Waterhead Coniston

View prices & book 9.4 137 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
1/103
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 137 Pitchup.com customers

  • 67%
    10
  • 13%
    9
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    8
  • 2%
    7
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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

96% 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 14
Arrival date (latest first)

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. 12 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

Beautiful place, Lake and views around.…

Overall

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

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Beautiful place, Lake and views around.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Gorgeous

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 6
 Gy B. 1 review

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked A really lovely spot. Myself my two boys🐶🐶have had two hot summer nights a stones throw from the lake.
Just great to spend time here, dipping in the lake to keep cool and relaxing.
Met many people who like me just wanted to enjoy stay and relax
Every one around myself were very friendly and it is definitely on my radar for next year

Disliked Nothing at all
Super place

Recommend to friends Visit again

We had a amazing experience

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 9
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 7
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked It was an amazing campsite with a beautiful lake and lovely family's coming over.

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Absolutely incredible little wild Camping feel!…

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 4
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 6
Wifi
 4
 Cath B. 1 review

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Absolutely incredible little wild Camping feel!

Absolutely loved the lake, friendly, quiet and beautiful.

Disliked The portaloos where disgusting and smelt really bad.

I mean they're never going to smell like roses!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great!

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
selina a. 4 reviews

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Location, easy access to the water

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Honestly, there was nothing not 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
 10
 Louise R. 1 review

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Honestly, there was nothing not to like I loved how near I was to the lake ( I’m an open water swimmer so I was in my element) and only 10 minutes from Coniston village itself. Having a tent box and not being able to drive away easily it was great for me .Amy was soo helpful . and being a solo traveller ( and two dogs ) I felt safe and comfortable.
I will definitely be back .

Disliked Nothing really, apart from I wish it was open longer, bur I do appreciate it’s a working field .

Recommend to friends Visit again

Amy was lovely and gave us…

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 3
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Callum R. 1 review

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Amy was lovely and gave us the freedom to choose where we setup. The view of the lake was stunning and the town nearby was great as well!

Recommend to friends Visit again

An gem campsite on Coniston Water

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
Antony W. 6 reviews

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked We loved everything. As a mature and experienced couple, we read the important very large print about the limitations on the site but OMG, the site and especially the host gave more and more and with Coniston Lake just a few feet away, that surely blesses everyone who comes here. We forgot our small boat but whatever you have, the water and the site are very inviting. Just. Come prepare for quasi wild camping. Kids will really love it if they like rough and ready and especially water. Walking distance to Coniston village with several pubs and very small supermarkets.

Disliked Absolutely nothing.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thankyou Antony! Was great having you hopefully you can visit again and bring your boat :)

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.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Haverigg 24.8 km Sea PoorN/AN/AN/A
Silecroft 25.1 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Seascale 27.9 km Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Walney West Shore 30.8 km Sea N/AGoodGoodN/A
Walney Sandy Gap 32.4 km Sea N/AGoodGoodN/A

Data source: European Environment Agency

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 $45.08 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.