Dalby Forest camping

Camping inside Dalby Forest

First, the honest bit: you can't pitch a tent or park a caravan inside Dalby Forest itself. Forestry England runs the forest for day visits, walking, cycling, the play areas and the Forest Drive, and camping and campfires aren't allowed within it. The good news is that several excellent campsites sit right on its doorstep, some with gates straight into the trees, so you get the same wake-up-in-the-woods feeling without breaking the rules.

Campsites at the forest edge

A handful of working-farm sites sit right by the entrance to Dalby Forest, near Low Dalby, about as close as you can camp to the trails. The Dalby Forest Caravan & Camping Site at Pexton Moor Farm (postcode YO18 7LU) sits at the gateway to the forest with caravan and tent pitches, glamping pods and a fresh-milk machine, while Warren House Campsite, on a family farm on the forest's edge, has gates straight into the woods, dog-friendly pitches and stays open all year. Both put the visitor centre and bike trails within a few minutes. Check current pitches, prices and availability on each site's own website.

Camping in Thornton-le-Dale and Ellerburn

Two miles from the forest, the chocolate-box village of Thornton-le-Dale makes a lovely base. Prospect Farm Camping & Caravan Park is the only site actually in the village, a short walk from the tea rooms and, as it happens, right behind Mathewsons of "Bangers & Cash" fame, with pitches and camping pods (check its current tent policy). Just outside, tucked in a quiet valley at Ellerburn, Low Farm Campsite is a back-to-nature spot with a babbling beck, no hook-ups or wifi and gloriously dark night skies, bring your walking boots and a torch.

Caravan parks around Pickering

A few miles further, the market town of Pickering has a choice of caravan and camping parks, among them Black Bull Caravan Park and Overbrook Caravan Park, which is adults only. These are options for touring facilities, a base for the steam railway, and easy runs to both the forest and the coast. As ever, book directly with the park.

Lodges and cabins near Dalby Forest

Unyoked off-grid cabins are in Dalby Forest. This is cabin accommodation, not permission to pitch a tent. Forest Holidays cabins are in nearby Cropton Forest, not Dalby.

What to know before you camp

A few practical notes: a Forestry England hourly parking charge applies in Dalby Forest, so factor that in if you're driving in and out each day; the forest has deer. In summer, check yourself and your dog for ticks after a day in the bracken; and the whole area is a designated Dark Sky spot, so a clear night is worth staying up for. Pack for Yorkshire weather in any season, and see plan your visit for the wider practicalities. Towing a caravan or driving a large motorhome here? Read caravans and motorhomes before you set a route, because Sutton Bank is closed to caravans.

Make the most of the forest

Once you're pitched, the forest is yours, see our Dalby Forest guide for the walking and cycling trails, Go Ape and the play areas, and our stargazing guide for the dark skies. For other kinds of base, start with where to stay in the Moors or, if you're bringing a dog, dog-friendly places to stay.

Cabin locations checked 18 October 2026 against Forestry England’s off-grid cabins information and Forest Holidays’ Yorkshire pages. Existing campsite details have not all been rechecked on that date.