Northumberland farm campsites proving popular with holidaymakers

Of the 256,200 bookings made on Pitchup.com for farm-based campsites this summer, more than 51,000 were on working farms in Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumbria, and Northumberland.

Figures show that on top of the camping fees, visitors spend around £30 per night in the local area, helping pubs, restaurants, cafes, visitor attractions and the rural communities bounce back from the Covid pandemic.

Dan Yates, founder of Pitchup.com said: “With national parks including the Peak District, Lake District, North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales, it’s no wonder farms in the north are attracting so many visitors.

“Beyond the national parks there is the stunning countryside and coastline of Northumberland, lots of history to learn about, beautiful villages, market towns and vibrant

cities to visit.

“Add to this the vast range of local food and drink produced by farmers across the region, and it is easy to see why campers are heading north in their droves, eager to experience a slice of the good life.”

He says the trend for staying on working farms shows little sign of abating.

To meet the demand, hundreds of farmers have stepped up to the plate by setting up temporary campsites under extended Permitted Development Rules.

Previously, the rules enabled farmers to operate a campsite for up to 28 days per year without having to apply for planning permission.

But in an attempt to help the rural economy recover from the COVID pandemic, the government extended this to 56 days last year, giving farms and land-based businesses the

opportunity to cash in.

This was extended again earlier this year by Pitchup.com’s successful Carry on Camping campaign – backed by the Countryside Alliance and the NFU – which now enables farmers to operate campsites until the end of October.

Mr Yates said: “Our analysis shows farmers and landowners can earn up to £111,000 from setting up a temporary campsite to capture the key dates in the holiday season.

“Visitors also spend extra in the local area too, so pop-up campsites are a fantastic way to help struggling rural communities.

“We don’t see the popularity of farm-based breaks slowing down any time soon.”

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