Inside Out Camping
UK England North West England Cumbria Borrowdale
The Borrowdale valley – south of Keswick, at the foot of Derwent Water – pretty much encapsulates what’s best about the Lake District. Apart from the odd small hamlet, this dramatically beautiful landscape (National Trust-owned for the most part) is the preserve of traditional hill farms, one of which has gone into partnership with glamping provider Inside Out Camping – and a more bucolic site is difficult to imagine.
On the banks of the River Derwent, the six rustically-furnished yurts each sleep up to five people, with proper beds for four and the option of a blow-up mattress if you need to pump up the numbers. There’s a wood-burning stove, cooking facilities and a box of games for rainy days, while the hard-wood floors are topped with Morrocan rugs. Yet, while nights beside a fire and sleeping in proper beds has its obvious merits, Inside Out Camping is a place where, really, it’s the setting that sells. The location is an absolute marvel.
Beside your yurt, you can sit and listen to the babbling of the river or roll up your trousers and take a paddle. Around you, meanwhile, some of the greatest mountains of the North Lakes reach to the sky. To the south is Green Gable and Great Gable – which combined make an excellent walk directly from the site – and the long ridge of Glaramara, while, on the north side of Inside Out Camping is 2,470-foot Dale Head. The road next to the site, meanwhile, is the famous Honister Pass and it’s only a steep five-minute drive to its top where Honister Slate Mine is a rightfully popular attraction.
Whether it’s hiking over the pass to Buttermere, taking on the great challenge of climbing Scafell Pike (a 12-mile route from the campsite) or simply lounging by the river and soaking up some sun, you’re bound for a back-to-nature treat in one of the Lakes’ loveliest valleys.
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Details
Facilities
Yurts are 16ft and can comfortably accommodate 5 people, with 2 single beds (can be pushed together as a double), a double futon bed (folded away into a sofa by day) and an air bed for the fifth person. All bedding and linen provided. Wood-burning stove, raised wooden floors and rugs, well-equipped kitchen (gas hobs, grill, utensils) and a box full of games for rainy days. Toilets and washing up sinks are a couple of minutes away, though it’s a longer walk (5 mins) for a hot shower. It’s National Trust land – so no campfires, though each yurt has a BBQ. Mobile phone signal can be very patchy!
Suitable For
Glamping only. Couples, families, small mixed groups, dogs (with prior notice) – yes.Nearby
Seatoller Farm is handy for serious climbs up Scafell Pike, Great Gable and others. The major town of Keswick (market days on Thursday and Saturday) is 5 miles up the road (there’s a regular bus), and there are cruise-launch piers all around nearby Derwent Water (017687 77263) so you can leave the car at the campsites for the duration.Food & Drink
Grange Bridge Cottage Tea Shop (017687 77201) is perfect for riverside teas and lunches, and no less than Prince Charles is a regular visitor to the Flock-In café and farm-shop at Rosthwaite’s Yew Tree Farm (017687 77675). Best valley pub is the Riverside Bar at the Scafell Hotel, also in Rosthwaite – you can walk from either site, but take a torch for the journey back.
Opening Times
Easter–end of October.
Why book with Cool Camping?
- Best Price Guarantee, with no fees
- Instant booking confirmation
- Trusted for over 10 years
- A chance to win prizes in our regular competitions
The Owner Says
Inside Out Camping's Yurts in Seatoller, Borrowdale provide you with affordable luxury in a really beautiful place. It's the ideal place to come and stay with family or friends as you can wander by the River Derwent close to the site or walk straight out on to the fells.
From the quaint Lake District town of Keswick you drive along the shores of Derwentwater into the breathtakingly stunning Borrowdale valley and on to the foot of Honister pass. Here you will find our luxurious yurts from where you can seek excitement and adventure or just relax and reconnect with nature in this stunning picturesque location.
We have have 6 yurts at the Seatoller farm, in the Borrowdale valley near Keswick. All our yurts are 16ft in diameter and can accommodate 5 people.
The inside of our yurts are high enough to give enough room to walk around comfortably and the structure is equipped to cope with any British weather that may be thrown at them! There's cosy duvets and a wood burning stove to keep you comfy whenever you need.
