Kestrel Lodge Campsite

View prices & book 9.3 3 reviews
Tent pitches
Tent pitches
The camping pod with the side open
Wild swimming in bassenthwaite lake
Lake district wildlife park
Chickens roaming
Small campervan pitch
Bassenthwaite lake nearby
Large family tent
1/35
New
The camping pod with the side open
Wild swimming in bassenthwaite lake
Lake district wildlife park

  • Small and quiet back-to-basics site below Skiddaw mountain
  • Set above Bassenthwaite Lake, 10 minutes’ drive from the shores
  • Friendly atmosphere; direct access to hiking trails and a dog field
When visiting the Lake District, location’s an important thing, and Kestrel Lodge Campsite certainly has a spectacular one. Just a 20-minute drive from Keswick, it's set at the foot of Skiddaw mountain, in the hills above Bassenthwaite Lake (its shore is 10 minutes' drive away). Backpackers, bikepackers and families are all welcome here, and can take off on walks to Dash Falls, Skiddaw and Keswick directly from the site. It’s a small, quiet and friendly place, so big groups and music are banned – listening to nature and stargazing in peace are top priorities. Your dogs are welcome, too, but they must be kept on a lead at all times, except when running free in the separate enclosed dog field. The site has a back-to-basics set-up, the idea being that you will be nice and busy completing outdoor adventures and need somewhere simple but relaxing to unwind afterwards. There are hot showers, toilets, a small honesty shop and an undercover area for rainy days. All pitches have their own firepit (alternatively, see who you meet at the communal firepit); please purchase all firewood from reception. Kestrel Lodge Campsite also has that proper countryside feel, with free-roaming ducks and chickens waddling around (they’re a nosy bunch who may say hello). Wheelbarrows are provided for getting your belongings from the car park to pitch. Resident hedgerow birds can be seen, owls heard, and red squirrels and deer spotted in the local woods. One last perk: guests get discounts on theatre visits and local watersports hire. Ask the team for local café and pub recommendations – Bassenthwaite village, 25 minutes’ walk away, has a pub to get you started.

Site type

Motorhome sites 2
Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 3
Tent sites 28
Open now
Opens 13 July
Please note

Admission

  • At least one of the party members must be aged 17 or over.

Safety

  • Fires, barbecues and/or firepits will not be permitted in dry, windy and/or hot weather conditions.
  • If making a fire, the fuel, logs and coal have to be purchased on site.

Occupancy

  • Group bookings of 2 or more units (e.g. tent, caravan, motorhome or accommodation hire) travelling together are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • The campground/park caters for families (immediate members) and couples only - bookings from all other forms of groups are not accepted.

General

  • This is a quiet campground/park: no music is allowed.
  • Firepits are only permitted when hired from the site. Group bookings of 5 or more adults are not permitted. No chemical waste disposal allowed on site.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Mon, 13 Jul 2026 to

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Pitch types & availability

Accommodation

Tent sitesCaravan sitesMotorhome sitesLodges, cabins, pods or hutsCaravans for hireRent a tent
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2 adults
0 children
0 dogs

Reviews

9.3

Overall rating from 3 Pitchup.com customers

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Location
 10
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
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Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating

100% would recommend this site to a friend

100% would stay here again

What customers say

Brilliant spot, easy to get to walks & lakes like Bassenthwaite/Derwentwater. Friendly staff (Cassie/Charlie!), great honesty shop. Peaceful, fire pits with wood provided.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews. Last updated 4/08/2026

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Peaceful campsite with friendly on-site staff.…

Overall

10 out of 10
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Pravi 1 review

Unpowered grass tent site

Liked Peaceful campsite with friendly on-site staff. Would stay again.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Nice staffs, quite place.…

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 8
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
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Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
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Michael L. 3 reviews

Unpowered grass tent site

Liked Nice staffs, quite place.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Fabulous little site in an amazing location 👌

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
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Norman G. 3 reviews

Unpowered grass tent site

Liked Everything about this site is as good as it gets and will suit single campers, couples and families. Fabulous location with really good amenities including an honesty shop supplying all manner of things from sweets and ice creams to basic food items and cleaning/household items. It is only small but the number of items stocked is amazing. However, it isn't Sainsbury's so there is a limited number of items for sale.
Every pitch is supplied with its own fire pit with logs readily available. Brilliant location for walkers with choices of simple strolls through to more challenging hill ascents. There are lakes close by including Bassenthwaite Lake which can be seen from the site and Derwentwater with the town of Keswick right next door.
Cassie and Charlie do an amazing job looking after Kestrel Lodge site and it's amenities. Only a mile or so away in the village of Bassenthwaite is a pub with food and drinks available.
Quite simply this is one of the best sites I've ever visited and having stayed on my own for a couple of nights I returned within a week with my wife fir a longer stay and she was impressed as much as I was.
I simply cannot rate this site highly enough.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Dogs allowed

