The Herdwick Huts

View prices & book 10 5 reviews
Shepherd's huts site
Shepherd's huts site
Now with solar lighting and usb charging points!
Sunset over the huts
The site
The huts
Inside the hut
Decor inside the hut
Surrounding landscape
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Now with solar lighting and usb charging points!
Sunset over the huts
The site

  • Traditional shepherd’s huts at Rydal Hall in the Lake District
  • Walk to Rydal Water, Rydal Mount, Grasmere and mountains from the site
  • Brazier and bench outside; pub with badgers and food a short walk away
Wake up on the grounds of a 17th-century mansion and set your sights on mountain hikes, rowing boats or touring Wordsworth’s former homes. Two miles from Ambleside in the Lake District National Park, The Herdwick Huts are traditional shepherd’s huts with their own exclusive site at Rydal Hall, underneath the Fairfield Horseshoe – just one fab walk directly accessible from the site… The site is adjacent to the Coffin Route, a medieval route to Grasmere or Ambleside, and the Rydal Mount walk (starting from Wordsworth’s family home, right next to the site). This one goes around Rydal Water, past Wordsworth’s seat and the Rydal Cave. Or you could walk five minutes for a full English breakfast and badger watching, an unusual combo at the site’s local pub and restaurant. When you'd rather stick to the grounds, find the way to the historic Rydal Hall along a splendid woodland sculpture path. There are 34 acres overall, including ornate gardens, a grotto and a tearoom. Waterfalls and secret pools lie about too, as does a hydro turbine on the beck that generates enough power for 400 homes. Cosiness is part and parcel of these huts. Each one has a double bed and a single bunk bed with hypoallergenic, memory foam mattresses and fresh, colourful duvets and linen. There’s also a woodburning stove to keep you toasty while you admire views from the stable door or windows and outside, you’ll have your own brazier and bench – sit with your dog if you please, as the site accepts one well-behaved canine per hut. The huts also have solar panels for LED lighting and USB charging points.

Site type

Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 5
Open all year
Opens
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • Pets are not allowed on the furniture.

Languages spoken

English

Reviews

10

Overall rating based on 5 reviews View breakdown

100%

would recommend this site to a friend

100%

would stay here again

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    1

Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

I loved this place, very peaceful, really cozy huts set within a…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Wayne S. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Shepherd's hut

Liked: I loved this place, very peaceful, really cozy huts set within a idilic location. Cafe, toilets and showers were just a short walk through a woodland area. Great walks in all directions. Would definitely rebook these again.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thanks Wayne.

Beautiful and peaceful

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 8
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 8
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Amelia Q. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Shepherd's hut

Liked: *Beautiful location with plenty to explore nearby
*Well-equipped huts with everything we needed
*Good communication
*Quiet and peaceful

Recommend to friends Visit again

Amazing place run by lovely people. Would definitely recommend xx

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Jonathan W. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Shepherd's hut

Liked: The accommodation was beautiful in a wonderful setting. The facilities were superbly maintained and it was an amazing base for us to explore the Lake District and get engaged!!!!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great place to stay .. very clean

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 6
Customer service 6
Child friendliness 4
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 6
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Shepherd's hut

Liked: Lovely huts .. .. but overall great place to stay. Very clean showers and toilets excellent.. great bacon bap from the cafe .. badger pub amazing food ! Delicious i would book a table though

Disliked: Grass was overgrown.. bit of a trek to toilets esp coming back up a slope ..

Recommend to friends Visit again

The best way to enjoy the Lakes!

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 2
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Shepherd's hut

Liked: Well appointed shepherds hut with wood burning stove and a gas hob for cooking. Very cosy and comfortable, we had a lovely stay.

Disliked: The shower facilities were quite far away but not too much of a problem.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Dogs allowed

Campfires allowed

Leisure on site

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis Watersports Wild swimming

Amenities on site

Bath available Car parking by pitch/unit Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Launderette Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

D. of E. welcome Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Themes

Forest Lake and/or mountain Leave the car at home Peaceful Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Chemical disposal Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Public transport nearby

Type

Tiny (1-10 pitches)

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Horse riding nearby Mountain biking nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Watersports nearby

Location

The Herdwick Huts

Rydal

Ambleside

Cumbria

England

LA22 9LX

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London BST (GMT+01:00)

GPS

54.44927°N
-2.98178°W

Nearest transport

Coach
1.4 mi Daffodil Hotel for Dove Cottage
1.5 mi Lakeside House for Dove Cottage
1.5 mi Kelsick Road opposite Library
Rail
5.8 mi Windermere Rail Station
8.3 mi Staveley Rail Station
10.9 mi Burneside (Cumbria) Rail Station
Ferry
2.2 mi Ambleside Waterhead Ferry Landing
3.6 mi Brockhole Ferry Landing
6.1 mi Monk Coniston Ferry Landing

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

Strap on your boots and get walking… for a waterfall, museum and Windermere ferry terminal, take off to Ambleside (40 minutes’ walk). Here, the stunning Stock Ghyll Force waterfall is 70 feet tall and down in the town, there are shops, restaurants, a cinema and the Armitt museum with a Beatrix Potter exhibition and other old bits and bobs from this area’s past life. In the other direction, Grasmere (50 minutes’ walk) will put you on track for more Wordsworth sites, as Wordsworth Grasmere (five minutes’ drive) was another of Wordsworth’s homes. When you’re done with your wanderings around the village itself, there are rowing boats and canoes available for hire to get out on the water. What other Lake District havens should you add into the throw? Well, there are several hot spots within driving distance of the site (when you’re ready to trade in your walking boots, that is), including the treetop courses, kayak tours and other outdoor activities at Brockhole on Windermere (10 minutes), steeper hikes up Scafell Pike (35 minutes) and The Old Man of Coniston (25 minutes) or the National Trust's Hill Top (25 minutes).

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Seascale 20.7 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Silecroft 21.8 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Haverigg 21.8 mi Sea PoorN/AN/AN/A
St Bees 25.3 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Walney West Shore 25.5 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodN/A

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Rydal Mount and Gardens 0.1 mi

Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum 1.5 mi

Brockhole - Lake District Visitor Centre 3.6 mi

Beatrix Potter Gallery 5.2 mi

The World of Beatrix Potter 6.4 mi

National Trust

Grasmere and Great Langdale 1.8 mi

Townend 3.8 mi

Windermere and Troutbeck 4.9 mi

Beatrix Potter Gallery 5.2 mi

Coniston and Tarn Hows 5.9 mi

Cycle routes

Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.

Other

RYDAL MOUNT 0.1 mi

RYDAL HALL 0.5 mi

Ambleside and High Sweden Bridge 1.3 mi

Ambleside and Lily Tarn 1.4 mi

Ambleside, the Kirkstone Pass and Red Screes 1.5 mi

Local events

  • Kendal Calling (Thursday 31 July 2025 – Thursday 31 July 2025)

    Penrith, Cumbria 15.1 mi

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Offers

Conditions apply - see pitch type section for details

Nearest sites

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

Want to know more about camping in The Lake District and Cumbria?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does The Herdwick Huts have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is The Herdwick Huts dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near The Herdwick Huts? Strap on your boots and get walking… for a waterfall, museum and Windermere ferry terminal, take off to Ambleside (40 minutes’ walk). Here, the stunning Stock Ghyll Force waterfall is 70 feet … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of The Herdwick Huts?
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  Anytime
    Depart by:  10 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at The Herdwick Huts? From £330 (for 3 nights, 3 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.