The Lake District and Cumbria is (in my view) one of the UK's most stunning regions and it's great for a family holiday, if you can overlook the rain and exceedingly slow roads...
There are more than 30 holiday parks to choose from, but we've picked out 10 of the best by looking at location, facilities and reviews. We've included a mix of busy caravan parks which are run by chains such as Haven and Park Resorts/Parkdean Resorts, as well as some independent holiday parks and posher lodges.
Some holiday parks have lakeside locations around popular spots like Windermere and Ullswater, whilst others require a bit of driving from pleasant Cumbrian spots outside The Lakes.
There are more than 30 holiday parks to choose from, but we've picked out 10 of the best by looking at location, facilities and reviews. We've included a mix of busy caravan parks which are run by chains such as Haven and Park Resorts/Parkdean Resorts, as well as some independent holiday parks and posher lodges.
Some holiday parks have lakeside locations around popular spots like Windermere and Ullswater, whilst others require a bit of driving from pleasant Cumbrian spots outside The Lakes.
1. White Cross Bay Holiday Park, Windermere (lakeside location, popular family park, indoor swimming pool)
**Winner: best value holiday park**
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Park Resorts has got four holiday parks in the Lake District and three of them make our top 10 guide because of their reviews and facilities (Fallbarrow, White Cross Bay and Limefitt).
They’re all around Windermere and all get very good reviews (either 4 or 4.5 out of 5 on TripAdvisor). Personally, I’d go for White Cross Bay holiday park as it’s a bit closer to Windermere and the only one with an indoor swimming pool, which I suspect would be useful given the Lake District’s ‘occasional’ rainy days. There’s also a sports court, sauna and steam room, playground, bar and restaurant and a marina so you can bring your own boat (you have to pre-book for that). There are also kids' activities, mostly based around the swimming pool. Price: £819 for a week in a Kentmere caravan for a family of four in August 2018 |
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2. Limefitt Holiday Park, Windermere (idyllic location, basic facilities)
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Limefitt Holiday Park is another Park Resorts site near Windermere, in a valley a couple of miles from the Lake. It scores well with reviewers, averaging 4.5 out of 5 on TripAdvisor.
The park isn’t as well equipped as some bigger parks but it does have a pub, games room and playground. I’d put this one into the category of a quiet holiday park, rather than one of those big family holiday parks where you can expect to endure screaming children on bicycles at 11pm every night… Price: £719 for a Beckside Lodge for a family of four, for a week in August 2018 |
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3. Whitbarrow Village, near Penrith (posh family holiday park, indoor swimming pool, hot tubs)
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Whitbarrow Village isn't cheap but it's aimed at families and is posher than most holiday parks on our Lake District and Cumbria guide (so there's a good chance of avoiding the riff-raff, as Basil Fawlty might say...)
Whitbarrow has got an indoor swimming pool, sauna, gym, toddlers' play area, table tennis, crazy golf, adventure playground and giant chess. Some of the accommodation also have hot tubs so you can bubble the days away. Reviews are generally around 4.5 out of 5 on TripAdvisor or 9 out of 10 on Hoseasons. It's between Penrith and Keswick, so you can be at Ullswater in about 15-20 minutes. It's also easy to access from the M6. Price: £1399 for a week in a 'Caldew' cottage for a family of four in August 2018 |
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4. Fallbarrow Holiday Park, Windermere (great lakeside location, basic facilities, very good reviews)
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Fallbarrow Holiday Park is the third Park Resorts caravan site to make it into our Lake District top 10 holiday park guide.
Its main attraction is its location, right in the heart of Windermere with marina access so you can bring your boat along (unfortunately my million pound yacht is currently out of action…). There are also other basic facilities, such as a playground, games room and bar. There isn’t a swimming pool or sports area, so I would see it as a pleasant base for exploring rather than somewhere to spend the whole week. Reviews average 4.5 out of 5 on TripAdvisor. Price: £809 for a week in a 'Kendal' caravan for a family of four in August 2018 |
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5. Lakeland Leisure Park, Grange-over-sands (busy Haven park, indoor pool, 30 minute drive to The Lakes)
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Haven has only got one holiday park in Cumbria but Lakeland Leisure Park gets a solid 4/5 from most reviewers.
It's not right in the Lake District, so you'll need a car if you want to do some exploring (Coniston is half an hour's drive). It's by the coast, but it's not really a bucket-and-spade sort of area. I'd say the main appeal of Lakeland is the range of facilities onsite - as is the case with most Haven holiday parks. Lakeland has indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a 9 hole golf course, crazy golf, bowling alley, tennis and a boating lake. There are also kids' clubs, places to eat and various activities that you pay extra for, including a football academy and pottery painting. Of course, you'll probably want to be out exploring The Lakes but if it rains for three days solid, the onsite facilities will be very welcome. Unless of course you enjoy the feeling of rain dripping off your nose and onto your map... Price: £726 for a family of four, staying in a standard caravan for a week in August 2018. |
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6. Stanwix Park Holiday Centre (cheap coastal park with indoor swimming pool, 30 minute drive to The Lakes)
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Stanwix Park is one to consider if you want a combination of beach days out and Lake District exploring. It’s in Silloth, which has a shingly sort of beach so not exactly sandcastle territory, but nice for a wander.
