Cumbria
Under Scafell Pike beside Wastwater, in the wildest valley in the Lake District
Wasdale Campsite occupies one of the most dramatic settings in England, at the head of Wasdale beneath Scafell Pike and a short walk from Wastwater, the deepest lake in the country. The screes fall straight into the water on the far shore, and the valley is ringed by Great Gable, Kirk Fell and Yewbarrow. It is run by the National Trust and functions primarily as a base for people climbing the big hills, with the standard Scafell Pike route starting from Wasdale Head just up the road.
Facilities were refurbished in recent years and are solid without being elaborate: heated shower and toilet blocks, washing-up areas, a drying room, a small shop for basics, and electric hook-up pitches suitable for campervans and for tents. Camping pods are available for those wanting more shelter, and they are a sensible choice given how exposed the valley can be. Dogs are allowed on leads, which matters in sheep country where control is taken seriously.
The trade-off for the setting is remoteness. Getting there means a long drive on single-track roads from either Gosforth on the coast or over the passes, there is no public transport to speak of, and mobile signal is patchy to non-existent. Stock up before you arrive. The Wasdale Head Inn, about a mile away, provides food, beer and a bar that has been serving climbers since the birth of British rock climbing in the 1880s. Weather in the valley is genuinely changeable and the wind can be strong overnight, so pitch carefully and peg everything out. Expect to pay from roughly twenty pounds a night for a tent pitch, more with electric.