Swanage Coastal Park

8.9 70 reviews
Pitches with views
Pitches with views
The view from the park
Views of the purbeck countryside from the camping field
The view of swanage bay
The camping field with sea views
The view of swanage bay from the park
Sea views from the informal camping field
The camping field
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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.
  • 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.

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Reviews

8.9

Overall rating from 70 Pitchup.com customers

  • 57%
    10
  • 10%
    9
  • 18%
    8
  • 2%
    7
  • 8%
    6
  • 0%
    5
  • 2%
    4
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    3
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    2
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    1
Location
 10
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 8
Facilities / Activities
 7
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 9
Cleanliness
 8
Wifi
 5
Spectacular sceneryPeaceful

86% would recommend this campground to a friend

84% 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 7
Arrival date (latest first)

We stayed for two nights and…

Overall

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

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked We stayed for two nights and had a great time, the camping site is very close to town but at the same time far enough to be quite and peaceful.

Disliked Nothing.

Recommend to friends Visit again

What a beautiful quiet location

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 7
Value for money
 8
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 1
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 8
Wifi
 1
Diane P.

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked The views
The peace and quiet
The company
Watching the sunrise and sunset on the same hill

Disliked The walk to the toilet block
The taps in the toilet block were difficult to turn off and pressure was high so there was flooding on the floor.
There was no temperature control on the showers. OK for me but a lady had a baby and it was too hot
Could do with a shop on site for bits and bobs
Need bigger refuse bins. They were overflowing and seagulls helping themselves

Recommend to friends Visit again

The fantastic view and quiet atmosphere. Very…

Overall

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

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked The fantastic view and quiet atmosphere.
Very friendly lady on reception

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great views, ideal location close to…

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 8
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 7
Wifi
 5
Graham d.

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked Great views, ideal location close to Swanage

Disliked Cleaning the toilet block took 5mins in the morning, so could be kept cleaner.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Beautiful views…

Overall

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

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked Beautiful views

Disliked Toilet and shower facilities were very basic and not too clean.
Service less than other campsites but price was the same

Recommend to friends Visit again

Views of Swanage and Coast Pitchup anywhere…

Overall

6 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 7
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 2
Customer service
 5
Child friendliness
 2
Cleanliness
 4
Wifi
 1
Matt J.

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked Views of Swanage and Coast
Pitchup anywhere in the field
5min drive into Swanage

Disliked Strong winds every night
Toilet facilities are small compared to other campsites.
Few flat areas to pitchup, most of the site is on a gradient.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Enjoyable weekend

Overall

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

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked View from camp site
Hot showers
Friendly staff

Disliked Sleeping on a slope

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great place to stay with views and a good price!

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 5
Customer service
 No rating
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 7
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked Love how you could pitch up anywhere and choose the best view for you. Showers were nice and hot! Very close to the beach and a nice walk to town!

Disliked Would be nice if the showers had a body wash/shampoo combination included. Family shower rooms would be better as an additional asthe shower are not so big if you are showering kids! Shower/Bathrooms were not the cleanest, a rubber mat would be good to run through the toilets/showers to prevent muddy floors.

Recommend to friends Visit again

The view.…

Overall

4 out of 10
Location
 6
Value for money
 No rating
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 1
Customer service
 No rating
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 2
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked The view.

Disliked Everything else shower block was filthy, nothing at all on the site, ground is quarry land so you need lots of floor padding.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Swanage Coastal Park was the perfect…

Overall

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

Unpowered grass tent site (overflow, sloping)

Liked Swanage Coastal Park was the perfect location to explore the area. Walks from your doorstep, 25 minute walk into the lovely Swanage (maybe a bit more on the way back as it's uphill :p ), and driveable to beautiful areas like Lulworth cove.

The staff were very friendly and happy to help where they could.

We camped at the top of this hill - wow, what a view - and if you don't mind being on a slight hill - it was perfect! Lots of space to find a pitch that suits you best.

Showers were lovely, and toilets were always regularly checked.

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 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.

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