Lake District Walks and Wild Camping: Our Complete Guide

Can you really pitch a tent next to a mountain tarn in the Lake District? And which walks are worth your time if you only have a weekend? The Lakes have big fells, hidden waterfalls and some of the best wild camping spots in England. However, the rules are a bit confusing, so I put everything in one guide.

We first wild camped at Angle Tarn above Patterdale on a rainy Friday night in May, on our way up to Scotland. Later we came back with Peter in the baby carrier and found a hidden waterfall in Great Langdale. We have also done a Lake District road trip sleeping in the back of our car, in a glamping pod and in our tent. Below you will find our favourite walks, the wild camping rules for 2026, how to get around by bus and where to stay.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Quick answer

• Easy walk with kids: Whorneyside Force in Great Langdale, about 6 km return with 180 m of ascent.
• First wild camp: Angle Tarn above Patterdale, about 3.5 km each way, 1.5–2 hours with a full pack.
• Is wild camping legal? Not as a right. It is tolerated high on the fells if you follow the code: above the highest fell wall, one night, small groups, no fires, no trace.
• Not tolerated: lake shores, car parks and verges. Several lakeshore hotspots now have fines of up to £100.
• Without a car: train to Penrith or Windermere, then Stagecoach buses like the 508 to Patterdale and the 516 to Great Langdale.
• Big fells: Catbells is the classic family fell. Helvellyn via Striding Edge and Scafell Pike are full mountain days.

Our favourite Lake District walks

Whorneyside Force, Great Langdale

This lovely hidden gem was all ours when we visited in November. A local man saw us on the trail with Peter and told us about it, as there isn't much elevation gain. We parked at the New Dungeon Ghyll car park and walked through the fields past the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel. Then a gravel track took us up the valley, and we even watched border collies herding the sheep down from the hillsides. The waterfall sits in a rocky amphitheatre with an emerald green pool. We had a picnic at the bottom and spent about 2 hours there.

• Distance: 6 km return from the Old Dungeon Ghyll car park with 180 m of ascent. Our loop from New Dungeon Ghyll was 10 km.
• Parking: National Trust car parks at the Old Dungeon Ghyll and Stickle Ghyll (pay and display, free for NT members), plus New Dungeon Ghyll pay and display.
• Bus: Stagecoach 516 to the Old Dungeon Ghyll, mostly from Ambleside.
• Toilets: at the Stickle Ghyll car park.
• Food: the Climbers Bar at the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel (food daily from 12:30 pm to 8 pm in 2026) and the National Trust's Sticklebarn pub.

Read the full route in our Whorneyside Force waterfall walk.

Patterdale to Angle Tarn

Even if you don't camp, the walk from Patterdale to Angle Tarn is a great half-day hike. The climb to Boredale Hause is steep, but the views back over Patterdale and Ullswater make up for it. Then the path flattens out with views towards Brothers Water. Our return walk was 7 km with about 390 m of ascent. If you want a loop, the National Trust's Cow Bridge car park near Brothers Water is a good start for a circuit over Angletarn Pikes and down past Hayeswater to Hartsop. It is about 11.4 km with around 550 m of ascent.

Catbells, Helvellyn and Scafell Pike

We haven't climbed these three yet, but they are high on our bucket list. So I've researched them in detail in our trail guides:

• Catbells and the Derwentwater circular: about 5.5–6 km with 380–400 m of ascent. Take the Keswick Launch to Hawes End (a single cost £6.95 for adults in 2026). It is a classic first fell for kids, with two short scrambly bits.
• Helvellyn via Striding Edge: a 12–13 km loop from Glenridding with around 900 m of ascent and an exposed Grade 1 scramble. Only go in dry, calm weather.
• Scafell Pike from Wasdale: England's highest mountain at 978 m. It is about 8.5–9.5 km return from Lake Head car park, but very steep, so allow 5–6 hours.

For waterfalls, Aira Force above Ullswater is another favourite with families. It is in our list of the best waterfall hikes in the UK.

Wild camping in the Lake District: the rules in 2026

Strictly speaking, there is no legal right to wild camp in the Lake District. The Lake District National Park Authority says you need the landowner's permission first. However, discreet camping high on the fells has been tolerated for generations. In May 2025 the Supreme Court confirmed a right to camp on the Dartmoor commons, but that ruling comes from a Dartmoor law. It doesn't change anything in the Lakes.

This is the code the National Park and the National Trust ask wild campers to follow:

• Go high: above the highest fell wall (roughly 400 m), away from houses, roads and lake shores.
• Arrive late, leave early: one night only.
• Keep it small: one or two tents. The National Trust says to move on if two tents are already there.
• No fires or barbecues: use a small gas stove instead.
• Toilet: go at least 30 m from water, bury it with a trowel and pack out the paper.
• Leave no trace: take all your rubbish home, plus any you find.

Lakeshore "fly camping" is a different story. Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council now use Public Spaces Protection Orders at hotspots like Crummock Water, Blea Tarn, Coniston and Windermere, with fixed penalties of up to £100. We have met campers who pitch right next to a car park, leave a mess and blast music. It really annoys us! So please don't be that person.

