Van life guide: England
Van Life in Cumbria: Best Spots, Meetups & Where to Park
Find other van lifers, plan meetups and convoys, or meet someone who gets the lifestyle in Cumbria. Cumbria is England’s wildest county, taking in the Lake District, the Eden valley, the North Pennines and the Solway coast.
The van life scene in Cumbria
The Lake District National Park is a World Heritage landscape of lakes and fells, with the Howgill Fells to the south east. The Eden valley and the North Pennines are quieter and emptier, and the Solway coast faces Scotland.
When you are based in Cumbria, it is easy to find your crew when you share a convoy route with fellow van lifers. Our Lake District guide covers the national park, and the town guides to Keswick, Windermere and Carlisle add detail.
Meeting people in Cumbria
Suggest a brew somewhere public and busy, tell a friend where you are going, and keep your exact pitch to yourself until you know someone. With VanDates you choose what you are open to, whether that is friendship, convoys or romance, and you only ever show an approximate area.
Cumbria at a glance
- Where: Cumbria, England
- Best time to go: April to October, with spring daffodils and autumn colour
- Local flavour: Cumberland sausage, Kendal mint cake, sticky toffee pudding and local real ale
- Approximate location only: never your exact pitch
Best spots in Cumbria
Favourite spots in Cumbria include Scafell Pike, Derwentwater, Ullswater, Hadrian’s Wall at Birdoswald, Hardknott Roman Fort and the Eden Valley.
Things to try: a fell walk from Keswick or Ambleside, a lake cruise on Ullswater, a drive over Hardknott Pass, a day along Hadrian’s Wall.
Parking up and staying legal in Cumbria
The Lake District National Park Authority advises that the only legal places to park a campervan overnight are formal campsites. Popular valleys are busy, and roads such as Hardknott Pass are narrow and steep.
In England, wild camping is generally not allowed without the landowner’s permission, and overnight stays on roadsides, in car parks and at beauty spots are often restricted by signs, byelaws or council orders. Dartmoor has its own arrangements, so check the national park’s current guidance. Use campsites, Certificated Locations, farm stopovers or pubs that welcome vans, and follow the Countryside Code.
Read the Countryside Code. Always leave no trace, be considerate to residents, and see our Community Guidelines and Safety Tips.
Ready to meet van lifers in Cumbria?
Join The Crew. Discover who is parked or travelling near you, join upcoming community meetups, or find someone special who truly gets life on the road. Membership is £1.99 a week and you can cancel any time.