The campsite at Stonethwaite has attracted visitors for more than 50 years
A Lake District campsite has had to close because of anti-social visitors.
The owners of the Stonethwaite Farm site in Borrowdale said they had reluctantly decided to shut the facility from Thursday because of ‘idiot campers’.
Posting on social media, the campsite operators said: “Unfortunately, many of our campers have been unable to stick to our guidelines, let alone government guidelines, making stays far less enjoyable for our regular campers and ourselves.
“Not only that, we are unable to keep up with the sheer amount of rubbish – including tents, gazebos, airbeds, chairs and even a mop – which not only makes the site look untidy but also adds a huge cost to ourselves to get rid of.
“Idiot campers – please take a long hard look at yourselves and learn to respect your fellow campers. Playing music until 4am when it is against our camp rules and you have already been told to turn it off is not acceptable.”
The problems encountered by the campsite mirrors those reported across Britain as more people have decided to holiday in the UK rather than overseas during the coronavirus crisis.
In a statement, Nick Gill and Kayley Kennedy of the Stonethwaite campsite, 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. Nick has no qualms about throwing rowdy groups off the site, and regularly does, but can only do so if he’s made aware of it.
“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.
“Despite being told to split up they always seem to group together again when our back is turned which does not comply with the social distancing rules we are trying to enforce.”
The hamlet of Stonethwaite in Borrowdale. Photo: Tim Heaton CC-BY-SA-2.0
The campsite lies south of the hamlet of Stonethwaite, close to the route of the Coast to Coast Walk and the Cumbria Way.
The owners said: “We were able to get the council to do an extra bin collection for a week or two but unfortunately they are now refusing, leaving us with several 1,100 litre-bins and two tractor trailers’ worth.
“The campsite is an important diversification of the farm and has been around for decades with some families returning to camp for more than 50 years with their children and then grandchildren.
“Because of the farm, we are unable to man the site full-time and while this isn’t a problem in a normal year, 2020 is proving to be anything but normal.
“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.”
phil
17 August 2020start an exclusion list of abusive users and circulate it around all campsites.
Rod Hepplewhite
18 August 2020Farmers are allowed to shoot dogs that harass their livestock, it's a pity that the same doesn't apply to 'idiot campers' who harass decent campers with loud music and leave a mess when they leave!!
And as for the morons who left the Thirlmere island looking like it had become a municipal waste site ....
Pedro Bobkat
18 August 2020Corona-tossers. They're everywhere, filthy dirty lazy arrogant scum. We've had our share of thoughtless dope smoking drunken bell ends, pitching camps in local nature reserves, and sadly due to lack of man power the police have more inportant jobs to do.
Leaving the situation to be policed by locals and landowners.
Local female walker / camper
18 August 2020I totally agree with you all. Our beautiful local area is being spoiled. Most of these idiots will have never been to Lake District before.
Many locals are staying away from campsites now due to the violence and abusive language over the past few weeks from this new breed of campers
Stuart Dodson
18 August 2020Been avoiding UK campsites for years wild camping for me. Camped in Holland, France and Belgium- come 10.30 pm quiet till morning - important when you are walking all day.
Gillian Gill
18 August 2020We've used this site for years and we totally understand their reasons for closing. There are always idiots who ruin it for everyone else. Such a shame because the farm could probably do with the extra income.
Beaumap
18 August 2020i wouldn't like to get the wrong side of Nick, He was already dealing with this type of person last year. Not as bad as Coniston National Trust site though. The kind of people under discussion treat it like a festival, and just walk away from tent, stove and all!
