Gill Head Farm

View prices & book 9.5 1,106 reviews
Camp life
Camp life
Exterior
Tent pitches
Tent piches
Pitches
Gorgeous views
Tent pitches
Exterior
1/976
Exterior
Tent pitches
Tent piches

  • Working hill farm in the north of the Lake District National Park
  • A 15-minute drive from Keswick and Penrith; 10 minutes from Ullswater
  • Stunning views of Blencathra and the Northern Fells
Check out those views… family-run Gill Head Farm is a scenic place indeed, with a backdrop of Blencathra and the Northern Fells. And it’s a cinch to get to as well – this site on the banks of Trout Beck is less than a mile from the A66, so you can get your fix of proper rural time without having to navigate miles of winding lanes. It’s often said that visitors to the Lake District National Park are spoilt for choice when it comes to activities – and that’s certainly true at this Cumbria site. Days of hikes, horse riding, watersports, climbing, visiting historic houses and wild swimming are among the many options around here. If you don’t know where to start, have a chat with the owners – as outdoorsy folk themselves they’re happy to help plan your adventures and offer up local tips. Whatever you get up to by day, it also must be noted that those views make a great setting for an evening by the campfire – handily, there are firepits to hire on site, and bags of logs and kindling for sale. What if it’s not campfire weather? Retreat to the indoor communal area which has comfy seating, a dining area and a little kitchen area (with microwaves, kettles, a fridge and a freezer) – or take the 15-minute walk to the local pub. To stock up on food for your barbecues/picnics there are plenty of shops in Penrith and Keswick, both 15 minutes’ drive away (or get to Keswick on the bus). Back at base, facilities include a laundry room and a shower/toilet block that was done up in 2019 to offer spacious and clean amenities. Please note that group bookings are strictly not allowed at Gill Head Farm. Due to the rural location, the wifi also does not cover the whole site and is limited to a hotspot in the communal room.

Site type

Touring caravan pitches 8
Motorhome pitches 8
Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 11
Tent pitches 10
Open now
Opens 21 March
Please note
  • Group bookings of 2 or more units (e.g. tent, touring caravan, motorhome or accommodation hire) travelling together are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Group bookings of 3 or more adults are not permitted (couples and immediate family members excepted).
  • Single-sex bookings of 4 or more people (couples and immediate family members excepted) are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Bookings must not be for more than 14 consecutive nights.
  • The site caters for families (immediate members) and couples only - bookings from all other forms of groups are not accepted.
  • At least one of the party members must be aged 21 or over.
  • Minimum spacing of 4 metres between pitches.
  • This is a quiet site: no music is allowed.
  • If making a fire, the fuel, logs and coal have to be purchased on site.
  • Guests are advised to bring a good quality torch with them as parts of the site are unlit.
  • No naked flames are allowed inside the hired accommodation units.
  • No electric barbecues allowed.
  • Roof tents, trailer tents and campervans are only permitted on the gravel pitches.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Fri, 21 Mar to

Pitch types & availability

Accommodation

Tent pitchesTouring caravan pitchesMotorhome pitchesLodges, cabins, pods or hutsCaravans for hireRent a tent
Choose your dates
2 adults
0 children
Other pitch types

Reviews

9.5

Overall rating from 1,106 Pitchup.com customers

  • 79%
    10
  • 1%
    9
  • 13%
    8
  • 0%
    7
  • 3%
    6
  • 0%
    5
  • 0%
    4
  • 0%
    3
  • 0%
    2
  • 0%
    1
Location
 10
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 7
Spectacular sceneryPeaceful

96% would recommend this site to a friend

94% would stay here again

What customers say

This is a highly recommended, well-maintained campsite with excellent facilities including clean showers and communal areas with kitchen amenities. Visitors praised the beautiful scenery, peaceful atmosphere, and friendly, helpful staff. The site is well-located for exploring the Lake District. While most experiences were positive, a few mentioned road noise and some minor issues with cleanliness or amenities, though these were generally not significant enough to detract from the overall positive experience.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 111
Arrival date (latest first)

The play park and open area for young children to play. There…

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 7
Value for money
 8
Accommodation
 8
Facilities / Activities
 7
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 8
Wifi
 3
Rosie W.

Electric optional grass tent pitch

Liked The play park and open area for young children to play. There were 9 adults and 9 young children so this was ideal.

The showers and toilets were clean.

The location was spot on, right onto a66.

Disliked Lots of midgies!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely campsite with brilliant facilities. Perfect for young kids

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Kate L.

Camping pod (no pets)

Liked Pods are clean and spacious, well worth the price, communal areas are clean and spacious, beautiful views, perfect for children as there’s plenty of space and a playground - we love the walk down to the waterfall

Recommend to friends Visit again

amazing all around

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
molly j.

Electric optional grass tent pitch

Liked amazing views!
quite camp site
clean facilities
close to near by towns

Recommend to friends Visit again

a magical place, a kipper house this is our wood atmosphere, we…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Rafal O.

Kipper cabin

Liked a magical place, a kipper house this is our wood atmosphere, we love it and the place is fantastic, the forest, the sound of water, we will definitely come back🏕

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Everything very quiet…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 No rating
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 9
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 7
Brian D.

Camping pod

Liked Everything very quiet

Recommend to friends Visit again

Spectacular!

