The Blue Ship
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- Simple pitches behind a West Sussex family-run freehouse country pub
- A 15-minute drive from Horsham; half an hour to the South Downs
- Pub with homemade food and local beers and produce; beer garden
Site type
10
10
15
This site has no on-site shower facilities.
Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.- At least one of the party members must be aged 21 or over.
- The site does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act (i.e. XL Bully, Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).
- There are no bins onsite: all rubbish will need to be taken home with you.
- No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
- Commercial vehicles (vehicles used for work-related purposes, carrying goods or fare-paying passengers) and sign-written vehicles are not permitted on site.
Languages spoken
English
Open from Fri 1 May to
Pitch types & availability
5 
Non-electric grass tent pitch
4 people maximum Ground type: Grass
Pitch size: Max 6m width × 4m depth (24m²)
Arrival daysFrom £25
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- 5
Non-electric grass touring pitch
4 people maximum Ground type: Grass
Pitch size: Max 6m width × 6m depth (36m²)
Arrival daysFrom £30
View prices & book - 5
Non-electric grass tent pitch (family, large)
7 people maximum Ground type: Grass
Pitch size: Max 6m width × 7m depth (42m²)
Arrival daysFrom £35
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Reviews
92% would recommend this site to a friend
91% would stay here again
What customers say
This is a well-regarded basic rural campsite with a friendly atmosphere. Guests praise the clean facilities, spacious pitches and proximity to an excellent pub renowned for its food. While some note the lack of showers and bin facilities, most find it offers great value for money and a peaceful countryside escape. Management actively addresses guest feedback.
Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews
Great place for quick stop over
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Non-electric grass touring pitch
Liked Very peaceful well kept toilets
Recommend to friends Visit again
From the manager: Thank you for visiting, we are delighted you enjoyed your stay with us and hope to welcome you again soon.
Best Wishes
Sophie
Disappointing and tired
Non-electric grass touring pitch
Liked Lovely rural setting
Disliked Unfriendly welcome. Very tired set up and signage with rules everywhere that made it feel like campers were an inconvenience. Drinking water tap not drinkable.
Recommend to friends Visit again
Lovely little site highly recommend for a stop over
Non-electric grass touring pitch
Liked This is a great little place if you just want piece and quite located deep in the countryside. We arrived early evening with our motorhome for two nights and was greeted by the owner who gave us a choice of pitches, We found a nice quite spot in the corner of the field it was perfect.
After setting up we strolled to the pub and enjoyed a few beers, we didn't eat but the food looked amazing and plenty of it. Again the owner greeted us and made a fuss of our little dogs and we felt very relaxed
The night went well and quite, everyone obeyed the rules after eleven o clock.
I would advise anyone coming to read the rules of the site carefully and understand there is no facilities for showers or waste disposal, so bring plenty of rubbish bags with you and take them home when you leave.. It was a little frustrating during our walk to the pub that our dogs decided to do their business a few yards from the pub, So that meant a walk back to the camper with our poo bags so keep that in mind,.. there is no where to dispose of dog waste that we were aware of
But don't let that put you off, this is a lovely dog friendly site with a cute little pub
run by friendly staff,..It also has the smallest bar I've ever seen which amused me and a great beer garden
A big thank you to Fiona who gave us the time of day and even gave us good advice for walking our dogs nearby
would we visit again ...YES 100%
Disliked Not a dislike criticism or to offend,..more a suggesting.
As we had to pay ten pounds more for one extra little dog and no facilities for them as such, maybe you could charge a fair fee that would cover each dog booked in to go towards a dog waste disposal bin if possible
Recommend to friends Visit again
From the manager: Thank you for visiting, we are delighted you enjoyed your stay with us and hope to welcome you again soon.
Unfortunately dog waste bins are costly and also the smell in the summer is horrendous so when we did have one before all of the camping guests complained about the smell! One of those situations where we just cannot win so we just no longer offer this. Just in terms of being totally transparent, the reason we charge for additional dogs (two are included in pitch fee as standard) is although we are very dog friendly, last year we had some guests bringing five or more dogs so we have had to now charge for more than two.
