River House Retreat Campsite

Pitches with a view
Pitches with a view
Beautiful view
Waterside pitches
Pitches by the water
Camp by the river
Entrance to the site
Lovely rural view
Beautiful view
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  • Peaceful Lake District campsite on the banks of the Brathay river
  • A mile from Ambleside and Windermere; Grasmere 15 minutes' drive
  • Simple pitches with river access and gorgeous views
Water, water everywhere… that’s a simple way to describe the setting of Cumbria’s River House Retreat Campsite. Not only is this peaceful place in a gorgeous spot on the banks of the Brathay river, it’s also pretty much right in the centre of the Lake District National Park, giving guests easy access to all the famed lakes too. The nearest of these is Windermere, the shores of which are about a mile away in the town of Ambleside. It’s a useful town to have nearby, with plenty of pubs, cafés and other places to eat (including a Michelin-starred restaurant), plus shops for everything from picnic supplies to outdoor gear. Ambleside is, of course, also a handy hub for various activities including lake cruises and watersports – and there’s much more of that sort of thing nearby too, including hikes, canyoning, climbing and mountain biking. Not that you have to be out and about and busy all the time if you don’t want to – it’s also very rewarding simply to chill out on your pitch and watch the wildlife go by. The site has an impressive 600 metres of river frontage, so there’s plenty of space to relax and take in the views. The setup has all been kept very simple here, to preserve the peaceful nature of the place, so please note there are no toilet or shower facilities on site.

Site type

Tent sites 70
Travel trailer sites 3
RV sites 3
Opens

Languages spoken

English

Nearby sites that are bookable on Pitchup.com

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

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

Features

Pop-up campground

Dogs allowed

Leisure on park

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Playground Recreation room/arcade TV room Takeout Tennis Watersports Wild swimming

Amenities on park

Bath available Car parking by site/unit Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Free wifi Grocery store Ice pack freezing Internet access Laundromat Parent & baby washroom Payphone Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Restrooms Shower available Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

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

Rules

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

Themes

Lake and/or mountain Peaceful Spectacular scenery Wild camping Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Dump station Electric car charging point(s) Propane/gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Public transportation nearby

Type

Large (51-200 sites) Pop-up campground

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Mountain biking nearby Restaurant nearby Watersports nearby

Location

River House Retreat Campsite

The River House

Clappersgate

Ambleside

Cumbria

England

LA22 9NQ

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

54.42433°N
2.99348°W

Nearest transport

Coach
2 km Kelsick Road opposite Library
3.6 km Daffodil Hotel for Dove Cottage
3.7 km Lakeside House for Dove Cottage
Rail
7.7 km Windermere Rail Station
12.6 km Staveley Rail Station
16.6 km Burneside (Cumbria) Rail Station
Ferry
2.1 km Ambleside Waterhead Ferry Landing
4 km Brockhole Ferry Landing
7 km Monk 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

Attractions and activities nearby include: - Ambleside (lake cruises, paddleboarding and kayaking): half an hour’s walk/five minutes’ drive - Ambleside Roman Fort: half an hour’s walk/five minutes’ drive - Todd Crag/ Loughrigg Fell: 40 minutes’ walk - Rydal Cave: 10 minutes’ drive - Rydal Hall Gardens: 10 minutes - Stock Ghyll Force waterfall: 10 minutes - National Trust - Wray Castle: 10 minutes - Treetop Lake District - Treetop Trek & Treetop Nets: 10 minutes - Wordsworth Grasmere museum: 15 minutes - Holehird Gardens: 15 minutes.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Seascale 32.3 km Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Haverigg 32.4 km Sea PoorN/AN/AN/A
Silecroft 32.6 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Walney West Shore 38.3 km Sea N/AGoodGoodN/A
Morecambe North 39.5 km Estuary GoodN/AGoodGood

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Rydal Mount and Gardens 2.7 km

Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum 3.7 km

Brockhole - Lake District Visitor Centre 4.1 km

Beatrix Potter Gallery 5.5 km

Hill Top 8.2 km

National Trust

Grasmere and Great Langdale 2.4 km

Townend 5.3 km

Beatrix Potter Gallery 5.5 km

Windermere and Troutbeck 6.4 km

Coniston and Tarn Hows 6.7 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

Ambleside, Wansfell and the Pike to Troutbeck 2.1 km

Ambleside to Grasmere over Loughrigg Fell 2.1 km

Ambleside - Town End - Ambleside 2.1 km

Ambleside, Stock Ghyll and Scandale Beck 2.1 km

Ambleside and Lily Tarn 2.2 km

Local events

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

    Penrith, England 26.9 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.

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Frequently asked questions

  • Does River House Retreat Campsite have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is River House Retreat Campsite dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near River House Retreat Campsite? Attractions and activities nearby include: - Ambleside (lake cruises, paddleboarding and kayaking): half an hour’s walk/five minutes’ drive - Ambleside Roman Fort: half an hour’s walk/five minutes’ drive - Todd Crag/ Loughrigg … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of River House Retreat Campsite?
    RV, travel trailer and tent sites
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    Read more