A campsite in the Lake District which offers stargazing opportunities and has its own on-site donkeys has been named the best in the north west in the 2024 Camping and Glamping Awards, run by Campsites.co.uk. Parkgate Farm Holidays in Irton was crowned the regional winner in the awards, which were created to highlight some of the best camping, glamping and touring sites the UK has to offer.
Low Greenside Farm Campsite and Church Stile Farm and Holiday Park, both in Cumbria, were runners up in the category. But it’s not the only accolade Parkgate Farm Holidays received.
The site was also named the national winner of the Best Small Campsite award which recognises “small campsites which put the guest experience at the heart of it all, offering a relaxing escape from the crowds.” It beat quarry Park Camping in Pembrokeshire and Tree Tops and Train Tracks in Flintshire, both runners up.
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Located 30 minutes from Scafell Pike and a ten minute drive from Seascale, Parkgate is the perfect base to explore the Lake District from. It’s situated in a certified Dark Skies area, so it’s ideal for a spot of stargazing.
It features a total of nine grass pictures suitable for tents, campervans, caravans and motorhomes, as well as an unfinished pod which sleeps up to four. The site also has three glamping cabins.
The site has a 4.94 star rating on Campsites.co.uk and one guest described it as a “hidden gem”. Another wrote: “I’ve genuinely never stayed on such a clean and well equipped campsite”. One of the campsite’s more unique features is that it’s home to its very own on-site donkeys and sheep, which guests are able to meet and feed carrots to.
The owners of the site welcomed the awards, having taken over the campsite from a friend. They said "We became involved in 2016 when, due to ill health, our friend Peter Watson was struggling to manage it himself. We worked together to build on what his parents had started years ago - a magical little corner of the Lake District for all to enjoy. Peter was a real character and after his passing in 2020, we have made it our mission to keep that special character alive."
Martin Smith, the founder of Campsites.co.uk, said "Our annual awards give us the opportunity to celebrate the UK's best campsites, and this year's standards feel higher than ever. Each of the winning sites stand out for the care they put into being consistently excellent. My thanks and congratulations to all of the winners for adding some much-needed adventure to everyday life!"
