Gill Head Farm

From GBP 27.30 For 1 night, 4 adults 9.5 1,008 reviews
Camp life (added by visitor 18 Jul 2022)
Exterior (added by carolincastro 21 apr 2021)
Tent pitches (added by carolincastro 21 apr 2021)
Our pitch set up near the little stream (added by visitor 22 aug 2022)

  • 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.

Campground type

Caravan sites 8
RV & Motorhome sites 8
Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 11
Tent sites 10
Open now
Please note
  • Group bookings of 2 or more units (e.g. tent, 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 bachelor/bachelorette parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Bookings must not be for more than 14 consecutive nights.
  • The campground/park 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.
  • Minimum spacing of 4 metres between pitches.
  • This is a quiet campground/park: no music is allowed.
  • If making a fire, the fuel, logs and coal have to be purchased on site.
  • Guests are advised to bring a good quality torch with them as parts of the campground/park are unlit.
  • No naked flames are allowed inside the hired accommodation units.
  • No electric barbecues allowed.
  • Roof tents, trailer tents and campervans are only permitted on the gravel pitches.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Fri, 22 Mar to

Pitch types & availability

Reviews

97%

would recommend this campground to a friend

95%

would stay here again

  • 82%
    10
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Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

Great site

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Clare M. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Unpowered grass tent site (riverside)

Liked: This is a very well kept site which is great value for money. The toilets and showers were spotless. The view was great, we were camping in the field at the top which is best for the sunset. It was very quiet and peaceful as there were young families so it was quiet by 10pm and we slept very well. The alpaca farm just down the road has a cafe that does a good breakfast. Pooley bridge a 15 min drive away.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely campsite in a great location. I was at the riverside and


Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Hollie N. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Unpowered grass tent site (riverside)

Liked: Lovely campsite in a great location. I was at the riverside and it was so quiet and peaceful, it was lovely waking up to the sound of the river and the waterfall was an unexpected bonus! The facilities are great and were all clean and tidy. I will definitely be back soon 🙂

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent cabin, loved it.

Overall 10/10
Location 8
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Liz B. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Kipper cabin

Liked: Great log cabin, so much care has gone into it. Site facilities good and kept clean

Recommend to friends Visit again

Mint site, wild camping feel with premium facilities.

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Jamie F. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Unpowered grass tent site (riverside)

Liked: So glad I stayed at this site. The river site is as close as you can get to wild camping while being on a campsite, yet the facilities are still brilliant. Definitely going to come back and bring my family.

Disliked: Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Good site with amazing views of the mountains, clean toilets.

Overall 8/10
Location 8
Value for money 6
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 6
Child friendliness 6
Cleanliness 8
Wifi 2
Vicky S. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Power optional grass tent site

Liked: The view of the mountains are amazing ! Toilets nice and clean

Disliked: Reception open/close times abit hit and miss, not many spots for EHU

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely site, pristine pod, friendly staff

Overall 8/10
Location 10
Value for money 8
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 2
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Camping pod (no pets)

Liked: location pod

Recommend to friends Visit again

I really liked this site. I had opted to camp without electric


Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Kristina F. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Unpowered grass tent site (riverside)

Liked: I really liked this site. I had opted to camp without electric hook up and pitched near a small waterfall. I didn't have a proper look around as I was pretty tired after a day of hiking. But the shower/toilet facilities were clean and fairly modern. Push button showers and there's a hair dryer provided also. Signs are placed in these areas to remind people to clean after themselves also, along with the items provided to carry out the task, which I thought was a pretty good way of keeping a busy campsite like this in tip top condition. Mobile/porta type of looks near the riverside camping area. I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the door to the porta loo. It was the poshest porta loo I've ever seen. A little on the pongy side but what do you expect from a chemical toilet. Drinking water available near the riverside also. With this stay being on a bank Holiday weekend I thought I'd struggle to find a decent pitch but there was only 3 others where I was when i arrived and about 5 including myself when i left. It was a very peaceful stay and I wouldn't hesitate to go back. I caught a glimpse of the childrens play area but didn't explore too much as stated above, all the kids I saw seemed to be having a fantastic time. I'd be more than happy to bring my child here. Washing up facilities are great and there's also a coin operated washer/dryer. I can't fault this campsite, brilliant! It's a working farm so the office isn't manned all the time but they have a ring doorbell to alert them if someone is there. Bell was answered quickly and the gentleman who checked me in was really helpful. 10 minute drive to Keswick from here which is great. Thanks for a great solo camping experience Gill head! I will be back!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great campsite, good facilities, lovely friendly staff and kids loved the farm


Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 8
Jemma M. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Unpowered grass tent site

Liked: Great campsite, good facilities, lovely friendly staff and kids loved the farm animals. Stunning location & near to everything you want & need. We didn’t use the WiFi so can’t comment on if it was any good.

