Wild Oak Woods

View prices & book 9.9 16 reviews
Aerial shot of Wild Oak Woods
Jessie surrounded by trees
Daisy on the edge of the woods
Hut exterior

  • Eco-friendly Dumfries and Galloway campsite surrounded by woodland
  • Sandyhills Bay Beach 15 minutes’ walk; RSPB Mersehead 10 minutes drive
  • Small communal kitchen and covered cooking shelter in a wildlife haven
It’s often a quandary – a forest holiday or a beach break? Luckily you’ll have no such issues at Wild Oak Woods, a tiny Dumfries and Galloway campsite on a 54-acre woodland wildlife reserve and only 15 minutes’ walk from Sandyhills Bay Beach. Run on eco-friendly lines to keep its carbon footprint as low as possible, the campsite is tucked among the trees in a hidden valley. If you want the chance to see wildlife up close, keep your eye out for deer grazing, squirrels collecting nuts, red kites hunting over the meadow and (fingers crossed) badgers on their nightly food hunt. Campfires are not allowed (you’re in the middle of the trees, remember), but there’s space for a barbecue next to each pitch – the site owners can lend you a bucket barbecue and would appreciate you using their own home-produced eco-charcoal. If you’re not into alfresco grilling, there’s a covered shelter for you to cook under (bring your own stove please), with a circle of logs nearby for eating outside on balmy days. In addition, you have use of a small kitchen in the facilities block, with a fridge, gas cooker, kettle, pots, pans and so on… plus a compact eating area with table and chairs. When the weather is good, move outside to the ‘sitooutery’, a pleasant spot for dining with woodland views.

Site type

Tent sites 1
Motorhome sites 1
Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 4
Open now
Opens 4 January
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • The campground/park does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dog Act (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).
  • Commercial vehicles (vehicles used for work-related purposes, carrying goods or fare-paying passengers) and sign-written vehicles are not permitted on site.
  • Guests must bring their own duvets, pillows, sheets and towels when staying in rental accommodation. You will not be allowed to stay if you do not bring these items.
  • Fires, barbecues and/or firepits will not be permitted in dry, windy and/or hot weather conditions.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Sat, 4 Jan 2025 to

Pitch types & availability

Other pitch types

Reviews

94%

would recommend this site to a friend

94%

would stay here again

  • 93%
    10
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Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

The Cabin was tucked in a sheltered Valley surrounded by mature trees…

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

Jessie 1 bedroom cabin

Liked: The Cabin was tucked in a sheltered Valley surrounded by mature trees with loads of wild life on your doorstep. A short distance from the beach and a 10 minute car journey to neighbouring towns. (The Anchor pub in nearby Kippford is a must for lunch or dinner) Loads of trails to walk nearby. The Cabins are cosy with the log burner on. We had a great time with our 2 year old grandson.

Disliked: JJ's chip shop in nearby Southerness.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Facilities were excellent. Kitchen was well equipped and very clean. Toilet was…

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

Unpowered concrete slab campervan site (small)

Liked: Facilities were excellent. Kitchen was well equipped and very clean. Toilet was also very clean. Site was very quiet and in a lovely location.

