Thirlspot Farm Camping and Caravan Park near Thirlmere has received retrospective planning approval from the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA), formalizing its change of use from a traditional tent camping site to a touring caravan park.
The approval, granted in October 2025, regularizes a change that was first introduced during the Covid-19 period, when the long-standing campsite adapted its operations to accommodate touring caravans.
The park, located near the foot of Helvellyn, now operates with 15 pitches—ten of which offer electric hook-ups—and provides standard amenities including toilets, showers, washing-up and waste disposal facilities. The site operates seasonally from April through September.
According to the planning statement submitted to the LDNPA, “The property is a working farm, with lawful consents for a campsite, and historic use of an adjacent field for temporary camping. It has operated as a campsite since the 70s. It is a popular campsite, usually full on summer weekends and bank holidays, and busy throughout its season.”
The site sits adjacent to the A591, just south of the farm and the King’s Head, and benefits from natural roadside screening through existing trees and additional hedging planted in recent years.
Highway officers reported that the change of use would not materially affect road safety or traffic conditions. According to Times & Star, flood officers also determined that the shift to touring accommodation would not increase flood risk.
In its decision report, the LDNPA stated, “The site would utilize the existing access arrangements in place and overall is likely to result in a reduction of movements over and above the use of the field for tented camping, which would have a greater capacity.”
Conditions attached to the approval specify that the site will remain for touring use only, prohibiting the placement of static caravans and limiting stays to 21 consecutive days.
Another condition requires the campsite to remain tied to the farm unit to “ensure it continues to meet the aims of farm diversification.”
For business owners in the outdoor hospitality and caravan industries, the approval highlights how existing rural enterprises can adapt legacy camping operations to accommodate evolving visitor preferences.
The Thirlspot case reflects a broader trend in the post-pandemic tourism landscape, where flexibility in accommodation types and diversification of on-farm income streams continue to be key strategies for sustaining operations in rural and protected areas.
The layout of the Thirlspot Farm site remains largely unchanged from its original configuration, featuring informal gravel bays and grass margins. Access continues through the existing entrance that serves both the farm and the campsite.