Holmsley Caravan and Camping Site

No availability at present on Pitchup.com 9.1 570 reviews
Campsite entrance and pathways (added by manager 31 Jan 2023)
Campsite entrance and pathways
Forest view and grass pitches
Hardstanding pitches
Pitches
Surrounded by the forest
Access to campsite pitches
Grass pitches
Path through the pitches
1/213
Forest view and grass pitches
Hardstanding pitches
Pitches

  • New Forest family campsite 20 minutes’ drive from Bournemouth beaches
  • A 15-minute drive to Christchurch, Barton on Sea and Highcliffe Castle
  • Grass pitches on a former airfield with direct access to walking paths
This is a gorgeous location, with pitches on open grassland and surrounded by the ancient ancient trees of the New Forest National Park… and it’s got an intriguing past too. Holmsley Caravan and Camping Site has brought new life to a former World War II airfield and turned it into a splendid woodland base for family camping adventures. Grass pitches here are tucked away among the trees or out in open fields, with spectacular forest views in all directions. When you’re ready to explore, there are miles of stunning way-marked tracks and footpaths leading directly from the site, while cyclists can access National Forest Ride from Holmsley car park (15 minutes by bike) and stop off at a pub in pretty Brockenhurst (half an hour) in the middle of the forest. As well as giving access to the forest, Holmsley is also well placed for excursions to the coastline of Dorset and Hampshire. Bournemouth (20 minutes’ drive) beckons with its sandy beaches, seaside walks await at Barton on Sea and you can look out over the waves from Highcliffe Castle. While maintaining a back-to-nature vibe, Holmsley is well set up when it comes to essential facilities, with electric hook-ups and full toilet, shower and washing amenities all on hand. There’s also a store selling camping essentials and food basics for the self-caterers among you, plus a takeaway service for days when you've worn yourselves out too much to contemplate cooking.

Campground type

Tent sites 356
Caravan sites 396
RV & Motorhome sites 396
Opens

Tourist board rating

Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • Bookings must not be for more than 21 consecutive nights.

Languages spoken

English

Pitch types & availability

No availability at present on Pitchup.com

Choose your dates and we'll email when available.

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Accommodation

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2 adults
0 children

Reviews

93%

would recommend this campground to a friend

90%

would stay here again

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    10
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Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

Great few nights stay.

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Paula P. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass site

Liked: We were greeted by a lovely chap who showed us to our pitch and helped us settle. The shower block was clean with lots of welcome hot water. The shop, although winding down for the winter, was stocked with the basics and the staff were extremely helpful. Also good to be able to have the choice of takeaway food, coffee and breakfast on site as the site is situated quite a way from the nearest town. The site was clean and well maintained.

Disliked: Nothing to dislike

Recommend to friends Visit again

The campsite is peaceful. It’s in a lovely location and there are…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 6
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Unpowered grass site

Liked: The campsite is peaceful. It’s in a lovely location and there are nice walks and bike rides from the site. The campsite is clean and well cared for. The kids love the open space and being able to cycle around and make friends. Lovely spot.

Recommend to friends Visit again

The site is more for families than couples in my opinion.

Overall 8/10
Location 10
Value for money 8
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 8
Wifi No rating
Wendy K. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered concrete slab caravan site

Liked: The staff were extremely helpful.

Disliked: When we arrived we were put on an awful plot! - felt like we were on the side of a road. But the staff were SO helpful in moving us to a much better plot. Showers could do with updating - had to keep my hand on the button and it sprayed over my shoes etc.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent facilities and staff…

Overall 10/10
Location 8
Value for money 8
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 2
Chris B. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass site

Liked: Excellent facilities and staff

Disliked: a bit remote

Recommend to friends Visit again

Woodland view.…

Overall 8/10
Location 10
Value for money 8
Accommodation 8
Facilities / Activities 6
Customer service 8
Child friendliness 6
Cleanliness 8
Wifi 2
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Unpowered grass site

Liked: Woodland view.

