Cabins at Basecamp
2026 • Seven lakeside cabins • Project value £600,000
Project Overview
Set within the beautiful Cumbrian countryside, Basecamp North Lakes is a growing rural destination, home to an award-winning farm shop and café, with a strong connection to the surrounding landscape. Building on the success of their existing offering, the owners embarked on an ambitious new development: seven bespoke lakeside cabins designed to give visitors the opportunity to stay a little longer and experience everything the setting has to offer. Positioned on the edge of a private lake, each cabin offers a thoughtfully designed space for guests to relax and enjoy their surroundings. Measuring 8.5m by 4m, the cabins feature open-plan living and kitchen areas, a bedroom with en-suite bathroom and walk-in wardrobe and private decking complete with an outdoor bath. Having previously worked with Basecamp on the refurbishment of their farm shop, Jane was brought back to help shape the interiors of the new accommodation. Her involvement involved overseeing the completion of the development, stepping in at a critical stage to resolve construction challenges and bring the owners' vision to life.
The goal was to create accommodation that felt entirely at home in its surroundings. With the lake and landscape providing such a remarkable backdrop, the interiors needed to complement rather than compete with the setting, offering warmth, comfort and a sense of individuality.
Taking inspiration from Basecamp's farm shop, Jane developed a relaxed, eclectic scheme with earthy greens, subtle brass detailing and an emphasis on natural materials. Reclaimed timber, tactile fabrics and bespoke furnishings introduce warmth and character, while reflecting the owners' environmental priorities. Jane also worked with local suppliers to create individual pieces, including natural linen soft furnishings.
Making the most of the available space was central to the design. Sliding doors, compact wood-burning stoves and clever furniture solutions, including a bespoke wall-mounted dining table that folds away when not in use, create comfortable, uncluttered living areas. The individually designed kitchens were carefully equipped to allow guests to prepare meals using fresh produce from the on-site farm shop.
Full-height windows frame views across the lake, while discreet balustrades preserve the connection with the surrounding landscape. Outside, larch cladding was chosen for its natural appearance and ability to weather gracefully over time, helping the cabins settle into their setting.
While the vision for the cabins was clear, bringing the development to completion proved far from straightforward. Following several months of difficulties with the original contractor, Jane was asked to take over the project management, inheriting a complex build with numerous unresolved issues.
Drawing on her experience and established network of trusted contractors, Jane brought structure and direction to the remaining works. With seven cabins to complete and the summer season approaching, she coordinated the team to resolve complex plumbing, electrical and bespoke joinery challenges, often navigating work already undertaken with limited information available.
The cabins' lakeside location presented further technical considerations. Situated off-grid, away from existing services, careful planning was required around electrical capacity and water-heating systems, particularly for the private outdoor baths. The cabins’ exposed setting also demanded particular attention to heating, insulation and weatherproofing, ensuring the accommodation would remain comfortable throughout the Cumbrian seasons. Each decision needed to balance the guest experience with long-term practicality.
Throughout the final stages, Jane coordinated contractors, resolved unforeseen issues and oversaw the finishing details required to bring the owners' vision to completion, providing much-needed reassurance after a challenging start to the project.
The result is a collection of seven individually styled lakeside cabins, named Alpha, Beta, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot and Golf. With their natural finishes, thoughtfully planned interiors and private outdoor bathing areas, the cabins offer guests a peaceful retreat while remaining closely connected to the wider Basecamp experience.
The new accommodation has added another dimension to the destination, encouraging visitors to extend their stay and explore everything Basecamp has to offer, from the farm shop and café to the surrounding countryside and outdoor experiences (including their on-site Alpacas).
The cabins have already made a promising commercial start, bringing in approximately £60,000 in revenue during their first two months of operation. The development has also attracted wider attention, including a feature in The Guardian and a listing on Canopy & Stars.
From Our Client
"Jane came to the rescue for us during the biggest project we had undertaken, which was the design and construction of our seven high-spec, bespoke, lakeside cabins. The cabins were 8.5m x 4m, built on groundscrews, with kitchen, lounge, bedroom with en-suite and walk in wardrobes. They are positioned on the very edge of a lake, with decking surrounds and outdoor baths.
We had taken on a contractor to complete the full build who turned out to have grossly over promised and was completely out of their depth. After seven horrendous months of trying to make it work and watching their team make one mess after another, Jane kindly (and bravely!) stepped in with her amazing team to get the project finished. We will be eternally grateful to them for taking on the task of fixing someone else's mess.
Jane brought order to the chaos, and after such a stressful and costly start to the build, it was an enormous relief to work with a team we trusted and whose work ethics and standards are impeccable. Jane goes above and beyond in her work, she takes her responsibilities extremely seriously, and with her help we worked through the complex plumbing, electrical and joinery challenges to complete seven stunning cabins that are now a huge source of pride, and a great commercial success for Basecamp."
TERRY BARLOW
DIRECTOR, BASECAMP NORTH LAKES
