Dragonfly Camping

View prices & book 9.5 60 reviews
Camping field
Setting up in the walnut orchard
Walnut orchard pitches
Wilder pitches in walnut orchard

  • Pop-up campsite among woodlands at a Co. Durham working farm
  • Durham city centre 15 minutes' drive; 20 minutes to the coast
  • Dog-friendly site; choose from main field or wilder orchard pitches
Want to spend some time deep in the delightful Co.Durham countryside? Don’t particularly want to have to make a long diversion from the main road to get there? Book yourselves a space at Dragonfly Camping – this splendid spot is part of a working farm surrounded by woodlands, and yet it’s no more than 15 minutes’ drive from either the A1 or the A19. You’ll probably start to notice the peaceful atmosphere as you make your way down the farm track to the camping area. At this point you’ll need to make a choice – will you set up in the main field (a popular choice for groups and families because of its open space and proximity to facilities), or among the trees in the Walnut Orchard for more of a secluded wild camping-style experience? Either way, you’ll have access to toilets and showers, along with water points in the camping fields. You’ll be allowed to bring your dog along too – perhaps to accompany you as you wander through the woods and grasslands around the site, looking out to see what sort of wildlife you can spot. Once you’ve stretched your legs on site, there’s much more to explore in the area – including outings to the Durham Dales, the Durham Heritage Coast and, of course, the city of Durham itself, which is about 15 minutes’ drive away. You won’t have to go that far for your picnic supplies though, as you can pick those up at the convenience store five minutes’ drive away in Wheatley Hill (which also has a café and a couple of takeaways).

Site type

Tent pitches 50
Rent a tent 2
Open now
Opens 1 May
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • 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).
  • Please note that the toilet/shower facilities are unisex.
  • If making a fire, the fuel, logs and coal have to be purchased on site.

Languages spoken

English

Spanish

Open from Fri 1 May to

No availability here for your search criteria

Pitch types & availability

Reviews

  • 78%
    10
  • 5%
    9
  • 11%
    8
  • 3%
    7
  • 0%
    6
  • 1%
    5
  • 0%
    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
9
Cleanliness
9
Wifi
7

97% would recommend this site to a friend

97% would stay here again

What customers say

This is a peaceful, spacious campsite offering a rustic, back-to-nature experience. Campers can choose pitches in open fields or secluded woodland areas. Owners are consistently praised for being friendly, welcoming, and helpful, offering local recommendations and assistance. Facilities include clean showers and toilets. Campfire pits are available with wood for purchase. Some guests mentioned a bumpy access road and basic facilities as minor drawbacks, but overall, the site is highly recommended for its tranquil atmosphere and excellent hosts.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 6
Arrival date (latest first)

Great campsite

Overall

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

Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch

Liked Had a great time, very friendly owners who went out of the way to be helpful

Disliked Toilet flush system a little temperamental

Recommend to friends Visit again

A site with basic but clean amenities and a helpful host.

Overall

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

Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch

Liked Friendly greeting and Matt always available to help throughout stay.
Generous pitch size amongst the trees for multiple tents and cover.
Firepits dotted about and wood available.
Hot showers!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Tranquil setting, surrounded by fields. Owner was…

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
7
Value for money
6
Facilities / Activities
7
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
No rating
John S. 1 review

Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch

Liked Tranquil setting, surrounded by fields.
Owner was always asking how we were getting on when we saw him. Laid back. The communal area around the house was were most of the noise was so the rest of the the site was quieter. facilities were sufficient, nothing fancy but that is camping. Site was spotless, no litter anywhere we could see. Ground was easy to put peg into. Firepits are place at regular intervals. Firewood is reasonably priced. Toilets did not smell despite being a drop toilet. My 7 year old son enjoyed the experience.

Disliked Take your own bin bag because if you are at the bottom of the field or woodland area, it is a 5/6 minute round trip walk to the bins. The main field is on a slope and the woodland area ground is uneven making finding a good pitch more of a challenge. The access road is very bumpy.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Relaxed woodland camping, campfires and community vibe

Overall

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

Bell tent

Liked We absolutely love staying at Dragonfly and will definitely be coming back.

This was our third stay here, but our first time staying in one of the two yurts on site. Set in a lovely part of Durham, it’s about as close to wild camping as you can get while still having the sense of community you get from a campsite. The whole place has a peaceful atmosphere and feels far removed from busy everyday life.

