Applewood Countryside Park

View prices & book 9.6 19 reviews
Family-friendly site
Family-friendly site
Standard electric grass pitch
Dogs welcome
Camping pod exterior
Entrance and outdoor deck
Aerial view of the site
Family-friendly pod
Exterior of standard glamping pod
1/76
New
Standard electric grass pitch
Dogs welcome
Camping pod exterior

  • Dog-friendly 13-acre Norfolk site next to Banham Zoo
  • Thetford Forest 25 minutes' drive; 40 minutes to Norwich
  • Adventure play park, games den and nature trail on site
In search of somewhere within easy reach of family days out? That’s certainly one of the selling points of Applewood Countryside Park – this family-friendly 13-acre Norfolk site is right next door to Banham Zoo, which is home to around 2,000 animals from around the world. That’s certainly a good start – and there’s plenty more nearby too, as this site is well set for all sorts of attractions for all ages, including forest walks, National Trust properties and a long list of excellent child-friendly activities. On a more practical front, it’s also handily just a few minutes’ walk from Banham’s village amenities, which include a pub, convenience store, takeaway and butcher (a useful one for bits to load on your barbecue). This isn’t a place that relies solely on its location to win points, though – there’s also a good collection of facilities right here. Kids will be able to let off steam at the adventure play park, play trail and covered games den, and there’s a mile-long woodland nature trail for them to explore (it makes a good place for dog walking, too). On the practical front, facilities include a laundry area, a chemical disposal point, a wifi connection and modern bathroom blocks with two fully accessible/family bathrooms.

Site type

Motorhome pitches 130
Tent pitches 130
Touring caravan pitches 130
Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 11
Open all year
Opens

Tourist board rating

Please note
  • At least one of the party members must be aged 18 or over.
  • The site does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act (i.e. XL Bully, Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • A cable measuring at least 20 metres is needed for the electric hook-ups.

Languages spoken

English

No availability here for your search criteria

Pitch types & availability

Accommodation

Tent pitchesTouring caravan pitchesMotorhome pitchesLodges, cabins, pods or hutsCaravans for hireRent a tent
Choose your dates
2 adults
0 children
0 dogs

Reviews

9.6

Overall rating from 19 Pitchup.com customers

  • 63%
    10
  • 31%
    9
  • 5%
    8
  • 0%
    7
  • 0%
    6
  • 0%
    5
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    4
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    3
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    2
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    1
Location
 9
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 8

100% would recommend this site to a friend

95% would stay here again

What customers say

Visitors praise this exceptionally clean and well-maintained campsite, highlighting its friendly and helpful staff who go the extra mile. The site features a large play area for children, woods, and proximity to a zoo. Facilities, including showers and toilets, are described as modern and superb. Nearby amenities include a pub, shop, and takeaway. Some minor issues mentioned include tree branches near pitches and weak Wi-Fi, with one guest suggesting better spacing between pitches.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 2
Arrival date (latest first)

The pods are clean and well equipped- fabulous site

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
Anonymous

Camping pod (no pets, premium, two person)

Liked Loved the pod! Great value for money and very comfortable. The site itself had everything we needed - including a fabulous shower block

Disliked I wish we could have included one small child in this luxury pod (we would have happily provided our own bedding)

Recommend to friends Visit again

Wonderful site, breakfast pack was superb, the items were exceptional

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
Anonymous

Camping pod (basic, four person, no pets)

Liked POD : Space, electricity and lighting, position in park.
PARK: Brilliant showers and clean facilities

Disliked Nothing!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Well worth a visit if you have kids n want to visit the zoo

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 8
Value for money
 8
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 8
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 8
Neil S.

Electric grass pitch

Liked Excellent site with plenty of space for each van / motor home, directly next to Banham zoo, play area for the kids, clean well equipped toilets / showers . Chippy , pub n small Morisons across the road opposite the site.

Disliked Not much really, could have done with another sink for washing up.
We didn't enjoy the pizza from the onsite van

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great site will be back

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 9
daryl h.

Electric hardstanding touring pitch

Liked We really enjoyed our stay here lots of space for the little one to play and ride his little bike pub, butchers, chippy and shop just across the road we will be back 👍🏼
Decent size level pitch

Recommend to friends Visit again

We had such a lovely stay…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
Racovita A.

Electric grass pitch

Liked We had such a lovely stay at Applewood Countryside Park. The whole place has a peaceful, relaxing atmosphere that makes it perfect if you want to escape the busy city and unwind in nature. The surroundings are beautiful, with plenty of greenery and fresh air — it really feels like a hidden gem.

Recommend to friends Visit again

great site with good pitches and facilites

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 2
Tom H.

Electric hardstanding touring pitch

Liked nice well presented place. good parks for the kids. staff were super friendly and facilities were great

Disliked wifi was pretty poor

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent site with a new shower block. Children’s play areas.

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 8
Value for money
 7
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 8
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 7
Wifi
 8
Andy C.

Electric hardstanding touring pitch

Liked Good hard standing pitch, clean toilets and showers. Rural location next to the zoo.

Disliked Showers might be limited when the site is busy. Lighting is a bit poor in the lower field.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback — we’re really pleased to hear you enjoyed your hard‑standing pitch, the clean facilities, and our lovely rural setting next to the zoo.
Regarding your comments about the showers, we’d like to reassure you that we regularly monitor how many shower blocks are open each day based on the number of guests on site, including during the low season when fewer facilities may be needed. We’re always happy to adjust this during your stay if you ever feel more are required — just let us know and we’ll be glad to help.
Thank you also for highlighting the lighting in the lower field. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention, and we will certainly look into it.
We hope to welcome you back again soon!
The Applewood Team 🍎🌳

Great site and facilities

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 8
stephen m.

