Dernwood Farm Wild Camping

From £24 For 1 night, 2 adults 8.9 9 reviews
Wild Camping field
70 acres of ancient woodland to explore (added by manager 29 jun 2022)
Wild camping field (added by manager 29 jun 2022)
Cafe & reception (added by manager 23 nov 2022)

  • Wild-style camping at a farm 10 minutes' drive from Heathfield
  • Near Cuckoo Trail cycle path; 25 mins' drive to Herstmonceux Castle
  • Shop on site for farm-reared meat; firepits to hire
If you've ever fancied the idea of wild camping but are also reluctant to give up the convenience of having essential amenities to hand, a spot at East Sussex site Dernwood Farm Wild Camping may well fit the bill. The emphasis here is on a peaceful, rural and eco-friendly experience, but with a few added modern facilities: two toilets and a shower block are on hand, as is a covered washing-up area with a stand pipe. Campfire meals are an essential part of the experience too: you'll be able to source logs and tripods on site and bag yourself some succulent steak, bangers and bacon from the farm shop (rated among the top five in the country). Given its quality, Dernwood Farm's produce is understandably popular, so it’s worth ordering your meat on arrival to make sure of getting exactly what you want. Heathfield (10 minutes' drive) has shops for any other bits you may need. The large wild camping field is tucked away in the midst of 70 acres of ancient woodland. No cars are allowed, so you’ll need to trundle your gear down a leafy lane using the barrows and trolleys supplied. Once you've settled in, you can get to back to nature with some tree climbing, camp building and wildlife spotting: badgers, bunnies, buzzards and fallow deer can often be spotted around the woods. There's plenty of space on site, but the owners keep a limit on the number of visitors, so you certainly won’t be tripping over other campers. There's also a no-music rule in place to keep things peaceful for everyone.

Site type

Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 4
Tent pitches 25
Opens 3 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. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).
  • Single-sex bookings of 6 or more people (couples and immediate family members excepted) are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • No cars/motorbikes by the pitch/unit. All cars must be parked in the designated area.
  • The site caters for families (immediate members) and couples only - bookings from all other forms of groups are not accepted.
  • At least one of the party members must be aged 18 or over.
  • This is a quiet site: no music is allowed.
  • Please note that the toilet/shower facilities are unisex.
  • If reception is closed on arrival: please contact the number provided on your booking confirmation.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Fri, 3 May to

Reviews

89%

would recommend this site to a friend

78%

would stay here again

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    10
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Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

Excellent pitch and farm shop!

Overall 8/10
Location 10
Value for money 8
Accommodation 8
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 8
Wifi 2
Paul G. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked: The main site has plenty of space and is surrounded by woodland with trails, feels really peaceful. Plenty of shade and open space to catch the sun. Awesome farm shop and really friendly staff. Toilets and shower block were also really clean and plenty of.

Disliked: It's been said on other reviews but it really is true - you will be woken up early every day by the dozens of children running through the woods which surround the site. Wasn't a fan of the pylon in the field. By far my biggest complaint is the trolleys you have to use to take your kit from the car park; half don't work very well, and all only have two wheels. They are genuinely quite hard to use, having four wheels would be so much easier.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great location, lovely woods for the kids to play in and simple…

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

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked: Great location, lovely woods for the kids to play in and simple camping - getting back to nature.

Disliked: Haven’t given 5 stars as we were unfortunate to have an extremely disruptive group of older teenagers that were in incredibly loud all weekend, over the top screaming and despite moving our tent to the other side of the field for our 2nd night, they could still be heard after midnight causing a disturbance. There didn’t seem to be any enforceable rules for noise after a certain hour.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thanks very much for your review, for the sake of others reading this and when you come again ( hopefully) I am always here, everyone has my mobile number and I'm only a text away, it happens very rarely but I'm always on hand to deal with annoying teens. To be honest we very rarely get teenagers as what we offer just isn't what they want, we are very much mainly families with primary school aged children. Thanks Amanda

