Idle Hours Owlsbury Park

View prices & book 9.6 193 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
1/120
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 193 Pitchup.com customers

  • 85%
    10
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    9
  • 8%
    8
  • 0%
    7
  • 3%
    6
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    5
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    3
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    1
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 7
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 7
Peaceful

96% would recommend this site to a friend

95% would stay here again

Reviews page 1 of 20
Arrival date (latest first)

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

Overall 7/10

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.

Absolutely beautiful place. Spotless facilities. Julie and Paul are a credit…

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 K.

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked Absolutely beautiful place. Spotless facilities. Julie and Paul are a credit to the industry.

Wow. I've been to hundreds of sites, never have i had…

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 K.

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked Wow. I've been to hundreds of sites, never have i had a friendlier welcome. Julie is a credit to the industry along with Paul. Such a beautiful site, spotless facilities, peaceful to top it all, a great little lake for fishing. Nothing is too much trouble for Julie and Paul. Thank you so much for a wonderful stay

Disliked Absolutely nothing.

Excellent site with great views and great facilities. Thoroughly enjoyed our stay!…

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
Chris Y.

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked Excellent site with great views and great facilities. Thoroughly enjoyed our stay!

The location and facilties were spot on. The host was amazing and we…

Overall 10/10

Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 5
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Kevin R.

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked The location and facilties were spot on.
The host was amazing and we were very lucky to have arrived when they had outside music on.
Will definitely stay again.

Disliked None.

First time at this site, will return

Overall 10/10

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

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked Lovely peaceful adults only site. Fantastic scenery. Good facilities, local walks, supermarket 4 miles away

Disliked Nothing

Peaceful site with good facilities.

Overall 10/10

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

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked Very peaceful adults only site with a lovely vineyard next door serving evening food and drinks. We had a great grass pitch with lots of wild birds on the feeders, shady tree and no near neighbours. Good washing up facilities, drinking water and elsan point.

Disliked Only 2 ladies’ toilets for the whole site but they were clean and I never had to queue even though site was quite full so not too much of a problem. Showers were basic but ok. Our pitch was perfect but some of the pitches on the main field didn’t seem to have much shade.

Great small, friendly, clean site with generous-sized pitches. Perfect

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
Anonymous

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked Friendly welcome, peace and quiet, small site, everything clean and well maintained, owls hooting at night, generously-sized pitches

Disliked not applicable

Relaxed atmosphere, beautiful views.…

Overall 9/10

Location
 8
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 No rating
Anna H.

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked Relaxed atmosphere, beautiful views.

Disliked The shower

Excellent site, friendly owners, beautiful views and clean

Overall 9/10

Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Pauline F.

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked The setting was idilic, quiet, well maintained and clean and the pitch owners were very welcoming and informative. Advised us of the best place to pitch up and what way to face given the weather, most helpful for new campers!

Facilities were clean and not too far from the pitch site. Washing up area had hot water and the portashower was a new thing for us but hot and clean. Shops a 5 minute drive away if needed.

Vineyard next door was a plus and worth a visit!!

The fishing lakes were another plus and when the sun shone it was beautiful and relaxing. More to explore in the area that we didn’t have time for. A site worth visiting and we will be back.

Disliked The weather but that is beyond anyone’s control!

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.