GLAMPING | The Quiet Site Winter Glamping Break In Ullswater
Located in one of our favourite parts of the Lake District National Park is the award-winning The Quiet Site. We enjoyed a winter weekend break in eco-friendly Gingerbread House glamping accommodation, read on to find out why our first stay here definitely won’t be our last…
Where we stayed
The Quiet Site
Ullswater
Cumbria
CA11 0LS
Tel: 01768 486337
We visit the northwestern Lake District area several times a year, and for good reason. This part of the national park is beautiful, with rolling hills, high fells and of course lakes. Avid walkers flock to the region, and for open-water swimmers like me, a dip in Ullswater is always a pleasure I can’t pass up, regardless of the season.
As an award-winning campsite, The Quiet Site had long been on the list of places I wanted to visit, but I’d never quite managed to make it happen until now. Promising superb eco credentials, great facilities and service to match plus of course, an enviable location and views, our winter weekend glamping break couldn’t come soon enough.
@campingwithstyle The Quiet Site in Ullswater, Cumbria is an award winning eco campsite. Join us on a winter glamping break, and we'll show you around the Gingerbread House that we stayed in. #thequietsite #glamping #camping #staycation #lakedistrictnationalpark ♬ Nature / Mountains / Earth / Magnificent Ambient(1265028) – Cheng Lee
A site called The Quiet Site alone has always sounded appealing. Whilst we do play music and will happily chat beside a campfire when camping, loud music and drunk people shouting late into the night and kids screaming early in the morning aren’t a combination we tend to enjoy, so sites with strict rules on noise are always our preference when travelling as a couple.
From the moment we arrived we felt right at home and loved the vibe of the site. After checking in at reception and finding our way to nearby Gingerbread House 11, we set about making our bed and once settled in, took a walk down to The Quiet Bar.
The on-site pub is a lovely welcoming space complete with a roaring fire, packed full of quirky things to draw your attention and friendly bar staff serving well-priced drinks.
We visited slap bang in the middle of storm Darragh, which lead to some flooding and local road closures, but despite this, we still managed to get out and about. High winds, rain and chilly temperatures meant that the little Gingerbread House felt like a cosy little refuge from the storm, leading to games of Scrabble and cosy book reading, perfect for relaxation.
Eco-Friendly Accommodation
From camping pitches to glamping accommodation, The Quiet Site has plenty of options suitable for every budget and preference, all of which have their own eco credentials. We stayed in a Gingerbread House, accommodation that boasts ground source underfloor heating and a host of features that make it carbon-positive.
Gingerbread Houses have a basic interior, but inside we found everything we needed for a comfortable stay including an ensuite bathroom and a small kitchenette. Instead of a bed and sofa, there’s a raised sleeping platform that’s multifunctional, serving as a bed or lounging area as needed.
Seeking maximum comfort, we took multiple sleeping bags, duvets and pillows with us, indenting to make ourselves a giant cosy nest. At 3m x 2m the sleeping platform is larger than a super king bed, and served our needs perfectly. There’s plenty of storage space underneath, ideal for slipping bags under to keep the interior tidy and clutter free.
Our stay followed my husband’s recent life-saving emergency surgery, which meant the weekend was the perfect opportunity for him to continue recovering and for us to ground ourselves and reconnect after his three weeks in hospital.
The Site
The Quiet Site itself is truly lovely. Visiting anywhere in the depths of winter I think really reveals the ‘bones’ of a place, and we couldn’t find anything we didn’t love about this site and plenty of things that set it head and shoulders above other campsites we’ve stayed at.
Location aside, perhaps one of the biggest bonuses of The Quiet Site are the onsite facilities which include a bar, shop and a kitchen/pizzeria which are open year-round. Breakfast rolls aren’t usually something I choose, but on our final day before the drive home, we both had breakfast rolls, veggie sausage and egg for me, and sausage and egg for him and they were absolutely delicious.
On our first night at The Quiet Site we both had pizzas, both of which were excellent and used high-quality ingredients. We also made use of the zero-waste shop and were impressed by what was available, as well as the lovely interior.
The site itself packs quite a lot of pods and cabins in, but the landscaping is excellent and nothing feels too overlooked or crowded and it’s all immaculate, with great recycling facilities too.
Out and About
Usually, when in this area we’d be out doing long hill walks, however, my husband’s ongoing recovery meant hill walks or indeed anything too strenuous, were out of the question. Instead, we visited Aira Force, having first visited it a few years ago for my birthday.
If dramatic waterfalls and scenic woodland walks are your thing, then a visit to Aira Force is a must. You’ll find this National Trust gem just under 3 miles away from The Quiet Site, located next to Ullswater.
Pooley Bridge at the northern end of Ullswater is a lovely little town with a great bookshop, Verey Books, and a few decent places to eat. Despite last staying in the area just 2 months ago, I couldn’t be in the area without another visit and we both treated ourselves to books which we read with coffee and cake.
We stopped off at our favourite farm shop service station, Tebay, on the way up and stocked up on some essentials like crusty bread, milk and cheese, but if you need groceries, your best bet is to head into Penrith. It’s a lovely town where we’ve spent plenty of time, with supermarkets like Booths and Sainsbury’s and a variety of places to eat and shop. We recommend James & John Graham deli for their fabulous cakes and great selection of cheese.
Ullswater Steamers Glenridding pier is only a few minutes drive from the site, and in good weather, is perfect for enjoying a scenic cruise.
Summary
We were impressed with everything about the site and our stay, we also loved the fact that all facilities were open, even in winter, which is often not the case at most campsites.
Even in the depths of winter we love wrapping ourselves up and ending the day star gazing and chatting sat beside a campfire, so the addition of fire pits would have made the site even more magical for us. Given the weather though, we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to use one, so our weekend stay really was perfect.
We enjoyed the site so much, we’ve discussed making a winter visit in the run up to Christmas an annual tradition, a great way to force some rest and grounding amid all the pre-Christmas craziness.
We fully intend on becoming loyal returning visitors, and if like us, The Quiet Site has been on your radar for some time, or you’re considering the site for the first time, we’d urge you to put right at the top of your list, as it really is deserving of every award and accolade it has won.
Our Stay
Friday 6th December – Sunday 8th December 2024. We stayed in a Gingerbread House, which costs £100 per night for a 3 night weekend stay.
Find out more about The Quiet Site.
Where to next?
- WALKING | Large Outdoors Fleetwith Pike Lake District Walking Weekend
- TRAVEL | Winter Relaxation and Digital Detox at Trallwm Forest Cottages
- CAMPSITES | Eskdale National Trust Camp Site, Lake District – Review
- GLAMPING | A Birthday Break in Rooster Shepherd Hut, Underbarrow, Cumbria
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