Bolam Lake Camping Paddock

View prices & book 9.8 189 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 sites 4
Tent sites 8
Caravans for hire 1
Open now
Opens 18 April
Please note
  • This campground/park 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 campground/park are unlit.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Fri, 18 Apr to

Pitch types & availability

Reviews

  • 90%
    10
  • 1%
    9
  • 5%
    8
  • 1%
    7
  • 1%
    6
  • 0%
    5
  • 0%
    4
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    3
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    2
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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

99% would recommend this site to a friend

98% would stay here again

What customers say

Great spot on Bolam Lake for walks. Owners David & Jill super friendly, go the extra mile. Facilities basic but spotless. Horses a bonus. Fire pits dear, but still highly recommended for peace and hosts.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 19
Arrival date (latest first)

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 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

Excellent site, friendly staff, level pitches, facilities clean.

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
9
Value for money
9
Accommodation
9
Facilities / Activities
7
Customer service
9
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
9
Wifi
8
Craig A.

Unpowered grass tent site

Liked Position of site, the people who looked after the site (could not have been more friendly and helpful). Scenery was beautiful.

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thanks so much for sharing your feedback.

We are so pleased that you enjoyed your stay - even if the weather was not so good on Saturday.

We enjoy meeting the great people who choose to stay with us and we are always happy to help in any way that we can to make sure that your stay is comfortable and relaxing.

Hope to see you again soon.

Le cadre nature, les anaix, la gentillesse de David, la simplicité.…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
8
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
1
Gaëlle B.

Unpowered grass tent site

Liked Le cadre nature, les anaix, la gentillesse de David, la simplicité.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you so much for sharing your feedback and your kind words.

We are pleased that you enjoyed your stay with us at our little patch of beautiful Northumberland :)

Bon voyage et nos meilleurs vœux.

Lovely, laid back campsite with friendly, helpful owners. The close proximity to…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
7
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
8
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
8
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
No rating
Rebecca D.

Unpowered grass campervan site

Liked Lovely, laid back campsite with friendly, helpful owners. The close proximity to the lake was great for our little girl who is an early riser as we just got up and went for an early walk. Clean toilets and washing facilities with toilet roll, soap, washing up liquid etc all provided. Beside a field of horses which my little girl loved. There were a few picnic tables dotted about but not one per pitch so it’s worth bringing your own chairs. Pitches felt well spaced out but it wasn’t full. The cafe at the lake doesn’t open until 10am but we drove to the little shop at Belsay for an early morning coffee which opens at 7.30.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thanks so much for sharing your great feedback - it's so helpful to other campers who may be looking for a campsite that suits their needs.

Bolam Lake Cafe is a very short walk from the campsite and Belsay Shop which is located in the village, is only a five minute drive from us.

We are so pleased that you enjoyed your stay and we hope that you visit again soon.

Thank you :)

Set in beautiful rolling countryside. Horses grazing in adjacent fields. Quiet midweek…

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
No rating
Anonymous

Unpowered grass campervan site

Liked Set in beautiful rolling countryside. Horses grazing in adjacent fields. Quiet midweek when I stayed. Simple but perfectly adequate facilities. Very well kept. I had a choice of pitches but be prepared that quite a few of them are gently sloping. The owners were very helpful, regularly check the site and to see whether I needed anything. Would definitely recommend to friends and stay again myself.

Recommend to friends Visit again

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

Midweek tends to be quieter and the weekends are busy until school holidays so we are pleased that you enjoyed a relaxing and peaceful stay with us.

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

Lovely site for a night or two, but beware the firepit/bbq policy.

Overall

7 out of 10
Location
9
Value for money
5
Accommodation
8
Facilities / Activities
5
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
No rating
Anonymous

Unpowered grass campervan site

Liked Lovely grass field, surrounding paddocks with animals and nice view. Very peaceful. Very helpful owner and very well cared for site and facilities - everything very clean and tidy. Great walk around Bolam lake immediately opposite the site. If you don't have a firepit and want a nice campfire, then this is brilliant - David has an excellent setup for that.