The Lake District is world renowned for its natural beauty, receiving UNESCO World Heritage site status in 2017. This accolade only went to confirm what everyone who visits this area already knew. We believe here in Borrowdale we have the views and landscape to rival anywhere in the world.
Accommodation
6 family-sized yurts in a very private area of a larger campsite.
Location
Contact Inside Out Camping, Seatoller Farm Campsite, Seatoller, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 5XN
Getting There
From Keswick, take the B5289 south to Borrowdale, along the shores of Derwent Water, and beyond for approx 7½ miles. You will drive past the Scafell Inn at Rosthwaite. Before you are in Seatoller, make a left turn for Seathwaite. The yurts are in the campsite field (on the left) immediately after a small bridge, only 10m from the junction. You should see them easily from the road.
There is a bus from Keswick (78) that runs up and down the Borrowdale Valley. The bus stop is a few mins walk from the yurts.
Reviews
Add Your ReviewRated ★★★★★ over 13 reviews
Great Yurts and location
Not so glamorous
Yurt4U
Not So Glamorous...
My partner and I spent 4 nights "glamping" here a couple of weeks ago and I am sorry to say that the experience was far from glamorous...
We arrived at the campsite after driving down a track unsuitable for cars to find the tent and its surroundings infested by midges. The Yurt itself seemed cute and the views were lovely. On entering the yurt that was what looked like a welcome book but how I was wrong... this was in fact a book of dos and dont's which included the need for us to strip our beds and clean the tent on departure.
After searching the website before we went we found out that there was no electricity in the yurts so therefore no fridge to store food & drink. We did find however that there was a BBQ? But no outside seating. There were tea bags and some left over coffee. But no milk.You catch my drift. Great thinking with the solar lighting though and the wood burning stove was a nice touch.
There wasn't any soap in the toilets, no hot water for washing up and the light in the men's toilets seemed to be on a timer of around 20 seconds (much to my partners delight). The showers were great - very hot and powerful but were a 10 minute walk away at the farm where parking is prohibited so walking down in the morning was like doing the walk of shame.
We are not happy campers which is why we opted for the glamping option but unfortunately we were disappointed. I have never reviewed anything before but felt that people should be better informed about what to expect. These are all points that we would have made to Simon had we have met him. We got a deal which meant we paid £32 per night but I would not be willing to spend more than this.
All in all a great idea but lacking attention to detail.
Response from Inside Out Camping
Thanks for taking the time to comment on your stay. It's always good to hear how things went.
The folder in the yurt is to provide information for guests and yes there are quite a few practical do’s and don’ts around keeping safe and looking after the yurt. In my opinion asking to leave the yurt as found isn’t an unreasonable request but i will review the wording in the folder.
I rent a space from the farm who own the regular campsite as a whole and was asked me not to put seating outside for guests – I will though look into the possibility of folding chairs and table etc and how to store them.
Leaving milk in the past has ended with the majority of it unused and left to go off so I decided not to do it anymore and just make sure there is tea and coffee.
I'll check timing of the light in the toilets and due to there being no electricity on the campsite hot water isn’t available and for the same reason the showers have needed been built in the barn 10 mins away.
I will also pass on your comments to the farm re the track to the field.Great Experience!
We stayed over two weeks here last summer in an ordinary tent and it was a great experience! Really great service too...
Lovely view, calm and quiet fields and genuinely family friendly. Lots to do around as well, and some great walks immediately from the site.
Shower blocks and clean toilets make all the difference too...
Inside Out Camping = Brilliant
Myself and 3 friends headed up to The Bell Tent at Hollows Farm for the weekend - and what a great place to stay.
There a solar lights in the tent, a wood burning stove, kettle, futons - this is the way camping should be. None of us own a tent, and The Bell Tent was a great alternative. I'm a converted 'glamper' for life.
The area is also fantastic, we are keen(ish) walkers, and even went for some rowing on Derwent Water. Found the local pub, and had a great breakfast at the Shepherds Cafe in the lovely hamlet 10 mins away. There is also a beautiful river at the bottom of the campsite. Which I fell in.
Simon was great in providing information for us in the run up, so even when we arrived in the dark we knew where we were going.
Highly recommend!
Not just for glampers!
