Trundle through breathtaking Cumbria by chauffered horse drawn wagon.

Life on the road

Slow travel has never been slower! While Charlie & Bob, the two horsepower team at the heart of Wanderlusts, clop along in front, you'll be free to relax into the gentle rumble of life on the road. Barny, the driver, will guide the wagons through the lanes to one of three beautiful camps and leave you for the evening to cook up a storm on the tripod cauldron. 

This is a relaxing, but a gently active break: your legs will lighten the load for the horses by carrying you up the steeper hills, while collecting and carrying water, lighting the campfire, bringing or buying your own food and cooking in the open air are all essential parts of the experience - not to mention taking good care of your four-footed friends, which you'll be shown how to do. Each evening, you'll pitch up at a camping place with the basics all ready and you can even arrange some traditional entertainment from talented musician Katus.

The potential sites for overnight stops

Little Salkeld Watermill Draw up between the brook and the mill race at a working watermill with organic bakery, café and deli. Breadmaking courses and milk from the goats on offer. Breakfast here is recommended.

The Bee Keeper's Quarry 2 miles outside Penrith, this disused farmers' quarry has been used by a beekeeper to house hives after being a traditional Romany camping spot. A wooded, secluded spot with lively bird life...

Ravensbridge An old mill converted sympathetically into a beautiful eco-home. Try out the wood-fired sauna before jumping straight in for a dip in the lake.

Drybeck Farm (already a Canopy & Stars place in its own right) a camp on the river Eden with animals to feed and the owners' own fresh produce to buy.

There's lots to take in about Wanderlusts, so consult 'Essentials' over on the right, for the important stuff. Submit an enquiry using the calendar and we will be in touch to answer any questions you may have, and to confirm your booking.

Whether you're searching for a romantic break or a family adventure your kids will never forget, Wanderlusts is perfect. Read about Tom's adventure here.

• Esentials
• Getting there
• Eating & Drinking
• Things to do
• Booking terms
• Meet your hosts

The essentials

The important stuff

All sites

Check in is between 10:30am-6:30pm - it's fine to start early so you can travel to your evening camp before dusk.

Check out can be as late as 4pm.

The double bed in the caravan is cosy: 6.6ft x 4ft. The two children's bunks are cosy too: 6ft x 18in, 6ft x 2ft and children will need their own sleeping bags.

Bring towels!

Bear in mind Charlie and Bob have to pull along everything you bring, so pack light and leave your brick collection at home. Respect for the horses and the need to be calm and quiet around them is important. Your own travel insurance would be a good idea.

Each campsite has different washing facilities - check below as some have no mains water.

Sleeping arrangements

A roving Gypsy camp with 1 double + 2 children's bunks for small guests (£20 per child per night)

Kids & Pets

Children are welcome at a supplement of £20 per child per night. We’re sorry, due to the nature of the trip Wanderlusts isn't suitable for pets.

Cooking

Gypsy Caravan

Open campfire with canopy at each site

Gas hob

Kettle

All kitchen utensils

Water container

Little Salkeld Watermill Open fire to cook on. Cosy tea room with woodburning stove and shop selling organic goats' milk and freshly baked bread

The Bee Keeper's Quarry Open fire to cook on, pubs down the road

Ravensbridge There's an open fire to cook on and a couple of pubs quite nearby.

Drybeck Farm (already a Canopy & Stars place in its own right) Open fire to cook on, shared kitchen facilities

Washing

Little Salkeld Watermill 12v hot electric shower or jump in the stream for an authentic soap-free dip

The Bee Keeper's Quarry 12v hot electric shower and compost loo

Ravensbridge 12v hot electric shower and compost loo, showers in the house open 8:30am-10am then 6:30pm-8:30pm., wood-fired sauna on request...the lake!

Drybeck Farm (already a Canopy & Stars place in its own right) private compost loo, gas showers shared with other Drybeck Farm guests

Heating, lighting & bedding

In your Gypsy caravan:  small wood burning stove, a wind up torch, candles, 12v lights.

Double bed and two bunks for children, both with linen

Entertainment

• The excitement of life on the road!
• Watching the world go by
• Making friends with your horses
• The caravan has bike racks on the back in case you wish to bring your own and cycle for part of the journey or explore the countryside

Getting there

Edenhall, Penrith, Cumbria

Getting to Wanderlusts depends where you will be starting your Gypsy caravan adventure from, so please make sure you pick the right set of directions.

To The Bee Keepers Quarry

By car

Parking is a short walk down the lane, at The Luham Farm, Edenhall, Penrith, CA11 8TA. Luggage can be dropped at the camp before parking.

