Wasdale Lakeside Campsite

View prices & book 9.4 188 reviews
Aerial view of the camping field
Wasdale valley
Campsite entrance
Wasdale valley

  • Basic and remote campsite five minutes’ walk from Wastwater in Cumbria
  • Wastwater Alpaca Trekking 25 minutes’ drive; Ravenglass 20 minutes
  • Pop-up pitches on a Lakeland fell farm; access to Scafell Pike
If you’re after a spectacular wild camping spot to lay down your head, you’ll certainly find it at Wasdale Lakeside Campsite. Set on a working Lakeland farm, this Cumbria pop-up site is big on views, looking up Wasdale to Yewbarrow, and right down to the shores of Wastwater. Well-behaved dogs are welcome to join your Lakeland jaunt, but must be kept on a lead at all times as there are always sheep about. You’ll all get lots of exercise, as there are numerous walks into the scenic Wasdale Valley from the camping field. Talking of the camping field, pitch numbers are limited so your wild camping experience can stay a private, peaceful one. Simple amenities run to portable toilets, on-site water in a container, cold running water a short walk from the pitches, recycling and washing lines for drying clothes and wetsuits. Small barbecues are allowed, but please place them on the slates provided. Pick up any vital supplies in Eskdale Stores (15 minutes’ drive), or order takeaways from the Lion and Lamb pub in Gosforth (they’ll deliver to your tent). If you fancy a change of scenery, hotfoot it down to the pubs in Nether Wasdale (10 minutes or half an hour’s walk). Please note there are no showers and no electrical hook-up points at this campsite. As this is a remote area, there is limited phone signal and data coverage; some networks have better coverage than others.

Site type

Tent pitches 47
Motorhome pitches 3
Open now
Opens 17 July
Please note
  • This site has no on-site shower facilities.
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • The site does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).
  • Discount cards and gift vouchers cannot be applied to bookings made via Pitchup.com.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Thu, 17 Jul to

Reviews

  • 77%
    10
  • 3%
    9
  • 14%
    8
  • 1%
    7
  • 2%
    6
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    5
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    1
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
9
Facilities / Activities
8
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
9
Cleanliness
9
Wifi
4

97% would recommend this site to a friend

96% would stay here again

What customers say

This campsite offers a stunning, remote location with beautiful views of mountains, woods, and Wast Water lake. Visitors praise the friendly and helpful owners and the peaceful atmosphere, describing it as a perfect "back to basics" or wild camping experience. Facilities are basic, mainly consisting of portaloos, which are generally kept clean, though some reviews mention they could be improved. The site's proximity to the lake for swimming, water sports, and hiking, including access to Scafell Pike, is a major highlight. Despite the basic nature, many visitors express a desire to return.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 19
Arrival date (latest first)

Very scenic, lovely views, quiet campsite with the stream, woods and the…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
7
Erika M.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Very scenic, lovely views, quiet campsite with the stream, woods and the lake next to it. I think a pub is only few kilometres away. Such a good location for those who's bagging wainrights. No showers but werent fussed about that as we had our own portable shower. The was no signal but it could of been just our network provider as we spoke with other people and they had signal. Again, that didnt really bother us as we loved being surrounded by nature

Disliked Nothing to dislike

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great campsite, large space, walking distance to the lake, not too many…

Overall

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

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Great campsite, large space, walking distance to the lake, not too many people.
Easy to find following the navigation. Toilets are reasonably clean. Most definitely recommend visiting. Great value for money. One of the cheapest campsites we have visited in along time and no charge for the dogs which was great

Recommend to friends Visit again

Perfect campsite

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
7
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
No rating
Edward B.

Non-electric grass campervan pitch

Liked Remote, uncrowded. Beautiful setting. Can pitch up wherever you feel like it.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent spot for beautiful views and easy access to hikes

Overall

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

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Spacious and didn’t feel crowded. Easy access to the lake. Toilets were not bad, always had loo roll. 15 min drive to Scafell pike or Pillar.

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Will visit again!

Overall

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

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked The scenery and the peace and quiet. The field was huge so everyone was well spaced out. The proximity to the lake was great for paddleboarding and stunning walks to do straight from the camp

Disliked Nothing…I knew there were no showers and that there were portaloo’s so I’d prepared myself for that

Recommend to friends Visit again

Beautiful location

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
No rating
Customer service
No rating
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
No rating
Wifi
7
daniella w.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked This campsite is one of my faves. Came over last year so decided to visit again this year. Completely out of the way and not too many people. Excellent spot for walking and lake activities. I was expecting to have no phone signal like last year but it’s now working. This is a basic campsite with portaloos and a couple of water taps so you’ll need to bring your own facilities for washing up/shower etc. The water from the taps is best to be boiled first. Farmer Dave was very friendly and even offered to taxi our sup boards down to the lake in his trailer if needed. What a gent😊

Disliked Nothing.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great popup campsite. Would recommend.

