LAKE DISTRICT RAVENGLASS CAMPSITE REVIEW (C&CC)
17th - 22nd September 2020
THE SITE /NEED TO KNOW
This is a Camping and Caravan Club site - you do not have to be a member to stay - however it works out cheaper if you are - more about the clubs can be found here.
PRICE AND BOOKING:
5 nights (September 17th-20th 2020 - peak season) cost us £137.25. This was for two adults on a hard standing pitch with electric hook up. The pitch we were allocated was big enough for out van and awning but, the whole site was hard standing, which was unfortunate as we have an awning with a base, but more about this later.
I advise booking in advance / phoning ahead to check that pitches are available as this site was very popular due to it's great location and easy access for walks in the Lake District - this may have been also due to the Pandemic and campsites had only been allowed to open for a short time by this point too.
DIRECTIONS:
The sat nav (Google maps) took us directly to it - however there was a road apx 20mins prior to arrival that said 'not suitable for caravans' which we were directed down, we saw the sign before the turn off and thought better of it. However, we took this on the way back - accidentally, as it was not signed - and I'd definitely avoid taking this route. It takes you off the A590 to follow a narrow, twisty road up the hills that are littered with sheep, so you can only realistically drive around 15-20mph at most. It does offer gorgeous views of the landscape( and due to the weather conditions it was like driving in a cloud) but it added an extra 30mins onto our journey so personal thoughts are it's not worth the drama unless you're in a small van/car - you definitely ain't getting a caravan over that road though.
THE SITE
Suitable for motorhomes & caravans, but only offered hard standing electric hook up pitches during our stay. There is an area for grass only/tents and this is listed on the club site to book - however this was cornered off due to bad weather - so I advise checking/booking in advance for tent pitches. Also - the hard standing pitches were all concrete/stone so if you have an awning with an attached groundsheet be careful not to tear it. The site warden upon arrival allowed us to park further to one side so we were able to put the awning on the grass as we had a corner pitch next to the road - however the next day - another warden came and said we should move it \ not allowed to have it there due to fire regulations (all vans have to be 6 metres apart) but as we were next to the road, he agreed to let us keep it as is - this time 🤦♀️ - so I advise taking a thick groundsheet to use as a base if you have a thin bottomed awning that may tear.
There is a barrier upon entry, which you get a code for on arrival and there is a one way system for driving about the site. Toilets, showers, pot washing, laundry, and a motorhome service station ( fresh water tap and a grey water drain). It looked like there was a small shop on site too - but due to Covid restrictions, it was closed - so I couldn't tell you what they stocked. There was free wi-fi on site too and the signal was really good, there were a few masts dotted about which we think we're boosters.
As this is a certified Camping and Caravan club site - certain rules apply, as on all club sites for example;
- you cannot arrive before 1pm, and have to vacate the pitch by 12:00pm
- dogs on leads at all times
- no fires (off the floor BBQ's only)
- quite after 11pm
- more can be found here
Overall the site was a gorgeous and peaceful place to stay, clear stary skies at night due to not much light pollution and we had late September sun all day. The site is surrounded by sheep fields - so you wake up to sheep sounds all around you. The sea front and 2 pubs are just a 10 minute walk away, which is the perfect place to watch the sunset - I think we went every evening.
SURROUNDING AREA
Ravenglass 'village' - if you could call it that is tiny and so quiet – almost Erie especially when you spot the old sign by the sea about bombs. One evening we also heard the faint sound of gunfire whilst watching the sunset - Wander got scared bless her and sat on my knee.
There is a great pub here to watch the sunset - called The Inn at Ravenglass. We saw what looked like a post office selling bread and milk etc - and also was the only shop we saw in walking distance to the camp site, however this was closed every time we walked past (Granted this was mainly in the evening). The Pub didn't seem to open in the evenings mid week - or at least it wasn't whilst we were there.
Note that it is technically a Estuary -where a river meets the sea - not the actual sea front. When high tide there is no beach and at low tide there is no sea! Also take care when walking on the sand far out, as it starts to get very sludgy – I nearly lost a shoe (and scared myself by over thinking what if there's quick sand patches!)
The walk way is quite concealed but if you leave the site and turn right, there is a footpath on the left just after the BT shack and before the red and blue house. Follow this and it takes you to past a children's play park, and playing field, over the bridge for Ravenglass train station and into a pay and display car park by the Ratty Arms pub. (There is also another car park just for the train station and museum). Keep going straight and access to the sea is on the left through a street of gorgeous cottages. Or if you go right and then straight on you come to a green grassy area with benches over looking the sea and sands.
There is also a Roman bath ruin just a 7min walk from the campsite. Come out the gates and turn left and walk until you see it. The road is flat - but a little un even under foot, with the occasional car that drives down.
Muncaster castle
is also in walking distance from here, just follow the road past the ruins for an extra 20-30 minuet walk (we didn't manage ths however, as Dave was still waiting knee surgery).
