Smardale Mill Shepods

View prices & book 10 13 reviews
Shepod exterior
Shepod exterior
The peaceful setting for the shepods
Shepod exterior with decking
Seating on the decking
The Ash shepod
Hill views
View from the site
Breakfast bar and sink
1/30
The peaceful setting for the shepods
Shepod exterior with decking
Seating on the decking

  • Luxurious 'shepod' glamping in Cumbria countryside near Kirkby Stephen
  • A 15-minute drive to Brough Castle; 45 minutes to the Lake District
  • Fully equipped pods with fishing and hikes from site; pubs close by
Home to smart glamping pods with all mod cons, Smardale Mill Shepods is on a working farm in dramatic Cumbrian fell country. Surrounded by spectacular views, these delightfully decorated and fully equipped pods are just the thing for anyone who likes a certain degree of comfort alongside their outdoor adventures. Nifty kitchens come with a fridge, cooker and breakfast bar, and the 'shepods' also have a cosy living space, a double bed and a bathroom with a full-size shower where you can clean up and warm up after a day out hiking. (Please note that linen is provided for the double bed but not for the sofa bed in the open living space.) Smardale Nature Reserve (five minutes’ drive) is a good place to start your exploration of the Yorkshire Dales on foot, with a circular trail along a former railway line to historic Smardale Gill Viaduct (15 minutes). With all this glorious countryside close by, it’s all too easy to forget that this site is easily accessible from the M6. Anglers, don’t forget to pack your rods, as the Scandal river has a mile of private fishing to test out during your stay. You can cook in your pod or spark up the barbecue – head to Kirkby Stephen (10 minutes’ drive) to pick up the essentials – and there are plenty of interesting pubs around locally, serving fine regional food (including Yorkshire pudding with Sunday roasts, of course) and craft beers.

Site type

Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 2
Open all year
Opens
Please note

Languages spoken

English

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Reviews

10

Overall rating from 13 Pitchup.com customers

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Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 9
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 9
Peaceful

100% would recommend this site to a friend

100% would stay here again

What customers say

This peaceful farm site boasts stunning scenery and wildlife. Reviewers love the clean, comfortable, well-equipped accommodations, especially the Shepods. Friendly owners and a great base for exploring the countryside make this a highly recommended getaway. Most visitors want to return!

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews. Last updated 2026-11-03

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Reviews page 1 of 2
Arrival date (latest first)

Peaceful location lovely walks close by…

Overall

10 out of 10
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Steven M. 1 review

Shepherd's hut

Liked Peaceful location lovely walks close by with vary cosy Shepherd hut for a relaxing evening with a nice town to visit.

Recommend to friends Visit again

I enjoyed my stay, loved the…

Overall

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

Shepherd's hut

Liked I enjoyed my stay, loved the view of all the farm animals. It was peaceful and just beautiful scenery. The pod was well equipped, clean and just all round lovely.

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Definitely go afain

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
 jacky m. 5 reviews

Shepherd's hut

Liked Everything
Place so peaceful
Getting up of a morning, coffee outside hearing the stream, looking out to beautiful scenery.
Everything you could want or need
Very clean
Just beautiful

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Location fantastic, shepod lovely and comfortable.…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 9
Facilities / Activities
 No rating
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 8
 Beverley H. 3 reviews

Shepherd's hut

Liked Location fantastic, shepod lovely and comfortable.

Disliked None

Recommend to friends Visit again

We really enjoyed our stay on…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 8
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 7
 Amar G. 3 reviews

Shepherd's hut

Liked We really enjoyed our stay on the hut. We enjoyed seeing the sheep’s and cows

Recommend to friends Visit again

excellent site, would highly recommend and would like to use again,

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
 Jim M. 2 reviews

Shepherd's hut

Liked the peaceful, stunning location
friendliness of the host
excellent facilities within the hut
clean

Disliked had problems getting tv to work (could have been operator error)

Recommend to friends Visit again

Idyllic little haven, especially with recent…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 8
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 8
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
 Andrew C. 2 reviews

Shepherd's hut

Liked Idyllic little haven, especially with recent sunny weather
Nice, clean and ample spaced Pod with enough facilities to keep me, partner and dog happy, clean and fed.
Set on a working farm (very little noise) with peaceful, tranquil views over looking the fields, hills, animals and wildlife.
Town, shops, cafes etc.. a short drive away

Disliked None... .lovely quiet and relaxing stay

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent

Overall

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

Shepherd's hut

Liked Location
Facilities
Lovely welcome

Recommend to friends Visit again

Shepod was very clean,staff were very friendly, it had everything .

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
 10
 Beverley F. 3 reviews

Shepherd's hut

Liked We liked it very much ,it's our second time being there, and will be going again ,place is lovely, nice walks ,and very peaceful, beautiful scenery, and they did a lovely afternoon tea .the shepod was very clean ,had everything you needed.

Disliked None

Recommend to friends Visit again

Perfect site to relax, with clean facilities.

