Bell tents in North Yorkshire with campfires

Campers who enjoy natural flora and fauna will love the North York Moors National Park, in eastern North Yorkshire, which contains huge swathes of heather moorland that burst into colour in summer. There are options for walking, cycling, and horse riding throughout the park, and plenty of places to camp (although wild camping isn’t allowed). The region also extends all the way to the sea, so campers can explore the coastline and stay at a seaside campground, especially around the charming town of Whitby.

South of the North York Moors National Park, the Howardian Hills AONB is an area of rolling pastoral land and the only Jurassic-era limestone landscape in Northern England. Visitors can walk, bike, and ride horses through the AONB, as well as check out the many lovely villages. Accommodation can be found on rural farms and in the villages, and range from historic cottages to tent sites and glamping pods.

In western North Yorkshire, the Yorkshire Dales National Park is a region of hills, valleys, waterfalls, ravines, and villages. It also offers some of England’s clearest skies thanks to its distance from major settlements, and is designated as a Dark Sky Reserve. Campers who enjoy stargazing and sleeping outside on a cloudless night can see the Milky Way, planets, meteors, and sometimes the Northern Lights. There are many campsites throughout the park but wild camping or sleeping in your vehicle isn’t allowed.

Bordering the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Nidderdale AONB is an extension of the same beautiful landscape, with moorlands, valleys, flower-covered woodlands, and rolling farmland. It’s also home to many birds, adders, and lizards, so is a fun spot for campers who enjoy looking out for wildlife. There are campsites of various kinds throughout the AONB.