Both establishments, The Screes Inn and The Strands Hotel, are inviting, with log fires for chilly days or gardens that must fall into the ‘best pub view’ category in warmer weather. The Strands Hotel, a CAMRA award-winning pub, has its own micro-brewery, so a fresh pint is always available. Both pubs are within staggering distance of the campsite, but if you feel the need to work up an appetite, make for The Bridge Inn on the edge of the River Irt in the neighbouring village of Santon Bridge – here you can listen to some tall tales, for it’s the location of one of Britain’s most unique annual competitions: ‘The World’s Biggest Liar’.
Once the blisters have all become too much, the feet begging for an alternative mode of transport, hop aboard ‘La’al Ratty’, the local name for the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, one village farther up the Eskdale Valley at Boot, and chug your way between the peaks. The steam train, which once transported iron ore from the mines, now operates an impressive 7-mile route that beats any commuter journey, and completes its travels at the quietly understated seaside town of Ravenglass.
Stretching along the coastline towards the mouth of the Solway Firth and the Scottish border, the Georgian town of Whitehaven offers an alternative view from the mountains. It has a fascinating history, with shipbuilding, coal exports and the trading of exotic goods all considered important industries at one time; it’s little wonder there’s plenty of spice in the local specialities.
Church Stile Farm Holiday Park
Nether Wasdale, Seascale, Cumbria, CA20 1ET
01946 726252
Opening times: 1 March to 1 November
Facilities: 70 pitches, 24 hook-ups, clean and tidy amenity block with free showers, toilets, washbasins and familydisabled facilities, laundry room with iron, washing-up sinks, recycling bins, children’s playground and ball area. Two glamping ‘shepherd’s huts’. Planning restrictions mean that motorhomes only can stay at this site.
How to get there: From A595 Barrow-in-Furness to Cockermouth road, turn off at Gosforth with signs for Wasdale. After 3 miles, turn right and drop down into Nether Wasdale; the site is on the left after the two inns and the church.
Food & drink: Both pubs in the village serve good, hearty dishes of local fare. For something really special, Low Wood Hall Country House Hotel and Restaurant sits on the hill above Nether Wasdale with great views over the village towards the Screes. Church Stile Farm also has its own farm shop and cafe.
Nearby attractions: Muncaster Castle, the beaches of the west coast, Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
Alternative campsite: Ravenglass Camping & Caravanning Club Site (www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk, tel.: 01229 717250). A quiet, tree-filled campsite next to open fields and within walking distance of the town and narrow-gauge railway.
Top Left: Parked motorhomes at Church Stile Farm; Bottom Left: A view over picturesque Wastwater; Right: Walking alongside Wastwater
Borrowdale
Cumbria
Derwentwater
With names such as ‘The Avenue’, ‘Cat Bells’ and ‘Lakeside Gardens’, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were on the set of an American soap. These are, in fact, the enclaves from which to select a pitch at Borrowdale Caravan Club Site, where you can glimpse the south-western fringe of Derwentwater and Borrowdale.
Sited on land owned by the National Trust and managed by the Caravan Club (non-members are welcome), the campsite is hidden beneath a canopy of woodland, with four pitch enclosures separated by marshy areas teeming with wildlife, which are in themselves a major attraction. The wardens have put up nest boxes and bird feeders everywhere so guests can watch red squirrels and birds from the comfort of their ‘vans – you can even buy bird food at the reception area.
Leave the television at home and on arrival turn off your mobile phone. You won’t need the former and the neighbouring fells are unkind to signal reception for the latter. Instead, fling open the ‘van door, don a stout pair of boots and take a deep gulp of fresh, lakeside air. Soporific, it’s a great aid to a good night’s sleep, as is the gentle sound of the trickling stream that cuts across the entrance to the site.
Low Manesty is a campsite that is enjoyed by the self-sufficient. While there are the basic requirements, such as freshwater taps, chemical toilet emptying points and waste disposal facilities, there are no ugly shower blocks to blot the peaceful surroundings, so you need to use your own on-board resources or brave the chilly temperatures of Derwentwater and bathe alfresco.
Birdwatching at Borrowdale
Beauty lies beyond the campsite, too, with the views of the fells and lake tantalizing through the tree trunks. There’s some serious fell walking to be had within a few steps of the site entrance, where the climb of Black Crag begins. But there are less stenuous strolls, too, and these are even feasible with an off-road, three-wheeler pushchair when the family is in tow. Two footpaths from the site take you down to Lake Manesty Woods or Derwentwater, connecting up with public paths, lake views northwards or through fields around the southern tip to the nearby village of Grange. There are plenty of places to paddle along the lake shore and within 20 minutes walk of the campsite is the High Brandelhow landing stage for the launch service around Derwentwater, undoubtedly one of the finest ways to travel. Alternatively, the Keswick–Buttermere bus stops right outside the site entrance.
For a fine walk with refreshment, follow the Cumbria Way that skirts the lakeside edge of the campsite to the village of Grange where you’ve a choice of eateries to warm the cockles and boost the energy levels. Grange Cafe has the better food and service but the Grange Bridge Cottage Tea Shop wins on location, for the tea garden overlooks the River Derwent and the double-humpback bridge that gives the tea room its name. For an upmarket evening meal, the Borrowdale Gates Hotel is within walking distance of the campsite.
The Borrowdale/Lorton Vale road is one great loop and, beyond Seatoller, the Honister Pass has a 1:4 gradient unsuitable for towing caravans – and even large motorhomes, unless you’re really confident of your vehicle’s braking system – so the only way to and from the site is via Keswick. The Caravan Club’s recommended route is through the village of Grange, but go easy on the double-humpback bridge and watch for narrowing roads, as walkers often park their cars along the verge, making it mighty tight in places.
The campsite is a great base for exploring the northern lakes, such as the lesser-known Bassenthwaite or wooded Thirlmere, the poetically named Buttermere (with the remains of the District’s most well-known walker, Alfred Wainwright, buried in the village of the same name), Cockermouth (the birthplace of poet William Wordsworth) or, a little farther east, Ullswater. There are also some gentle walks to be found along the eastern shores of Derwentwater, with off-road parking at various National Trust car parks along Borrowdale.
Borrowdale Caravan Club Site
Manesty, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5UG
01768 777275