Hillcroft

View prices & book 9.5 21 reviews
Glamping pods
Family camping pod
Glamping pods
Glamping pods

  • Peaceful park overlooking Ullswater
  • Modern, landscaped and with spectacular Lake District views
  • Launderette, drying room, licensed shop and large play area
‘It is the happiest combination of beauty and grandeur, which any of the lakes affords,’ wrote that romantic William Wordsworth, before wandering lonely as a cloud and penning his poem about daffodils bobbing about on the banks of Ullswater. And it's easy to see why… Ullswater is said by many to be the most beautiful lake in Britain, so staying in the countryside overlooking its banks will lull any wilters into a relaxed (and romantic) mood in no time. You won’t even have to pitch a tent to retreat and get away from it all in style: the owners at lovely Hillcroft, steps away from Ullswater, will be very pleased to introduce you to their affordable camping pods, sleeping up to four (two adults and two children under five) and each with their own mini balcony. The park is modern, landscaped and snuggled among gorgeous views of the English countryside: base yourself here to relax and bloom, or to wander o’er hills and vales as you explore the Lake District. Facilities on site include all you need with a launderette, drying room, well-stocked licensed shop, washing-up area, wifi, a parent and baby washroom, and toilets with disabled access; there’s a huge play area for the little sprouts, and tail waggers are welcome too.

Site type

Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 50
Tent pitches 56
Touring caravan pitches 56
Motorhome pitches 56
Open now
Opens 1 March

Tourist board rating

Please note
  • 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 18 or over.
  • If reception is closed on arrival: please contact the number provided on your booking confirmation.
  • Families and couples only: single-sex group bookings are not accepted via Pitchup.com. Please note that gazebos are not allowed in the pod area due to fire regulations.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Sat, 1 Mar 2025 to

Open from Sun, 1 Mar 2026 to

Pitch types & availability

Reviews

95%

would recommend this site to a friend

95%

would stay here again

  • 90%
    10
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Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

Best camping experience for a family of 5

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

Camping pod

Liked: This is by far the best camping experience we have ever had. The site is well maintained, has impressive bathroom facilities, and a games room which is great for teenagers. We booked a camping pod which was clean and spacious enough for a family of 5 to fit sleeping bags and luggage. The heaters were great for colder mornings. We also enjoyed our breakfast from the camp kitchen on the morning of our departure. Good value for money. Beautiful views of the lake from our pod as well. Wished we could stay longer. We will be back again! Thank you for a great stay!

Disliked: Nothing! It was perfect! The only qualm was the wifi access which is pay as you go. £5 for 10 megabytes.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Location, general ambiance, facilities, access, parking and accommodation (camping pod).…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 8
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 2
David S. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Camping pod

Liked: Location, general ambiance, facilities, access, parking and accommodation (camping pod).

Disliked: Nothing.
Note that Pitchup's site description does not make it clear that the site's wifi is Pay-as-you-go. Hillcroft's own site description does make this clear. Used mobile monthly allowance as 4G reception was fine.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Uninhabitable pods forced a £120 upgrade; no refund or resolution yet.

Overall 2/10
Location 2
Value for money 2
Accommodation 2
Facilities / Activities 2
Customer service 2
Child friendliness 2
Cleanliness 2
Wifi No rating
paulo n. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Camping pod (no pets)

Liked: After such a disappointing experience, there's absolutely nothing to like about this site

Disliked: Title: Disappointing Experience and Poor Customer Service

I recently stayed at Hillcroft Camping Park, and unfortunately, it was a deeply disappointing experience. After a long 500km journey, I arrived at the site to find my assigned camping pod (#13) uninhabitable due to an overwhelming paint smell. Upon reporting the issue, I was offered several alternative pods, but all had the same strong odor.

While discussing this with a painter on-site, I was informed that all the pods had either been recently painted or touched up, which explained the pervasive smell. Despite my clear discomfort and explaining that I was recovering from a chest infection, I was told to contact the booking platform (Pitchup.com) for relocation—a completely impractical solution after such a long journey. Left with no other viable option, I had to pay an additional £120 to upgrade to a glamping pod, which was the only habitable accommodation.

The response from Hillcroft Camping Park following my complaint has been dismissive and unhelpful. They insist their pods meet a "high standard," yet my experience and the painter's comments clearly suggest otherwise. Suggesting that the fault lies with me for declining accommodations that were unsuitable is unacceptable.

It’s not about "criticising maintenance"—it’s about accountability for providing a habitable environment for guests. The additional cost I was forced to pay was not a luxury upgrade; it was a necessity due to the unsatisfactory conditions of the camping pods.

I expected better customer service and a willingness to resolve the issue fairly. Unfortunately, Hillcroft Camping Park has shown no interest in taking responsibility or providing compensation for the inconvenience caused.

