Van Life - Lake District

There was a camper in every layby and passing place on the pass up out of Langdale last time I went.

Just go to a campsite and pay.

IIRC there's a cricket club or something in Ambleside you can pay/donate to park at overnight... others will probably have less sketchy details.

Think it was the rugby club at Borrans road?

Yep, Ambleside Cricket Club works really well as a daily parking spot, honesty box near the clubhouse door. Located on the left as you leave Ambleside towards Rydal.
I’ve used it a lot for walking the horseshoe or similar. It’s not too long a walk to get back into Ambleside either.
How it works as an overnight park up I don't know, but as a local and member of several Lakes social media groups there is a growing resentment to the “‘converted transit’ camper types”; feels a bit like we’re developing the same animosity that many Scots have on the NC500 route.

It’s an unsolvable issue really.
LDNP is too popular, up from 8million visitors per year Pre-Covid to 12-15million now. Infrastructure is not keeping up, and is barely in existence is most places. Lay-bys have been closed, and estates have put parking meters into many established car parks too.
There has been talk, increasingly loudly, of making some roads/valleys Car-Free, or making the whole park area a permit parking zone or similar. Personally I can’t see that working.
The Welsh have tried forcing people to use the bus for Snowdon by making parking prohibitively expensive or just impossible, but this has just forced the parking issue (literally) further down the road.
We’ve got different tourists now as well, not just the climbing/walking/swimming/kayaking folk of yesteryear.

If you can find a lay-by then I’d crack on, if you’re not blocking a gateway or the road then no-one will key you! I’ve climbed with folk who have parked up for days in Langdale during nice weather, but there have been times when I’ve been trying to find a place to park at 0600 in the morning only to find all lay-by spaces in car-park less areas occupied by campers which is rather annoying to say the least.

It’s all well and good saying go to a campsite and pay, but you need to find a free campsite first, and one that’s in walking distance to the crag, otherwise you’ll be in exactly the same parking-space scrum as everyone else the next morning.

Sorry I’m not more help, but Welcome to Cumbria!

Bays Brown is cheap and nice. Camp there.

The NT campsite at Langdale has space for a tent, do we just book that and sleep in the campervan? Their website only allows you to book a campervan pitch which is sold out. We just want to park and use their facilities, could just pitch the tent then sleep in the van as the tent was too noisy 😃

It’s getting harder to van life in the lakes. As others have said the increase in popularity of the place is making places harder to find especially within walking distance of where you might want to go.

staying in the ODG car park (for a fee)

I believe the NT have stopped this unfortunately due to people breaking Rule 1.

Thanks @Ginkster, I've heard rumours, but there doesn't seem to be any information on this online since about 2018

The NT campsite at Langdale has space for a tent, do we just book that and sleep in the campervan?

Yes - it's not worth the hassle.

In the UK I often find asking at the pub whether it's OK to park in their car park assuming you have a few drinks/food is successful.

I bet the police love that!

I knew a lad who had a few one night and had an argument with his girlfriend when he got home - so he went and slept in the car outside his house.

He was woken by the police in the morning breathalysed, arrested and banned even though he was just sleeping in it and actually wearing pyjamas and his girlfriend backed up his story.

I can see that on a technicality in a car, but it's got to be a bit different in a converted van/motorhome though surely? They are designed for sleeping in! I suspect the letter of the law doesn't discriminate between a car and a motorhome but it would seem to be a bit harsh if the police weren't using a bit of discretion and common sense. What's the point of owning a campervan or motorhome if you can't have a drink after you've parked up at the end of the day?  It'd be interesting to know if anyone has ever been nicked for D&D in a van when it's parked up in the evening in an obvious wild/stealth camping spot.

Sleeping in a campervan after a few beers is actually a potentially serious issue for exactly that reason. Would be easy pickings I expect for the Police in some areas if they wanted to reduce the vans parked out of official spots

Park4Night is a good app for this. I'm currently 'wild camping' in Arrochar.....I'm a small motorhome, not a van though....so don't need toilet facilities etc.....we were in the Lakes at the weekend and stayed on sites, as it's just too much of a faff between April and October to try and stay off grid in the Lakes. The price of sites doesn't really help things, we paid nearly £50 per night (although we're booking very last minute)

As noted above the NT stopovers at Aira Force and New Dungeon Ghyll have been scrapped. They were poorly managed by the NT though tbf. There are a few Aires popping up....one in Ambleside town, which is really good and is £20 per night. One in Wasdale has started this year too, although I'm yet to visit.

I'd love the UK to have an infrastructure of Aires like in France.... obviously their are issues such as space/population density in this country that make things harder. Sadly though, I just don't see us as a society as being responsible enough to use it properly. I was parked by Loch Lomond yesterday afternoon whilst kayaking.....the whole parking area and beaches were littered with a mixture of disposable bbq's, toilet paper, and carrier bags of abandoned picnics ffs. Some weirdo evenasked to borrow my kayak when I was getting out of the water!

