Sites in West Sussex, Ashdown Forest area perhaps?

[chelseamorning]

My DP, 2.8yr DS and I are thinking of going camping soon to Ashdown Forest part of West Sussex. Can anyone recommend a campsite?

I've found two on the web...

Wowo - reviews I've read say it's a lovely, relaxed place but the loos and showers are dirty and facilities lacking. Just can't be doing with poorly cleaned communal areas.

Heaven Farm - reviews are greatly mixed but it seems that proper campers (i.e. not in caravans) get a raw deal and are placed furthest away from the facilities. Also, the site sounds very commercial. Also, get this, you can't have a shower between 10am and 5pm!!!!

Anyone stayed at either of these?

Anyone please recommend any others? Nice clean toilets and hot showers are a must. (DP says a pub nearby for an evening stroll is also a must!!! ) A laundry area would be nice but not essential. Not bothered about a shop.

Heaven farm we looked around this weekend and it did seem very regimented.

We were staying at wowo and it's lovely. The showers are not dirty - just basic. The water is hot and free We used the ones off of the barn rather than the portaloo ones.

The eco toilet in the field were fine - they didn't smell. Just take some of that anti bac gel for doing yur hands after. Wowo does have laundry as well - didn't try a pub but we were too busy enjoying the campfire.

Word of warning. We stayed Wednesday to Saturday. First 2 nights were lovely but it did get much, much busier on Friday night. It was full of boden type glampers who took no responsibility for their kids. We has a group of dads & children in 4 tents next to us and they let the kids run around singing at 6.30 Saturday morning while they stayed in bed

we had a lovely long weekend at St Ives which is in ashdown forest.

there is 1 (hot) shower per sex (20p for ages) and 3 loos. Toilets were clean and spider free, slightly old in a porta cabin but clean and worked!

there was loads of walks direct from campsite. (and we had baby lambs in the next field when we went in may 2008) ni pub but there is a tea room, which has lovely cakes in a beutiful setting

Campfires are allowed (and encouraged)

be aware there is a lake in the middle of the site so not ideal if you have young children. On the plus side if you like fishing you can go fishing there.

(and if your children are younge enough to not go anywhere unaccompanied you can pitch far enough away from the lake so you arnt right next to it)

I've just discovered a new wild camping one (well it does have one composting toilet and a cold tap, but beautiful) called Plaw Hatch Farm, I have plotted it on emy web site all about family camping www.cathandmathcamping.com