Holmsley Caravan and Camping Site

View prices & book Last booked one hour ago 8.6 149 reviews

New Forest family campsite 20 minutes’ drive from Bournemouth beaches
A 15-minute drive to Christchurch, Barton on Sea and Highcliffe Castle
Grass pitches on a former airfield with direct access to walking paths

This is a gorgeous location, with pitches on open grassland and surrounded by the ancient ancient trees of the New Forest National Park… and it’s got an intriguing past too. Holmsley Caravan and Camping Site has brought new life to a former World War II airfield and turned it into a splendid woodland base for family camping adventures. Grass pitches here are tucked away among the trees or out in open fields, with spectacular forest views in all directions. When you’re ready to explore, there are miles of stunning way-marked tracks and footpaths leading directly from the site, while cyclists can access National Forest Ride from Holmsley car park (15 minutes by bike) and stop off at a pub in pretty Brockenhurst (half an hour) in the middle of the forest. As well as giving access to the forest, Holmsley is also well placed for excursions to the coastline of Dorset and Hampshire. Bournemouth (20 minutes’ drive) beckons with its sandy beaches, seaside walks await at Barton on Sea and you can look out over the waves from Highcliffe Castle. While maintaining a back-to-nature vibe, Holmsley is well set up when it comes to essential facilities, with electric hook-ups and full toilet, shower and washing amenities all on hand. There’s also a store selling camping essentials and food basics for the self-caterers among you, plus a takeaway service for days when you've worn yourselves out too much to contemplate cooking.

Site type

346

396

Open now

Tourist board rating

Please note

Admission

At least one of the party members must be aged 21 or over.
Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.

General

Discount cards and gift vouchers cannot be applied to bookings made via Pitchup.com.

Dogs

The park does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Breed-specific legislation (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).

Please do not feed, pet or approach the animals in and around the campsite; they may look friendly but are unpredictable and can bite and kick. Please keep all food sealed and out of reach of the ponies.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Thu, Mar 26 to Sat, Oct 31 2026

This site is a member of Camping in the New Forest group.

View all Camping in the New Forest parks.

Pitch types & availability

Primitive grass campsite

6 people maximum

Ground type: Grass

Pitch size: Max 9m width × 9m depth (81m²)

6 people maximum

One Roof tent or Travel trailer or Class B motorhome or Motorhome or Tent or Trailer tent allowed per pitch

Additional units require additional pitches - quick book via 'Make another booking like this' after making your booking.

Pitch size

Max 9m width × 9m depth (81m²)

Ground type

Grass

Suitable for

Roof tent, Travel trailer, Class B motorhome, Motorhome, Tent, Trailer tent

Twin-axle vehicles accepted

Features

Bring a gazebo 0 included, 1 max.

Bring an awning 0 included, 1 max.

Bring a shelter tent 0 included, 1 max.

Car 1 included, 2 max.

Dog(s) allowed 3 included, 3 max.

Car parking by site/unit

Extras

1st child is free (1 max)		-£3 (-£3) per night
1st two children are free (2 max)		-£3 (-£3) per night
Annexe for Awning (max unlimited)		£3 (£3) per night
Bring a gazebo (1 max)		£10 (£10) per night
Bring a pup tent Free (1 max)		£0 (£0) per stay
Bring an awning (1 max)		£3 (£3) per night
Dog Free (3 max)		£0 (£0) per night
Extra car (1 max)		£7.50 (£7.50) per night
Storage tent (1 max)		£3 (£3) per night
Trailer (1 max)		£3 (£3) per night

You will be able to choose extras on the booking page.

Arrival days

From £28.60 (£28.60) 1 night, 2 adults

View prices & book

Reviews

53%
10
13%
9
19%
8
2%
7
4%
6
0%
5
0%
4
0%
3
2%
2
4%
1

Location		9
Value for money		9
Accommodation		9
Facilities / Activities		9
Customer service		9
Child friendliness		9
Cleanliness		9
Wifi		6

84% would stay here again

What customers say

This large campsite offers beautiful New Forest scenery, abundant open space, and wildlife viewing. Campers appreciate the friendly staff, clean facilities, and well-stocked shop. Flexible pitching is a big plus! Some mention occasional noise, hard ground, and hot showers. Great for families and nature enthusiasts.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews. Last updated 2026-08-04

Filter by topic

Reviews page 1 of 15

Arrival date (latest first)

A place I would be very happy to return

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

Aug 2026 Anonymous

Primitive grass campsite

Liked I liked the ease of check in, the warm welcome and clear instructions about the rules. During our stay we felt safe, the facilities were decent. The campsite was quite busy when I stayed, everything ran smoothly. In the evening, after 10pm somehow everyone respected the quiet time, which was pleasant. The showers, toilets, kitchen facilities were clean. The shop had decent prices and abundant supply if I compare with other camp sites.

Disliked All sinks in the bathroom and kithen did not have the option to mix the temperature of the water.