We had a fantastic x1 nights stay at Dernwood campsite this weekend.…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Lucy E. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked: We had a fantastic x1 nights stay at Dernwood campsite this weekend. We booked last minute, but couldn't be happier with our choice, site is small, but perfectly formed, full of quiet and respectful fellow campers. Lovely little cafe and farm shop where you can buy all your food essentials if you haven't brought them with you. My advice, travel as light as possible, as you have to transport your gear to the camping field on trolleys. Well worth it though as camping without cars around is a joy. Already looking forward to our next weekend trip. Thankyou Dernwood 🙂

Disliked: Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Hi Lucy, Thanks for your review, looking forwrd to seeing you again! x

Very spacious camping field. Lovely woods to explore and a very yummy…

Overall 10/10
Location 8
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 2
Louella M. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked: Very spacious camping field. Lovely woods to explore and a very yummy Cafe!

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thanks for your review! x

Pick a pitch camping

Overall 8/10
Location 10
Value for money 6
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 8
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 2
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked: The location was lovely with ancient woodlands surrounding the perimeter. The shower block and toilets were basic but clean. The on site cafè & shop was great if you didn't fancy cooking or needed an emergency supply. The five minute walk from the car park to the field is not bad at all, you just exert a bit more energy as you are pushing a heavy trolley.

Disliked: This is not wild camping, more like pick a pitch. There is a lot of space in the field so your tents are not on top of each other but you are always near other tents. Dernwood state no electronic music allowed however there were groups in other areas with loud music playing. This was not an issue at all but we would have bought our small portable speaker if we knew.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thanks for your review, if anyone lets me know about music being played I will always deal with it, it's as wild as you're going to get I reckon in sussex, yes it's not the scottish highlands but stilll pretty wild, I called it wild camping when we first opened in 2008 when we didn't even have a loo, so it's definitely less wild now than it was! I hope the music didn't spoil your stay, the other thing we had a few weekends ago was a wedding in the nearby village which was super loud, but out of my hands oviously Do hope we'll see you again.. Amanda

Fantastic! And well worth a visit!

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

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked: Brilliant! Ice cream van daily! Plenty of exploring for the kids! Various rope swings located around the woods! Facilities were clean and bonus that cleaning products were available so you could clean up after yourself! There was literally everything you needed on site from milk to fresh foods! Camp fires were a major bonus! Loved how natural it was! The bluebells were absolutely amazing to see! It really is an untouched paradise! The lady in the shop was so friendly and helpful made our stay even better! Pack you wellies!

Disliked: The only negative was I usually pick sites with a strict dogs on lead policy (1/2 of the dogs I took is slightly reactive through fear) Was a slight negative that this was not followed or enforced by other campers as their very friendly dogs came to say hello very frequently even popping in the tent for some breakfast! Which as lovely as it was caused havoc for our scared dog! But this isn’t enough to put us off returning!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great, friendly welcome, well stocked shop and freedom to choose pitch in…

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

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked: Great, friendly welcome, well stocked shop and freedom to choose pitch in large and beautiful field facing the setting sun. Lots of woodland walks and wild flowers and ancient English history on the doorstep. As a solo visitor, I felt safe and welcome, thank you.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Woodland, welcome, ice cream, facilties fine. Shop…

Overall 6/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation No rating
Facilities / Activities 6
Customer service 8
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 8
Wifi No rating
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked: Woodland, welcome, ice cream, facilties fine. Shop

Disliked: Very long push with tent etc Pylon in camping field

Recommend to friends Visit again

Nice site if you want the wild feel but with a toilet near by

Overall 10/10
Location 8
Value for money 8
Accommodation 8
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 8
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 8
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked: I liked the space between the pitches makes a change from the site that squeeze as many in as possible. The facilities were actually better than I expected and the icecream van is a nice touch everyday, and the lamb chops and sausages were delicious. It was fun to cook over a campfire as well as toasting the marshmallows and cooking sausages in the evening.

Disliked: The ground was very hard making it difficult to get pegs in and out (luckily we had hard ground pegs because the normal ones wouldn'tstand a chance). A large group of kids running through the wood screaming at all hours, it's amazing how the sound carries and became a bit annoying.

