Bolam Lake Camping Paddock

View prices & book 9.8 199 reviews
Visitor image of the peaceful paddock & lovely views
Visitor image of the beautiful rainbow over the site
Green surroundings
Aerial view over the site

  • Dog-friendly wild camping site opposite Bolam Lake Country Park
  • A 25-minute drive from Hadrian’s Wall; 40 minutes from the coast
  • Barbecues permitted; walking/cycling routes and a food shop nearby
Wake up in peaceful paddocks surrounded by the Northumberland countryside and finish off the day with a lakeside walk. Bolam Lake Camping Paddock is a dog-friendly wild camping site opposite Bolam Lake Country Park, so head out in search of birds, picnic on the shores or grab a homemade scone from the café and visitor centre as you please. These paddock pitches are enclosed in a peaceful area next to a woodland where it’s pretty sheltered, and they have rather scenic views of the surrounding farmland. Still, while it may be pretty nicely tucked away, there’s still much to do out and about. Belsay, a scenic village with a small shop and café, is 45 minutes’ walk away (or a five-minute drive) and Ponteland is another spot with a selection of local shops, pubs, cafés, restaurants and takeaways. Of course, there’s Hadrian’s Wall too (Heddon-on-the-Wall is 25 minutes’ drive away). The splendid Northumberland coast is 40 minutes’ drive away, and to the north, the Scottish border is within reach too if you’re looking to cross into different territories. As for walking, well, there's certainly no shortage of trails around, including several routes that depart from the site. When you feel like mixing things up with a cycle instead, there are routes for both beginners and pros surrounding the site too. Wherever you end up during the day, you’ll likely want to make sure you’re back in time for sunset, as there are lots of ways to unwind – perhaps with a walk around the lake or knocking back a few burgers with a barbecue.

Site type

Motorhome pitches 4
Tent pitches 8
Caravans for hire 1
Open now
Opens 18 April
Please note
  • This site has no on-site shower facilities.
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • Group bookings of 4 or more adults are not permitted (couples and immediate family members excepted).
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • At least one of the party members must be aged 18 or over.
  • Guests are advised to bring a good quality torch with them as parts of the site are unlit.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Fri, 18 Apr to

Pitch types & availability

Reviews

  • 90%
    10
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    9
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    1
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
9
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
7

98% would recommend this site to a friend

98% would stay here again

What customers say

Lovely, peaceful site by Bolam Lake. Owners David & Jill are super friendly & helpful. Basic, but spotless facilities. Horses a hit. A bit pricey for fire pits, but the peace and hosts make it a winner.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 20
Arrival date (latest first)

Beautiful site very well kept

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
No rating
Anonymous

Non-electric grass campervan pitch

Liked Everything it’s such a well kept place toilets immaculate David in Jill are lovely David helped us with our awning he’s a beautiful guy so helpful in polite always there to help we had to leave same day family problems

Disliked Nothing at all

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thanks so much for taking the time to share your feedback and it was great to meet you.

We enjoy meeting our guests and we are always on hand to help if you need assistance with setting up when you arrive at the campsite.

We are sorry that you had to leave earlier but we hope that you visit again very soon.

Thank you and our very best wishes.

Everything! There is absolutely nothing to fault. David and Jill were warm…

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
8
Sasha H.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Everything! There is absolutely nothing to fault. David and Jill were warm and welcoming from the beginning right until the end of our stay. The site is very well maintained - toilets and sinks were always clean and the overall area/grass was upkept nicely. David and Jill offer a rentable firepit with everything required to make a fire, thoroughly recommend doing this as it truly makes the camping experience! All guests were respectful and plots were spaced comfortably apart. David and Jill were attentive to every guest, checking in mornings and nights and making sure everyone was okay and had everything that they needed. David and Jill provide their personal phone numbers for any issues/questions and are very quick and thorough at replying, allowing us to feel very safe during our stay. The gates to the site are closed (not locked) to allow for privacy during the night. We will 100% be back. The site is incredibly new-to-camping friendly. I was with a party of 4, and it was all of our first time camping and I’m very glad we chose this as our first place. You can tell that David and Jill have a passion for what they’re doing and the attention/care they give their guests makes the experience even more comfortable and enjoyable 😊 Thanks again!

