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Woodsworth Exploring

97%

· Ilkley, England

10 acres hosted by Duncan D.

10 tent sites

Best in North West England: 1st place

Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2024.

Best newcomers: Finalist

Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2024.

Duncan is a Star Host

Star Hosts are highly rated, responsive, and committed to providing incredible experiences.

Off-lead friendly

Pets can be off-lead at some pitches.

Nearly wild woodland camping in West Yorkshire’s Bronte country

It’s canvas only at Woodsworth Exploring in West Yorkshire. That means you can pitch your tent or sling your hammock between the trees at this year-round woodland campsite – but your car will need to be left at the car park. The priority here is protecting and enhancing a precious 10-acre woodland site. That means campers are asked to tread lightly and should expect only basic facilities. The reward for your respect is great: a pitch that’s at least 15 metres from your neighbours with trees and shrubs in between. There’s limited light pollution, plenty of wildlife, and the chance to have a campfire.

While things in the woodland are pretty wild, out in the wider world life is rather more genteel. You can walk from the campsite, in no time, to the village of Oakworth from where steam trains run to nearby Haworth, once home to the Brontё sisters. Now its cobbled high street and the Brontё Parsonage Museum are some of the must-see sights in the area – but so is the surrounding countryside in which their stories were set (the rolling moors and hills are great for walking and cycling).

Use two feet or two wheels to get to the campsite and your efforts and low environmental impact will be recognised, with a voucher for money off your next stay. Likewise if you arrive by public transport. That’s a real possibility of that here, thanks to the heritage railway that links Oakworth, where the campsite is located, with the mainline station in the market town of Keighley, less than three miles away.

The experience on site is pretty much as close to wild camping as you can get – with the bonus of a flushing loo and a water supply included. In fact, hammocks are available to hire too, if you don’t have your own and fancy sleeping suspended from the trees (book directly, in advance). The set up, the ethos and the adventure are all outlined by host Duncan or one of his team when you arrive, after which you are free to go wild in the woods.

Natural features

Forest

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97%

55 ratings · 32 reviews

Paul I.recommends

August 30, 2024

Woodland floor Pitch - Small Tents

Relaxing camping

We really enjoyed our time. The plots are great spaces with space in between each one which gives you privacy but also the ability to chat with passing neighbours. It was so calm and relaxing. There was a little noise from a bunch of young lads but this was dealt with quickly by the owners and this came with an apology, not that we minded though as we had our music on (quietly). No showers and toilet sinks aren’t private but good bathroom facilities.

Jamie E.recommends

August 27, 2024

Woodland floor Pitch - Small Tents

Camping in the woods

Brilliant place. Owner is very friendly. It has the feels of wild camping whilst feeling secure. Nice tidy site. Good firepits.

Allen Y.recommends

August 25, 2024

Woodland floor Pitch - Small Tents

Great time in the woods.

Brilliant few days in the woods. Arrived, induction complete and taken to the pitch, think we had the best one as was right at the end, in the corner and whilst a trek with the gear it was well worth it. So peaceful in the woods during the day and night, loads of wildlife and nice to sit and chill. Used on the OS map walks yesterday, around 8mile up to one of the reservoirs and back again, surrounding area is great with lots of walks and exploring to do. Will defo be back again!

Daniel B.recommends

August 17, 2024

Woodland floor Pitch - Small Tents

The campsite was an amazing piece of woodland. Lots of wildlife and well run! Would definitely recommend it to anyone who'd like some near to wild camping!

Henry L.recommends

August 13, 2024

Woodland Floor Pitch - Large Tent

Nice induction. Lovely forest and very well spaced pitches making it feel like wild camping.

Becci F.recommends

August 12, 2024

Woodland Floor Pitch - Large Tent

Forest friends

Really lovely campsite. All pitches are spread out so you only really see people when walking along the path between your tent and the bathroom/car park. The trees kept us very cool during the summer heat. I spoke with some locals who are very impressed with the amount of conservation done at the campsite. Got to see a squirrel and hedgehog while just sitting by the tent One improvement: hot water please. But would definitely come again

Location

Ilkley, England, United KingdomTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking

Hosted by Duncan D.

Joined in October 2022

From the host

Traditional camping in our 10 acre broadleaved woodland. Located in Oakworth in the heart of the Bronte countryside. Family friendly, you can feel safe knowing cars are only permitted in the car park so your children can run free within the woodland. Park up in the carpark near the site entrance then grab your gear and the staff will guide you to a suitable pitch for your requirements. Wheelbarrows are available to help carry your gear through the woods. Love nature? Then you’ll love this site. It’s back to basics proper camping here! We have a drinking water standpipe, we now have flushing toilets and hand wash sinks in our new toilet block. Our pitches are well spaced from one another and well sized, however, smaller tents (and/or hammocks) are recommended as our whole site is woodland there are trees within pitch areas, so we only have limited places to put large tents. Please tell us your tent size when booking so that we can get the best pitch for you. Dogs welcome. Fires allowed for a small additional fee. We do a fire induction with everyone and charge for a fire licence, this includes if you want to bring your own firepit and wood. The reason for this is to manage the risk of forest fires and damage to the ecology so we need to put you on a suitable pitch if you wish to have a fire. We are doing all we can to improve the ecology of the woodland, so for this reason there is no burning of deadwood allowed, as rotting wood (big logs and little sticks) are fabulous for the woodland ecology.

Nearby attractions

Beyond the 10-acre woodland of Woodsworth Exploring, you can enjoy some excellent walks through the undulating moors in this part of West Yorkshire. It’s a short steep walk down into the village of Oakworth from site and you could continue to neighbouring Haworth (two miles) if you wanted to in about 40 minutes. It’s famous as a very pretty village and as the former home of the Brontё sisters; as you won’t fail to notice in the name of shops, cafes and galleries in the village. You can find out more about their literary lives and legacy at the Brontё Parsonage Museum, which occupies their former home. Another way to reach Haworth – or to travel to Oxenhope or the market town of Keighley – is to hop aboard one of the heritage trains of the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. The nostalgic station in Oakworth was the setting for the film The Railway Children. The lie of the land is great for road cyclists and nearby you can join part of the Tour de Yorkshire cycle route. The Cote de Goose Eye is a mile up the road from the campsite. Skipton is just under 10 miles north of the campsite and sits on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Food and drink

Woodsworth Exploring is on the outskirts of the village of Oakworth (half a mile downhill) where there’s a Co-op and a few options if you don’t fancy cooking for yourselves. One of those is Mill Stack Café which does breakfasts, lunches, coffee and cake. Plus, on Sunday mornings they will deliver breakfast sandwiches to the campsite (if you order on site, in advance). The village is also home to takeaways and a choice of pubs including The Golden Fleece which does food including generous Sunday roasts. A little further in the other direction, but still only about a mile, is the traditional Yorkshire Inn, The Turkey (still only about a mile away). It has a good reputation for food. Another recommended option is The Waggon & Horses Inn at Oxenhope (five miles) which offers great food and amazing views thanks to being in a great position on top of the moors between Haworth and Hebden Bridge.

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