Idle Hours Owlsbury Park

View prices & book 9.7 197 reviews
Visitor image of the campsite (added by manager 07 Sep 2022)

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Visitor image of the campsite (added by manager 07 sep 2022)
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Favourite
Looking across the site (visitor image) (added by manager 07 sep 2022)
View across the pitches (added by manager 07 sep 2022)
. (added by visitor 05 oct 2020)

  • Wildlife-packed park with foxes, deer and badgers
  • Coarse fishing ponds stocked with carp, roach, tench and perch
  • Shops, pubs and eateries within a mile
How might you fancy a peaceful break in a rural wildlife haven, with countryside views to the South Downs, spectacular westerly sunsets and a night under the stars around a campfire? Then Idle Hours Owlsbury Park could be the place for you. Set on around three and a half acres, Idle Hours is an adults-only quiet site (strictly no groups and no noise after 11pm, please), with two attractive and peaceful coarse fishing ponds stocked with carp, roach, tench and perch. The site welcomes dogs, but please do keep them on leads while on site and remember to clean up after them. Pitches are on gently sloping grass, and amenities include ladies' and gents toilets, a hot shower, a hot water washing-up area and a chemical disposal point. Fire baskets are available and logs and kindling are available for sale. Please note there is no mains electricity on site. Despite its serene, pastoral surroundings, this site is very handy for shops, pubs and eateries, all about a mile and a half away.

Site type

Tent pitches 20
Touring caravan pitches 1
Motorhome pitches 1
Open all year
Opens
Please note
  • Group bookings of 2 or more units (e.g. tent, touring caravan, motorhome or accommodation hire) travelling together are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Group bookings of 4 or more adults are not permitted (couples and immediate family members excepted).
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Guests under the age of 25 are not allowed on site.
  • Guests are advised to bring a good quality torch with them as parts of the site are unlit.
  • Fishing costs: £10 per person for a day pass and £5 per person for a half day pass. A fishing licence is required. The showers are portable showers.

Languages spoken

English

Reviews

9.7

Overall rating based on 197 reviews View breakdown

Peaceful

Voted 93% of visitors View breakdown

97%

would recommend this site to a friend

96%

would stay here again

  • 86%
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    8
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    6
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    1

Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

The site was lovely and quiet . Julie was very helpful with…

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

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked: The site was lovely and quiet . Julie was very helpful with her knowledge of the area. Julie was very welcoming and friendly. Would definitely go back and recommend to others. Everything was very clean and the site was well kept. We had a lovely stay.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Peaceful, great location

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
Rob A. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked: A fantastic site for a peaceful camp with excellent facilities. The short walk to the Downsview vineyard is a great reason to camp here. As an adults only site, nights and early mornings are quiet. When the weather is good, each pitch has a great view of the sunset over the surrounding countryside. Fire pits and BBQs can be borrowed which is a great bonus.

Recommend to friends Visit again

No kids, no screaming just chilled with great views

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

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked: Clean facilities Quiete adult only no kids screaming Lovely views Friendly staff

Disliked: Quite sloped in places but serves me right for not having levelers for the van.... Not really a dislike in all fairness

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent site with clean facilities. Friendly owner. Many pitches.

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
Paul T. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked: Peaceful, friendly,scenic views Helpful owner

Recommend to friends Visit again

Fantastic, welcoming, rural site.

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
Tim L. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked: Absolutely everything about this site. Peaceful, clean, friendly welcome.

Disliked: Nothing.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Everything. Great location, wonderful view, quiet and peaceful. Friendly and welcoming.…

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

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked: Everything. Great location, wonderful view, quiet and peaceful. Friendly and welcoming.

Disliked: Nothing.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent adults only site, peaceful with wonderful views

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

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked: Beautiful site, clearly we'll cared for. Lovely touches like the flower planters at the entrance, towels in the toilets, free use of BBQ and fire pots. Large pitches, everthing was very well looked after. Would happily return.

Disliked: None

Recommend to friends Visit again

As soon as I arrived I was made to feel welcome and…

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

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked: As soon as I arrived I was made to feel welcome and supported. As it was the first time travelling and camping on my own, with a tent I haven't used for an age, I was nervous. Julie and some of the regular campers put my mind at rest immediately. The location was beautiful. So peaceful. I pitched next to the meadow and spent hours watching butterflies fluttering amongst the flowers. Waking up to birdsong was wonderful. Being located next to Downsview Vineyard was also a plus. I had a lovely afternoon sampling some of their wines before coming back and basking in the sunlight, reading my book. The facilities are great and you can tell the site is lovingly maintained and cared for. I can't wait to go back for a longer stay, and try out one of the fire pits.

Recommend to friends Visit again

The lovely welcome from the campsite owners, the situation of the site…

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

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked: The lovely welcome from the campsite owners, the situation of the site and the beautiful views from our pitch. The facilities were adequate.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Very well maintained peaceful site

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

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked: Quiet and gentle site with really well kept facilities and very pleasant pitches. We’re local to the area so it was just a stopover but unexpectedly lovely.

