Metal Bridge Pods

View prices & book 6.4 5 reviews
Private and peaceful
Camping pods
Outdoor breaks in cumbria
Pods area

  • Small-scale glamping pod site by the river Esk in Cumbria
  • Five minutes' drive from Gretna and 15 minutes from Carlisle
  • Furnished pods with private decking area; pub on site for food/drink
Can't decide whether to stay in England or Scotland? This small-scale pub glamping site in the far north of Cumbria could be a good compromise. Located on the southern side of the river Esk, here you can sleep in England and wake up to scenic views over the Scottish Southern Uplands on the other side of the water. These pods come equipped with comfy beds, with all bedding included. In addition, two chairs, a coffee table, battery-operated lights and outdoor decking with chairs and tables are provided, making Metal Bridge Pods an excellent and self-contained spot to stay for couples on the start of a cross-border road trip (or as a base for day trips in both countries). Other handy features included diesel-powered heaters to keep you toasty at night and chargers to make sure your phone is never low on juice. Toilets are shared in a smart loo block, with free showers available in a well-maintained bathroom inside the pub. The pub is just across the field for refreshing drinks and tasty food, with relaxing views over the water available if you're sitting in the restaurant area. Metal Bridge's closest amenities are in Scotland, with Gretna's shops, pubs and takeaways an easy five-minute drive away over the river. Carlisle (20 minutes' drive) is also close by, though, and Newcastle (just over an hour) is surprisingly easy to reach too if you fancy a day out to a bigger city.

Site type

Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 5
Open now
Opens 21 May
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Thu 21 May to

No availability here for your search criteria

Reviews

  • 60%
    10
  • 0%
    9
  • 0%
    8
  • 0%
    7
  • 0%
    6
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    5
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    4
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    3
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    2
  • 40%
    1
Location
6
Value for money
6
Accommodation
6
Facilities / Activities
6
Customer service
6
Child friendliness
1
Cleanliness
6
Wifi
4

60% would recommend this site to a friend

60% would stay here again

What customers say

Guests found the glamping pods warm, cosy, and well-presented with thoughtful amenities. The on-site pub was praised for its food and value. While some noted basic toilet facilities and occasional asphalt smells, most found the site peaceful, with friendly staff and a dog-friendly atmosphere. However, a minority experienced issues with noise, hygiene, and difficulty locating facilities, with managers highlighting pre-arrival information and opportunities to rectify problems.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews. Last updated 16/06/2026

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Reviews page 1 of 1
Arrival date (latest first)

Brilliant, will book again!

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
No rating
Gary P. 1 review

Camping pod (double)

Liked Everything, very cosy and a peaceful night away.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Fantastic little Gem, ideal for a stop off on your travels.

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
8
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
9
Wifi
9

Camping pod (double)

Liked We recently stayed in the Metal Bridge glamping pods and had such a lovely experience. The pods were warm, cosy, and very well presented, with everything clean and thoughtfully set up on arrival. They even have solar power, which was great for charging phones and watching a bit of TV in the evening.
We didn’t need to use the diesel heater at all, as the pod stayed perfectly warm—even overnight. It rained on our second day, but we stayed dry, snug, and comfortable the whole time, which really added to the relaxing feel of the stay.
The toilet block is quite basic, but it’s clean and has everything you need for a short stopover. The pub on site was a real highlight—fantastic food at very good value for money.
We’d seen a few comments about motorway noise before arriving, but honestly, we hardly noticed anything. Aside from the occasional train passing, which didn’t disturb us at all, it was peaceful enough that we slept right through until 9am. There can be a slight smell of asphalt at times due to a nearby plant, but it comes and goes with the wind and is completely out of the owners’ control—it certainly didn’t spoil our trip.
The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, going out of their way to make sure our stay was as comfortable as possible. Another big bonus for us is that it’s dog-friendly. We have two small dogs, and it’s often difficult to find places that welcome pets and also offer somewhere to eat and drink with them—this place ticks all the boxes.
Overall, it’s a little gem and well worth a visit. We’d highly recommend it and would happily stay again!

Disliked Toilet block just needs a lick of paint but this didn’t spoil our trip in the slightest.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Will not stay again

Overall

1 out of 10
Location
1
Value for money
1
Accommodation
1
Facilities / Activities
1
Customer service
1
Child friendliness
1
Cleanliness
1
Wifi
1
Anonymous

Camping pod (twin)

Liked They looked lovely on the advert

Disliked I never leave negative reviews but I don't want anyone to be in the same position I was. Couldn't find showers, toilets were dirty on arrival and no toilet roll. The noise from the motorway was horrendous, all night lorries beeping and there is possibly a construction site nearby as the sound of heavy machinery did not stop until 10pm. The windows may as well have been cling film. I was desperate to love these as a stopover on the journey up to Scotland but I was almost too tired to complete the journey the next day and my little girl only got max 4hrs sleep

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Hello, thank you for your feedback.

