Andark Lake

View prices & book 8.7 355 reviews
Lakeside pitches
Lakeside pitches
Swimming and diving on site
The grass pitch
Entrance to site
Grass pitches
Lake-view pitches
Andark lake
Gardens around the lake
1/258
Swimming and diving on site
The grass pitch
Entrance to site

  • 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
Other options

Reviews

8.7

Overall rating from 355 Pitchup.com customers

  • 60%
    10
  • 3%
    9
  • 18%
    8
  • 1%
    7
  • 9%
    6
  • 0%
    5
  • 1%
    4
  • 0%
    3
  • 3%
    2
  • 0%
    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

Great spot by the lake, super peaceful and good for a swim. Friendly staff and clean facilities. A bit of road noise and a trek to shops, but good for a chill break.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 36
Arrival date (latest first)

Recommendable.

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 6
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 5
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 8
Anonymous

Powered grass and gravel motorhome site

Liked A remarkable spaceouse campsite with grass and gravel pitches, many with views over the busy man-made lake.
Although the facilities are shared by day with the diving and swimming club there never seems to be a problem.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Nice site, good facilities, unusual layout

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 5
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 8
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Cat R.

Powered grass and gravel motorhome site

Liked Good, clean facilities. Lovely space around the lake and the cafe looked nice (I didn’t go in either though).

Disliked Slightly odd pitch layout for campervans which meant we felt a bit like we were parked next to a road rather than in a campsite! Not bad, just a bit weird.

Recommend to friends Visit again

A small, quiet site ideally situated…

Overall

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

Powered grass and gravel campervan site

Liked A small, quiet site ideally situated for Southampton. The staff in the on-site cafe are very friendly. There’s a sauna and swimming, too. There’s a nice walk near Swanwick marina and a pub en route. Would happily return.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Overall a positive experience and would stay again.

Overall

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

Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site

Liked The campsite has a lovely setting right by the lake, which makes it feel peaceful and relaxing. We even managed to get our son in for a morning swim, which was a real highlight. The staff were friendly and helpful throughout our stay, and the general facilities were clean and well looked after. Another big plus is that shops and pubs are just a short walk away, so it’s very convenient.

Disliked The toilets did tend to get muddy, although that’s more down to how other visitors leave them. Being close to the M27 means there is some traffic noise, but that’s not really something the site can control. What could definitely be improved, though, are the washing-up facilities, at the moment it’s just a cold tap running into a dirty bucket, which really doesn’t feel adequate. A bit of investment here would go a long way. Some of the pitches could also benefit from better landscaping to make them flatter and more comfortable.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely site,

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 5
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 5
Cleanliness
 6
Wifi
 10
Charlotte B.

Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site

Liked Lovely place to stay, quite and relaxing.

Disliked Could hear m27. However you get used to it after a while.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent facilities, friendly helpful staff

Overall

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

Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site

Liked How empty the campsite was, with only a few campers, lovely woods to walk the dogs in and friendly people, showers and toilets always clean in the morning. Friendly staff and secure at night

Disliked Soaking wet floors from the swimmers, when you use the toilet your trousers get soaked at the bottom, them also leaving their stuff everywhere and not using the lockers.
Men walking around the changing room naked, regarding it being a family campsite my boys didn’t feel comfortable seeing this.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Brilliant little camp site, very basic…

Overall

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

Powered grass and gravel motorhome site

Liked Brilliant little camp site, very basic but worked a treat for three nights. Our motor home is 7 meters and that’s definitely the max you could fit. Brilliant for location, bus and train stops within a fifteen minute walk.
Train fares to Portsmouth and Southampton are more than reasonable. Would definitely stay again. The lake is small but very popular. We didn’t use so can’t comment more.

Disliked Wash facilities are very small and basic also not as private as we have stayed at.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Clean facilities, friendly staff and level pitches. Absolutely amazing

Overall

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

Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site

Liked So cheap and affordable for a night away, had such an amazing time and it was so peaceful. Had the perfect pitch to (pitch 12). Had flushing toilets, warm showers and gates for your security. The lake looked lovely during the day and especially during the sunset. 10/10 camping site!!! It was a hidden gem in Southampton

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely quiet campsite with amazing views…

Overall

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

Powered grass and gravel campervan site

Liked Lovely quiet campsite with amazing views over the lake. Super friendly staff and an amazing breakfast. Clean facilities.

Disliked Whilst the toilets and showers were always super clean the showers were freezing cold and toilets blocked at times this was the only thing that let down a full star review.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great camping spot will definitely go back and highly recommend

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
 8
Wifi
 8
Louise B.

Powered grass and gravel motorhome site

Liked Lovely site with man made lake that you can swim in. Cafe serving tasty food and delicious drinks . Showers & Toilets opened 24/7

Disliked Sometimes showers could be a bit muddy due to the swimmers & divers using the showers

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 $41.48 (for 1 night, 5 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.