The Red Lion

View prices & book 8.5 185 reviews
The site
The pub in the early morning sunlight
The red lion lit up at night
Winter sunrise over the campsite

  • Family-friendly campsite adjoining a Winfrith Newburgh pub in Dorset
  • A 10-minute drive to the Jurassic Coast, Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door
  • Showers and loos on site; delicious food and drink in The Red Lion pub
Set in the middle of lovely Dorset countryside and on the outskirts of the peaceful village of Winfrith Newburgh, The Red Lion is a family-run pub with a namesake campsite on the extensive field to its rear. There’s easy access by car to dump your gear at the spacious pitches – most are sheltered by mature trees – and modern facilities on-site include showers, mains water toilets and a washing-up area. The adjoining pub is open throughout the year: winter brings warming log fires while summer invites alfresco dining in the beer garden – and whenever you visit, you’re assured of a constant supply of delicious food as well as award-winning West Country ales and ciders. Luckily the site is dog-friendly as it’s a great base for soaking up Dorset’s rural vibe on quiet walks across the downs. If you’d like to spark up your barbecue while you’re there, there’s a small store in the village, otherwise do a bigger stock up in Dorchester (15 minutes).

Site type

Caravan sites 6
Tent sites 20
Motorhome sites 6
Open all year
Opens
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • Your dog must be tattooed or microchipped.
  • Bookings must not be for more than 28 consecutive nights.
  • Guests are advised to bring a good quality torch with them as parts of the campground/park are unlit.
  • Please note that the toilet/shower facilities are unisex.
  • 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

Reviews

  • 56%
    10
  • 3%
    9
  • 19%
    8
  • 1%
    7
  • 10%
    6
  • 0%
    5
  • 3%
    4
  • 0%
    3
  • 2%
    2
  • 1%
    1
Location
9
Value for money
9
Accommodation
9
Facilities / Activities
8
Customer service
9
Child friendliness
9
Cleanliness
9
Wifi
7

85% would recommend this site to a friend

83% would stay here again

What customers say

Great spot next to the Red Lion pub! Lovely staff, roomy pitches, close to Durdle Door. Pub grub gets a thumbs up. Facilities are clean but could do with a spruce-up. Road noise is a minor gripe. Good value for a handy break.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 19
Arrival date (latest first)

Lovely sized field with mixed touring and tents. Shower and toilet facilities…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
9
Value for money
10
Accommodation
8
Facilities / Activities
9
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
6
dawn h.

Unpowered grass site

Liked Lovely sized field with mixed touring and tents. Shower and toilet facilities were good, showers hot and all facilities very clean.
The pub was very good, food excellent and the staff couldn't have been better.
All round a great place to stay even though it's on the roadside, hardly noticed the traffic!
WiFi only available in the pub.
Well done to all the staff
Thank you

Recommend to friends Visit again

Hard standing, ehu, friendly staf, clean loos and showers…

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
7
Value for money
6
Accommodation
7
Facilities / Activities
7
Customer service
9
Child friendliness
7
Cleanliness
8
Wifi
6
Anonymous

Corner unpowered grass tent or motorhome site

Liked Hard standing, ehu, friendly staf, clean loos and showers

Disliked No food on Mondays but that's common in pubs

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great value for money, clean facilities

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
7
Anonymous

Unpowered grass site

Liked Quiet camp site with great little country pub on site. Toilets and showers all kept very clean. Would definitely stay here again and would recommend, great value for money

Recommend to friends Visit again

We liked the friendly atmosphere, very helpful staff, clean loos and showers,…

Overall

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

Unpowered grass site

Liked We liked the friendly atmosphere, very helpful staff, clean loos and showers, and the proximity of pub with good food and beer. This is a great place to stay if you want to go walking in beautiful Dorset, or visiting the many attractions nearby. It's nice to find a site that doesn't discriminate against people arriving in vans or on motorcycles.

Disliked There were no lights in the main toilets and showers (there was electricity to the buildings for heating the water!) and the number of toilets and showers was insufficient once the site became busy.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Clean and large pitches…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
3
Child friendliness
3
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
3
Joseph R.

Unpowered grass site

Liked Clean and large pitches

Disliked Lack of staff in pub

Recommend to friends Visit again

Nice small campsite…

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
7
Value for money
7
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
7
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
3
Gillian L.

