Haywards Bridge Farm
No availability at present on Pitchup.com 
- Wild camping on the banks of the River Stour in Shillingstone
- A 10-minute drive to Blandford Forum; half an hour to Poole
- Access to the North Dorset Trailway; village pub a 15-minute walk
What did you get up to during the lockdowns of 2020? The folk at Haywards Bridge Farm had rather a busy time of it – they started up a sustainable veg and pick-your-own project at their scenic rural Dorset location… and then, as if that wasn’t enough, they opened up a small campsite too.
All of this is part of an 8.5-acre rural farm on the banks of the River Stour, with views across the water to Hambledon Hill in the north and Shillingstone railway station (a non-functioning station closed in 1966 but now open with a tasty little café) to the south.
This is a handy spot indeed for many reasons: it’s easily accessed by road (via the A357) and on foot (via the North Dorset Trailway, by the site), with a small supermarket just over the road and Shillingstone’s village pub and playground a 15-minute stroll away. Longer walks along the trailway will take you out into the nearby Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty for more scenic views or visits to Blandford Forum, five miles away.
All efforts have been made to keep this site as sustainable as possible, so it’s all about wild camping here. There’s only a handful of pitches, all right on the riverbank to max out on the views, and guests will have access to toilet facilities but no showers (in fact, there’s no running water so you’ll need to bring drinking water with you). Being an easygoing kind of place, campfires and barbecues are allowed and dogs are welcome as long as they’re kept on a lead.
Site type
3
This park has no on-site shower facilities.
Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.- The campground/park does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Breed-specific legislation (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.
- Guests under the age of 4 are not allowed on site.
- At least one of the party members must be aged 18 or over.
- Guests are advised to bring a good quality flashlight with them as parts of the park are unlit.
- There are no garbage cans onsite: all garbage will need to be taken home with you.
- Please note that the toilet facilities are unisex.
Languages spoken
Czech
English
Polish
Italian
Pitch types & availability
No availability at present on Pitchup.com
Choose your dates and we'll email when available.
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Adults onlyReviews
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Features
Portable toilet
Pop-up campground
Dogs allowed
Adults only
Campfires allowed
Leisure on park
Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Playground Recreation room/arcade TV room Takeout Tennis WatersportsAmenities on park
Bath available Car parking by site/unit Composting toilet 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 WifiGroups welcome
Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcomeRules
Adults only Barbecue grills allowed Barbecue provided Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all yearThemes
Hikers’ paradise Peaceful Spectacular scenery Wild camping Wildlife havenUtilities
Charging facilities Dump station Electric car charging point(s) No drinkable water point No hot water No running water Propane/gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energyNearby amenities
Bar nearby Convenience store nearby Dog walk nearbyType
Farm Pop-up campground Tiny (1-10 sites)Nearby leisure
Canoeing/kayaking nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Mountain biking nearbyLocation
Haywards Bridge Farm
Haywards Lane
Shillingstone
Blandford Forum
Dorset
England
DT11 0QY
Directions Timezone
Europe/London +0100 (GMT+01:00)
GPS
50.90628°N
-2.2524°W
Nearest transport
Coach11.7 km The Town Hall
11.7 km The Town Hall
13.1 km Virginia Ash
Rail14.3 km Gillingham (Dorset) Rail Station
15.7 km Templecombe Rail Station
18.8 km Sherborne Rail Station
Ferry28.6 km Poole Ferry Terminal
28.7 km Poole Quay Ferry Landing
32 km Brownsea Island Ferry Landing
Airport32.9 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
Keep it local to start with by popping into Shillingstone Station, where the café and museum are open a few days per week and you can see the work that a group of volunteers are putting in to bringing the heritage railway back to life.
Only a little further away are hill walks to the Iron Age fort on Hambledon Hill or Bulbarrow Hill, or cycling exploits at Okeford Hill Bike Park. All are within an hour and a half’s amble. You may also like to walk down to Blandford Forum in a little under two hours to visit the Fashion Museum and take a tour of the Hall & Woodhouse brewery (you can also drive in 10 minutes if you prefer…)
Looking a little further afield, how about meeting the residents of Monkey World (half an hour’s drive), admiring the physique of the Cerne Giant (25 minutes), picking up a boat trip to Brownsea Island from Poole (half an hour) or hitting the sands of Weymouth (45 minutes)?
Water quality at nearby bathing waters
| Name | Distance | Type | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poole Harbour Rockley Sands | 25.6 km | Estuary | N/A | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Poole Harbour Lake | 26.7 km | Estuary | N/A | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Ringstead Bay | 31.4 km | Sea | N/A | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Durdle Door East | 31.6 km | Sea | N/A | Excellent | N/A | Excellent |
| Durdle Door West | 31.7 km | Sea | N/A | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
Data source: European Environment Agency
Must see
Kingston Lacy House and Gardens 18.5 km
Hardy's Birthplace 21.9 km
Stourhead House and Garden 22.8 km
Monkey World - Ape Rescue Centre 23.4 km
The Tank Museum 23.5 km
National Trust
White Mill 17.5 km
Kingston Lacy 18.8 km
Clouds Hill 21 km
Hardy's Cottage 21.9 km
Stourhead 22.6 km
Cycle routes
Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.
Other
Child Okeford - Wessex Ridgeway - Shillingstone 1.4 km
Fiddleford Manor - Hammoon - Child Okeford - Fiddleford 2.7 km
Fiddleford Mill - Sturminster Newton - Fiddleford 2.7 km
Hod Hill Fort - Iwerne Minster - Hambledon Hill - Coombe Bottom 3 km
RANSTON 4.1 km
Local events
- Dorset County Show (Saturday, September 6, 2025 – Saturday, September 6, 2025)
Dorchester, England 23.8 km
- Glastonbury Festival (Wednesday, June 25, 2025 – Wednesday, June 25, 2025)
Glastonbury, England 36.6 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.
Policies
Booking terms and conditions
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Offers
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Nearest sites
Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.
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Frequently asked questions
- Does Haywards Bridge Farm have a swimming pool? No View all features
- Is Haywards Bridge Farm dog friendly? Yes View all features
- What attractions are near Haywards Bridge Farm? Keep it local to start with by popping into Shillingstone Station, where the café and museum are open a few days per week and you can see the work that a group … Read more
- When can I check in and check out of Haywards Bridge Farm?
Read moreRV, travel trailer and tent sites Arrive: noon – 7:30 p.m. Depart by: noon