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The go-to guide for you and your child

Family-Friendly Campsites in the North East

It’s official. Children LOVE camping! Yes, it might rain, the phone signal may be patchy (ideal for keeping kids off electronic devices) and you may need a wee in the middle of the night (all things I worried about before our first trip), but in this very challenging time, it’s a great way to enjoy a holiday without breaking the bank.

Many of the sites recommended hire out static caravans, bell tents and yurts, so if you are still not convinced camping is for you, ease yourself into camping gently with a bit of luxury! Do check the website as each site has different facilities.

The Hideaway at Baxby Manor, North Yorkshire

Drive time – 1 hour

We were in two minds about recommending Baxby Manor; we love it so much that we thought about keeping it all to ourselves! Baxby Manor is a small but very friendly site and Barney the site manager can’t do enough to help.  It feels very safe so it is easy for the kids to wonder off and explore the site on their own. There are just 40 pitches in a 6 acre field, which nestles in the midst of a 110 acre farm, surrounded by trees and bounded on one side by a stream. It is off the beaten track, but only a stroll from the village of Husthwaite. There is plenty of open space for games, a small on-site shop, fire pits to hire and the best bathrooms ever! Nearby Castle Howard, Monk Park Farm and Newby Hall – with its fabulous adventure playground – make for great day trips.

thehideawayatbaxbymanor.co.uk

Leekworth Caravan & Camping Park, Middleton In Teesdale

Drive time – 1 hour

Situated on the bank of the River Tees, Leekworth is a new favourite of ours. There are spacious pitches for both tents and caravans,  a modern toilet block, a shop selling supplies, fire pits and lots of space for ball games and to explore. The village of Middleton is a 10 minute walk away and there are miles of cycle paths, footpaths and pony trekking routes to explore. It’s a great place to stay if you want to visit Low Force and High Force.

caravancampingteesdale.co.uk

Bowfield Farm, Barnard Castle

Drive time – 1 hour

A small, relaxed site on a working farm on the borders of County Durham and North Yorkshire. There is lots of open space, amazing views down the valley, a tree house and modern facilities. The kids loved watching the lambs and feeding the ponies and there is a very friendly dog who will happily eat any leftover sausages!  There are lots of lovely country walks and picnic spots nearby plus it’s close to Raby Castle, Barnard Castle and Bowes Museum for fun days out.

bowfieldfarm.co.uk

Hadrian’s Wall Campsite

Drive time – 1 hour

Tucked away behind the A69, this small, family-friendly site is the ideal place to explore the Roman sites of Hadrian’s Wall, Corbridge, Vindolanda, Housteads and Chesters Roman Fort. Each pitch has a wonderful view of the sunrise and sunset and at night the dark skies will treat you to a wonderful spectacle of stars. Friendly owners, modern facilities, free WiFi and a small shop on site.

hadrianswallcampsite.co.uk

South Meadows Caravan Park, Bamburgh

Drive time – 1 hour 15 mins

South Meadows is a friendly family run camping and caravan park in Northumberland with great facilities, spacious pitches, a play area, recreation ground and safe woodland walks. It’s a short walk from Belford’s shops, cafes and pubs and the beach is nearby. The Farne Isles, Bamburgh Castle, Seahouses, Holy Island, Alnwick and Chillingham Castle are all a short distance away.

southmeadows.co.uk

Dunstan Hill Campsite, Alnwick

Drive time – 1 hour 15 mins

This large, family orientated site has all the facilities you would expect from a camping and caravan club site. A play area, dedicated area for ball games, clean shower rooms, WiFi and a twice-weekly visit from a fish and chip van. The beach is only a short walk away through the woods; Embleton is a lovely sandy beach with lots of rock pools to explore and close to Dunstanburgh Castle.

campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk

Beadnell Bay Camping Club, Beadnell

Drive time – 1 hour 15 mins

Pitch your tent at Beadnell Bay and you will be rewarded with stunning sea views over the Northumberland coast line in one direction and the Cheviot Hills in the other. The sand dunes at Beadnell are minutes from the campsite and you can walk along the beach to Seahouses and then take a boat to the Farne Islands.

campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk

Sleningford Watermill, Ripon

Drive time – 1 hour 15 mins

Close to the towns of Ripon and Masham, this large site is ideally located for a trip to nearby Lightwater Valley, Newby Hall or Fountains Abbey. The River Ure runs past the site and is shallow enough to paddle in or throw stones. It’s also a great spot for kayaking (bring your own), river walks along the Ure and a pub lunch or ice cream in the village of West Tanfield. There is a clean toilet block, a well stocked shop and lots of local maps and information at reception.

sleningfordwatermill.co.uk

Middlewood Farm Holiday Park, Whitby

Drive time – 1 hour 20 mins

Middlewood Park is a family-friendly holiday park on a stunning stretch of North Yorkshire coastline and is the perfect place for a relaxing family holiday. You can either take along your own tent or caravan or rent one of their static caravans or a glamping pod. There are fully equipped shower rooms, WiFi, a play area and lots of space to explore. The beach is only a 10 minute walk away plus Whitby, Robin Hood’s Bay, Scarborough and the North Yorkshire Moors are all within easy reach.

middlewoodfarm.com

Haggs Bank Campsite, Alston

Drive time – 1 hour 20 mins

At Haggs Bank, the main campsite sits within 4.5 acres of wildflower meadow with terraced pitches to enhance the views across the valley. After pitching up, cars are returned to the car park making it a very safe site for children to explore and play. We had a great day out at Killhope Lead Mine but it’s also in easy reach of Hadrian’s Wall, Birdoswald, Allen Banks and Alston.

haggsbank.com

Humble Bee Farm, Scarborough

Drive time – 2 hours

Humble Bee has accommodation for everyone. If you don’t want to take your own tent or caravan then hire a yurt, bell tent or wigwam. It’s set on a working farm with an array of animals to make friends with. A particular highlight for the children was collecting the freshly laid eggs for breakfast and feeding the animals. There are modern facilities, a shop, WiFi, nature trails to explore and a play area. Scarborough’s beaches and fairground, Whitby and Eden camp are all close by.

humblebeefarm.co.uk

Windermere Camping & Caravan Club, Windermere

Drive time – 2 hours

Situated between Kendal and Bowness, all the main sites of the Lake District are on your doorstep. It is a large site with lots of facilities and we asked for a spot close to the play area so we could watch the little ones from our tents. The surrounding woods were perfect for the older children to explore.  Brockhole Visitor Centre on Windermere with its adventure playground, treetop trek, bouncy nets, pony trekking and cycle hire was a big hit with the kids, as was the fabulous South Lakes Safari Park, only 40 minutes away.

campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk

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