Dragonfly Camping

View prices & book 9.6 54 reviews
Camping field
Setting up in the walnut orchard
Walnut orchard pitches
Wilder pitches in walnut orchard

  • Pop-up campsite among woodlands at a Co. Durham working farm
  • Durham city centre 15 minutes' drive; 20 minutes to the coast
  • Dog-friendly site; choose from main field or wilder orchard pitches
Want to spend some time deep in the delightful Co.Durham countryside? Don’t particularly want to have to make a long diversion from the main road to get there? Book yourselves a space at Dragonfly Camping – this splendid spot is part of a working farm surrounded by woodlands, and yet it’s no more than 15 minutes’ drive from either the A1 or the A19. You’ll probably start to notice the peaceful atmosphere as you make your way down the farm track to the camping area. At this point you’ll need to make a choice – will you set up in the main field (a popular choice for groups and families because of its open space and proximity to facilities), or among the trees in the Walnut Orchard for more of a secluded wild camping-style experience? Either way, you’ll have access to toilets and showers, along with water points in the camping fields. You’ll be allowed to bring your dog along too – perhaps to accompany you as you wander through the woods and grasslands around the site, looking out to see what sort of wildlife you can spot. Once you’ve stretched your legs on site, there’s much more to explore in the area – including outings to the Durham Dales, the Durham Heritage Coast and, of course, the city of Durham itself, which is about 15 minutes’ drive away. You won’t have to go that far for your picnic supplies though, as you can pick those up at the convenience store five minutes’ drive away in Wheatley Hill (which also has a café and a couple of takeaways).

Campground type

Tent sites 50
Rent a tent 2
Open now
Opens 1 May
Please note
  • Please note that the toilet/shower facilities are unisex.
  • If making a fire, the fuel, logs and coal have to be purchased on site.
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • The campground/park does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dog Act (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).

Languages spoken

English

Spanish

Open from Fri, 1 May to

No availability here for your search criteria

Site types & availability

Reviews

  • 79%
    10
  • 5%
    9
  • 11%
    8
  • 1%
    7
  • 0%
    6
  • 1%
    5
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    1
Location
10
Value for money
9
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
9
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
9
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
7

98% would recommend this campground to a friend

98% would stay here again

What customers say

A peaceful, spacious spot for a rustic escape. Choose from open fields or woodland. Friendly, helpful owners with local tips. Clean showers/toilets. Campfires available (wood for sale). Bumpy access road & basic facilities noted, but highly recommended for the chill vibe & great hosts.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 6
Arrival date (latest first)

I loved this place. Very relaxing…

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

Unpowered grass and earth tent site

Liked I loved this place. Very relaxing environment, great facilities, beautiful location and the owners were super friendly and hospitable. Recommend it

Recommend to friends Visit again

We’ve just come home from the…

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

Unpowered grass and earth tent site

Liked We’ve just come home from the most wonderful stay and honestly already can’t wait to come back. From the moment we arrived, it felt like stepping into a little slice of heaven tucked away in the countryside. It has that peaceful wild camping feel whilst still having everything you need to be comfortable.

The whole site was beautifully quiet and relaxing with such a lovely cosy atmosphere. The toilets and showers were spotless at all times, which makes such a difference when camping. The owners were absolutely amazing and genuinely couldn’t do enough for us — you can really feel how much care and love they put into the place.

It’s also incredibly dog friendly, which made our stay even more special. Our dogs were just as happy as we were!

Honestly, the photos online don’t do this place justice at all. It’s one of those rare places that instantly makes you slow down and switch off from the outside world. We left feeling refreshed, happy, and already planning our next visit.

We will 100% be staying again and would recommend it to anyone looking for a peaceful countryside escape.

Disliked Nothing!!!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent campsite — we booked last…

Overall

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

Unpowered grass and earth tent site

Liked Excellent campsite — we booked last minute and were so pleased we did! The atmosphere was incredibly friendly and relaxed. Despite there being dogs and horses around, the whole site felt calm and peaceful throughout our stay.

