Walesby Forest

View prices & book 8.5 295 reviews
Kayak at the site
Swimming pool
The lake
Exterior of kemp lodge

  • Adventurous site set in 250 acres of woodland and other rural scenery
  • A mile from Walesby village and 35 minutes' drive from Lincoln
  • On-site bar and shop; over 40 leisure activities on land and water
If you're looking to alternate between relaxing in 250 acres of Robin Hood country and a whole host of adventurous activities for guests over the age of four, seek out a spot at Walesby Forest in leafy Nottinghamshire. The vast range of leisure activities here should help even those averse to alfresco exercise get moving, with popular options including watersports, climbing, archery and rifle shooting. A friendly team of dedicated instructors is on hand to make sure all that outdoor action takes place in a safe, low-pressure environment. The programme is updated daily, with a flexible play and pay policy to keep it all affordable. Time to swap sporty sessions for a bit of downtime? Take your pick from drinks or snacks at the bar, a poolside snooze or rambles through the site's wild woodland areas, where all sorts of animals can be spotted. Angling fans may find it similarly peaceful to take advantage of the free river Maun fishing opportunities available on site. When it comes to food, there's a handy catering barn (which, with advance notice, can sort meals for guests with special dietary requirements), plus a small shop that stocks plenty of sweet treats and souvenirs. If you'd rather step out for dinner, make your way into Walesby (a mile away), where two popular establishments are all set to serve up pub-cooked food. While there may not be a playground on site, there are 250 acres of space for ball games and adventures.

Site type

Motorhome pitches 4
Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 4
Tent pitches 218
Touring caravan pitches 64
Open all year
Opens
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • Your dog must be tattooed or microchipped.
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Facilities/activities including adventure activities are subject to extra charges payable on arrival.
  • The outdoor swimming pool is open between 02/05 and 31/08 (subject to weather conditions).
  • The restaurant is open between 29/03 and 31/10.
  • Entertainment and activities are available between 29/03 and 31/10.
  • The site caters for families (immediate members) and couples only - bookings from all other forms of groups are not accepted.
  • Discount cards and gift vouchers cannot be applied to bookings made via Pitchup.com.
  • Reception is unmanned after 5:30 p.m.. Please inform the site while on your way there should you expect to arrive after this time, so that the team can provide information about your unit/pitch.
  • A cable measuring at least 20 metres is needed for the electric hook-ups.
  • The bar is open between 29/03 and 31/10.
  • Guests are advised to bring a good quality torch with them as parts of the site are unlit.
  • No naked flames are allowed inside the hired accommodation units.
  • Swimming in the lake is not allowed.
  • If reception is closed on arrival: please contact the number provided on your booking confirmation.
  • Fires, barbecues and/or firepits will not be permitted in dry, windy and/or hot weather conditions.
  • The charging of electric vehicles is not permitted on site.

Languages spoken

English

Pitch types & availability

Other pitch types

Reviews

  • 48%
    10
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    9
  • 32%
    8
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    7
  • 12%
    6
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    5
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    4
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87% would recommend this site to a friend

84% would stay here again

Reviews page 1 of 30
Arrival date (latest first)

The space we had on the pitches for our tents was great…

Overall 9/10

Location
10
Value for money
8
Accommodation
8
Facilities / Activities
8
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
7
Wifi
8
Michelle S. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Electric optional grass pitch (no pets)

Liked The space we had on the pitches for our tents was great . The activity’s for the kids were great for the price Aswel .

Disliked Toilets and showers wasn’t very clean

Recommend to friends Visit again

Activities facilities and the space!…

Overall 10/10

Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
5
Christopher V. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass pitch (no pets)

Liked Activities facilities and the space!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Secluded camping in the "wild camping" area - no neighbours! Amazing activities for…

Overall 8/10

Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
9
Facilities / Activities
8
Customer service
9
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
6
Wifi
No rating
Tom A. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass pitch (no pets, wild)

Liked Secluded camping in the "wild camping" area - no neighbours!
Amazing activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Friendly staff.

Disliked Food in the onsite bar was expensive for what is was.

