Purbeck Camping? Norden Farm? Haymans Cross?? Any thoughts

[hazeyjane]

Would love to camp in the Purbecks this Summer, but after a nightmarish stay at Burnbake last year, we are looking around at others - has anyone got any recommendations?

These two looked ok, but just wanted some opinions.

Thanks.

Oooh what happened at Burnbake?! That was our potential list!

We've liked East Creech but that was a good few years ago and have friends who like Norden (but I've not been).

Steeple lease further down gets good reviews but again on our list rather than tried!!

It was very busy, so we ended up in an offshoot field, miles from the shower/toilet block, apart from a chemical toilet in the corner of our field, when my dd's went to use the chemical toilet a man shouted at her that they had hired it and told her to 'buzz off'. Then an enormous marquee pitched up next to us.

My dh described the toilet/shower block and the surrounding site as 'Mordor' pissed parents, screaming kids and rubbish strewn around.

Maybe we just went at a bad time!

Oh wow! can strike that off our list!!

Our bad camping experience was at the walled gardens in moreton. Beautiful gardens next door, pizza oven.... but absolutely disgusting loos not cleaned even when told them!!! Think blood on the wall.... never again!

Yes, dd1 trod on a pooey happy left on the floor of the toilets in Burnbake....somehow I had erased that from my memory!

That's the trouble with campsites, all the reviews were good, and that is all you can rely on really!

We also went to burn bake last year as it had such amazing reviews as was rated in the guardian, but like you was also not impressed ! Toilets were terrible chaos and they closed the toilets for a couple of hours to clean. Completely chaos in the actual camping bit. And the shop was so overpriced and sold so little. Was so disappointed but loved the area, swanage, Corfe and studlands were amazing

So relieved we didn't book there this summer! There are some fab campsites and it's such a beautiful area!

Have a look at Woodyhyde. Have stayed there several times and really enjoyed it ... So much so we're going back for a long weekend in a couple of weeks.

We love Acton Fields - a few years ago we were supposed to go to Burnbake but it was full, so chanced this one. It's pretty basic but has gorgeous views, clean loos, trees to climb and a bread van comes every morning ('The donut man'). The people who run it are lovely and it's walkable to the nearest village where there's a pub, village shop etc.

Stayed at norden farm loads as a kid and loved it, but that was 25 years ago, so not much help.

Stayed at Tom's field near swanage a couple of years ago. Really nice site, it was quite busy as it was in the school holidays, so to be expected. Plenty of facilities and clean. They have cooked breakfast/ breakfast baps (all local produce) available on weekends and every morning through the school holidays.

Watch out for the Badgers though!! Pesky thieves made a hole in my tent and stole my home made flapjack!!

Look at Downshay Farm, Harmans Cross. It's brilliant, v clean showers toilets etc, beautiful views, bread etc van every morning, 5 mins walk yo Harmans Cross station for Swanage & Corfe. Also cheaper than the other options and IMHO much nicer :)

Yes, Downshay is lovely. And we have stayed at East Creech Farm quite a bit. It does get stretched in Summer, but the facilities are pretty good, and there is lots of space.

We have stayed in all of these and I'll let you into a secret- there is lovely tiny site near Corfe Castle in a tiny village but can't remember the name! It has a little pub and a animal rescue place there and it ten pounds a night. There are other little quiet sites around there, i'd just take a drive around.

Toms field / Burnbake imho all been on Cool camping and get really busy.

I'm loving the Dorset Camping love :) :)

the tiny site we stay at says it is full if there are like ten tents! Which I like. Dorset is lovely isn;t it and Studland bay- so much quieter and less touristy than Devon or Cornwall. My Dh seems to think we need to go somewhere else as we always go there, I'm not to sure though. I like going to Brownsea island too.

We camped at Brownsea a few weeks ago. They do family camps a few weekends a year and it's brilliant!

studland is great, they do fab trails in the holidays and free parking if National Trust!

The best things about Woodyhyde are the location (think surrounded by rolling hills, with steam trains passing at the end of the campsite during the day) and the relatively large pitches.

However, the shower and toilet blocks leave a lot to be desired. They aren't cleaned frequently enough; the drains in the new shower area get blocked; and the hot water supply for washing-up isn't great.

It's entirely possible for the same campsite to give a brilliant experience to one family and a terrible time to another. It's all down to luck - where your spot is and who your neighbours are.

We had a brilliant time at Harman's Cross camping park a few years ago but I don't remember the details of what the facilities were like. It's a perfect location though right next to the steam railway station.

I like Woodyhyde as well and DS likes the baker's van. I loved watching the steam trains from the site, happy memories.

Lovelybath ah you like Kaths too!! We love it there too, but prefer Downshay when it's open for the stupendous views of Corfe Castle and the steam train.
Kaths is really nice, very relaxing. She has more shepherd huts this year though and the field is very waterlogged, partly fenced off at the moment. Have you tried the pub in the village? We're very local aso tend to vamp around there a lot when it's not sodding raining! !!!

Don't tell too many people but Steepleleaze farm near Kimmeridge is amazing if you like laid back and basic with fires. A lovely wood for the kids to spend hours in.