In short
- There is no right to wild camp in the Peak District; you need the landowner's permission.
- The right to walk on open access land doesn't include a right to camp on it.
- The National Park Authority doesn't allow wild camping on land it owns and runs North Lees Campsite below Stanage Edge.
- Small farm and pop-up campsites are the nearest thing to a wild camp in the Peak District.
- For a legal wild camp, go to the Dartmoor Commons or Scotland, or above the fell wall in the Lake District, where it is tolerated.
Can you wild camp in the Peak District?
No, not without the landowner's permission. There is no legal right to wild camp anywhere in the Peak District. The Peak District National Park Authority says the Countryside and Rights of Way Act makes no provision for camping on open access land, that you may be trespassing if you camp without permission, and that it doesn't allow wild camping on any land it owns.
That can come as a surprise, because so much of the Peak District is open access land where you can walk freely. The right to walk on it doesn't include a right to pitch a tent. The Authority encourages campers to use authorised campsites instead, and there are good ones close to the moors.
Why is walking allowed but camping not?
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 gave walkers a right of access on foot to mapped open country, including most of the high moorland in the Peak District. The same Act lists activities that access right doesn't cover, and camping is one of them.
So you can walk across Kinder Scout or along Stanage Edge as much as you like, but a tent pitched there overnight needs the landowner's agreement. Most of the moorland is owned by estates, water companies and conservation bodies. The Authority owns only a small share of it, and it doesn't allow camping on what it does own.
What happens if you wild camp in the Peak District anyway?
Camping on someone's land without permission is trespass. On foot, that is usually a civil matter rather than a crime, but a landowner or their staff can ask you to leave, and you should go. Fires and barbecues on the moors are a much more serious problem: the Peak District's peat moorland burns easily, and moorland fires there have destroyed large areas of habitat.
We don't recommend wild camping in the Peak District, and this page won't tell you where people do it. There are better options, set out below.
Where can you camp in the Peak District instead?
On a campsite. The Peak District has campsites of every size, from large family sites to small farm fields, and several sit right under the edges and moors.
North Lees Campsite
North Lees Campsite, below Stanage Edge near Hathersage, is owned and run by the National Park Authority. You can bring your own tent or book a camping pod. It is the closest thing to a moorland pitch you can book in the park.
Small farm and pop-up sites
Many farms open small, basic campsites, some only for part of the year. In England, a landowner can run a temporary campsite for up to 60 days a year with up to 50 pitches without planning permission, as long as there are toilets and waste facilities on site. These pop-up and small sites are often the quietest places to camp in the Peak District, and some are a short walk from open moor.
Our guide to nearly wild camping explains how to find small, quiet sites with minimal facilities: the nearest you can get to a wild camp in the Peak District while staying on the right side of the law.
Ask the landowner
You can ask for permission. Farmers sometimes say yes to a single small tent for one night, especially if you ask in advance and explain exactly where and when. If you get permission, you are no longer wild camping without it, and none of the concerns on this page apply. Treat the land as carefully as if you hadn't asked.
Where can you wild camp legally, within reach of the Peak District?
Nowhere in England outside Dartmoor has a right to wild camp. If you want a true wild camp, the nearest legal options are:
- The Lake District, where wild camping still needs permission but the National Park Authority says it is normally tolerated above the highest fell wall for one night. See our guide to wild camping in the Lake District.
- Dartmoor, where the Supreme Court confirmed in May 2025 that you can wild camp on the commons. See wild camping on Dartmoor.
- Scotland, where you can wild camp on most unenclosed land under the Access Code. See wild camping in Scotland.
How do you get to Peak District campsites without a car?
The Hope Valley line between Sheffield and Manchester stops at Edale, Hope, Bamford and Hathersage, each within walking distance of campsites and the moors. North Lees is an uphill walk from Hathersage station, so you can arrive by train. Check Traveline for buses into the White Peak and the valleys.
When is the best time to camp in the Peak District?
April to October suits most campsites, and many small and pop-up sites only open in summer. The moors are exposed and wet for much of the year, so a pitch in a sheltered valley is often more comfortable than it looks on the map. Summer weekends and bank holidays fill the popular sites early; book ahead or go midweek.
Dry spells bring the highest risk of moorland fire. Even on a campsite, use a stove, never a disposable barbecue on grass.
What kit do you need for camping in the Peak District?
The same kit as for a wild camp, which makes a Peak District campsite a good place to practise. Take:
- A small tent you can pitch quickly in wind and rain.
- A sleeping bag and a mat rated for colder nights than you expect: an R-value of about 3 or more for spring to autumn.
- A stove and pot, so you don't depend on the site for hot food.
- Waterproofs, a warm layer and dry clothes for camp.
Using your wild camping kit on a campsite first means your first true wild camp, somewhere it is allowed, won't be the first time you have pitched that tent. The Wild Camp Kit brings the tent, bag, mat, rucksack and stove together.
How do you stay safe on the Peak District moors?
Tell one person your route and your return time, and check the forecast before a walk onto the high moor. Kinder Scout and Bleaklow are featureless plateaus of peat and groughs where it is easy to lose your way in mist. Carry a map and compass and know how to use them. In an emergency, call 999, ask for the police, then ask for mountain rescue.
Questions people ask
Is wild camping legal in the Peak District?
No. You need the landowner's permission to camp anywhere in the Peak District, including on open access land. The National Park Authority doesn't allow wild camping on land it owns.
Can I wild camp on Kinder Scout?
Not without the landowner's permission. Kinder Scout is open access land for walking, but the access right doesn't include camping.
Is there anywhere in England you can wild camp without permission?
Only on the Dartmoor Commons, in the areas shown on the Dartmoor National Park Authority's camping map.
Can I sleep in my campervan in the Peak District?
Use a campsite that takes campervans. Access land gives no right to park or sleep in a vehicle.
What to read next
- Nearly wild campingNearly wild camping is a night on a small, quiet site with few or no facilities, where the landowner has said yes: the closest you can get to a wild camp in most of England, and the best place to try your kit first.
- Wild camping in the UKYou can wild camp without asking anyone on most unenclosed land in Scotland and on the Dartmoor Commons in England. Everywhere else in England, Wales and Northern Ireland you need the landowner's permission, so for most people the first wild camp happens in Scotland, on Dartmoor, or on land where they have asked.
One Man Tents doesn't encourage anyone to break the law. Wild camping rules differ across the UK: it's permitted on most unenclosed land in Scotland under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, and on the Dartmoor Commons in England. Elsewhere in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you need the landowner's permission. Always check before you pitch. Wild camping in the UK
In the Peak District, leave no trace starts with fire: never light one or use a disposable barbecue on the moors, and take care with stoves in dry weather. On a campsite or with permission, pitch on durable ground and take every scrap of rubbish home. Read how we camp
Official sources
We checked every rule on this page against these sources on 26 September 2026.