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Another year, another stay at Derwentwater! As with my previous reviews, very little has changed and that is one of the reasons we keep returning year after year.
The site remains clean, tidy and well maintained, and the facilities are perfectly adequate, although the push-button showers are still as annoying as ever. The location is what makes this site so good for us. Keswick is within easy reach and once we have arrived, the car often stays where it is for most of the week.
One of the great advantages of this site is the excellent bus service from just down the road. The buses will take you all over the Lake District, making it easy to explore without having to worry about parking. We also enjoyed several walks around Derwentwater and made good use of the launch boats. One of our favourite ways to spend a day is to take the launch to a different point around the lake and then walk back to Keswick. The Saturday market in Keswick is also well worth a visit.
As I do every year, I want to reinforce one point to avoid disappointment for future visitors. Despite its name, the Derwentwater site is NOT the site with direct access to Derwentwater Lake. The Camping and Caravanning Club has two sites in Keswick that are very close to each other. One is called Derwentwater and the other is called Keswick.
It is the Keswick C&CC site that has direct lake access where you can launch canoes, kayaks and paddle boards or go for a swim. The Derwentwater site has no direct access to the lake and there is no vehicle route from the site to the shoreline.
Every year we seem to meet people who have booked the wrong site and arrived expecting to launch their boats directly from their pitch, only to discover they are at the wrong site. I completely understand why people get confused because common sense would suggest that the site called Derwentwater would be the one on the shores of Derwentwater, but that is not the case.
If direct lake access is important to you, make sure you book the Keswick C&CC site, not the Derwentwater site.
For us, this remains an excellent base for exploring Keswick and the surrounding area and we will no doubt be back again next year.
As in previous years, I would rate it 9/10 for a couple looking for a quiet, well-located site, although families with children may feel differently as there is very little on site aimed specifically at them.
Having stayed at the larger Keswick site many times we opted to try Derwentwater and we are so pleased we did. Booked using our 60+ saver too - bonus!
Very friendly welcome from the warden, passed the time of day, gave us all the site info we needed, asked us where we'd like to be pitched and showed us to our pitch. Excellent service.
Much smaller site than 'next door' and much more peaceful.
Small, central facilities block. Always spotless and never 'busy' whatever time of day (or night) we visited.
Bins and recycling by the exit. Water points around the site.
Short walk into town, either past the other campsite and Booths, or in through Hope Park (stunning park/gardens) or around Crow Park with stunning views of the lake.
So much to see and do in the local area, walking, boats, pubs, restaurants, shops - the list is endless.
We took advantage of members prices for the Keswick Launch tickets bought from the campsite shop. Discount for members and even more for us 'seniors'. Such a wonderful day out.
Made sure we visited Max (the miracle dog) in Hope Park, as always. Morning coffee in the cafe there is a must, but watch out for golf balls if you sit outside!
We loved our 3 nights here, but it wasn't enough. We will definitely be back, book early and stay for longer.
Another year, another week at Derwentwater! All my reviews from previous years are still accurate. The site is still clean and tidy, still has the annoying push button showers, and is still very well situated for visiting Keswick.
One point that I have made in previous reviews that is worth reinforcing to prevent disappointment is that the Derwentwater site is NOT the one on the shores of Derwentwater Lake. The C&CC have 2 sites in Keswick, very close together. One is called Keswick C&CC and the other is called Derwentwater C&CC.
During our visits here, a number of people have got the two sites confused with each other and have booked the wrong one. It is the Keswick C&CC site that has direct access to Derwentwater Lake where you can swim and launch boats/ canoes/ paddle boards directly from the site.
The Derwentwater C&CC site does NOT have any lake access and if you want to get your canoe/SUP to the lake, you will have a long walk over a big hill outside the site to get round to the lake(no vehicle access). I understand why people get confused because you would think that the site called Derwentwater is the one with access to Derwentwater Lake but this is not the case.
Almost every year we have been here, people have turned up with boats/canoes/SUPs thinking that they had booked the site with lake access, when they had actually booked the Derwentwater site with no access.
If you want direct access to the Lake, you need to book the Keswick C&CC site, not the Derwentwater C&CC site.
I have given this site a rating of 9/10 overall as this is what I think it is for a couple of oldies with no children. However, if you are looking for a family friendly site, the rating would be much lower as there is nothing on site for Children, it really depends what you are looking for!
Modern site only a couple of minutes walk from the town centre and Derwent water. The site is very quiet and very tame wildlife - ducks, rabbits and pheasants quite happily wander around the site during the day.
Toilet block is very modern and clean. Push button showers were a smidgen too hot and the block probably have the most effective blown air hand dryers I have come across (also the noisiest).
Plenty of walks from your caravan/motorhome step - Derwent water circular, Cats Bells, Threlkeld. Plenty of eating or takeaway places in Keswick in 5/10 minutes walking. You are a bit limited for supermarkets so as a result they charge a premium (sorry I'm from Yorkshire).
My only slight criticism of the site is the layout is a bit regimented so that you do feel a bit crammed in.
