There’s a pitch to suit all tastes at Lanefoot Farm. Love views? Park yourself in the big open field with a stonking vista of Skiddaw. Taking the kids? Head for the cosy family field. Seen the weather forecast and fancy a bit of shelter? Pop into the back garden of the farmhouse and find yourself a quiet spot among the wildflowers and trees.
There’s been a campsite in this little corner near Keswick since the 1960s, but it had rather fallen into decline when wonderfully amiable owners Gareth and Helen took it over a few years ago and injected it with new life (and some free-range chickens).
The result is a site that’s constantly on the up, with the sort of facilities you’d be happy to eat your dinner off and a collection of new glamping options for folks who call themselves ‘campers’ but are suspiciously lacking in a tent. Pods and shepherd’s huts, tucked beneath the trees, offer an affordable alternative – where you bring your own gear and sleeping bag, yet benefit from insulation, electricity and double glazed doors – while a vintage 1960’s caravan is a perfect luxury hideout for folks who love a touch of the old-school style.
For campers and glampers alike, though, the atmosphere here is one of laid-back, relaxation combined with a few necessary practicalities. There’s a little shop on site, chickens roaming free, and a friendly chatty atmosphere, while cyclists in particular are impeccably well catered for – the site is bang on the C2C route and there are mountain bike trails aplenty in the nearby Whinlatter Forest.
For most it is this proximity to all things outdoors that make for such a winning site. Arguably there are few such well-known spots in the Lake District National Park than this staggeringly beautiful landscape in its north west corner. Pub quiz devotees will also be excited to learn that nearby Bassenthwaite Lake is home to the vendace, Britain’s rarest fish. Next question please, landlord.