Camping in Cumbria

Where the 74 sites are, and what that tells you

There are 74 campsites published on BritStays across Cumbria, and they aren't spread evenly. Kendal has the most with 11, followed by a further 11 listed simply under Cumbria (usually sites on the edges of the county rather than in a named village), then Keswick with 10 and Windermere with 6. Ambleside has 3, while Hawkshead, Penrith and Buttermere have 2 each. In practice that means the busiest, best-served corridors are the central lakes and the southern approach, with a scattering of quieter options further out.

If you want a base with shops, buses and things to do on a wet day, Kendal, Keswick, Windermere and Ambleside are the obvious starting points. If you'd rather be somewhere smaller, look at Hawkshead, Buttermere or the sites filed under Cumbria generally — fewer listings, but usually fewer neighbours too.

What the facility lists actually say

Read the facilities as a shortlist of what each site has chosen to publish, not a complete inventory. Across all 74, the most common entries are EV Charging Nearby (34), Toilets (28), Near a Bus Stop (22), WiFi (17), Pet Friendly (15), Parking (13), Near a Train Station (12) and Gift Shop (12).

Two things stand out. First, toilets appear on 28 listings — so on the rest, assume nothing and ask before you book, particularly if you're camping with small children or anyone who won't fancy a walk in the dark. Second, only 15 sites explicitly say Pet Friendly, which makes dogs the single thing most worth confirming by phone or email.

Matching the site to the trip

• Families: Mains Farm lists a Swimming Pool, Playground and Toilets, and Windermere Camping and Caravanning Club in Staveley has a Playground alongside a Bar and Takeaway Food — useful on the evening nobody wants to cook. Scout Adventures Great Tower at Windermere lists Toilets and EV Charging Nearby.
• Couples: Broomhills Farm River Eco Pods lists a Hot Tub and Guided Tours, and Camping at cardewlees near Keswick lists a Hot Tub, Cafe and Toilets — more comfort than canvas, if that's the mood.
• Walkers and no-frills campers: Sykeside Camping Site at Patterdale lists a Bar, Restaurant and Takeaway Food, while Philpin Farm Campsite at Chapel-le-Dale has a Bar, Cafe and Toilets. Low Hollows and Froste Hall / Frost Hole Campground near Kendal are simpler propositions.
• Dog owners: with only 15 pet-friendly listings in the set, shortlist early and check whether dogs are allowed in any on-site bar or cafe as well as on the pitch.

Arriving without a car — or with an electric one

Twenty-two sites are near a bus stop and 12 are near a train station, which is unusually good going for camping. Fell Foot Wood Campsite at Newby Bridge and Talkin Tarn Campsite both list Near a Train Station, and Patterdale Youth Hostel camp site lists Near a Bus Stop as well as EV Charging Nearby. If you're driving an EV, you've got the widest choice of all: 34 sites list charging nearby, including YHA Hawkshead camp site. "Nearby" is relative in Cumbria, though — confirm where the charger actually is before you rely on it.

What to do once the tent's up

The three big draws are Lake Windermere, Ullswater and Derwentwater, and most trips end up organised around one of them. For rainy afternoons and rest days, Hill Top and Townend are National Trust properties, Wray Castle and Levens Hall cover the castle-and-stately-home end, and Gretna Green sits on the northern edge of the county. Smaller museums are plentiful: Keswick Museum & Art Gallery, West Cumberland Railway Museum and Knox Wood Wildlife Centre around Keswick, Eskdale Mill in the Lake District, and the Laurel and Hardy Museum a little further afield. The Lakes Aqua Park suits older children with energy to burn, and Killhope Lead Mining Museum and Mr George's Museum of Time are options if you're ranging into County Durham or Northumberland.

When to book

School holidays, half-terms and bank holidays go first, especially around Windermere, Ambleside and Keswick where the listing count is high but demand is higher. Aim to have those booked months ahead. Smaller clusters — Hawkshead, Buttermere, Penrith, with 2 or 3 listings each — have very little slack, so treat them as book-early-or-not-at-all.

Shoulder season is a different game: late spring and early autumn usually leave room for a fortnight's notice, sometimes less midweek. Whenever you book, do three things first — confirm toilets and showers if the listing doesn't mention them, confirm dogs in writing, and check whether the on-site bar, cafe or takeaway runs year-round or only in peak weeks. Facilities listed for high summer aren't always open in October.