Giants Head Caravan and Camping Park

View prices & book 8.9 56 reviews
View (added by manager 08 Aug 2022)
Grassy area for tents
Views
View from the park

  • Rural Dorset site eight miles from Dorchester and 16 from the coast
  • Treasure trails and countryside walks just steps away
  • Just over a mile from pubs, a tearoom and a shop in Cerne Abbas
Warning! A trip to ancient Cerne Abbas may leave you with a mammoth yearning never to leave: the Dorset village has been described as the ‘Britain’s most desirable village’ to live among the UK’s scenic many. It’s eight miles from Dorchester, within day-tripping distance of the Jurassic Coast and, most famously, is where the 180ft Cerne Abbas Giant doth dwell high up on the hillside. (Yes, the naughty giant with no sense of shyness.) Around a 40-minute stroll from Cerne Abbas is the mightily convenient Giants Head Caravan & Camping Park, a family- and dog-friendly site over three and a half acres with grassy pitches, immense views over the Dorset countryside and thumping good access to the best of Dorset. Countryside walks, as well as treasure trails, literally start within steps of the pitches: Giants Head has several planned walks straight from the park, and runs Treasure Trails Dorset directly from it so intrepid guests can pick up one or two of the 50+ trail packs and take off on the hunt for hidden gems. Sounds like a towering amount of fun… As befits its location, everything at Giants Head is kept nicely natural – think mature trees, hedgerows and trim lawns; and the level or gently sloping pitches are variously secluded, shady or open (there’s also a special tail-wagging area for campers with canines). All parts of the park are well-drained and a hard road leads to pitches. Amenities include showers, hand basins, laundry and washing-up areas; the park doesn’t have a shop, but a well-stocked village store, a tearoom and three pubs are in Cerne Abbas, a mile and a quarter away.

Site type

Tent sites 50
Caravan sites 50
Motorhome sites 50
Opens 11 April 2025

Tourist board rating

Please note
  • Group bookings of 4 or more units (e.g. tent, caravan, motorhome or accommodation hire) travelling together are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Group bookings of 10 or more adults are not permitted (couples and immediate family members excepted).
  • Single-sex bookings of 10 or more people (couples and immediate family members excepted) are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Commercial vehicles (vehicles used for work-related purposes, carrying goods or fare-paying passengers) and sign-written vehicles are not permitted on site.
  • Please note that there is a £0.20 charge for the use of a hairdryer (available in the ladies' only).

Languages spoken

English

German

Open from Fri, 11 Apr to

AA 3 pennants

Pitch types & availability

Reviews

91%

would recommend this site to a friend

84%

would stay here again

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Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

The perfect campsite for a quiet stay due to smaller size, and…

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

Powered grass site

Liked: The perfect campsite for a quiet stay due to smaller size, and it’s in an amazing area with places like Weymouth and Durdle door only 30 mins down the road!!!
Would/will come again
Really good for first time camping too

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: We are really pleased you had an enjoyable stay with us, we are a small site compared to some so we can offer a more personal service and make sure everyone has a great time. We are in a good position, in the middle of Dorset and only an hour at most to anywhere in the county. We look forward to seeing you agin soon.

toilets very old and great need of modernisation. Road busy and noisy.

Overall 6/10
Location 6
Value for money 6
Accommodation No rating
Facilities / Activities 4
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 6
Cleanliness 8
Wifi No rating
Lesley M. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass site

Liked: Convenient to beaches and good views.

Disliked: Toilets in need of modernisation and very small.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: We are really sorry you did not enjoy your stay with us. Fortunately you are in the monority. As I stated when you arrived, our toilets are a little dated and are going to be fully refurbished when we close the site this month.

Great

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

Unpowered grass site

Liked: Great site

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for your review, we are reaaly please dyou enjoiyed your stay with us. We hope to see you again soon.

Basic, functional and very clean/well maintained

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

Powered grass site

Liked: A lovely little site. If you're the sort of family that likes lots of amenities it's probably not for you, that's not a negative for the site, it suits us but there is nothing on the site for entertainment. If, like us, you simply require a site as a base and spend your days visiting local attractions, it's a great little site to visit. That said if your kids are able to play the old fashioned way, there's lots of open space.

Admittedly the facilities (toilet blocks etc) are a little dated, the owner openly admits this but they're kept spotlessly clean all day and are very functional. The showers have a button you press which gives you five minutes (which you can press again if this isn't enough) far better than those push tap type you keep having to constantly press the tap head every 45 seconds (which often are worn and don't last even that long), it's a lovely and an appreciated touch. There is a laundry with a washer, dryer and an iron (again older equipment but perfectly functional). It's not open, you have to go to the office for the key but this does helps prevent people abusing equipement.

The staff are friendly and very helpful and on site so no having to phone whenever there's a problem and wait for some to come from god knows how far. Some have mentioned the slopes, some are quite a slope and you'd have to pitch your tent accordingly, however, these do tend to be more sheltered from the winds. If like when we where there, there is a storm the top field can get very blustery (snapped poles blustery!).