I cannot recommend this site and will be sharing my experience across review platforms to ensure others are aware of the potential risks involved in booking here.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent site

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 8
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Jennifer T. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Camping pod

Liked: Great customer service, wonderful facilities, glamping pods are warm and a great size, site was quiet, great location

Recommend to friends Visit again

Beautiful surroundings. Facilities were very clean. Staff very friendly. Pod was…

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
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Camping pod

Liked: Beautiful surroundings. Facilities were very clean. Staff very friendly. Pod was comfortable & warm.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Brilliant site. Highly recommend

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

Camping pod (no pets)

Liked: Very friendly and helpful staff, pod was very clean on arrival. Toilets and showers were tidy and extremely clean. Booked straight away for next year

Disliked: We couldn't stay longer!!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Facilities and accommodation brilliant and the park is spotless…

Overall 8/10
Location 10
Value for money 8
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 8
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Stephen K. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Camping pod (no pets, ensuite)

Liked: Facilities and accommodation brilliant and the park is spotless

Disliked: Couldn't get access to drying room and my gear was soaked

Recommend to friends Visit again

will definitely visit again

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

Camping pod

Liked: immaculate showers and toilets, very friendly staff, everything was lovely

Disliked: hard to even think...maybe just some new table tennis rackets and ball ha

Recommend to friends Visit again

The site was clean and spacious. The toilet and shower facilities were…

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

Camping pod (no pets)

Liked: The site was clean and spacious. The toilet and shower facilities were excellent. Staff were friendly and helpful.

Disliked: Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

The site and staff at Hillcroft gave a family feel, like they…

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

Camping pod

Liked: The site and staff at Hillcroft gave a family feel, like they cared about people being comfortable and looked after. Everything was really kept clean and the site is in a beautiful spot with views of the ullswater from our pod.

Recommend to friends Visit again


Features

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

Baby-changing facilities Bath available Car parking by pitch/unit Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Launderette Local produce 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

Budget/backpacker Lake and/or mountain Luxury Peaceful Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise

Utilities

Charging facilities Chemical disposal Communal freezer 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

Large (51-200 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

Location

Hillcroft

Pooley Bridge

Penrith

Cumbria

England

CA10 2LT

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London +0100 (GMT+01:00)

GPS

54.60989°N
-2.81091°W

Route directions

From Junction 40 of the M6 take the A66 to Keswick. After one mile turn left onto the A592 for Ullswater. At the lake turn left to Pooley Bridge; bear right at the village church; go straight over the crossroads and the park is after 100m on the left. PLEASE NOTE FROM SEPTEMBER 2019 to SPRING 2020: From Junction 40, take the A66 east towards Brough, then at the next roundabout take the fourth exit (A6 Shap). Follow this road to the next roundabout and take the second exit for Pooley Bridge.

Nearest transport

Coach
6.7 km Rail Station
21.4 km Bus Station
21.9 km Lakeside House for Dove Cottage
Rail
6.7 km Penrith North Lakes Rail Station
13.4 km Langwathby Rail Station
17.1 km Lazonby & Kirkoswald Rail Station
Ferry
1.1 km Pooley Bridge Ullswater Ferry Landing
5.4 km Howtown Ullswater Ferry Landing
11.3 km 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

Never be dull around Lake Ullswater, which has a watery wealth of things to do: take a trip on Lady Dorothy or one of the other Ullswater Steamers; zip across the lake in a motorboat or drift around gently on a yacht; go rowing, go diving… or be overwhelmed at the crashing waterfall Aira Force, also mentioned by Wordsworth in his Lake District scribblings. Those who like to stretch their legs a tad more can make their way to the nearby village of Glenridding at the south of Ullswater to scale Helvellyn, England’s third highest mountain (goggleboxers or campers of a less energetic bent might be persuaded to come along too as this was the setting for the TV series The Lakes). The village of Pooley Bridge to the north is five minutes’ walk away from Hillcroft and has exceptional views, three pubs and a sixteenth century bridge straddling the River Eamont. It’s said that the Lake District can experience four seasons in one day, so luckily there’s an array of attractions around suitable for all types of British weather: take tea at Dalemain Historic House and Gardens; trundle on the Lakeside Railway from Haverthwaite to Windermere; gape at the Ice Age stalactites at White Star Cave; go underground again at the Honister Slate Mines; or rabbit away to Jemima Puddle Duck and Mrs Tiggy-Winkle at Bowness’s The World of Beatrix Potter.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Allonby 43.8 km Sea N/AGoodGoodGood

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Dalemain Historic House & Gardens 2.5 km

The Rheged Centre 4.5 km

Ullswater Steamers 11.3 km

Castlerigg Stone Circle 18.5 km

Rydal Mount and Gardens 21.2 km

National Trust

Acorn Bank Garden and Watermill 14.3 km

Townend 23.2 km

Grasmere and Great Langdale 23.5 km

Windermere and Troutbeck 25.4 km

Beatrix Potter Gallery 28.8 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

Pooley Bridge - Loadpot Hill - Howtown - Pooley Bridge 0.7 km

Pooley Bridge and Heughscar Hill 0.7 km

DALEMAIN 2.6 km

ASKHAM HALL 4 km

LOWTHER CASTLE 5.1 km

Local events

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

    Penrith, England 6.2 km

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 Hillcroft have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Hillcroft dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Hillcroft? Never be dull around Lake Ullswater, which has a watery wealth of things to do: take a trip on Lady Dorothy or one of the other Ullswater Steamers; zip across the lake … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Hillcroft?
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  1:30 p.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  10:30 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Hillcroft? From €152.39 (for 2 nights, 5 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.