Lake District Campervan Road Trip: The Ultimate Van Life Guide
There are few better places in England to own a campervan than the Lake District.
Mountains rise almost directly from the roadside.
Lakes appear around corners.
Stone villages sit between enormous fells.
And almost everywhere seems to contain either a pub, a walking trail or somebody selling cake.
Sometimes all three.
A Lake District campervan road trip can be spectacular, but it rewards a slightly different style of travelling.
The Lakes are compact.
The roads are not always fast.
Parking can be difficult.
And attempting to drive everywhere usually makes the experience worse rather than better.
This is somewhere to pick a base, get out of the van and explore.
Why Visit the Lake District in a Campervan?
The obvious answer is the scenery.
But there's more to it than that.
Travelling by campervan allows you to move between very different parts of the Lake District without having to constantly pack bags or check into hotels.
One day you can be beside Ullswater.
The next, walking above Keswick.
Then perhaps Coniston.
Then somewhere quieter altogether.
The freedom is fantastic.
Provided you don't attempt to drive your long-wheelbase campervan over every mountain pass simply because Google Maps says technically there is a road.
When Is the Best Time to Visit?
Summer gives you long evenings and the best chance of warmer weather.
It also gives you crowds.
Spring is beautiful, particularly when the landscape starts turning green again.
Early autumn may be even better.
September and October bring changing colours, quieter roads and the possibility of spectacular clear days.
Winter is dramatic but requires more preparation.
Whichever season you choose, expect weather.
Possibly several varieties before lunch.
Best Places to Visit on a Lake District Campervan Road Trip
Keswick
Keswick is one of the best bases for a campervan trip.
You've got Derwentwater on the doorstep, walks in almost every direction and enough shops, pubs and cafés to occupy any rainy afternoon.
It's also a good starting point for exploring the northern Lakes.
Derwentwater
Derwentwater manages to look spectacular from virtually every angle.
Walk part of the shoreline, take a boat or simply sit somewhere with a flask and watch the weather move across the fells.
This is what you came for.
Buttermere
Buttermere is smaller, quieter and surrounded by proper mountain scenery.
The drive into the valley is beautiful.
It's also the sort of road where arriving in an enormous motorhome can turn an idyllic afternoon into an advanced spatial-awareness examination.
Know your vehicle.
Ullswater
Ullswater is long, dramatic and ideal for a slower day.
There are lakeside walks, mountain routes and plenty of places from which to enjoy the scenery without attempting to climb anything heroic.
Grasmere
Grasmere combines a beautiful setting with the dangerous knowledge that somebody nearby is selling gingerbread.
Park sensibly outside the busiest streets and explore on foot.
Ambleside
Ambleside makes a practical base for the central Lakes.
Windermere is nearby, walking routes head out in several directions and there's no shortage of food or outdoor shops.
Which is fortunate, because apparently nobody has ever visited the Lake District without buying another waterproof.
Coniston
Coniston Water often feels calmer than Windermere.
The village makes a good base for walking, paddling and exploring the southern Lakes.
Windermere and Bowness
These are among the busiest areas of the Lake District.
They're popular for a reason, but if you're travelling in a campervan during peak season, plan where you'll park before arriving.
Where Can Campervans Stay Overnight?
The Lake District National Park asks campervans and motorhomes to use designated overnight sites. Its guidance distinguishes traditional wild camping on foot from overnight stays in vehicles and makes clear that simply parking somewhere does not give a right to camp there.
Fortunately, the wider Lake District and Cumbria area has a large range of touring sites, from larger holiday parks to smaller basic sites, with some authorised overnight locations also available.
For a campervan trip, this is one destination where booking your overnight stop first can remove a remarkable amount of faff.
The Roads: A Small Warning
The Lake District contains some extraordinary roads.
Some should not be interpreted as a challenge.
Mountain passes such as Hardknott and Wrynose are famous partly because they're incredibly steep and narrow.
A road being legal to drive does not automatically mean driving your particular campervan along it is a good idea.
For larger vans, route around difficult passes.
You won't receive a medal for completing them.
And nobody wants their Lake District holiday to become famous because of the YouTube video entitled:
Campervan Gets Completely Stuck On Tiny Mountain Road.
Park the Van and Use Your Feet
The Lakes become considerably more enjoyable when you stop trying to take the campervan everywhere.
Find a campsite or authorised base.
Then walk.
Cycle.
Take a bus.
Use a boat.
Some of the best places in the National Park are far more enjoyable when you're not simultaneously worrying about finding a 6-metre-long parking space.
A Simple 5-Day Lake District Campervan Route
Day 1 – Ullswater
Start on the eastern side of the Lakes.
Take things slowly and enjoy the water and surrounding fells.
Day 2 – Keswick and Derwentwater
Walk around town, explore part of Derwentwater and settle in for a proper Lake District evening.
Day 3 – Buttermere
Head west for one of the area's most dramatic valleys.
Walk rather than drive once you're there.
Day 4 – Grasmere and Ambleside
Two classic Lake District stops without requiring huge distances.
Day 5 – Coniston
Finish with a quieter lake and perhaps convince yourself you're staying another night.
Walking From Your Campervan
One of the best things about campervan travel in the Lakes is waking up close to a walk.
You don't need to climb Scafell Pike on your first morning.
There are gentle lakeside paths, woodland walks, waterfall routes and low-level viewpoints all over the National Park.
Choose walks appropriate for your ability and the conditions.
Mountain weather can change quickly, and the fact you started the morning eating cereal in a campervan doesn't make the mountains any less mountainous.
Campervan Essentials for the Lake District
Bring:
waterproofs
proper walking footwear
warm layers
offline maps
torch
power bank
levelling ramps
water
drying space for wet kit
That final one matters.
The romantic version of Lake District van life involves misty mountains.
The realistic version occasionally involves attempting to dry two waterproof jackets, muddy trousers and a wet dog inside six square metres.
Avoiding the Crowds
Start early.
This may be the single most useful Lake District tip.
Popular car parks can fill quickly.
If you're hoping to visit somewhere famous, getting there before the day-trippers arrive makes an enormous difference.
Alternatively, go later.
A summer evening beside a lake after many visitors have gone home can be magical.
Is the Lake District Good for Van Life?
Very.
But it rewards people who accept that the campervan is your base, not a vehicle that must accompany you to every single viewpoint.
Choose sensible places to stay.
Drive less.
Walk more.
Spend longer in each valley.
And don't judge the success of the trip by how many lakes you manage to photograph.
Sometimes the best Lake District campervan day consists of one walk, one pub, one spectacular view and absolutely no idea where the van keys are until morning.
That's probably enough.
