Holmsley Caravan and Camping Site

View prices & book 9.1 607 reviews
Non-electric grass pitch
Non-electric grass pitch
Tent nestled in the trees at holmsley
Tree lined pitches at holmsley
Caravan at holmsley
Campsite entrance and pathways
Forest view and grass pitches
External view of the bell tent
Camper at holmsley
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Tent nestled in the trees at holmsley
Tree lined pitches at holmsley
Caravan at holmsley

  • 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

Tent sites 346
Travel trailer sites 396
RV sites 396
Rent a tent 10
Open now
Opens April 1

Tourist board rating

Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • 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).
  • Bookings must not be for more than 21 consecutive nights.
  • Discount cards and gift vouchers cannot be applied to bookings made via Pitchup.com.
  • At least one of the party members must be aged 21 or over.
  • Minimum spacing of 6 metres between pitches.
  • Guests are advised to bring a good quality flashlight with them as parts of the park are unlit.
  • The charging of electric vehicles is not permitted on site.
  • 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 Tue, Apr 1 to

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

AA Holiday Centre
View all Camping in the New Forest parks.

Pitch types & availability

Accommodation

Tent sitesTravel trailer sitesRV sitesLodges, cabins, pods or hutsMobile homes for rentRent a tent
Choose your dates
2 adults
0 children
Other pitch types

Reviews

9.1

Overall rating from 607 Pitchup.com customers

  • 66%
    10
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    9
  • 23%
    8
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    7
  • 5%
    6
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    5
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    3
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    1
Location
 10
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 9
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 9
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 6
Forest

92% would recommend this site to a friend

89% would stay here again

What customers say

This large New Forest campsite has spacious pitches & direct forest access. Staff are friendly & helpful, facilities (showers) are clean, shop well-stocked. Great for families/dogs. Peaceful but can be busy. Some mention dated washrooms & occasional ground/noise issues at peak times.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 61
Arrival date (latest first)

Traumhafte Lage. Wandern, Radfahren: alles gut möglich. Und Wildpferde, die in unmittelbarer…

Overall

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

Primitive grass campsite

Liked Traumhafte Lage. Wandern, Radfahren: alles gut möglich. Und Wildpferde, die in unmittelbarer Umgebung grasen - fantastisch!

Recommend to friends Visit again

We loved our mini break and will definitely be returning in the future

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 8
Value for money
 7
Accommodation
 5
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 7
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 1
Anonymous

Primitive grass campsite

Liked Facilities were very clean and staff were very helpful.
The pizza was very tasty.
We could pick where we wanted to pitch up.
Shop was well priced and had all manner of things.

Disliked Ground was quite hard for the pegs as it’s an old air field, which goes with the territory. However, harder pegs can be found in the shop on site.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great campsite, lovely walks into the open forest.

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Natasha I.

Primitive grass campsite

Liked Loved the park/pitch wherever you like, we found a little space under some trees , which was perfect shade for the dogs.
The welcome staff (Dave) was super friendly and helpful with directions and information about site facilities.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Everything was exceptional

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
Sarah B.

Primitive grass campsite

Liked My kids loved the new park as we come every year and see the changes. The toilets and shower are always so clean and we live the woodland walks we spend pirs over the airfield.

Recommend to friends Visit again

The weather…

Overall

5 out of 10
Location
 5
Value for money
 4
Accommodation
 4
Facilities / Activities
 4
Customer service
 6
Child friendliness
 5
Cleanliness
 4
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Primitive cement/asphalt travel trailer campsite

Liked The weather

Disliked Should have done our homework! Didn't realise it was just open space on an old airfield.We booked hardstanding which we thought would be a numbered pitch but it was just an old patch of runway so no chance of pitching the awning without a jack hammer
Toilet block dated

Recommend to friends Visit again

Loved the site , very open ,excellent facilities. Peaceful and friendly…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
Catherine R.

Primitive grass campsite

Liked Loved the site , very open ,excellent facilities. Peaceful and friendly

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great location. Friendly staff. Delicious home made pizza!…

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 9
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 9
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 5
Loran H.

Primitive grass campsite

Liked Great location. Friendly staff. Delicious home made pizza!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Showers and toilets were clean…

Overall

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

Primitive grass campsite

Liked Showers and toilets were clean

Disliked I am writing to share my recent experience during our stay at your campsite, which unfortunately left us quite disappointed due to the conduct of a staff member at reception.

Upon our arrival, we checked in and began setting up our tent. Shortly after, a woman from reception approached us and informed us—rather abruptly—that our tent was too close to another, as tents must be at least 6 metres apart. This rule was not mentioned during check-in, and as first-time visitors, we were unaware. Nevertheless, we apologised politely and moved our tent without issue.

Later, after we had settled in, the same staff member returned and loudly instructed us to extinguish our barbecue. She claimed she had already told us this three times and even insisted we had visited the campsite the previous weekend, which is entirely untrue. Her tone was unnecessarily aggressive, which made us feel uncomfortable and unfairly treated.

We fully respect campsite rules and are always happy to comply, but we believe that respectful communication is essential—especially in hospitality. This interaction significantly impacted our experience, and we hope steps can be taken to ensure future guests are treated with more courtesy and professionalism.

Thank you for taking the time to consider our feedback.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Would recommend for everyone. Good toilet/shower block and large area

Overall

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

Primitive grass campsite

Liked Great location in the new forest
Big site
A park for the kids and shop/pizza place

Recommend to friends Visit again

Wonderful site, would stay again.

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 9
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 9
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 5
Cat D.

Primitive grass campsite

Liked Lovely, large site. A choice of where you pitch up, so if you go out for the day (we were in the van so couldnt leave anything) be aware you may not get the same spot. That didnt bother us in the slightest though - as it was fun to find a spot and broke up the holiday. Take away pizza for dinner and breakfast baps are lovely. Shop has necessities and staff are lovely. Gorgeous site, would definitely recommend.

Disliked Only dislike was the showers are all one temperature and quite hot. We got sunburnt (I know🙄) so that was a challenge.

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 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 2020201920182017
Highcliffe 6 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Christchurch Highcliffe Castle 6.3 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Christchurch Bay 6.7 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Christchurch Friar`S Cliff 7 km Estuary N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Christchurch Avon Beach 7.4 km Estuary N/AExcellentExcellentGood

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

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.

Nearest sites

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

Want to know more about camping in Dorset?

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.
    On-park accommodation
    Arrive:  3 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 $49.31 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.