Recommend to friends Visit again

I emailed ahead of time to ask for a pitch near to…

Overall 10/10

Location
8
Value for money
9
Accommodation
9
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
No rating
Daniel O. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass pitch (no pets)

Liked I emailed ahead of time to ask for a pitch near to the amenity block to accommodate a disability and they were very helpful.

We pitched in A block and it was lovely and flat, not too far from the main areas of the site. I was worried about all the rain we’ve had recently but the field was absolutely fine.

Despite all the reviews about the toilets being dirty we didn’t have this issue. The toilet block looked recently refurbished and the pot wash had hot water which was nice not to have to pay for.

Welcome was fantastic. Pitches were identified with a little coloured tuft sticking out the ground and a plate with the pitch number. I was definitely overthinking it, but it wasn’t clear if the marker was the middle of the pitch or a certain corner. I was worried I was encroaching onto another pitch but I’m not sure it was actually an issue because of how much space there was.

Disliked The activity wristband times don’t match up with arrival and departure times. So by the time you are allowed the arrive the session has already started and similarly it continues beyond the time you have to have left by. Not a problem if you are staying multiple nights but you lose out a little for a one night stay.

Recommend to friends Visit again

The site is an excellent option for families. There is plenty to…

Overall 9/10

Location
9
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
9
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
4
Shane B. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass pitch (no pets, wild)

Liked The site is an excellent option for families. There is plenty to do around the site and it is decently priced too! There are also several toilet blocks around the site so you don’t have to travel too far, however it would be better if all of these have electric as the one near us didn’t. The site is well managed and is kept clean. Overall this is a very good site to stay at and we will definitely be returning here again in the near future!

Disliked Some toilet blocks didn’t have electric or lighting at night. Would be better if the WiFi was extended around the site as the signal here is terrible!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Good size pitches, adequate bathroom facilities, warm, organised, friendly welcome.…

Overall 8/10

Location
10
Value for money
8
Accommodation
8
Facilities / Activities
7
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
No rating
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass pitch (large, no pets)

Liked Good size pitches, adequate bathroom facilities, warm, organised, friendly welcome.

Recommend to friends Visit again

No staff visibility and interaction and cleanliness of site showers.

Overall 2/10

Location
8
Value for money
3
Accommodation
6
Facilities / Activities
1
Customer service
1
Child friendliness
1
Cleanliness
1
Wifi
1
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Electric optional grass pitch (no pets)

Liked Tent plots large. Activities for the children if you can get on them and lots fields for the kids to explore on their bikes. Local town for food.

Disliked The electric kept tripping so our fridge kept going off for periods. We did then have a full power cut due to a local tree coming down on a line, but we was already experiencing power cuts on site prior. No staff present around site to talk to about this, we was lucky as we had gas aswell as electric but some had no gas so was unable to make food or drinks, so help was offered from site staff. A lot had to go off site and spend money so they could eat. This is an added cost whet you have already taken food and budgeted for the stay. I understand you can’t help a power cut external to the site but the problems were happening prior to that.
The activities seem good for the price, but only good if you can get on anything, eyes huge and kids hardly going on anything. They then have a lunch break where all staff close activities. You have to go with your child if you also want to ensure they don’t get pushed back to the back of the Que due to other adults pushing in front and staff allowing this. So if you have older children and want to relax that’s out! Showers are dirty not cleaned, never any toilet roll (which I expect some sites say take own) but I’ve never been to showers that were so dirty.

Recommend to friends Visit again

campsite is big, staff are nice but power supply lose all the credit.

Overall 4/10

Location
10
Value for money
1
Accommodation
6
Facilities / Activities
7
Customer service
5
Child friendliness
7
Cleanliness
4
Wifi
1
Lai Man M. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Electric optional grass pitch (large, no pets)

Liked the campsite is big with many different facilities and the location is good and easy to get supply from local stores.

Disliked the electric hook up pitch is big but the power supply is very poor and unstable. We could not use our electrical appliances for cooking or hair dry nor anything. we paid for the electricity but didn't get what we suppose to have. very disappointed. complaint email been sent to the site manager but get no response. won't recommend to friends if they are going to use electric pitch.