The yurt itself is generously sized, clean and cosy, with a simple setup that was welcoming straight away. We slept well there and liked the balance of what’s provided. You still bring your own bedding and usual gear, so it keeps that authentic camping feel, but so much of the bulk, setup time and effort is already taken care of. It also leaves more room in the car for a few extra little luxuries instead of it being crammed full of camping gear. Staying in the yurt meant more time slowing down, listening to the birds and enjoying the surroundings.

One of the things we love most is that the site has a relaxed, low-key feel rather than being overly organised with rigid pitches and endless rules, with plenty of choice where to pitch depending on whether you want to keep yourself to yourself or be more sociable. There’s a beautiful walnut grove to explore, with space to camp amongst the trees and spots for hammocks. Sitting round the communal fire on an evening and chatting with other campers gave the place a lovely atmosphere.

The facilities are simple but clean, and the shower and toilet block is only a short walk from the yurt. There are two showers, two toilets and a sink for communal use, plus a quirky shared seating area.

The owners are always friendly, welcoming and happy to help with anything.

This probably wouldn’t suit someone looking for luxury glamping and lots of extras, but for anyone who loves camping, wildlife, friendly surroundings and that feeling of slowing down for a couple of days, it’s hard to beat.

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

- Very welcoming, very friendly hosts -…

Overall

7 out of 10
Location
7
Value for money
6
Facilities / Activities
4
Customer service
7
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
6
Wifi
No rating
Anonymous

Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch

Liked - Very welcoming, very friendly hosts
- Gorgeous setting, huge field and orchard, chickens and some horses.
- Choice of camping spot with fire pit (would recommend the field as thw orchard was a little nettley)
- Hot shower on both nights, some other reviews have said this was an issue but not for us.
- The wild camping feeling, two toilets at the main house with two showers and a sink. In the field there are two "drop" toilets and a water tap.

Disliked It is quite a noisy campsite with music played through a sound system at night so people can have a bit of a party. This went on when we were there on both nights until 10:30/11.
Just something to keep in mind if this isn't your thing.
This seemed to encourage other campers to also have their music on loud until even later (I had to ask our neighbours to turn their music off at 1am as we were trying to sleep). Once we moved our tent into the field and out of the orchard on our second night we had a much better night's sleep.
Totally understand that this isn't the campsites fault, but it would have been nice for there to be a reminder of those kind of expectations, especially since there are a lot of children who were also trying to sleep.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Hidden gem in Durham

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
L H. 1 review

Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch

Liked A lot of space if you value privacy, very helper owner on site, clean toilets and showers (with additional compost toilets). Fire pits and wood, communal area and very scenic location not too far from main roads. Highly recommend and will be back again! One night stay in my motorcycle.

Recommend to friends Visit again

I loved this place. Very relaxing…

Overall

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

Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch

Liked I loved this place. Very relaxing environment, great facilities, beautiful location and the owners were super friendly and hospitable. Recommend it

Recommend to friends Visit again

We’ve just come home from the…

Overall

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

Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch

Liked We’ve just come home from the most wonderful stay and honestly already can’t wait to come back. From the moment we arrived, it felt like stepping into a little slice of heaven tucked away in the countryside. It has that peaceful wild camping feel whilst still having everything you need to be comfortable.

The whole site was beautifully quiet and relaxing with such a lovely cosy atmosphere. The toilets and showers were spotless at all times, which makes such a difference when camping. The owners were absolutely amazing and genuinely couldn’t do enough for us — you can really feel how much care and love they put into the place.

It’s also incredibly dog friendly, which made our stay even more special. Our dogs were just as happy as we were!

Honestly, the photos online don’t do this place justice at all. It’s one of those rare places that instantly makes you slow down and switch off from the outside world. We left feeling refreshed, happy, and already planning our next visit.

We will 100% be staying again and would recommend it to anyone looking for a peaceful countryside escape.

Disliked Nothing!!!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent campsite — we booked last…

Overall

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

Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch

Liked Excellent campsite — we booked last minute and were so pleased we did! The atmosphere was incredibly friendly and relaxed. Despite there being dogs and horses around, the whole site felt calm and peaceful throughout our stay.

One of the things we loved most was the freedom to choose where to camp — we were told to “drive wherever and pick your spot,” which made it feel really laid-back and welcoming. We chose the open field, although the woodland area seemed a little busier and had a lovely atmosphere too.

The facilities were great: the showers were always hot, and the toilets were a really appreciated addition. There were also compost toilets conveniently located around the campsite.