Disliked Nothing.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thanks so much for your informative review and your very kind words.

It was great to meet you all and we are so pleased that your first camping trip was such a positive experience. We hope that you now feel confident to plan more camping adventures.

Thank you for staying with us and we hope that visit again soon.

Perfect for a relaxing night away

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
No rating
ANDREW C.

Non-electric grass campervan pitch

Liked Lovely site just across a quiet road from bolam lake. My daughter loved seeing the horses in the adjacent field

Disliked The lack of showers won’t suit everyone but doesn’t bother us if we’re just away for one night. Didn’t try WiFi so not sure if there was any but wouldn’t expect there to be!

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank so much for sharing your feedback as we really appreciate it.

We are pleased that you enjoyed your stay.

We have older, retired horses who live with us and they like to say hello to their friendly camper neighbours :)

We are located in the heart of Northumbrian green belt land which limits the facilities that we can offer but guests who stay longer often take advantage of the excellent leisure centres in Morpeth and Ponteland for swimming sessions and showers.

We can offer spacious pitches, fresh water, washing facilities and very clean toilets which is great for short breaks.

Thanks for staying with us and we hope you visit again soon.

Nice peaceful site 👌…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
4
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
1
Stephen S.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Nice peaceful site 👌

Recommend to friends Visit again

Amazing breathtaking views. Welcomed by the polite, friendly Owner. The site was…

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
1
Ashley C.

Non-electric grass campervan pitch

Liked Amazing breathtaking views. Welcomed by the polite, friendly Owner. The site was incredibly clean and quiet, neighbours were the horses in the field which my two children loved watching and stroking when they came up to the fence. Incredible watching them galloping around in the field together in the evening. Very beautiful place will be visiting again and recommend this site to everyone. Felt at home and relaxed. Opposite the camp is a beautiful forest with a lake that you can walk round and explore with plenty of rest stop places to admire the views.

Disliked Nothing to dislike at all.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Friendly host, clean site, family’s welcomed.

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
No rating
Anonymous

1 bedroom on-site touring caravan (no electricity)

Liked The caravan was clean and tidy. The atmosphere was pleasant with a mix of couples and families. The host David & Jill absolutely amazing could not do enough for not just us but every other person. Always greeted every person who arrived and checked in with everyone before the day ends. Just made everyone feel welcomed to the site and ensured everyone had a great stay.

Disliked Only issue was the toilets. No light in so made this darker on an evening. Understandably out of the hosts control.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thanks so much for your feedback as we really appreciate it.

We are so pleased that you enjoyed your stay in our caravan as our aim is to provide ' the best bits of off grid camping in beautiful countryside without the hassle of setting up a tent'

Thanks for your feedback about visiting the toilets at night too which is really helpful. We have battery operated lighting in the caravan and we do advise guests to bring a torch but it would be a good idea to provide a torch in the caravan too.

Thank you for staying with us and we hope that you visit again soon.

Excellent clean friendly

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
Lisa R.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Had a excellent weekend here with family and kids and friendly toilets were clean fresh daily owners very friendly there a lake with fishing spot and also a place u can get boat licence for the day around 6 pound but take ya own boast kids loved kayak along lake all very clean tidy would defently recommend this place big grass we played rounders on along with a sports day lovley place can't wait to book again

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thanks so much for sharing your feedback as it's so helpful to families who may be looking for a campsite which suits their needs.

You certainly made the most of your stay with us and the children had a great time.

It was great to meet you all and thanks for staying with us.

Everything was spot on…

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
1
Julie C.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Everything was spot on

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for sharing your review and we are so pleased that you enjoyed your stay with us.

It's great to see families enjoying time together - lots of fresh air, children playing freely in the countryside and parents relaxing too :)

Thank you for staying with us and enjoy the rest of the holidays.

Thanks for sharing your photo too.

Fabulous time

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
1
Beverly T.

1 bedroom on-site touring caravan (no electricity)

Liked Lovely relaxing place kids can run around burn off their energy and lovely walks around the lake

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thanks so much for your comments and we are pleased that you enjoyed your stay.

It's always great to see children making new friends and just enjoying playing together in the countryside.