Disliked: Some guests didn’t respect the 10pm quiet rule

Recommend to friends Visit again

Brilliant campsite with everything you need in a beautiful location

Overall 8/10
Location 8
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 8
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Unpowered grass tent site

Liked: Brilliant amenities with kettle, microwave, washing up area and laundry room. Bathrooms were spotless and the general area was very tidy, location picturesque.

Disliked: The sound from the nearby A road was quite prominent in camp - not an issue, I just prefer quieter locations. The office hours ended at 5, meaning you couldn’t request logs for a fire right before dinner time if you ran out during the day - again, not really an issue just something to be aware of.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Quiet campsite, despite being close to the A66, it felt remote and


Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Sarah W. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Unpowered grass tent site (riverside)

Liked: Quiet campsite, despite being close to the A66, it felt remote and the sound of the stream and waterfall were wonderful to wake up to. The facilities were spotless and the shower hot. We had a warm welcome at reception and can’t wait to return. Very relaxed, our dog was welcome and so was our wood fire that kept us warm this early in the season

Disliked: There is no signal I. Your phone, pretty minor when wanting to get away

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

Amenities on site

Bath available

Car parking by site/unit

Composting toilet

Disabled facilities

Dog park

Drying room

Food shop

Free wifi

Ice pack freezing

Internet access

Laundry

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

Communal freezer

Communal fridge

Dump point

Electric car charging point(s)

Gas cylinders available

Recycling available

Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby

Convenience store nearby

Dog walk nearby

Nearby farmers' market

Public transport nearby

Type

Farm

Medium (26-50 sites)

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 sites

Location

Gill Head Farm

Troutbeck

Penrith

Cumbria

England

CA11 0ST

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London +0100 (GMT+01:00)

GPS

54.6334°N
-2.96195°W

Nearest transport

Coach
12.2 km Bus Station
13.5 km Rail Station
20.3 km Lakeside House for Dove Cottage
Rail
13.5 km Penrith North Lakes Rail Station
20.4 km Langwathby Rail Station
21.2 km Lazonby & Kirkoswald Rail Station
Ferry
9.1 km Pooley Bridge Ullswater Ferry Landing
9.4 km Howtown Ullswater Ferry Landing
10 km 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 2020 2019 2018 2017
Allonby 33.9 km Sea N/A Good Good Good
Seascale 43.1 km Sea N/A Good Good Good
St Bees 44.6 km Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Dalemain Historic House & Gardens 9.4 km

Castlerigg Stone Circle 9.4 km

Ullswater Steamers 10 km

The Rheged Centre 11.6 km

Mirehouse Historic House and Gardens 14.6 km

National Trust

Grasmere and Great Langdale 22.1 km

Acorn Bank Garden and Watermill 23.4 km

Townend 25 km

Wordsworth House and Garden 26.4 km

Windermere and Troutbeck 27.3 km

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 3.7 km

Mungrisdale - Bannerdale Crags 3.7 km

Threlkeld - Blencathra - Sharp Edge - Scales - Threlkeld 6.2 km

Threlkeld, Westcoe and Keswick Railway 6.3 km

Aira Force - Dockray - Dowthwaitehead - Aira Force 7.2 km

Local events

  • Kendal Calling (Thursday 1 August 2024 – Thursday 1 August 2024)

    Penrith, England 16.2 km

  • Keswick Mountain Festival (Friday 17 May 2024 – Friday 17 May 2024)

    Keswick, England 36.4 km

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 campgrounds

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

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

  • 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 caravan
    Arrive:  1 p.m. –  6 p.m.
    Depart by:  11:30 a.m.
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  1 p.m. –  6 p.m.
    Depart by:  10:30 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Gill Head Farm? From $51.69 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.