Paul McGranaghan
18 August 2020Been visiting the lakes all my life walking the fells, and never have I known such laziness and selfishness of people visiting the lakes this year. I've just returned today everywhere I went I encounted beer cans and rubbish, some idiots at Kirkstone pass had left a bbq, beer cans ect, just overturned the bbq on the footpath. If this younger generation is an outlook to the future then God help us all. Cant wait until this Covid lark is over so these morons can piss off to Benidorm where they belong, rant over. Peace to all
Paul McGranaghan
18 August 2020Been visiting the lakes all my life walking the fells, and never have I known such laziness and selfishness of people visiting the lakes this year. I've just returned today everywhere I went I encounted beer cans and rubbish, some idiots at Kirkstone pass had left a bbq, beer cans ect, just overturned the bbq on the footpath. If this younger generation is an outlook to the future then God help us all. Cant wait until this Covid lark is over so these morons can piss off to Benidorm where they belong, rant over. Peace to all
Paul McGranaghan
18 August 2020Been visiting the lakes all my life walking the fells, and never have I known such laziness and selfishness of people visiting the lakes this year. I've just returned today everywhere I went I encounted beer cans and rubbish, some idiots at Kirkstone pass had left a bbq, beer cans ect, just overturned the bbq on the footpath. If this younger generation is an outlook to the future then God help us all. Cant wait until this Covid lark is over so these morons can piss off to Benidorm where they belong, rant over. Peace to all
Val Gilbert
19 August 2020We've been coming up twice a year for the past 24 years, never encountered any problems until this year. People have shown no respect whatsoever to locals or landowners. Parking anywhere there was a space, despite the fact that some are passing spaces, gateways to farmland, just total disregard to everyone else. We stayed on a lodge site this year as we had our dog with us, and even that was plagued with hen/stag parties which would normally be in Prague or Benidorm. It's actually put us off coming back again this year.
timbo
19 August 202040 years of neoliberal, me first attitudes coming home to roost.
Rod Hepplewhite
19 August 2020One name - Dominic Cummings - it started with him. He flouted the rules/guidelines and the near-do-wells thought "well if he can do whatever he likes and get away with it, why can't I?". And the rest, as they say, is history.
Brian Treadwell
19 August 2020Bring back the cane. birch & cat of nine tails not to mention the gallows!!!.
Eagle
19 August 2020Put a 10,000 gbp additional costs charge on their bill which will automatically kick in if they breach the anti social and unsafe health rules too. Awful. We're also local and having to hide in secret places when not volunteering to clear up after these sorts of idiots...
Denise Carter
20 August 2020Charge a deposit for sound and rubbish violation of £50 per person. I for one would be willing to pay.
CarolO
20 August 2020I was thinking about this earlier and agree with Denise - a large deposit needs to be charged to stop this. All responsible campers will pay it.
Can the site not just let 'regulars' on (I know it might be hard to identify regulars/prove regularity.
The Lakes really is mowed out this year and many of the visitors are not fit visitors to the countryside or a National Park!
Neoliberal
21 August 2020If these people are willing to dump 100+ quids of camping gear I don't see why they would be bothered by losing a deposit. Meanwhile plenty of families would be priced out. I worry that closing commercial facilities will just push more of the halfwits into laybys and lakeshores.
Noisy campsites and dumped rubbish are not new this year just more pronounced.
A Lakeland local
22 August 2020Noisy campsites and dumped rubbish may not be a new thing but this year it's reached a level that many of us couldn't have believed possible.
I don't blame them one bit for closing the campsite to remove the need to deal with and clear up after such disgusting, thoughtless, selfish people.
We're all getting used to the 'new normal' so why not make part of this normality the need to request the campsite owner to open a locked gate to let you and your vehicle out. The gate is only opened when the owner is satisfied your pitch has been cleared of all rubbish.
OK, OK, I know this isn't practical but something drastic needs to be done.
Vanessa Bishop
03 September 2020Found this fab campsite last year, had an amazing weekend with family that were up from London. So sad that the few ruin for the many, was hoping to stay this weekend, oh well until some normality returns we will look forward to you re-opening and visiting you then. stay safe .
Joanna Austin
13 December 2020Hopefully this type of oik will go back to the Med next Summer.
Lee
31 January 2022It is nothing new all this selfish ,disgusting behaviour ,although it does seem to be getting worse. I visited Stonethwaite Campsite more than 30 years ago as a teenager with a friend and his dad and even then tents were being slashed etc. Very sad because it is the most stunning place to camp and walk in peace. Would love to visit again one day .