The Old Chapel Campsite

The Old Chapel Campsite offers back-to-basics camping in the Cumbrian countryside. Host, Ted, has simply set up a water supply and plonked a portable toilet in a grassy one-acre field on his smallholding to see if anyone wants to come. The answer is a resounding yes! This refreshingly simple site is a hit with people who love the outdoors. It may not have a swimming pool but there’s a brook that babbles by. There’s no designated children’s play area but there’s plenty of space to run around—as well as turkeys, chickens, and ducks tottering about. And, no, it doesn’t have a bar, but from sunrise to sunset, you can drink in lovely views.

Surrounded by fells, The Old Chapel Campsite sits on the edge of the North Pennines. This is the quiet side of Cumbria, it’s not far from the tourist trails through the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales but far enough to be peaceful. From here, a short drive will take you into either but there’s plenty of stunning scenery to explore closer to home as well. You can walk from site up onto Murton Pike and the higher fells beyond. In fact, if you’re walking the Pennine Way, this site makes a good stopping off point close to High Cup Nick.

Open from Easter to the end of September, this campsite is just the ticket if you like things on the wilder side—but still comes with a warm welcome. Ted is a lovely host who’ll welcome you to site by opening the farm gate into his field. He’ll sell you eggs, hire you a fire pit, and point you in the direction of The Stag Inn in nearby Dufton if you don’t fancy a campfire dinner. This is a wholesome place to stay, where dogs on leads are welcome. It can just as easily be the base for a peaceful holiday spent entirely here in the Eden Valley and North Pennines as a lovely place to retreat to after days in the nearby national parks.