Camping pods - lake district

[Mummyisamonster]

We (myself, DH, 2 x small chidlren) are off to stay in a camping pod (a glorified shed by the looks of the pics) in Eskdale, Lake District over Whitsun.
Has anyone tried them out (either there or anywhere else)? I gather we take everything except the tent, ie; a camping stove, chairs, etc etc.
I'm just wondering if there's anything else I should know!
Also - if anyone's been to Eskdale, or nearby, and have any recommendations for good things to see/do I'd be very grateful.

Cheers!

[flossie64]

Lovely area.
They were reviewed a couple of months ago in The caravan and camping club magazine. the man raved about them. Maybe be able to find out more from their website. HTH

[manyhands]

I've been to the site but stayed in a tent. The railway is nice but as it's so isolated it's more of a walking type area. The rhynose and hardnott pass is quite a drive definately give the kids travel sickness pills, we didn't and regretted it! The site is lovely, very clean and well looked after.

[fatzak]

A friend of mine stayed in the Eskdale pods over Easter and said they were great. She also said that the site was one of the best they had stayed in and they are pretty keen campers! She did say however that it was a bit of a pain having to move all the sleeping stuff to have enough room to do anything else but it was cooler then so no outside eating etc.
We've stayed at Fisherground which isn't far away - we didn't do a huge amount to be honest (apart from the usual damn treck to find a replacement air bed as yet again one burst) but there were great walks, the railway, some castles near by. Ditto the pass - we went home that way and won't do it again!!!

[roisin]

Eskdale is fantastic - lovely high and low level walks. Waterfalls in the valley. Ruins of a roman fort on Hardknott pass.

Out west to the coast you've got Muncaster Castle which is worth a visit - they've got all sorts of stuff going on, birds of prey, gardens, house/castle, etc.

If you want a drive if you go directly due south (across the fell is quicker, not by the main road round the coast), you can get to the South Lakes Wild Animal Park pretty quickly.

[Mummyisamonster]

Brilliant, many thanks for all your tips - and advice about hardnott pass duly noted (not for the kids so much as me).

fatzak, I will be testing our airbed as we seem to have a similar problem every time we use ours too...

[Kathyis6incheshigh]

Some great wild swimming holes in the upper reaches of the Esk. cold at this time of year of course - are you pretty hardy?!

DH says the Wasdale Head Inn has decent home-made food and real ales.

[Mummyisamonster]

Kathyis6incheshigh, I think I'll need some real ale if I go swimming in wild swiming holes!
Excellent suggestions, ta

[fatzak]

Mummyisamonster - the last person in the last camping shop we bought one from (think that was the final summer trip in Derbyshire!!) said that we are probably blowing them up too much. She said that if you lean on them with your elbow, your elbow should sink down to the ground if you see what I mean.

I think that we must have spent enough on airbeds to pay for a luxury villa never mind a week in the Lakes or Peak District! Been eyeing up those fat airic thingies but glad to see they are out stock until summer so away from temptation's reach!

[Mummyisamonster]

Ftazak, yes by the sounds of it I have been blowing them up too much.
DH got a fancy looking camp bed with legs on Ebay.... what's it called...an 'anywhere bed' I think. Still has the blow-up bed on top but has legs. We'll try it out and let you know.
What are the fat airic things?? The Aero beds?

[gemy4]

i believe i can get a discount for South Lakes Wild Animal Park by being a member of mumsnet, is this correct as I cannot find anywhere on the website, if it is right how do i go about it??

[roisin]

I've never noticed this on mumsnet. You can certainly use Tesco vouchers.