Sweet Hill Farm

View prices & book 9.1 179 reviews
Sea views from the pitches
Sea views from the pitches
Lovely visitors
Camping field
Views to portland bill lighthouse
Sunrise patch field
Amazing view from the back of a visitors camper
A view from one of the fields
Faraway field, with the views out to sea
1/192
Lovely visitors
Camping field
Views to portland bill lighthouse

  • Back to basics farm-style stays on a Dorset site with sea views
  • On the edge of Southwell village; 10 minutes' drive from Chesil Beach
  • Equestrian activities available; half a mile to the pub or coast path
The long-gone folk who decided to call this patch Sweet Hill Farm were right on the money – with spectacular 180-degree seaside vistas, views over three lighthouses and next to no light pollution, this fine little farm site is a very appealing place to stay indeed. This family-friendly spot is on the tip of the Isle of Portland, a scenic outcrop off Dorset’s Jurassic Coast. Rollick around the island on foot, by bike or on horseback – the team who run Sweet Hill Farm also own an ace equestrian outfit next door, so get set for saddle-based trekking under their expert guidance. The pitches here have plenty of space between them and are set over various fab fields. The key phrase here is 'nearly wild', the 'nearly' part being a nod to the composting loos and cold water taps that make family hols here that little bit easier. Wild, though, it certainly is – birds of prey can often be spotted soaring overhead during the day, and it gets decidedly darker over here at night than it does on most of the mainland. Please note that there's no car parking by the pitches during busy periods and peak season. Cars will be parked in the field directly behind the camping areas and customers will have the use of a giant wheelbarrow to help move their gear from car to pitch. Hikers who want to tackle Portland’s stretch of the South West Coast Path in one fell swoop will come across the trail's distinctive yellow arrows about half a mile away. All that walking (or horse riding, fishing or swimming…) can be thirsty work, so you may be chuffed to find a pub in the local village, Southwell (10 minutes' walk).

Site type

Motorhome pitches 63
Tent pitches 63
Open now
Opens 14 February
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. XL Bully, Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • A charge of £1.00 applies for the use of the shower.
  • If making a fire, the fuel, logs and coal have to be purchased on site.
  • Please note that the toilet/shower facilities are unisex.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Fri, 14 Feb to

No availability here for your search criteria

Reviews

9.1

Overall rating from 179 Pitchup.com customers

  • 66%
    10
  • 3%
    9
  • 21%
    8
  • 0%
    7
  • 3%
    6
  • 0%
    5
  • 0%
    4
  • 0%
    3
  • 2%
    2
  • 0%
    1
Location
 10
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 9
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 9
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 6
Spectacular sceneryPeacefulWild camping

92% would recommend this site to a friend

89% would stay here again

What customers say

This campsite offers stunning sea views and a peaceful, natural setting. Visitors highlight the friendly staff, clean facilities including showers, and ample space. It's praised for its "back to basics" ethos, ideal for those seeking a wilder camping experience. While some mention basic amenities and the potential for wind, the overall sentiment is positive, with many recommending it and expressing a desire to return.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 18
Arrival date (latest first)

I will return as it was so chilled with beautiful coastal walks.

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 1
Gabrielle H.

Non-electric grass tent or motorhome pitch (basic, wild)

Liked Great fields - cafe & token for great showers. All clean & surrounded by wonderful horses. Buses until 12pm to Weymouth. Theres a walk all the way down to the lighthouses where theres cafes along the coastal path ! Wonderful & will return.

Disliked Windy at times !!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Nice site

Overall

6 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 3
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 No rating
Wifi
 No rating
Chris J.

Non-electric grass tent or motorhome pitch (basic, wild)

Liked Nice site, great views of Portland lighthouse and the sea.

Disliked Portoloos plus the strong winds knocked them all down, so couldn't use the toilets in the morning.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Un camping magique dans la beauté d'un bord de mer sauvage

Overall

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

Non-electric grass tent or motorhome pitch (basic, wild)

Liked Le lieu !! Magique.
Surtout la nuit durant laquelle le ciel est magnifique. Une impression de bout du monde avec la mer, les chevaux et le phare comme paysage.
Accès direct à des sentiers qui permettent de faire le tour des 3 phares, même avec de jeunes enfants. On ne pouvait rêver mieux.

Nous nous attendions à des installations sommaires dans ce camping qui se qualifie de presque sauvage ; il n'en est rien. Les toilettes fonctionnent très bien et sans odeur, ce qui est plaisant ! Les douches sont certes payantes si vous voulez de l'eau chaude, mais elles sont très confortables.

L'ambiance est tranquille. On ne vient pas là par hasard. Il faut aimer les lieux sauvages, le vent qui souffle parfois en rafales. Nous, on a adoré.

Et le petit coffee shop du centre équestre a une offre très complète et des produits très bons.

Disliked Les bacs à laver la vaisselle étaient trop bas à mon goût et j'aurais aimé que les grilles de vidange amovibles soient fixées par une chaîne pour rester en place dans chaque évier.

Dommage que l'accès soit si moche ... un peu plus de rangement du matériel du centre équestre et de débarrassage des objets devenus inutiles qui traînent dans les alentours rendraient l'expérience encore plus merveilleuse. Heureusement, une fois à notre emplacement, on ne voit plus rien de cela.

En camping, on se lève tôt ! le Coffee shop à partir de 08.00, ce serait super !

Recommend to friends Visit again

All good

Overall

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

Non-electric grass tent or motorhome pitch (basic, wild)

Liked Location/ view. Showers basic but worked well - no complaints.

