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We nearly chose not to go to this campsite becase some of the reviews were rather negative. Lots of 'midges', no soap (!), someone drove in late one night and made noise putting up their tent, etc. We decided that there was a whiny, silly quality to some of those reviews and decided to risk a two night visit. I'm glad we did: North Lees is a very good, more than basic campsite. We had no unusual problems with mosquitoes. There is water nearby, so perhaps other reviewers were just unlucky. Not much really flat land for tents, but this is Derbyshire. And most campers are used to choosing which end of the tent will be slightly higher than the other. The ground was well drained, without poo and was well manicured. The shower and toilet blocks were clean, well-appointed and, weirdly, actually DO have toilet paper and liquid soap. Which was nice, but unusual for the campsites I generally stay at. A VERY quiet campsite, by the way. The only rule I saw posted was: 'This is a quiet site'. The staff were helpful. I liked this site and would certainly use it to pitch a tent again. I would say that you will find this site lacking if you are a camper who prefers Caravan Club style sites, with pristine showers, totally flat, rock-hard grass, lots of power outlets, etc. This is a campsite for outdoors familes, for climbers, for walkers, for cyclists. For people who love the outdoors but want a comfortable place to pitch their tents.
North Lees is in a beautiful spot within easy reach of Stannage Edge. The surrounding trees shelter the site so wind was not a problem. However they were home to millions of midgies! My ThermoCell insect repeller helped keep them at bay but I still got bitten in the time it got to turn it on.
The site is undulating to hilly in parts but not unmanageable as long as you pitch your tent sensibly.
The facilities were fine although there is only one shower per sex so there can be a queue. Also whilst we stayed the hot water ran out and both my partner and I had cold showers which was a little disappointing after a long day walking. There was no hand soap in the toilets which is just not hygienic.
The site warden was not particularly helpful and we felt unnecessarily petty.
Have mixed feelings about this site, having stayed twice with a family group.
Firstly, the plus points- it's set in a beautiful location and is ideal for walkers/hikers looking to explore the stunning countryside. It’s also an ideal base for visiting the lovely village of Hathersage and the surrounding area (the outdoor lido is worth a visit). It's a safe family-friendly site, and I like the way there are no set pitches.
Now the negatives- for some reason, this site does seem to be severely affected by swarms of midges that come out in their thousands during the evening. I’ve been twice in July, this year and last, and experienced the same problem both times. There is obviously nothing that can be done, and is just nature at work, but many of our party ended up with hundreds of bites despite drenching ourselves in insect repellent. This is unfortunately something that will probably stop us from coming back again. The second negative, and again, is the result of having a site in such a beautiful setting, is the fact it’s set on the side of the hill. The first time we stayed, the gradient wasn’t too bad. But the second time, the site was more busy and the only pitches were on quite a slope. We spent the whole night trying not to slip down the tent when in our sleeping bags!
The toilet/shower block is adequate (although could do with more showers). For some reason they fail to provide soap in the toilets, causing a basic lack of hygiene. When we pointed this out to the warden, we were informed ‘we expect campers to bring their own’- unacceptable in this day and age. Also, the toilet lights are not on a timer or have no switch, so you’re going to be stumbling around in the dark if you need to use the toilet in the middle of the night and you haven’t brought a torch.
One final gripe- while I get the ‘quiet policy’, and understand the need to implement it, I don’t know why bbq’s are banned!
North Lees is a wonderful little campsite just 10 minutes walk away from the climbing and walking mecca of Stanage Edge.
The facilities are good, clean showers and toilets, there’s also a pot washing area too. The site is mainly level but there are some sloping bits, so careful pitch selection is recommended.
There are a few rules which must be adhered too, but this is not at all detrimental if you’ve ever been subjected to raucous drunks shouting and belting out music until the small hours on some sites.
On warm, windless evenings you will get bitten to death by midges, so be warned. Otherwise, this is a great little campsite only a few minutes drive from Hathersage and an ideal base for a weekend climbing expedition to Stanage.
A great campsite if you are visiting Hathersage, ideally located if you want to explore the area by bike or on foot.
The site is excellently managed, with clean facilities, and plenty of space to pitch a tent. We camped during a bank holiday and it was nice to see the site had not been over booked.
The lady running the campsite also was very helpful, after a rainy day and no local taxis available to drive us to Hathersage she offered to take us.
I stayed at this site with my teenage son and puppy for one night in good weather. It is a lovely site in beautiful countryside, and we enjoyed a couple of nice walks through the countryside opposite the site and then up to Stannage edge. You can get to the Edge by following the path through the woods at the back of the site, which isn't signposted (we found it on the way back). There is a covered washing up area with hot water. The toilets / shower block were dated but clean. I didn't use the shower as we were only there one night. The wardens were helpful and friendly and the site seems to attract nice people, we felt very safe. The lights go out at 10 pm so make sure you've found your torch. I think everyone is tired from active pursuits in the area as it was very quiet at night apart from the local owl. The campsite is over two camping fields which slope in places, and we were glad to be able to choose our own spot at the top of the site as it was quiet. The field looked a bit muddy nearer the amenity block. I would absolutely recommend this site if you value picturesque countryside over playgrounds and ready made entertainment. Will return for a longer trip.
Came here over early august for a week - have been twice a year for about 15 years and love the place, however, this time we left after 2 days due to the midges.
In the top and middle field we were swarmed by clouds of them - never seen it this bad in all the time ive been coming here.
After the first night and even after using Deet 80% spray and covering up my partner had over 100 large bites on her face and body that looked like severe chickenpox that was infected.
