Lake District by Motorhome

The Lake District is about two and a half hours from our depot, and it is one of the most rewarding motorhome destinations in Britain. The landscape changes every few miles - wooded lakeshores give way to open fells, gentle valleys lead to dramatic mountain passes, and every turn reveals a different lake with a different character. A motorhome lets you move between areas, park up in a new spot each night, and experience the full variety rather than being locked to one hotel base.

Windermere and the Southern Lakes

Most people enter from the south via the M6. Windermere, England's longest lake at over ten miles, is the gateway. Bowness-on-Windermere has lake cruises, the World of Beatrix Potter, and easy water access. But the real Lake District begins when you head north. Ambleside at the head of the lake is a working town with excellent outdoor shops, pubs, and restaurants. Grasmere, further north, has Wordsworth's Dove Cottage and what claims to be the world's best gingerbread at the Grasmere Gingerbread Shop.

Campsite: Park Cliffe near Windermere is award-winning with lake views and an on-site bar. Low Wray on the western shore of Windermere has hardstanding pitches with beautiful views and direct water access.

Walk: Loughrigg Terrace from Grasmere (3 miles circular) with views across the lake to the Langdale Pikes. Gentle enough for most fitness levels.

Ullswater and the Eastern Lakes

Ullswater is widely considered the most beautiful of the lakes. Its three reaches wind through mountains and woodland, with Glenridding and Patterdale at the southern end. The Ullswater Steamers have been running since 1859 and the boat trip is one of the best things to do in the Lake District. The walk from Glenridding to Aira Force waterfall is a classic short outing. For serious walkers, Helvellyn (England's third-highest mountain) is accessed from Patterdale via the Striding Edge ridge - dramatic but not for the nervous.

Campsite: The Quiet Site near Ullswater lives up to its name - terraced pitches overlooking the lake, open year-round, with an on-site pub. One of the best motorhome sites in the Lake District.

Swim: Ullswater has several wild swimming access points. Aira Force bay and the shingle beaches near Glenridding are popular. The water is cold but clean.

Keswick, Derwentwater, and Borrowdale

Keswick is the main town for the northern Lakes - Saturday market, Theatre by the Lake, the Pencil Museum, and excellent pubs. Derwentwater is beautiful, with wooded islands and the Catbells ridge walk along its western shore. Borrowdale, stretching south from the lake through the wettest and most dramatic scenery in England, leads to the Honister Slate Mine where you can tour the underground workings and cross the Via Ferrata.

Campsite: Castlerigg Hall near Keswick has panoramic fell views from every pitch and is walking distance from town. Open year-round.

Walk: Catbells from Hawse End (4 miles circular). The most popular fell walk in the Lakes for good reason - the views across Derwentwater from the summit are outstanding.

The Western Lakes

This is where most visitors never reach, and it is the best part. Buttermere and Crummock Water sit in a quiet valley with no through traffic and some of the most dramatic mountain backdrops in England. The walk around Buttermere (4.5 miles, flat, lakeside) is one of the finest easy walks anywhere. Wastwater, England's deepest lake, sits beneath the scree slopes of the Scafell range with a wild, remote atmosphere that is unlike anything else in the Lakes.

Campsite: The National Trust campsite at Wasdale Head is basic but spectacularly located beneath Scafell Pike. Small pitches - the 2 berth is the best fit here.

Roads and Driving Tips

The main valley roads and A-roads are fine for any motorhome. The A591 from Windermere through Ambleside to Keswick is the main artery and handles all sizes. The A66 from Penrith to Keswick is wide and fast.

The mountain passes are a different matter. Hardknott Pass and Wrynose Pass are the steepest roads in England with gradients up to 1-in-3. They are not recommended for any motorhome over the 2 berth. Even in a smaller vehicle, they require confidence and low-gear driving. Kirkstone Pass (A592) is manageable for all sizes but steep - use low gears on the descent. Honister Pass is single-track with passing places - fine in a 2 or 4 berth, tight in a 6 berth.

Parking in towns can be challenging. Ambleside and Keswick have limited motorhome-friendly parking. Use your campsite as a base and walk, cycle, or take the bus into town.

Beyond the Fells

The Lake District is not just walking. Lake cruises on Windermere, Ullswater, Coniston, and Derwentwater. Go Ape at Grizedale Forest. Beatrix Potter's Hill Top Farm at Near Sawrey. Mountain biking at Whinlatter Forest. Dog-friendly walks on almost every fell. And the pubs - the Lake District pub scene is excellent, from Michelin-starred restaurants to proper fell-walkers' inns with flagstone floors and log fires.

The Lake District pairs naturally with other destinations. The Yorkshire Dales are barely an hour east. Northumberland is accessible heading north. Snowdonia lies south across the coast. A weekend break covers one area well. A full week lets you explore the whole park. Two weeks lets you combine it with the Dales or the coast.

Browse our fleet for the right vehicle - the 2 berth gives you access to the narrowest roads and smallest campsites. Check our packing checklist before you go. Bring walking boots, waterproofs (it rains a lot), and your own bedding - we do not provide duvets or towels.