When can I check in and check out of The Hare and Hounds?

RV, travel trailer and tent sites Arrive: noon – Anytime Depart by: 11 a.m. Read more

The Hare and Hounds

8.6 68 reviews

Level grass campsite (added by manager 08 Sep 2022)

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Family-centric camping paddock at a country pub near Colchester, Essex
Five minutes’ drive to Colchester Zoo; 20 minutes to West Mersea beach
Bar and restaurant adjoining the site; shops 10 minutes’ drive

With a two-acre grass paddock overlooking heather and wild flowers on Layer Breton Heath, The Hare and Hounds offers a group-friendly, dog-friendly and family-friendly – in fact just very friendly – rural camping retreat near Colchester, Essex. With the added bonus of your very own local pub thrown in… Yes, book a stay here and you can spend the night under canvas safe in the knowledge that you’ll have all the amenities of an award-winning pub and restaurant on your doorstep. Although you’ll have to create your own breakfasts and go self-catering on Mondays, the pub is open and serving food for the rest of the week – and takeaways are on the menu too if you’d prefer to eat back at your pitch. Barbecues are permitted on site (pick up bits from supermarkets in Tiptree, 10 minutes’ drive), so you shouldn't starve on days when the pub’s closed. Apart from the siren call of the pub and a decent pint, facilities in the camping field are pretty minimal. Recycling is available, as well as ice-pack freezing to keep your food fresh. Please note there’s no running water on site, but the pub toilets are available for use by campsite guests.

Site type

Languages spoken

English

Features

Dogs allowed

Leisure on park

Bar or club house

Cycle hire

Evening entertainment

Fishing

Fitness centre

Indoor swimming pool

Kids' club

On-site restaurant

On-site restaurant/cafe

Outdoor swimming pool

Playground

Recreation room/arcade

TV room

Takeout

Tennis

Watersports

Amenities on park

Bath available

Car parking by site/unit

Composting toilet

Disabled facilities

Dog park

Drying room

Free wifi

Grocery store

Ice pack freezing

Internet access

Laundromat

Parent & baby washroom

Payphone

Pick-up from public transport

Portable toilet

Pub toilets

Restrooms

Shower available

Washing-up area

Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly

Motorcycle friendly

Single-sex groups welcome

Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue grills allowed

Barbecue provided

Campfires allowed

Commercial vehicles allowed

Dogs allowed

Dogs allowed all year

Themes

Budget/backpacker

Hikers’ paradise

Peaceful

Remote location

Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities

Dump station

Electric car charging point(s)

No hot water

Propane/gas cylinders available

Recycling available

Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby

Dog walk nearby

Public transportation nearby

Type

Pub campground

Small (11-25 sites)

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby

Fishing nearby

Golf nearby

Horseback riding nearby

Restaurant nearby

Sailing nearby

Location

The Hare and Hounds

Crayes Green

Layer Breton

Colchester

Essex

England

CO2 0PN

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London GMT (GMT+00:00)

GPS

51.83396°N
0.82212°W

Nearest transport

Coach

8 km Stanwell Street

9.5 km Valley Road

Rail

5.9 km Marks Tey Rail Station

8.2 km Colchester Town Rail Station

8.3 km Kelvedon Rail Station

Ferry

14.2 km Point Clear Ferry Landing

14.3 km Brightlingsea Ferry Landing

23.3 km Burnham on Crouch Ferry Landing

Airport

30.6 km London Southend Airport

39.2 km London Stansted 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

Now, resist the urge to stay in the pub all day… Kids with you? Colchester Zoo (five minutes’ drive) will easily entertain youngsters for the day, thanks to its animal encounters and mini-train rides. Jimmy's Farm and Wildlife Park (35 minutes) is another corker for families, as it's packed with kids’ activities at the petting farm. Get out and about in the fresh air with a trip to the sand-and-shingle beach at West Mersea (20 minutes’ drive) for paddling and swimming. Up the activity ante with kitesurfing off Clacton beach (40 minutes), or have a giggle on the inflatable floating climbing course at Curve Water Sports (40 minutes). For more sedate days out in nature, take your binoculars to the Essex Wildlife Trust’s Abberton Reservoir Nature Discovery Park (five minutes) to spot all manner of wading birds, or see if you can catch sight of hen harriers or plovers at Blackwater Estuary National Nature Reserve (25 minutes). Head for Dedham (25 minutes) to see equine paintings in The Munnings Art Museum, and abandon the car in Flatford and Constable Country (half an hour) for strolls along the River Stour to Flatford Mill, made famous by John Constable’s painting ‘The Haywain’.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name	Distance	Type	2020	2019	2018	2017
West Mersea	10.3 km	Sea	N/A	Good	N/A	N/A
Brightlingsea	13.3 km	Estuary	N/A	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
Jaywick	21.1 km	Sea	N/A	Good	Good	Good
Clacton Beach Martello Tower	22.7 km	Sea	N/A	Good	Good	Good
Clacton	24.4 km	Sea	N/A	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Colchester Zoo 3.4 km

Colchester Castle Museum 8.3 km

firstsite 8.3 km

East Anglian Railway Museum 11 km

RHS Garden Hyde Hall 25.2 km

National Trust

Bourne Mill 7.8 km

Coggeshall Grange Barn 10.1 km

Paycocke's 10.6 km

Thorington Hall 17.9 km

Flatford: Bridge Cottage 19.4 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

Layer Breton - Layer Marney - Birch - Layer Breton 0.4 km

LAYER MARNEY TOWER 2.1 km

Friday Wood - Abberton - Malting Green - Layer de la Haye - Roman River - Friday Wood 4.5 km

Marks Tey - Copford - Copford Green - Easthorpe - Marks Tey 5.8 km

Marks Tey - Copford - Heckford Bridge - Easthorpe - Marks Tey 5.9 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.