It's about 30 minutes drive to the edge of the Lake District, but bear in mind that the roads in the Lakes are very slow so it could take up to two hours to get to Windermere on a busy day. On the plus side, Stanwix Park is well equipped with things to do onsite, including indoor and outdoor swimming pools, an adventure playground, soft play area, kids' clubs, gym, tennis, 10 pin bowling, pool and snooker. There's an extra charge for some activities. Reviews average about 4 out of 5 on TripAdvisor, or 8.4 out of 10 on Hoseasons when I checked. The promotional video won seven Baftas, including Most Content Couple in a TV Advert... Price: £578 for a 'Coniston' apartment for a family of four for a week in August 2018 (most of the accommodation is caravans, but the cheapest option was an apartment when we searched). |
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7. Hillcroft Caravan Park, Ullswater (great location and reviews, quiet park, basic facilities onsite)
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Hillcroft Caravan Park is in a nice spot towards the north of the Lake District, so it's a bit less touristy than Windermere.
There's not a lot on site, but it get very good reviews (4.5/5 from most reviewers, or 9.5/10 on Hoseasons when I checked) and is a decent base for walking or getting to Ullswater. It's also not too far from the M6 so it's quicker to get to than some holiday parks. The park only has a play area and table tennis, so don't plan to spend all your time here. Although to be honest, if you come to the Lake District and then spend the whole week in a caravan, you've kind of missed the point. Price: £895 for a family of four, staying for a week in August 2018 in an 'Atlanta' caravan. |
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8. Avon Wood Holiday Park, Windermere (simple site alongside Windermere, great reviews)
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If you’re looking for flumes, bingo nights and minigolf for the kids…don’t stay at Avon Wood Holiday Park.
However, I’d certainly consider it if you want a quiet place to stay with a great reputation. Reviewers frequently give it 5 out of 5 (or 9.6 out of 10 on Hoseasons when I checked), despite it not really having a whole lot to do on the site itself. The key thing here is the location, in woodland alongside Windermere. It’s also got its own access to the Lake so you can bring your own canoe or boat and spend a few days bobbing about. Most of the accommodation is fairly pricey lodges, but we’ve included it in our best Lake District caravan park list as they do have some caravans which are hundreds of pounds cheaper. You’ll need a car (or a boat) if you stay at Avon Wood. Price: £599 for a family of four in a Bowness caravan for a week in August 2018. |
Visitors admiring the view on Windermere
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9. Bassenthwaite Lakeside Lodges, near Keswick (posh lodges with hot tubs, lakeside location)
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Bassenthwaite Lakeside Lodges are a bit posher than most holiday parks, but we've included it because of its 5/5 reviews on TripAdvisor.
It's towards the north of The Lakes, quite near to Keswick with access to Bassenthwaite Lake. Facilities onsite are limited but some of the more expensive accommodation does have hot tubs (parp) and there's plenty to do in Keswick. Roads in the Lake District are slower than a snail with a hangover, so it'll take you well over an hour to get to Windermere. Price: £1089 for a week in a country lodge for a family of four in August 2018 |
Overlooking Keswick in the Lake District
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10. Wild Rose Park, Ormside (good base for seeing Pennines, Dales and Lakes with a car)
**Winner: cheapest Lake District and Cumbria holiday park**
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Wild Rose Park isn’t actually in the Lake District but it’s only half an hour’s drive away and is also near to the Yorkshire Dales so you can explore a bit of both.
Customer reviews average 4.5 out of 5 and it’s got a decent range of facilities, including an outdoor swimming pool (a bit optimistic perhaps?), a restaurant, play area and badminton. I wouldn’t say there’s enough on site to spend a long time, but the caravans get good reviews from customers. It's also the cheapest holiday park out of our list of the best 10 Lake District and Cumbria caravan parks. Price: £575 for a week in a 'gold' caravan for a family of four in August 2018. |
Price comparison of 10 of the Lake District and Cumbria's best caravan holiday parks
Obviously our price comparison only looked at one week, but here are the results for what it's worth.
We looked for the cheapest accommodation available for a week's holiday in August 2018, for a family of two adults and two children. We searched in September 2017.
From the cheapest to the most expensive:
We looked for the cheapest accommodation available for a week's holiday in August 2018, for a family of two adults and two children. We searched in September 2017.
From the cheapest to the most expensive:
- Wild Rose Park - £575
- Stanwix Park Holiday Park - £578
- Avon Wood Holiday Park - £599
- Limefitt Holiday Park - £719
- Lakeland Leisure Park - £726
- Fallbarrow Holiday Park - £809
- White Cross Bay - £819
- Hillcroft Caravan Park - £895
- Bassenthwaite Lakeside Lodges - £1089
- Whitbarrow Village - £1399
