Idle Hours Owlsbury Park

View prices & book 9.6 202 reviews
Visitor image of the campsite
Visitor image of the campsite
Looking across the site
View across the pitches
Barley, our lakeland terrier enjoying her camping trip
Pitches
View from the site
The ponds
A bit of the view that doesn't do the site its justice
1/135
Looking across the site
View across the pitches
Barley, our lakeland terrier enjoying her camping trip

  • 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 21
Motorhome pitches 21
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

Pitch types & availability

Accommodation

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

Reviews

9.6

Overall rating from 202 Pitchup.com customers

  • 85%
    10
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    9
  • 8%
    8
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    7
  • 3%
    6
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    5
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    1
Location
 9
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 7
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 7
Peaceful

97% would recommend this site to a friend

95% would stay here again

What customers say

This adults-only site is praised for its peaceful atmosphere, cleanliness, and friendly hosts. Pitches are spacious with lovely views. Facilities are generally spotless, though some describe the showers as basic. Fire pits are available to borrow. It's well-located for exploring Ashdown Forest and visiting a nearby vineyard. Some guests noted occasional distant aircraft noise.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 21
Arrival date (latest first)

Small site, lovely and quiet. Surrounded by nature, and good facilities with…

Overall

7 out of 10
Location
 7
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 6
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 7
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked Small site, lovely and quiet. Surrounded by nature, and good facilities with running water, cleaning station, flushing toilets, showers and chemical waste disposal. Owners were nice. About a 4-5 minute walk from one end of the site to the other. Great sized pitches, can park next to your pitch and fire pits available for free. Picked this campsite for a dark skies area and we certainly got that. We also heard and saw plenty of wildlife.

Disliked We were put on 1 of about 4 plots out of maybe 20-30 total that were on a severe slope, so sleeping was quite difficult and uncomfortable, and also furthest away plot possible from the loos, which was unhelpful since I messaged well in advance to explain I am disabled and didn't want to be too far from the toilets.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Sorry you didn't enjoy your stay at Idle hours ,I would like to say that wherever possible we do try to accommodate guests request as best as we can,although you say you booked and made your request well in advance,it was infact only two before your arrival and at that time we were almost fully booked and the pitch you were on was one of the last remaining.One thing you seemed to have missed out in your review is the conversation we had on your arrival stating the above and so we could accommodate your request of 120 square meters on one of our unused seasonal pitches near the facilities of which you answered was "The pitch down the hill is doable,Can't say we did not try .

We have been here 4-5 times and love it! Will be back again :)

Overall

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

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked I’ve that this is an adults only campsite and the owners keep it very clean and tidy.

Disliked There is sometimes a queue for the single ladies shower so I think if the campsite is running at full capacity, another ladies shower would be really appreciated but that is my only gripe.

Recommend to friends Visit again

To me, this campsite was perfect. It was peaceful and the facilities…

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
 No rating
Laura S.

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked To me, this campsite was perfect. It was peaceful and the facilities were more than adequate. There was no overcrowding and each pitch had plenty of space. I was welcomed by a very friendly lady who runs the campsite and it's a real suntrap in the evening time. I loved it so much that I will be back again very soon! :)
Ideal for those who still want to get away but don't want to be surrounded by noisy children!

Recommend to friends Visit again

This is our second time here and it won’t be our last.

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
 No rating
Sarah S.

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked The huge pitches, the glorious views, Julie, the peaceful area and the well kept site.

Recommend to friends Visit again

The site is very well looked after. Great and clean facilities at…

Overall

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

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked The site is very well looked after. Great and clean facilities at the site which was run by a lovely couple who were very helpful when our run gas ran out. I would definitely recommend staying here for some relaxing time away. And very lucky the having the

Disliked Not many shops near by but after from that great.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Small, clean, friendly, spacious pitches

Overall

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

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked Small friendly site, simple spic and span facilities, fire pits to borrow (shame it rained in the end!) spacious pitches, easily fitted our two vans, nice view, well located for visiting the Ashdown forest

Disliked Lots of planes but to be expected near Gatwick

Recommend to friends Visit again

Will be returning to this 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
 6
Paul A.

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked Very peaceful site, extremely clean, hot showers, lovely hosts. Couldn’t find fault with anything. Really enjoyed our stay.

Disliked Nothing.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely and quiet with great views…

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 8
Accommodation
 8
Facilities / Activities
 7
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked Lovely and quiet with great views

Disliked Showers a bit basic but plenty of hot water.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Clean facilities regularly cleaned .Lovely clear signs everywhere

Overall

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

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked Very clean and friendly helpfull host. Nice organised pitches

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

The site is more suitable for campers with their own facilities.

Overall

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

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked Easy to insert pegs. Friendly welcome. Well manicured lawned site. Well away from a main road. Shower had water with a nice temperature.

Disliked Low flying aircraft en route to Gatwick, but not many. I felt uncomfortable hogging what I thought was the only toilet and washbasin, not knowing there is a second one. The single shower, along with the rest, is a temporary structure, which isn't ideal.

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)

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°E

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 2020201920182017
Pevensey Bay 16.9 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Norman`S Bay 16.9 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodExcellent
Seaford 18 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Saltdean 18.3 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Bexhill 18.5 mi Sea N/AN/AN/AGood

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

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?

Frequently asked questions

  • 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 £29 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.