Reviews

would recommend this site to a friend

would stay here again

58%
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1

Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

Very well looked after

Overall	10/10
Location	10
Value for money	10
Accommodation	No rating
Facilities / Activities	No rating
Customer service	No rating
Child friendliness	No rating
Cleanliness	No rating
Wifi	No rating

Anonymous Jan 2023

Powered grass travel trailer campsite

Liked: What a lovely warm friendly pub, will be coming back 😀😀😀😀

Recommend to friends Visit again

There was ‘room at the inn’ on a chilly winters night

Overall	10/10
Location	10
Value for money	10
Accommodation	No rating
Facilities / Activities	No rating
Customer service	10
Child friendliness	No rating
Cleanliness	No rating
Wifi	No rating

Anonymous Dec 2022

Powered grass travel trailer campsite

Liked: We arrived in the dark , the grass pitches were wet ( we were concerned we might get stuck as there had been heavy rain the day before ) so we were told we could stay in the car park ( this worked out really well) We had a meal in the pub restaurant, the young waiting staff were brilliant and the food was sublime. The pub had a great “ country inn”busy, cosy and warm vibe . We would definitely stay again

Recommend to friends Visit again

Very nice no nose land lard very easy to talk to,…

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

Leslie Alan B. Oct 2022

Primitive grass travel trailer campsite

Liked: Very nice no nose land lard very easy to talk to,

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely country position. Very quiet and peaceful. Landlord helpful. Had a spacious…

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

Anonymous Oct 2022

Powered grass travel trailer campsite

Liked: Lovely country position. Very quiet and peaceful. Landlord helpful. Had a spacious pitch. Picturesque country pub with good beer and a new refurbished restaurant.

Recommend to friends Visit again

good site to stop off at great food in the pub

Overall	10/10
Location	10
Value for money	10
Accommodation	No rating
Facilities / Activities	No rating
Customer service	10
Child friendliness	10
Cleanliness	10
Wifi	No rating

Fred h. Sep 2022

Powered grass travel trailer campsite

Liked: we loved staying at this site very friendly staff and customers and very dog friendly very good food and service great for dog walks as woods and fields just over the road need to update electric but ok My plenty of room in field behind pub for tents and motorhomes there are two porta toilets and you can use a shower and toilet in the outside letting room or use the pub so all good

Disliked: nothing - all good

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great time away whether alone or with kids, also dog friendly

Overall	10/10
Location	10
Value for money	10
Accommodation	10
Facilities / Activities	10
Customer service	10
Child friendliness	10
Cleanliness	10
Wifi	10

Sarah B. Sep 2022

Primitive grass travel trailer campsite

Liked: Everything was great, location, service, pub very clean toilet/shower also portable loos on field would definitely recommend and will definitely be booking there again, 😀

Recommend to friends Visit again

Friendly staff, clean basic facilities

Overall	8/10
Location	8
Value for money	8
Accommodation	8
Facilities / Activities	6
Customer service	8
Child friendliness	No rating
Cleanliness	8
Wifi	No rating

Pat F. Sep 2022

Primitive grass travel trailer campsite

Liked: Friendly staff in pub

Disliked: Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Friendly staff, loved the chickens and nice location, will certainly book again…

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

Anonymous Sep 2022

Primitive grass travel trailer campsite

Liked: Friendly staff, loved the chickens and nice location, will certainly book again

Recommend to friends Visit again

Everything, we had a wonderful stay! Will definitely be coming back, we…

Overall	10/10
Location	10
Value for money	10
Accommodation	10
Facilities / Activities	4
Customer service	8
Child friendliness	6
Cleanliness	8
Wifi	6

Hannah N. Aug 2022

Primitive grass travel trailer campsite

Liked: Everything, we had a wonderful stay! Will definitely be coming back, we also had a lovely meal in the pub. Thoroughly enjoyed!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Very friendly and helpful owner and staff. I arrived late and they…

Overall	10/10
Location	10
Value for money	10
Accommodation	10
Facilities / Activities	8
Customer service	10
Child friendliness	No rating
Cleanliness	10
Wifi	6

Andrew M. Sep 2022

Primitive grass travel trailer campsite

Liked: Very friendly and helpful owner and staff. I arrived late and they assisted with pitching the tent in the dark (torch and providing light with car headlights). Pitched up in a field behind the pub.Portaloo toilets. Showers being renovated to a good standard. Good value for money. Good array of real ale on tap at the pub. Also offer breakfast. No issues with reception being closed as it is run by the pub.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Does The Hare and Hounds have a swimming pool? No View all features
Is The Hare and Hounds dog friendly? Yes View all features
What attractions are near The Hare and Hounds? Now, resist the urge to stay in the pub all day… Kids with you? Colchester Zoo (five minutes’ drive) will easily entertain youngsters for the day, thanks to its animal encounters and … Read more
When can I check in and check out of The Hare and Hounds?

RV, travel trailer and tent sites

Arrive: noon – Anytime

Depart by: 11 a.m.

Read more