Best Wishes
Sophie
Good space in quiet location. Pub…
Non-electric grass tent pitch
Liked Good space in quiet location. Pub a nice addition.
Recommend to friends Visit again
From the manager: Thank you for visiting, we are delighted you enjoyed your stay with us and hope to welcome you again soon.
Best Wishes
Sophie
Lovely pub camping, basic but perfect for families and short stays
Non-electric grass touring pitch
Liked Lovely pub with great food. The staff were all really friendly and helpful. Advise booking for lunch or dinner as it’s only small but worth it! Delicious!!! Nice clean field, was quite busy but still had plenty of space and empty space in the middle for kids to play. Toilets were clean. Really peaceful location. Felt really safe for children. Plum the pig was hiding from the sun so sadly didn’t get to meet her. 35 minute drive to the beach which was a nice option for the next day!
Disliked No showers, but we knew when we booked so not an issue! Toilets could do with better lighting, even in the day the cubicles have no light, perhaps some solar lights or sensor lights could be handy. We took a torch after dark but during the day still quite dark and sink quite high up for the little ones.
Recommend to friends Visit again
From the manager: Thank you for visiting, we are delighted you enjoyed your stay with us and hope to welcome you again soon.
Just a quick side note re the toilets mainly for anyone reading this considering booking, we are somewhat confused by this as they are lit at night and are motion sensored so only come on when you enter. They are low level LED lights, we deliberately went for this so as to cause minimal disturbance to others at night, and to not attract too many bugs during summer months! We are also mindful of electricity costs as it is now so high which people do seem to forget, this is why they are motion sensored so only come on as required. If we were to install lights that people turned on themselves, then ultimately they would get left on and end up costing us a fortune which simply would not be sustainable. As for daytime lighting, there are two large windows and a huge door which is always open so there is always natural light. The LED's only come on once light levels are low enough and triggered by motion, so if it was as dark during the day as you claim then they would turn on with motion, so this demonstrates there sufficient is natural light.
The reality is that more facilities we add, we would have to increase our pitch rates which we don't wish do to as we want a rural camping break to be affordable for everyone especially given the cost of living increases for everyone just now. Plus, it is a rural campsite and we do advise everyone (within our listing and in the welcome letter sent to every single guest by email) to bring a torch as we are a rural site and not lit.
The Sink is high deliberately as otherwise children leave the tap running or try to climb in the sink, we had our previous gorgeous butler sink cracked by exactly this sadly and had to replace it.
Thank you once again for your custom and taking the time to review. Your photos are lovely too :-)
Best Wishes
Sophie
Spacious pitches, freshly cooked food and…
Non-electric grass tent pitch
Liked Spacious pitches, freshly cooked food and warm welcome from owners. Clean toilets and nice woodlands walks nearby.
Disliked Nothing
Recommend to friends Visit again
From the manager: Thank you for visiting, we are delighted you enjoyed your stay with us and hope to welcome you again soon.
Best Wishes
Sophie
Excellent site and we have already booked to go back
Non-electric grass tent pitch
Liked A really enjoyable few days at The Blue Ship
Spacious, clean and loads of space !!!
Food and as first class and no complaints !!!!
Disliked Just the rain !
Recommend to friends Visit again
From the manager: Thank you for visiting, we are delighted you enjoyed your stay with us and hope to welcome you again soon.
Best Wishes
Sophie
Back to basics with a lovely…
Non-electric grass touring pitch
Liked Back to basics with a lovely pub attached. Great food, friendly chat, flat pitches. We will be back.
Recommend to friends Visit again
From the manager: Thank you for visiting, we are delighted you enjoyed your stay with us and hope to welcome you again soon.
Best Wishes
Sophie
Great stay with perfect location. Pubfood…
Non-electric grass touring pitch
Liked Great stay with perfect location. Pubfood was really good!
Recommend to friends Visit again
From the manager: Thank you for visiting, we are delighted you enjoyed your stay with us and hope to welcome you again soon.
