Hawthorne Trench Campsite

View prices & book 9.7 80 reviews
Visitor image of the campsite
Visitor image of the campsite
Tents
Lots of space
Huge distances between tents
Green heven
No problem here with too-near neighbours.
Summer at hawthorne
A summer day at hawthorne
1/112
Tents
Lots of space
Huge distances between tents

  • Pick-your-own pitches at a spacious farm site half a mile from Elham
  • Canterbury, Hythe beach and two animal parks within a half-hour drive
  • Simple facilities; tours available of World War I trenches on site
When it comes to rural bases in south-east England, Hawthorne Trench Campsite is a prime pick. Plenty of space and Kent Down views pair up nicely with a handy location half a mile from the village of Elham, where there's a café, playground, village store and a total of three pubs. This is a peaceful site where you can pick your own pitch from the heaps of space around the 20-acre grass field, and with simple facilities stretching just to toilets, showers and a washing-up area. Families and groups of friends are welcome, but dogs aren’t allowed because of the resident sheep and horses. You may well be able to spot wild bats, badgers and owls popping by as well… Intrigued by the site name? That's a reference to the 250-metre World War I trench system, with a British section and a German section separated by a no man’s land in between. Guests can book tours on arrival to take a closer look at this little patch of history. There are plenty of opportunities to get out and about in the countryside here, as public footpaths run right from the site out to local woods and forest. After some quiet time, it's also easy to get out to various day trips and attractions like Leeds Castle, Howletts Wild Animal Park and Canterbury. Some of these are accessible by buses that stop in the village centre.

Site type

Tent pitches 12
Open now
Opens 27 June
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Bookings must not be for more than 14 consecutive nights.
  • No cars/motorbikes by the pitch/unit. All cars must be parked in the designated area.
  • Commercial vehicles (vehicles used for work-related purposes, carrying goods or fare-paying passengers) and sign-written vehicles are not permitted on site.
  • Discount cards and gift vouchers cannot be applied to bookings made via Pitchup.com.
  • Please note that the toilet/shower facilities are unisex.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Fri, 27 Jun to

Reviews

9.7

Overall rating from 80 Pitchup.com customers

  • 86%
    10
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    9
  • 12%
    8
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    7
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    6
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    1
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 6
Peaceful

100% would recommend this site to a friend

99% would stay here again

What customers say

This campsite is highly praised for its beautiful, peaceful countryside location and incredibly spacious, well-spaced pitches. Visitors consistently highlight the exceptional friendliness and helpfulness of the owner. Facilities are described as basic but clean and functional, with the communal kettle, fridge, and charging points being particularly appreciated. The WW1 trench tour is frequently recommended. While generally viewed as excellent value, a few guests noted the basic nature of the toilets and shower.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 8
Arrival date (latest first)

lovely views and great hospitality…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 8
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 1
Anonymous

Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch

Liked lovely views and great hospitality

Recommend to friends Visit again

Amazing view, friendly owner, toilet and shower, everything you need. Richard the…

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
 1
Anonymous

Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch

Liked Amazing view, friendly owner, toilet and shower, everything you need. Richard the owner also showed us the trench and talked through. We had amazing weekend.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Beautiful campsite with gorgeous views of the Kent countryside. Really liked the…

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
Lisa K.

Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch

Liked Beautiful campsite with gorgeous views of the Kent countryside. Really liked the large pick your own pitches and the limited amount of pitches so everyone had loads of space. Good facilities, clean toilets and a good shower, plus fridge, washing station, tea coffee and a kettle. Very friendly owner who was really helpful. Loved seeing the horses, cows and sheep. A perfect break away from it all to get back to nature and chill out. Lovely village pub as well.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent site

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 7
Wifi
 1
karen l.

Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch

Liked The amount of space, peace, natural beauty, the friendly farmer, the lovely football-playing farmer’s dog, the kitchen, the brilliant WW1 tour by farmer and son, the proximity to Elham

Disliked The toilets and shower could do with a deep clean

Recommend to friends Visit again

Favourite local campsite. Best around.

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
Gordon C.

Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch

Liked Great host
Excellent views
Good.facilities
Very spacious pitches
Excellent location for walking

Recommend to friends Visit again

One of my favourite campsites

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
David L.

Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch

Liked Space of the campsite. Distance between pitches. Facilities like kettle etc. Location. Quietness. Friendly owner. Fire pits and option to buy wood. Very Fair price

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely views from site. The pitches were nicely spread out. The owner…

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 and earth tent pitch

Liked Lovely views from site. The pitches were nicely spread out. The owner was very attentive and helpful whilst setting up then leaves you to get on with it. Toilets and shower were good, not just portaloos but fully plumbed toilets! Really basic place but had everything you need, plus the little shed has a fridge and kettle to help yourself to coffee.

