Imagine a place where you could take the kids on an outdoorsy holiday and not have to get in the car for the duration of your stay. Somewhere with accommodation, space to roam, plenty of activities and a place to eat out on site. You don’t have to go to a ‘pack ‘em in’ holiday village with rows of identical chalets to experience something like that. You could go to Camp Kátur instead. Here, glamping families stay in bell tents, yurts and geo domes and have 300-acres of Yorkshire woodlands and meadows to explore.
Camp Kátur is midway between the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors National Parks and based on the appropriately-named Camp Hill Estate. While the V word (village) could still be applied to the 31-strong accommodation options on offer, this place is a lot more earthy than it’s big-branded brothers. First opened in 2013, it’s grown organically, developed and changed over time. Most recently, there’s an increasing focus on nature. Gone are the segways of years gone by, now there’s a focus on wildlife walks, bushcraft and nightly campfires.
Glampers stay in one of three areas on site. The Meadow is the closest to camping. All accommodation here is off grid, you bring your own bedding and there are communal facilities for most guests – including handy camp kitchens. There are bell tents, yurts and cute ‘hobbit’ pods, geo domes, safari tents and a log cabin (Bear Lodge). Next up is Hill Farm, a step-up in the luxury stakes as the 10 geo-domes here each have en-suite bathrooms, log burners and lovely stargazing roofs. But, if a shared kitchen is not for you, opt for the geo-domes of Camp Kátur’s third space; Chestnut Hill; the most luxurious of the lot with a hot tub each to boot. For groups, the nearby vast, self-contained Chestnut Lodge, is great for groups as it sleeps up to 18.
The Camp Hill Estate is private but glampers have the run of the place. There are woodland walks and bike trails, a brilliant Woodland Kingdom kids’ play area and swing park which are all for free in addition to the paid-for bushcraft activities. If you don’t fancy going anywhere, you’ll have plenty to do and dinner is taken care of too. There’s a new-in-2021 bar and grill, The Hebridean, within the estate and two pubs within half-a-mile of site. Beyond Camp Hill, it’s less than 15 miles east to reach the Yorkshire Dales or west to reach the Moors. Camp Kátur, which is named after the Icelandic word for 'happy', uses the mantra: Discover Your Outdoor Happiness. Plenty of people will find that here.
Hosted by Kelly ?.
Joined in March 2021There's so much to explore on site that you may not want to leave for the duration of your stay but if you haven't had your fill, the famous North Yorkshire Moors National Park and Yorkshire Dales lie 15 miles to the east and west respectively. Knaresborough is one of the UK's prettiest towns and is just 20 miles from site. With its impressive Victorian viaduct, the crumbling Knaresborough Castle (01423 556188) and the legendary Mother Shipton's Cave (01423 864600), this is a great place to lose the day. If you're visiting in June, be sure to attend the annual Great Knaresborough Bed Race – a quirky local tradition which attracts thousands every year. If shopping is on your agenda head a little further to Harrogate or to Leeds, just 30 odd miles down the A1.
The Camp Hill Estate has its very own pub! The Hebridean Bar & Grill (01677 988483), run by Chef Adrian Orford, is at the heart of the estate, serving (among other things) handpicked Yorkshire Cask Ales from local breweries including Black Sheep, Wensleydale and Theakstons alongside a menu of dishes made with fresh ingredients from the estate's Hill Farm and Walled Kitchen Garden. There are also two pubs within a half-mile walk of the estate: the Fox and Hounds in Carthorpe and the Black Horse (01609 749010) in Kirklington. For campsite supplies, the nearest shops are in Bedale, five miles away.
