Author
Cian Byrne
Hiker, biker, and writer, author Cían Byrne loves all things outdoors. Find him at home in Ireland or off exploring somewhere he's never been before.
Welcome to The North. Yorkshire, a county in England nestled between the Pennines and the North Sea, is a place where you come for the people, the landscapes, and the trails. Dominated by three national parks—including the Peak District, a renowned hiking and climbing destination—and three designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (great title), Yorkshire is a part of the world where the wilderness rules supreme, where hikers come to experience the elements, and where everyone finishes off the day with a cup of proper Yorkshire tea or pint of local ale down the pub. It’s more laid back up here, it’s friendlier, it’s wilder, it’s Yorkshire.
The city of York along with Leeds and Sheffield boomed in the Industrial Revolution and the remains of the mighty steel industry can still be seen across the landscape today. The region has a pottery heritage in the towns of Harrogate and Hornsea that’s second to none. But it’s once you step outside into the natural beauty that Yorkshire truly grips you.
Lace-up those hiking boots and pack your rain jacket—you’ll definitely be needing it—and set a course for the Yorkshire Dales, the North York Moors, or the Peak District for miles of trails, wide-open remote rolling landscapes, and villages so eye-achingly quaint that you won’t want to leave. Rain is pretty consistent in this part of the world, but that all adds to the moody, misty atmosphere. For the best chance of dry, sunny periods, plan your trip for the summer months between mid-May and mid-September.
Yorkshire is where you’ll find some of the UK’s most important walking trails (hiking trails to us Yanks). The 268-mile-long Pennine Way has a total elevation gain higher than Mt. Everest and the Coast to Coast Trail cuts through Yorkshire on its 195-mile-long route from the North Sea to the Irish Sea—both are bucket list hikes for sure.
If you're the type of person who's not ready to shut the door on nature at the end of the day, but don’t fancy roughing it (a little) in a tent, rest assured knowing that Yorkshire has seen a recent boom in glamping. Comfy glamping accommodations like glamping pods, yurts, bell tents, and bubble domes have popped up all across the hills in recent years, ready for you to call home for the night.
Below you'll find our top picks for the best places to go glamping in Yorkshire, England.
The 10 Best Yorkshire Glamping Locations
The Private Hill — Malton, UK
Vibe: Geodome Bliss
Looking for a luxury glamping holiday with a difference? Set up camp in one of The Private Hill’s geodesic domes and watch the sunset over The North York Moors National Park before waking up to the sound of alpacas on the farm and kestrels flying overhead. Each of the ensuite domes is equipped with amenities like king beds, wifi, and Sonos speakers. Wander the trails around the farm or venture into the national park and experience some of its almost 1,500 miles of trails. All that hiking is thirsty work, so treat yourself to a tipple at the nearby Ryedale Vineyard once you’re done.
Rate: £165/night
The Fauconberg Arms — Coxwold, UK
Vibe: Private Pub Getaway
It’s hard to beat having a beer after spending a day in the outdoors, and with a stay at The Fauconberg Arms, you thankfully won’t have to go far for one. The cozy cabin hideaway at the rear of the pub opens up to the Yorkshire countryside, and a wood burning stove keeps you toasty on frosty mornings (gas BBQ is available on request if you'd like to cook). The inn has been here on the edge of the North York Moors National Park since the 17th century and is a 15-minute walk from the Grade I listed Newburgh Priory Estate where you’ll see The White Horse of Kilburn, an enormous figure cut into the sandstone hill.
Rate: £80+/night
High Oaks Grange — Pickering, UK
Vibe: Putting the Shire in Yorkshire
Get the best of land and sea with a visit to High Oaks Grange in North Riding Forest and only a 30-minute drive from the Yorkshire coast and the seaside town of Scarborough. The camping pods here (wifi available, kid and dog-friendly), tucked away in mature woodland, wouldn’t look out of place in a Tolkien novel and there are lodges and cottages with private hot tubs available too. Spend your days hiking to the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors' Hole of Horcum, a 400 foot deep natural amphitheater, and try surfing the chilly waves of the North Sea in the afternoon.
Rate: £88+/night
Swinton Estate Bivouac — Ripon, UK
Vibe: Treehouses & Yurts
Set amongst 20,000 acres of open land in the Yorkshire Dales is the Swinton Estate Bivouac, where outdoorsy people come to explore the hills, fish in the rivers, and visit the Druid's Temple, an ancient stone circle folly. Retreat to one of the estate's Tree Lodge treehouses afterward and drink in the nature from your hot tub or living room with floor-to-ceiling windows. For those of you who don’t need as many creature comforts, the Meadow Yurts offer multiple glamping sites complete with kitchenettes, wood burning stoves and double beds, are ideal for reviving tired bodies after a great day spent outside.