Recommend to friends Visit again

The kids love homesley camp site they loves watching the movies and…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 6
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass site

Liked: The kids love homesley camp site they loves watching the movies and the horses We will be coming again Everything is always clean

Recommend to friends Visit again

Toilet block well maintained and cleaned

Overall 8/10
Location 10
Value for money 8
Accommodation 8
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 8
Child friendliness 8
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 6
Trevor P. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass site

Liked: Enjoyed our stay the site was a bit waterlogged in places but we were put on hard standing pitch so all okay

Recommend to friends Visit again

Hard standing, close to water point. Washrooms and showers. Staff very helpful.…

Overall 8/10
Location 8
Value for money 10
Accommodation 8
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Trevor S. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered concrete slab caravan site

Liked: Hard standing, close to water point. Washrooms and showers. Staff very helpful.

Disliked: Gates locking at 10pm. Could do with more grey water disposal points.

Recommend to friends Visit again

A well positioned site that’s good value for money in October

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Nick M. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered concrete slab caravan site

Liked: The unusual hard standing pitches, set around what was the airfield’s old dispersal areas. A welcome change from the usual straight lines.

Disliked: Push button showers (but that’s just personal preference on my part).

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely site, will visit again

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Samantha C. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered concrete slab caravan site

Liked: Clean, friendly and a good location

Disliked: Toilet blocks were cleaning in the mornings

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Dogs allowed

Leisure on site

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis Watersports

Amenities on site

Bath available Car parking by site/unit Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Laundry Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Rallies welcome Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Utilities

Charging facilities Dump point Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby

Type

Very large (over 200 sites)

Accessibility

Disabled facilities

Touring and motorhomes

Motorhome service point Seasonal sites

Location

Holmsley Caravan and Camping Site

Forest Road

Christchurch

Dorset

England

BH23 7EQ

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London GMT (GMT+00:00)

GPS

50.803°N
-1.71613°W

Nearest transport

Coach
6.9 km Sea Corner
6.9 km Sea Corner
7.2 km Post Office
Rail
5.6 km Hinton Admiral Rail Station
6.7 km New Milton Rail Station
7.8 km Sway Rail Station
Ferry
9 km Mudeford Quay Ferry Landing
9.3 km Christchurch Quay Ferry Landing
9.3 km Hengistbury Head Ferry Landing
Airport
8.6 km Bournemouth International Airport
29.9 km Southampton Airport

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

The outdoor activities of the New Forest National Park are well documented – come along here and you’ll have access to all sorts of walking and bike trails (including some leading directly from the site). There are also several riding centres nearby offering lessons and forest trail rides, or you could go fishing at Orchard Lakes (10 minutes’ drive). Staying here on the southern side of the national park also means easy access to the coast – including the long sandy stretch in Bournemouth (also a handy place for rainy-day attractions like the Oceanarium) and wilder areas like Hengistbury Head (both 20 minutes’ drive). Seafront Highcliffe Castle (15 minutes) is a fabulous place to visit, or you could pick up the Solent Way trail in Barton on Sea (15 minutes) for a long walk through a lovely nature reserve. On the way home, how about something totally different? Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum (10 minutes) is likely to enthral anyone with an interest in engines, and is well worth a visit to see the 500 rare bikes from around the world.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020 2019 2018 2017
Highcliffe 7.4 km Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent
Christchurch Highcliffe Castle 7.5 km Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent
Christchurch Friar`S Cliff 7.9 km Estuary N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent
Christchurch Avon Beach 8.3 km Estuary N/A Excellent Excellent Good
Christchurch Bay 8.5 km Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Highcliffe Castle 7.3 km

Adventure Wonderland 9.6 km

Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway 12.5 km

The Bournemouth Balloon 14.3 km

Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum 14.4 km

National Trust

The Needles Old Battery and New Battery 18.5 km

Brownsea Island 21.3 km

Kingston Lacy 22.3 km

Newtown Old Town Hall 24.1 km

Studland Beach and Nature Reserve 24.2 km

Cycle routes

Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.

Other

Burbush Hill - Dur Hill - Whitten Pond - (New Forest) 1.4 km

AVON TYRRELL 1.5 km

The Naked Man - New Forest 5.3 km

RHINEFIELD HOUSE 7.3 km

AVON HEATH (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 19/05/1998) 7.6 km

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Nearest campgrounds

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

Want to know more about camping in Dorset?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Holmsley Caravan and Camping Site have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Holmsley Caravan and Camping Site dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Holmsley Caravan and Camping Site? The outdoor activities of the New Forest National Park are well documented – come along here and you’ll have access to all sorts of walking and bike trails (including some leading directly … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Holmsley Caravan and Camping Site?
    Camping and caravan
    Arrive:  1 p.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    Read more