For a lady this is obviously very distressing on the face and neck.
From approx. 5am-10am there are thousands and then again from approx. 5pm onward, the place is swarming and anyone who stands still gets covered. After 2 days the initial 6 tents had all gone in our field due to the midge swarms.
Impossible to sit outside the tent and enjoy the early evening or have breakfast. - sadly we will be giving North Lees a wide berth for this and next year which we are gutted about but with such horrendous bites its not worth it.
Stayed here with friends in 2 other tents, wardens are lovely and let us pitch where we liked, facilities are very clean, only 1 shower (very powerful and hot) but even on the bank holiday we didn't have to wait long. Would stay again and probably will next summer. Fantastically located for nice long walks, picnics and a visit to stanage edge but you do need to drive if you want to go into the town as it was a long walk into Hathersage for the children.
We stayed on this campsite for four days, we had one night of rain to which the tent performed very well. The site is on a slight incline but did not find this too much of a problem and is ideal for climbers and walkers.
The toilets and shower were kept very clean each morning. The mens and womens toilet only had one shower, and there was only one toilet in the mens and three toilets for the women.
There is no shop on site and therefore all shopping is done in the village of Hathersage which is down a very steep hill and you need strong legs or transport as it is about two miles from the campsite, also there is not much parking on the road in the village but there is a small car park at the rear of the village.
The campsite has limited parking but this can be extended and is down to the discretion of the Ranger/owner, who we found very helpful and friendly, as when we were there on one of the nights the site was very busy and the car park got full.
I love this campsite. It's perfect for a quiet break, it's amongst beautiful scenery with gorgeous walks directly from the site. Hathersage with its shops and pubs is only a 15-20 minute walk away, or a 5 minute drive.
The site is fairly basic but the toilet/shower block is cleaned regularly and there are good recycling and washing up facilities.
I've stayed here a few times and I like the strict rules they have in respect of noise - even with the campsite full, its still peaceful as the wardens make it clear that its a 'quiet' site. Some sites I've been on are horrendously noisy but this one is different - if you want a restful break then this is the one for you.
The only suggestion I would make to the PDNP is that they have an extra shower put in both the ladies and gents loo blocks as you sometimes have to queue for the shower when the site is busy.
Apart from that its a perfect little spot.
Book well in advance if you intend to go on a summer weekend as they do get full quickly.
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Common Questions
Is North Lees Campsite child friendly? YES, it accepts children View all facilities
Where is the nearest shop to North Lees Campsite? There is a shop within 1 mile View all facilities
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
All reviews and comments are the personal opinion of the review author only , and as such do not represent the view of the UK Camp Site.co.uk.
The facilities shown on this website are a guide only, and you should check with the campsite direct before making any booking. The UKCampsite.co.uk will not be held responsible for any errors or omissions
Tent Pitches 
No Caravans 
Motorhome Pitches 
Small Campervans 
Glamping Units 
No Statics for Hire 
No Statics for Sale 
No Seasonal Pitches 
No Electric Hookups 
Hardstanding Pitches 
No Fully Serviced Pitches 
Families Welcome 
Not Members Only 
No Rallies 
Not Naturist Site 
Dogs Welcome 
No Dogs Allowed 
Groups Welcome 
Motorbikers Welcome 
Toilet Facilities 
Hot Showers 
Washing Up 
No Bathroom 
No Baby Changing 
No Laundry 
Drinking Water 
Disabled Friendly 
No Chemical Disposal 
No Battery Charging 
No Gas Exchange 
Recycling Facilities 
No Kitchen Facilities 
Freezer / Fridge 
No Motorhome Point 
No Wifi Access 
Shop <1 mile 
Bar <1 mile 
Restaurant or Cafe or Takeaway <1 mile 
No Playground 
No TV Room 
No Games Room 
No Evening Ents 
Fishing <10 miles 
Wild Swimming <5 miles 
No Indoor Pool 
Outdoor Pool <1 mile 
Horse Riding <5 miles 
Cycle Hire <5 miles 
Golf <5 miles 
No Tennis 
No Beach 
Watersports <5 miles 
No Boat Launch 
No Sea Views 
Not Working Farm 
No Campfires Allowed 
Open All Year 
No Waterside Pitches 
Public Transport <1 mile
Offroad Dog Walk On Site or Direct Access 
Electric Car Charging Point
We nearly chose not to go to this campsite becase some of the reviews were rather negative. Lots of 'midges', no soap (!), someone drove in late one night and made noise putting up their tent, etc. We decided that there was a whiny, silly quality to some of those reviews and decided to risk a two night visit. I'm glad we did: North Lees is a very good, more than basic campsite. We had no unusual problems with mosquitoes. There is water nearby, so perhaps other reviewers were just unlucky. Not much really flat land for tents, but this is Derbyshire. And most campers are used to choosing which end of the tent will be slightly higher than the other. The ground was well drained, without poo and was well manicured. The shower and toilet blocks were clean, well-appointed and, weirdly, actually DO have toilet paper and liquid soap. Which was nice, but unusual for the campsites I generally stay at. A VERY quiet campsite, by the way. The only rule I saw posted was: 'This is a quiet site'. The staff were helpful. I liked this site and would certainly use it to pitch a tent again. I would say that you will find this site lacking if you are a camper who prefers Caravan Club style sites, with pristine showers, totally flat, rock-hard grass, lots of power outlets, etc. This is a campsite for outdoors familes, for climbers, for walkers, for cyclists. For people who love the outdoors but want a comfortable place to pitch their tents. 
