Swallowtails

View prices & book 9.1 118 reviews
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  • Small, friendly site 15 minutes' walk from the centre of Pickering
  • Flamingo Land Resort and Go Ape Dalby within 15 minutes' drive
  • Play area and playroom on site; communal campfire and pizza nights
What sort of location do you want for your North Yorkshire break – somewhere rural and peaceful or a handy town location so you can get to shops, pubs and places to eat without having to get in the car? Mix both of these together and you'll have the excellent setting of Swallowtails, a small site on the edge of Pickering. This place ticks a whole lot of boxes on the location front – it’s on the edge of the North York Moors National Park for your rural rambles, it’s about 40 minutes' drive from the coast for your beach days, and within easy walking distance (about 15 minutes or so) of Pickering’s shops, cafés and places to eat (and its heritage railway station too). Options for days out nearby are plentiful, as you’ll also be within easy reach of the thrills of both Flamingo Land and the Go Ape course and mountain bike trails in Dalby Forest. Swallowtails is a fairly small-scale campsite but it's got a big heart – and a good list of facilities too, with an outdoor play area and an indoor playroom, a shared kitchen and a bathroom block with showers and toilets. Pitches all have electric and water hook-ups to keep life nice and easy, and there’s a sociable communal campfire area where you can gather for chatty evenings by the fire (although you're also welcome to bring your own raised firepit if you wish). Being on the edge of Pickering means it’s easy to get into town for an evening out if you like, but do make sure you’re back on site if it's pizza night, when guests gather once a week for tasty treats from the two outdoor pizza ovens.

Site type

Motorhome sites 9
Tent sites 9
Rent a tent 5
Open all year
Opens
Please note

General

  • Entertainment and activities are available between 23/07 and 21/08.

Occupancy

  • Group bookings of 2 or more units travelling together are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Single-sex bookings of 6 or more people (couples and immediate family members excepted) are not permitted via Pitchup.com.

Dogs

  • The campground/park does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dog Act (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).

Reception

  • There is no reception building on-site: on arrival please contact the number provided on your booking confirmation.

Admission

  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.

Vehicles

  • Units longer than 7 metres are not allowed.

Languages spoken

English

No availability here for your search criteria

Pitch types & availability

Accommodation

Tent sitesCaravan sitesMotorhome sitesLodges, cabins, pods or hutsCaravans for hireRent a tent
Choose your dates
2 adults
0 children
0 dogs

Reviews

9.1

Overall rating from 118 Pitchup.com customers

  • 56%
    10
  • 21%
    9
  • 9%
    8
  • 6%
    7
  • 2%
    6
  • 2%
    5
  • 0%
    4
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    3
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    2
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    1
Location
 9
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 7
Peaceful

93% would recommend this site to a friend

93% would stay here again

What customers say

Swallowtails: a snug, peaceful park lauded for its helpful owners, Pickering proximity, and spotless facilities. Kids love the play area and games room. Some pitches are tight, loos basic. A firm favourite for returning campers.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews. Last updated 29/09/2026

Filter by topic

Reviews page 1 of 12
Arrival date (latest first)

A genuinely nice campsite everything was…

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 9
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Powered grass and gravel tent or motorhome site (medium)

Liked A genuinely nice campsite everything was clean and well looked after.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great spot, we will be back

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Claire M. 2 reviews

Powered grass and gravel tent or motorhome site (medium)

Liked Spotlessly clean, lovely facilities, so peaceful and great location

Disliked We were there Tuesday to Friday and when we left I think it was bin day as I couldn't find where to put general waste as the large bin was out on the road to be collected. Perhaps on bin day, a small bin could go in it's place for people to use whilst it's being emptied.

Recommend to friends Visit again

We had a lovely stay at…

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Michelle M. 3 reviews

Powered grass and gravel tent or motorhome site (medium)

Liked We had a lovely stay at Swallowtails.

The facilities were great and we really appreciated the communal area, especially being able to use the kettle and the fridge/freezer – such useful little extras when camping.

The site was lovely and quiet, and the location was fantastic as it was so easy to walk into Pickering. The lady who helped us during our stay was absolutely lovely and really friendly and helpful, which made us feel very welcome.

