Can anyone recommend me a campsite near the beach in East Dorset?

[Jojay]

There's 2 families going, with toddlers / preschoolers and we're looking for a site close to a sandy beach, if such a thing exists.

Preferably not too commercial, but decent showers etc.

Any ideas?

how near the beach? if you want sand within walking distance i think you will struggle with east dorset - i'd look around swanage . ulwell has good reviews and is near studland, but might be too commercialised for you. i've been to several sites in the weymouth/wareham area but not near sandy beach - so if you want to know about them let me know. sandy beaches are either built up or nature reserves generally

I am visiting Longthorns near Wool and not too far from the coast as someone here very recently gave a lovely glowing review of it and it has excellent reviews on the web.

Ulwell is a very nice family orientated site but expensive, in that area is also Burnbake (nearer to studland) cheap but very basic, hurstons yard again quite good for large groups and families. There is also Woodyhyde, Toms Field.

There are many many sites in the swanage area but none that are really within walking distance of a beach (unless you like a good walk) but they are within 5 minute drive.

If you look on the Uk Campsite website they have reviews of many in the area.

Im off down there this weekend to try a site that have not been to before that is between Poole and Wareham

Oooh, I quite like the look of Burnbake. Reviewers on UK Campsite talk of paddling in the stream and the DS's LOVE that!

Thanks so much for all your ideas Let us kno whow you get on at the new site MrBabyBots - hope you have a lovely time

Well went to Beacon Hill touring park just on the outskirts of Poole and was very impressed, nice site very quiet, play areas for the kids, fishing lakes. Never used the shop or swimming pool but it looked ok.

I am thinking about going back for a weekish length break in a couple of weeks it was that nice.

Also popped into woodyhyde just between corfe and swanage to take a look and although basic it looked ok and well maintained.

Jojay - Burnbake is great as long as you don't mind a bit of noise, its one of those sites where they let you have fires etc so attracts fairly large groups.

just to bear in mind i have been to lovely longthorns, and also (before we discovered this gem) another site (acton) between corfe castle / swanage

there are lots of lovely sites round there but do bear in mind that those near the sea are not well protected from the weather...

when we have been camping in longthorns several campers arrived who had been at other local campsites, which were more exposed and tents were being ripped / broken by the weather etc.... and they drove down the road to longthorns as we were inland enough to not have tents wrecked and be blown away... still close enough to drive dwn the sea / beaches though

just bear that in mind as so many of those sites are very very exposed

We stayed at Woodyhyde a couple of weeks ago - as other have said it's a drive to the beach at Swanage or Studland Bay, but just a few minutes. Basic but fine - showers and a small shop with the essentials. The Swanage railway passes the site - cue much excitement from toddler

Guy in the reception/shop none too friendly but everyone else was - lots of families there. And we were impressed that they announced the site was full when there was a comfortable amount of space...

Would happily go there again.