UKC

Hi,

Are there any really basic campsites in the Lake District,  preferably north east side.  e.g. comparable to field in Bosherton? Key requirement is not needing to book,  just drive in and pitch up. 

All the online bookings seem fully booked this weekend despite schools being back. 

Cheers

I was going to ask exactly the same thing. Whatever happened to just rocking up and putting s couple of quid in a tin by the gate. These days it seems so profiteer oriented it kinda defeats the point of budget travel

It is precisely because of the lack of cheap campsites that people buy a van after all. Sowing, reaping etc. 

Syke Farm, Buttermere may be worth a try:

https://sykefarmcampsite.wordpress.com/

YHA borrowdsle gets my vote but its at least V2

The one in the Duddon valley? There were also always a few towards the southern end of borrowdale. I have no idea if any of these are open this year though.

There are usually plenty – check ukcampsite.com for a start – however UK Gov guidelines are currently necessitating strict control of numbers, recording of visitors, increased cleaning schedules and social distancing measures. So as with bars and restaurants most (all?) are that are open are operating on limited capacity with prebooking essential. Many of the budget walk-in farmers field sites are currently not econmical to open.

Was in the same situation trying to find one last week. I don't think they exist in The Lakes. In places like Pembroke and The Peak there is a market for that kind of place but campsites in The Lakes are so heavily subscribed that why would they charge £3 and give you a toilet and sink when they could charge you £10 and give you a coin-operated shower too? All the campsites are heavily subscribed at the minute and people ultimately want to pay more to have the facilities and be able to drive up to their pitch. 

Covid is also a massive factor. The campsites can't have people turning up late without checking in, as they are obliged to keep a list and contact details of all guests. Can't really do that if climbers are 'rocking up' and leaving when they feel like it. 

If campsites make their money from booking big families, they have to make it family-friendly as a site. That means if they have a 'no noise after 10pm' rule, they can't have people turning up and pitching their tent at midnight.

We ended up getting a Premier Inn in Carlisle because we couldn't get to any campsites before their cut-off time.  

The campsites are full of people paying £10pp a night on their family camping trip. They don't want your £3.  

What's the state of the two at the end of borrowdale these days (stonethwaite and seathwaite?)

Vans aren't exactly welcome many places in the Lakes either

I think the one at Seatoller is open (my mate runs the yurt business there).

There's one at Fell Foot Farm, next to Loughrigg Tarn. 

Thirlspot Farm (on main road, top end Thirlmere).

All these are simple fields, basic amenities.

Hollows farm Borrowdale?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-53804526

Don't know at present but when this article appeared there was a bit of background from the owners on Facebook. Situation seemed dire. 

Stonethwaite closed for sure, it looked awful when i ran past it a few days before they chose to close, looked like Glastonbury but without the fun.

There was one in the field after the Stonethwaite turn off on the right (is that one Chapel House Farm, maybe overflow filed as it had chemical toilets plonked in it?) that was open, although how they are covid safe with a bank of 10 chemical toilets i'm not sure

Somebody above mentioned the one at Thirlspot, that's open, or was a few week back when i drove past.

Think that should be open, more facilities than the others (my mate had yurts on there too, but farmer wanted to do it so kicked him off).

Thanks all, good info. Didn't mean to suggest limited to low budget,  just that the more basic sites tend to be easier to just pitch up.

Agree with the Covid reqs to collate tracing details,  easy enough to pass on details when you pay

bays brown farm nr langdale

Hi,

On bank holiday weekend me and a mate just turned up at a site in Borrowdale, very close to Borrowdale YHA (I don't remember the name). It was probably 7:30pm on a Saturday night on the busiest weekend of the year, the farmer was really nice, he saw that we were climbers and immediately found space for us. £6 per night, basic facilities, would recommend. Hope this helped. 

Turner Hall Farm near Seathwaite in Duddon Valley is lovely, not expensive  and has great showers!  You do need to book but we phoned up just before August Bank Holiday and had no problem. 

Plus it seems the pub nearby has just re-opened. https://www.facebook.com/turnerhallcampsite/

How about the one at Wasdale Head?