I can't see there being an issue having had a few drinks if your parked up in a private pub car park, but yes if your parked up on the side of the road.

Having said that I seem to remember something about a bloke getting into trouble getting into his car on the drive while drunk?

Technically if you have car keys on you you are in charge of a vehicle. It's illegal to be drunk in charge (different to drink driving, with different penalty, 10 points iirc rather than a. Ban). So technically you could be arrested from walking home from the pub to home where your car is parked.

In reality, I'm unaware of any stories where someone was nicked whilst in the back of a vehicle without the keys in the ignition. Keys in the ignition or fumbling the drivers door is a different issue.

If you want to be safe, spare key without the ignition chips etc to get into the vehicle and the driving key in a lockbox (which is locked) should make you safe

I’m not particularly keen as I’m paranoid that people will think we’re scum, but if anyone knows of any places where you can be accomodated for a token fee

How about a hanging belay camp? No one will bother you half way up a climb 😊

There was a camper in every layby and passing place

Its like that in whitby at the moment, not so bad with the Motorhomes with toilets but the small vans don't have toilets and there's more and more white toilet paper visible these days. They ruined it around Loch lomond in Scotland, now this is regulated to stop the human waste problems.

I'm taking a break from the lakes for a while. Used to go there a lot but prices for a small campervan are crazy and usually minimum 3 nights stay. It was almost cheaper to stay at the premiere Inn with a full cooked breakfast included.

A lot of places are also fully booked by April!

As above, since covid, people who used to go abroad are staying in the UK and the lakes is struggling to cope. Traffic jams, sitting in traffic soaking up the fumes then fighting for a parking place.

Plenty of other places to go to. Question is, will it stay this busy or get back to pre covid levels?

staying in the ODG car park (for a fee)

I believe the NT have stopped this unfortunately due to people breaking Rule 1.

Rule 1 was fairly flexible when I used to go to the ODG campsite 40odd years ago. I should imagine it no longer applies.

There is the pub car park at the ODG as well as the NT one - worth giving them a ring and striking a deal for beers?

I would go to Baysbrown campsite down the valley.

I do house jobs in summer hols (painting/decorating etc with the windows open) and go Welsh and LD hiking with doggo in winter months. No parking issues and fewer/no people. Eberspacher to keep warm overnight. Summer is too busy nowadays.

What’s the point of owning a campervan or motorhome if you can’t have a drink after you’ve parked up at the end of the day?

it’s a bit of a sad entitlement of our society that the only reason to have a van is to drive around and have a beer.  That said it would be a good way to sort the van overcrowding issue if people who wanted to use them and drink were banned!

The law actually provides a defence (for you to prove) that <span style="font-size: 0.8rem;"> at the time you are alleged to have been drunk in charge of a motor vehicle the circumstances were such that there was no likelihood of you driving the vehicle whilst the proportion of alcohol in your breath, blood or urine remained likely to exceed the prescribed limit.</span>

This is one of the times when using your right to silence and mentioning it later may not be the best choice, and convincing the court you were not going to drive may be harder than you think if you’ve put the keys in the ignition to run the heater, or you are outside your own house, or the only person corroborating your story is your wife, or you’ve drunk so much that it will be 5pm the following day before you are below the limit again, or you’ve parked somewhere causing an obstruction and might be asked to move.  On the other hand having booked a night at a camp site would clearly suggest you were planning to stay, having sought approval from the pub would suggest you had the foresight not stay put (although best to ask before drinking!), or the van clearly being in “sleeping mode” are all likely to convince the cop before he even asks for a breath sample, never mind the court deciding.

it’s a bit of a sad entitlement of our society that the only reason to have a van is to drive around and have a beer.

If you're going to quote me, don't then go on to completely twist my words. I didn't say say anything remotely like that. 'A drink', 'at the end of the day',  'parked up', is what is what I said.

With a meal, after a day of touring, hiking, or cycling perhaps? You think it's 'sad' to enjoy a drink after that, when you're on holiday?

The road to it is a bit narrow but I love this site. Better than a lay-by

Tarn Foot Farm
015394 32596
https://maps.app.goo.gl/KogKsN7shnGNPDSX8?g_st=ic

Use to be £3 a night I’m sure it’s more now but I’ll still be cheap

but it would seem to be a bit harsh if the police weren’t using a bit of discretion and common sense.

Good luck with that

ODG pub carpark welcomes vans overnight for a donation to the mountain rescue and of course you will be eating/drinking in there. We stay there regularly but it is a very small car park and fills up quickly. It is the first little park on the right as you drive in and abuts the big NT car park there. We have had the occasional cheeky overnight in the NT one and then paid for the days parking. Only been told off once for it. The NT did allow overnights at Stickle Barn just down the road but stopped that for reasons unknown, probably due to them closing Stickle Barn.

