Swanage Coastal Park

View prices & book 9.1 56 reviews
Pitches with views
The view from the park
Views of the purbeck countryside from the camping field
The view of swanage bay

  • Peaceful site a mile from Swanage: spectacular views over the bay
  • Close to the Jurassic Coast, Corfe Castle and Wareham
  • Leisure club next door with pool, gym, sauna, bar and restaurant
Swanage, you say? For a summer sojourn on a peaceful park close to the dino and fossil hunting, beaches and watersports of the mega fab Jurassic Coast? Pass the bucket, the spade, the flippers… and all the beach, seaside and holiday bits you can cram into the car… And if you’re at Swanage Coastal Park? Bolt on loads of exploring room, proximity to Dorset coast and countryside attractions, and spectacular views of the coastline and deep blue waters: this spacious green park covers 15 acres of countryside, with fab views over Swanage Bay and the Purbeck Hills below. Time for outings? Swanage town is a mile away along an easily accessible path, Corfe Castle is five miles away, and it’s about half an hour’s drive from Swanage to Monkey World or Brownsea Island ferries. Poole, Bournemouth and Dorset are all easily reached by the chain ferry: best be staying here for as long as you possibly manage. As it aims to be a quiet place, Swanage Coastal Park doesn’t have a pool, bar or noisy entertainment, so is just the serene ticket for those seeking summer sanctuary or fleeing from nightly discos. Amenities are plentiful, including showers and toilets, a launderette, a washing-up area and ice pack freezing; pitches are non-electric, on grass overlooking the bay. If between your Dorset exploring days you do fancy being a tad active, the leisure site next door offers day memberships to its health and fitness area, where there’s a pool, gym, sauna and solarium plus a bar and restaurant.

Campground type

Caravans for hire 32
Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 6
Tent sites 80
Open now
Opens 18 July

Tourist board rating

Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • The campground/park does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro) and/or any of the following: Staffordshire bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Rottweiler, any Mastiff or Tosa.
  • No bachelor/bachelorette parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Bookings must not be for more than 21 consecutive nights.
  • Commercial vehicles (vehicles used for work-related purposes, carrying goods or fare-paying passengers) and sign-written vehicles are not permitted on site.
  • The campground/park caters for families (immediate members) and couples only - bookings from all other forms of groups are not accepted.
  • Continental touring caravans (caravans built with the passenger door on the right-hand side) are not permitted.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Fri, 18 July to

This site is a member of Shorefield Holidays group.

View all Shorefield Holidays parks.

Reviews

  • 64%
    10
  • 7%
    9
  • 17%
    8
  • 0%
    7
  • 8%
    6
  • 0%
    5
  • 1%
    4
  • 0%
    3
  • 0%
    2
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    1
Location
10
Value for money
9
Accommodation
8
Facilities / Activities
8
Customer service
9
Child friendliness
9
Cleanliness
9
Wifi
5

88% would recommend this campground to a friend

88% would stay here again

What customers say

Great views of Swanage Bay, a peaceful spot with easy access to town and coast. Friendly staff, clean showers. Some find it hilly, miss freezer blocks, and suggest more frequent toilet cleans and hot water for washing up.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 6
Arrival date (latest first)

Lovely quiet campsite with spectacular views

Overall

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

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked The welcome on arrival was very friendly. We could pitch up wherever we wanted, so could maximise the spectacular sea views. The campsite was very quiet & peaceful. The toilets were nice & the showers were hot. The toilets were cleaned every morning whilst we were there. I would definitely recommend this campsite.

Disliked There was nothing to dislike.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Would defo be booking again

Overall

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

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked Amazing views and great facilities.walk out to south West coastal path straight from the site which was a bonus

Recommend to friends Visit again

Enjoyable stay

Overall

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

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked Gorgeous views, amazing warm showers, lots of families with young children for my kids to play with, nice walks directly off the campsite, walkable to local amenities, site was well maintained and bins not overflowing, toilets and showers cleaned regularly

Disliked Quite a slope but this is clearly stated in the information. Was a fair walk to the toilet / shower blocks if camping on the other side of the field.

Recommend to friends Visit again

A quiet site with the most incredible views Clean toilets and hot showers Helpful…

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
9
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
5
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
5
Maria O.

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked A quiet site with the most incredible views
Clean toilets and hot showers
Helpful staff

Disliked It would be good to have a charging point

Recommend to friends Visit again

Would definitely go again

Overall

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

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked Great view and nice, spacious site for room to play.
Showers were powerful and warm.

Recommend to friends Visit again

very nice campsite i will be back .

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
9
Value for money
8
Accommodation
8
Facilities / Activities
8
Customer service
7
Child friendliness
8
Cleanliness
9
Wifi
7
john m.

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked sea and town views . nice clean showers . good location .

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great location and reception, small improvements would make difference

Overall

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

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked The view from the campsite was superb and the location is great for Swanage.