Disliked Field is quite sloping overall (4-5 degrees in places), not a huge problem but something to be aware of. Firepit policy is a little odd, you can hire fire pits but can't use your own, though I understand the intention behind it and the owner is just trying to maintain the site. However it could be clearer when booking as you see firepit hire mentioned so assume fire pits are allowed. Only 2 portaloos for a site of 14 pitches feels a little tight though wasn't actually a problem - they were very clean too. No hot water for washing up is a pain but understandable.

Overall felt a little bit pricey for what is essentially just a field, tap and loos and adding firepit hire on top (even if just wanting to use a barbeque) makes it quite a costly stay. That said, we had a lovely stay.

Recommend to friends Visit again

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

We are pleased that you enjoyed your stay with us as we live in a lovely part of Northumberland and we hope that you visit the area again very soon.

Thank you too for your constructive feedback and in response to your comments:

We are a Wanderlust campsite therefore safety, protecting nature and environmental awareness are very important to us.

We offer fire pit hire as an optional extra as lots of guests enjoy sitting around a fire pit in the evening however we must ensure that they are set up and managed safely to protect our guests and the grassland.

Guests can bring their own BBQs however they must be purpose built and safely raised off the grass (a minimum of 50cm from the grass). Disposable BBQs can only be used within one of our fire pits to raise it from the ground so that it doesn’t scorch or damage the grass. David is always on hand to help guests set them up.

During the quieter periods when we tend to get more last minute bookings, there are always two portable toilets onsite which are cleaned and serviced at least twice per day. During school holidays we do increase the number of toilets onsite.

Thanks for staying with us and thank you once again for your feedback.

Quiet location, clean facilities and proximity to Bolam lake.…

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
Mark H.

Unpowered grass campervan site

Liked Quiet location, clean facilities and proximity to Bolam lake.

Disliked N/A

Recommend to friends Visit again

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

We are based in a lovely location and it's great when our guests can just relax and enjoy the countryside.

Bolam Lake is directly opposite our campsite so guests often enjoy an early morning/evening walk around the lake.

Thank you and we hope to see you again soon.

Excellent option for camping.

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
Ivan D.

Unpowered grass tent site

Liked Excellent site.
Beautiful view.
Well maintained.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thanks so much for sharing you feedback.

We offer simple camping in a lovely location but it's so important to us that our guests have clean facilities and that we can be on hand to make sure that they have everything they need to enjoy a relaxing break in the countryside.

Thanks for staying with us and we hope that you visit again in the future.

Fantastic location, lovely owners

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
9
Value for money
8
Accommodation
8
Facilities / Activities
7
Customer service
9
Child friendliness
8
Cleanliness
8
Wifi
1
Rich G.

Unpowered grass campervan site

Liked Great location and views.
Amenities well looked after and owners welcoming.

Disliked Pitches close together and busy so did mean that noise carried with music etc

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thanks so much for taking the time to share your feedback as it is so helpful.

We are pleased that you liked the location and felt that the amenities were well maintained.

We are sorry that you felt that the pitches were close together - we like to offer our guests very spacious pitches but it was a very busy weekend. If guests would like more space we will always try our very best to offer an alternative, quieter pitch.

Thanks so much for staying with us and we hope that visit again in the future.

Would like to return for a little longer to explore the area

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
8
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
5
Customer service
8
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
No rating
Wifi
No rating
Jo A.

Unpowered grass campervan site

Liked Lovely location , beautiful views with lake and coffee shop across the road. Friendly owner

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thanks so much for sharing your feedback.

We are a Wanderlust campsite located in beautiful Northumbrian countryside so we offer simple camping but it's important to us that guests are have everything they need for a comfortable stay.

We are 'locals' and always around to offer advice on great places to explore if you plan to return to Northumberland.

Thank you for staying with us.


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 site/unit Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Laundry 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 Dump point Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Convenience store nearby Dog walk nearby

Type

Small (11-25 sites)

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? No 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 caravan
    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 $55.79 (for 1 night, 4 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.