Its a great site if you want to explore Keswick town without worrying about parking but probably not one I would return to as I generally prefer smaller sites.
Nestling in the beautiful Eskdale Valley close to Scafell, England's highest mountain and Wastwater, this site is a children's paradise in the heart of the Lake District. The first thing that meets you on arrival is the pond, fed by a stream and usually full of children paddling and playing on tyre rafts. The playground has zip wires, climbing frames, tyre rope-swings and adventure courses.
Grass pitches (some with EHU) for tents, motorhomes, VW-sized campervans (no caravans). Refurbished toilets, showers and laundry. Peace is the watchword on the campsite - catering mainly for families and couples with silence after 10.30pm. Don't forget your marshmallows - campfires are allowed in selected areas. Nearby shop and pub. And there's an added extra: the site sits along the route of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Steam Railway line, with it's own station. Choo Choo! Find out more here
We stay here every year for a week and my reviews from previous years are still accurate.
This year, we were surprised to see that the glamping tents, that had formed the front part of the site for many years, had been removed and replaced with more pitches.
These pitches were all gravel without the grassy section between pitches and were quite shaded by the massive trees all around the front part of the site, but it was good that these pitches had their own tap (no waste drain) so it saved my back which I often tweak when refilling the water.
We had another great year here, lovely location, friendly wardens, clean facilities. We have already booked for next year and the price has gone up again to £55. 70 a night for 2 adults, which we think is ridiculous, but we just grit our teeth and put up with it because there isn’t another site so well positioned for our needs.
Another great year at Derwentwater. We stay every year for a week and the site was as good as ever.
The facilities are clean and tidy and just about cope with the numbers using them in peak season although there were often queues for the showers.
The location of this site, close to the town, is what makes it perfect for us, and there is so much to do in the surrounding area that we rarely use the car when we are there.
I said this in my review last year but I will say it again to try to stop any disappointment. Because of the name of this site, people often get it mixed up with the site next door which is called the Keswick C&CC site.
Although this site is called Derwentwater, it does not have access to the lake, it is the Keswick site that has lake access. This year another family arrived with their canoes and stand up paddle boards etc thinking that they could launch them directly from the Derwentwater site and they were extremely disappointed to find that they had booked the wrong site and couldn’t launch their crafts.
If you want direct lake access for canoeing and paddle boarding etc, you need to book the Keswick C&CC site next door, not this one.
Site perfect for us. Easy access to shops/supermarkets etc but also easy access to lots of walks and buses to others areas.
Washrooms immaculate but shower water almost too hot, push button with no temp control. No direct access to lake but only a short walk to it. Very quiet and peaceful with distant views of the hills.
We took the bus to Grasmere - very touristy but with interesting shops. Perfect cafe for tea/cakes-lots to choose from. Hourly on the half hour there from Booths then hourly on the 3/4 hour back. Very scenic route. Flat fare £2 each way until June.
Pitches narrow but long enough to park our car in front of the caravan. Only room for smaller awning without pegging onto the grass. Plenty of room between pitches.
We will gladly come here again if we can get in. The only odd thing is the position of the 2 super pitches
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Common Questions
Is Derwentwater Camping And Caravanning Club Site child friendly? YES, it accepts children View all facilities
Is Derwentwater Camping And Caravanning Club Site dog friendly? YES View all facilities
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
All reviews and comments are the personal opinion of the review author only , and as such do not represent the view of the UK Camp Site.co.uk.
The facilities shown on this website are a guide only, and you should check with the campsite direct before making any booking. The UKCampsite.co.uk will not be held responsible for any errors or omissions
Tent Pitches 
Caravan Pitches 
Motorhome Pitches 
Small Campervans 
Glamping Units 
No Statics for Hire 
No Statics for Sale 
No Seasonal Pitches 
Electric Hookups 
Hardstanding Pitches 
Fully Serviced Pitches 
Families Welcome 
Not Members Only 
No Rallies 
Not Naturist Site 
Dogs Welcome 
No Dogs Allowed 
Groups Welcome 
Toilet Facilities 
Hot Showers 
Washing Up 
No Bathroom 
Baby Changing Facilities 
Laundry On Site 
Drinking Water 
Disabled Friendly 
Chemical Disposal 
Battery Charging 
Gas Exchange 
No Recycling Facilities 
No Kitchen Facilities 
No Freezer / Fridge 
Motorhome Point 
Wifi Access 
No Shop 
No Bar 
No Restaurant 
No Playground 
No TV Room 
No Games Room 
No Evening Ents 
No Fishing 
No Wild Swimming 
No Indoor Pool 
No Outdoor Pool 
No Horse Riding 
No Cycle Hire 
No Golf 
Tennis On Site 
No Beach 
No Watersports 
No Boat Launch 
No Sea Views 
Not Working Farm 
No Campfires Allowed 
Open All Year 
No Waterside Pitches 
Public Transport 
No Dog Walk 
Another year, another stay at Derwentwater! As with my previous reviews, very little has changed and that is one of the reasons we keep returning year after year. 
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