Our Angle Tarn wild camp

Angle Tarn sits at 479 m on Angletarn Pikes, with a fish-hook shape and two little islands. It is one of the best-known beginner spots, and on summer weekends it can feel like a campsite. We went on a rainy Friday in May and only saw one other tent, on the other side of the tarn. We parked in the small free lay-by in Patterdale and it took us about 2 hours to walk up with our heavy packs and camera gear. The ground was boggy, so we looked for a spot that was less likely to flood. We cooked expedition meals on our Jetboil inside the tent, and sent a message to our family on our Garmin satellite communicator, as there was no signal.

The next morning was dry. We packed up, made sure we left no trace and were back at the car in an hour. Read the full story of our Angle Tarn wild camping adventure.

More wild camping spots

Sprinkling Tarn below Great End, Innominate Tarn on Haystacks, Blea Water above Haweswater, Red Tarn on Helvellyn, Easedale Tarn near Grasmere and Scoat Tarn in Wasdale are all popular too. Our full guide to wild camping in the Lake District has the walk-in times and honest notes for each one.

Wild camping kit

You need kit that works in wind and heavy rain, because the Lakes get plenty of both. Our full list is in our wild camping equipment checklist, and we eat ready-made expedition food to keep it simple.

We have used a Jetboil for many years. We cooked our dinner on it in the tent at Angle Tarn.

For a tent, pick something small, sturdy and in a muted colour so it blends into the fell. The MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2 is the lightweight two-person tent I recommend in my checklist.

Many tarns have no phone signal, so I also suggest a satellite communicator or personal locator beacon. Pack a water filter too, as sheep graze almost everywhere.

Getting there and around without a car

There is no railway station in Keswick. However, the bus network is pretty good in the main season:

• Trains: Penrith is on the West Coast Main Line. A branch line runs to Windermere.
• 508 (Stagecoach): Penrith to Pooley Bridge, Glenridding and Patterdale all year. The section over Kirkstone Pass to Windermere ran daily from 23 March to 1 November in 2026.
• 516: Ambleside to the Old Dungeon Ghyll in Great Langdale.
• 555: Windermere to Keswick via Grasmere. X4/X5: Penrith to Keswick.
• 77/77A Honister Rambler: a loop from Keswick via Catbells, Honister and Buttermere, daily from 23 March to 1 November in 2026.
• Keswick Launch: boats around Derwentwater to Hawes End for Catbells. There are no sailings in December and January.

If you drive, arrive early. Small lay-bys like the one in Patterdale only fit a few cars. Never camp or sleep in your vehicle on the roadside, as the National Park doesn't allow it.

Where to stay

If the forecast is bad or you are new to camping, a campsite is the easy option. The National Trust runs four campsites it calls "wild": Great Langdale, Wasdale, Eskdale and Low Wray on Windermere. Great Langdale is a perfect base for Whorneyside Force. There are also simple, unlocked bothies looked after by the Mountain Bothies Association, but space is first come, first served, so always carry a tent.

On our road trip we mixed car camping, a glamping pod and our tent. Our Night Owl coverless duvet made all three really cosy. If you like the idea of sleeping in your car, read our tips on car camping in the UK, but only use proper campsites or places where overnight parking is allowed.

The Lake District with kids

Whorneyside Force was perfect with Peter in the carrier. The path is gradual and well trodden. Catbells is the classic first fell for children who are used to walking, but it isn't pushchair-friendly. For flatter paths, we have used our Out n About Nipper in the Lake District, and it copes with mud, grass and gravel really well.

Weather and safety

• Check a mountain forecast like the Met Office mountain forecast or MWIS, not a town one.
• From December to April, the National Park's Weatherline posts daily fell-top reports from Helvellyn.
• Becks rise fast after heavy rain. Don't pitch in hollows or right beside water.
• Register your phone for emergency SMS (text "register" to 999). Then you can text 999 when the signal is too weak for a call.
• Check yourself for ticks after walking through bracken.

FAQ

Is wild camping legal in the Lake District?

Not as a legal right. You need the landowner's permission. However, discreet one-night camps above the highest fell wall are widely tolerated if you follow the code: small groups, no fires, pitch late, leave early and leave no trace.

Where is the best place to wild camp in the Lake District for beginners?

Angle Tarn above Patterdale is a popular first wild camp. It is about 3.5 km from Patterdale with 390 m of ascent, and the 508 bus from Penrith stops in the village. Go midweek, as it gets busy on summer weekends.

What is an easy Lake District walk with a baby or toddler?

Whorneyside Force in Great Langdale is about 6 km return with only 180 m of ascent, and we did it with Peter in a carrier. Catbells is great for kids who already like walking.

Can you visit the Lake District without a car?

Yes. Take the train to Penrith or Windermere and use Stagecoach buses like the 508, 516, 555 and the seasonal Honister Rambler. In winter some routes run less often, so check the timetables first.

Can I have a fire when wild camping in the Lakes?

No. The National Park and the National Trust both ask for no fires or barbecues at all. Use a camping stove on a stable, non-flammable surface.

Have you wild camped in the Lake District? Which tarn or walk is your favourite? Let me know in the comments!