Penrith Camping

Camping and glamping in Penrith

The market town of Penrith is surrounded by classic Cumbrian scenery with some lovely camping and glamping sites tucked among stone walled meadows. It’s a short drive or a long walk to reach the edge of the Lake District National Park with Ullswater just six miles from town. Home to the highest mountains and the largest lakes in England, the Lake District needs little introduction. It’s often astonishing scenery and history has earned it a place as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been inspiring writers and artists for centuries. Penrith is closest to the North Lakes area, where the highest peaks of the park dominate the view. Whether you want to walk, climb, pedal or sail in the Lake District, during your next camping or glamping holiday, we should have a campsite to suit you. The Cool Camping collection features a range of campsites from places to simply pitch a tent or park up a campervan to glamping sites with gypsy wagons, shepherds' huts, cabins, camping pods and more besides.

Things to do in Penrith

Once the capital of all of Cumbria, Penrith has a long and fascinating history which you can found out about at the Penrith Museum, which is housed alongside the tourist information in an Elizabethan building. The now ruined Penrith Castle dates back even further, to the late 14th century when it was built to defend against the Scots and nearby Brougham Castle offers more substantial remains to visit.

The Lake District National Park provides an almost endless supply of things to do while you’re camping in Penrith. Walkers and hikers will have thousands of miles of footpaths to choose from, with the high peak of Helvellyn not too far to consider. At Ullswater, you can cruise the waters on a historic Ullswater Steamer or hire a kayak or canoe to paddle through the water at a more leisurely pace; Ullswater is the Lake District’s second largest lake – so there’s room enough for everyone. The shores of the lake, and specifically, Glencoyne Bay are said to have inspired Wordsworth’s most-famous poem, Daffodils. Further afield, you can visit England’s largest lake at Windermere, Wordsworth’s home at Grasmere and sites associated with the writer Beatrix Potter. Visit the tourist information centre in Penrith and check out the Lake District National Park website for more ideas on things to do in the area.