Derbyshire
National Park-run site beneath Stanage Edge, a mile and a half from Hathersage
North Lees is run by the Peak District National Park Authority and sits in a sheltered valley about a mile and a half north of Hathersage, on the North Lees estate below Stanage Edge. The position is the point: the edge is a straightforward walk uphill from the gate, which makes this one of the best-placed sites in the country for climbers, and the Hope Valley railway at Hathersage puts Edale, Bamford and Sheffield within easy reach without a car.
The site takes tents, motorhomes and small campervans, with a mix of grass and hardstanding pitches, but there are no electric hook-ups anywhere on site, so plan for gas and battery power. Facilities are modern and well maintained rather than extensive: clean toilets and showers, a drying room that earns its keep in a wet week, washing-up sinks, and an accessible toilet and shower alongside an accessible pod. Wheelbarrows are provided at the car park so you can move kit down to the pitches in one trip, which tells you something about the layout.
Glamping pods and a couple of hardstanding options are available for anyone who does not fancy a tent in April. Dogs are accepted by prior arrangement and must stay on a lead within the site. There is no shop, bar or playground, and no wifi worth relying on, so bring supplies from Hathersage, which has a Co-op, a good bakery and several pubs. Prices start from around £14 per person per night, with pods considerably more. The site is popular with climbers from Easter onwards and books out at bank holiday weekends, so reserve ahead if you want a summer Saturday.