Recommend to friends Visit again

great time

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

Aug 2026 kristin m. 1 review

Primitive grass campsite

Liked Very good site and was lovely to be welcomed by the team at the entrance

Recommend to friends Visit again

Overall a great site

Overall 10 out of 10
Location		10
Value for money		8
Facilities / Activities		8
Customer service		10
Child friendliness		10
Cleanliness		10
Wifi		1

Aug 2026 Lump D. 1 review

Primitive grass campsite

Liked Location, respect of evening quiet times

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great playground for the children and…

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

Aug 2026 Rebecca W. 1 review

Primitive grass campsite

Liked Great playground for the children and ability to camp in whichever space you want to (non electric).
Great facilities

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great Family Campsite

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

Aug 2026 Michelle P. 11 reviews

Primitive grass campsite

Liked Great family Campsite lots going on
It is very big but you can park anywhere on your allocated fields

Disliked Campsite was a bit big for us we usually go for the smaller, quieter ones. But great for families and groups
Did not use the facilities as had our own

Recommend to friends Visit again

Second time at this campsite and will use again.

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

Aug 2026 paul t. 1 review

Primitive grass campsite

Liked Very open with plenty of room for the van and awning, didn't feel encroached on by any one. Shower and toilet block very clean. excellent walking in the forest close by with the dogs. very clean and tidy.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Would stay again 100%

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

Aug 2026 Kurtis W. 1 review

Primitive grass campsite

Liked Very happy with our stay

Recommend to friends Visit again

Valley of the horses

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

Jul 2026 Sam B. 2 reviews

Primitive grass campsite

Liked Wonderful bit of land,
I loved the space and walks around the site are fantastic !
The campsite facilities were very clean and maintained to high standards.
Staff very helpful and friendly :) thank you

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Could find a private little clearing…

Overall 9 out of 10
Location		10
Value for money		10
Facilities / Activities		8
Customer service		10
Child friendliness		10
Cleanliness		8
Wifi		2

Jul 2026 Gemma C. 1 review

Primitive grass campsite

Liked Could find a private little clearing for campervan that felt a little more wild
So many wild ponies around
Toilets were great
Kids were super safe on bikes
Local attractions on door step and beautiful cycle paths from the campsite

Disliked Couldn’t get signal unless right next to shop but a small issue as too much to do to be on phones anyway
Could do with family shower

Recommend to friends Visit again

Will definitely be returning as soon as I can

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

Jul 2026 Catharine B. 9 reviews

Primitive grass campsite

Liked This visit was a return overnight stay. I felt very welcomed on arrival and the pitch was absolutely perfect for my circumstances. A shady spot near to facilities as I had a three legged dog with me! The glade was so peaceful and I sat and watched butterflies, dragonflies and birds, with a surprise deer sighting.
The site was immaculate, all the staff were very friendly and the shop was very well stocked. Dog friendly and plenty of options for walking. The phone chargers were a lifeline!

Disliked Nithing to dislike

Recommend to friends Visit again

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/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 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 Rallies welcome Scouts welcome Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue grills allowed Barbecue provided Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Utilities

Charging facilities Dump station Electric car charging point(s) Propane/gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby

Type

Very large (over 200 sites)

Accessibility

Bathrooms: Wheelchair accessible shower Bathrooms: Wheelchair accessible toilet Smooth, hard roads e.g. tarmac Uneven terrain; gravel or loose mud

Nearby leisure

Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Horseback riding nearby

Touring and motorhomes

Motorhome service point Seasonal sites

Location

Holmsley Caravan and Camping Site

Forest Road

Christchurch

Dorset

England

BH23 7EQ

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

50.79085°N
1.69527°W

Nearest transport

Coach

5.2 km Post Office

5.2 km Bradbeers

Rail

4.5 km Hinton Admiral Rail Station

4.7 km New Milton Rail Station

6.1 km Sway Rail Station

Ferry

8.1 km Mudeford Quay Ferry Landing

8.5 km Hengistbury Head Ferry Landing

9.1 km Christchurch Quay Ferry Landing

Airport

9.8 km Bournemouth International Airport

29.5 km Southampton 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 outdoor activities of the New Forest National Park are well documented – come along here and you’ll have access to all sorts of walking and bike trails (including some leading directly from the site). There are also several riding centres nearby offering lessons and forest trail rides, or you could go fishing at Orchard Lakes (10 minutes’ drive). Staying here on the southern side of the national park also means easy access to the coast – including the long sandy stretch in Bournemouth (also a handy place for rainy-day attractions like the Oceanarium) and wilder areas like Hengistbury Head (both 20 minutes’ drive). Seafront Highcliffe Castle (15 minutes) is a fabulous place to visit, or you could pick up the Solent Way trail in Barton on Sea (15 minutes) for a long walk through a lovely nature reserve. On the way home, how about something totally different? Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum (10 minutes) is likely to enthral anyone with an interest in engines, and is well worth a visit to see the 500 rare bikes from around the world.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name	Distance	Type	2020	2019	2018	2017
Highcliffe	6 km	Sea	N/A	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
Christchurch Highcliffe Castle	6.3 km	Sea	N/A	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
Christchurch Bay	6.7 km	Sea	N/A	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
Christchurch Friar`S Cliff	7 km	Estuary	N/A	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
Christchurch Avon Beach	7.4 km	Estuary	N/A	Excellent	Excellent	Good