The location of the showers were on the check in information that was sent to you before your arrival. There is also 2 phone numbers that you could call if you were unhappy about anything.

We apologise for the noise on the M6, unfortunately they were doing some resurfacing work and this was completely out of our control. We were never told that the work would be taking place.

Had you let us know about the noise we could’ve provided you with accommodation in the pub instead.

Apologies again however we do feel like putting the lowest score on all categories is a little unfair considering the main problem was not our fault and we were never made aware, therefore we never had the opportunity rectify it.

Very quiet,, lovely place for a…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
No rating

Camping pod (double)

Liked Very quiet,, lovely place for a short break

Disliked Going home

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Hello, thank you for your comments.

We are so glad you enjoyed your time with us! Look forward to welcoming you back at some point.

Lisa

Too much bad smell, and I…

Overall

1 out of 10
Location
1
Value for money
1
Accommodation
1
Facilities / Activities
1
Customer service
1
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
1
Wifi
1

Camping pod (double)

Liked Too much bad smell, and I couldn’t sleep at all. The diesel heaters were making too much noise, which gave me a headache. Poor maintenance, nobody was there to help, and I couldn’t even find the showers properly. The toilets were dirty and not clean at all. Totally disappointed with this place. I would not recommend it to anyone.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Hello. Sorry for your experience.

Everything in the pod is advertised. “Nobody was there to help”. You got a check in message. Which you read. Stating 2 phone numbers you could call. The location of the showers are also on the check in text.

Sorry you were disappointed but there was so much information sent to you. You could’ve told us and it could have been fixed.


Features

Leisure on site

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis Watersports

Amenities on site

Bath available Car parking by pitch/unit Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Launderette Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Themes

Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery

Utilities

Charging facilities Chemical disposal Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Shop nearby

Type

Pub campsite Tiny (1-10 pitches)

Location

Metal Bridge Pods

Metal Bridge Inn

Metal Bridge

Carlisle

Cumbria

England

CA6 4HG

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London BST (GMT+01:00)

GPS

54.97369°N
3.00917°W

Nearest transport

Coach
6.3 mi Bus Station
10.1 mi War Memorial
10.1 mi War Memorial
Rail
2.9 mi Gretna Green Rail Station
6.5 mi Carlisle Rail Station
8.9 mi Dalston (Cumbria) Rail Station
Ferry
23.8 mi Leaplish Ferry Landing
25.2 mi Belvedere Ferry Landing
25.4 mi Tower Knowe Ferry Landing

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

It's a five-minute drive to the retail park at Gretna Green, where you can also whisk your beloved away to the Anvil Hall, a traditional marriage spot for eloping couples. Heading west through the green countryside of Annandale, you might like to take a trip to Caerlaverock Castle (35 minutes), an impressive triangular fortress from the 13th century that's surrounded by a moat. To discover history and heritage sites on the English side of the river Esk, you could explore Carlisle Castle (20 minutes) or Hadrian's Wall (half an hour), where there are several Roman forts you can visit. Alternatively, keep going south to see the Lake District National Park – Ullswater, the nearest lake, is about 40 minutes from base. If you don't mind a bit longer in the car, head to New Lanark (an hour), a World Heritage Site with historic industrial buildings where you can take spectacular walks out to the Falls of Lanark. Alternatively, head to Newcastle city centre (an hour and 10 minutes) to discover Tyneside's shopping and hospitality.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Allonby 22.1 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Southerness 24.4 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodExcellent
Sandyhills 29.1 mi Sea N/AN/APoorPoor

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

World Famous Old Blacksmith's Shop Centre 3 mi

Carlisle Castle 5.9 mi

Birdoswald Roman Fort 16.1 mi

John Paul Jones Cottage Museum & Visitor Centre 23.5 mi

Mirehouse Historic House and Gardens 23.9 mi

National Trust

Wordsworth House and Garden 25.8 mi

Allen Banks and Staward Gorge 27 mi

Hadrian's Wall and Housesteads Fort 27.5 mi

Acorn Bank Garden and Watermill 27.8 mi

Cycle routes

Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.

Other

Battle of Solway Moss, 1542 2.6 mi

Burgh Marsh and the Edward 1 Monument 3.2 mi

Hadrian's Wall Part 2 - Carlisle to Lanercost Priory 5.9 mi

Around Carlisle 5.9 mi

DALSTON ROAD CEMETERY 7 mi

Local events

  • Kendal Calling (Thursday, 30 July 2026 – Thursday, 30 July 2026)

    Penrith, Cumbria 28.1 mi

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Want to know more about camping in The Lake District and Cumbria?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Metal Bridge Pods have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Metal Bridge Pods dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Metal Bridge Pods? It's a five-minute drive to the retail park at Gretna Green, where you can also whisk your beloved away to the Anvil Hall, a traditional marriage spot for eloping couples. Heading west … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Metal Bridge Pods?
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  9 p.m.
    Depart by:  11:30 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Metal Bridge Pods? From £55 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.