Disliked Nothing, really

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely place to stay

Overall

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

Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch

Liked Site is clean and quiet. The owner is helpful and friendly. It's close to Dover, we were there to visit the castle and the beach so it worked perfectly. It was great to have somewhere to charge my phone too

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent site

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
 10
Thomas A.

Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch

Liked Had a fantastic 6 days of piece and quiet with my partner, Richard the owner was kind and accommodating,small shed with all you need, kettle,power and fridge,
Toilets and shower serviced throughout the day,
We will be back either this year or next.....thank you for a fantastic time Thomas and Linda

Recommend to friends Visit again

Peaceful out of the way, fresh tap water, toilets.…

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
 No rating
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch

Liked Peaceful out of the way, fresh tap water, toilets.

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

No dogs 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 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 Rallies welcome Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed No dogs allowed No pets allowed

Themes

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 Small (11-25 pitches)

Nearby leisure

Cycling nearby Golf nearby Restaurant nearby

Location

Hawthorne Trench Campsite

Roundhill Farm

Cullens Hill

Elham

Kent

England

CT4 6UJ

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London BST (GMT+01:00)

GPS

51.15251°N
1.09954°E

Route directions

The satnav will bring you to within half a mile of Kennel Cottages. Carry on for another half a mile until you reach the sign for Roundhill Farm/Hawthorne Trench. Alternatively, the Google Maps location will bring you to the door. What3words: buzzing.camps.reactions.

Nearest transport

Coach
5.3 mi Swan Lane
5.3 mi Swan Lane
5.4 mi Holiday Extras
Rail
4.5 mi Sandling Rail Station
4.8 mi Westenhanger Rail Station
5.3 mi Folkestone West Rail Station
Ferry
3.9 mi Folkestone Eurotunnel Terminal
9.7 mi Dover Western Docks Ferry Terminal
10.1 mi Dover Eastern Docks Ferry Terminal
Airport
15.5 mi Lydd London Ashford Airport
17.5 mi Kent 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

You're never too far from sand or shingle days here: Hythe beach (20 minutes' drive) and Folkestone's harbour (20 minutes) are popular spots for pottering about by the coast, plus there's easy access to Dover (25 minutes) with its cross-channel ferries and impressive castle. If you're interested in some of modern history that took place around the area's well-known White Cliffs, the Battle of Britain Museum (10 minutes) is also worth a stop. Animal action is available here too, with family-friendly attractions like Howletts Wild Animal Park (20 minutes) and Port Lympne Safari Park (20 minutes) for younger ones who are keen on exotic creatures. The excellent Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Light Railway (35 minutes) is another kid-pleasing option that you might want to keep up your sleeve to ensure extra-good behaviour. If grand architecture's your thing, then Canterbury (25 minutes) is pretty sure to satisfy – the gorgeous cathedral is the focal point of the town, but there's also a museum showcasing its Roman heritage and all medieval jollity of the Canterbury Tales exhibit.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Sandgate 5.7 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Hythe 6.1 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Folkestone 6.3 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Dymchurch 9.9 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
St Mary'S Bay (Kent) 11 mi Sea GoodN/AGoodGood

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway 5.7 mi

Port Lympne Wild Animal Park 6.7 mi

Howletts Wild Animal Park 8.2 mi

St Augustine's Abbey 8.7 mi

Canterbury Tales 8.7 mi

National Trust

The White Cliffs of Dover 10.5 mi

South Foreland Lighthouse 11.8 mi

Smallhythe Place 19.1 mi

Lamb House 21.2 mi

Sissinghurst Castle Garden 23 mi

Cycle routes

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

Other

Cheriton Hill 3.9 mi

BROOME PARK 4.2 mi

SANDLING PARK 5 mi

Hythe - Lympne - Royal Military Canal - Hythe 5.7 mi

HATCH PARK 6.9 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.

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Frequently asked questions

  • Does Hawthorne Trench Campsite have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Hawthorne Trench Campsite dog friendly? No View all features
  • What attractions are near Hawthorne Trench Campsite? You're never too far from sand or shingle days here: Hythe beach (20 minutes' drive) and Folkestone's harbour (20 minutes) are popular spots for pottering about by the coast, plus there's easy … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Hawthorne Trench Campsite?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  12 p.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Hawthorne Trench Campsite? From £20 (for 1 night, 4 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.