What really made the stay special, though, was the staff. Everyone was so kind, welcoming, and approachable. They regularly checked in to make sure everyone was enjoying themselves, and it was lovely seeing them genuinely having a good time too — it created such a warm and carefree vibe across the whole campsite. Not to mention the stunning views and we were bless with glorious weather.

We really enjoyed our stay and would absolutely come back!

Disliked Nothing.

Recommend to friends Visit again

It was cold wet and windy…

Overall

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

Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch

Liked It was cold wet and windy when I arrived but I got a lovely welcome on arrival and help finding a sheltered pitch for the night.
Fire pits dotted all over in the sheltered area for people to use. Loved the quirky hang out area up near the house.
Short walk to a little bird reserve. Lots of footpath options in area.
I liked the wild camping feel but with a toilet seat. Toilet block is drop toilet in a little wooden hut lit by fairy lights. Clean and functional.

Recommend to friends Visit again


Features

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

Groups welcome

D. of E. welcome Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

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

Camping 2.0

Jumbo tent pitches

Themes

Budget/backpacker Forest Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise Wild camping Wildlife haven

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

Farm Medium (26-50 pitches) Pop-up campsite

Location

Dragonfly Camping

Carr House Farm

Town Kelloe

Durham

Co. Durham

England

DH6 4PS

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London BST (GMT+01:00)

GPS

54.72923°N
1.44885°W

Route directions

Turn down the signposted track (marked Carr House Farm) at Town Kelloe and follow all the way to the farm.

Nearest transport

Coach
6.3 mi Bus Station
10 mi Interchange Stand 1
10 mi Interchange Stand 2
Rail
6.3 mi Durham Rail Station
8.6 mi Seaham Rail Station
9.8 mi Newton Aycliffe Rail Station
Ferry
13.4 mi Transporter Bridge North Side
13.4 mi Transporter Bridge South Side
18.2 mi Newcastle International Ferry Terminal
Airport
15.1 mi Durham Tees Valley Airport
23.7 mi Newcastle 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

For a little stroll nearby, head to Wingate Quarry nature reserve (five minutes’ drive) or White Hill Woods (15 minutes). Looking a little further afield, there’s a lovely coastal trail at Blackhall Rocks beach (20 minutes) or you could head inland and north to see a bit of Hadrian’s Wall at Heddon-on-the-Wall (45 minutes). For more of the area’s history, spend a day exploring Durham (15 minutes), visit Binchester Roman Fort (25 minutes) or experience life from the past by stepping into shops, schoolrooms and trams at Beamish, the Living Museum of the North (half an hour). Raby Castle, Deer Park & The Plotters' Forest (35 minutes) is a good spot for mixing up history and outdoor time, as is National Trust - Crook Hall Gardens (20 minutes), set around a medieval hall. There’s plenty to entertain the kids among all that, but you may also like to tag on trips to Adventure Valley theme park (25 minutes) and the spectacular outdoor shows at Kynren (half an hour). Oh, and don’t forget to wave at the Angel of the North (25 minutes).

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Crimdon 8 mi Sea GoodExcellentExcellentExcellent
Seaham Beach 9.3 mi Sea N/AGoodExcellentExcellent
Seaham Hall Beach 9.4 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodExcellent
Seaton Carew North 11.4 mi Sea N/AN/AGoodGood
Seaton Carew Centre 11.7 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Durham Cathedral 5.9 mi

Durham Castle 6 mi

Durham Coast 7.3 mi

Hartlepool's Maritime Experience 10 mi

Locomotion:The National Railway Museum at Shildon 10.4 mi

National Trust

Washington Old Hall 12.3 mi

Ormesby Hall 16.7 mi

Souter Lighthouse and The Leas 17 mi

Gibside 17.4 mi

Holy Jesus Hospital 17.9 mi

Cycle routes

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

Other

Cassop Vale 0.9 mi

Cassop Vale - Cassop Moor - Old Quarrington 1 mi

Littletown - High Haswell - Littletown 3.9 mi

Haswell to Hart 3.9 mi

Croxdale Hall 4.3 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 Co. Durham?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Dragonfly Camping have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Dragonfly Camping dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Dragonfly Camping? For a little stroll nearby, head to Wingate Quarry nature reserve (five minutes’ drive) or White Hill Woods (15 minutes). Looking a little further afield, there’s a lovely coastal trail at Blackhall … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Dragonfly Camping?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  1 p.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  1 p.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Dragonfly Camping? From £36 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.