Hi! So me and my friends are hoping to go camping on the weekend of the 22nd to celebrate my 22nd birthday. there will be around 12 of us. So I was wondering if anyone has any location suggestions around the Peak District as we are from West Yorkshire so hoping not to be too far out. We would like to wild camp as we would like to play music and chat etc and I wouldn�t want to disturb others trying to enjoy their weekend. However I have heard that adult only campsites exist. Can anyone make any recommendations it would be greatly appreciated. Thankyou :)
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First problem you are likely to encounter is that perhaps the majority of conventional camp sites will not knowingly accept large groups of people, only small 'family' groups, and will not take multi pitch bookings, so everyone needs to make their own booking. They almost ALWAYS have a 'All Quiet' curfew of 10 or 11pm to 7 or 8am, and you will probably annoy people and get complaints if you ignore it!
True Wild Camping can be a contentious point, in English Law you are not allowed to camp without the landowners express permission, and TTBOMK there are only 2 regions in England where it is widely accepted (neither being the Peak District!), and almost certainly a group party would not be acceptable, as it is generally on a very low key, minimal impact/noticeable basis!
Your best option is to try for a 'Rally Field' booking, where site rules are generally more relaxed, and groups acceptable, but the usual downside to that is that Rally Fields often don't have any or many facilities, so no Loo/Shower or EHU (Electric hook up points), you have to trek to the adjoining main site for loo and shower - it can be a long walk when you are desperate, or the weather is foul, been there, done it!!!! Up side is that you are in your own field with (hopefully) no one near by to upset with music etc. (but noise does travel far in the general quite of the countryside, so you may have to mellow things a little come 10/11pm). It does actually get to be pretty close to Wild Camping, albeit in a mowed field rather than the true wilds, but with all the lack of amenities!
Use the Site Search facility and set filter for 'Sites which have Rally Fields or cater for Rallies' to get a list of sites, then you can sort what appeals.
I've roughly set your criteria on this link, but you may want to hone it a bit more: https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/articles/view.asp?id=781&rg=Central
One you could maybe try - Stocking Farm, near Calver, Hope Valley. You would need to speak to the owner to explain your situation, but he may well be ok with it. Plenty of reviews on here.
The OP & friends want to wild camp. Not sure a landowner would be keen on a dozen people wild toileting in their woods & fields for several days. However, small basic sites are pretty much like wild camping and some have toilets; book the whole site? There are sites that advertise themselves for weddings, for example.
I seem to remember noting that some youth hostels have camping, in places like the Lake District. You may have to be a YHA member; but that was some years ago & things might have changed.
Hope you get something organised & have a happy birthday.
Please don't wild camp anywhere in the Peak District if you're planning on playing music etc. Last year the rangers started clamping down on places where it had previously been "ok" to wild camp due to groups, noise, litter etc.
Look for a rally field or pub site where noise may be deemed more acceptable. I did a walk on Marsden Moor a couple of weeks ago, there was a pub near Redbrook reservoir that might let you camp nearby if you buy some booze, might be nearer for you too if you're in West Yorkshire.
I stayed at Haddon Grove quite some years ago; back then they had a rally field. You can walk down into Lathkill dale from the site. Might be worth checking if that's still there. I agree with other posters that wild camping with music etc is not likely to go down well with that number of people. Here's a link. https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=2731
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Well, the OP posted her (first) query some 5 days ago & hasn’t come back since. The trip is in a fortnight. I think she might have left the planning too late? but hopefully she’ll come back & let us know how she’s got on.
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