Shepherd's huts near Derby with a private bathroom

The historic East Midlands city of Derby is near other major cities—Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester—and some of England’s most beautiful landscapes in the Peak District National Park. As it’s a medium-sized city, most camping options are in Derby’s hinterland, in semi-rural areas where campers can pitch a tent or park their caravan in peace. Partly because of the climate, many caravan parks offer accommodation in more permanent structures, such as cabins and glamping pods. Campers who enjoy hiking and wilder natural experiences can head north to the Peak District, which mostly falls within Derbyshire.

In a largely flat country, the Peak District stands apart as an attractive natural playground of high moorland plateaus, steep limestone valleys, and cliffy outcrops. Campers staying in Derby city can visit the national park on day trips for hiking or biking adventures, bring a tent for camping, or stay in a glamping pod at a campsite within the Peak District National Park. Wild camping isn’t automatically allowed in the park—to do so, you must get permission from individual landowners, but there are also a variety of privately run campsites around the park.

Spring and summer are the best times to visit Derby, as the days are longest and the weather is most pleasant for Peak District camping and outdoor activities. Winters are cold, with occasional snow at city level and more frequent snow in the Peak District. Some campsites and caravan parks close for the winter season.