Andark Lake

View prices & book 8.7 362 reviews
Lakeside pitches
Lakeside pitches
Swimming and diving on site
The grass pitch
Entrance to site, and grass and gravel pitches
Grass pitches
Lake-view pitches
Andark lake
Gardens around the lake
1/257
Swimming and diving on site
The grass pitch
Entrance to site, and grass and gravel pitches

  • Peaceful site near the River Hamble: two pubs within walking distance
  • Six miles from Southampton and 12 from Portsmouth's ferry terminal
  • Set in scuba diving and open-water swimming lake grounds
Get set to get wet… with the Solent coast a couple of miles away, the Hamble river down the road and of course the lake on site, it’s safe to say that life pretty much revolves around the water at Andark Lake, a small and quiet grassy site six miles from the centre of Southampton. The main focal point here is the purpose-built scuba diving training lake, where wetsuit-clad types can sign up for training courses (when pre-booked) or recreational dives, hire kit and fill air tanks (for certified scuba divers). Open-water swims can be had for an extra charge at the weekends, when staff are on site and the place isn't in use by divers. Outside of swim time, there’s more water-based activity (sailing, paddleboarding, kitesurfing and windsurfing) along the riverside or at Swanwick Marina. Should all this aquatic activity have worked up a bit of a hunger, trot over to the site café for snacks and light lunches, plus hot and cold drinks throughout the day. For your evening meals, three pubs are within walking distance, or you can pick up supermarket supplies two miles away for a sunset sausage sizzle. Other amenities on site include a drinking water tap and a toilet block with male and female changing rooms, lockers and showers, all open 24/7. A coldwater sink is available in the pitching field where guests can wash pots and pans, and an accessible toilet is available on request.

Campground type

RV & Motorhome sites 7
Tent sites 10
Open now
Opens 3 January
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • Your dog must be tattooed or microchipped.
  • Group bookings of 3 or more adults are not permitted (couples and immediate family members excepted).
  • Single-sex bookings of 3 or more people (couples and immediate family members excepted) are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • The campground/park caters for families (immediate members) and couples only - bookings from all other forms of groups are not accepted.
  • Reception is unmanned after 5 p.m.. Please inform the campground while on your way there should you expect to arrive after this time so that the team can provide information about your unit/site.
  • Lake open-water swimming is not included in the rate and is charged at £7 per person for a day ticket . Swimming is only available Wednesday to Sunday. No swimming while divers are in the lake. The lake must not be used after hours or when no staff are on site, as it's a deep diving training lake and can be dangerous. Dogs are not allowed in the lake at any time.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Fri, 3 Jan to

No availability here for your search criteria

Site types & availability

Accommodation

Tent sitesCaravan sitesRV & Motorhome sitesLodges, cabins, pods or hutsCaravans for hireRent a tent
Choose your dates
2 adults
0 children

Reviews

8.7

Overall rating from 362 Pitchup.com customers

  • 59%
    10
  • 4%
    9
  • 18%
    8
  • 1%
    7
  • 8%
    6
  • 0%
    5
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    3
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    2
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    1
Location
 9
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 8
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 8
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 8
Peaceful

88% would recommend this campground to a friend

85% would stay here again

What customers say

A ripper spot for a cruisy getaway, this place is peaceful, well-located with a beaut lake. Campers rave about the clean facilities, grouse staff, and being close to pubs and walks. The lake's ace for a dip and water sports. A few minor snags like lumpy pitches or traffic noise, but most reckon it's top-notch with heaps of regulars.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 37
Arrival date (latest first)

Not the sort of customer service that will bring me back here again

Overall

1 out of 10
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Anonymous

Powered grass and gravel motorhome site

Liked The swim option

Disliked I had to cancel at short notice due to a family emergency - the campsite (Pitchup) booking instructions are to contact Andark…Andark said to contact Pitchup. I gave up trying to speak to someone and ask to rebook my visit (other things to deal with at the time!). Not good customer service and I won’t bother to go there now.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Communication not good

Overall

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

Powered grass and gravel motorhome site

Liked Nothing as didn’t get to stay

Disliked Sadly I did not receive the access information before my arrival from the Bilbao Ferry. I previously checked with the site that a late check in was ok and that I would receive details by email prior. I waited until 2 days before the arrival date then emailed. I emailed again when I had signal on the boat and then again when we arrived in the Uk. Despite arrival being allowed up till 9pm, no body replied to my email. I’ve had no response to my request for a refund despite reaching out twice since. So I can give no more than a 1 star review.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Friendly, helpful staff. Lovely site with…

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
Anonymous

Powered grass and gravel motorhome site

Liked Friendly, helpful staff. Lovely site with lake in the middle. Two pubs and bar/ restaurant in walking distance.
Peaceful site, would definitely return again.

Recommend to friends Visit again

visited here many times. it's…

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
RICHARD A.