Unpowered grass campervan or tent site

Liked Nice small campsite

Recommend to friends Visit again

Good location, friendly staff. Dilapidated facilities

Overall

4 out of 10
Location
7
Value for money
4
Accommodation
1
Facilities / Activities
1
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
5
Cleanliness
7
Wifi
1
Anonymous

Powered grass site

Liked The friendly staff

Disliked The facilities are dire. One small toilet and 2 showers for the touring side and 1 wash up sink for the whole site. They try to keep it clean but it’s so past it it’s almost impossible and don’t shower if anybody is in the toilet, other shower or washing up as the water goes freezing and hot about every 10 seconds. Used the toilets in the other field but both had broken lights so it was a very dark experience. Again kept reasonably clean just badly maintained. Pitch was almost impossible to hammer pegs in as was so rocky under the grass and there was old buckets and broken bits around the falling down brick shed we were pitched next to. It has potential but someone needs to put some finesse in. It’s not the cheapest site around for an electric hook up so was hoping for at least a tidy location.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Good facilities, easy checking in and nice pitch area. Friendly staff. Tasty…

Overall

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

Unpowered grass site

Liked Good facilities, easy checking in and nice pitch area. Friendly staff. Tasty food. Hiking distance to the South West Coast Path.

Disliked The showers/toilets didn’t have a mirror in the campsite area, and the food was a bit pricey.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent location and nice small campsite so nice and quiet .…

Overall

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

Powered grass site

Liked Excellent location and nice small campsite so nice and quiet . Would certainly book again if in the area.
Up to date showers/toilets which were well maintained and clean . Thank you for that
Friendly pub on the site .

Disliked Nothing I can think of.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great site for a weekend

Overall

7 out of 10
Location
8
Value for money
8
Accommodation
7
Facilities / Activities
5
Customer service
7
Child friendliness
5
Cleanliness
7
Wifi
No rating
Phae S.

Unpowered grass site

Liked Clean site, pub friendly, quiet on site good value for cost

Disliked Road was a bit noisy
Pitches were a bit close together - but maybe we were being fussy!

Recommend to friends Visit again


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 Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

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

Themes

Peaceful Spectacular scenery

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 Public transport nearby

Type

Medium (26-50 sites) Pub campground

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Restaurant nearby Watersports nearby

Location

The Red Lion

Winfrith Newburgh

Dorset

England

DT2 8LE

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

50.66708°N
2.2767°W

Nearest transport

Coach
12 km Red Lion
12 km Post Office
12.3 km South Station
Rail
4.2 km Wool Rail Station
4.6 km Moreton (Dorset) Rail Station
11.8 km Wareham Rail Station
Ferry
13.8 km Weymouth Ferry Terminal
20.6 km Poole Ferry Terminal
21.2 km Poole Quay Ferry Landing
Airport
33.7 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

You won’t have to wander very far afield to sample the best of Dorset attractions; The Red Lion is only 10 minutes’ drive from Man O’War Beach on the Jurassic Coast, the spectacular Durdle Door sea arch and romantic, almost circular Lulworth Cove. The kids will relish the chance to encounter the primates at Monkey World - Ape Rescue Centre (yes, also 10 minutes away), or see the nesting mute swans at Abbotsbury Swannery (40 minutes). Weymouth (25 minutes), its sandy beaches and Sea Life Adventure Park is also a good bet for keeping youngsters happy. Take the Dorset air as you scramble up to Osmington White Horse (15 minutes), cut into the limestone landscape in 1808, for views over the downs to the English Channel. There are more wonderful vistas to be had from hilltop Corfe Castle (also 15 minutes), and if any cobwebs still need blowing away, head to Chesil Beach (half an hour) for a blustery walk along the shingle.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Durdle Door East 5 km Sea N/AExcellentN/AExcellent
Durdle Door West 5 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Lulworth Cove 5.7 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Ringstead Bay 6.6 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Bowleaze Cove 10.8 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

The Tank Museum 3.9 km

Monkey World - Ape Rescue Centre 5.4 km

Lulworth Heritage Centre 5.7 km

Lulworth Castle & Park 5.7 km

Hardy's Birthplace 10.6 km

National Trust

Clouds Hill 5.9 km

Hardy's Cottage 10.6 km

Max Gate 11.3 km

Corfe Castle 15.8 km

White Mill 21.6 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

West Lulworth Circular 4.8 km

Lulworth and White Nothe Coastal Tour 5.4 km

South Down Car Park - White Horse Hill - Osmington - Osmington Mill - Ringstead - South Down CP 5.5 km

LULWORTH CASTLE 5.5 km

Clouds Hill - Moreton 5.6 km

Local events

  • Dorset County Show (Saturday, 6 September 2025 – Saturday, 6 September 2025)

    Dorchester, England 12.2 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.

Nearest sites

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

Want to know more about camping in Dorset?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does The Red Lion have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is The Red Lion dog friendly? No View all features
  • What attractions are near The Red Lion? You won’t have to wander very far afield to sample the best of Dorset attractions; The Red Lion is only 10 minutes’ drive from Man O’War Beach on the Jurassic Coast, the … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of The Red Lion?
    Camping and caravan
    Arrive:  3 p.m. –  9 p.m.
    Depart by:  10 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at The Red Lion? From $49.27 (for 1 night, 6 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.