Camping in the Lake District

Firstly this is becoming a real problem in the Lake District as everyone still wants to come here. So camp sites are getting full. In addition people are irresponsibly wild camping and leaving a mess behind including whole tents, bags, rubbish and ... sadly ... poo.

So if you're determined to come here to camp then here's the deal.

Wild Camping

Generally speaking wild camping is for the experienced because the only place it's tolerated in the Lakes is above the "intake wall" on the high fells ... so long as you are responsible. The National Trust have a web page about wild camping which is well worth a read. Note in particular what it says about fires and, in particular, litter which as they say:

includes all human waste. If you need a bin or a toilet, this kind of camping isn't for you.

It's also worth pointing out that this means that you are going to have to hike, with all your kit, including everything you need, some distance from the nearest road as the intake wall is the start of the high fells. You also need to be prepared for activity like doing number 2s responsibly (which means taking a spade for the solids and also burning or bringing back with you the used loo paper, none of which is much fun).

Wild camping anywhere else is causing real problems because people are being arseholes so we're now in the situation with Cumbria police along with Lake District National Park Authority, United Utilities, and National Trust rangers are all working together to clampdown on anti-social wild camping. So don't wild camp below the intake wall.

Camp Sites

There are lots of camp sites around the Lakes ranging from very basic (farmer's field with a toilet block in a corner) to very fancy. They're all busy but ring around and you should find somewhere.

Here's the ones we're aware of. Contact us if you know of any others and we'll add them to this page.

• Baysbrown Farm, Great Langdale Valley

• Braithwaite Village - Camping and Caravanning Club Site

• Burns Farm, St John's-in-the-Vale, east of Keswick

• Caldbeck Camping, Caldbeck

• Camp Eden, Lowther, Penrith

• Camping at Cardewlees, Carlisle

• Castlerigg Farm, south east of Keswick

• Castlerigg Hall, south east of Keswick

• Chapel House Farm Campsite. Stonethwaite, Borrowdale

• Coniston Hall Campsite, west shore of Coniston Water

• Cross Dormont, south side of Ullswater

• Dalebottom Farm, south east of Keswick

• Fisherground Campsite, Eskdale

• Gillside Farm, Glenridding

• Hazel Head Farm, Duddon Valley

• High Bridge End Farm, Thirlmere

• Hillcroft Park, Pooley Bridge

• Hollows Farm, just south of Keswick

• Kestrel Lodge, Bassenthwaite

• Keswick Camp Site

• Lanefoot Farm Camping, Thornthwaite

• Park Foot Holiday Park, Ullswater

• Rydal Hall Camp Site, Ambleside

• Seathwaite Farm, Seathwaite

• Seatoller Farm, Borrowdale

• Stonethwaite Campsite, Borrowdale

• Syke Farm Campsite, Buttermere

• Sykeside Camping Park, Dovedale

• Thirlspot Farm Camping, Thirlmere

• Trafford's Caravan Park (also takes tents), Bassenthwaite

• Turner Hall, Duddon Valley

• The National Trust also has four camp sites scattered around the Lake District at:

  • Eskdale
  • Great Langdale
  • Low Wray, west side of Windermere
  • Wasdale Head

The Scotland Effect

In closing it's worth noting that a lot of people from the Scottish central belt, especially Glasgow, come south to the Lakes to holiday. Scottish schools holidays are at different times to England and Wales and you may find there's slightly less pressure on camp sites if you go when they're at school and vice versa.