Campgrounds for backpackers in South East England

Whitehouse Farm Campsite

• Pop-up site for guests aged over 25 and families in Essex countryside
• Free kids’ zorbing on site; Tropical Wings Zoo 10 minutes’ drive
• Free live music and crafting activities for Essex Farm Family Festival

YMCA Fairthorne Manor Family Park and Campsite

Bodiam Boating Station

• Riverside site in the High Weald
• Book cruises to Bodiam Castle and Rye, or hire canoes or kayaks
• Private cruise boat hire available for parties and events

Southdown Way Caravan & Camping Park

South Downs Youth Hostel

• Glamping in the grounds of a rural hostel five miles from Lewes
• Just off the South Downs Way; half an hour from Brighton by train
• Café on site for breakfast, supper and all-day snacks

Lower Gages Farm

Yamp Camp Firle

• East Sussex meadow camping with South Downs views near Lewes
• A 15-minute drive to Drusillas Park, and 25 minutes to Brighton
• Large flat pitches with an adventure trail for kids; group-friendly

Mackley Farm

• Quiet dog-friendly site on a small farm on the edge of Stone
• A 10-minute drive from Rye and 15 minutes from Camber Sands
• Pubs within five minutes’ drive of the site; barbecues are permitted

High Barn Retreats

• Dog-friendly wild camping site in the South Downs National Park
• A 25-minute drive from Lewes and half an hour’s drive from Brighton
• A five-minute drive to pubs, local shops and the beach in Rottingdean

Woodhouse Farm

• Rural camping on a working cattle and arable farm in Essex
• Five minutes' drive to the edge of Dedham Vale; Colchester 10 minutes
• On the Essex Way walking route; animal visits with the farmer

Wishwood Glamping

• Family-friendly glamping accommodation in a 16-acre woodland
• A 10-minute drive to Canterbury and Herne Bay; Whitstable, 20 minutes
• Private garden areas with sheltered outdoor kitchen and dining areas

Meonvale Farm Camping

• Simple site on a working farm in the South Downs National Park
• A mile from Meonstoke; Winchester city centre 20 minutes' drive
• Easy pedestrian access to established trails

Holden Farm Camping

• Traditional site on a scenic working farm
• On the South Downs Way close to the South Downs National Park
• Close to local cafés, pubs and a farm shop

Haydown Gardens

• Dog-friendly North Downs site with a vineyard, forest and orchard
• On the North Downs Way; a 15-minute drive from St. Andrew's Lakes
• Half an hour’s walk to a pub through vineyards; barbecues allowed

Morleys Farm

• Relaxed adults-only Sevenoaks Weald campsite with stunning views
• A 15-minute drive to Hever Castle and Penshurst Place
• Barbecues, firepits and communal campfire; pub 15 minutes' walk

Walnut Grove Camping

• Well-maintained campsite on a Hampshire walnut farm
• Half a mile from Over Wallop village; Stonehenge 20 minutes' drive
• Two local pubs and a village shop 15 minutes away on foot