For walkers, trail runners, climbers, and cyclists, pitching your tent at the foot of the hills eliminates the single biggest headache of visiting a UK National Park: hunting for a pay-and-display car park space at 9:30am.
Choosing the Right Valley Basecamp
- The Peak District (Bakewell, Buxton, Ashbourne, Hope Valley): Split between the dramatic gritstone edges of the Dark Peak (Stanage Edge, Kinder Scout, Mam Tor) and the limestone valleys and traffic-free Monsal/Tissington cycle trails of the White Peak.
- The Lake District (Keswick, Ambleside, Coniston, Ullswater, Wasdale): Farm campsites tucked at the head of the valleys let you hike Scafell Pike, Helvellyn, Catbells, or the Langdale Pikes directly from your tent door and return to a traditional Lakeland stone pub in the evening.