Down to Earth Camping

1 review
Wild Pitch "Ash"
Wild pitch "ash"
Smaller wild pitch suitable for 1-3 person tents
Yurt set in its own private space with benches and stone firepit
Green views all around
Wild pitch "sycamore"
Several small tents can fit on the large wild pitch
The den four-metre yurt
Space for several small tents on the large pitch
1/31

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  • Almost-wild camping at a small family-run Co. Antrim site
  • Carrickfergus Castle and Gobbins Cliff Path within 15 minutes' drive
  • Firepit and communal shelter on site; farm shop half an hour's walk
Wild camping isn’t legally allowed in Northern Ireland, but here’s the next best thing: almost-wild pitches at a small family-run campsite in a scenic Antrim valley. Come along to Down to Earth Camping and you’ll be staying amid 14 acres of wild nature, with forest walks and beehives on site and chickens and ducks to meet. Yes, you’ll be within the boundaries of an approved campsite, but the vibe is very much ‘wild camping’ in style – you’ll park your car in the car park and carry your kit up to the wild pitches, which are designed for smaller tents and those who don’t require too much stuff to be comfortable. Being ‘almost-wild' means that there are in fact a few facilities provided here – guests have access to nicely done compost toilets (but no showers) and there’s a firepit on each pitch so you can have a campfire. A covered communal area also has space for a campfire or barbecue, and is a good place to have a chat with fellow guests. A half-hour walk along quiet roads from the site takes you to the local village of Gleno, which is home to some splendid waterfalls as well as a café and farm shop where you can pick up some bits for a meal back at base. For other needs you’ll want to head into Larne (10 minutes’ drive), which has a good choice of shops and places to eat.

Campground type

Tent sites 3
Rent a tent 1
Opens

Languages spoken

English

Nearby campgrounds that are bookable on Pitchup.com

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable campgrounds.

Features

No dogs allowed

Pop-up campground

Campfires 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 Local produce 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 No dogs allowed

Themes

Budget/backpacker Bush Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery 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 Dog walk nearby

Type

Pop-up campground Tiny (1-10 sites)

Accessibility

Disabled facilities

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Indoor pool nearby Restaurant nearby

Touring and motorhomes

Seasonal sites

Location

Down to Earth Camping

32 Ballyhone Road

Glenoe

Larne

Co. Antrim

Northern Ireland

BT40 3LL

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London GMT (GMT+00:00)

GPS

54.78972°N
-5.80073°W

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

Attractions and activities nearby include: - Carrickfergus Castle: 10 minutes' drive - Gobbins Cliff Path: 15 minutes - Kilcoan Gardens: 15 minutes - Blackcave Tunnel And The Devil's Churn: 15 minutes - Browns Bay beach: 20 minutes - Ballygally beach: 20 minutes - Carnfunnock Country Park: 20 minutes - Belfast: half an hour.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Brown`S Bay 7.4 km Sea GoodGoodGoodGood
Ballygally 12.7 km Sea GoodGoodGoodGood
Helen`S Bay 13.6 km Sea ExcellentExcellentExcellentExcellent
Crawfordsburn 14.1 km Sea ExcellentGoodGoodGood
Ballyholme 16.9 km Sea N/AN/AN/APoor

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Belfast Castle 18.7 km

Belfast City Hall 23 km

Harland And Wolff Shipyard 23.3 km

Grand Opera House 23.7 km

National Trust

Patterson's Spade Mill 18.5 km

The Crown Bar 23.3 km

Mount Stewart House, Garden and Temple of the Winds 29 km

Rowallane Garden 38.1 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

LARNE LOUGH ISLANDS (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 01/01/1998) 4.1 km

BELFAST LOUGH (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 10/10/2003) 17.5 km

PORTMORE LOUGH (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 19/08/2002) 40.2 km

A Walk North from Portpatrick 44.1 km

A Walk South from Portpatrick 44.1 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.

Offers

Conditions apply - see site type section for details

Reviews

10

Overall rating based on one review View breakdown

100%

would recommend this campground to a friend

100%

would stay here again

Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

Friendly, fun and off the beaten track

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 8
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 2
Claire W. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

The Den yurt

Liked: We loved down to earth camping', such a unique experience. It was well thought out and had enough amenities to help us out when required.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Down to Earth Camping have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Down to Earth Camping dog friendly? No View all features
  • What attractions are near Down to Earth Camping? Attractions and activities nearby include: - Carrickfergus Castle: 10 minutes' drive - Gobbins Cliff Path: 15 minutes - Kilcoan Gardens: 15 minutes - Blackcave Tunnel And The Devil's Churn: 15 minutes - … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Down to Earth Camping?
    Camping and caravan
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  9 p.m.
    Depart by:  1 p.m.
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  9 p.m.
    Depart by:  1 p.m.
    Read more