Applewood Countryside Park

View prices & book 9.6 27 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
1/80
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 27 Pitchup.com customers

  • 66%
    10
  • 25%
    9
  • 3%
    8
  • 3%
    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
 10
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 9
Peaceful

100% would recommend this site to a friend

96% 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 3
Arrival date (latest first)

Best place we've camped

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
 Kelvin C. 2 reviews

Electric grass pitch

Liked We stayed over the late may bank holiday whilst going to watch the BTCC at Snetterton. We absolutely loved everything about this place, the pitches were spacious, the staff were lovely, the site was immaculate and the animals next door made for much nighttime amusement.

The weather was absolutely glorious too.

We will be back!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Local shop pub and zoo close…

Overall

7 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 7
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 8
Wifi
 10
 joann w. 5 reviews

Electric grass pitch

Liked Local shop pub and zoo close at hand. All in walking distance .great for family’s with young children lovely play area..

Disliked XL pitch’s don’t come with there own water tap..don’t go on a bank holiday if you want a quiet stay

Recommend to friends Visit again

Clean, friendly and spacious

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 8
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 8
 Eloise G. 1 review

Electric grass pitch

Liked Clean, spacious, lots of wildlife, showers were spotless

Recommend to friends Visit again

Fantastic site , great access to…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
 Ian B. 1 review

Electric grass pitch

Liked Fantastic site , great access to Banham zoo , and some of the scenic areas surrounding , brilliant facilities, and spotless site

Disliked Nowt

Recommend to friends Visit again

The site was one of the best kept sites we have been to

Overall

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

Electric hardstanding touring pitch

Liked The facilities were spotless and the hot showers were awsome. Staff were so helpful and even booked our lunchtime meal at the red lion pub which was a lovely meal.

Disliked Power supply was ok to start with then we lost voltage for a few hours the retuned to normal later. Phone signal isn’t great.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely staff, park brilliant, lots of…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 No rating
Value for money
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 No rating
Customer service
 No rating
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 No rating
Wifi
 No rating
Louise T. 1 review

Electric hardstanding touring pitch (XL)

Liked Lovely staff, park brilliant, lots of space. Really enjoyed our stay

Disliked Zero

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you so much for your kind feedback.
We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed your stay and that our team, the park, and the space made it such a positive experience.
We hope to welcome you back to Applewood again soon.
The Applewood Team 🍎🌳

Excellent camp site right next to the zoo. Really enjoyed our stay

Overall

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

Electric grass pitch

Liked Spacious pitches and not very busy at this time of year. Clean toilets and showers, tidy grounds, relaxed atmosphere and lovely nature trail. Nearby Morrisons, bakery/butchers shop and pub all within 4 minutes walk

Disliked Everything was perfect, the price was a bit more than we usually pay but worth it.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for your lovely feedback.
We’re so pleased you enjoyed the spacious pitches, clean facilities, and relaxed atmosphere, and that you made the most of the nature trail and nearby amenities.
We also appreciate your comments on pricing and are glad you felt it was worth it.
We hope to welcome you back again soon.
The Applewood Team 🍎🌳

Nice and large pitch, site was…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 8
Value for money
 8
Facilities / Activities
 No rating
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Owen T. 1 review

Electric hardstanding touring pitch (XL)

Liked Nice and large pitch, site was well kept, showers and toilets clean and tidy, great for the zoo!

Recommend to friends Visit again

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

From the manager: Thank you for your lovely feedback — we’re so pleased to hear you loved the pod, found it comfortable, and good value for money, and that you enjoyed the showering facilities too.
We completely understand your comment about including a small child. Unfortunately, our Posh Pods are limited to a maximum of two people due to safety reasons, which we have to adhere to strictly. We really appreciate your understanding.
We hope to welcome you back again in the future.
The Applewood Team 🍎🌳

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

From the manager: Thank you for your lovely feedback!
We’re so pleased you enjoyed the pod, its location, and the facilities.
We hope to welcome you back again soon.
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.