Orchard Wild Camping

View prices & book 9.6 45 reviews
Visitor image of their pitch with the perfect amount of shade
Visitor image of their pitch with the perfect amount of shade
Visitor image of their fantastic pitch
Out in nature
Nothing but nature
Secluded areas
Grass pitches
Lots of greenery
Lots of room to spread out
1/40
Visitor image of their fantastic pitch
Out in nature
Nothing but nature

  • Back-to-basics wild camping in scenic Suffolk countryside
  • A 20-minute drive from Southwold and 35 minutes from Ipswich
  • Africa Alive, Oasis Camel Park and Sutton Hoo within a 25-minute drive
Looking for a back to basics getaway without all the unnecessary extras? Keep it simple at Orchard Wild Camping, a particularly well-named family-friendly site five minutes’ drive from the small Suffolk town of Saxmundham and around 15 minutes from Aldeburgh and Southwold. The clue is in the name here: this is proudly wild camping where everything's off grid and as nature intended, giving guests lots of space and scope for no-frills stays. There’s a bowser full of water for cooking and washing (drinking water must be bought, but the first bottle will be provided), and a firepit is at each pitch for toasty times and chatty evenings. There is a shower but it's worth noting that it's solar powered and therefore at the mercy of the elements (on some days it may only be for the brave…) Nature-filled hols can extend beyond the limits of the site if so desired: it's about five minutes from here to the edge of Suffolk Coast and Heaths National Landscape, putting guests in a prime location for lengthy coastal walks, quiet cycles down country lanes and wildlife spotting. The site is also 20 minutes from RSPB Minsmere (which falls within the National Landscape) for an afternoon of birdwatching; more animals can be spotted at Africa Alive, 25 minutes from base, and the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary about half an hour away. Getting out and about should be easy as the site is handily located just off the A12.

Campground type

Tent sites 8
Rent a tent 1
Open now
Opens 2 April
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • Group bookings of 4 or more units (e.g. tent, caravan, motorhome or accommodation hire) travelling together are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Group bookings of 5 or more adults are not permitted (couples and immediate family members excepted).
  • There is no reception building on-site: on arrival please contact the number provided on your booking confirmation.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Thu, 2 Apr to

No availability here for your search criteria

Reviews

9.6

Overall rating from 45 Pitchup.com customers

  • 75%
    10
  • 15%
    9
  • 6%
    8
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    7
  • 2%
    6
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    5
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    1
Location
 9
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 5
Wild camping

100% would recommend this campground to a friend

98% would stay here again

What customers say

Wild Orchard: a peaceful, tidy site with roomy, private spots. Extras like seats & fire pits are a nice touch. Simon's a great host! It's basic but clean, with a top solar shower. Some A12 noise, but most find it fine. Great for nature lovers wanting a simple escape.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews. Last updated 09/06/2026

Reviews page 1 of 5
Arrival date (latest first)

Basic but marvelous!

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 9
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Nicola B. 1 review

Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site (wild)

Liked The site is well tended and the pitches well thought out and nicely separated each with it's own firepit (with wood available on site too). Amenities are basic but clean. This is one for wild campers looking for an anxiety free pitch for a night/few days where you won't get moved on or have to pack down every morning. Also great for small groups / families who want to camp together and aren't looking for luxury loos and showers. The owner, Simon, is a gem. We loved it.

Disliked Literally the only the thing we missed is for drinking water to be on tap on site. There was some bottled water for anyone who forgot to fill their tanks/containers before arriving (like us!) but there's two supermarkets just minutes away in Saxmundham and I'm sure Simon would be able to provide more drinking water in an emergency.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely clean site, well maintained and…

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 No rating
Value for money
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
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Customer service
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Wifi
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Paul E. 1 review

Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site (wild)

Liked Lovely clean site, well maintained and proportioned. Simon the owner is a very gracious and kind gentleman. Highly recommend.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Wild Orchard was perfect for what…

Overall

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

Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site (wild)

Liked Wild Orchard was perfect for what I needed and Simon was a very kind and generous host. He let me pick my own pitch and told me not to worry about leaving by 11:00. He said I could stay the whole next day if I liked.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Had a lovely bank holiday weekend…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Ben B. 1 review

Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site (wild)

Liked Had a lovely bank holiday weekend at Orchard Wild Camping. We were a couple and we had our own private area which has recently been added which was amazing. Is easy to miss on the road, but the owner was very helpful and came out to meet us and show us to our pitch. 20 minute drive to Southwold and there is a pub only a couple of minutes drive away. Toilet and shower were kept nice and clean. Thanks!

Recommend to friends Visit again

It's our second home, we will return as many times as possible

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Kelly R. 1 review

Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site (wild)

Liked Spacious private pitches, thoughtful owner, nice additional touches free of charge eg seating, benches, hammock, bbq, wood burning pizza oven & fire pit (small charge for wood/kindling/firelighters) All surrounded by nature and wonderful bird song. We had the joy of watching 2 blue tit parents working tirelessly to feed their young in a nest box from dawn till dusk all weekend.

