Lose yourself to the Lakes and Lancashire with these perfect Cumbrian and northwest campsites
❚ Words Claire Tupholme
HERDWICK CROFT HOLIDAY PARK
Bassenthwaite Lake, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 4RD
T 01768 877789
W herdwickcroft.co.uk
OPEN All year
Just a five-minute walk from the north shores of Bassenthwaite Lake, pitches on Herdwick Croft have views to the Lakeland Fells and are surrounded by countryside and wooded areas. Due to the site’s waterside location, you can easily enjoy paddleboarding, kayaking and fishing on the lake.
There are hardstanding gravel pitches with electric and fully serviced pitches. Facilities on site include toilets, showers and a launderette. There is also a bar and bistro with indoor and outdoor seating, open for lunch, snacks, pizza and drinks.
For nearby attractions, The Lakes Distillery is a few minutes’ walk away, and the Lake District Wildlife Park is one mile away. Herdwick Croft is 15 minutes’ drive from Keswick (a bus service is available), and Whinlatter Forest Park is eight miles away with lots of walking and cycling trails.
LEISURE LAKES CARAVAN, CAMPING & OUTDOOR PURSUITS CENTRE
Mere Brow, Tarleton, Preston, Lancashire PR4 6JX
T 01772 813446
W leisurelakes.co.uk
OPEN All year
The perfect choice for an active holiday, this campsite is set within the Leisure Lakes Outdoor Pursuits Centre. Here you can enjoy various activities, over 300 acres of countryside, including walking, cycling, fishing and birdwatching. For fans of golf there is a golf course and training academy, and the more adventurous can take to jet skis on the lakes themselves.
The site is surrounded by trees and there are 125 pitches, featuring a mix of hardstanding and grass, most with electric. Facilities on the site include toilets, showers, a laundry room, a bar and an adventure playground.
Just off site there is a pub serving food, a deli and a bus stop, just over half a mile away. A 10-minute drive is Rufford Old Hall, a National Trust Tudor house and garden. Southport is 20 minutes away with its beach and botanic gardens. Anyone travelling with children might enjoy Windmill Animal Farm, just four miles away.
SKELWITH FOLD CARAVAN PARK
Ambleside, Cumbria LA22 0HY
T 01539 432277
W skelwith.com
OPEN 1 March – 19 November
Set in the heart of the Lake District National Park, Skelwith Fold is more than your average campsite. The 70 standard and 22 premium pitches are nestled within 130 acres of woodland and natural areas. There are plenty of woodland paths to follow, leading to a mystical tarn and giving breathtaking views of the Langdale Pikes and surrounding fells. Rec
