The summer crowds have gone, the beeches on the slopes above Tarnmere are turning copper and gold, and pitches that are booked months ahead in August are now easy to find. For campers willing to put up with shorter days and colder nights, late autumn in the Greyling Hills has a lot to offer.
Three campsites in the hills stay open until the end of November. Hollins Farm, near the reservoir, has sheltered pitches behind a stone wall, hot showers and a small shop selling eggs and firewood. The Tarnmere Woodland Camp offers pitches among trees with fire pits, while the basic site at Coldbeck Head, run by the countryside service, has no showers but some of the best views in the region. Prices start at around €12 per tent per night.
Kit that makes a difference
The most important thing is staying warm at night, said Gideon Marlowe, who runs an outdoor equipment shop in Bramley Cross. A sleeping bag rated for temperatures near freezing is essential, and an insulated mat matters even more, because the cold ground draws heat from the body. A woolly hat, dry socks kept only for sleeping and a flask of hot drink at bedtime all help.
People spend a fortune on the tent and then sleep on a thin mat. In autumn, the mat is what keeps you warm.
With darkness falling before six, a head torch and spare batteries are also essential, as is checking the forecast before setting off. Campers should pitch away from streams that can rise quickly after heavy rain, and choose sites sheltered from the prevailing south-westerly wind. Fires are allowed only in the fire pits provided, and wild camping is not permitted in the nature reserve.
The reward is evenings of quiet and, on clear nights, skies full of stars, since the hills are among the darkest places in the region. Ranger Ffion Achterberg said autumn was also the best time to hear red deer stags calling across the valley at dusk. "Bring binoculars and a warm coat," she said, "and keep your distance."