One of the things we loved most was the freedom to choose where to camp — we were told to “drive wherever and pick your spot,” which made it feel really laid-back and welcoming. We chose the open field, although the woodland area seemed a little busier and had a lovely atmosphere too.

The facilities were great: the showers were always hot, and the toilets were a really appreciated addition. There were also compost toilets conveniently located around the campsite.

What really made the stay special, though, was the staff. Everyone was so kind, welcoming, and approachable. They regularly checked in to make sure everyone was enjoying themselves, and it was lovely seeing them genuinely having a good time too — it created such a warm and carefree vibe across the whole campsite. Not to mention the stunning views and we were bless with glorious weather.

We really enjoyed our stay and would absolutely come back!

Disliked Nothing.

Recommend to friends Visit again

It was cold wet and windy…

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
Anonymous

Unpowered grass and earth tent site

Liked It was cold wet and windy when I arrived but I got a lovely welcome on arrival and help finding a sheltered pitch for the night.
Fire pits dotted all over in the sheltered area for people to use. Loved the quirky hang out area up near the house.
Short walk to a little bird reserve. Lots of footpath options in area.
I liked the wild camping feel but with a toilet seat. Toilet block is drop toilet in a little wooden hut lit by fairy lights. Clean and functional.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Really nice site, traditional in the real back to nature sense.

Overall

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

Unpowered grass and earth tent site

Liked Lovely welcome and great communication. Flexible and accommodating. We were shown around and given options on where to stay and a little later we were very kindly brought a little lamp and torch for our comfort and convenience.
We will come again for a longer stay later in the summer.

20 mins from Seaham which was our destination for some beach wombling.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Plenty of pitch space, allowed campfires…

Overall

5 out of 10
Location
6
Value for money
6
Facilities / Activities
3
Customer service
6
Child friendliness
4
Cleanliness
3
Wifi
1
Anonymous

Unpowered grass and earth tent site

Liked Plenty of pitch space, allowed campfires and gazebos.

Disliked Toilets and showers. Not clean, big hole in side of the shower building mean they were cold. Water was Luke warm. no hand washing after using bathroom bottle of hand gel on the side, no private area to get changed after shower.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Reall?
As for cleanliness, it’s an outdoor shower and toilet on a farm in the north east, a location which you chose. There’s a large sink in the doorway, no idea how anyone could miss it. To get changed after a shower the intelligent people just use the cubicle itself. It’s common sense. As for lukewarm water, we did notice that you were in there for a good 30/40 minutes, can’t have been so bad.
You did fail to mention the 2 bags of firewood that we gave you that we had hoped you were going to pay for before leaving.
Thanks for the feedback.

Excellent site, great facilities tucked away from everyday life

Overall

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

Bell tent

Liked This is a lovely and friendly campsite. It doesn’t feel commercial and has retained a feeling of being away from the hustle and bustle and of being in nature. There are a variety of places to camp including a walnut orchard, large field, and two bell tents which we stayed in.

The tents are lovely, spacious and made for a cosy night. Because the site is large, it was easy to stay away from other people and we had a lovely quiet night. However, there are also communal seating areas where we sat with a couple of other campers and the manager for a couple of drinks.

In the morning we opened the doors to fabulous views and coffee on the decking. There is a bbq and sink next to the tent which is close to the amenity block. This is well equipped with couple of toilets and two hot showers and a sink.

The manager, Matt couldn’t do enough to settle us in, tell us about the local area and keep us supplied with logs for the fire pit which were £7 a bag.

The site is set within old woodland and there are lovely walks directly from the campsite. The beach is a 15 minute drive and there’s a pub a 20 minute walk away and a farm shop (perfect for bbq supplies) and cafe in the garden centre 20 minutes walk away or a short drive.

This is a quirky, laid back campsite with a lovely atmosphere and I will definitely return with my partner and would also come here with friends.

Disliked Nothing, this is a fabulous place and we will definitely return.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent setting, lovely wonder, we will be back!!