There is a big car park in Ambleside just up the road from the cricket club on the left that has an overnight area. Never used it so can't comment but seen many vans in there.

Have also overnighted in both car parks up Kirkstone pass and in laybys around Buttermere.

What is the attitude / reception of responsible van camping in the Lakes?

I dont get this. In England it is illegal to wild camp. However I think it is safe to say that as so long as you are off the beaten track, leave no trace and effect no one you can do it.

So crack on in your bright white motorhome, get it up to a hidden valley or out of the way on top hill.

I do find it odd that people who have splashed out huge sums of money on these vans then think they do not have to stick to the same rules as other campers.

Last time I was up in Langdale the site had about 5 pitches for motorhomes. Plus simply the road wasnt suitable for motorhomes, yet one bloke was determined to prove that his motorhome should be there when it was clearly too wide for the road.

I’m currently ‘wild camping’ in Arrochar

You are not, you are parked at the side of the road in a mobile hotel.

FunkyDunc

In England it is illegal to wild camp.

I’m currently ‘wild camping’ in Arrochar

You are not, you are parked at the side of the road in a mobile hotel

So not illegal then?

Might use that in my defense in court. Bloke on forum says it's not wild camping.

it’s a bit of a sad entitlement of our society that the only reason to have a van is to drive around and have a beer.

Yep, thats the only reason I have one.. Peak STW sanctimony 🙂

So not illegal then?

Might use that in my defense in court. Bloke on forum says it’s not wild camping.

I guess I may have taken the context of 'wild camping' incorrectly to mean out in the wilderness leaving no trace. As that particular person was in Scotland they are allowed to do it because you can camp any where, however they are certainly not ruffing it in the context of wild camping.

In the Lakes having a campervan over night any where other than private land is illegal, although it almost appears to be more acceptable to park a motorhome in a car park/layby than it would be to pitch a tent at the side of that same layby / car park on a patch of grass.

I knew a lad who had a few one night and had an argument with his girlfriend when he got home – so he went and slept in the car outside his house.

He was woken by the police in the morning breathalysed, arrested and banned even though he was just sleeping in it and actually wearing pyjamas and his girlfriend backed up his story.

This is a thing. If you have the keys on you or access to the keys then the offence still is being intoxicated in charge of a motor vehicle.

I used to work at Tesco at the weekend when I was at A-level college and regularly used to go out on a Friday night in town then sleep in the car in the staff car park before my shift at 8am. Then a mate of mine got done in exactly the same way as above so I stopped that sharpish.

I can imagine its the same for camper vans so I'd be very careful about parking up on a public road / car park then having a few beers or bottle of wine incase the plod come knocking at night and breathalyse you.

I can imagine its the same for camper vans so I’d be very careful about parking up on a public road / car park then having a few beers or bottle of wine incase the plod come knocking at night and breathalyse you.

So it makes more sense to buy a caravan and park it up in laybys and car parks (avoiding camping fees) at least then you can have a beer and kip in the van knowing plod cant arrest you.

no need for caravaners to bother with campsites these days either !

@Jordan do you know if they let you use their toilets, or is it for campers that are self-contained?

@Pieface The toilets are only open when the pub is open and accessible from outside without going through the bar but I would feel a bit cheeky using them if I hadn't given them a bit of custom. Don't think anyone would notice though. Alternatively a 15min walk down the fields gets you to Stickle Barn public toilets, they might be locked at night now they don't allow overnighters. If it's just a pee at night then I would walk down far end of NT carpark and use the bushes. Fortunately we have a bog in the van.

Seriously, you are talking about 10mins walk from bays brown. They don’t need a booking and it’s cheap.

Just use a site.

Actually nearly 3 miles from Bays Brown to ODG, walked it many times and wouldn't fancy it after a days walking and a night in ODG. Never stayed at BB but it looks fine and would use it if I wanted to be based at that end of the valley but nights in the ODG are nearly as important to us as the days walking.

nights in the ODG are nearly as important to us as the days walking.

Amen to that!

Actually nearly 3 miles from Bays Brown to ODG, walked it many times and wouldn’t fancy it after a days walking and a night in ODG. Never stayed at BB but it looks fine and would use it if I wanted to be based at that end of the valley but nights in the ODG are nearly as important to us as the days walking.

So either buy a tent or rent a room in the hotel. Those are the options that are available.  🙂

So either buy a tent or rent a room in the hotel. Those are the options that are available.

Err, no they aren't. ODG doesn't have a site for tents but they do allow vans to overnight in their car park, as I said in my first post. Although, a couple of the guys we drink with there do string hammocks and tarps between the trees behind the pub so thats another option. 🙂