Rate: £127+/night
The Flying Yorkshireman — Glasshouses, UK
Vibe: Railway Dreams
All aboard for one of the most unique glamping experiences in Yorkshire if not the entire UK at The Flying Yorkshireman. Set on a working farm, the revived Pullman style rail carriage's authentic interior has original racks, signs, and lamps, with the whole carriage finished to make you feel like you’ve got a ticket for a night on a sleeper train in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Unwind in the outdoor hot tub after a day in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding National Beauty and look out over the old railway line below. A proper Yorkshire glamping break.
Rate: £95/night
Baxby Manor — York, UK
Vibe: Rustic Rural Huts
Set at the bottom of the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is Baxby Manor, an idyllic spot for a peaceful glamping getaway in Yorkshire. The Hoglet House, a wooden-clad, rustic glamping hut, is a smart choice for people looking for an eco-friendly place to stay without missing out on the glamping essentials like hot showers, campfires, and picnic tables. Spend your days rambling through the woodlands spotting kingfishers and otters, and uncover the ruins of Byland Abbey, built by an order of monks in the 12th century. Baxby Manor also has a larger cabin called Rufus's Roost and spots for tent camping and campervans.
Rate: £95/night
Camp Katur — Bedale, UK
Vibe: Award-Winning Luxury
The outdoor fun isn’t over when the sun sets behind the Yorkshire Dales at Camp Katur. Wedged between two of the UK’s dark sky reserves, the skies here burst into life after dark. There’s a guide on site who’ll talk you through the constellations and if you fancy a fully immersive experience, book one of their see-through roofed unidomes—you’ll have to follow the candle trail through the woods to reach them. If being woken by sunrise isn’t your thing, the property has a great choice of geodomes, yurts, safari tents, and lodges to choose from. The market town of Bedale and the cathedral city of Ripon are nearby, too.
Rate: £105+/night
Igluhuts at Waingates Farm — Roecliffe, UK
Vibe: Wood, Wood, and More Wood
Stoke the envy of your Instagram followers with snaps of the unique Igluhut, finished with an interior that wouldn’t look out of place in the most sought-after Scandinavian cabin. The huts are on the working Wainsgate Farm and alongside the Roecliffe Ramble, a five-mile walk that takes you along the edge of the River Ure and through Yorkshire countryside farmlands thanks to the UK’s Right to Roam. A visit to the Staveley Nature Reserve to see its wildflowers and wildlife should get you your fill of the outdoors, but if you still need a bit more of the fresh Yorkshire air, head for your private outdoor hot tub when you get home.
Rate: £175/night
A Place in the Pines — Thimbleby, UK
Vibe: Safari Does Yorkshire
Enjoy a slice of the Serengeti in North York Moors with a stay in Coulter at A Place in the Pines. This bright yellow safari tent has a wooden-clad interior and is spacious enough to house a double bed, bunk beds and even a bathroom with a full-sized bath. Explore the hills and heather outside your back door, or make the short journey to the Yorkshire coast and walk some of the windswept North Yorkshire Coastal Trail—the views of the cliffs at Robin Hood’s Bay are unbeatable.
Rate: £145/night
Shepherd's Huts at Stonebeck Gate Farm — Whitby, UK
Vibe: Remote Escape
Find your own quiet little corner of Yorkshire in one of the Shepherd’s Huts at Stonebeck Gat Farm in the heart of North York Moors National Park. Completely surrounded by nature for miles in each direction, this spot is slap bang in the middle of nowhere. It’s pure bliss. The hut is compact and cozy, finished with a small stove and plenty of blankets for keeping warm during a spot of stargazing on the deck. If you can drag yourself away from the outdoor hot tub there are moorland hikes to enjoy and a number of great pubs in the area.
Rate: £115/night
Catgill Farm Glamping — Bolton Abbey, UK
Vibe: Hot Tub Glamping
This family-run farm is a stone's throw from the 12th-century Augustinian monastery and its famous stepping stones and has easy access to the Yorkshire Dales and Nidderdale AONB. But there's a lot of reasons to stay put—the farm offers a mix of wigwam-style glamping pods and bell tents that are all decked out with amenities like wifi, indoor and outdoor seating areas, private bathrooms, wood-burning stoves, fire pits, and private hot tubs.
Rate: £165+/night
Published 12-02-2022