Disliked: Bit quiet for us but nothing bad about the site.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Dogs allowed

Adults only

Campfires 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 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

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

Rules

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

Themes

Lake and/or mountain Peaceful Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise 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

Small (11-25 pitches)

Accessibility

Disabled facilities

Nearby leisure

Climbing nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horse riding nearby Indoor pool nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Tennis nearby

Touring and motorhomes

Seasonal pitches

Location

Idle Hours Owlsbury Park

Hadlow Down Road

Crowborough

East Sussex

England

TN6 3RG

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London BST (GMT+01:00)

GPS

51.02666°N
0.17226°W

Route directions

From the A26 Uckfield, head north to Crowborough. Take the right turn 0.7 miles after The Crow and Gate pub signed to Millbrook Industrial Estate. Go straight on, over the golf course, over the small roundabout, down the hill and past the fish and chip shop, antiques shop and vets on the left, then after the Plough and Horses pub, go over the narrow bridge and turn immediately right to Hadlow Down Rd. The site is 1.2 miles on the right. From Hadlow Down (A272), the site is 2.5 miles on the left on Crowborough/Jarvis Brook Road. Do not turn into Dogetts - this is a satnav error. The site is half a mile further up the hill on the left. From Rotherfield-Crowborough Road B2100, take the Hadlow Down/Buxted Road (after Tesco). Go 0.25 miles and turn as indicated above. Beware of the satnav error; do not turn into Doggetts Drive.

Nearest transport

Coach
5.1 mi School Lane
5.1 mi School Lane
5.2 mi Bus Station
Rail
1.5 mi Crowborough Rail Station
3.1 mi Buxted Rail Station
4.5 mi Eridge Rail Station
Ferry
17.1 mi Newhaven Harbour Ferry Terminal
Airport
17.1 mi London Gatwick Airport
17.2 mi London Gatwick Airport South Terminal
17.9 mi London Gatwick Airport North Terminal

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 those who fancy ditching the car for a bit, the site is close to public transport links: trains and buses from Crowborough (a mile and a half away) go to Tunbridge Wells, London, Lewes and Brighton. Crowborough village has plenty of amenities, including an indoor swimming pool and gym, and a miniature railway. The area is great for golfers, with a number of courses nearby. The spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells (to give it its full title) is eight miles from Owlsbury, and well worth a visit for a stroll round the specialist shops in the Georgian Pantiles, a taste of the water from the Chalybeate Spring, or a trip on the steam railway. The town also has plenty of food and entertainment options, including a multiplex cinema. Other potential day trips include a jaunt to the coast at Eastbourne or Brighton; to Lewes, home to a castle, gardens and the biggest Bonfire Night celebrations in the country; to the National Trust gardens at Sheffield Park and Wakehurst Place; to the William Morris interiors at Standen; Ashdown Forest, home of Winnie the Pooh; or a steam through the Sussex countryside on the historic Bluebell Railway.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020 2019 2018 2017
Pevensey Bay 16.9 mi Sea N/A Good Good Good
Norman`S Bay 16.9 mi Sea N/A Good Good Excellent
Seaford 18 mi Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent
Saltdean 18.3 mi Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent
Bexhill 18.5 mi Sea N/A N/A N/A Good

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Groombridge Place and The Enchanted Forest 6.3 mi

Sheffield Park Garden 7.3 mi

Bluebell Railway 7.4 mi

Batemans 9.4 mi

Standen 9.7 mi

National Trust

Sheffield Park Garden 7.3 mi

Bateman's 9.3 mi

Standen 9.7 mi

Scotney Castle 11.2 mi

Wakehurst Place 11.5 mi

Cycle routes

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

Other

ROTHERFIELD HALL 1.5 mi

Fairwarp - Ashdown Forest - Fairwarp 3.7 mi

BUXTED PARK 3.8 mi

Mayfield - Renhurst Farm - Bassetts - Mayfield 3.9 mi

Mayfield - Batt's Wood - Wadhurst Deer-Park - Mayfield 3.9 mi

Local events

  • Glyndebourne Festival (Thursday 16 May 2024 – Thursday 16 May 2024)

    Lewes, East Sussex 11.4 mi

  • Wick Street Festival (Thursday 29 August 2024 – Thursday 29 August 2024)

    Polegate, East Sussex 11.8 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.

Nearest sites

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

Want to know more about camping in East Sussex?

  • Does Idle Hours Owlsbury Park have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Idle Hours Owlsbury Park dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Idle Hours Owlsbury Park? For those who fancy ditching the car for a bit, the site is close to public transport links: trains and buses from Crowborough (a mile and a half away) go to Tunbridge … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Idle Hours Owlsbury Park?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  1 p.m. –  7 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Idle Hours Owlsbury Park? From £27 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.