Camping in Peak District

Camping in the Peak District splits along the same geological line as everything else. In the White Peak, sites sit on thin soil over limestone, which drains fast and pegs reasonably well but can be unforgiving if you hit rock a few inches down; carry a mallet and some spare pegs. In the Dark Peak, the ground is peat and clay over gritstone, holds water for days after rain and turns to mud in a wet week, so hardstanding or a well-drained sloping pitch is worth paying extra for.

Weather is the main planning factor. The high ground sits between 300m and 600m, which means temperatures several degrees below the surrounding cities, frequent low cloud and genuine wind exposure on any site near the moors. Nights in May and September can drop close to freezing, so a three-season sleeping bag is the sensible minimum outside high summer. May, June and September are the best months overall: reliable daylight, drier ground than spring, and fewer midges than a still July evening near the reservoirs.

Wild camping is not legal in the Peak District without the landowner's permission. The open access land created by the right to roam covers walking, not overnight stays, and the National Park Authority and estates such as the National Trust and Severn Trent enforce this on the busier moors. Fires and disposable barbecues are banned on open moorland, and have caused serious wildfires on Kinder and the Roaches. If you want a remote night out, book a farm site or a certificated location rather than pitching on the tops.

Practical kit list: sturdy pegs, a groundsheet, waterproofs regardless of forecast, and midge repellent for anywhere near standing water. Glamping has expanded quickly, with pods, safari tents and shepherd's huts on many farm sites, and these are the sensible choice for early spring or late autumn when a tent stops being fun. Book July and August weekends well ahead, particularly around Castleton and Edale, where the walkable sites fill first.