We would definitely come back and would happily recommend Swallowtails.

Disliked We booked a medium pitch for our tent, which was fine for us, although we did struggle a little with the guy ropes, so next time we’d probably go for a large pitch.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Well looked after, good location.…

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 8
Value for money
 7
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 7
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 No rating
Zena M. 4 reviews

Powered grass and gravel tent or motorhome site (medium)

Liked Well looked after, good location.

Disliked Small pitches.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Nice site in a great location for the town and bus routes

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 9
Facilities / Activities
 No rating
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Powered grass and gravel tent or motorhome site (medium)

Liked Toilet and shower facilities clean. Handy kitchen area that i used to wash up. Friendly and welcoming.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Fantastic site on the edge of…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Allan H. 8 reviews

Powered grass and gravel tent or motorhome site (medium)

Liked Fantastic site on the edge of Pickering,easy access to the town via a country lane ,super friendly greeting on arrival and great facilities,peaceful and quiet will definitely put on our returns list

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Made very welcome on arrival. Lovely site…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 7
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 8
Wifi
 No rating
Clifford M. 1 review

Powered grass and gravel tent or motorhome site (large)

Liked Made very welcome on arrival.
Lovely site & excellent location
Would highly recommend & we will definitely be returning in the future.

Disliked Nothing to dislike on this site.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent and recommend

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
 Loveona A. 1 review

Unpowered grass and gravel tent or motorhome site (small)

Liked Great location , peaceful but only a 10 minute easy walk into Pickering , nice small site , very clean and tidy . Bonus of a kettle set up in the washing up room so saves having to get your stove out . Would recommend and will be back . Excellent communication from the owners.

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Everything we needed Friendly , easy to…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Stephen A. 1 review

Powered grass and gravel tent or motorhome site (medium)

Liked Everything we needed
Friendly , easy to check in , Good clean facilities
Definatley staying again

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 9
Facilities / Activities
 7
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Unpowered grass and gravel tent or motorhome site (small)

Liked Lovely site to visit for a very pleasant & peaceful stay

Disliked Nothing to dislike

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Dogs allowed

Campfires allowed

Leisure on site

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis Watersports

Amenities on site

Bath available Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Laundry Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Picnic table Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

D. of E. welcome Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Rallies welcome Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Themes

Leave the car at home Luxury Peaceful Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Communal freezer Communal fridge Dump point Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Convenience store nearby Dog walk nearby Nearby farmers' market Public transport nearby

Type

Small (11-25 sites)

Accessibility

Accessible parking at site

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horse riding nearby Indoor pool nearby Leisure/theme park nearby Mountain biking nearby Outdoor pool nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Surf school nearby Tennis nearby Watersports nearby

Location

Swallowtails

Wayside

Goslipgate

Pickering

North Yorkshire

England

YO18 8EQ

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London +0100 (GMT+01:00)

GPS

54.23749°N
0.7837°W

Nearest transport

Coach
0.9 km The Royal Oak
24.3 km Sunday School
24.3 km Playing Fields
Rail
11.8 km Malton Rail Station
22.3 km Egton Rail Station
22.4 km Grosmont Rail Station
Ferry
48.2 km Transporter Bridge South Side
48.2 km Transporter Bridge North Side

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

There are of course lots of walks to try in the North York Moors National Park – a couple of favourite spots include the trails around the Hole of Horcum (15 minutes’ drive) and Mallyan Spout Waterfall (25 minutes). To take in some of the scenery from a different angle, climb into the trees at Go Ape Dalby (15 minutes) or settle in for a viewsome ride on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (five minutes’ walk). Getting to know a bit about the area might involve outings to Ryedale Folk Museum or Eden Camp Modern History Museum (both 15 minutes' drive), covering different aspects of the region's past. Scampston Hall & Walled Garden (20 minutes) is another nice spot to visit, with some lovely trails through parkland and gardens designed by Capability Brown. A couple of top picks for family outings are the rides of Flamingo Land Resort (10 minutes) and the beaches, castle and amusements of Scarborough (40 minutes).
(within 10 km)
Castle, Aquarium, Theme park, Zoo and Cashpoint (within 16.1 km)

