winton and the surrounding Upper Eden Valley offer classic Cumbrian countryside for a camping trip, with the high moorland of Nine Standards Rigg and the northern Yorkshire Dales within easy reach and the River Eden threading through nearby Kirkby Stephen and its Stenkrith gorge. As with anywhere else in England, wild camping on open fell or farmland here is not legal without the landowner’s explicit permission, whatever assumptions visitors may carry over from Scotland’s right to roam — this is working farmland and grouse moor country, and permission should always be sought directly from the landowner before pitching. Fortunately the area is well served by proper campsites and small farm-based sites around Kirkby Stephen, Brough and further into the Eden Valley, many aimed at walkers on the Coast to Coast path and offering simple, honest facilities rather than heavily serviced holiday parks. The terrain ranges from gentle valley pasture around the villages to exposed, boggy moorland higher up towards Nine Standards Rigg, so a valley-floor site makes the most comfortable base, with the fells kept for day walks rather than wild pitches. Weather in this part of Cumbria can turn quickly even in summer, and the high ground holds water well into the warmer months, so a good waterproof tent and layers are worth having whatever the forecast promises. May to September is the most reliable stretch for camping, with long evenings for sitting out after a day on the fells or exploring Kirkby Stephen, though a settled early autumn spell can be just as rewarding with the added bonus of quieter sites once the summer walking season eases off. For those who would rather leave the tent at home, glamping options in the wider Eden Valley — shepherd’s huts, pods and yurts on working farms — offer a comfortable way to enjoy the same views and access to the Nine Standards and Coast to Coast paths without sacrificing a proper bed, and tend to book up well ahead over peak walking season.