Ullswater isn’t exactly lacking in
campsites. It has all kinds, from large and loud commercial parks to quieter
farms and hidden spots. But Waterside House is one of our favourites; there’s
something easy-going yet professional about the place that makes you feel
relaxed and in safe hands.
Undoubtedly this has something to do
with
it being a family-run site, handed down through several generations to
current tenants Joan and Colin Lowis, their son Mark and their daughter Debbie. Not only that, but, as
the name suggests, Waterside is snuggled right up against the lake’s shore.
Pitch on the
grass to the left of reception and your morning views will be of
the surrounding fells (including the ancient woodland at the foot of Barton
Fell), foregrounded by the gently bobbing moored boats and curious swans and
ducks.
The lakeside pitches continue, on the other
side of the reception block, with picnic tables and a children’s play area. There’s
also a second field for campers who don’t want to be right on the water, which
tends to cater more for families and larger, activities-based young groups.
Since Waterside is a working farm, the
atmosphere is pleasingly rural. You might even experience, depending on the
season, activities such as lambing and shearing. Then again, there’s every
chance you’ll be hiring one of Waterside’s rowboats or Canadian canoes to enjoy the
lake, heading off for lunch in pretty Pooley Bridge (there’s a lakeshore
footpath from the site), or borrowing a mountain bike to explore the
surrounding terrain.