Wildscapes Retreat and Campsite
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- No-frills family campsite with spectacular Howgills views in Cumbria
- Bowness-on-Windermere 45 minutes’ drive; Ribblehead Viaduct 50 minutes
- Within half an hour's drive of Wain Wath Force, a wild swimming spot
Campground type
This park has no on-site shower facilities.
- Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
- 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).
- Bookings must not be for more than 14 consecutive nights.
- Guests are advised to bring a good quality flashlight with them as parts of the park are unlit.
- Please note that the toilet facilities are unisex.
- If reception is closed on arrival: please contact the number provided on your booking confirmation.
Languages spoken
English
Open from Fri, Apr 4 to
Campsite types & availability
Primitive cement/asphalt and grass tent or trailer tent campsite
6 people maximum
Ground type: Cement/asphalt and grass
Pitch size: Max 8m width × 8m depth
Calculated area: 64m²
Arrival daysFrom £20 (£20) 1 night, 2 adults
View prices & bookPrimitive grass RV campsite
6 people maximum
Ground type: Grass
Pitch size: Max 8m width × 8m depth
Calculated area: 64m²
Arrival daysFrom £25 (£25) 1 night, 2 adults
View prices & book
Reviews
94% would recommend this campground to a friend
94% would stay here again




















Excellent wildcamp
Primitive cement/asphalt and grass tent or trailer tent campsite
Liked Remote feel of wild camping with clean toilet and washing up facility.
Walking distance from 2 pubs.
Walks on the doorstep.
From the manager: Thanks for your review, Angela.
We hope to see you again sometime.
Cracking site, cracking people
Primitive cement/asphalt and grass tent or trailer tent campsite
Liked Everything
Disliked Nothing
Absolutely beautiful spot, I loved my stay here! The owners were so…
Primitive cement/asphalt and grass tent or trailer tent campsite
Liked Absolutely beautiful spot, I loved my stay here! The owners were so helpful, welcoming and friendly and I felt at ease straight away!
The beautiful peaceful trip I needed!
From the manager: Excellent! Thank you for your review. We are grateful that you, as a Solo traveller, enjoyed the campsite and had a relaxing time. We hope to see you again soon.
Would definitely recommend this place to anyone, had a brilliant night stay…
Primitive grass RV campsite
Liked Would definitely recommend this place to anyone, had a brilliant night stay here, the owners suzie & sam we’re incredibly helpful.. and it’s in the perfect location with beautiful scenery, there’s loads of fire pits dotted about so just grab one, and buy a bag of logs witch is only £10 now that’s a bonus…. Couldn’t fault this place one little bit
Great site
Great management
Great location
Davey & Sonia (sunderland)
From the manager: Davey & Sonia,
Thanks for your lovely words, we enjoyed meeting you and we are glad you had a great time at the site and we hope to see you again.
Excellent site. As close to wild camping as it gets. 100% recommend!
Primitive grass RV campsite
Liked incredible location and the friendliest most helpful owners.
Disliked Absolutely nothing. Suzie and Sam constantly making changes to the site to improve customer experience. There are currently two compost in toilets on site and waist bins however they are in the process of creating a shower block which will benefit those who don’t have on board facilities or people who are camping in in tents.
From the manager: Thank you for your wonderful words. We are glad you enjoyed your camping experience with us. We try to keep the site wild and basic but also have been adding some little extra touches in the compost toilets, We finally got our lights working and added some nice little hand wash dispensers. Next - to install some hot water for the wash facilities.
It was great to meet you both and thank you for leaving us the coloured earth stone :-)
Lovely quiet location
Primitive cement/asphalt and grass tent or trailer tent campsite
Liked Beautiful location, peaceful, undisturbed., cheap to stay. Friendly laid back owners, wildlife. Dark skies. Recycling bins. Free fire pit to use. A back to nature, basic site, just what i like! Dog friendly.
Disliked Weather! No hot water. Toilet lights have a mind of their own. No general waste bins, but these were here the last time I stayed, so maybe just an oversight. A lot of sheep droppings on pitches this time.
From the manager: Hi Helen,
Thank you for reviewing your experience with us. I am glad you enjoyed many aspects of the site again this time. I am so very sorry about the things you disliked. I wanted to try to explain and let you know what I have addressed.
Firstly there was a miscommunication with the farmer - Dad! He let the sheep in to eat the grass off the site as I told him there were no bookings... Hmm I don't think I did but that's why that had happened. I am sorry I know this is not ideal and will forever tell him there are always bookings! :-) I hope you can understand how this happened.
THE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN FIXED! This has been a real learning curve for us, solar power, sensor light, bulbs that were draining too much power etc! We hope we have nailed it now! They were fantastic this weekend so long may it last.
Also, we have lots of waste bins, the return of the general waste bin was overlooked as you said because Dad thought no one was coming and as you know we took a couple of days away for a holiday. All is back to normal again now - Our sincerest apologies,
Stunning and very relaxed site. Environmentally friendly facilities
Primitive grass RV campsite
Liked Loved how relaxed the site was, no set pitches, but everyone had respect for other people's space.