If you are a traditional 'tenter', don't overlook this wonderful campsite. The prices are very reasonable (£6 per adult per night, under 3's free) but don't detract from a beautiful camping experience.
Pooh sticks? The small stream will provide ample opportunity for fun. Dinghys? the river is even flowing and shallow enough for the smallest campers.
The site offers cold water toilet and washing facilities for day to day use and a short walk (5mins) provides beautiful hot showers with unlimited time allocation.
This is a turn up and pitch site, no bookings taken, but has plenty of room and never seems to get overcrowded.
Enjoy your stay!
Inside out camping
We've just returned from a fantastic weekend in the Bell Tent at Hollows Farm. It was the first time we have taken our two children camping and they loved it. The setting of the campsite is idyllic, with streams, trees, hilly bits and the river all around you - perfect for entertaining 2 young children all day long. The nearby villages of Grange and Rosthwaite are easy to walk to, with tea rooms and a hotel with bar in Rosthwaite.
The bell tent was great. Very cosy and spacious enough for the 4 of us. The booking process was very friendly and efficient too.
Highly recommended by us.
Inside Out Camping
Our little family stayed in a yurt at Hollow's farm last summer, early in the season. We were completely captivated by the magical setting of the site, so much so that we are planning to go back again this year for more. We loved the feeling of being right away from it, all which came over us as we drove down the narrow land and across the tiny ford into the camp site, yet we were hardly any distance away from Keswick for food shopping and easy access to all the wonderful things that the Lake District has to offer. We were grateful for a friendly welcome from Simon when we arrived and were delighted to find ourselves in a warm, clean and tidy yurt with all the bedding and basic equipment that we needed. The toilet block was nearby and although the showers were a bit further away they were clean, powerful and hot - all we needed after a day on the bikes. We have enjoyed wild and campsite camping in the past but were ready for the extra comforts of a yurt, and would highly recommend Inside Out Camping as a company that understands how to make camping an easy and enjoyable experience.
Inside Out Camping
This is a great place to go with an adventurous 6-yr old; river, woods, tree-swings, hiding places, hill-top dens, bracken-monsters ... And that's before you get into the wonderful tents. We took a box of food and not much else; everything you need is provided. The site is quiet enough to be peaceful, but with other families and kids to keep ours busy. We didn't leave the site all weekend but there is plenty to do within half an hour of Borrowdale. My wife isn't a big fan of camping but she loved this weekend. It's like camping with all the grungey bits taken out. Inside Out Camping, where have you been all my life?
Inside Out Camping
We treck from Wiltshire to the wonderful yurts at Borrowdale twice a year and whatever the weather we have a truly relaxing and wonderful time. Simon has always been more than helpful and easy to get hold of and a genuinely lovely bloke! The yurt is always toasty warm whatever the elements throw at it, with plenty of logs to keep the fire going. We love to walk the fairly flat and absolutely breath taking walk from the yurt into Keswick and get the boat back across Derwent Water. The site is quiet as it tends to attract walkers and those who appreciate the natural things in life. My daughter plays safely in the river which is just across the field and from where we have often walked across to the Honistor slate mine which is also worth a visit. Toilets are always clean and the showers at the farm are hot and powerful. I can't imagine that anywhere in the lakes could be any better for situation or customer service, thanks Simon!
Inside Out Camping
We started off trying a bell tent for something different from our normal camping holidays. We had such a fantastic experience that we returned with friends, and hired both of the bell tents. Looking up at the Yurts in the evening, all lit up, we decided we would try them on our next outing, and haven't looked back! We have become creatures of habit, and turn to our favourite place twice a year. Simon is great, and is always on hand if there any questions or help needed. We have been going for the Inside Out Camping experience for years now, and are very much looking forward to the next time!
Inside Out Camping
I hired two yurts with seven friends and each of us had a wonderful time. They were clean, tidy and in a great location, close to local amenities. They also had all of the necessary utensils; pots, pans etc. It would have been better if the yurt had all single beds, however, as opposed to singles with one double. They could have been a bit kinder with the weather too but then that probably wasn't their fault :)
Why book with Cool Camping?
- Best Price Guarantee, with no fees
- Instant booking confirmation
- Trusted for over 10 years
- A chance to win prizes in our regular competitions
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