Waterhead Coniston

View prices & book 9.4 145 reviews
Visitor image of the view at dusk
Visitor image of the view at dusk
Visitor image of early morning
Big open field
Green grass and blue skies
Great views of the fells
Lake shore
Trees on the shoreline
Gateway to the field
1/115
Visitor image of early morning
Big open field
Green grass and blue skies

  • Quiet, back-to-basics pop-up site on the shoreline of Coniston Water
  • Lake cruises 10 minutes’ walk; National Trust – Tarn Hows 45 minutes
  • A 10-minute walk from Coniston village; two minutes to the local pub
Waterhead Coniston is a pop-up site in a properly prime position: right on the north-western shoreline of Coniston Water, and a 10-minute walk from the centre of Coniston village, which is handy for pubs, cafés, takeaways and shops. This quiet little Cumbria site has been set up in a field in a small, eco-friendly farm with animals. Facilities are basic: there are portable toilets, but no drinking water, for example, so the advice is to come prepared. On the plus side, guests here have private access to the lake. In addition, the views are unsurprisingly splendid, looking over the water and up to the fells. It’s also easy to see a bit more of the Lake District without using the car, since you can head straight out on walks up to National Trust – Tarn Hows (45 minutes’ walk) and local fells, or get going on bike rides or hikes by the lake. For more leisurely ways to see the area, take a ride across Coniston Water on the Steam Yacht Gondola (15 minutes’ walk) or set out for wanders around Brantwood (five minutes’ drive) and National Trust - Hill Top (15 minutes). There are plenty of fells and lakes to hike around, and a Go Ape adventure park is 20 minutes’ drive away. The local pub (which serves food from 7:30am until 9pm) is a couple of minutes’ stagger away upon your return, although you’re welcome to bring a barbecue along instead if you prefer; just take note that firepits are not permitted.

Site type

Tent sites 20
Open now
Opens August 1
Please note
  • This park has no on-site shower facilities.

General

  • Discount cards and gift vouchers cannot be applied to bookings made via Pitchup.com.
  • Please note that the toilet facilities are unisex.

Occupancy

  • Group bookings of 3 or more units travelling together are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Group bookings of 6 or more adults are not permitted (couples and immediate family members excepted).
  • No bachelor/bachelorette parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Single-sex bookings of 5 or more people (couples and immediate family members excepted) are not permitted via Pitchup.com.

Dogs

  • The park does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Breed-specific legislation (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).

Reception

  • There is no reception building on-site: on arrival please contact the number provided on your booking confirmation.

Admission

  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Sat, Aug 1 to

No availability here for your search criteria

Reviews

9.4

Overall rating from 145 Pitchup.com customers

  • 67%
    10
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    9
  • 13%
    8
  • 2%
    7
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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
 6
Lake and/or mountainPeaceful

98% would recommend this site to a friend

97% would stay here again

What customers say

A simple, no-frills campsite by a gorgeous lake, a short stroll to Coniston village. Perfect for lake activities with stunning views. Friendly owner. Basic but clean portaloos. Some find lack of showers a minor issue, but location and value are big pluses.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews. Last updated 2026-08-18

Filter by topic

Reviews page 1 of 15
Arrival date (latest first)

Nice open spaces and close to…

Overall

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

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Nice open spaces and close to the water

Recommend to friends Visit again

It was an great experience! We…

Overall

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

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked It was an great experience! We will come back for sure!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Location was perfect for us. Being…

Overall

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

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Location was perfect for us. Being able to walk our dog by the lake in the morning was picturesque and dipping our toes in the lake just meters away from our pitch was amazing. Will definitely be booking again next year.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Very basic campsite with standard necessities. Handy for lakeside

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 7
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Miko R. 1 review

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Incredibly close to the lakeside, very handy for water sport camping.
Basic but functional portaloos and drinking water.
Owners friendly and welcoming. Dogs and children welcome.

Disliked Fairly expensive for a very basic campsite. Cheaper if you just turn up but my anxiety cannot handle that 😂

My understanding as that they do not allow larger camper-vans on site which is unfortunate for us as disabled family members cannot join us.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great simple campsite on waters edge

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
 Kelsey R. 3 reviews

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Closeness to the water, pub on doorstep, walking distance to village, enjoyed a trip on the Coniston launch which passed the campsite. Lovely stay.

Disliked Nothing at all! Was perfect.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great views, not overcrowded site, short…

Overall

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

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Great views, not overcrowded site, short walk to village and to the main body of water.
Warm and friendly welcome.
Clean toilets

Recommend to friends Visit again

Best for short stay water sports!

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
 Justyna K. 1 review

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Incredible site. If you’ve got your own sup/kayak, this is as close to the lake as you will find in the area. Nearby village has got a shop and pubs if required. Great value for money. Clean portaloos. Fairly quiet. Incredible host too. We will definitely be coming back.

Disliked The only downside is no shower facilities but we managed okay and it wasn’t an issue. Could be a problem for long stay campers. Wouldn't recommend for kids but there is another campsite that had more kids facilities over the road and it seemed more lively.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Would definitely use again.

