Campsites with campfires near Appletreewick

Britain’s third-biggest national park forms a large part of an impressive spread of protected countryside spanning from Yorkshire north to the Scottish border. This is a place of lofty, exposed moorland distinguished by the lush valleys dividing it. Appletreewick nestles in the south of the Yorkshire Dales near Skipton, one of the park’s key gateways, so you can continue exploring the Yorkshire Dales beyond Appletreewick around Malham. With its visitor centre and spectacular rock formations, it’s an excellent camping base.

Appletreewick not only hogs an enviable location within the Yorkshire Dales but also cosies up to another vast protected area immediately east, Nidderdale AONB. This 233-square-mile zone yields more of the Dales’ valley-divided moorland. It also boasts iconic beauty spots like Brimham Rocks’ wondrous rock formations, historic market towns, and stunning ruined abbeys. Campers should start in Nidderdale valley itself—great campsites can be found near the How Stean Gorge, 16 miles northeast of Appletreewick.

When is a forest not a forest?! In medieval times, a “forest” was any wild ground for hunting big game, not necessarily a tree-covered area. The Forest of Bowland is more the former, mostly lonely moors laced with fine hikes rising up 20 miles west of Appletreewick, beyond Gisburn Forest. For exploring the nearest part of the AONB, Gisburn Forest has good camping, either at Gisburn Forest Hub’s pop-up camping from June through August, or at sites just south.