The showers were always warm which we’ve not always had at bigger campsites. I think the numbers were just right too, never had to queue to use them.

The lady on reception was also really really helpful and friendly.

Disliked There was nowhere to freeze ice blocks which is important to us when camping and the website stated that there was. The lady on reception was really helpful with this, but it’s the one thing that might stop us going back as this is an important facility to us.

Sometimes the toilet roll was running low, we informed the site but it took a while for this to be replaced.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Such a tranquil spot over the sea

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
9
Facilities / Activities
9
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
9
Wifi
8
Kerry W.

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked Good size pitches.
Views. Peaceful site. Walk to the beach. Gorgeous walks from the campsite. View of the Castle and rolling hills. Enjoyed hearing the steam train occasionally too.
Clean toilets and showers- New this year. Cleaned every morning. Site was checked each morning. Reception staff were lovely.
Access to laundrette. Washing up facilities undercover with cold water-clean and accessible.
Basic site but we loved sites like this.
No electricity or WiFi but good 5g so teenagers were happy.
So peaceful here.
Hedges, trees and brushes to tuck in if weather looks windy or wet.

Disliked We knew before we came but no where for freezer blocks which we managed fine by buying bags of ice in town.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great location close to town with stunning views and good facilities

Overall

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

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked Nice welcome on arrival. Bathroom facilities were close by and brand new and kept very clean. Local coastal walks are excellent and it’s only a 15 minute walk into Swanage and it’s great pubs bars and restaurants. The campsite is quite hilly and you need a mallet and strong pegs to secure your tent. The views of the town, sea and hills are spectacular. We will definitely visit again soon.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent site

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
8
Anonymous

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked We camped and it was great we could choose our own patch lots of space and beautiful views toilets and showers are clean.

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

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

Peaceful Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise

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

Medium (26-50 sites)

Nearby leisure

Fishing nearby Golf nearby Indoor pool nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Tennis nearby Watersports nearby

Location

Swanage Coastal Park

Priestway

Swanage

Dorset

England

BH19 2RS

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

50.60644°N
1.97473°W

Nearest transport

Coach
1.1 km Bus Station
6.7 km East Street
6.7 km East Street
Rail
12.6 km Poole Rail Station
13.1 km Parkstone (Dorset) Rail Station
13.6 km Hamworthy Rail Station
Ferry
8.4 km Shell Bay Ferry Terminal
8.8 km Sandbanks Ferry Terminal
9.2 km Brownsea Island Ferry Landing
Airport
21.5 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

The park is high up above the waters of Swanage Bay, just under a mile from the shops, bars and restaurants in town. There are miles of safe and clean beaches in Swanage too, as well as an award-winning pier, amusement arcades, boat hire and access to the Jurassic Coast (Swanage is at its eastern end). To explore the coast from here, get aboard a heritage train trip on the Swanage Railway, steaming along to the riverside town of Wareham (home of Monkey World) via stops including Corfe Castle and the Isle of Purbeck’s Harman's Cross. If you’re up for hiking, explore by foot instead along a stage of the South West Coast Path, or take one of the shorter routes around the coast and the cliffs. The most strenuous hiking stretch around here is the run of 12 miles or so to Corfe Castle (fret not, you can get the train back); for a shorter or more kid-friendly amble, try the Durlston Country Park clifftop trail, around the comely coastal nature reserve. Also within easy day trip distance are Brownsea Island, Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door, Poole, Shell Bay, Sandbanks, Dorchester…

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Swanage Central 1.4 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Studland Knoll House 5.3 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Shell Bay North 8.2 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Poole Sandbanks Peninsular 9.5 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Poole Shore Road Beach 10.3 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Swanage Railway 1.1 km

Studland Beach and Nature Reserve 6 km

Corfe Castle 7 km

Brownsea Island 9.3 km

Dorset Cruises 14.1 km

National Trust

Studland Beach and Nature Reserve 4.6 km

Corfe Castle 6.8 km

Brownsea Island 9.1 km

White Mill 22.9 km

Kingston Lacy 23 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

Herston - Worth Matravers - Corfe 0.8 km

Swanage to Corfe Circular Walk 1.8 km

Durlston Castle Historic Landscape 1.9 km

Worth Matravers - Winspit - Dancing Ledge 4.5 km

Worth Matravers - Cliffs, Caves and Chapel 4.5 km

Local events

  • Dorset County Show (Saturday 6 September 2025 – Saturday 6 September 2025)

    Dorchester, England 34.3 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.

Nearest campgrounds

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable campgrounds.

Want to know more about camping in Dorset?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Swanage Coastal Park have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Swanage Coastal Park dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Swanage Coastal Park? The park is high up above the waters of Swanage Bay, just under a mile from the shops, bars and restaurants in town. There are miles of safe and clean beaches in … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Swanage Coastal Park?
    Camping and caravan
    Arrive:  noon –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Swanage Coastal Park? From $97.36 (for 2 nights, 6 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.