At least for our stay (August) there's an ice cream van visits the site most evenings and bloody good value it is too and the site owner comes around once a week with a leaflet with times the van is coming for the following week. It's a lovely, quite site and all there where friendly and respectful of other people which was a great experience for us, no loud music blaring out all hours and even without a silly curfew time (which meant we could enjoy the fireworks in Weymouth without worry of being locked out) people arrived back quietly and respectfully.

It's a basic site but very functional, spotlessly clean with very helpful and friendly staff and you wake up to some beautiful views from the top of the field, what more do you want? Personally I have no problems recommending the site and if all goes to plan, we'll be regular visitors to the site on our annual pilgrimage to the wife's motherland on a yearly basis.

Disliked: Based on our stay this year we have nothing to whine about in any way, very happy customers.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you so much for your kind words, we are so pleased you all enjoyed your holiday with us. We are planning on refurbishing our toilet block when we close the site at the end of this season. We are also going to do some ground work to make the sloping area a little flatter. Hope you managed to dry your tent out ok ready for your break next weekend. Look forward to welcoming you back next year.

Showers and toilets were really clean. Caroline was friendly and helpful and nothing…

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

Powered grass site

Liked: Showers and toilets were really clean.
Caroline was friendly and helpful and nothing was too much trouble.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: We are pleased you enjoyed your stay with us, we just want everyone to have a great time and we are happy to help in anyway we can. Thank you Look forward to seeing you again soon.

Really friendly welcoming owner , great information pack, couldn’t do enough for…

Overall 8/10
Location 6
Value for money 6
Accommodation 6
Facilities / Activities 4
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 8
Wifi No rating
Kerri G. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass site

Liked: Really friendly welcoming owner , great information pack, couldn’t do enough for you, you only had to ask.
Facilities a bit dated but generally clean. Water was warm to hot.

Disliked: Showers could do with a lick of paint and some of the tourers on site could do with a good wash as make the site look unkept. Location for getting about good but site on main road with fast moving traffic and a little noisy.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: We're sorry you will not be coming back to us. We do try and make sure everyone has an enjoyable stay with us. I wasn't aware there was a problem with the water temperature as no one mentioned it, I'm really sorry it was not hot enough. We did go and check the main showers and the temprerature was still at its set 43 degree temperature. The additional showers in the toilet block can be altered to hotter then this. I will check to see where we need to paint, my guys must have missed the shower when they repainted last month. I agree that some of the caravans could do with a clean, unfortunately the weather has been so dreadful that the owners have not been able to come and clean them, but they will be here as soon as the sun comes out. The road can be busy at times, it is not even the main A road, it is a C road but the locals do tend to nip along rather than the main road through the village.

Excellent

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Robert P. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass site

Liked: Loved the people who own the site a lovely place great views

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for your kind words. We do try and make everyone feel welcome and has an enjoyable holiday with us. Look forward to seeing you again very soon.

Nice site with friendly helpful owners.

Overall 8/10
Location 10
Value for money 6
Accommodation 6
Facilities / Activities 6
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 8
Cleanliness 8
Wifi 4
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass site

Liked: Helpful and friendly welcome. The owner was prepared with extra wooden blocks to help with levelling. Lovely walk in to Cerne Abbas from the site.

Disliked: Unfortunately it was very waterlogged when we visited, so pitches were not the usual and it was a make do situation. It was all OK, still had ehu. The toilet/shower block is a bit tired and could do with being updated and improved. Otherwise it is a lovely site. You will need ramps for this site as many of the pitches are not level. The owner has wood blocks ready to help with levelling if needed.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for your review. We are prepared for all types of weather here but the amount of rain we have had recently has been unpresidented. When the weather is sunny and clear it is completely different here. I am sorry it was a little boggy where you were parked but at least you were both able to get in and out reasonably easily. I know some of my fellow site owners had to close their sites completely due to being waterlogged. I did email everyone offering to carry over all deposits to any future booking because of the weather, only three took me up on this offer. Our shower block is fairly recent but the refurb of our toilet block is hopefully going to be done over the next 18 months, weather permitting. Look forward to seeing you and your friends again in sunnier times.

Spectacular Views

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

Powered grass site

Liked: We like the site because it’s very friendly, the views over the valley are beautiful and the place has such a calm lade back atmosphere.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: We do try and make everyone feel comfortable, we do like to have the laid back feeling here, even when the site is busy during the summer holidays. We are only a small site so we can always be available to help if needed. The views over the Dorset countryside are wonderful, especially in the early morning with the deer roaming around. We look forward to seeing you again very soon.

Great quiet little site

Overall 10/10
Location 8
Value for money 10
Accommodation 6
Facilities / Activities 6
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 6
Andrew C. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass site

Liked: Great little site we were given a very warm welcome plenty of room for kids to run around and play extra bonus of an ice cream van visit which kids loved

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: So pleased you had a great holiday with us, we do keep the centre of the site free for the kids to run around and play. Jen's icecreams are lovely, and most kids and adults love them. Look forward to seeing you again soon.


