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Shepherd's huts in the Lake District
Few Lake District huts are in the central valleys, and some are well outside the National Park. Where to look, and how to choose.
The short answer: Lake District huts are in short supply, few are in the central valleys, and some sold as "Lake District" are well outside the National Park, near Carlisle and Brampton. Pitchup lists 13 sites with huts in the Lake District and Cumbria, with one-night prices from £105,1 Glampingstays 13 huts and Campsites.co.uk 12 sites.23 Most are around Kendal and Ulverston, on the west coast, or in the north near Penrith and Wigton. Only 3 of Pitchup's 13 have hot tubs,1 so book early for those.
Where to book
With only a dozen or so hut sites on each booking site, it pays to check them all. This is what they showed:
| Booking site | What it showed |
|---|---|
| Pitchup | 13 bookable sites with huts, 3 with a hot tub and 8 that take dogs; from £105 a night1 |
| Glampingstays | 13 huts among 53 glamping stays2 |
| Campsites.co.uk | 12 sites with huts in Cumbria3 |
| Sykes Holiday Cottages | 37 glamping stays, with no hut-only filter4 |
| Glamping Hideaways | 8 stays in Cumbria in its shepherd's hut collection5 |
As shown on each site on 23 October 2026. Counts change daily, and some sites count all glamping, not just huts. We may earn a commission if you book through some links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It doesn't change what we write.
Where the huts are
Going by the listings, few huts are in the central Lakes. Most bookable ones fall into three areas:134
- The South Lakes and Furness, around Kendal, Ulverston, Kirkby-in-Furness and Broughton-in-Furness: handy for Windermere and Coniston.
- The west coast, around Seascale: quiet, and closest to Wasdale and Eskdale.
- The north and the Eden Valley, around Wigton, Hesket Newmarket, Penrith and Brampton: the Northern Fells, Ullswater and Hadrian's Wall.
There are a few huts near Windermere and at Buttermere.3 If you want to walk from the door onto the fells, check the hut's location on a map, not just "Lake District" in the title.
Hot tubs and prices
Pitchup's cheapest one-night price for a Lake District hut is £105, and one-night examples for two adults near Wigton, Kendal and Penrith were £105 to £110. Some huts that need two nights work out cheaper, such as £112 for two nights near Seascale. Huts with hot tubs we saw were £180 to £320 for two nights.1 With only 3 hot tub huts on Pitchup and supply tight overall, book early for summer and school holidays.
Getting there without a car
The West Coast Main Line runs along the east of the Lake District, stopping at Oxenholme, Penrith and Carlisle. A direct train runs from Manchester to Windermere, local trains serve Kendal and Staveley, and a line follows the Cumbrian coast. Buses include the 555 through the centre and the X4 and X5 from Penrith to Keswick and Cockermouth, with single fares capped at £3 until at least March 2027.67 A hut near a station makes a car-free break realistic.
Weather and parking
- Rain: "The wettest months run from October to January", and the valleys get around 200 days of rain a year.8 A hut with a wood burner is a good place to sit it out.
- Crowds: the Lake District had 17.45 million visitors in 2025.9 Bowness and Ambleside are busiest from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, and Buttermere and Aira Force car parks fill on busy days.10
- Parking: some car parks don't take cards, so carry coins.10
- Roads: the National Park advises against following a sat nav on small country roads.6
Before you book
The usual hut checks matter as much here as anywhere: is the toilet and shower inside the hut or a walk away, is the hot tub private and included, and is there a carbon monoxide alarm if there's a wood burner? Our checklist covers the rest.
Huts in other areas
Wales, Yorkshire, Cornwall, Peak District, Dorset, Cotswolds, Northumberland, Devon.
Questions people ask
Are there shepherd's huts in the Lake District?
Yes, but not many, and few are in the central valleys. Pitchup lists 13 sites with huts in the Lake District and Cumbria.1
Can I find a shepherd's hut with a hot tub in the Lake District?
A few: 3 of Pitchup's 13 Lake District hut sites have one.1 Book early.
Can I get to a Lake District hut by train?
Often, if you choose a hut near a line. There are stations at Oxenholme, Kendal, Windermere, Penrith and along the Cumbrian coast.6
Related guides
Shepherd's hut holidays
Huts with hot tubsSources
- Pitchup, checked 23 Oct 2026, Shepherd's huts holidays in the Lake District and Cumbria.
- Glampingstays, checked 23 Oct 2026, Glamping in the Lake District.
- Campsites.co.uk, checked 23 Oct 2026, Shepherd hut holidays in Cumbria.
- Sykes Holiday Cottages, checked 23 Oct 2026, Glamping in the Lake District.
- Glamping Hideaways, checked 23 Oct 2026, Glamping shepherds huts.
- Lake District National Park Authority, Getting to and around.
- Bus News, UK £3 bus fare cap extended to March 2027.
- Lake District National Park Authority, Lake District weather.
- Lake District National Park Authority, Facts and figures.
- Lake District National Park Authority, Car parks and parking.