Applewood Countryside Park

View prices & book 9.3 59 reviews
Family-friendly site
Family-friendly site
Standard electric grass pitch
Dogs welcome
Camping pod exterior
Entrance and outdoor deck
Aerial view of the site
Family-friendly pod
Exterior of standard glamping pod
1/98
Standard electric grass pitch
Dogs welcome
Camping pod exterior

  • Dog-friendly 13-acre Norfolk site next to Banham Zoo
  • Thetford Forest 25 minutes' drive; 40 minutes to Norwich
  • Adventure play park, games den and nature trail on site
In search of somewhere within easy reach of family days out? That’s certainly one of the selling points of Applewood Countryside Park – this family-friendly 13-acre Norfolk site is right next door to Banham Zoo, which is home to around 2,000 animals from around the world. That’s certainly a good start – and there’s plenty more nearby too, as this site is well set for all sorts of attractions for all ages, including forest walks, National Trust properties and a long list of excellent child-friendly activities. On a more practical front, it’s also handily just a few minutes’ walk from Banham’s village amenities, which include a pub, convenience store, takeaway and butcher (a useful one for bits to load on your barbecue). This isn’t a place that relies solely on its location to win points, though – there’s also a good collection of facilities right here. Kids will be able to let off steam at the adventure play park, play trail and covered games den, and there’s a mile-long woodland nature trail for them to explore (it makes a good place for dog walking, too). On the practical front, facilities include a laundry area, a chemical disposal point, a wifi connection and modern bathroom blocks with two fully accessible/family bathrooms.

Campground type

RV sites 130
Tent sites 130
Camper sites 130
Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 11
Open now
Opens January 1

Tourist board rating

Please note

Admission

  • At least one of the party members must be aged 18 or over.

Dogs

  • The park does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Breed-specific legislation (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).

Occupancy

  • No bachelor/bachelorette parties permitted via Pitchup.com.

Sites

  • A cable measuring at least 20 metres is needed for the electric hook-ups.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Thu, Jan 1 to

No availability here for your search criteria

Campsite types & availability

Accommodation

Tent sitesCamper sitesRV sitesLodges, cabins, pods or hutsMobile homes for rentRent a tent
Choose your dates
2 adults
0 children
0 dogs

Reviews

9.3

Overall rating from 59 Pitchup.com customers

  • 67%
    10
  • 15%
    9
  • 11%
    8
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    7
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    6
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Location
 9
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 9
Peaceful

98% would recommend this campground to a friend

95% would stay here again

What customers say

This clean, well-kept campsite boasts spacious spots, great amenities, and a family vibe. Friendly staff, proximity to Banham Zoo, and nearby shops are big pluses. Kids love the play area and woodland walks. Minor notes on Wi-Fi, pitch spacing, and occasional zoo animal sounds. Manager addresses feedback; electric hook-ups upgraded.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews. Last updated 8/25/2026

Filter by topic

Reviews page 1 of 6
Arrival date (latest first)

Lovely site, really well set up,…

Overall

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

Powered grass campsite

Liked Lovely site, really well set up, close water points, spacious pitches and clean facilities. Great spaces for dog walks including a lovely nature trail through the woods, and a big separate field ball games
We were pitched very close to the parks which was great for my young two children
Karen & Lisa were incredibly helpful and accommodating
Great location for exploring the area

Recommend to friends Visit again

In all a fantastic campsite, but next time I’d request a sunny pitch.

Overall

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

Powered cement/asphalt travel trailer campsite (XL)

Liked It’s a lovely campsite with all your main facilities located in the middle of the complex. The park area was fantastic for kids and there was an additional play area over the other side of our campsite, to where our pitch was. Also a covered, play den where the kids can play table tennis, chess.
The showers were fantastic and probably the best showers I’ve come across at a campsite.
The receptionists were friendly, polite and helpful.

Disliked My only dislike was that we were in a pitch that was quite shady, due to large trees separating the campsite to the zoo. I love being able to sit outside my caravan all day up to early evening, with the sun on me.
Also there were a couple of evenings where the zoo must clean the animals enclosures out, as the smell of manure gassed us out a few times in our caravan/tent.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Large pitch, clean and spacious showers,…

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 8
Value for money
 8
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
 Lena C. 4 reviews

Powered grass campsite (XL)

Liked Large pitch, clean and spacious showers, good washing up facilities, great park for the children, table tennis was a hit! Entertainment put on for the kids was a bonus. Food trucks were great too.

Disliked Noise coming from wedding and adjacent field, was not made aware these would be happening.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Proximity of the zoo. Very comfortable…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 No rating
Customer service
 No rating
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
 Joanna H. 3 reviews

1 bedroom shepherd's hut (family)

Liked Proximity of the zoo. Very comfortable bed. Great layout of the hut. Everything you could want is there. Very clean. Lovely little decking area to sit out.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great family campsite. Extremely clean facilities…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 8
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 8
 Joanna H. 3 reviews

Powered grass campsite

Liked Great family campsite. Extremely clean facilities at all times during our 5 day stay. A lovely play area on site for the children. The proximity to the zoo was perfect for a day out. We will definitely be back soon.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Overall a fantastic stay, we will definitely camp here again

Overall

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

Powered grass campsite

Liked Location was excellent, facilities were excellent. Play park was great for the children. Staff were super friendly and helpful.