Overall

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

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Great location., short walk from lake. Stunning views all around. Toilets available and water (not drinking) available. Skip to put your rubbish. Lovely place to stay for a few days. Plenty of space for people to have a good pitch, definitely not crowded. Would stay here again.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Stunning Views, perfect location…

Overall

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

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Stunning Views, perfect location

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent site

Overall

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

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Our stay was wonderfully peaceful. The lake was just a short 5-minute stroll away, and there were countless beautiful walking routes to explore. The location felt private and secluded, with plenty of space between us and other visitors, which made it feel like our own little haven. The toilets were clean, and the man who runs the place couldn’t have been friendlier, truly one of the kindest hosts we’ve ever met!
It’s also only 25 min drive from scafell pike, Wasdale head car park

Disliked It is a very desolate area. You will have to drive at least 20 minutes to get to the nearest supermarket which is co-op.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Liked everything! Location is fantastic, great for walking and paddle boarding. Owner…

Overall

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

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Liked everything! Location is fantastic, great for walking and paddle boarding. Owner is really friendly and checks on girls throughout the day!

Recommend to friends Visit again


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 Wild swimming

Amenities on site

Bath available 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

D. of E. 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

Budget/backpacker Lake and/or mountain Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise Wild camping Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Chemical disposal Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available No hot water Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby

Type

Farm Medium (26-50 pitches) Pop-up campsite

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Mountain biking nearby Restaurant nearby

Location

Wasdale Lakeside Campsite

Easthwaite Farm

Nether Wasdale

Cumbria

England

CA20 1ET

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London BST (GMT+01:00)

GPS

54.42191°N
3.32446°W

Route directions

On arrival, please follow the sign to the campsite. Do not cross the farmyard, but drive through the double gates on your left. Drive carefully as there are sheep in the fields. What3words: goats.spotted.named. Please note that it is a farm track, not a tarmac road, so please drive carefully.

Nearest transport

Coach
12.6 mi Lakeside House for Dove Cottage
12.6 mi Daffodil Hotel for Dove Cottage
13.8 mi Tangier Street
Rail
5.7 mi Ravenglass Rail Station
5.7 mi Drigg Rail Station
6.7 mi Seascale Rail Station
Ferry
11.2 mi Coniston Ferry Landing
11.3 mi Waterhead Hotel (Coniston) Ferry Landing
11.3 mi Torver (Coniston) 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

Just five minutes’ stroll from the camping field, Wastwater is a hub for wild swimmers, scuba divers, paddleboarders and kayakers – you can hire gear from the rental shop 10 minutes’ drive away. The lake is also fertile ground for anglers, who can fish for Arctic char, trout and salmon (in season). Hardened hikers have access to ventures up Scafell Pike (three hours) from the site. If you’re thinking of less strenuous days out, play a round at Eskdale Golf Course (25 minutes), or take the weight off your feet completely with a train tour of the West Lakes fell and mountain scenery on Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, locally known as ‘La’al Ratty’ (15 minutes). Local kid-friendly options include trotting through the fells with alpacas at Wastwater Alpaca Trekking (25 minutes), or a gentle scramble up Wasdale (an hour and a half’s walk from the site) to the Fairy Pools. The sand-and-shingle beaches at Seascale (25 minutes) and Ravenglass (20 minutes) are both dog-friendly, with lots of rook pools for splashing around in.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Seascale 6.9 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
St Bees 12.3 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Silecroft 14.1 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Haverigg 16.1 mi Sea PoorN/AN/AN/A
Walney West Shore 20.9 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodN/A

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway 5.7 mi

Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum 12.5 mi

Beatrix Potter Gallery 13.4 mi

Whinlatter Forest & Visitor Centre 13.7 mi

Rydal Mount and Gardens 13.8 mi

National Trust

Wasdale, Eskdale and Duddon 1 mi

Buttermere and Ennerdale 10.8 mi

Gondola' 11.1 mi

Coniston and Tarn Hows 11.3 mi

Grasmere and Great Langdale 12.2 mi

Cycle routes

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

Other

Eskdale Green - Muncaster Fell - Muncaster Head - Eskdale Green 2.2 mi

MUNCASTER CASTLE 5.3 mi

High Gillerthwaite - Red Pike Ridge Traverse - High Gillerthwaite 6.4 mi

Seathwaite - Scafell Pike - Seathwaite 7.8 mi

The Gables from Honister Pass 7.9 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.

Nearest sites

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

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

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Wasdale Lakeside Campsite have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Wasdale Lakeside Campsite dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Wasdale Lakeside Campsite? Just five minutes’ stroll from the camping field, Wastwater is a hub for wild swimmers, scuba divers, paddleboarders and kayakers – you can hire gear from the rental shop 10 minutes’ drive … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Wasdale Lakeside Campsite?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  12 p.m. –  9 p.m.
    Depart by:  12 p.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Wasdale Lakeside Campsite? From £20 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.