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 2
Anonymous

Kipper cabin

Liked What a wonderful site, great location, lovely, welcoming, friendly owners, who are happy to answer any of your questions, great facilities, everything you could need, nice and clean.

We stayed in the kipper cabin and it exceeded our expectations. The cabin itself is beautiful, we have never felt so relaxed and cosy, and the surroundings are breathtaking! We seen so many different types of birds, red squirrels, and even a woodpecker! It's a wildlife haven. It has a fantastic little dog walk just straight from the site. We didn't try the on site wifi, and phone signal is very poor, but who needs it when you have those surroundings!

We will definately be returning again and we would 11000% recommend to others!

Disliked Going home! The hardest part is leaving 😂
There really is nothing to not like!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Enjoyed our stay, but have experienced better.

Overall

5 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 5
Accommodation
 5
Facilities / Activities
 5
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 6
Wifi
 No rating
Katie T.

Electric optional grass tent pitch

Liked We managed to get a spot with a spectacular view. Friendly staff and a good location to get anywhere you want.

Disliked No path from the parking area making it even harder to lug everything to the pitch, especially after heavy rainfall (You have to park and carry your stuff to your pitch)

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great place to stay.

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 6
Accommodation
 8
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 8
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 4
Anonymous

Camping pod (no pets)

Liked Friendliness
Cleanliness
Location

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Gorgeous site- fabulous views, friendly welcome. Clean, hot, powerful showers. Really useful…

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 7
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 10
Jane A.

Electric grass and gravel touring pitch

Liked Gorgeous site- fabulous views, friendly welcome. Clean, hot, powerful showers. Really useful communal space for when the weather is less than ideal 🌧️

Recommend to friends Visit again

I would highly recommend was my first solo camp, just me and my dog.

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 8
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
Anonymous

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Friendly reception. Well laid out facilities which were clean and tidy. Loved the community room. Tent pitch had a fantastic view what a beautiful way to start the day.

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

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 Rallies welcome Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

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

Themes

Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise Wildlife haven

Utilities

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

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Nearby farmers' market Public transport nearby Shop nearby

Type

Farm Medium (26-50 pitches)

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horse riding nearby Indoor pool nearby Mountain biking nearby Outdoor pool nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Tennis nearby Watersports nearby

Touring and motorhomes

Seasonal pitches

Location

Gill Head Farm

Troutbeck

Penrith

Cumbria

England

CA11 0ST

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London BST (GMT+01:00)

GPS

54.6334°N
2.96195°W

Nearest transport

Coach
7.6 mi Bus Station
8.4 mi Rail Station
12.6 mi Lakeside House for Dove Cottage
Rail
8.4 mi Penrith North Lakes Rail Station
12.7 mi Langwathby Rail Station
13.1 mi Lazonby & Kirkoswald Rail Station
Ferry
5.6 mi Pooley Bridge Ullswater Ferry Landing
5.8 mi Howtown Ullswater Ferry Landing
6.2 mi Glenridding Ullswater 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

Ullswater is the nearest of the lakes at 10 minutes’ drive away, so that’s as good a place to start as any – stop by at Aira Force waterfall on your way down there, then get down to the lake itself for waterside walks, steamer cruises and various watersports – or even a wild swim if you’re feeling brave. Over on the banks of Derwentwater, Keswick (15 minutes’ drive) is another good place to explore, with a brewery, The Puzzling Place and the Derwent Pencil Museum as well as boat trips and paddleboards to hire. Walkers of all varieties have much to choose from around here, from gentle lakeside wanders to uphill scrambles at Blencathra and Helvellyn, both of which are close by. The folk on the farm are happy to suggest routes to suit – or point you towards the likes of Dalemain Mansion (15 minutes), Mirehouse & Gardens (20 minutes) or Lowther Castle (25 minutes) for stately-home strolls.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Allonby 21 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Seascale 26.8 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
St Bees 27.7 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Dalemain Historic House & Gardens 5.8 mi

Castlerigg Stone Circle 5.9 mi

Ullswater Steamers 6.2 mi

The Rheged Centre 7.2 mi

Mirehouse Historic House and Gardens 9.1 mi

National Trust

Grasmere and Great Langdale 13.7 mi

Acorn Bank Garden and Watermill 14.5 mi

Townend 15.5 mi

Wordsworth House and Garden 16.4 mi

Windermere and Troutbeck 17 mi

Cycle routes

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

Other

Blencathra Classic - Sharp Edge and Narrow Edge 2.3 mi

Mungrisdale - Bannerdale Crags 2.3 mi

Threlkeld - Blencathra - Sharp Edge - Scales - Threlkeld 3.9 mi

Threlkeld, Westcoe and Keswick Railway 3.9 mi

Aira Force - Dockray - Dowthwaitehead - Aira Force 4.5 mi

Local events

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

    Penrith, Cumbria 10.1 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.

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 Gill Head Farm have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Gill Head Farm dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Gill Head Farm? Ullswater is the nearest of the lakes at 10 minutes’ drive away, so that’s as good a place to start as any – stop by at Aira Force waterfall on your way … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Gill Head Farm?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  1 p.m. –  6 p.m.
    Depart by:  11:30 a.m.
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  1 p.m. –  6 p.m.
    Depart by:  10:30 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Gill Head Farm? From £28 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.