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

Disabled facilities

Dog park

Drying room

Food shop

Free wifi

Ice pack freezing

Internet access

Launderette

Local produce

Parent & baby washroom

Pick-up from public transport

Portable toilet

Pub toilets

Public telephone

Shower available

Tents for hire

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

Themes

Forest

Gastronomic delight

Luxury

Peaceful

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)

Nearby leisure

Climbing nearby

Cycle hire nearby

Cycling nearby

Fishing nearby

Golf nearby

Horse riding nearby

Indoor pool nearby

Outdoor pool nearby

Restaurant nearby

Sailing nearby

Tennis nearby

Location

Dernwood Farm Wild Camping

Little Dernwood Farm

Dern Lane

Heathfield

East Sussex

England

TN21 0PN

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London GMT (GMT+00:00)

GPS

50.93204°N
0.20988°W

Route directions

Note to satnav users: the postcode covers a number of different farms and some satnavs will direct you to Summersbrook Farm to the north and Stream Farm to the south. Please just keep going and you will find the site. Little Dernwood Farm is at the top of the hill, opposite Copford Farm. The car park is at the top of the drive through the wooden gate: please park up and go to the house or farm office by the house.

Nearest transport

Coach
3 mi Golden Cross Inn
3 mi Golden Cross Inn
5.2 mi Tesco
Rail
5.3 mi Buxted Rail Station
5.6 mi Uckfield Rail Station
6.6 mi Berwick (Sussex) Rail Station
Ferry
11.9 mi Newhaven Harbour Ferry Terminal
Airport
22.5 mi London Gatwick Airport
22.5 mi London Gatwick Airport South Terminal
22.9 mi Shoreham Brighton City 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

Guests can bring a bike and head off down the Cuckoo Trail, 11 miles of former railway track converted into a wildlife-friendly green corridor running from Heathfield to Eastbourne Park. The surfaced path is great for ramblers and horse riders too. The moated splendour of Herstmonceux Castle (25 minutes' drive) is a sight to behold; take a tour of the interiors and the Elizabethan walled gardens before hitting the tea shop. Adjacent to the castle the Observatory Science Centre (combined tickets are available) with its domes, telescopes and hands-on fun. Also close to Dernwood is Bateman’s (25 minutes), the beautiful Jacobean home of Rudyard Kipling, preserved in its original splendour by the National Trust. If you need to entertain the kids, try bouncing about at Urban Jump Trampoline Park (10 minutes) or visiting the waterslides, petting zoo and owl sanctuary at Knockhatch Adventure Park (15 minutes).

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020 2019 2018 2017
Pevensey Bay 10.4 mi Sea N/A Good Good Good
Norman`S Bay 10.8 mi Sea N/A Good Good Excellent
Seaford 12.2 mi Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent
Eastbourne 12.3 mi Sea N/A Good Good Excellent
Birling Gap 13.1 mi Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Drusillas Park 7.8 mi

Batemans 8.4 mi

Alfriston Clergy House 9 mi

Sheffield Park Garden 9.9 mi

Bluebell Railway 10.1 mi

National Trust

Bateman's 8.3 mi

Alfriston Clergy House 9 mi

Sheffield Park Garden 9.9 mi

Monk's House 10.7 mi

Scotney Castle 14 mi

Cycle routes

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

Other

HEATHFIELD PARK 3.5 mi

HORSTED PLACE 5.2 mi

BUXTED PARK 5.5 mi

Mayfield - Batt's Wood - Wadhurst Deer-Park - Mayfield 6.5 mi

Mayfield - Renhurst Farm - Bassetts - Mayfield 6.5 mi

Local events

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

    Lewes, East Sussex 7.4 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 East Sussex?

  • Does Dernwood Farm Wild Camping have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Dernwood Farm Wild Camping dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Dernwood Farm Wild Camping? Guests can bring a bike and head off down the Cuckoo Trail, 11 miles of former railway track converted into a wildlife-friendly green corridor running from Heathfield to Eastbourne Park. The surfaced … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Dernwood Farm Wild Camping?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  Anytime
    Depart by:  1:30 p.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Dernwood Farm Wild Camping? From £24 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.