Landowners will be allowed to host pop-up campsites in their fields this summer as the county gears up for a staycation boom.
When coronavirus restrictions are lifted, it is thought that people will choose to holiday in the UK and the Lake District is one of the top destinations for breaks.
A pop-up campsite is the temporary use of a field for a small number of tents, for a maximum of 56 days.
No special license is required and as long as no alterations are being made to the property planning permission is not needed.
But a full risk assessment must be carried out in advance, suitable insurance put in place, toilet and water facilities be provided and litter collection arranged.
The Lake District National Park Authority has compiled an information pack and is hosting an online session for farmers and land managers on how to create a pop-up campsite.
The national park’s farming officer, Andrea Meanwell ran a campsite on her own family farm last year and will be sharing her experience and give practical hints and tips to others on how they can offer accommodation for visitors this summer.
Andrea said: “Last year we saw an unprecedented number of visitors to the Lake District National Park, many of whom were looking for campsites.
“If we have more campsite spaces available we will hopefully reduce ‘fly camping’ and litter throughout the park.
“We are anticipating similar numbers of visitors this year and this session will give farmers and landowners a chance to gauge if this could be an opportunity for them.”
The free online information session will be held on Zoom on February 24.
Places are limited and people are urged to register in advance. For more information, visit the website here.