The main tourist attraction at Ravenglass would be the little steam train and museum. Here you can get a little steam train all the way to Dalegarth - a perfect hiking destination.
We were a little apprehensive about this at first as Wander hates anything loud and was proper cowering, trying to run away when we were just stood on the platform. However, after talking to the ticket office and being re assured we'd have a carriage to ourselves as well as requesting one with closing doors and as far away from the engine as possible we thought we'd give it ago - after all, she was fine on the boat last year, and it was only a 40min trip. You'll see by the photos below - it took her a while to get used to it, but eventually she settled and wanted to look out the window and sniff all the sniffs out the door.
Ticket's cost us £36 (£18 each, dogs were free - even got a poop bag and biscuits for her ❤️ ) Due to Covid regulations you needed to pre-book and it was one family per carriage - which worked perfectly for us and Wander. Some carriages were all enclosed, with windows and doors, perfect for dogs/small children and others were open bench seats perfect for the photographers amongst us. There is also a museum, cafe, shop and toilets.
more information can be found here.
At the other end there are two pubs, offering food and drink, a water mill - which is only open on 2 days of the week - so plan accordingly if you want to visit this and a couple of ice cream shops. There are multiple walks you can do from up here, more info can be found here
- however as we visited during Dave's Knee injury time, so we just had a drink in the pub and headed back.
one of the UK's deepest lakes – is just a 25minute drive from the campsite which is a very popular sight seeing place, and good location to start or end a hike. The roads can get quite narrow and windy to get there - there are passing places, but we got stuck due to sheer amount of traffic as there was a treasure hunt event on at the same time which we didn't know about,
the 2 Ball Rally. - if we had of known we'd of probably planned to join in! We also saw another Urvan campervan! which was a treat! as they're very rare over here! When you get so far around the lake, there is only one narrow road in and one road out, again with passing places - and parking signs saying no stopping.
At the end of the road there is there is a National trust campsite and and Inn and camp site for tents only, but no camping for caravans or campervans and a car park 'Wastwater Car Park for Scarfel Pike' . The car park was very busy, and muddy, so many tourists had parked on the roads - ignoring the parking signs. We must of seen over a 100 cars that had parking tickets - at £30 a ticket that's over £3000 for one day's work!! Impressive!
We parked where the road spits (the sign post) before the single road and parking notices and I believe as long as park sensible you won't get ticketed.
As we needed to find petrol and a supermarket - we decided to have a day trip out to Whitehaven. Here there was a big Tesco and Asda, and we drove past a Morrison and B&M Bargains on route. It was a lovely little fishing and mining village, with the buildings being built to look like a castle, resulting in old ruins dotted about. As well as an old knocked down bath house. however everything was closed due to it being a Sunday - and in the middle of a pandemic. Plenty of parking approx 5-2 minute walk from the docks - all seemed to except mobile payment however note if you park in Strand St car park, you only have 10 minutes to get your ticket - it took use about 14 minutes before purchasing a ticket as the machine was not accepting cash, and we had to make an account to pay on our phone and we arrived home to an eye-watering £100 parking fine! (we argued this and had it wavered but best to avoid if possible)
On the way back to the campsite we visited St bees beach
- and put the wrong car park in the sat nav and ended up again having to drive down a narrow residential road, with minimal passing places - ending at a carpark that had a 1.9m height limit bridge and a car behind us with no turning space - we know we could clear 2.1m barrier - but this was nervy - especially as it was on a slope - luckily we cleared by like 3inches - and oh so ever grateful for a small van! We keep trying to remind ourselves we need to plan our routes before we travel. If you do want to visit this beach, there is parking in the main town which is further up the beach, the opposite side of the golf course.
On the route home to the midlands we broke up the drive with a stop off at Morecambe Bay
which was 1hour 30mins from Ravenglass and 2hours 40 from Nottingham. Whilst there we saw the The TERN Project, which is a Nature Trail to celebrate the birds and wildlife of Morecambe Bay featuring a series of sculptures along the promenade for you to discover.
And of course had my photo taken with the famous Eric Morecambe statue. There is also a lovely panoramic sculpture of the mountains that can be seen across the way.
The place was quiet, most things were shut, predominately as it was just out of the summer season and (again) we were in the middle of a pandemic (bloody COVID!) It's a very typical seaside town - chip shops, arcades, gift shops - so worth a visit if you are in the area, but personally, we wouldn't go out of our way to visit.
OVERALL
We absolutely loved our stay - it was quiet and stress free - minus the narrow busy roads and low bridges! And we're planning on visiting again once Dave's knee is better so we can do some walks around Scarfel, Wastwater, and Dalegarth. But unless you enjoy walking and hikes - it is sort of a once you've done it - you've done it kind of destination.
an impromptu 1 night trip to Spring Lakes, Nottingham to use our own kayak and paddle board.
A site that has everything and more!
Where we stayed to climb Snowdon March 2022.
A small, all season, gorgeous little campsite walking distance (30mins) from Whitby.