Food and drink

  • Spice 4U Restaurant 0.9 km
  • Noyon Restaurant 0.9 km
  • The Sun Inn Pub 1 km
  • Black Swan Pub 1 km
  • Figaro's Restaurant 1 km
  • Bay Horse Inn Pub 1 km
  • Feast Deli & Cafe Restaurant 1 km
  • White Swan Inn Pub 1 km
  • Capplemans Restaurant 1 km
  • The Rose Pub 1 km

Groceries

  • Lidl 0.8 km
  • One Stop 0.9 km
  • Co-op Food 1 km
  • Co-op Food 1 km
  • Costcutter 3.2 km

Parks and play

  • Otter Drive play area park 0.5 km
  • Garden Way Park Playground 0.6 km
  • Troutbeck Close play area park 0.6 km
  • Paddock close park and play area 0.8 km
  • greenlands park and play area 1 km
  • Potter Hill Green park 1 km
  • Hawthorn Lane Play Area Playground 1.1 km
  • Manor Drive Park and recreation area 1.3 km
  • Castle Green and park area 1.4 km
  • Pickering Community Park 1.9 km

Family days out

  • Ryedale Exhibition & Leisure Village Visitor attraction 1.2 km
  • Pickering Castle 1.5 km
  • Kumali Visitor attraction 3.2 km
  • Balloon Race Visitor attraction 3.3 km
  • Mumbo Jumbo Visitor attraction 3.3 km
  • Storks Visitor attraction 3.3 km
  • Cliff Hanger Visitor attraction 3.3 km
  • Lions Visitor attraction 3.3 km
  • Hippos Visitor attraction 3.3 km
  • Giraffes Visitor attraction 3.3 km
  • Splish Splosh Visitor attraction 3.3 km
  • Neville Castle 10.7 km
  • Slingsby Castle 12.8 km
  • Hovingham Hall Castle 14.8 km
  • Castle Howard 15.2 km

Public transport

  • Lyndale 0.6 km
  • Rosecroft 0.6 km
  • Royal Oak 0.9 km
  • County Inf School 1.1 km
  • Eastfield Road 1.2 km
  • Manor Drive 1.3 km
  • Thornton Road 1.4 km
  • Northway 1.5 km
  • Black Bull 1.9 km
  • Main Street 2.3 km

Other nearby

  • Yorkshire Trading General shop 1 km
  • Brigham Park Golf Course 2 km

Local services

  • Co-op Food Cashpoint 1 km
  • Costa Cashpoint 1 km
  • Post Office Cashpoint 1 km
  • Vale Motors Fuel station 0.8 km
  • Malton Road Garage Fuel station 0.8 km
  • Spelsberg - Bosch;Shimano;Generic plug Charging station 0.8 km
  • Pickering Medical Practice Doctors 0.8 km
  • Pickering Pharmacy 1 km
  • Middleton Service Station Fuel station 2.1 km
  • Stonegate Surgery Doctors 4 km
  • Beckside Pharmacy 4 km
  • Spelsberg - Bosch;Shimano;Generic plug Charging station 7.6 km

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Must see

North Yorkshire Moors Railway 1 km

Flamingo Land Theme Park and Zoo 3.9 km

Dalby Forest Visitor Centre 7.5 km

Kew at Castle Howard 15.2 km

Castle Howard 15.2 km

National Trust

Bridestones, Crosscliff and Blakey Topping 11.6 km

Nunnington Hall 13 km

Rievaulx Terrace 21.4 km

Yorkshire Coast 26.1 km

Treasurer's House 36.2 km

Cycle routes

Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.

Other

Pickering to Levisham Station by Train - Return on Foot 1.1 km

Lockton - Stain Dale - Bride Stones - Lockton 8.6 km

Lockton and Levisham 8.7 km

EBBERSTON HALL 10.2 km

SCAMPSTON HALL 10.9 km

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Want to know more about camping in North Yorkshire?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Swallowtails have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Swallowtails dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Swallowtails? There are of course lots of walks to try in the North York Moors National Park – a couple of favourite spots include the trails around the Hole of Horcum (15 minutes’ … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Swallowtails?
    Camping and caravan
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  9 p.m.
    Depart by:  noon
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Swallowtails? From $63.65 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.