Gill Head Farm

View prices & book 9.5 1,295 reviews
Camp life
Camp life
Exterior
Tent pitches
Tent piches
Pitches
Gorgeous views
Tent pitches
Exterior
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Exterior
Tent pitches
Tent piches

  • Working hill farm in the north of the Lake District National Park
  • A 15-minute drive from Keswick and Penrith; 10 minutes from Ullswater
  • Stunning views of Blencathra and the Northern Fells
Check out those views… family-run Gill Head Farm is a scenic place indeed, with a backdrop of Blencathra and the Northern Fells. And it’s a cinch to get to as well – this site on the banks of Trout Beck is less than a mile from the A66, so you can get your fix of proper rural time without having to navigate miles of winding lanes. It’s often said that visitors to the Lake District National Park are spoilt for choice when it comes to activities – and that’s certainly true at this Cumbria site. Days of hikes, horse riding, watersports, climbing, visiting historic houses and wild swimming are among the many options around here. If you don’t know where to start, have a chat with the owners – as outdoorsy folk themselves they’re happy to help plan your adventures and offer up local tips. Whatever you get up to by day, it also must be noted that those views make a great setting for an evening by the campfire – handily, there are firepits to hire on site, and bags of logs and kindling for sale. What if it’s not campfire weather? Retreat to the indoor communal area which has comfy seating, a dining area and a little kitchen area (with microwaves, kettles, a fridge and a freezer) – or take the 15-minute walk to the local pub. To stock up on food for your barbecues/picnics there are plenty of shops in Penrith and Keswick, both 15 minutes’ drive away (or get to Keswick on the bus). Back at base, facilities include a laundry room and a shower/toilet block that was done up in 2019 to offer spacious and clean amenities. Please note that group bookings are strictly not allowed at Gill Head Farm. Due to the rural location, the wifi also does not cover the whole site and is limited to a hotspot in the communal room.

Site type

Touring caravan pitches 8
Motorhome pitches 8
Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 11
Tent pitches 10
Open now
Opens 21 March
Please note
  • Group bookings of 2 or more units (e.g. tent, touring caravan, motorhome or accommodation hire) travelling together are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Group bookings of 3 or more adults are not permitted (couples and immediate family members excepted).
  • Single-sex bookings of 4 or more people (couples and immediate family members excepted) are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • The site caters for families (immediate members) and couples only - bookings from all other forms of groups are not accepted.
  • At least one of the party members must be aged 21 or over.
  • This is a quiet site: no music is allowed.
  • If making a fire, the fuel, logs and coal have to be purchased on site.
  • No electric barbecues allowed.
  • Wifi is available only in communal room and does not reach individual pitches.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Fri, 21 Mar to

No availability here for your search criteria

Pitch types & availability

Accommodation

Tent pitchesTouring caravan pitchesMotorhome pitchesLodges, cabins, pods or hutsCaravans for hireRent a tent
Choose your dates
2 adults
0 children
Other options

Reviews

9.5

Overall rating from 1,295 Pitchup.com customers

  • 77%
    10
  • 4%
    9
  • 13%
    8
  • 0%
    7
  • 3%
    6
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    5
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    3
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    1
Location
 10
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 7
Spectacular sceneryPeaceful

96% would recommend this site to a friend

94% would stay here again

What customers say

Gill Head Farm is praised for its stunning Lake District location, offering spectacular views and easy access to attractions. Visitors consistently highlight the exceptional cleanliness of facilities, including toilets, showers, and communal areas, alongside the friendly and helpful staff. The campsite is noted for its family-friendly atmosphere, spacious pitches, and a good range of amenities catering to various needs, making it a highly recommended destination for a peaceful and enjoyable stay.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 130
Arrival date (latest first)

As above

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
 10
Paul L.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Always the best stay here, friendly and accommodating owners.
The best views of the northern fells ever and always super clean.
The pizza man who turned up was amazing, decent 12” pizzas too for the price.

Disliked All was good

Recommend to friends Visit again

Clean site, stunning views, great facilities – perfect family camping

Overall

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

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked We had a fantastic time at Gill Head campsite for our little one’s very first camping trip ( 2 years old). The site itself was spotless and really well looked after, which made everything feel welcoming and comfortable. The views from the campsite are stunning, and the facilities were excellent — everything we needed was close by and easy to use. It felt like a really family-friendly place, and we couldn’t have chosen a better spot for a first camping experience in 8 years. We’ll definitely be coming back! FYI - we had very good phone signal despite some reviews saying signal is bad. We were on the far side of the campsite overlooking the sheep field.

Disliked N/a

Recommend to friends Visit again

Back to basic nearly wild camping stunning views

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 6
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 1
Annie B.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked The views amazing, the owners welcoming the site basic yet quirky its not flat but that's what made it more interesting...I camped on one of the hilly bits and had a perfect veiw of Bamburgh castle. The site is quiet easy access to the A1 and Bamburgh itself. Stunning beach . Loved every moment and will be back ❤️

Disliked If anything is disliked and its not really a gripe as im all for nearly wild camping..but the no drinking water on tap be a negative and pushing it the chemical loos but that was much better than having to dig a hole

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely, well run site…

Overall

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

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Lovely, well run site

Recommend to friends Visit again

Not much not like tbh…

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 8
Value for money
 7
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 8
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 8
Wifi
 No rating
david w.