The setting was incredible, owners were super friendly and helpful, checking in before we arrived to check if we needed any wood for a campfire. Great hosts!
Only 1 mile from a great dog friendly pub.
Facilities basic but love how environmentally friendly they are!
Struck lucky with the weather, enjoyed a peaceful break.
Primitive cement/asphalt and grass tent or trailer tent campsite
Liked Views of the hills, laid back feel
From the manager: We are glad you enjoyed the campsite. Thanks for sharing those beautiful pictures to :-)
enjoyed our two nights here. Facilities were basic, but clean.
Primitive cement/asphalt and grass tent or trailer tent campsite
Liked Location. Fantastic scenery.
Fire pits available to use, wood can be purchased in site.
Laid back vibe.
Terrible experience – avoid this place
Primitive cement/asphalt and grass tent or trailer tent campsite
Liked Nothing
Disliked The entire place was full of animal faeces — it was absolutely disgusting. The toilets were extremely dirty and unhygienic, and the whole site felt completely neglected.
We spoke to Suzie, the person in charge, who initially agreed to give us a refund due to the poor conditions. However, after we left, she changed her story and refused to refund us. This kind of behaviour is dishonest and shows a complete lack of professionalism.
Do yourself a favour and stay somewhere else — this place is not worth your time or money
From the manager: Hi David,
I’m sorry to hear that your experience didn’t meet expectations. I want to offer clarity for future guests and respond to your concerns sincerely.
When your group arrived, it included six people, though the booking was made for three. When I addressed this, you informed me you wouldn't be staying due to the compost toilets not being what you had expected — clearly mentioned in our listing. I suggested following up via Pitchup or by email, and I welcomed a discussion about a refund.
After our conversation, you emailed me directly, and I offered you a 50% discount on a future stay as a gesture of goodwill — despite the circumstances. I believe this was a fair response.
The toilets were clean, as confirmed by both myself and other campers on-site at the time, and I’m proud of the consistent positive feedback we receive about our facilities and the peaceful atmosphere here.
I understand we won’t be the right fit for everyone, but I do take all feedback seriously and always aim to improve. Wishing you all the best in your future travels.
Suzie
Features
Pop-up campground
Dogs allowed
Campfires 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 WatersportsAmenities 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 WifiGroups welcome
Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Rallies welcome Scouts welcome Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcomeRules
Barbecue grills allowed Barbecue provided Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all yearThemes
Budget/backpacker Hikers’ paradise Lake and/or mountain Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Wild camping Wildlife havenUtilities
Charging facilities Dump station Electric car charging point(s) Propane/gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energyNearby amenities
Bar nearby Dog walk nearbyType
Farm Pop-up campground Small (11-25 sites)Accessibility
Accessible parking at siteNearby leisure
Canoeing/kayaking nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horseback riding nearby Restaurant nearby Tennis nearby Watersports nearbyLocation
Wildscapes Retreat and Campsite
High Greenside
Greenside Lane
Ravenstonedale
Kirkby Stephen
Cumbria
England
CA17 4LU
Timezone
Europe/London +0100 (GMT+01:00)
GPS
54.42973°N
2.45045°W
Nearest transport
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
Water quality at nearby bathing waters
Name | Distance | Type | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Morecambe North | 29.4 mi | Estuary | Good | N/A | Good | Good |
Data source: European Environment Agency
Must see
Sizergh Castle and Garden 16.4 mi
Levens Hall & Gardens 17.7 mi
High Force Waterfall 18.6 mi
The World of Beatrix Potter 19.4 mi
Windermere Lake Cruises, Bowness 19.6 mi
National Trust
Acorn Bank Garden and Watermill 16.2 mi
Sizergh Castle and Garden 16.4 mi
Townend 18.7 mi
Windermere and Troutbeck 18.9 mi
Hill Top 21.6 mi
Cycle routes
Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.
Other
The Howgills Traverse - Sedbergh 2.8 mi
Smardale Wildlife Reserve 3.3 mi
Kirkby Stephen - Nateby - Wharton Hall - Lammerside Castle 4.9 mi
Great Asby Scar Circular 5 mi
Kirkby Stephen - Nine Standards Rigg 5.1 mi
Local events
- Kendal Calling (Thursday, July 31, 2025 – Thursday, July 31, 2025)
Penrith, England 16.1 mi
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 campgrounds
Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable campgrounds.
Want to know more about camping in The Lake District and Cumbria?
Frequently asked questions
- Does Wildscapes Retreat and Campsite have a swimming pool? No View all features
- Is Wildscapes Retreat and Campsite dog friendly? Yes View all features
- What attractions are near Wildscapes Retreat and Campsite? Local attractions and activities include: - Ravenstonedale (pubs): five minutes’ drive - Kirkby Stephen (market town): 10 minutes - Gamelands Stone Circle: 15 minutes - Smardale Gill Viaduct (walks): 20 minutes - … Read more
- When can I check in and check out of Wildscapes Retreat and Campsite?
RV, travel trailer and tent sites Arrive: noon – 8 p.m. Depart by: 11 a.m. On-park accommodation Arrive: 2 p.m. – 8 p.m. Depart by: 11 a.m. - How much does it cost to stay at Wildscapes Retreat and Campsite? From $27.17 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.