The bell tents at Stone Raise Farm provide a handy way to go camping in Cumbria’s Eden Valley. If you’re not sure where that is, you’re not the only one. “I don’t think people realise how nice it is around here,” says host Emma. But the name might give you the first clue. It’s England’s Eden: a green and pleasant land of countryside around the river, which sits between the Lake District and the Pennines. Stone Raise's bell tents are pitched towards its northern extremes, not far from Carlisle and Hadrian’s Wall. It’s a great location for visiting all those better-known places, but don’t overlook the local beauty. To be honest with views as good as you’ll get from these bell tents, that’s rather hard to do.
There are just five tents here, pitched up in a field that’s big enough for many more. That’s part of the appeal of the place: there’s space and plenty of it. The pre-pitched tents themselves are another advantage – but please don’t think this is glamping. These are bell tents on a working farm. They might make camping easy but it’s still a simple set up with tractors sometimes rumbling by. There’s no electricity on site and you need to bring your own bedding and cooking kit if you want more than a campfire dinner. Those are allowed and an off-ground fire pit is provided along with somewhere to sit outside and camp beds in the tent.
Out of camping season, the field is grazed by sheep so everything is moveable. That means facilities are simple: a portable loo and a portacabin where you’ll find a hot shower, a washing-up sink and a mini shop. Here, Louise shares produce from the farm when it’s available and a bit of local info. There’s a woodland next door that’s great for walks and the river bank is another option. If you like a hike, you can reach al pub in 40 minutes. But, of course, it’s less than that in the car if you want to visit the better-known places nearby: Carlisle, Hadrian’s Wall, the northern Lakes, the Solway Coast – and even Gretna Green.