Disliked That we had to return home and couldn't stay longer!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent site, lots of space, friendly owner, great facilities

Overall

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

Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site (wild)

Liked Spacious pitch, quiet location, friendly owner

Disliked Nothing it was great

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely lush campsite, secluded spots, plenty…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 9
Facilities / Activities
 No rating
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Gary B. 2 reviews

Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site (wild)

Liked Lovely lush campsite, secluded spots, plenty of seats/firepits if you are travelling light on a motorbike

Disliked Noise from A12 but not excessive and nothing earplugs or a few beers couldn't solve!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great little place, nice and peaceful…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Rob M. 1 review

Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site (wild)

Liked Great little place, nice and peaceful and gives wild camping vibes

Recommend to friends Visit again

Would I camp here again yes I would

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 8
Value for money
 8
Facilities / Activities
 No rating
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
michael t. 4 reviews

Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site (wild)

Liked Very well kept campsite right on my doorstep driven past it many time never knew it was there. Toilets very clean has an outside shower as well so a little more than if you were truly wild camping. it's a lovely site with plenty of space plenty of seating and tables an open space for the youngsters to play ball

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely little semi-wild campsite. Plots are…

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 8
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 8
Wifi
 No rating
Rich F. 1 review

Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site (wild)

Liked Lovely little semi-wild campsite. Plots are large but also manage to feel secluded thanks to nice wild hedgerows and apples trees separating the different areas.

I arrived on a motorcycle and had very little equipment with me, so I really appreciated that every plot has proper seating and a nice firepit. Firewood, kindling, lighters available on site at a reasonable, honesty box payment method.

Solar heated shower was excellent, and the off-grid toilets were fine.

There is a bit of traffic noise from the A12 but you hardly notice it and I actually quite liked the background noise at night.

Nice pub 5 minute walk.
Big Tescos and Waitrose 20 minute walk.

Would definitely stay again.

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

No dogs allowed

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 Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Laundry 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

Budget/backpacker Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise Wild camping Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Dump point Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Convenience store nearby Dog walk nearby Nearby farmers' market Public transport nearby

Type

Tiny (1-10 sites)

Nearby leisure

Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horse riding nearby Indoor pool nearby Leisure/theme park nearby Mountain biking nearby Outdoor pool nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Tennis nearby

Location

Orchard Wild Camping

A12

Kelsale-cum-Carlton

Saxmundham

Suffolk

England

IP17 2QZ

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London +0100 (GMT+01:00)

GPS

52.23855°N
1.48748°E

Route directions

Travelling along the A12 towards Lowestoft, pass Saxmundham on the right hand side, pass a turning for Rendham on the left and look out for a white sign with red writing saying 'concealed entrance'. Slow down and show caution as this is the entrance to the campsite from a busy main road.

Nearest transport

Coach
22.3 km Broad Street
22.4 km School Lane
24.5 km Chaucer Street
Rail
2.6 km Saxmundham Rail Station
4.6 km Darsham Rail Station
11.5 km Wickham Market Rail Station
Ferry
15 km Walberswick Ferry Landing
15.1 km Southwold Ferry Landing
28.3 km Bawdsey 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

To make beach days part of your stay, it’s just 15 minutes' drive from the site to the seafront stretch of Aldeburgh, 20 minutes to Southwold and a little under 40 to Lowestoft. Early birds and adrenaline junkies might want to flap along to the latter – Lowestoft is the first place in the UK to see the sun rise every morning, and it’s also home to the rides and games of Pleasurewood Hills. Meanwhile, fans of traditional British seaside towns with candy-coloured beachfronts and restored Victorian piers might wish to opt for the first two instead. There’s history hereabouts too: the spectacularly sprawling Somerleyton Hall is just outside Lowestoft (and 45 minutes from base), and jousts at Framlingham Castle, clambers around the tower keep of Orford Castle, seeing the unusual 'House in the Clouds' water tower and visits to the famed Anglo-Saxon royal burial site of Sutton Hoo are between 15 and 25 minutes away. When rural rambles, seaside strolls and historical haunts are finally exhausted, there are museums, mansions and shops to explore 35 minutes from the site in Ipswich, and even busier city days within relatively easy reach an hour away in Norwich.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Southwold The Denes 15.8 km Sea N/AN/AN/AN/A
Southwold The Pier 17 km Sea N/AGoodGoodExcellent
Lowestoft (South Of Claremont Pier) 30.6 km Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Lowestoft (North Of Claremont Pier) 31.1 km Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Felixstowe North 32.2 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Framlingham Castle 9.8 km

Orford Castle 16.4 km

Orford Ness National Nature Reserve 16.6 km

Sutton Hoo Anglo-Saxon Burial Mounds 19 km

Christchurch Mansion 29.9 km

National Trust

Orford Ness National Nature Reserve 16.7 km

Sutton Hoo 19.1 km

Elizabethan House Museum 43.8 km

Flatford: Bridge Cottage 44.6 km

Thorington Hall 47.7 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

Leiston - Eastbridge - Middleton - Theberton - Leiston 6.4 km

GLEMHAM HALL 7.4 km

SNAPE (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 01/01/2007 8.1 km

HEVENINGHAM HALL 8.2 km

MINSMERE (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 11/01/2006) 8.3 km

Local events

  • Latitude Festival (Thursday 23 July 2026 – Thursday 23 July 2026)

    Beccles, England 14.2 km

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 Suffolk?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Orchard Wild Camping have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Orchard Wild Camping dog friendly? No View all features
  • What attractions are near Orchard Wild Camping? To make beach days part of your stay, it’s just 15 minutes' drive from the site to the seafront stretch of Aldeburgh, 20 minutes to Southwold and a little under 40 to … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Orchard Wild Camping?
    Camping and caravan
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  9 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Orchard Wild Camping? From $56.98 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.