Electric hardstanding touring pitch (XL)

Liked The showers were excellent, quiet pitch, good walking even just round the site.
Nice location

Disliked Only downside was having soft mud part from pitch to road, finishing touches only

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for sharing your feedback — It’s great to know the location worked well for you too.
We appreciate you mentioning the soft patch of mud between the pitch and the road. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this caused. Our team is aware of this area, and we’re already working on improving the finishing touches to ensure better ground conditions, especially during wetter periods.
Thank you again for taking the time to review your stay. We hope to welcome you back to Applewood soon!
Warm regards,
The Applewood Team 🍎🌲

Excellent site shows are modern and clean and sites kept clean

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
Anonymous

Electric hardstanding touring pitch

Liked Love is site nice big pitches and the zoo on site nice pub a cross the road and shops we had a great weekend there and going back soon

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: We’re really pleased to hear you enjoyed the site, the spacious pitches, and of course having the zoo right on your doorstep. It’s great that you also made the most of the pub across the road and the nearby shops.
We can’t wait to welcome you back again soon!
The Applewood Team 🍎🌳

Love this campsite x

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
Sinead C.

Electric grass pitch

Liked Always accommodating and helpful everywhere is clean. We absolutely love camping here and do so multiple times a year.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you so much for your lovely feedback!
We’re delighted to hear that you always find our team accommodating and helpful, and that the cleanliness of the site continues to meet your expectations.
It truly means a lot to us that you choose to camp with us multiple times a year — your loyalty is incredibly valued.
We look forward to welcoming you back to Applewood again very soon!
Warm regards,
The Applewood Team 🍎🌲

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

Baby-changing facilities Bath available Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Launderette Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Picnic table Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

D. of E. 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

Themes

Peaceful

Utilities

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

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Nearby farmers' market Public transport nearby Shop nearby

Type

Large (51-200 pitches)

Accessibility

Accessible parking at pitch Bathrooms: Large spacious shower Bathrooms: Large spacious toilet Bathrooms: Step-free access Bathrooms: Wheelchair accessible shower Bathrooms: Wheelchair accessible toilet Level site, no steep slopes Pitch close to accessible bathrooms Smooth, hard roads e.g. tarmac Step-free or level access

Nearby leisure

Fishing nearby Golf nearby Indoor pool nearby Mountain biking nearby Restaurant nearby

Touring and motorhomes

Motorhome service point Seasonal pitches Tourer storage facilities

Location

Applewood Countryside Park

Kenninghall Road

Banham

Norfolk

England

NR16 2HE

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London BST (GMT+01:00)

GPS

52.44523°N
1.02708°E

Route directions

Follow the brown tourist signs to Banham Zoo from the A11 and A140. Enter the Banham Zoo car park and follow the signs to Applewood Countryside Park.

Nearest transport

Coach
5.1 mi Queens Square
6 mi Bus Station
9.3 mi The Chestnuts
Rail
3 mi Eccles Road Rail Station
4.8 mi Attleborough Rail Station
5 mi Harling Road Rail Station
Ferry
23.4 mi Reedham Ferry North
23.4 mi Reedham Ferry South
28.5 mi Southwold Ferry Landing
Airport
18.8 mi Norwich International 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

Banham Zoo will surely be the first port of call for a lot of guests here – all it takes is a five-minute walk and you’ll be meeting primates, big cats, reptiles and all sorts of other exotic beasts. There are also indoor and outdoor play areas, a safari road train and a busy programme of activities to join in with. For more family days out, take a look at the adventure courses of Go Ape Thetford (25 minutes’ drive), the dinosaur-themed attractions of ROARR! (45 minutes) or the safari activities of Africa Alive animal park (an hour). The classic fairground rides and steam trains of Bressingham Steam Museum & Gardens (15 minutes) are popular too – and the museum is also home to the national Dad’s Army collection for a taste of wartime life. If you don't have kids with you, you may like to turn your attentions to places like the cathedral and castle in Norwich (40 minutes) or National Trust properties like Oxburgh Estate (40 minutes) and Ickworth (45 minutes). There’s also the option of a whisky tour at The English Distillery (15 minutes).

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Southwold The Denes 28.8 mi Sea N/AN/AN/AN/A
Southwold The Pier 28.9 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Banham Zoo 0.1 mi

Bressingham Steam and Gardens 4.4 mi

Grimes Graves 15.2 mi

Colman's Mustard Shop and Museum 17 mi

Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery 17 mi

National Trust

Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds 19.3 mi

Oxburgh Hall 21.4 mi

Ickworth House, Park and Gardens 22 mi

Lavenham Guildhall 25.2 mi

Blickling Hall, Gardens and Park 26.6 mi

Cycle routes

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

Other

Banham Mlllennium Walk 0.7 mi

New Buckenham 2.7 mi

Lopham Fen 4.5 mi

Blo-Norton 5.5 mi

Burston 5.5 mi

Local events

  • Latitude Festival (Thursday, 23 July 2026 – Thursday, 23 July 2026)

    Beccles, Suffolk 24.8 mi

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.

Want to know more about camping in Norfolk?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Applewood Countryside Park have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Applewood Countryside Park dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Applewood Countryside Park? Banham Zoo will surely be the first port of call for a lot of guests here – all it takes is a five-minute walk and you’ll be meeting primates, big cats, reptiles … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Applewood Countryside Park?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  12 p.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  3 p.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  10 a.m.

    From 01 October to 26 March, arrivals are until 5pm.

    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Applewood Countryside Park? From £25 (for 1 night, 4 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.