Great to see busy parents just enjoying their break and relaxing for a while too :)

Thank you

A simple campsite with limited facilities ....and it is fabulous. David and…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
9
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
9
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
8
Christine K.

Non-electric grass campervan pitch

Liked A simple campsite with limited facilities ....and it is fabulous. David and Jill go out of their way to look after everyone; the camping paddock is well managed; and the toilets are clean and well stocked. Bolam Lake Country Park is just across the road and is an added bonus.

Thank you for a lovely stay.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for your feedback and we are so pleased that you enjoyed your stay.

We are a Wanderlust campsite, located in the heart of Northumbrian green belt land. We offer simple camping but it's really important to us that our guests have clean facilities and everything they need to make their stay as comfortable and relaxing as possible.

Bolam Lake Country Park is lovely for walking, spotting wildlife, fishing and paddle boarding - lovely cafe too!

Thank you for staying with us and we hope that you visit again soon to explore more of Northumberland.


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 pitch/unit Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Launderette Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly Motorcycle friendly 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 Wild camping

Utilities

Charging facilities Chemical disposal Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Shop nearby

Type

Small (11-25 pitches)

Nearby leisure

Climbing nearby Cycling nearby

Location

Bolam Lake Camping Paddock

Belsay

Northumberland

England

NE20 0HE

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

55.1332°N
1.8688°W

Nearest transport

Coach
3.8 km The Arcade
3.8 km The Arcade
5 km Road end
Rail
12.3 km Morpeth Rail Station
14.8 km Newcastle Airport Metro
15.2 km Pegswood Rail Station
Ferry
30.7 km North Shields Ferry Terminal
31 km Newcastle International Ferry Terminal
31.3 km South Shields Ferry Terminal
Airport
14.7 km Newcastle International Airport

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

Want to feel like lord or lady for an afternoon? Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens (10 minutes' drive) should soon ignite that fantasy. The medieval castle and gardens are one of a couple of historic properties around. The National Trust’s Wallington (10 minutes) has cycle hire so that visitors can take in views of the historical house the traditional way. Hikes-wise, Shaftoe Crags (10 minutes) has a circular walk with plenty of bouldering spots along the way. Hike along the historic Hadrian’s Wall to Housesteads Roman Fort (40 minutes) too. For beach time, Blyth and Cresswell are both excellent sandy options, and both about 40 minutes away – the former has beach huts while the latter has sand dunes. Those with kids are likely to be keeping their eyes peeled for easy entertainment options too. Very handily, Whitehouse Farm Centre (20 minutes) runs animal feeding sessions as well as things like tractor rides, and Go Ape Matfen (25 minutes) has a treetop assault course for the extra brave. Newcastle upon Tyne city centre (half an hour) has plenty of family-friendly attractions to add to that.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Newbiggin South 23.1 km Sea N/AGoodExcellentExcellent
Newbiggin North 23.5 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentGood
Blyth South Beach 23.8 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Druridge Bay South 23.8 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Seaton Sluice 25.4 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens 3.6 km

George Stephenson's Birthplace 17.5 km

Prudhoe Castle 18.7 km

Cragside House, Gardens and Estate 20.1 km

Chesters Roman Fort 20.8 km

National Trust

Wallington 6.1 km

Cherryburn 19.5 km

Cragside 20.6 km

Seaton Delaval Hall 24.3 km

Holy Jesus Hospital 24.5 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

Bolam Lake - Shaftoe Craggs circular 0.1 km

BELSAY HALL 3.7 km

Hartburn Circular 4.6 km

CAPHEATON 5.1 km

WALLINGTON 5.9 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.

Nearest sites

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

Want to know more about camping in Northumberland?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Bolam Lake Camping Paddock have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Bolam Lake Camping Paddock dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Bolam Lake Camping Paddock? Want to feel like lord or lady for an afternoon? Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens (10 minutes' drive) should soon ignite that fantasy. The medieval castle and gardens are one of a … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Bolam Lake Camping Paddock?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  Anytime
    Depart by:  noon
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  Anytime
    Depart by:  noon
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Bolam Lake Camping Paddock? From €28.74 (for 1 night, 4 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.