Sleeping bags at the ready! We offer traditional camping at more than 20 fabulous locations across England and Wales, with the extra benefit of full use of our hostel facilities.
There’s nothing quite like the simplicity of camping. The pleasure of waking up and hearing birdsong just feet away. The fact that the outdoors is only ever a zip away. The knowledge that — as soon as you’ve located that missing sock, and maybe tugged out your fleece from your backpack — you can start an adventure right here from your sleeping mat. It’s freedom in the form of a packable sheet of canvas and a sleeping bag, and it’s intoxicating.
These days, hostel accommodation comes in many forms. There are the bricks-and-mortar buildings themselves, of course, but here at YHA we also offer all manner of specialist options, from deluxe camping pods to sleek Airstream caravans. In this feature, however, we’re focusing on the more pared-back hostel-based charms of traditional camping, and the joys of minimalist travel.
More than 20 of our hostels have campsites in which you can book from £10 a night, with choices everywhere from the valleys of the Lake District to the seaside of Pembrokeshire, and from the slopes of the Yorkshire Dales to the bays of the West Country. So if that appeals to your inner explorer — and frankly, why wouldn’t it? — read on.
One of the chief perks of camping in the grounds of a YHA property is the proximity of the hostel itself. Several of our sites have dedicated camping facilities, but at those that don’t you’ll have use of the washing and cooking facilities in the hostel. And with full access to common areas, lounges and dining rooms, you’ll feel every bit as welcome as our regular guests. What’s more, the majority of our campsites are dog-friendly, meaning you can spend a night under the stars with a four-legged tentmate.
So without any further ado, here’s an overview of your YHA camping options for the months ahead (campsites are typically available until October). Mallets and pegs at the ready…
Wales
If you’re looking to pitch up in Eryri (Snowdonia), YHA’s longest standing Welsh hostel has you covered. Set in the dramatic Ogwen Valley in the north of the National Park, YHA Idwal Cottage has been part of the network since 1931 and still draws hikers and mountaineers. The pointed peak of Tryfan can be climbed right from the hostel door. Its campsite is set among pine woods, with space for seven tents, and there’s a BBQ area at the front of the hostel.
On the craggily majestic Pembrokeshire coast, meanwhile, you’ll find two great options. YHA St Davids is set on the quiet outskirts of the UK’s smallest city, just minutes away from the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path, with campers getting full access to hostel facilities. Further south, the clifftop YHA Manorbier has a campsite with stunning sea views and a dedicated firepit.
The Peak District
Only one of our Peak District hostels offers camping, but it’s a corker. The gothic mansion of YHA Castleton Losehill Hall sits in 27 acres of parkland, much of which is still shared by grazing animals (if sheep are there to greet you when you unzip your door in the morning, it’s all part of the fun). As elsewhere, campers have full use of the hostel, which has a licensed bar.
The Lake District
If you’re travelling with a tent in the Lakes, you’re spoiled for choice. To begin in the north of the National Park, YHA Buttermere has a glorious, mountain-ringed location, with space for a two-person tent in its wooded grounds — plus its own outdoor loo and shower shacks — while the much-loved YHA Borrowdale sits in a valley with easy access to the likes of Castle Crag and Great Gable — its broad campsite is set on the banks of the River Derwent, with parking very close by.
In the heart of the park, YHA Grasmere Butharlyp Howe is ideally placed for everything from hiking and climbing to cycling and watersports, with Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage another nearby draw — its campsite can comfortably hold 12 people. Further south, YHA Windermere looks across England’s largest lake towards Claife Heights, with a campsite that makes the most of the panoramic view, and YHA Coniston Holly How is ideal for activity breaks and can welcome four tents on a tree-shaded lawn.
South East England
Inland from Brighton — and tucked handsomely among the South Downs — YHA Truleigh Hill has a large campsite with deep views over the sea and perks that include outdoor shower and toilet shacks. Further west, YHA New Forest is another with a stand-out location, sitting among peaceful woodland with an on-site campsite able to accommodate six people.
South West England
Sea air, long walks, good food, open moorland... if there’s a maxim for UK travel, it’s that the West Country is generally always a good idea. Campers can take their pick from half a dozen YHA hostels, among them Exmoor’s YHA Exford — with camping in a wooded garden next to the River Exe — and two great properties in and around Dartmoor, namely YHA Dartmoor and YHA Okehampton (Partner). The latter has a campfire area.
Scattered around the coast, meanwhile, you’ll find three stunning options. On Devon’s south coast, YHA Beer has a picturesque hillside campsite and BBQ facilities, YHA Penzance is a fine base for exploring Cornwall’s wave-bashed west, and the wonderful YHA Treyarnon Bay has a campsite with dreamy sunset views over the county’s north coast.
Yorkshire & Durham
A walled garden and countryside views await campers at YHA Edmundbyers, on the fringe of the North Pennines near both Newcastle and Durham. Across in the Yorkshire Dales, meanwhile, YHA Hawes is situated in lovely Upper Wensleydale, with camping for up to 12 people. Also in the Dales, YHA Grinton Lodge has an unrivalled location on the slopes of Swaledale, with walks from the front door and a spacious campsite.
Further gems can be found in the North York Moors, where the rural YHA Osmotherley provides camping in the grounds of a former flax mill, and where YHA Helmsley — in the pretty market town of the same name — has a lawned campsite close to the Cleveland Way.
Inspired to go camping? Book your night under the stars today.
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