Lake District campsite forced to close after holidaymakers flout Covid rules and leave litter

Stonethwaite Campsite has been forced to close after campers did not respect Covid rules and littered
Stonethwaite Campsite
Emily Lawford17 August 2020

A scenic Lake District campsite has closed after owners complained of “Covid campers” ignoring rules and leaving litter.

Kayley Kennedy, who runs the Stonethwaite Campsite in Borrowdale with her partner Nick Gill, said the campsite had been overrun with holidaymakers treating it like a “mini festival”.

Ms Kennedy said they were closing the site for “three or four weeks” from Thursday after an influx of campers who did not respect the rules.

She said that although Stonethwaite had room for about 60 tents, many more people had crowded in to set up camp, despite signs saying the site was full.

Some campers had arrived in groups that were too large and set up their tents too close to each other, ignored the 11pm cut off for music and left mounds of rubbish including tents, gazebos, airbeds and chairs, she said.

"Because the equipment is quite cheap to buy they seem to treat it as disposable," Ms Kennedy said.

"It has been disappointing. We have regulars, some of whom have been coming for more than 50 years, who treat the place with great respect.

"But this year we have had what one person called 'Covid campers' who are not just respecting the site or other campers.

"We did expect it to be busy but it's just been like a bank holiday every weekend and, because there are no festivals this summer, somebody said it seemed like these people are having their own mini-festivals here."

Stonethwaite Campsite in Borrowdale has closed for three or four weeks due to disrespectful campers
Stonethwaite Campsite

The site is part of a farm and only manned part-time. Ms Kennedy said campers treated equipment as "disposable" because it is cheap.

"It has been disappointing," she added. "We have regulars, some of whom have been coming for more than 50 years, who treat the place with great respect.

"But this year we have had what one person called 'Covid campers' who are not just respecting the site or other campers.

"We did expect it to be busy but it's just been like a bank holiday every weekend and, because there are no festivals this summer, somebody said it seemed like these people are having their own mini-festivals here."

Mr Gill, a tenant farmer of the National Trust, said: “While this was a difficult to decision to make as it is unfair to the many responsible campers we welcome to the site, we feel it was a necessary one due to the disrespectful nature of the new breed of campers sites across the country seem to be attracting this year.

“The response on Facebook has been incredible and the amount of support we have received from fellow campsite owners, our regular campers and even those who have never been to the site before has been really touching.

“The site is known in the camping community for having a laid-back atmosphere in a beautiful location and unfortunately this year we haven’t been able to provide that for our visitors.

"We have a strict no noise after 11pm rule and do patrol to enforce it, but some seem to think it’s acceptable to play music and party until 4am, upsetting the groups around them.

“There also seem to have been people not paying attention to the Government guidelines regarding group size, despite there being signs up across the site and notices on Facebook.

"We would like to thank everyone who has enjoyed and respected the site over the years, and look forward to welcoming you all back when the lockdown freedom frenzy has eased and normal service has resumed.”