Compare campervans, motorhomes and RVs to hire in the Lake District, listed by private owners and local hire businesses. See prices, photos and reviews for campervan hire in the UK, then book online with insurance included.
England’s largest national park, and one of the best short campervan trips in the country — but it has road restrictions that catch out first-timers in a large vehicle. Enter a Cumbria or Lake District postcode on the search page, set how far you will travel to collect, and you will see insured campervans and motorhomes from owners and operators in and around the park.
Every vehicle is listed by its owner — private owners and local rental businesses — and booked through our partner Outdoorsy, with insurance and payment protection on every booking.
Campervans and motorhomes for the Lake District
The choice runs from 2-berth camper vans — a converted van that sleeps two and drives much like a large car — to 6-berth motorhomes with a full kitchen and bathroom. A berth is a sleeping space, so a 4-berth sleeps four.
Vehicle size matters more here than in most of the UK. Several of the classic Lake District passes — Hardknott, Wrynose and Honister among them — are steep, narrow, and explicitly unsuitable for long motorhomes, coaches and caravans; local advice is to avoid them altogether in anything but a small van. If your plan includes the western fells (Wasdale, Eskdale) or you simply want the fewest restrictions, a 2-berth camper van is the easiest choice. A 4-berth motorhome is fine for the main valleys — Windermere, Keswick, Ullswater — provided you stick to the primary roads. See camper van hire and motorhome hire.
Price follows the same pattern as anywhere else: the smallest camper van is consistently the cheapest option, a 6-berth motorhome the most expensive, and the price per night usually drops the longer you book for. Booking in the school holidays, especially August, costs noticeably more than spring or autumn — the Lake District is one of the most visited national parks in England and gets genuinely busy. Enter your dates on the search page for a real price rather than a generic average — see motorhome hire prices for more on what moves it.
Where to collect a campervan for the Lake District
Vehicles are listed in Kendal, Penrith, Carlisle and the towns around the park’s edge, as well as further out in Lancashire and the Manchester and Liverpool areas for anyone combining the Lakes with a longer North West trip. A 30–50 mile radius in the search widens your choice considerably if you’re coming from outside Cumbria. See Manchester and Liverpool for pickups from those cities.
Getting around the Lake District
- Avoid Hardknott and Wrynose passes in a motorhome. Both are single-track with hairpins and gradients up to 1-in-3 — fine in a small camper van driven carefully, a serious risk in anything larger. Honister Pass, between Borrowdale and Buttermere, carries similar advice.
- The main valley roads are fine for any hire vehicle. Windermere, Keswick, Ullswater and Coniston are all reached on wider A and B roads with no special restrictions.
- Traffic in peak season is the bigger issue. Bowness-on-Windermere and Ambleside get very congested on summer weekends; a park-and-ride or an early start avoids the worst of it.
- Fell roads are narrow with passing places even where they aren’t officially restricted — reverse into a passing place for oncoming traffic rather than expecting them to reverse for you.
Best areas and routes
- Windermere and Ambleside — England’s largest lake, with boat trips, easy lakeshore walks, and the widest choice of campsites in the park. The natural first base for a first visit.
- Keswick and Derwentwater — a smaller, quieter lake ringed by fells, with Keswick itself a good base for walking and for reaching Borrowdale.
- Ullswater — often rated the most beautiful of the lakes, with a steamer service between villages and less traffic than Windermere.
- Wasdale and the western fells — England’s deepest lake and its highest mountain (Scafell Pike) in one valley, reached by quieter roads; the best pick if you want to get away from the crowds, and best suited to a smaller van given the approach roads.
- Coniston — Campbell’s world-speed-record lake, with Tarn Hows and the Old Man of Coniston fell nearby; a good, less crowded alternative to Windermere.
Two or three nights in one or two of these areas beats trying to circuit the whole park in a short trip — the driving between valleys is slower than the map distance suggests.
Campsites in the Lake District
- Windermere Camping and Caravanning Club Site, Troutbeck Bridge — well-run, with a motorhome service point, about 10 minutes from Ambleside.
- Park Cliffe Camping and Caravan Estate, near Bowness-on-Windermere — fell and lake views, a few minutes from the eastern shore.
- Castlerigg Hall Caravan and Camping Park, near Keswick — under two miles from the Castlerigg Stone Circle, with hardstanding motorhome pitches.
- Keswick Camping and Caravanning Club Site — right on the shore of Derwentwater, with direct access to the water.
- Low Wray, on the western shore of Windermere — a National Trust site in mature woodland, quieter than the eastern-shore options.
Book well ahead for July and August; the well-known sites near Windermere and Keswick sell out fastest.
When to travel
Late spring and September give the best odds of dry weather without the peak crowds. July and August are the busiest weeks, with traffic in the honeypot villages and the closest campsites and vehicles booking out months ahead — reserve three to four months in advance for those dates. Winter can be genuinely beautiful here but higher fell roads and passes may close in snow and ice; check conditions before setting off on anything above the valley floor.
Campervan and motorhome hire for the Lake District — FAQs
How much does it cost to hire a campervan for the Lake District?
It depends mainly on the vehicle size, the season and how long you hire for. A small camper van is consistently the cheapest option and a large motorhome the most expensive; booking in the school holidays, especially August, costs noticeably more than spring or autumn; and the price per night usually drops the longer you book for. Enter your dates on the search page to see live prices. See motorhome hire prices for more on what moves the price.
Can I take a motorhome over Hardknott Pass?
It isn’t recommended. Hardknott and Wrynose passes are narrow, single-track and steep, with hairpin bends and gradients up to about 1-in-3 — manageable in a small camper van driven carefully, but a real risk in anything larger, including most motorhomes and all caravans. Plan an alternative route via the main valley roads if your itinerary would otherwise cross them.
What size campervan should I take to the Lake District?
A 2-berth camper van gives you the fewest restrictions and copes with every road in the park, including the narrower fell passes if you choose to use them. A 4-berth motorhome is fine for the main valleys — Windermere, Keswick, Ullswater — provided you avoid Hardknott, Wrynose and Honister.
Where can I pick up a campervan near the Lake District?
Owners list vehicles in Kendal, Penrith and Carlisle around the park’s edge, and further out in Lancashire, Manchester and Liverpool for a wider choice. Widen your search radius to 30–50 miles if you’re coming from outside Cumbria.
Can I drive a motorhome on a normal car licence?
Yes, for almost all of them. A full UK car licence covers vehicles up to 3,500 kg — every camper van and most 2 to 6-berth motorhomes. The listing flags any that need a C1 licence.
Are there dog-friendly campervans for the Lake District?
Yes — many owners in and around Cumbria set their vans up for dogs, which suits the fell walking well. Filter for pet-friendly vehicles and check the owner’s policy. See dog-friendly campervan hire.
How far in advance should I book?
For July and August, three to four months ahead — the closest vehicles and the best-known campsites near Windermere and Keswick book out first. Outside the school holidays, a few weeks is usually enough.
Planning a road trip? See our Lake District campervan road trip guide, with a day-by-day route, where to stay and driving tips, or browse more road trips.