Gill Head Farm

View prices & book 9.5 1,145 reviews
Camp life
Camp life
Exterior
Tent pitches
Tent piches
Pitches
Gorgeous views
Tent pitches
Exterior
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Exterior
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Tent piches

  • Working hill farm in the north of the Lake District National Park
  • A 15-minute drive from Keswick and Penrith; 10 minutes from Ullswater
  • Stunning views of Blencathra and the Northern Fells
Check out those views… family-run Gill Head Farm is a scenic place indeed, with a backdrop of Blencathra and the Northern Fells. And it’s a cinch to get to as well – this site on the banks of Trout Beck is less than a mile from the A66, so you can get your fix of proper rural time without having to navigate miles of winding lanes. It’s often said that visitors to the Lake District National Park are spoilt for choice when it comes to activities – and that’s certainly true at this Cumbria site. Days of hikes, horse riding, watersports, climbing, visiting historic houses and wild swimming are among the many options around here. If you don’t know where to start, have a chat with the owners – as outdoorsy folk themselves they’re happy to help plan your adventures and offer up local tips. Whatever you get up to by day, it also must be noted that those views make a great setting for an evening by the campfire – handily, there are firepits to hire on site, and bags of logs and kindling for sale. What if it’s not campfire weather? Retreat to the indoor communal area which has comfy seating, a dining area and a little kitchen area (with microwaves, kettles, a fridge and a freezer) – or take the 15-minute walk to the local pub. To stock up on food for your barbecues/picnics there are plenty of shops in Penrith and Keswick, both 15 minutes’ drive away (or get to Keswick on the bus). Back at base, facilities include a laundry room and a shower/toilet block that was done up in 2019 to offer spacious and clean amenities. Please note that group bookings are strictly not allowed at Gill Head Farm. Due to the rural location, the wifi also does not cover the whole site and is limited to a hotspot in the communal room.

Campground type

Camper sites 8
RV sites 8
Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 11
Tent sites 10
Open now
Opens March 21
Please note
  • Group bookings of 2 or more units (e.g. tent, caravan, RV or accommodation hire) traveling together are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Group bookings of 3 or more adults are not permitted (couples and immediate family members excepted).
  • Single-sex bookings of 4 or more people (couples and immediate family members excepted) are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • No bachelor/bachelorette parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Bookings must not be for more than 14 consecutive nights.
  • The park caters for families (immediate members) and couples only - bookings from all other forms of groups are not accepted.
  • At least one of the party members must be aged 21 or over.
  • Minimum spacing of 4 metres between pitches.
  • This is a quiet park: no music is allowed.
  • If making a fire, the fuel, logs and coal have to be purchased on site.
  • Guests are advised to bring a good quality flashlight with them as parts of the park are unlit.
  • No naked flames are allowed inside the hired accommodation units.
  • No electric barbecues allowed.
  • Roof tents, trailer tents and campervans are only permitted on the gravel pitches.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Fri, Mar 21 to

Campsite types & availability

Accommodation

Tent sitesCamper sitesRV sitesLodges, cabins, pods or hutsMobile homes for rentRent a tent
Choose your dates
2 adults
0 children
Other options

Reviews

9.5

Overall rating from 1,145 Pitchup.com customers

  • 79%
    10
  • 2%
    9
  • 13%
    8
  • 0%
    7
  • 3%
    6
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    5
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    3
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    1
Location
 10
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 7
Spectacular sceneryPeaceful

96% would recommend this campground to a friend

94% would stay here again

What customers say

Gill Head Farm offers a welcoming, well-kept stay with stunning views & friendly staff. Guests praise the excellent, clean facilities. Its Lake District location is ideal for exploring, with families enjoying the play area & relaxed vibe. Road noise is minimal.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 115
Arrival date (latest first)

Did a solo trip with my border collie, Connie. We absolutely loved…

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
Olivia N.

Primitive grass tent campsite

Liked Did a solo trip with my border collie, Connie. We absolutely loved it! Initially booked one night but extended it to two. All of the facilities were great, I had no problem with the pitch, weather was a little drizzly but experienced no issues. I spoke to one of the owners and she was lovely and had no problem letting me extend another night. Was a little anxious being on my own but I soon met some wonderful neighbouring campers that really made my time here special. The site just felt so friendly and safe and definitely attracts the right family friendly crowd. The first night was one of the nights they had fresh pizzas being made on site, don’t forget to pre-order like I did though as I missed the sign :( Location is in a great spot, not too far from Penrith town & Blencartha is just down the road. I travelled to Raven Crag and it wasn’t far at all. I will 1000% be back, you made my first time solo camping a dream and Connie absolutely loved it too 😊

Recommend to friends Visit again

We will be visiting again, excellent site

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
Lee P.

Power optional grass tent campsite

Liked Excellent site!!!!

Disliked Nothing really…some noisy neighbours on first night but not the site’s fault…

Recommend to friends Visit again

Easy to find, beautiful area, well layed out,…

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
Anonymous

Powered grass and gravel travel trailer campsite

Liked Easy to find, beautiful area, well layed out,

Recommend to friends Visit again

Wonderful campsite. Stayed at the riverside pitch which was secluded and next…

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
Mondana M.

Primitive grass tent campsite (riverside)

Liked Wonderful campsite. Stayed at the riverside pitch which was secluded and next to the lovely waterfall. Very tranquil. Kids enjoyed going into the stream and crossing to get to the waterfall. Facilities are great onsite including the communal area. Will say that the riverside pitches are a bit of a walk from showers, washing up etc. Not an issue but worth being aware.

