Camping in Bassenthwaite – Kestrel Lodge
We booked a week at Kestrel Lodge over the May bank holiday specifically because it’s a quiet site in a great location, and after a scorching week of tent camping, blue skies and some big walking days, camping in Bassenthwaite turned out to be exactly the right call.
Quick look
- Location: Bassenthwaite, Cumbria, Lake District
- Type: Quiet, family-run campsite with EHU pitches and a small site shop
- Good for: Walkers wanting a peaceful base with easy access to Skiddaw, Blencathra and the Uldale Fells.
- Nearest town: Keswick, a short drive away
- Nearest pub: the Sun Inn, a short walk away
- Firepits: provided free of charge. You must use wood from the site shop though.
Kestrel Lodge Campsite
We booked Kestrel Lodge because it’s a quiet site (ie no music allowed), and that’s exactly what it delivered. No noise, no crowds, just a peaceful spot to come back to after a full day on the fells.
We stayed in our tent with an EHU pitch for the week, which made a real difference given how hot it was over the bank holiday. The facilities were great (although more on the simple side) throughout, and the small site shop was handy for topping up supplies without needing to drive into Keswick every time. They also have toilets and showers, washing up area, area for children to play, ice pack freezer, coin operated hair dryer, washing machine and space to dry your wet things (not that we needed it on this trip!).
The real highlight, though, was the chickens. They came round for breakfast every single morning of our stay, and it became one of those little rituals that ended up being one of our favourite parts of the week.
It’s worth noting the EHU pitches are along the fence line for the dog exercise field, so if you’re not keen on dogs you might want to go for no EHU so you can be further away from this.
There are also some yurts to hire if you don’t want to be setting up your own camp.
Know Before You Go
- Book early for bank holiday weeks – quiet sites like this can fill up fast over peak periods.
- Bring sun protection if camping in warmer months – our week was unexpectedly hot, so shade and hydration mattered as much as waterproofs.
- Make the most of the site shop – handy for topping up without a full supermarket run.
Kestrel Lodge delivered exactly what we booked it for: peace and quiet, good enough facilities, and a base close enough to some of the Lake District’s best walking to make the most of a full week. I’d definitely recommend Kestrel Lodge if you are looking for camping in Bassenthwaite or want a stay on a quiet campsite in the Lake District.
For more brilliant campsites in the Lake District why not try:
