There have been Convention camps on the school fields adjacent to Crosthwaite Church for well over 50 years (BMMF, IVF, and more recently Scripture Union). Since 1994, when Scripture Union withdrew at short notice, the camp has been run by the Crosthwaite Campsite Committee under the umbrella of the Convention itself.
Until 1996, when Keswick School relocated to new buildings on the Lairthwaite Site (the site of the former Lairthwaite Secondary Modern School), the use of the fields for camping was less sensitive because the school’s main fields were at Rawnsley, the site of the former Keswick Grammar School. Following relocation in 1996, however, the use of the fields became more sensitive because they were the front window of the school. Several wet summers in the early 2000s led to the fields becoming damaged by camping and vehicle movements, so the camp was eventually asked to leave the school fields. The last camp took place in Summer 2008, and from 2009 onwards it relocated to its present site on farm fields to the south-west of Crosthwaite Church.
In 2015, the camp organised operation green pastures in order to clean up the field following “Storm Desmond”
Please see the following Video
https://vimeo.com/158000110
The camp’s sole purpose is to serve as an accommodation base for campers and caravanners attending the annual Convention, and it has succeeded over the years in providing warm Christian fellowship within a secure family-oriented setting. It is run by a group of volunteers on a non-profit making basis, any surplus being passed on to the Convention.