Disliked Toilet portaloos by riverside campsite have a terrible stench. I know it must be limited at that side of the campsite but you are best going further to the next block.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Would stay again. Excellent base for exploring the lakes.

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 8
Value for money
 8
Accommodation
 8
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 6
Child friendliness
 9
Cleanliness
 5
Wifi
 1
Anonymous

Camping pod (no pets)

Liked Lovely location, very respectful guests.
Good size glamping pod.

Disliked Parking very tight.
Toilets could do with a better more regular clean.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely well run site! Thanks

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
Jeff F.

Power optional grass tent campsite

Liked Everything about the place is lovely
Showers and toilets are immaculate
The scenery and site lovely
As are the people

Disliked Nothing!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent camp site, we couldn't find a single fault.

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
 9
claire e.

Power optional grass tent campsite

Liked Facilities were great, the communal area was fabulous addition.
The children loved the play area, lovely dog run walk and the site itself was so clean and tidy with fabulous views.
We will definitely be back!

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Very clean and well kept site. Pretty level pitch’s and very spacious

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
Adam B.

Primitive grass tent campsite

Liked Really close to a lot of tourist attractions, most within 1 hours drive. Fridge,freezer and charging stations where a great help while camping without electricity.
Site had quite time between 10pm and 8am which was also good.
Small shop on site sold fire wood ect, wasn’t always staffed but there was always a note with a way to find or contact the staff if the shop was shut which was really helpful.

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Fantastic site!

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
 5
Harriet G.

Primitive grass tent campsite

Liked Fantastic site, child friendly. Great park, clean facilities. Really safe for kids to play out.

Disliked Small amount of road noise from A66 but nothing major.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely side with nice and clean facilities, friendly staff, 👌 pitches

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
Anonymous

Power optional grass tent campsite

Liked Lovely location, very clean, lovely view, pizza on the side freshly made, many atractions for everyone all around, facilities very nice and clean. Absolutely amazing. We will be back soon

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

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 Watersports

Amenities on park

Bath available Car parking by site/unit 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 Rallies welcome Scouts welcome 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 Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Communal freezer Communal fridge Dump station Electric car charging point(s) Propane/gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Convenience store nearby Dog walk nearby Nearby farmers' market Public transportation nearby

Type

Farm Medium (26-50 sites)

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horseback riding nearby Indoor pool nearby Mountain biking nearby Outdoor pool nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Tennis nearby Watersports nearby

Touring and motorhomes

Seasonal sites

Location

Gill Head Farm

Troutbeck

Penrith

Cumbria

England

CA11 0ST

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

54.6334°N
2.96195°W

Nearest transport

Bus
7.6 mi Bus Station
8.4 mi Rail Station
12.6 mi Lakeside House for Dove Cottage
Rail
8.4 mi Penrith North Lakes Rail Station
12.7 mi Langwathby Rail Station
13.1 mi Lazonby & Kirkoswald Rail Station
Ferry
5.6 mi Pooley Bridge Ullswater Ferry Landing
5.8 mi Howtown Ullswater Ferry Landing
6.2 mi 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

Ullswater is the nearest of the lakes at 10 minutes’ drive away, so that’s as good a place to start as any – stop by at Aira Force waterfall on your way down there, then get down to the lake itself for waterside walks, steamer cruises and various watersports – or even a wild swim if you’re feeling brave. Over on the banks of Derwentwater, Keswick (15 minutes’ drive) is another good place to explore, with a brewery, The Puzzling Place and the Derwent Pencil Museum as well as boat trips and paddleboards to hire. Walkers of all varieties have much to choose from around here, from gentle lakeside wanders to uphill scrambles at Blencathra and Helvellyn, both of which are close by. The folk on the farm are happy to suggest routes to suit – or point you towards the likes of Dalemain Mansion (15 minutes), Mirehouse & Gardens (20 minutes) or Lowther Castle (25 minutes) for stately-home strolls.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Allonby 21 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Seascale 26.8 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
St Bees 27.7 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Dalemain Historic House & Gardens 5.8 mi

Castlerigg Stone Circle 5.9 mi

Ullswater Steamers 6.2 mi

The Rheged Centre 7.2 mi

Mirehouse Historic House and Gardens 9.1 mi

National Trust

Grasmere and Great Langdale 13.7 mi

Acorn Bank Garden and Watermill 14.5 mi

Townend 15.5 mi

Wordsworth House and Garden 16.4 mi

Windermere and Troutbeck 17 mi

Cycle routes

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

Other

Blencathra Classic - Sharp Edge and Narrow Edge 2.3 mi

Mungrisdale - Bannerdale Crags 2.3 mi

Threlkeld - Blencathra - Sharp Edge - Scales - Threlkeld 3.9 mi

Threlkeld, Westcoe and Keswick Railway 3.9 mi

Aira Force - Dockray - Dowthwaitehead - Aira Force 4.5 mi

Local events

  • Kendal Calling (Thursday, July 31, 2025 – Thursday, July 31, 2025)

    Penrith, England 10.1 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 Gill Head Farm have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Gill Head Farm dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Gill Head Farm? Ullswater is the nearest of the lakes at 10 minutes’ drive away, so that’s as good a place to start as any – stop by at Aira Force waterfall on your way … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Gill Head Farm?
    RV, travel trailer and tent sites
    Arrive:  1 p.m. –  7 p.m.
    Depart by:  11:30 a.m.
    On-park accommodation
    Arrive:  1 p.m. –  7 p.m.
    Depart by:  10:30 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Gill Head Farm? From $36.96 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.