Park Foot Holiday Park, Ullswater – An Honest Family Review

Park Foot Holiday Park, Ullswater

Location

What drew us to the site was the location. It’s set in the Lake District with direct access to Ullswater, surrounded by beautiful mountains and scenery. You can access the lake from the site, and it’s only a short walk from the Lakeside pitches.

It’s worth noting this site is divided by a small road between the main hub, where the shop, restaurant and parks are, and the lower part of the site, which is closest to the lake. Where you choose to stay really depends on what you want to be closest to.

We wanted stunning views of the lake (obviously!), so we chose a premium Lakeside pitch. Our number was 245 – not on the front row, but still with a beautiful view from our pitch. The pitches are spacious and well kept, and some even have picnic benches!

We were jealous of those on the front row though, so we have already booked for next year. Spoiler alert – we LOVED this site, and no, this is not an ad.

It’s a short walk into Pooley Bridge and there are some great walks nearby too. The walk into Pooley Bridge is along the lake and takes around 15 minutes. The path is a bit bumpy and our pram is on its last legs/wheels, so it did keep getting stuck, but if you have decent-sized wheels, you will be fine. More on Pooley Bridge later for our top spots and pubs.

Facilities at Park Foot Holiday Park

The facilities at Park Foot are amazing, there’s no denying it. The shop sells everything you could possibly need, from wetsuits to ice cream – it’s very diverse!

Outside the shop is a brand-new garden area where you can sit and have a picnic. It’s so pretty. There’s a little stream running by this area and lots of butterflies and flowers. We loved getting an ice cream and sitting out here watching the wildlife.

It’s situated next to the NINJA WARRIOR COURSE! I have never seen one of these on a site before, and it was so popular with the kids.

TJ’s restaurant is also up here. It’s lovely inside, they sell traditional pub food and have live music some evenings. There’s another park up here for the kids which has an over-5s section and a toddler bit. It’s ace – Luca loved the train.

I feel like the shower blocks need their own special mention. I can only comment on the ones on Lakeside, but they were hands down the best I’ve ever been in. Boujee mirrors, music playing so no awkward silences, modern and clean – I loved having my morning shower.

There are also a few spacious family shower rooms which were just as gorgeous inside, and this made washing Luca so much easier.

There are all the usual facilities too, such as a washing-up area, laundry room and A DISHWASHER. Yes, the rumours are true!

Ullswater Lake

Now, despite the site having all of these amazing parks and facilities, we actually spent the majority of our time on the lake because we were lucky enough to go during a heatwave.

The lake was just a five-minute walk from our pitch. Sometimes we did drive and park though, as we liked to take all our chairs and water sports equipment.

The water is so refreshing, there’s a jetty that you can jump off, and it’s just such a lovely chilled vibe around there. There’s a surf shop where you can rent kayaks, paddleboards and other sporting equipment, and they even have a sauna which you can book into.

There’s also a little van selling street food, drinks and ice cream. It’s so easy to spend a full day here. The lake is dog-friendly and you can take your own water sports equipment.

We saved money by taking our own picnics each day – don’t forget your cool box!

Ullswater Wake & Surf

Things to Do in Pooley Bridge

We spent a lot of our evenings in Pooley Bridge. It’s a small village but has everything you need. Here’s our list of favourite places, including a hidden restaurant inside a shop – not to be missed!

The Barn Shop

One of the first shops you come across when you arrive in the village. Luca loved getting a little treasure from here each day.

They sell swimsuits, swim shoes (a must for the lake), caravan and camping equipment, delicious homemade fudge and ice cream.

Our BEST purchase was from here – our trusty two-man kayak! They sell the same kayak in the on-site shop, but it’s cheaper here. We weren’t expecting much, but we used it the whole trip and it stayed afloat, so we can’t complain :)!

Worth every penny and cheaper than renting a kayak all week. I think it was £80.

Pooley Bridge Village Stores

Not only does this shop sell all the essentials, but at the back it’s hiding a secret… Step through to discover The Secret Garden restaurant, a stunning bar and restaurant overlooking the river.

The Crown Inn

The perfect spot for some gorgeous pub grub AND a dip in the river. Yes, you can take a swim in the river from the beer garden.

It’s such a great spot to sit out, have a drink and let the kids play whilst you supervise them, of course. We got the Ploughman’s platter and the mini one for Luca – 100% recommend. These were delicious.

The Sun Inn

We loved this proper pub. It has an ace quiz night and they really made a fuss of Luca, which is just lovely, isn’t it 🙂 They gave him a little goodie bag and a big foam finger for the footie match.

The food in here is great value for money, and there’s a little play area in the beer garden. I loved it here, the staff are so welcoming.

Granny Dowbekins Restaurant

Me and the hubby were lucky enough to go here for a cheeky lunch date whilst Grandma babysat.

What a stunning location right next to the river. The food and drinks were spot on too.

Family Days Out Near Park Foot

Park Foot is well located for walks and days out. There are probably loads, but I will just tell you about the two we did.

Lowther Castle & Gardens – PR Visit

One word – WOW.

This is such a great day out for all the family. A short drive from the site, there’s a huge castle to explore, but the highlight? It boasts one of the LARGEST WOODEN ADVENTURE PLAYGROUNDS IN THE UK!!!

Luca was in his element exploring the Lost Castle, Grandma lost a shoe to the spider’s lair, and I nearly went into early labour crawling through the tunnels.

The grounds are stunning. We loved the rose garden with its little pond and charming Japanese-inspired tea house. I would recommend this day out to people of all ages.

Lowther Castle & Gardens

Aira Force Walk

A circular walk that leads to stunning views of Aira Force waterfall.

What we loved about this walk was that the kids can grab a litter picker and bucket from the National Trust office within the car park. It made the walk much more exciting for Luca.

It’s only a short walk, probably around 40 to 60 minutes. Luca walked most of it and went on his dad’s shoulders when there were slippery or steep areas. It’s not pram or wheelchair-friendly.

The views of the waterfall from the top bridge are stunning, and we were even lucky enough to see red squirrels!

The walk is free but parking is not. It’s a National Trust car park, and you can see the rates linked below. There’s also a café, picnic area and toilets, and it’s dog-friendly.

Aira Force and Ullswater – National Trust

Final Verdict – Is Park Foot Holiday Park Worth It?

This has hands down been my favourite caravan holiday, ever! And we have been on a lot.

I’m sure the weather made all the difference, but wow – what a beautiful site and location. We couldn’t have asked for more, really.

We loved it that much we scoped out our pitches for next year and booked it there and then.

I one million percent recommend this site for your next family UK staycation. We saw tents, motorhomes, caravans, campers, roof tents and even a fifth wheeler – so I’m sure everyone is welcome!

See More of Our Park Foot Holiday

Want to see what Park Foot is actually like day by day? I shared a little diary from every day of our trip over on Instagram.

You can follow us at @thetinycaravanner for more family caravan trips, UK staycations and campsite reviews.

Watch Day 1 of our Park Foot holiday here – and you’ll find the rest of our daily diaries over on our page.

By Hannah Hey

Image credits Hannah Hey