Campfires allowed

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 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

D. of E. 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

Lake and/or mountain Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise

Utilities

Charging facilities Communal freezer Dump point Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby

Type

Medium (26-50 sites)

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Mountain biking nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Watersports nearby

Location

Kestrel Lodge Campsite

Kestrel Lodge

Bassenthwaite

Keswick

Cumbria

England

CA12 4QX

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

54.68451°N
3.17403°W

Route directions

Please don't follow the postcode, as it covers a large area. The pin will take you directly to the site. Alternatively use What3Words: unusually.unite.honeybees. There is a train station in Penrith. From there, take a bus towards Keswick (the X4/X5 for Penrith/Keswick/Bassenthwaite/Cockermouth/Workington. A regular bus runs along the A591 and stops outside Bassenthwaite church, just at the bottom of the village. Alternatively, from Keswick bus station (outside Booths), take the 554 (Keswick - Carlisle). Walkers can access the site just off the Cumbria Way footpath or walk one mile from Bassenthwaite village.

Nearest transport

Coach
9.5 km Bus Station
12.7 km Gallowbarrow
12.7 km Fairfield Junior School
Rail
13.1 km Aspatria Rail Station
16.1 km Wigton Rail Station
20.8 km Maryport Rail Station
Ferry
10 km Nichol End (Derwentwater) Ferry Landing
10.2 km Keswick Ferry Landing
11.5 km Hawes End Derwentwater 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

When it comes to bagging Wainwrights, you're off to a good start at Kestrel Lodge Campsite. It’s a short drive from local hills including Skiddaw (for this one, hike there directly from the site), Ullock Pike, Skiddaw Little Man, Dodd, Carl Side, Great Cockup, Blencathra, Barf, Binsey, Great Calva, Knott and Sale Fell. For something longer, the Cumbrian Way goes on for miles and miles, and passes conveniently right by the site. If mountain biking is your thing, you’re in a good spot too: there are many bridleways and mountain trails, as well as the routes in Whinlatter Forest (25 minutes' drive). Any outdoor adventure – including visits to Whinlatter’s Go Ape (half an hour) and river tubing in Keswick (20 minutes) – can end at a restaurant in Keswick (15 minutes). Bassenthwaite Lake (10 minutes) is a stunning spot for the wild swimmers, paddleboarders and canoeists among you to unwind – a licence is required for any activity on the lake. Alternatively, Derwentwater has a watersports centre (20 minutes).

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Allonby 19.1 km Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Southerness 34.6 km Sea N/AGoodGoodExcellent
St Bees 35.4 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Seascale 38.1 km Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Sandyhills 41.4 km Sea N/AN/APoorPoor

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Mirehouse Historic House and Gardens 4.7 km

Whinlatter Forest & Visitor Centre 8.9 km

Castlerigg Stone Circle 10.3 km

Ullswater Steamers 21.5 km

Dalemain Historic House & Gardens 23.7 km

National Trust

Wordsworth House and Garden 12.7 km

Buttermere and Ennerdale 28.6 km

Grasmere and Great Langdale 29.1 km

Wasdale, Eskdale and Duddon 31.1 km

Townend 34.8 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

Ullock Pike - Longside Edge - Skiddaw 3.4 km

Dodd Wood under Ullock Pike 4.7 km

Bassenthwaite Osprey Walk 4.8 km

High Pike, Fellside 7.5 km

Latrigg, Blease and Lonscale 8.3 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 Kestrel Lodge Campsite have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Kestrel Lodge Campsite dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Kestrel Lodge Campsite? When it comes to bagging Wainwrights, you're off to a good start at Kestrel Lodge Campsite. It’s a short drive from local hills including Skiddaw (for this one, hike there directly from … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Kestrel Lodge Campsite?
    Camping and caravan
    Arrive:  1 p.m. –  7 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  3 p.m. –  7 p.m.
    Depart by:  10 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Kestrel Lodge Campsite? From $61.95 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.