Wasdale Campsite

Wasdale Campsite is the practical base for the wildest end of the Lake District, set between Wastwater and Wasdale Head beneath Scafell Pike. It is a place to sleep, reset, and start a serious day in the fells rather than a sightseeing attraction by itself. The surrounding valley supplies the payoff: steep mountain walls, the River Irt, open views, and some of the most dramatic walking in England.

From the campsite, you are close to the routes toward Scafell Pike, Great Gable, and the Wasdale valley. Wastwater is roughly a mile away, and Wasdale Head with St Olaf's Church and the Wasdale Head Inn is the natural focus for shorter walks and longer mountain days. The location is especially useful if you want an early start without driving back out of the valley.

This is a substantial National Trust campground with around 120 pitches, grassy tent areas, and hardstanding pitches with electric hook-up for suitable campervans and motorhomes. The site is surrounded by trees and river meadow, so it feels more sheltered than the open fell landscape beyond the gate, but the weather can still be wet, cold, and windy.

Verified facilities include toilets, hot showers, an accessible shower and toilet, accessible washing-up space, laundry, chemical disposal, a small shop, and electric hook-ups. There is also a drying room, which is genuinely useful after a wet mountain day. The shop is for basics and forgotten supplies, not a substitute for arriving prepared in this remote valley.

The approach is narrow and slow in places, with stretches of single-track road and limited passing space. Allow more time than a map estimate suggests, be patient with oncoming traffic, and check that your vehicle and outfit are suitable before setting out. This is not a convenient roadside overnight stop, and the detour is part of the commitment to staying here.

The campsite is generally available through winter, with a short Christmas shutdown. Summer gives you the longest daylight for mountain routes and the fullest choice of services, but it is also the busiest period. For a calmer stay, aim for a weekday or arrive outside the main daytime changeover period. The high fells can disappear into cloud even when the campsite looks bright, so bring a map, compass, waterproof layers, sturdy footwear, and a tent setup that can handle wind.