Powered grass and gravel campervan site

Liked visited here many times. it's a great place to stay nice and peaceful.. shower blocks is great clean tidy.. would recommend to anyone looking for peace and quiet.. couple of good pubs within walking distance

Recommend to friends Visit again

A great location to stay if…

Overall

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

Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site

Liked A great location to stay if venturing into Portsmouth harbour, it’s about a 25 minute drive away. The toilet and shower facilities were super clean, and the staff in the cafe/reception were very friendly and informative. The lake was a nice added feature, lovely to sit by in the morning. The campsite felt very safe as the gate was locked at night and a code was needed to get in.

Disliked Nothing really to dislike, but not really a family campsite.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Would definitely use this site again.

Overall

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

Powered grass and gravel motorhome site

Liked View over the lake from the pitch, tranquility of the site “after hours”, friendly staff, proximity to the Hamble estuary, lovely walks and local pubs and cafés.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great location, good facilities on site…

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 6
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 7
Wifi
 7
Anonymous

Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site

Liked Great location, good facilities on site including a cafe and swimming lake. Close to lots of good pubs and close to the river hamble for boating and walking.

Disliked Limited camping pitches

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great atmosphere, amazing staff, nice field,…

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
 10
Anonymous

Powered grass tent site

Liked Great atmosphere, amazing staff, nice field, clean facilities, tasty food, lake swim was excellent and midnight swim even was lovely!

Disliked Not disliked as such, but facilities can be a bit cleaner from day to day.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great setting…

Overall

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

Powered grass tent site

Liked Great setting

Disliked Swimming should be free when camping

Recommend to friends Visit again

Really great location, good facilities

Overall

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

Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site

Liked Great site, clean toilets and warm showers. Excellent location only 8 mins walk to get to launching site on hamble. Old ship near by great food. Will be definitely revisiting

Disliked No fire policy - but it was observed fellow campers did not adhere to the policy.

Recommend to friends Visit again

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 cafe On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis Watersports Wild swimming

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 Picnic table Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups 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

Lake and/or mountain Peaceful 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 Public transport nearby

Type

Small (11-25 sites)

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Cycling nearby Outdoor pool nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Watersports nearby

Location

Andark Lake

Oslands Lane

Lower Swanwick

Southampton

Hampshire

England

SO31 7EG

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

50.88013°N
1.29099°W

Route directions

The site is at the top of Oslands Lane, an unmade track. The access road is opposite the Old Ship pub (Bridge Road). The road runs between Andark Shop and the Carsa Car dealership.

Nearest transport

Coach
8.2 km Telephone House
8.2 km Telephone House
8.2 km Terminal 1
Rail
1.1 km Bursledon Rail Station
1.8 km Swanwick Rail Station
2.9 km Hamble Rail Station
Ferry
2.9 km Hamble-le-Rice Ferry Landing
3 km Warsash Ferry Landing
7.7 km Hythe (Hants) Ferry Terminal
Airport
9.2 km Southampton Airport
39.8 km Bournemouth 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

Wetsuits at the ready – if you’re into your watersports you’ll have plenty to pick from around here. Swanwick Marina is 10 minutes’ walk away for sailing training, and there’s paddleboarding, windsurfing and kayaking on the Hamble 15 minutes’ drive away. Kitesurf kit hire and lessons are 40 minutes away on the other side of the river. Take a break from the big blue for a wander around Holly Hill Woodland Park, five minutes away by car, or a sea-view stroll through Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, 20 minutes away. SeaCity Museum, Solent Sky Museum and the Tudor House and Garden in Southampton are worth a visit too, and there are shops, restaurants and a cinema at the city’s West Quay. Cross the River Hamble to hit the New Forest National Park, 25 minutes’ drive away, for a walk, bike ride or horse ride or a trip to meet the furry and feathered residents of the New Forest Wildlife Park. It’s also worth trundling along to the classic car collection at Beaulieu’s National Motor Museum (35 minutes away).

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Calshot 8.1 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Hillhead 8.7 km Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Lee-On-Solent 10.7 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Lepe 11.6 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Cowes 12.5 km Sea N/AGoodGoodExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Southampton Maritime Museum 8.2 km

Beaulieu National Motor Museum 13.1 km

Portchester Castle 13.3 km

Osborne House 14.3 km

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard 15.7 km

National Trust

Newtown Old Town Hall 20.1 km

Winchester City Mill 20.1 km

Hinton Ampner 20.6 km

Mottisfont 24.8 km

Bembridge Windmill 25.6 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

Grace Dieu 1.4 km

ROYAL VICTORIA COUNTRY PARK, FORMERLY ROYAL VICTORIA MILITARY HOSPITAL 3.6 km

TOWNHILL PARK 7.6 km

CENTRAL PARKS, SOUTHAMPTON 8.2 km

SOUTHAMPTON CEMETERY 9.6 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 Hampshire?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Andark Lake have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Andark Lake dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Andark Lake? Wetsuits at the ready – if you’re into your watersports you’ll have plenty to pick from around here. Swanwick Marina is 10 minutes’ walk away for sailing training, and there’s paddleboarding, windsurfing … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Andark Lake?
    Camping and caravan
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  9 p.m.
    Depart by:  noon
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Andark Lake? From $40.96 (for 1 night, 5 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.