Booking last minute camping for helvelly walk

Have you thought about phoning to see if they have space for a small tent ? Some do leave enough room for backpackers etc.

Yeah that's the plan - just wanted to understand how likely i am to get something or make a plan b

I'd try and get somewhere now - seen messages from a rather large campsite we go to regularly that they will be booked up this coming weekend as people have seen the weather forecast.

I know this isn't particularly helpful, but my experience of valley camping in that part of the Lakes during peak summer is that things are hellish. Even if you find a camping space, you'll be cheek by jowl with hundreds of others. The facilities get overcrowded, it's noisy, pubs and caffs get overloaded etc. The last time I used what used to be a pleasant, family campsite on the shores of Ullswater, it was an utter hellhole, I lasted one night before bailing to the serenity of the Peak District.

A decade ago I'd have suggested going somewhere less obvious like the Duddon Valley, which has an ace pub in the form of the Newfield Inn in Seathwaite and a cracking campsite at Turner Hall, but the advent of the internet and the Cool Camping books have kind of killed secluded places as we knew them, in the Lakes anyway. It'll still likely be a lot more pleasant than the stuff around Helvellyn though and has good access to the Coniston Fells. 

I'd personally save Helvellyn for the spring or autumn unless you really like people, lots and lots of people. 

You probably knew this already and Helvellyn is a lovely mountain with some cool walking/scrambling routes, but the visitor explosion and ridiculous traffic congestion in summer makes it an acquired taste. 

Yes any decent weather on a weekend the lakes will be packed.  I ve been walking around levens and low sizergh barn, fab food and a quiet campsite, yesterday I saw 1 person on a 3 hour circular walk.  Helvellyn on a hot Saturday will be a nightmare, just streams of people all taking selfies.  Coniston would be better, torver common even quieter.

Or head further to keswick and avoid cat bells.

Look further afield in the Eden valley and 'commute' in?

Try Side Farm in Patterdale. They don't take bookings so it's first come first served.

https://www.lakedistrictcamping.co.uk/campsite_side_farm.php

If you're dead set on doing Helvellyn on a Saturday I'd recommend starting very early to avoid the hordes. I'd go for a 7am start or head to the west lakes instead.

I sent a DM as i rather my answer wasn’t on the internet 

Thanks for the advice everyone. 

I found a place nearer Keswick for one night. Basic but fine and we will be starting early.

Side Farm were lovely but said "call when you're 40 mins away and we'll see if it's a possible", which is fair enough but we're going after school from Sheffield so too risky really.

We couldnt find a campsite 

Sunset Friday[img] [/img]

moonrise friday night

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Red Tarn saturday

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Carrying the tent up was hell in the sun, I was bloated and thought i may need rescuing in the night, we forgot the water but amazingly was told of a spring nearby, with the freshest coldest water and was able to walk around the Tarn 

   Very hot walk up on Saturday.  We got a single night pitch at Ullswater View campsite.  Very basic but did the job. For my lad's first big hill it was great and we went early so not too busy.

Managed to lose a litre of water by resting my foot on my bite valve at the top so had to scoop some from Red Tarn beck on the way down. No major ill effects but a slightly iffy tummy yesterday.  

All in all, a great trip.

Im sure you passed us on the start of the climb back up. Did you have a fox shirt?

  I did yeah! Where were you?

I only have a pic of my son at present.You went left and your son straight up, on a section near this. I got him out there a couple of years back and he loves it now

Ah was it you with the insoles?

Yes, he bought some gel heel things so i tried them but it was like walking on jelly, a bit