Disliked: The campervan pitch is very uneven and not level. There was also a bad smell of a dead animal near the toilet, though we appreciate the owner of the site had tried to identify and remove this it was still lingering while we were there.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: We are what we are and we are not what we are not.
We aren't a normal touring caravan site and this booking came about due to an error on the Pitch up site which I had not spotted. We usually have a two night minimum stay but decided to honour your booking as the mix up was a technical glitch and not at all your error.
What we are is a tiny little site in a haven for wildlife and unfortunately wildlife sometimes means wild dead and this unfortunate creature had inconveniently died in the vacinity of the facilities block leaving a vague smell for a short period of time which we can only apologise for. We offer a unique opportunity for people to encounter wildlife up close and personal but totally get this is not the sort of encounter most people would relish.
With regard to the campervan spot not being level, its not. We are a tiny site in a hidden valley with granite hills surrounding and all our land is sloping due to closely underlying bedrock, We never intended to cater for campervans but in Covid we added this one space as people had no where to go and people loved it so much we have retained it because not everyone can afford to stay with us in one of our camping huts and we strongly believe in providing affordable opportunities for people to experience our stunning site in the beautiful Stewartry National Scenic area.
Since your review I have tried to alter the name on the Pitch up listing to slightly sloping campervan spot, lets hope I can achieve that to save any future upset. I can only apologise for not making it clear to you at the time of booking that the spot is slightly sloping, I've got so used to campervans carrying chocks to level up and with the initial confusion around this booking I've clearly neglected to mention that you do need chocks in that space to level up.
Please excuse the long winded reply and thankyou for your feedback and dropping our overall rating to 9.9 as I always feel that straight 10 ratings seem a bit false, you have made our site ratings look more real and reminded me to emphasis the need for chocks. To sum up this has been my error in accepting this booking because we are not a normal touring caravan site we are a tiny little haven in a hidden valley surrounded by hills, trees and wild life where you can be at one with nature and people that are looking for such an experience love it here and I always say people looking for a normal site might not be happy here and for which I can only apologise.

Perfect spot, some great places to visit nearby

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

Unpowered concrete slab campervan site (small)

Liked: Everything x

Disliked: Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Welcoming, friendly and really helpful…no WiFi or internet but that what I…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 8
Accommodation 8
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 2
Kelly D. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Daisy Hut cabin

Liked: Welcoming, friendly and really helpful…no WiFi or internet but that what I was wanting lovely deer park next door and beach

Recommend to friends Visit again

Super quiet- could only hear natural sounds, well organised, very clean, plush…

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
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Daisy Hut cabin

Liked: Super quiet- could only hear natural sounds, well organised, very clean, plush toilet, very helpful owner.

Disliked: I couldn't get phone reception on site, but I could if I walked down the road for 5 minutes.

Recommend to friends Visit again

lovely location and very clean accommodation !

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

Millie 1 bedroom cabin (rustic)

Liked: Lovely eco-friendly accommodation. Everything needed for a relaxing break. Location fantastic. Quiet and less than 10 min walk from a long and beautiful beach. Would definitely recommend and return without question.Welcome and helpful host Elizabeth.We would definitely go back

Disliked: nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Clean, tranquil, and relaxing.

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

Unpowered concrete slab campervan site (small)

Liked: We loved this place. It was the bank holiday weekend and we struggled to find anywhere to stop. All we could find in the area was this tiny site in the middle of a forest - not really what I was looking for (or so I thought) but beggars can’t be choosers. A drive up the long track through the woods brought us out into a clearing containing a few cabins, a small utilities block, and little else. Just trees. Ferns. Wild plants. More trees. And sky.
It was absolute bliss. Couldn’t hear any road noise, just trees in the breeze, and the songs of birds. So peaceful and calm.
So far so good, but the clincher would be the showers. So many times we’ve been to sites and my wife comes back from the showers with a long face saying “they’re not very good” but she came back to the van beaming, saying the shower is hot, spacious, and extremely clean. Winner!
There’s also a great little kitchen you can cook your food in.
It’s a fifteen minute walk from a superb beach - pools, caves, rock arches, cliffs etc, and there’s a pub/restaurant about 8 mins walk away. Don’t tend to visit this part of Scotland often but next time we do we’ll be sure to book in here. Oh, nearly forget to mention - I was expecting to be eaten alive by midges, but got no bites and didn’t even see any of the little beasts.

Disliked: Nothing. Never been on a campsite in the woods before but immediately felt relaxed and at home here.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely spot , great coast line . Perfect host !…

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

Unpowered concrete slab campervan site (small)

Liked: Lovely spot , great coast line . Perfect host !

Disliked: Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent place, great amenities

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
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Unpowered concrete slab campervan site (small)

Liked: Fabulous peaceful place
Good amenities
Great space

Recommend to friends Visit again

Off grid getaway with everything you need

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

Millie 1 bedroom cabin (rustic)

Liked: This little cabin in the woods was a perfect getaway for my young family (dogs included). It had absolutely everything we needed amenity wise, a nook of serenity and its cleanliness was perfection. We will be back!

