We love the lakes and this campsite, set amidst the towering and dramatic Langdale Pikes, is no exception. Our last visit to this particular site was pre-kids back in 2010, but some friends we hadn’t seen for a while were staying the week here and it seemed like a good opportunity to meet up, get out and finally kick start some new adventures.
Great Langdale is a National Trust campsite set in an amazing location, hidden away in a quiet wooded copse of trees at the head of the Great Langdale valley, overlooked by the majestic Langdale pikes. The whole vista of Langdale is breathtaking and the site takes full advantage of this, surrounded, as it is, by dramatic mountains.
The site is made up of a number of flat, level and grassy fields, separated into different areas for groups, families, those who have pre-booked and those who haven’t. However, at the moment it is open for pre bookings only with a restricted number of pitches available. There are no marked pitches as such, you just pick a spot and as long as you are 6m (20ft) from the next tent can pitch where you like in the relevant field. No cars are allowed on the actual camping fields, but there is ample hardstanding parking around the perimeter and it’s never far to lug your gear. Also worth noting, none of the tent pitches have access to EHU.
We were in the family field and there was plenty of space, it certainly didn’t feel at all overcrowded or even particularly busy, although the site was technically fully booked.
Most tents were pitched around the perimeter of the family field and there was loads of space for the kids to run wild with sticks or kick a ball. There is also a lovely obstacle course type playground in a copse of trees in the middle of the field and access to a wooded area and small stream. There was also a great little climbing wall (cleverly disguising the building housing the biomass boiler) which the kids loved to traverse.
Camp fires are allowed but must be in a raised fire pit, of which you have to bring your own. BBQs are also permitted, as long as they are off the ground.
The site is well maintained and the ground was soft and easy to peg into where we were pitched. It had been pretty wet in the run up to and indeed during our visit and certain parts of the site were quite wet and muddy, so it is worth bearing the weather and ground conditions in mind when selecting your pitch.
Being NT the facilities are good; there are 2 recently upgraded large, light and airy toilet / shower blocks which were clean and modern and there was plenty of hot water and good pressure in the (free) showers. To ensure social distancing, they have partitioned off areas inside each block, and hired in extra portaloos and an extra shower unit. There are sanitising points outside the blocks so that all campers can wash their hands before entering. The facilities were closed 3 times a day for cleaning and as such it felt COVID ‘safe’. We never had to queue or wait to use the facilities.
There are also washing-up areas as well as a laundry and drying room.
There are recycling facilities and a shop selling most things you might need from milk, bacon, charcoal, gas and other essential supplies to maps and camping equipment.
The Langdale valley itself is quite secluded and out of the way, with just two small villages – Chapelstile and Elterwater. However there are three great pubs within easy walking distance of the site; the hikers bar at the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel is the nearest (10 minutes max) and is the pick of the 3 – a friendly, buzzing atmosphere with live music and real ales, the food is okay but pretty basic. The New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel and the Sticklebarn pub (the latter also owned by the NT) are slightly further, but both do real ales and are set in a lovely location at the bottom of Stickle Ghyll. The Sticklebarn pub has reopened with a reduced menu and outdoor seating only – it’s still offering a warm welcome to campers and walkers with their muddy boots.
Apart from the peaks, pubs and a few farms dotted around there isn’t much else here, which maybe not to everyone’s liking, but is perfect for us. If you like walking and climbing this campsite is a dream come true; Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, Pike O’Blisco, the Langdale Pikes and England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike are all accessible directly from the site.
A gentler but equally lovely walk directly from the campsite along the valley bottom takes you to Chapel Stile and on to Elterwater. With dark skies, rain and the fell tops shrouded in mist and low cloud we were persuaded to keep to this valley route for our walk, which proved to be a good choice in the conditions.
It’s about a 7 mile round trip, reduced to just over 5 if you only go as far as Chapel Stile as we did.
This low level route is very scenic, on decent paths and with fantastic views across the valley to the Langdale Pikes, Stickle Ghyll and back to Crinkle Crags and Bowfell at the head of the valley.
We managed to bag a couple of tables outside Wainwright’s Inn in Chapel Stile where we had drinks and a hearty early evening meal before making our way back. The pub is operating with table service only and customers must log their contact details online for track and trace purposes, but it is a slick procedure. Booking is available for tables inside and is advisable as it gets busy given its reduced capacity to maintain social distance, but you take your chance with a table outside and we were lucky. The outside seating area enjoys lovely views and some tables are covered by huge umbrellas. It is a traditional Lakeland pub serving real ales in a really picturesque setting. The food menu is pub favourites – Cumberland sausage, burger, Lakeland lamb, curry. The fish and chips in particular were a hit and the chunky chips were perfect – soft on the inside and double crispy on the outside. It set us up perfectly for the return walk back to the campsite.
Despite feeling fairly remote the campsite is well located; Ambleside with all its amenities isn’t far (about 6 miles) and Hawkshead and Grasmere are both within an easy drive.
Great Langdale campsite isn’t cheap (£68 for 2 nights for a family of 4), but is worth it for the magnificent location and superior facilities alone.
For us the overriding positive of Great Langdale campsite is how it manages to achieve a real family friendly vibe, whilst still retaining a very quiet, relaxed and natural feel.
It was so good to get away for the weekend and felt like a little bit of normality was restored. Great Langdale was looking majestic and The Lake District is absolutely stunning, even when it’s grey and wet.
Camping with kids, especially in the wet weather, definitely isn’t a relaxing break, but a change is as good as a rest and this was a real tonic.
Great Langdale Campsite, Great Langdale, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 9JU
For more information visit https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays/great-langdale-campsite-lake-district
Beautifully written a donk
Ah thank you! We had a really great time x