Non-electric grass tent pitch (riverside)

Liked Not much not like tbh

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great stay on a lovely clean site.

Overall

7 out of 10
Location
 7
Value for money
 7
Accommodation
 6
Facilities / Activities
 7
Customer service
 5
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 5
Wifi
 2
Laura B.

Camping pod

Liked Picturesque spacious site, suits families young and old and the great added extra of he communal room which is fantastic for playing games in or storing ice packs, use of fridge, microwaves or charging devices for free. Some places charge for that.

Disliked We stayed in a pod and it was quite warm. We have stayed in many pods but these ones only have a tiny window for fresh air. Only a tiny dislike really and can't be avoided. Zero network coverage and WiFi only in communal room.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Awesome campsite. Family with 2 young preschoolers.

Overall

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

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Beautiful location.
Great facilities! Fridge, kettles, kitchens, showers, fire pits! Kids playground.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Gill Head is Clean, tidy, friendly and peaceful, an ideal spot.

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
 10
David G.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked The views, the facilities, the communal area, the shop, the pitch, the location, the people.

Our first ever camp, so glad we found this place it is amazing and we’re already planning our next visit

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely site clean facilities and friendly staff

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
 5
Emma M.

Camping pod (no pets)

Liked Lovely clean quiet park Pods great lots lovely scenery and places to go and see.
Owners very helpful and friendly

Recommend to friends Visit again

Gill Head Farm is a lovely…

Overall

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

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Gill Head Farm is a lovely campsite.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Dogs allowed

Campfires allowed

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

D. of E. welcome Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Rallies welcome 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 Walkers' paradise Wildlife haven

Utilities

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

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Nearby farmers' market Public transport nearby Shop nearby

Type

Farm Medium (26-50 pitches)

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horse riding nearby Indoor pool nearby Mountain biking nearby Outdoor pool nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Tennis nearby Watersports nearby

Touring and motorhomes

Seasonal pitches

Location

Gill Head Farm

Troutbeck

Penrith

Cumbria

England

CA11 0ST

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London BST (GMT+01:00)

GPS

54.6334°N
2.96195°W

Nearest transport

Coach
7.6 mi Bus Station
8.4 mi Rail Station
12.6 mi Lakeside House for Dove Cottage
Rail
8.4 mi Penrith North Lakes Rail Station
12.7 mi Langwathby Rail Station
13.1 mi Lazonby & Kirkoswald Rail Station
Ferry
5.6 mi Pooley Bridge Ullswater Ferry Landing
5.8 mi Howtown Ullswater Ferry Landing
6.2 mi Glenridding Ullswater 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

Ullswater is the nearest of the lakes at 10 minutes’ drive away, so that’s as good a place to start as any – stop by at Aira Force waterfall on your way down there, then get down to the lake itself for waterside walks, steamer cruises and various watersports – or even a wild swim if you’re feeling brave. Over on the banks of Derwentwater, Keswick (15 minutes’ drive) is another good place to explore, with a brewery, The Puzzling Place and the Derwent Pencil Museum as well as boat trips and paddleboards to hire. Walkers of all varieties have much to choose from around here, from gentle lakeside wanders to uphill scrambles at Blencathra and Helvellyn, both of which are close by. The folk on the farm are happy to suggest routes to suit – or point you towards the likes of Dalemain Mansion (15 minutes), Mirehouse & Gardens (20 minutes) or Lowther Castle (25 minutes) for stately-home strolls.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Allonby 21 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Seascale 26.8 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
St Bees 27.7 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Dalemain Historic House & Gardens 5.8 mi

Castlerigg Stone Circle 5.9 mi

Ullswater Steamers 6.2 mi

The Rheged Centre 7.2 mi

Mirehouse Historic House and Gardens 9.1 mi

National Trust

Grasmere and Great Langdale 13.7 mi

Acorn Bank Garden and Watermill 14.5 mi

Townend 15.5 mi

Wordsworth House and Garden 16.4 mi

Windermere and Troutbeck 17 mi

Cycle routes

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

Other

Blencathra Classic - Sharp Edge and Narrow Edge 2.3 mi

Mungrisdale - Bannerdale Crags 2.3 mi

Threlkeld - Blencathra - Sharp Edge - Scales - Threlkeld 3.9 mi

Threlkeld, Westcoe and Keswick Railway 3.9 mi

Aira Force - Dockray - Dowthwaitehead - Aira Force 4.5 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 Gill Head Farm have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Gill Head Farm dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Gill Head Farm? Ullswater is the nearest of the lakes at 10 minutes’ drive away, so that’s as good a place to start as any – stop by at Aira Force waterfall on your way … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Gill Head Farm?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  1 p.m. –  7 p.m.
    Depart by:  11:30 a.m.
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  1 p.m. –  7 p.m.
    Depart by:  10:30 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Gill Head Farm? From £28 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.