Camping in Dalston

Dalston sits on the River Caldew with open farmland and the first rise of Cumbrian fells close by, but as with the rest of England, there is no legal right to wild camping here without the landowner's permission, so a proper campsite or a farm pitch with the owner's agreement is the way to go. The main option tied to the village is Dalston Hall Holiday Park, set in around 90 acres within the grounds of the historic Dalston Hall estate, with its own 9-hole golf course and fly fishing on site. It now runs mainly on seasonal touring and residential pitches rather than nightly stays, so it suits people looking for a longer stay or a returning base more than a single night on the way through.

For shorter stays and a wider spread of pitches, tents and touring vans, the campsites around Carlisle and further south towards the Lake District and Caldbeck offer more flexibility, with the Cumbria Way and Caldew Cycleway giving a ready-made walking or cycling route back into Dalston and on into Carlisle itself. Terrain here is gentle compared with the central fells, riverside paths and quiet lanes rather than serious mountain ground, which makes it a comfortable spot for less experienced campers or families, while still giving quick access to tougher walking further south around Caldbeck and the Cumbria Way's fell sections.

Late spring through early autumn is the best window, when the ground is drier, the Caldew paths are at their most pleasant, and evenings are long enough to make the most of a riverside pitch. Cumbria's weather can turn quickly at any time of year, so a decent waterproof tent and layers are worth packing whatever the forecast. Glamping options — shepherd's huts, pods and similar — are more readily found in the wider Carlisle and Lake District area than in Dalston itself, so it's worth widening the search a few miles if a fixed-roof stay matters more than the location of the pitch.