Wondering what’s on over the summer holidays for families? Check out our What’s On guide.
Visiting the Lake District with kids is all about getting outdoors, and camping is one of the best ways to experience the national park as a family. From simple, back-to-nature campsites to larger holiday parks with playgrounds and facilities, there are plenty of family campsites in the Lake District to choose from.
To make it easier, we’ve rounded up 12 of the best family campsites across the Lake District. Whether you’re looking for a quiet, back-to-basics pitch or a well-equipped base for exploring the many things to do in the Lake District with kids, there’s something here for every family.
All sites have been visited by Lake District Kids reviewers or recommended by trusted parents. The Lake District weather can be unpredictable, so pack for all conditions and book ahead during busy periods.
If you prefer a bit more comfort and luxury with your camping, check out our top Lake District glamping sites for families, or alternatively, have you considered staying at a Lake District YHA?
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Should you click to purchase, it is at no additional cost to you, but I receive a small commission.
1. Park Foot, Ullswater
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📅Open February half term, Closes Mid November
Park Foot is one of the best family campsites in the Lake District if you’re looking for somewhere lively with plenty going on. Set on the shores of Ullswater, families have direct access to the lake and a small beach, making it ideal for paddling, watersports, and long summer evenings by the water.
There is loads here to keep children entertained, including two playgrounds, bike hire, pony trekking, and sailing, plus a restaurant and shop on site. Families will also appreciate the modern amenity blocks, complete with family rooms and even a dog wash. For those travelling car-free, Park Foot also offers a sustainable travel discount for guests arriving by foot, bike, or public transport.
Who can stay: tents, caravans, motorhomes, campervans
Toilets: ✅
Showers: ✅
Dog friendly: ✅
Playground: ✅ two play areas
2. Castlerigg Hall, Keswick
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📅OPEN MARCH TO END OF OCTOBER
Castlerigg Hall is a family-friendly campsite set above Derwentwater, with some of the best views in the Lake District and a brilliant base for exploring Keswick and nearby walks like Catbells. It’s also a short walk to the impressive Castlerigg Stone Circle.
Families staying here benefit from plenty of space for children to explore, with a large open playing field and plenty of room to run around safely. The site has a dedicated tent camping field, along with touring pitches for caravans and motorhomes, ranging from simple hardstanding to fully serviced options, some with lake views. Facilities include toilets, showers, a shop, and a well-equipped Campers’ Kitchen for cooking and washing up.
Who can stay: tents, caravans, motorhomes, campervans
Toilets: ✅
Showers: ✅
Dog friendly: ✅
Playground: ❌ but large playing field and space to explore
3. Low Wray Campsite, Windermere
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📅OPEN FEBRUARY TO END OF OCTOBER
We love a lakeside campsite and this one is particularly lovely. Located on the western shores of Lake Windermere, Low Wray campsite is run by the National Trust. The pitches can have lake, woodland, meadow or fell views, and you can choose which of these you’d like on booking. There is a shop and a laundry on site.
Low Wray campsite is close to Wray Castle (also National Trust) which is always interesting to visit, or if you’d rather have fun on the lake the site’s Active Base provides kayak, canoe and stand-up paddleboards for hire if you don’t have your own. Bike hire is also available, with hybrid, mountain and e-bikes available. You can put the mountain bikes to the test at nearby Grizedale Forest, which is great fun for families. Don’t fancy cooking? Then order a wood-fired pizza from Nomad Pizzas on-site.
Who can stay: tents, caravans, motorhomes, campervans
Toilets: ✅
Showers: ✅
Dog friendly: ✅
Playground: ✅
4. Troutbeck Head Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite
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📅OPEN MID-MARCH TO END OF OCTOBER
This site is a favourite of Lake District Kids writer, Michelle, as it was the first site her family ever took their caravan to. It was recommended as a straightforward site, and they’ve been back multiple times.