Disliked Toilets a bit basic, especially after a lot of use.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Very expensive compared to most sites in Britain. Very very basic.

Overall

2 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 2
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 2
Customer service
 5
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 3
Wifi
 1
James R.

Non-electric grass tent or motorhome pitch (basic, wild)

Liked Location

Disliked No electric. No hot water. No proper toilets (smelly portaloos). Uncovered cold water for washing dishes. Showers £1 for three minutes. Didn’t use cafe area. £30 per night.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Would recommend as a basic yet quite and natural site with grate views

Overall

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

Non-electric grass tent or motorhome pitch (basic, wild)

Liked The view was amazing

Recommend to friends Visit again

I can't fault anything. It's always…

Overall

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

Non-electric grass tent or motorhome pitch (basic, wild)

Liked I can't fault anything.
It's always nice to visit and camp at Sweet Hill Farm.

Disliked The wood for the burner was either too thick or still damp as it was smoking and not really catching fire. Everyone around camp seemed to have the same problem. We just smoked each other out.
The smaller wood chippings were great.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Bel posto con servizi da rivedere completamente

Overall

4 out of 10
Location
 8
Value for money
 3
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 1
Customer service
 7
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 3
Wifi
 No rating
Davide C.

Non-electric grass tent or motorhome pitch (basic, wild)

Liked Posizione e vista

Disliked Totale mancanza di servizi per camper (no scarico acque nere e grigie). Servizi inaccettabili (wc chimici come quelli usati nellle fiere). Alcune aree sembrano state oggetto di bombardamento.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Chilled atmosphere, views, horse riding…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 3
Anonymous

Non-electric grass tent or motorhome pitch (basic, wild)

Liked Chilled atmosphere, views, horse riding

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

die Aussicht des Campingplatzes ist traumhaft…

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 6
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 No rating
Customer service
 No rating
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 No rating
Wifi
 1
Sarah R.

Non-electric grass tent or motorhome pitch (basic, wild)

Liked die Aussicht des Campingplatzes ist traumhaft

Disliked für uns waren die Sanitäreinrichtungen (Dixi-Toiletten) doch etwas zu basic, das sollte man bei der Buchung auf jeden Fall auf dem Schirm haben

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Portable toilet

Dogs allowed

Campfires allowed

Leisure on site

Bar or club house Beach access Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site cafe 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 Picnic table Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available 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

Budget/backpacker 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 Public transport nearby Shop nearby

Type

Farm Large (51-200 pitches)

Accessibility

Accessible parking at pitch Level site, no steep slopes

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Horse riding nearby Indoor pool nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby

Location

Sweet Hill Farm

Sweet Hill Road

Portland

Dorset

England

DT5 2DS

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London BST (GMT+01:00)

GPS

50.52772°N
2.44865°W

Nearest transport

Coach
5.7 mi Marks and Spencer
12.5 mi South Station
18.5 mi Red Lion
Rail
6.1 mi Weymouth Rail Station
8.4 mi Upwey Rail Station
12.6 mi Dorchester South Rail Station
Ferry
5.6 mi Weymouth Ferry Terminal
23.6 mi Poole Ferry Terminal
24 mi Poole Quay Ferry Landing

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

OK folks, it's time to come clean – there's a road bridge between the Isle of Portland and the mainland, meaning that any boat trips you make while here will be purely optional. That said, you can't go far wrong with a sailing jaunt around Weymouth Bay – head to Portland harbour (10 minutes' drive) to set sail on an organised yacht cruise, or, if you’ve got some experience, to charter a vessel of your own. While hanging around the northern part of the island, swing by historic sites like Portland Castle and Castletown D-Day Centre (both 10 minutes), or make your way to Chesil Beach (10 minutes), a rather rugged stretch of shingle that runs for miles alongside the gorgeous Fleet lagoon. Beaches more suitable for bathing include Church Ope Cove (five minutes' drive or half an hour on foot), a secluded cove overlooked by the ruins of Rufus Castle. Weymouth (25 minutes' drive) has bigger and sandier beaches that are well-suited to those bucket and spade days.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Church Ope Cove 1.1 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Portland Harbour Sandsfoot Castle 4.6 mi Sea N/AGoodExcellentGood
Portland Harbour Castle Cove 4.8 mi Sea N/AExcellentN/AN/A
Weymouth Central 6 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Weymouth Lodmoor 6.8 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Radipole Lake Nature Reserve 6.1 mi

Weymouth Sea Life Park and Marine Sanctuary 6.8 mi

Lulworth Heritage Centre 10.7 mi

Abbotsbury Swannery 11.3 mi

Lulworth Castle & Park 13 mi

National Trust

Max Gate 12.6 mi

Hardy's Cottage 14.2 mi

Clouds Hill 15.7 mi

Corfe Castle 18.7 mi

Studland Beach and Nature Reserve 23.2 mi

Cycle routes

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

Other

Around the Island of Portland 1.1 mi

RADIPOLE LAKE (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 15/10/1990) 6.5 mi

Lodmoor Nature Reserve - Littlemoor - Preston 6.9 mi

LODMOOR (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 25/11/2004) 7.2 mi

Nottington - Upwey - Broadwey 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 Dorset?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Sweet Hill Farm have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Sweet Hill Farm dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Sweet Hill Farm? OK folks, it's time to come clean – there's a road bridge between the Isle of Portland and the mainland, meaning that any boat trips you make while here will be purely … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Sweet Hill Farm?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  12 p.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  10:30 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Sweet Hill Farm? From £24 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.