Recommend to friends Visit again

The area is very clean and nice and the employees friendly and…

Overall 8/10

Location
8
Value for money
8
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
5
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
6
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
2
Andreea B. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Parker Lodge 7 bedroom bunkhouse

Liked The area is very clean and nice and the employees friendly and welcoming

Disliked Not a lot to do with the kids, though the options were plenty unfortunately they are mostly closed on certain days

Recommend to friends Visit again

Nice site, with lots of great facilities for the kids.

Overall 6/10

Location
10
Value for money
7
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
5
Wifi
No rating
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Electric optional grass pitch (no pets)

Liked Spacious campsite with lots going on,

Disliked Toilets & showers on the dirty side,
Sadly we wet on site when they had a power cut therefore was without power, no hot showers available etc.

Recommend to friends Visit again


Features

Leisure on site

Bar or club house Covered terrace area 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

Baby-changing facilities Bath available Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Launderette Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

D. of E. welcome Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Rallies welcome Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

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

Camping 2.0

Jumbo tent pitches

Themes

Forest Peaceful Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise Wild camping Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Chemical disposal Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Nearby farmers' market Shop nearby

Type

Very large (over 200 pitches)

Accessibility

Accessible parking at pitch Bathrooms: Large spacious shower Bathrooms: Large spacious toilet Bathrooms: Step-free access Bathrooms: Wheelchair accessible shower Bathrooms: Wheelchair accessible toilet Bathrooms: Wide doorways (over 30 inches/75cm) Level site, no steep slopes Smooth, hard roads e.g. tarmac Step-free or level access

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Leisure/theme park nearby Mountain biking nearby Outdoor pool nearby Watersports nearby

Location

Walesby Forest

Brake Road

Newark

Nottinghamshire

England

NG22 9NG

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

53.22455°N
-0.99979°W

Nearest transport

Coach
10.3 km Hetts Lane
10.4 km Bingo Hall
11.5 km Bus Station
Rail
10.6 km Retford Low Level Rail Station
10.7 km Retford Rail Station
12.7 km Worksop Rail Station
Airport
28.5 km Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport
29.1 km Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport
31.8 km Sheffield City 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

With its tales of Robin Hood, ancient oaks, country houses and lush leafy landscape, Sherwood Forest has something to keep most sorts content. Clumber Park (15 minutes' drive) has long avenues of limes and open heath to stroll through, while over by the Major Oak (10 minutes) you can get acquainted with one of the area's stand-out trees before setting out on several waymarked hiking routes (maps available at the visitor centre next door). Similarly close to base is Go Ape Sherwood (10 minutes), where a medley of segways and zipwires nicely complement any on-site activities you've got up to during your stay. Kids not quite old enough for that kind of activity? Fear not, as families with younger members will find plenty of age-appropriate entertainment at Wheelgate Waterpark (15 minutes) or Sundown Adventureland (20 minutes). Spending time in town is also doable here, as Walesby Forest is just over half an hour from Lincoln's castle, cathedral and urban arboretum. Meanwhile, over in Newark (30 minutes), there's Civil War heritage, antiques shops and weekly markets in a handsome Georgian square, plus hovercraft tours if you fancy something a little different.

Must see

Sherwood Forest Country Park 4.9 km

Mansfield Museum 16.1 km

Bolsover Castle 19.6 km

Hardwick Hall 20.8 km

Hardwick Old Hall 21.5 km

National Trust

Clumber Park 6.5 km

Mr Straw's House 12.6 km

The Workhouse, Southwell 16.5 km

Hardwick Hall 21.5 km

Hardwick Estate: Stainsby Mill 21.5 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

Bothamsall - Robin Hood's Cave - Walesby - Bothamsall 3.1 km

THORESBY PARK 3.1 km

The Major Oak and Sherwood Forest 4.9 km

The Major Oak - Sherwood Forest - Edwinstowe 4.9 km

Clumber and Surrounding Forests - Robin Hood Way 6.2 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 pitch type section for details

Nearest sites

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

Want to know more about camping in Nottinghamshire?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Walesby Forest have a swimming pool? Yes View all features
  • Is Walesby Forest dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Walesby Forest? With its tales of Robin Hood, ancient oaks, country houses and lush leafy landscape, Sherwood Forest has something to keep most sorts content. Clumber Park (15 minutes' drive) has long avenues of … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Walesby Forest?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  10 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  10 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.

    Please call the duty manager on the number provided if you are running late.

    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Walesby Forest? From €21.14 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.