Features

Leisure on site

Bar or club house 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

Bath available Car parking by site/unit Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Laundry 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

Themes

Budget/backpacker Peaceful Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise Wildlife haven

Utilities

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

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Convenience store nearby Dog walk nearby Nearby farmers' market

Type

Farm Medium (26-50 sites)

Accessibility

Disabled facilities

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horse riding nearby Indoor pool nearby Mountain biking nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Tennis nearby Watersports nearby

Location

Giants Head Caravan and Camping Park

Old Sherborne Road

Cerne Abbas

Dorchester

Dorset

England

DT2 7TR

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London GMT (GMT+00:00)

GPS

50.82454°N
-2.46272°W

Route directions

The site is situated on the Old Sherborne Road (C12), two miles north of Cerne Abbas and eight miles from Dorchester. From Dorchester Bypass Follow the A37, fork right onto the A352 Sherborne Road, through Charminster. After 500 yds take a right-hand turn signposted Charlton Down. At the T-junction go right past Forston Clinic; at the next T-junction go left onto the Old Sherborne Road. Giants Head is 5 miles from here. From Dorchester At the Top O Town Roundabout take the Sherborne Road. After 500 yds go right at the large petrol station. The shop Lidl will be on your right. Giants Head is 8 miles from here along this road. From Sherborne Take the A352 to Dorchester. At Middlemarsh take the left fork off of the A352; the road is signposted 'Dorchester Alternative Route'. Giants Head is 3 miles from here. From Cerne Abbas Take the road through the village passing the village stores on your left towards Buckland Newton.

Nearest transport

Coach
13 km South Station
14.5 km Greenhill
14.6 km Coldharbour
Rail
9 km Maiden Newton Rail Station
9 km Chetnole Rail Station
11.1 km Yetminster Rail Station
Ferry
24.1 km Weymouth Ferry Terminal
35.5 km Poole Ferry Terminal
35.9 km Poole Quay Ferry Landing
Airport
44.8 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

If you have giggling kids along with you – and even if you don’t – a trip to the well-endowed and world-famed Cerne Abbas Giant is most visitors’ first stop, if only to buy a postcard (it’s been noted that postcards of the Giant are the only images of a naked man that can be sent via the Post Office). The man himself is now tended by the National Trust, which has a waymarked circular trail around the site from Cerne Abbas village. Dorchester is an excellent early stop for urbanites and heritage-heads: here you’ll find history-dedicated days out as varied as the Dinosaur Museum, Dorchester Museum, Teddy Bear Museum, Tutankhamen Exhibition and the Roman Amphitheatre; take the Durnovaria Town Walk for an outdoorsy overview of the city’s main sights. Thomas Hardy’s Cottage is at Dorchester too and the literary can book into their schedule the Thomas Hardy Trail, a six-mile circular walk within the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Elsewhere around the area, take the enormous amount of things to see and do in your stride: from castles to dinosaurs, theme parks to heritage railways and historic houses to tank museums, the coast to countryside have whopping opps for days out (and in; dash to Dorchester’s West Dorset Leisure Centre on a rainy day when the kids need to let off steam). Historic houses and gardens like Kingston Lacy, Athelhampton House and Minterne House and Gardens should suit the sedately inclined, while the less sedate (hello kids) will no doubt prefer chattering at the likes of Monkey World in Wareham, Adventure Wonderland at Christchurch or Sea Life near Weymouth. Both sorts should have a tanking good time at Bovington’s Tank Museum, the second biggest collection of armoured vehicles on the planet. Head for the coast, half an hour's drive away, to fossil hunt or take a guided fossil tour at Lyme Regis or Charmouth; soak up sun and sights at seaside towns such as Weymouth, Swanage and Christchurch; float on a boat to the Channel Islands or potter around glorious Poole Harbour and epically beaut Brownsea Island, also managed by the National Trust. The award-winning Swanage Railway is a gently relaxed way to see some of the sights of Dorset (including Famous Five inspiration Corfe Castle) and holds regular events including driving experiences and special days for children.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Bowleaze Cove 21.1 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Weymouth Lodmoor 22.1 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Ringstead Bay 22.9 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Hive 23.2 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Weymouth Central 23.4 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Hardy's Birthplace 11.7 km

Mapperton House & Gardens 17.5 km

Abbotsbury Swannery 20.8 km

The Tank Museum 21.1 km

Weymouth Sea Life Park and Marine Sanctuary 22.1 km

National Trust

Hardy's Cottage 11.7 km

Max Gate 13.2 km

Clouds Hill 19 km

Montacute House 22.6 km

Tintinhull Garden 24.2 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

MINTERNE 1.8 km

Beneath The Feet Of Cerne's Giant 2 km

Piddlehinton - Buck Hill - Piddletrenthide - Piddlehinton 6.6 km

CHANTMARLE 8.6 km

BINGHAM'S MELCOMBE 9.8 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 Giants Head Caravan and Camping Park have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Giants Head Caravan and Camping Park dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Giants Head Caravan and Camping Park? If you have giggling kids along with you – and even if you don’t – a trip to the well-endowed and world-famed Cerne Abbas Giant is most visitors’ first stop, if only … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Giants Head Caravan and Camping Park?
    Camping and caravan
    Arrive:  noon –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  noon
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Giants Head Caravan and Camping Park? From $49.41 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.