Disliked: The double bed left a little to be desired for comfort however was ample.

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

Budget/backpacker Bush Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise Wild camping Wildlife haven

Utilities

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

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Nearby farmers' market Public transport nearby

Type

Farm Tiny (1-10 sites)

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Mountain biking nearby Restaurant nearby Tennis nearby

Location

Wild Oak Woods

Fairgirth Road

Sandyhills

Dalbeattie

Dumfries and Galloway

Scotland

DG5 4NU

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

54.88644°N
-3.74502°W

Nearest transport

Coach
13.4 km Carlingwark Street
13.4 km Carlingwark Street
21.7 km Village
Rail
22.6 km Dumfries Rail Station
25.3 km Maryport Rail Station
26.2 km Flimby Rail Station

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

Wild Oak Woods makes a great overnight stop if you’re driving the scenic South West Coastal 300, but it’s also a place to linger and enjoy strolling through the woods to the nearest country pub and restaurant (10 minutes’ walk). If you don’t want to stir from the site, join in family activities like den building or night walks in search of wildlife (both carry a small charge). When a day by the sea is called for, head for Sandyhills Bay Beach (15 minutes), and from there, pick up the coastal path to Portling (half an hour) for a wild swim. Another popular Costa del Solway beach is Rockcliffe (10 minutes’ drive), a small pocket of sand from where you can walk across to Rough Island bird sanctuary at low tide. Keen birders can also visit RSPB Mersehead (10 minutes), where you can (hopefully) spot skylarks among the sand dunes in spring and migratory waders in autumn. For more opportunities to spot wildlife, book a safari around Bainloch Deer Park (five minutes), home of red, roe and sika deer.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Sandyhills 1.6 km Sea N/AN/APoorPoor
Rockcliffe 4.1 km Estuary N/APoorPoorPoor
Southerness 9.4 km Sea N/AGoodGoodExcellent
Dhoon Bay 23.4 km Estuary N/APoorPoorPoor
Allonby 23.8 km Sea N/AGoodGoodGood

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

John Paul Jones Cottage Museum & Visitor Centre 10.2 km

Robert Burns Centre 21.7 km

Mirehouse Historic House and Gardens 44.8 km

World Famous Old Blacksmith's Shop Centre 45.6 km

Whinlatter Forest & Visitor Centre 46.8 km

National Trust

Wordsworth House and Garden 34.6 km

Buttermere and Ennerdale 42.5 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

Sandyhills - Rockcliffe - Kippford (and back?) 1.2 km

Rockcliffe - Loch Barean - Portling - Rockcliffe 3.9 km

Rockcliffe to Port o' Warren 4 km

MERSEHEAD (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 04/11/2003) 4.9 km

Dalbeattie - Colvend - Rockcliffe - Kippford - Dalbeattie 7 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

Motorhome or campervan pitch
Unpowered concrete slab campervan site (small)
  • 10% off 10% discount
Tent pitch
Unpowered grass tent site
  • 10% off 10% discount
Lodge, cabin, pod or hut
Daisy Hut cabin
  • 10% off 10% discount
Lodge, cabin, pod or hut
Jessie 1 bedroom cabin
  • 10% off 10% discount
Lodge, cabin, pod or hut
May 1 bedroom cabin
  • 10% off 10% discount
Lodge, cabin, pod or hut
Millie 1 bedroom cabin (rustic)
  • 10% off 10% discount

Conditions apply - see pitch type section for details

Nearest sites

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

Want to know more about camping in Dumfries and Galloway?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Wild Oak Woods have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Wild Oak Woods dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Wild Oak Woods? Wild Oak Woods makes a great overnight stop if you’re driving the scenic South West Coastal 300, but it’s also a place to linger and enjoy strolling through the woods to the … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Wild Oak Woods?
    Camping and caravan
    Arrive:  4 p.m. –  6 p.m.
    Depart by:  10 a.m.
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  4 p.m. –  6 p.m.
    Depart by:  10 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Wild Oak Woods? From $131.02 (for 2 nights, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.