Why visit Derbyshire?
Pride and Prejudice
Go camping in Derbyshire to cast your eye across the county Jane Austen's Mr Darcy was said to own half of. His fictional home Pemberley was here, and while you won’t be able to visit, there are plenty of other majestic manors to see in this Central England location. Popular spots include Chatsworth House in Bakewell, the setting of the 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.
The White Peak
Prefer the great outdoors to grand houses? Pitch up in the Peak District. A sizeable section of this national park is hereabouts, so there are plenty of Derbyshire campsites near mountain biking, horse riding and walking trails. Stay in the south – the White Peak – for cycling trips on the Tissington and Manifold trails. Settle in near chocolate-box villages like Buxton, Hartington and Tideswell, and don’t miss the Dovedale valley’s Instagram-worthy stepping stones or the double sunset phenomenon at Thorpe Cloud hill.
The Dark Peak
If you like your landscapes a bit more brooding, divert to the national park's northern section and you’ll find campsites in the Derbyshire Dales’ moorland and high gritstone plateaus. The winding Winnats Pass, a deep limestone valley full of fossils, is well worth visiting, as is the dry limestone Cave Dale. Pull on your walking boots for Padley Gorge too, a waterfall-filled woodland.
The best things to do in Derbyshire
* Head to the Heights of Abraham hilltop by cable car for cave tours and fossil displays
* Spy over 60 vintage trams, plus an old sweet shop and pub, in the old-school Crich Tramway Village
* Rent a rowing boat, sailing dinghy or windsurfing equipment at Carsington Water
* Scramble up steep rocks and past slow streams to reach Kinder Scout, the Peak District’s highest point
* Wonder at one of the world’s rarest minerals in the Blue John Cavern (and buy a bit to take home)
Unexplored Derbyshire
Caving and climbing
Derbyshire is one of the best counties in the UK for rock climbing and caving. The four-mile-long Stanage Edge has crags aplenty to scale, while you can also get up high at the lofty old quarries of Froggatt Edge. Have a giggle at Peak Cavern’s nickname (it’s worth a Google…) while on a tour or board a boat for a subterranean sailing session through Speedwell Cavern.
Activities aplenty
You can browse campsites with fishing in Derbyshire or stay near golf courses and leisure and theme parks. Gulliver’s Kingdom is a destination small holidaymakers delight in with its kid-friendly log flume and rollercoaster, while teen travellers tend to prefer ziplining through the tree canopy at Go Ape Buxton.
Industrial cities
Urban centres aren’t typically on a traveller’s map when camping in Derbyshire, but they’re worth checking out if you’re staying nearby. Just over the county's border in South Yorkshire, shuffle around Sheffield’s Winter Garden, a gargantuan glasshouse lined with plants, then immerse yourself in the city’s industrial history at the Kelham Island Museum. For more local heritage, stroll around the silk mill in Derby, or tap into your creativity at the craft village in Markeaton Park.
Here’s how
We’ve got options to suit all sorts of budgets, from family-friendly holiday parks and touring caravan sites in Derbyshire, to glamping including camping pods, yurts and gypsy caravans.
Check out our 80+ filters and use the ‘Sort by’ box on this page to find a dreamy Derbyshire campsite or caravan park. You could search for practical facilities like showers and toilets or peruse some of these popular picks:
* Campsites in Derbyshire with a pub on site
* Campsites in Derbyshire with electric hook-up
* Camping in Derbyshire (adults-only)
* Campsites in Derbyshire that allow fires
* Camping in Derbyshire with dogs
Derbyshire borders seven other counties, so there are plenty of places to go next. Set off for Nottinghamshire to learn the legend of Robin Hood or Staffordshire to ride the rollercoasters at Alton Towers theme park.
Whether you’re travelling further away or close to home, have a look at our camping guide too. We’ve got info on the top pitching options for beginners, the world’s best countries for tent-based stays and why you should take your kids for a holiday in a field.