Located just off the A66 fairly near to Rheged, Troutbeck Head is run by the Caravan and Motorhome Club. It’s a really flat, really simple site with a shop (cash only) and a little playground. You will also find access to a little stream just off the dog walking path, with a lovely area to play and throw stones in.
The main draw here is the location, with easy access to Rheged (15 minutes), Keswick (15 minutes) and Ullswater (15 minutes-ish). Non-members are very welcome to stay on site too. Don’t expect too much from the onsite WIFI.
Who can stay: caravans, motorhomes, campervans
Toilets: ✅
Showers: ✅
Dog friendly: ✅with a little area just off site ideal for dog toileting
Playground: ✅
5. Harbour Lights, Haverigg
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📅OPEN YEAR ROUND
Grass Pitches are unsuitable for motorhomes and campervans through the winter due to the increased risk of wet ground and the high risk of getting stuck.
On the fringes of the Lake District, this is a coastal site and well worth including. With a beach on one side (2 mins walk to Haverigg Beach) and views of the fells on the other, Harbour Lights campsite is ideal for a family trip.
The location on the south west tip of the Lake District means this campsite is ideally placed for access to the western fells, but also to the west coast, which is a beautiful and very undiscovered coastline. A journey 30 minutes up the coast brings you to Ravenglass, with the Ravenglass-Eskdale railway which is a favourite for children.
Harbour Lights campsite itself is an easy, flat campsite, with a mix of electric and non-electric pitches, along with a camping pod available to book.
Who can stay: tents, caravans, motorhomes, campervans
Toilets: ✅
Showers: ✅
Dog friendly: ✅
Playground: ❌ but a 2 minute walk to the beach
6. The Quiet Site, Ullswater
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📅OPEN YEAR ROUND
This multi award winning site has become really quite famous, and for good reason. A little different to most other sites, The Quiet Site prides itself on it’s (well deserved) eco credentials that it maintains along with the fact that it’s just a great site.
Super family-friendly, The Quiet Site has both camping pitches and a variety of different glamping options, including pods, cabins, cottages, and hobbit holes. There is a zero-waste shop on site, and a bar with a children’s games room attached. You’ll even find electric car chargers and a doggy wash room to clean up any messy pups after a day in the lakes!
Located close to Ullswater, there are plenty of walks in the area, and it is also a good base for Penrith, Rheged and Keswick.
Who can stay: tents, caravans, motorhomes, campervans
Toilets: ✅
Showers: ✅
Dog friendly: ✅
Playground: ✅ no swings or slides but lots of scope for imaginative play
7. Borrowdale Caravan and Motorhome Club Site
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📅OPEN MID-OCTOBER TO END OF OCTOBER
Some people are put off this site by the lack of toilet block and shower facilities, but it has a simple, back-to-nature appeal that many visitors really value. The site itself is beautifully leafy, with several glade-like areas spread throughout, creating a peaceful and spacious feel.
It sits at the southern end of Derwentwater, with Keswick at the northern end. A gate from the campsite leads across a field to direct lake access, where a boardwalk begins the well-known walk around the lake. From the same point, Catbells is clearly signposted, and there is also easy access along the shoreline paths that weave around Derwentwater’s smaller inlets and bays.
Children especially enjoy the small river that runs through the grounds into the lake, and together with the easy lake access, it provides plenty of simple, outdoor entertainment.
Who can stay: caravans, motorhomes, campervans
Toilets: ❌
Showers: ❌
Dog friendly: ✅
Playground: ❌
8. Great Langdale Campsite
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📅OPEN YEAR ROUND, except Christmas Day and Boxing Day
Set at the foot of Crinkle Crags and Bowfell, this campsite looks like it belongs on a Lake District postcard. Run by the National Trust in the heart of the Langdales, it’s a brilliant base for walking, cycling and exploring nearby lakes.