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
 10
 Liam B. 1 review

Shepherd's hut

Liked The accommodation was perfect. It is very clean, and comfortable, and had everything you would need for a short stay. The location was also great. Situated on a working farm it was very peaceful with no light or noise pollution. However you were still only a short drive away from the town center and only an hours drive from places like Keswick and Windermere. The owners of the farm are very lovely. They were really welcoming and made sure we had everything we needed.

Disliked None

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

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

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 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 Luxury Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery 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

Type

Tiny (1-10 sites)

Nearby leisure

Fishing nearby

Location

Smardale Mill Shepods

Smardale Mill

Kirkby Stephen

Cumbria

England

CA17 4HG

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London GMT (GMT+00:00)

GPS

54.47741°N
2.4016°W

Nearest transport

Coach
27.7 km Bus Station
27.7 km Bus Station
27.7 km Bus Station
Rail
3.3 km Kirkby Stephen Rail Station
12.7 km Appleby Rail Station
18 km Garsdale Rail Station
Ferry
31.3 km Pooley Bridge Ullswater Ferry Landing
31.6 km Howtown Ullswater Ferry Landing
35.9 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

From your cosy Cumbrian lodgings, you have the choice of scores of challenging hiking and cycling routes in three different outdoor areas. You’re already in the Yorkshire Dales National Park for moorland walks to the towering Cautley Spout waterfall (20 minutes’ drive). In the Lake District National Park (40 minutes) you can cycle dramatic Honister Pass (an hour), and the North Pennines National Landscape gives you remote walks up to Grassholme Observatory and Reservoir (45 minutes). Ramp up the culture element of your break with a visit to the stately ruins at Lowther Castle and Gardens (40 minutes), or pick a sunny day and take a picnic to eat in the grounds of Brough Castle (15 minutes). And for a real taste of Yorkshire goodness, a visit to Wensleydale Creamery Visitor Centre (40 minutes) gives you the chance to taste local cheeses and see them being made. The destination pub at Tan Hill (half an hour) is the highest in England, and serves up decent grub with fantastic views down Swaledale, where you can share afternoon tea with the ‘Yorkshire Shepherdess’ Amanda Owen at Ravenseat (35 minutes) in summer.
(within 10 km)
Castle, Aquarium, Theme park, Zoo and Cashpoint (within 16.1 km)

Food and drink

  • The Engine Shed Pub 3.4 km
  • The Taggy Man Pub 3.4 km
  • Old Forge Micropub 3.4 km
  • Black Bull Hotel Pub 3.5 km
  • Mango Tree Restaurant 3.5 km
  • Kirkby Stephen Sports & Social Club Pub 3.5 km
  • Century Restaurant 3.5 km
  • The Black Bull at Nateby Pub 4.1 km
  • The Bay Horse Inn Pub 4.6 km
  • The Kings Head Pub 5.2 km

Groceries

  • The Co-operative Food Supermarket 3.3 km
  • Berry Grape & Grain Off-licence 3.4 km

Parks and play

  • Platform 3 Play 3.3 km

Family days out

  • Brough Castle 7.1 km
  • Pendragon Castle 7.7 km
  • Appleby Castle 12.1 km
  • Bewley Castle 15.2 km

Public transport

  • Sheep Dip 1.3 km
  • Post Office 2 km
  • Railway Station (E bound) 3.2 km
  • Railway Station (W bound) 3.2 km
  • Christian Head/Health Centre 3.2 km
  • Co-Op 3.3 km
  • Cemetery 3.3 km
  • Railway Station Car Park 3.4 km
  • Market Square 3.4 km
  • Market Street at HSBC Bank 3.5 km

Other nearby

  • Riverside Public Golf Course 5.1 km
  • Bessy Beck Trout Fishery Fishing 5.5 km

Local services

  • The Co-operative Food Cashpoint 3.3 km
  • Bank of Ireland Cashpoint 12.5 km
  • Upper Eden Medical Practice Doctors 3.2 km
  • Shell Fuel station 3.4 km
  • Total Energies Fuel station 3.4 km
  • The Green Tree Pharmacy 3.4 km
  • Aldersons Nateby Service Station Fuel station 4.2 km

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Must see

High Force Waterfall 23.8 km

The Rheged Centre 31 km

Dalemain Historic House & Gardens 31.8 km

The Bowes Museum 32.2 km

Barnard Castle 32.2 km

National Trust

Acorn Bank Garden and Watermill 22.9 km

Sizergh Castle and Garden 32.3 km

Townend 34 km

Windermere and Troutbeck 34.6 km

Hill Top 39.4 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

Smardale Wildlife Reserve 1 km

Kirkby Stephen - Nine Standards Rigg 3.4 km

Kirkby Stephen Circular 3.5 km

The Eden Viaducts 3.5 km

Kirkby Stephen - Nateby - Wharton Hall - Lammerside Castle 3.7 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 Smardale Mill Shepods have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Smardale Mill Shepods dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Smardale Mill Shepods? From your cosy Cumbrian lodgings, you have the choice of scores of challenging hiking and cycling routes in three different outdoor areas. You’re already in the Yorkshire Dales National Park for moorland … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Smardale Mill Shepods?
    On-park accommodation
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  Anytime
    Depart by:  10 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Smardale Mill Shepods? From $359.52 (for 2 nights, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.