Overall

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

Bell tent

Liked The owner was so friendly, welcoming and helpful! He really made our stay. We had the best time, the setting really makes you feel immersed in the experience of camping. Sorrounded by vast fields and animals. It was perfect. Lovely and peaceful but close by to a lovely local farm shop and not far from the local spar for supplies.

Disliked Nothing! All facilities did what they needed to do. The owner was super attentive and accommodating

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent site with clean facilities, friendly staff and level pitches

Overall

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

Unpowered grass and earth tent site

Liked Plenty pitch spaces and options! Lovely site. The owners are very friendly and welcoming :) would definitely camp here again!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great Place for camping

Overall

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

Unpowered grass and earth tent site

Liked Camping in the woodland, showers and friendly owner.

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 site/unit 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 Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Camping 2.0

Jumbo tent sites

Themes

Budget/backpacker Bush 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

Farm Medium (26-50 sites) Pop-up campground

Location

Dragonfly Camping

Carr House Farm

Town Kelloe

Durham

Co. Durham

England

DH6 4PS

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

54.72923°N
1.44885°W

Route directions

Turn down the signposted track (marked Carr House Farm) at Town Kelloe and follow all the way to the farm.

Nearest transport

Coach
10.1 km Bus Station
16.2 km Interchange Stand 1
16.2 km Interchange Stand 2
Rail
10.2 km Durham Rail Station
13.9 km Seaham Rail Station
15.7 km Newton Aycliffe Rail Station
Ferry
21.5 km Transporter Bridge North Side
21.5 km Transporter Bridge South Side
29.3 km Newcastle International Ferry Terminal
Airport
24.3 km Durham Tees Valley Airport
38.1 km Newcastle 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

For a little stroll nearby, head to Wingate Quarry nature reserve (five minutes’ drive) or White Hill Woods (15 minutes). Looking a little further afield, there’s a lovely coastal trail at Blackhall Rocks beach (20 minutes) or you could head inland and north to see a bit of Hadrian’s Wall at Heddon-on-the-Wall (45 minutes). For more of the area’s history, spend a day exploring Durham (15 minutes), visit Binchester Roman Fort (25 minutes) or experience life from the past by stepping into shops, schoolrooms and trams at Beamish, the Living Museum of the North (half an hour). Raby Castle, Deer Park & The Plotters' Forest (35 minutes) is a good spot for mixing up history and outdoor time, as is National Trust - Crook Hall Gardens (20 minutes), set around a medieval hall. There’s plenty to entertain the kids among all that, but you may also like to tag on trips to Adventure Valley theme park (25 minutes) and the spectacular outdoor shows at Kynren (half an hour). Oh, and don’t forget to wave at the Angel of the North (25 minutes).

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Crimdon 12.9 km Sea GoodExcellentExcellentExcellent
Seaham Beach 14.9 km Sea N/AGoodExcellentExcellent
Seaham Hall Beach 15.1 km Sea N/AGoodGoodExcellent
Seaton Carew North 18.4 km Sea N/AN/AGoodGood
Seaton Carew Centre 18.9 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Durham Cathedral 9.5 km

Durham Castle 9.7 km

Durham Coast 11.7 km

Hartlepool's Maritime Experience 16.1 km

Locomotion:The National Railway Museum at Shildon 16.8 km

National Trust

Washington Old Hall 19.7 km

Ormesby Hall 26.8 km

Souter Lighthouse and The Leas 27.3 km

Gibside 28 km

Holy Jesus Hospital 28.7 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

Cassop Vale 1.5 km

Cassop Vale - Cassop Moor - Old Quarrington 1.6 km

Littletown - High Haswell - Littletown 6.3 km

Haswell to Hart 6.3 km

Croxdale Hall 6.9 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 Co. Durham?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Dragonfly Camping have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Dragonfly Camping dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Dragonfly Camping? For a little stroll nearby, head to Wingate Quarry nature reserve (five minutes’ drive) or White Hill Woods (15 minutes). Looking a little further afield, there’s a lovely coastal trail at Blackhall … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Dragonfly Camping?
    Camping and caravan
    Arrive:  1 p.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  1 p.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Dragonfly Camping? From $67.71 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.