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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Original poster

I have bought a new tent and want to try it out, anyone recommend a good campsite in South East?

31 replies

cece · 30/08/2012 23:14

Thank you.

Not bothered about bars, clubhouses and so on. Don't have electricity stuff so not bothered about that. Not too big. Camp fire would be a bonus.

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NellyJob · 30/08/2012 23:17

spring barn farm, Kingston near Lewes,they have a website.

Original poster
cece · 30/08/2012 23:19

Oh a reply Smile

Thank you, I will look it up now.

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Original poster
cece · 30/08/2012 23:22

Thank you - looks lovely. Will add it to my favourites.

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AngryFeet · 30/08/2012 23:23

Wowo in east sussex is great for campfires. Do not go if it has been raining a lot. Boggy muddy hell. When dry it is great :)

If you looking on the ukcampsite website you can search by area and filter your search for campfires allowed.

NellyJob · 30/08/2012 23:30

nice place cece, they rent you a metal wheelbarrow or cauldren thing to make a fire in...very Lewes..

Original poster
cece · 30/08/2012 23:41

I have had a look on ukcampsite but there is nothing I fancy really close to home. Sad Really only wanted a short drive as feeling the pressure to erect tent before it gets dark on my own with 3 DC. Live in Surrey.

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AngryFeet · 30/08/2012 23:49

Blackberry Woods in East Sussex also lovely. Where in surrey are you? I am in surrey and both the sites i have mentioned in east sussex are just over anhours drive from me. Sumners Pond in West Sussex also nice.

Original poster
cece · 31/08/2012 00:27

Thanks, I am north Surrey.

How far in advance do you need to book? Do you need to book or can you just turn up?

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NellyJob · 31/08/2012 00:41

Blackberry Woods is so popular you need to book about a year in advance last time I looked.
SpringBarn is not so well known (and doesn't have showers) so you can just turn up. Plenty of hot water and big sinks though.

Original poster
cece · 31/08/2012 13:06

Beyond excited... My new tent has arrived. The bag is enormous though! [shockl]

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hillbilly · 31/08/2012 13:36

Forgewood or Welsummer. My top 2 for the south east and both prob available for this weekend and next.

hillbilly · 31/08/2012 13:36

Both allow fires btw.

Original poster
cece · 31/08/2012 21:42

Thank you everyone. I think no showers is a step too far for me.

I am going to attempt to put it up in the garden first for a trial sleep out with me and the DC next weekend. Then I am hoping to camp before end of September.

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UptoapointLordCopper · 02/09/2012 14:49

cece - We've camped in Laleham before - nice showers, but if you camp at end of season (which we did) there are parties. Hmm But it's by the Thames and a short walk to Chertsey with nice pubs. If you fancy anything more classy (!?) try Wellington Country Park or Hurley Riverside. They are both nice and within run-home-if-it's-a-disaster distance, which is important for me. Smile But no camp fires.

Original poster
cece · 02/09/2012 15:42

TBH I am not too fussed about campfire. The Lalelam one is quite near me but was put off by the not so great reviews on ukcampsite.

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UptoapointLordCopper · 02/09/2012 16:21

The Laleham campsite is quite small, but toilet block big and clean, and there is a playground in the campsite and one in the field next to it. It means the kids can just run off and play and leave you to it, whatever "it" is. But it is not the loveliest place ... Wellington Country Park (near Reading) and Hurley riverside (near Marlow), on the other hand, are lovely. :) And not so very very far.

LordFlasheart · 02/09/2012 21:51

Hello cece! What tent did you get? Was it the hartford? Wink Now you need a nice big icey tek and some fairy lights and you'll be all set!

Upto- We are thinking of Wellington next summer- is it the one with pirate ship in the lake?

UptoapointLordCopper · 02/09/2012 22:11

LordFlasheart (fellow nobility Grin) - neither DH or me can remember a pirate ship! There was a lake and there was a little train you could go on and there was an adventure playground (and there was a most hilarious dog show when we were there) but no pirate ship. I think... Have a look on their website. Maybe we were just very unobservant ...

Milliways · 02/09/2012 22:14

We love White Mark Farm for a 2 night break. It is on the Ridgeway so great for walks. A basic site but loos & showers are lovely.

Original poster
cece · 02/09/2012 22:32

hello LordFlashheart, no not the Hartford. I was tempted but it looked tricky to put up solo, having watched the pitching video on youtube....

I was tempted by a Gelert Corvus 6+2, which we saw in a camping shop. It is enormous, but again I backed out due to pitching the thing!

In the end I went for a Vango Samara 6, big but all the reviews (and youtube videos) made it seem easy to pitch.

I am thinking of booking insidepark again for next summer..

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Original poster
cece · 02/09/2012 22:36

Milliways - that site looks just what I am looking for... A tad further than I wanted but not too far, so might give it a go!

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Valpollicella · 02/09/2012 22:38

Scotts Farm in East Wittering is lovely. Amazingly clean shower and toilet block Grin and lovely playground as well

Milliways · 02/09/2012 22:40

It is very reasonable price-wise and the owners are lovely. You can walk to the local pub and watch them play Aunt Sally (we watched the footie there, very friendly locals) and there are takeaways and a co-op in the village.

Beware the red kites though - they literally swoop down over your heads and land in the camping field looking for scraps.

BabylonPI · 02/09/2012 22:42

Get yourself a solar shower Wink

The possibilities are endless then Grin

Original poster
cece · 02/09/2012 22:46

The sun has to come out first Grin

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