CAMPING BARNS
There are camping barns on 12 sites (usually farms) mentioned on the website www.lakelandcampingbarns.co.uk. Facilities are generally basic, it's a bit like camping but you don't have to carry a tent. As a minimum they comprise a sleeping area shared by all visitors, tables and benches for eating and preparing food, a supply of cold running water and a flush toilet. Many have basic heating and some have hot water, showers and cooking facilities, and even farm produce for sale. To help keep the prices low, visitors are asked leave the barn clean and tidy. Booking is done through the website.
Only Tarn Flatt at St Bees is very close to the route of our windfarm tour and it is a useful barn near the beginning of the coast to coast cycle route. So if you've travelled down the coast on the railway looking at wind turbines as you go, this is a good first night stop.
Other barns worthy of mention are: Murt at Wasdale, Swallow Barn, Loweswater and Cragg, Buttermere which all qualify as close enough to the coast to see at least some of the turbines.
A special mention should go to Hudscales at Heskett Newmarket because it is in the village where the first two turbines in Cumbria were built 19 years ago‚ only one is still operating - to provide green power to Stobarts Feed Mill.
CAMPSITES
Although none of the campsites mentioned have any radical green credentials, responsible camping is a low impact activity, and they are all within handy reach of the railway line for taking our tour of the wind turbines on the coast. All the ones we spoke to were sympathetic to ideas for environmental holidaying.
Dalston
The owners have just introduced individual boxes for recycling so it can be done at the tent and then taken in bulk to the recycling point.
Fisherground, Eskdale.
The owners here are open to green ideas and looking to improve their environmental performance.
Seacote, St Bees, Tarnside, Braystones and Seven Acres, Holmrook
Are all operated by the same company. The Holmrook site has a bronze award from the David Bellamy Conservation Award Scheme. There are recycling facilities for plastic, glass, paper/card and cans at all three sites and the owner is considering investing in rainwater harvesting for toilet flushing.
Dalston: the website is not currently working but bookings are made by phoning 01228 710165
Eskdale: www.fishergroundcampsite.co.uk is reachable by the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway (Ratty) and according to their website is one of the best 50 campsites in the world
St Bees: www.seacote.com
Millom: At the Rugby Union club www.mrufc.co.uk
Haverigg
Butteflowers apparently no website. Book by phoning 01229 772880