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 9
Facilities / Activities
 7
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 9
Cleanliness
 7
Wifi
 No rating
Richard W. 1 review

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Beautiful location, flat ground, sheltered from wind.

Disliked Toilets were basic, dirty on day 1 but they were cleaned the next day and much better after that.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Fabulous setting - view of the…

Overall

5 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 5
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 5
 Gillian T. 13 reviews

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Fabulous setting - view of the lake from my bed
Very basic, but it’s what it said on the tin.

Disliked Folk smoking weed; folk playing hard bass dance music too loud. So the people really.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Brilliant basic camping site, in a…

Overall

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

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Brilliant basic camping site, in a great location at great value.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Portable toilet

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 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 Scouts welcome 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

Hikers’ paradise Lake and/or mountain Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery

Utilities

Charging facilities Dump station Electric car charging point(s) No drinkable water point Propane/gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Convenience store nearby Dog walk nearby Public transportation nearby

Type

Farm Pop-up campground Small (11-25 sites)

Nearby leisure

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

Location

Waterhead Coniston

Coniston

Cumbria

England

LA21 8AJ

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

54.36851°N
3.06119°W

Route directions

Please follow the dirt track and stop next to the bamboo gate before phoning the site.

Nearest transport

Coach
9.3 km Kelsick Road opposite Library
9.9 km Daffodil Hotel for Dove Cottage
10 km Lakeside House for Dove Cottage
Rail
10.3 km Windermere Rail Station
15.8 km Staveley Rail Station
15.8 km Foxfield Rail Station
Ferry
0.1 km Waterhead Hotel (Coniston) Ferry Landing
0.6 km Monk Coniston Ferry Landing
0.6 km 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

Brantwood (10 minutes’ drive, or you can catch a ferry and disembark at Brantwood Landing, on Coniston Water’s eastern shore) was the former home of John Ruskin. In addition to a museum exploring the life and legacy of this Victorian artist and writer, there are splendid gardens, including the so-called Zig-Zaggy, inspired by Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’. Another famed author, Beatrix Potter, also settled in the Lake District. Her small cottage, Hill Top (10 minutes), sits between Windermere and Esthwaite Water, its pretty interior filled with period furniture, original sketches and scattered felted creatures from Potter’s stories. Keen gardeners might not want to miss the colourful floral collections at Holehird Gardens (half an hour), which range from hydrangeas to Himalayan poppies and painted daisies, plus lush ferns. Afterwards, drive five minutes to Orrest Head Viewpoint for spectacular vistas of Windermere.

Food and drink

  • Sara's Indian 0.9 km
  • The Terrace Coffee House and Restaurant 1.7 km
  • Stove Restaurant & Bar 7.7 km
  • The Lakeside 8.6 km
  • Blue Smoke at Low Wood Bay 8.7 km
  • The W 8.7 km
  • Boardwalk Bar & Grill 8.7 km
  • The Boathouse 9 km
  • The Boathouse 9 km
  • Jacksons Bistro 9.2 km

Family days out

  • Play and Picnic Area 7.9 km
  • Langrigge Playground 9.3 km

Parks and play

  • Play and Picnic Area 7.9 km
  • Langrigge Playground 9.3 km

Public transport

  • Waterhead Hotel (W bound) 0.1 km
  • Primary School 0.8 km
  • The Crown Hotel 0.8 km
  • John Ruskin School (W bound) 0.8 km
  • The Crown Inn 0.8 km
  • Holly How Youth Hostel 0.9 km
  • The Ruskin Centre 0.9 km
  • Monk Coniston Hall (W bound) 1.1 km
  • Monk Coniston Hall (E bound) 1.1 km
  • Church near Adam Bridge (N) 1.5 km

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Must see

Beatrix Potter Gallery 4 km

Hill Top 6.1 km

Brockhole - Lake District Visitor Centre 8.5 km

Windermere Lake Cruises, Bowness 9 km

The World of Beatrix Potter 9.1 km

National Trust

Gondola' 0.7 km

Coniston and Tarn Hows 0.9 km

Beatrix Potter Gallery 4 km

Hill Top 6.1 km

Grasmere and Great Langdale 8.1 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

Coniston and the Yewdale Fells 0.8 km

Coniston - Little Arrow - Coniston Lakeshore 0.8 km

Coniston - Holme Fell 0.8 km

Coniston - Levers Water - Coniston 0.9 km

Coniston - Tarn Hows - Coniston 0.9 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.

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

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Waterhead Coniston have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Waterhead Coniston dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Waterhead Coniston? Brantwood (10 minutes’ drive, or you can catch a ferry and disembark at Brantwood Landing, on Coniston Water’s eastern shore) was the former home of John Ruskin. In addition to a museum … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Waterhead Coniston?
    RV, travel trailer and tent sites
    Arrive:  11 a.m. –  9:30 p.m.
    Depart by:  1 p.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Waterhead Coniston? From $45.10 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.