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Highcliffe Castle 6 km

Adventure Wonderland 10.7 km

Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway 12.4 km

The Bournemouth Balloon 14.7 km

Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum 14.8 km

National Trust

The Needles Old Battery and New Battery 16.6 km

Brownsea Island 21.7 km

Newtown Old Town Hall 22.2 km

Kingston Lacy 23.8 km

Studland Beach and Nature Reserve 24.3 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

Burbush Hill - Dur Hill - Whitten Pond - (New Forest) 3 km

AVON TYRRELL 3.1 km

The Naked Man - New Forest 4 km

RHINEFIELD HOUSE 6.8 km

Rhinefield Ornamental Drive - Blackwater Arboretum 8.4 km

Local events

Southampton Boat Show (Friday, September 18, 2026 – Friday, September 18, 2026)
Southampton, England 23.5 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

Admission

Admission is only permitted after registering at reception.
At least one of the party members must be aged 21 or over.

Safety

Barbecues are permitted but must be raised off the ground and attended by an adult at all times.

Changes to your holiday

Bookings cannot be amended within 7 day(s) of arrival.

General

Bookings must not be for more than 21 consecutive nights.
Discount cards and gift vouchers cannot be applied to bookings made via Pitchup.com.

Dogs

Dogs must be kept on leashes and supervised at all times.

Safety

Firearms are not permitted.
Guests are advised to bring a good quality flashlight with them as parts of the park are unlit.

General

In the event of a complaint, please speak to reception immediately. Complaints which are not brought to the management's attention during your stay cannot be dealt with once you have left the site.

Arrivals and departures

Late arrivals must notify the park as soon as possible. Your booking will be held for 24 hours. After this period the management reserves the right to relet your unit.

Sites

Minimum spacing of 6 metres between pitches.

Extras

Motorcycle(s) can be brought instead of the car(s) included.

Arrivals and departures

No refunds/discounts for inclement weather, late arrivals or early departures.

Vehicles

No vehicle movement between 10 p.m. and 7:30 a.m..
Only one car is to be parked at the site. Extra vehicles must be parked in the designated area.

Safety

Open fires are prohibited.
Please do not touch or feed the animals.

General

Quiet hours must be respected between 10 p.m. and 7:30 a.m..

Vehicles

The charging of electric vehicles is not permitted on site.

General

The management reserves the right to deny access or terminate the stay of those guests whose behavior is deemed unsuitable. No refunds will be offered.

Dogs

The park does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Breed-specific legislation (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).

General

The park is not liable for any refund in the event of force majeure.

Admission

Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.

Arrivals and departures

Units will be allocated on arrival.

Visitors

Visitors must leave the premises by 10 p.m..
Visitors must register at reception and pay their fee.

Sites

You must follow management instructions when setting up your tent/rig and related equipment.

Additional terms

In support of the New Forest Action Plan, we are asking campers not to bring disposable barbecues for their stay. We are also reminding campers that outside of our sites, no barbecues of any kind are now allowed anywhere in the New Forest.

No sleeping in cars, vans or any other unconverted vehicle. When staying overnight in converted vehicles, the following criteria must be met: have a fixed/purpose built bed with mattress, living space, uninterrupted, all-weather ventilation (opening windows or doors does not qualify); include drop-out vents if a gas system is installed;
emergency exit/entry from the living compartment through front, side or rear windows; have adequate privacy.

Payment terms

Frequently asked questions

Does Holmsley Caravan and Camping Site have a swimming pool? No View all features
Is Holmsley Caravan and Camping Site dog friendly? Yes View all features
What attractions are near Holmsley Caravan and Camping Site? The outdoor activities of the New Forest National Park are well documented – come along here and you’ll have access to all sorts of walking and bike trails (including some leading directly … Read more
When can I check in and check out of Holmsley Caravan and Camping Site?

RV, travel trailer and tent sites

Arrive: 1 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Depart by: 11 a.m.

Read more
How much does it cost to stay at Holmsley Caravan and Camping Site? From $53.86 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.

Version: alfred@v4.57.123+96112

Arrive:	1 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Depart by:	11 a.m.

RV, travel trailer and tent sites
Arrive:	1 p.m. –	8 p.m.
Depart by:	11 a.m.

Admission

General

Dogs

No availability here for your search criteria

Pitch types & availability

What customers say

A place I would be very happy to return

Overall

great time

Overall

Overall a great site

Overall

Great playground for the children and…

Overall

Great Family Campsite

Overall

Second time at this campsite and will use again.

Overall

Would stay again 100%

Overall

Valley of the horses

Overall

Could find a private little clearing…

Overall

Will definitely be returning as soon as I can

Overall

Leisure on park

Amenities on park

Groups welcome

Rules

Utilities

Nearby amenities

Type

Accessibility

Nearby leisure

Touring and motorhomes

Timezone

GPS

Nearest transport

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Must see

National Trust

Cycle routes

Other

Local events

Want to know more about camping in Dorset?

Frequently asked questions