By train

1.6 miles from Langwathby train station for the lovely Settle - Carlisle railway

3.9 miles from Penrith train station

To The Watermill

The Watermill, Little Salkeld, Penrith, Cumbria, CA10 1NN 

Little Salkeld is 6 miles North East of Penrith in Cumbria, North West England, and 20 miles south of the Scottish Border. 

By car

1.5 miles from Langwathby off the A686 Penrith-Alston road. 6 miles from the M6 Junction 40. 

By rail

Langwathby Station is 1.5 miles away (Settle-Carlisle Line). Penrith Station is 6 miles away (West Coast Mainline). 

By bike

The Watermill is on the Cumbrian Cycleway and the Sustrans 'C2C' Coast to Coast Route.

Eating & drinking

At each camp there may be the possibility to buy fresh local produce, from eggs, meat and fresh vegetables and salad to home made jams, all depending on seasonal availability. We suggest bringing recipes for campfire cooking before you come, if you're aiming higher than boiling a pot of water for tea or sizzling some sausages...

Little Salkeld Watermill may well be a stop on your travels. An organic deli, café, working water mill which still grinds its own flour for use in the bakery and breadmaking courses, it's a charming place for a light, delicious lunch or afternoon tea. You may be able to buy fresh goats' milk or handbaked bread.

The Bee Keeper's Quarry A stroll down the road is The Highland Drove in Great Salkeld (excellent pub grub). The Edenhall Country Hotel is nearby too and has a lovely beer garden for an evening drink. 

Ravensbridge There are 2 pubs in the nearby village of Kirkoswald, The Crown and The Featherstone Arms. Just over 4 miles on foot, or you may get a lift from a friendly farmer...

Drybeck Farm (already a Canopy & Stars place in its own right) Steve and Paula run a farm shop selling their own produce, from free range meat to eggs.

Things to do

Courses & classes

Little Salkeld Watermill Breadmaking courses are on offer (check site for details) or go on a tour of the working watermill.

Meet your hosts

(wan·der·lust  (wndr-lst) n. A very strong or irresistible impulse to travel.¹

The people behind Wanderlusts are Barny and Katus (pronounced Katoush) and their wee baby Madog. The family themselves live entirely off-grid. They love to travel, and started this small, sustainable business to give others a taste of the life they've been lucky enough to enjoy.

Barny has been building and restoring Gypsy bowtop wagons for twelve years, and is no stranger to travelling in them either. He says, "My first memory of them was as a wee boy, when my Mum would take us to see the Gypsy who used to camp up on the heath, along the road from where we lived in Norfolk. The dream was set..."

Barny lived out his dream by joining the circus and having adventures all over the world, before acquiring his own caravan 12 years ago. He loves the fresh air, gentle pace and strong sense of tradition of this way of life. He also knows this area of Cumbria inside out, handy for someone who'll be showing you the sights, finding secret nooks to picnic in and rustic pubs for an afternoon stop off.

Katus is a beautiful musician and song writer, singing in seven languages and playing several instruments who has toured the world with her music...an ideal person to invite for a campfire singsong! Listen to Katus here.

Wildlife & Environment

Little Salkeld Watermill the wagon will draw up on a peaceful 'island field' surrounded by trees, between the old mill race and a babbling brook. You may see deer, jumping salmon, herons, and otters...who have even been known to make a daring raid on the pet ducks! There are domestic chickens, sheep, and goats who live there too and the watermill itself is a wholly organic enterprise.

The Bee Keeper's Quarry Quarries such as this were the traditional stopping place of Romany travellers, or itinerant farm workers camping near their seasonal places of work. In more recent times this one was used to house hives by a beekeeper who would stop by to collect his honey. Relax by the fire and watch the lively bird life in the trees, or perhaps catch a glimpse of a deer or badger...

Ravensbridge set at the base of the Pennines, with views of the lakeland fells, the old Mill at Ravensbridge has been converted to a beautiful eco home with polytunnel and solar panels for energy. A big draw are the semi-tame, very un-shy native red squirrels! Deer and hares may also be spotted by sharp-eyes guests. 

Drybeck Farm (already a Canopy & Stars place in its own right) you will be camped at Steve & Paula's farm, in a field sloping down to the tranquil river Eden which abounds with wildlife: herons, salmon, trout to name but a few...

_{1.  [German : wandern, to wander (from Middle High German) + Lust, desire (from Middle High German, from Old High German; see las- in Indo-European roots).] The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.}