Safer Lakes.

Please help protect our communities, observe social distancing and stay safe.

We are welcoming visitors back to the Lake District. We are working with our local partners to put measures in place that will help keep people safe.

Our page lakedistrict.gov.uk/coronavirus has a message from our Chief Executive, how the latest coronavirus rules apply across the National Park, updates on our attractions and services, and how you can contact us.

Visiting

Wild camping

Wild camping is not permitted anywhere in the Lake District without prior permission from the landowner. As the National Park Authority we do not have the power to allow camping on private land and we do not permit camping on the small amount of land that we own. Camping in car parks or on roadside verges is not allowed at any time.

We are pleased that we will be able to start to welcome visitors back to the Lake District for overnight stays from Saturday 4 July. Many of our campsites will be reopening in a socially distanced way and there really is something to suit everyone in all areas of the National Park. We would encourage you to explore what facilities are available before you visit, as not all businesses will be opening fully. Please keep up-to-date with current government social distancing guidelines and respect our local communities and our landscape.

Camping away from an organised campsite is called wild camping. Legally wherever you camp you must have the prior permission of a landowner to camp on their land.

If you do have express permission for the landowner and choose to wild camp, you should always:

camp above the highest fell wall, well away from towns and villages
leave no litter - this includes not burying any litter and removing other people's
don't light any fires, even if there is evidence that fires might have been lit
stay for only one night
keep groups very small - only one or two tents
camp as unobtrusively as possible with inconspicuous tents which blend in
leave the campsite as you would want to find it
carry out everything you carried in
carry out tampons and sanitary towels. Burying them doesn't work as animals dig them up again
choose a dry pitch rather than digging drainage ditches around a tent or moving boulders
perform toilet duties at least 30 metres - 100 feet - from water and bury the results with a trowel
at all times, help protect the environment

Wherever you pitch, please remember that the landowners or their representatives have the legal right to order you to break camp and move on.

Useful links

Search and book your Lake District campsite

There are lots of fairly 'wild' campsites across the Lake District, with views of lakes and mountains... but with a real toilet and fresh water on tap!