A Spontaneous CampWild Escape to Whitmore Lakes 💦

On Saturday 9th May, my partner and I headed to Whitmore Lakes for a spontaneous CampWild getaway after deciding we both desperately needed a last-minute escape. Ever since the sunshine had started rolling in, we’d been itching to go wild swimming, and when Whitmore Lakes appeared on the CampWild website, it immediately looked like the perfect place for a peaceful outdoor break.

After a two-hour drive from Chesterfield, we arrived at around 2pm under glorious sunshine. First impressions gave off a traditional fishing lake atmosphere. Having been a keen fisherman myself in the past, I instantly felt at home amongst the lakes and appreciated the calm, relaxed feel of the site.

We parked beside reception, which was attached to a lovely-looking café that was absolutely buzzing with people — always a reassuring sign when arriving somewhere new. Naturally, seeing how busy it was initially made us wonder whether the site might feel less private than we’d hoped. As it turned out, we couldn’t have been more wrong.

To the left stood a static dome tent, our first glimpse of fellow campers and another touch that added to the outdoorsy atmosphere.

Inside reception, we were greeted by a very friendly and welcoming lady whose smile immediately put us at ease. She was especially pleased to hear we’d booked through CampWild and quickly radioed through to Adele, who soon came out to meet us. From the very beginning, Adele was warm, cheerful and incredibly accommodating.

After a quick introduction, I jumped back into the car while Adele led the way in a buggy. Following a short stretch of manageable off-roading — perfectly suitable even for a standard 2WD vehicle — we arrived at a narrow track sitting between two old stock ponds which led towards our original camping spot.

Unfortunately, a pump was blocking access to the area, meaning we’d need to move to another lake. Thankfully, Adele explained that the alternative location was even more private, which certainly wasn’t something either of us were going to complain about. Before moving on though, she insisted on showing us the original lake, and we were so glad she did.

We walked up to a stunning ring lake with a small island sitting in the centre. The water was absolutely incredible — a striking turquoise colour that immediately caught our attention. Adele enthusiastically explained the process behind preparing the wild swimming lakes and reassured us the colour wasn’t algae, but part of how clean and carefully maintained the water is. She explained that all fish are removed before the lakes are transformed into dedicated wild swimming areas, something we both found genuinely impressive.

You could immediately sense Adele’s passion for what they’ve created there. So much thought, care and effort clearly goes into the entire concept, and it really showed. In the afternoon sunshine, the lake looked unbelievably inviting.

After a lovely walk around the water and chatting more about the site, we climbed back into the car and followed Adele towards our new pitch. The drive took around four or five minutes through winding lanes, passing at least another four or five lakes along the way. On several of them, people were already out wild swimming, each lake looking peaceful, private and picturesque in its own way.

When we finally arrived at our new pitch, it honestly felt like we had the entire place to ourselves. There wasn’t another person in sight. Waiting for us was a paddle board leaning beside the lake complete with a life jacket ready to use, along with a huge fire pit fitted with a pan arm for cooking over the flames. The pitch itself was enormous and perfectly flat, making setup incredibly easy.

Our camping setup isn’t exactly small either. Between the roof tent with awning, the utility tent for the kitchen and a separate toilet and shower tent, we usually occupy around 7m x 7m even when packed tightly together. Here though, space was absolutely no issue. We had more than enough room to spread out properly and relax.

Before leaving us to settle in, Adele explained that the site gates close at 7pm. Knowing our three young children were spending the night with their grandparents, she kindly gave us an emergency contact number in case we unexpectedly needed the gates opening during the night. It was a small gesture, but one that gave us a lot of reassurance and perfectly reflected how thoughtful and accommodating the staff were throughout our stay.

The weather stayed lovely for most of the afternoon, although we did get the occasional shower. Honestly, it didn’t matter in the slightest. My partner and I took turns paddling around the lake on the paddle board while the other stayed back to keep an eye on the fire and cooking.

Earlier in the journey, we’d stopped at a local farm shop and picked up some venison haggis along with chorizo, which we cooked over the fire with mixed vegetables and fried potatoes. The fire pit kept us warm and helped dry us off after swimming while also producing one of the best camping meals we’ve had in a long time.

As the evening slowly closed in, we settled beside the fire with a glass of wine and watched a beautiful sunset spread across the lake. It was one of those rare moments where everything simply felt still and peaceful. With the fire crackling away beside us and the final light reflecting across the water, we let nature take over and simply enjoyed the atmosphere around us.

As darkness arrived, the wildlife really came alive. We caught occasional glimpses of bats darting overhead while birdsong continued well into the evening. At one point, a sparrowhawk even swooped in to say hello, adding another unexpected moment to an already memorable stay. Across the banks, we could hear foxes calling through the night, but the real highlight came from the stock pond beside our pitch.

The lake was clearly home to some enormous carp. Throughout the evening and well into the night, we repeatedly heard huge splashes as fish crashed through the surface and belly-flopped back into the water. Judging by the noise and size of the disturbances, they were easily 20lb-plus fish. As someone who used to fish regularly, hearing that in the darkness only added to the atmosphere and made the whole experience even more special.

Eventually, after getting slightly too carried away with the firewood and burning through our entire supply, the fire finally died down. We zipped up the utility tents and climbed into the roof tent for the night.

The following morning, we woke once again to the sound of carp launching themselves from the lake while we sat drinking fresh coffee and trying to spot them breaking the surface. Breakfast consisted of fresh farm eggs and bacon, although thanks to our overenthusiastic use of firewood the night before, we had no choice but to dig out the camping stoves to cook it all instead.

It was a brilliant way to start the day, although unfortunately we couldn’t stay for too long. Our eldest child was performing later that morning at Chatsworth House, so we had a bit of a scramble packing everything away before setting off.

Just before we left, the lady from reception came over in her buggy to ask how our stay had been and invited us to join one of their group swimming sessions. Sadly, we had to decline because we needed to get moving — a genuine shame, as we would happily have stayed much longer.

One thing we both agreed on afterwards was that while we’ve stayed at campsites offering even more diversity when it comes to wildlife and nature, Whitmore Lakes delivered something slightly different. There was still plenty to see and listen to, but the site seemed to bring out a much more youthful, adventurous energy in us. Swapping the binoculars for a paddle board turned out to be an absolutely fantastic change of pace.

In fact, it left us thinking that combining the two on future trips could work brilliantly. We’ve already started discussing moving the roof tent onto the trailer so we can free up the car roof and finally buy our own paddle board to take along on future adventures.

We also reflected that it would have been an incredible experience to share with our children, especially considering how much they would have loved the paddle boarding. At the same time, we fully appreciated that part of the wild swim lake experience is adults being able to relax freely and enjoy the natural surroundings in a more uninhibited way — something not necessarily suited to younger eyes.

Overall, Whitmore Lakes turned out to be exactly the peaceful outdoor escape we’d hoped for and more. Between the beautiful setting, welcoming staff, fantastic facilities and unforgettable atmosphere, it’s somewhere we’ll definitely be returning to in the future.

Member: Rich 🌿🏕️