Best Wishes
Sophie
Great cheap camping option…
Non-electric grass touring pitch
Liked Great cheap camping option
Recommend to friends Visit again
From the manager: Thank you for visiting, we are delighted you enjoyed your stay with us and hope to welcome you again soon.
Best Wishes
Sophie
Features
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 On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis WatersportsAmenities 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 WifiGroups welcome
Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcomeRules
Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all yearThemes
Gastronomic delight Peaceful Remote location Walkers' paradise Wildlife havenUtilities
Charging facilities Chemical disposal Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available No hot water Recycling available Renewable energyNearby amenities
Bar nearby Dog walk nearbyType
Medium (26-50 pitches) Pub campsiteNearby leisure
Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horse riding nearby Leisure/theme park nearby Restaurant nearbyLocation
The Blue Ship
The Haven
Billingshurst
West Sussex
England
RH14 9BS
Directions Timezone
Europe/London BST (GMT+01:00)
GPS
51.06338°N
0.45288°W
Nearest transport
Coach
Rail
Ferry
AirportPlease 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
Water quality at nearby bathing waters
| Name | Distance | Type | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancing, Beach Green | 17.8 mi | Sea | N/A | Good | Good | Good |
| Worthing | 17.9 mi | Sea | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Shoreham Beach | 18.2 mi | Sea | N/A | Excellent | Good | Excellent |
| Littlehampton | 18.4 mi | Sea | N/A | Good | Good | Good |
| Southwick | 18.8 mi | Sea | N/A | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
Data source: European Environment Agency
Must see
Fishers Adventure Farm Park 2.9 mi
Petworth House & Park 8.6 mi
Parham House & Gardens 10.2 mi
Nymans 11.2 mi
Denbies Wine Estate 13.8 mi
National Trust
Petworth House and Park 8.6 mi
Winkworth Arboretum 8.8 mi
Oakhurst Cottage 8.9 mi
Nymans 11 mi
Shalford Mill 11.8 mi
Cycle routes
Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.
Other
WARNHAM COURT 4.9 mi
Shipley - Knepp Castle - River Adur Circular 6.4 mi
SEDGWICK PARK 6.6 mi
KNEPP CASTLE 7 mi
Nuthurst 7.2 mi
Local events
- Goodwood Festival of Speed (Thursday, 9 July 2026 – Thursday, 9 July 2026)
Chichester, West Sussex 18.2 mi
- Farnborough International Airshow (Monday, 20 July 2026 – Monday, 20 July 2026)
Farnborough, Hampshire 19.8 mi
- Hampton Court Palace Festival (Thursday, 11 June 2026 – Thursday, 11 June 2026)
Hampton, Surrey 24 mi
- Glyndebourne Festival (Thursday, 21 May 2026 – Thursday, 21 May 2026)
Lewes, East Sussex 25.8 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.
Want to know more about camping in West Sussex?
- Cultural Highlights of the South Downs
- The Best Hikes in the South Downs
- South Downs Area Guide
- 7 Best Beaches In West Sussex | Sandy Beaches
- The Best Walks in the South Downs
- 5 Best Coastal Walks In West Sussex
- Best Dog Friendly Beaches To Visit In West Sussex
- Top 12 Best Walks & Trails in West Sussex
- Where to camp on the South Downs Way
- The Ultimate South East England Camping Guide
- Where To Camp On The North Downs Way
- South East England Area Guide
- Essential camping checklist
- Pitchup camping guide
Frequently asked questions
- Does The Blue Ship have a swimming pool? No View all features
- Is The Blue Ship dog friendly? Yes View all features
- What attractions are near The Blue Ship? With the South Downs National Park (half an hour’s drive) so straightforward to get to from The Blue Ship, your packing list might need to include hiking boots for trails like the … Read more
- When can I check in and check out of The Blue Ship?
Read moreCamping and touring Arrive: 2 p.m. – 9 p.m. Depart by: 12 p.m. - How much does it cost to stay at The Blue Ship? From £25 (for 1 night, 4 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.