Last weekend was our first camping trip of this year, and only the second time we’d used our new Vango tent. Deciding to go for a couple of nights at short notice, even at this time of year, it proved tricky to find a campsite that met with our strict prerequisites for camping, distance to travel for a short trip and interesting countryside to explore. I fired off several emails to likely looking places and settled on Low Greenside Campsite at Ravenstonedale in Cumbria. Five miles south of Kirkby Stephen it is far enough away for us to feel like we’re in a different place to home, but not too far for a short weekend break. Just dodge the colourful macaws on your way through Kirkby, (yes really) and it’s basically a field on a small farm surrounded by the Pennines on one side and the Lake District on the other. Camping as it used to be.
Tents were set up when we arrived on Friday evening and we toasted marshmallows around the fire. And kept warm as the sun went down at the same time as the temperature dropped below zero.
During the night we were woken by the cold, as well as a nosy lamb pawing (hoofing?) at our tent. But the morning dawned sunny and it soon warmed us up again.
The next morning after the bacon butties and cups of tea we set off for a ramble to Smardale Gill and the nature reserve.
Spring showed its face in the flowers.
And fun was had when we returned to the campsite. 
Thoroughly recommend this campsite if you’re looking for space, beautiful scenery, campfires and camping as it used to be.