Camping in the Lake District with kids.

Low wray national trust campsite is on the shore of Windermere, nice site.

Nice one thanks.

Waterside House campsite by Pooley Bridge if you can get in. Often very busy but right on the lakeside, walking distance to the pubs in Pooley Bridge, and has an onsite cafe.

Fisherground is Eskdale is a popular family site.

Beautiful spot, extremely well run (not a recommended site for scallies), nature activities really good that side of the Lakes (hiking, meant to be excellent natural pools swimming in the valley above Boot), pubs handy for ale-ing, mini train to the coast.

Drawback I guess is that side of the Lakes feels less well-served for the non-nature sort of activities. Depends on whether you and the kids are cool with a quieter trip or you want access to more stuff.

Sykeside near Brotherswater is nice

Sykeside is very nice too. And VERY close to the pub.

Thanks all for the speedy replies

Low Wray looks available. We've been to Bala for 5 nights earlier this year but both the 'lakeside' sites are booked up for August (as you'd expect).

+1 for Wray - you can get the boat into Ambleside from there, or across to Brockhole (for activities like GoApe), or down the lake to Lakeside (for the aquarium).

Coniston much nicer than Windermere for a paddle imo, although possibly easier to rent on Windermere.

There's the island from Swallows and Amazon's too.

If I could post pictures....[grumpy smiley]

+1 for Fisherground in Eskdale, faff to get to, but great site for kids, especially 7-9 yr olds, they’ve got fire pits, quite rare these days!

And another +1 for Waterside at Pooley bridge too. Hire a sup board for them!

To add some anti-recommendations, do not go to...

- Coniston Hall - I've never been but the reviews are very much that it is a party site with music and drinking at all hours and no one policing it at all.

- Low Hollows near Keswick. It's a pop up site and was a bargain at £13 per night for me and my son and perfect base for heading up Blencathra. But again no one policing noise, dogs running around not on leads everywhere. The facilities are nowhere near sufficient for the amount of people they had there.

Also with the Lakes in the summer holidays, don't expect to be able to get parked anywhere near where you want to unless you're going at 6am or late afternoon onwards as people start to leave. I'd follow other people's recommendations and head to the west side.

Castlerigg Hall is superb, first took my kids ages 5 and 7, now the oldest is 16 and basically been twice every year.

Pods are available at very cheap (for lakes) prices

Been to Coniston Hall a few times, was batshit mental on occasion. I don't know if its still like that.

I was in the Lakes yesterday, never been in the Summer before, well, what a shock. It was packed, everywhere. We went from Keswick to Ambleside then to Kendal. Every lay-by was totally full. Ambleside and Windermere were beyond busy with people, with a 3 mile queue on thew road from Kendal into Windermere. I certainly wont be going again in the Summer, it’s manic.

Syke Farm on Buttermere was wonderful a few years back. Once you’ve lugged all of your stuff from the car park and pitched your tent you won’t want to move again.

Short easy walk to lake, and seemed pretty quiet and idyllic, even in summer holidays.

Walkable pub for those rainy days too.

I remember noting a lovely looking campsite near Grange Bridge at the bottom of Castle Crag descent on the Borrowdale Bash. Looked like a really nice river for messing about in just there too. No idea what it's called or who to contact. Google maps doesn't seem to throw up a link.

Syke's Farm campsite is lovely and secluded. All the outdoors you'd want but not much there apart from a pub. Which can be a good or bad thing depending on what sort of trip you're after.

If you want Ullswater then Gillside Camping in Glenridding is good - more things to do an explore around Ullswater, and Glenridding is a good base.

Baysbrown @ chapel stile is a great shout for kids. No booking system but have never been turned away. Nice views and river with a deep ish pool to play in.

Short pleasant walk to the wainwright in.

Bridleway runs next to the camp so a great base to ride from.

Speaking of Ullswater I believe Side Farm gets good reviews though I've never been myself.  Lovely location though.

Side Farm is lovely but another one with no booking system. And there's not many flat pitches.

.one I'm happy to gamble with alone, but wouldn't chance it with kids.

I've not stayed at Skye Farm but Buttermere is a great location for what you want (Id be surprised if there's kayak hire though ) and the cafe is one of my favourite spots to stop in the lakes.

+1 Fisher ground in Eskdale. Brilliant playground. No scallies. Clean bathrooms. Swimming in Blea Tarn up on fellside is a pleasant hike. Swimming in river also ok . Campsite has its own stop on the miniature railway which is surprisingly useful for getting around.

Side Farm is lovely but another one with no booking system. And there’s not many flat pitches.

I missed a trick back in school, having dated one of the current owners who inherited it from her father...