Autumn in the Dales: 5 Campervan-Friendly Spots Near North Yorkshire's Best Pubs
2 The Square Grassington: Is This North Yorkshire B&B Worth Booking in 2026?
Where to park up after a pint in the Dales this autumn, with real laybys, pub stops and the hotel fallback for the wet weekends.
Grassington and the Wharfedale pubs
Grassington's cobbled square is the obvious base, but campervans should head for the pay-and-display at Hebden Road (about £6 for 24 hours, no height barrier) rather than trying the narrow village centre. From there it's a five-minute walk to the Devonshire Arms and the Black Horse, both of which fill up from 6pm on autumn Fridays. The nearest proper campsite is Howgill Lodge at Barden, eight miles east, open until late October and around £22 a night for a van with hook-up.
September and early October are the sweet spot: the heather's still holding colour above Burnsall, the Dalesbus 72 still runs daily, and the riverside path to Linton Falls is quiet on weekday mornings. By mid-November, Grassington's car parks flood and the pubs switch to winter hours. If you want a fallback with a bath and a drying room, book a room in Grassington or Skipton rather than gambling on a wet layby off the B6160.
Hawes, Hardraw and the Buttertubs road
Wensleydale's western end is campervan gold because the A684 is wide, the laybys are marked, and the Crown at Hawes and the Green Dragon at Hardraw both serve food until 9pm. Hardraw's car park by the Green Dragon takes vans for a small overnight fee and puts you 200 metres from England's highest single-drop waterfall. The nearest full facility is Low Greenside campsite in Hawes, roughly £20–25 with electric, open to early November.
The Buttertubs Pass to Swaledale closes in bad snow but is usually clear until late November; drive it in the morning before the tour buses. Skip the temptation to wild camp on Muker's village green — the parish council tickets it. Instead, use Hawes as a two-night base and walk the Pennine Way stretch to Great Shunner Fell. For a hotel option, Hawes has a handful of small inns with parking, but they book out for half-term weeks by early September.
Malham, Settle and the southern Dales
Malham's National Park car park has a height restriction barrier, so vans over 2.1 metres must use the lane towards Gordale Scar or park in Settle and take the 210 bus. The Lister Arms and the Buck Inn in Malham are the pub anchors; in Settle, the Golden Lion and the Talbot Arms are five minutes from the station. Stay at Knight Stainforth Hall near Stainforth, about £18–24 a night, open until early January.
This corner works best in October when the limestone dry valleys glow and the Settle–Carlisle line runs its steam specials on selected Saturdays. Distances are short: Malham to Settle is six miles, Settle to Skipton 16. Skip Malham Cove on a bank-holiday weekend — the stepped path backs up badly. If rain sets in for three days, a hotel in Settle or Skipton with a car park beats a muddy campsite every time, and Skipton's train links make it the smarter wet-weather base.
Nidderdale, Pateley Bridge and the AONB fringe
Nidderdale gets a fraction of the Wharfedale traffic and vans are welcome at Pateley Bridge's station car park (no height barrier, around £4 a day). The Crown and the Royal Oak are the reliable pubs; both are a short walk from the river. Springbank Farm at Ramsgill and Studfold Farm near Lofthouse are the nearest campsites, £16–22 a night, with Studfold open into November.
Autumn colours peak here in the third week of October around Brimham Rocks and Fountains Abbey, 20 minutes east. The 24 bus from Pateley to Harrogate runs hourly and saves you driving the narrow B6165. This is the spot I'd book for a quiet weekend: fewer crowds than Grassington, cheaper pitches, and Ripon and Harrogate are both within 30 minutes if you want a hotel night at either end of the trip.
Before you book
The questions people ask about Grassington, answered with this month’s numbers.
Some do, some don't. The Green Dragon at Hardraw and a few Nidderdale pubs allow it for a small fee if you eat there. Always ask the landlord first, and never assume a National Park car park permits overnight stays — most close at 10pm.
Most shut between late October and early January. Low Greenside at Hawes and Knight Stainforth near Settle run into November or later, but phone ahead. From December, a hotel in Skipton, Hawes or Settle is the safer bet.
Late September to mid-October. Roads are quieter after the school return, heather holds on the moors, and most sites are still open. Half-term weeks from late October book out early and the weather turns noticeably wetter.