Great Langdale Campsite is mainly set up for tents, with a handful of motorhome and campervan pitches and nine cosy camping pods for extra comfort. Group bookings are welcome, making it a good option for families travelling together.
There are around 120 informal pitches spread across the meadow-like site, plus a small play area for children. Campervans and motorhomes up to 6.5m are accepted, with hardstanding pitches and electric hook-up available, though caravans are not permitted.
Who can stay: tents, motorhomes, campervans
Toilets: ✅
Showers: ✅
Dog friendly: ✅
Playground: ✅
9. Coniston Park Coppice Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite
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📅OPEN MID-MARCH TO EARLY JANUARY
As the name suggests, Coniston Park Coppice is a leafy, tranquil campsite set in woodland surroundings. Run by the Caravan and Motorhome Club, it has 205 touring pitches, but it rarely feels that large thanks to its layout, with pitches tucked into small glades scattered throughout the site.
There are three play areas spread across the campsite, although the main highlight is the easy access to Coniston Water. A gate at the bottom of the site leads through to the lake; campsite wardens can also help with pitch selection if proximity to the water is preferred. From the gate, it is around a 400-metre walk to the lakeshore ‘beach’.
Coniston village is approximately one mile away.
Who can stay: tents, caravans, motorhomes, campervans
Toilets: ✅
Showers: ✅
Dog friendly: ✅
Playground: ✅ two play areas
10. Castlerigg Farm Camping & Caravan Site
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📅OPEN YEAR ROUND
This is a lovely site, with far reaching views across Derwentwater and the northern Lake District fells. They make sure to state on the website that they do not take large groups, to make sure the site is family friendly and not too loud at night.
The campsite has a field for tents, where electric hook-up pitches can be reserved beforehand, and another field for campervans/motorhomes and caravans. The site is a 5 minute drive from Keswick, or a 30 minute walk through the woods if you’d rather walk. There is a shop on site, and a takeaway van visits daily through the high summer season.
Who can stay: tents, caravans, motorhomes, campervans
Toilets: ✅
Showers: ✅
Dog friendly: ✅There is a dog walk area and even a doggie shower!
Playground: ❌
11. Eskdale National Trust Campsite
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📅OPEN MID-FEBRUARY TO END OF DECEMBER
Perfect for the western lakes and fells, Eskdale campsite is run by the National Trust. Comprising of three flat fields surrounded by 8 acres of meadowed countryside, the site lies at the bottom of the steepest road in England, Hardknott Pass.
The campsite is an easy, pretty campsite with a sense of space and all the amenities you’ll need. You can set up near the play area and the beck, or in a different field if you want to be away from the action. One of the fields is car free too, if you like that set-up.
Eskdale is at one end of the Eskdale-Ravenglass railway, so a lovely activity is to head out to the coast on this. Closer to the campsite you’ll find a river, with stepping stones and rockpools for play. A little walk takes you to Stanley Ghyll Force, a 60 ft high waterfall.
Who can stay: tents, caravans, motorhomes, campervans
Toilets: ✅
Showers: ✅
Dog friendly: ✅
Playground: ✅
12. Wasdale National Trust Campsite
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📅OPEN YEAR ROUND
Deep in the heart of the Lake District, Wasdale campsite is surrounded by beautiful countryside, and one mile away from Wasdale Lake itself. This is campsite for adventurers; it is surrounded by mountain bike trails, and beautiful walks including England’s tallest mountain, Scafell Pike. The nearby lake means paddleboarding and kayaking can also be on the menu, and Wasdale is often much quieter than many of the other lakes because of it’s location.
It is fairly simple site but has everything you need, including a shop, optional electric hook up, and electric charging for bikes. As well as pitches, there are pods, tipis and bell tents you could choose to glamp, and the entire campsite is surrounded by the most beautiful views you could imagine.
Who can stay: tents, caravans, motorhomes, campervans
Toilets: ✅
Showers: ✅
Dog friendly: ✅
Playground: ❌
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