Recommend to friends Visit again

We had a brilliant time, beautifully…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 No rating
Value for money
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 No rating
Customer service
 No rating
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 No rating
Wifi
 No rating
Diane C. 2 reviews

Powered cement/asphalt travel trailer campsite (XL)

Liked We had a brilliant time, beautifully clean, maintained and well looked after. Ablutions were a pleasure. Lovely entertainment foe the kids. I would highly recommend. Very helpful, thank you.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Site very clean, staff very helpful…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
 Emma D. 1 review

Powered grass campsite (XL)

Liked Site very clean, staff very helpful communication was very good. Pitches very spacious would highly recommend

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for your wonderful feedback! 😊
We're delighted to hear that you found the site clean, the pitches spacious, and our team helpful throughout your stay. We take great pride in providing a welcoming experience from booking to departure, so it's fantastic to know our communication and customer service made a positive impression. Thank you for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you and your family back again soon!

The Applewood Team 🍎🌳

Small well equipped family campsite. A…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 9
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 7
Wifi
 2
 Paola Z. 1 review

Powered cement/asphalt travel trailer campsite

Liked Small well equipped family campsite. A small supermarket, butcher and pub are in short walking distance.

Disliked You can hear animals from the zoo during the night, this can be quite adventurous for some people, a bit less for others. They are not too loud anyway.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for your lovely feedback! We're delighted you enjoyed our well-equipped family campsite and the convenience of having local amenities just a short walk away.

As for the sounds from the nearby zoo, we like to think it adds a unique touch to the experience. For many guests, hearing the occasional animal call at night creates a memorable holiday atmosphere and a little extra sense of adventure. We're pleased to hear that the sounds were not too loud and appreciate your balanced perspective. We hope to welcome you back for another wild and wonderful stay! 🦁🌙

The Applewood Team 🍎🌳

Lovely site was a the back…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 9
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 8
Wifi
 9
 Elizabeth M. 2 reviews

Powered grass campsite

Liked Lovely site was a the back near the trees, with the weather bringing so hot it was good

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for your lovely comments.
It’s great to hear your pitch location worked well during the hot weather. The tree-lined areas are always popular in the sunshine, providing a little extra shelter and comfort throughout the day.
We look forward to seeing you again.
The Applewood Team 🍎🌳

Features

Dogs allowed

Leisure on park

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Playground Recreation room/arcade TV room Takeout Tennis Watersports

Amenities on park

Baby-changing facilities Bath available Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Free wifi Grocery store Ice pack freezing Internet access Laundromat Parent & baby washroom Payphone Pick-up from public transport Picnic table Portable toilet Pub toilets Restrooms Shower available Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Rallies welcome Scouts welcome Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

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

Themes

Peaceful

Utilities

Charging facilities Dump station Electric car charging point(s) Propane/gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

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

Type

Large (51-200 sites)

Accessibility

Accessible parking at site Bathrooms: Large spacious shower Bathrooms: Large spacious toilet Bathrooms: Step-free access Bathrooms: Wheelchair accessible shower Bathrooms: Wheelchair accessible toilet Level campground, no steep slopes Site close to accessible bathrooms Smooth, hard roads e.g. tarmac Step-free or level access

Nearby leisure

Fishing nearby Golf nearby Indoor pool nearby Mountain biking nearby Restaurant nearby

Touring and motorhomes

Caravan storage facilities Motorhome service point Seasonal sites

Location

Applewood Countryside Park

Kenninghall Road

Banham

Norfolk

England

NR16 2HE

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

52.44523°N
1.02708°E

Route directions

Follow the brown tourist signs to Banham Zoo from the A11 and A140. Enter the Banham Zoo car park and follow the signs to Applewood Countryside Park.

Nearest transport

Bus
5.1 mi Queens Square
6 mi Bus Station
9.3 mi The Chestnuts
Rail
3 mi Eccles Road Rail Station
4.8 mi Attleborough Rail Station
5 mi Harling Road Rail Station
Ferry
23.4 mi Reedham Ferry North
23.4 mi Reedham Ferry South
28.5 mi Southwold Ferry Landing
Airport
18.8 mi Norwich 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

Banham Zoo will surely be the first port of call for a lot of guests here – all it takes is a five-minute walk and you’ll be meeting primates, big cats, reptiles and all sorts of other exotic beasts. There are also indoor and outdoor play areas, a safari road train and a busy programme of activities to join in with. For more family days out, take a look at the adventure courses of Go Ape Thetford (25 minutes’ drive), the dinosaur-themed attractions of ROARR! (45 minutes) or the safari activities of Africa Alive animal park (an hour). The classic fairground rides and steam trains of Bressingham Steam Museum & Gardens (15 minutes) are popular too – and the museum is also home to the national Dad’s Army collection for a taste of wartime life. If you don't have kids with you, you may like to turn your attentions to places like the cathedral and castle in Norwich (40 minutes) or National Trust properties like Oxburgh Estate (40 minutes) and Ickworth (45 minutes). There’s also the option of a whisky tour at The English Distillery (15 minutes).

Food and drink

  • Trawler's Catch Restaurant 0.1 mi
  • The Banham Barrel Pub 0.1 mi
  • The Garden House Pub 1.2 mi
  • The Red Lion Pub 1.4 mi
  • Ox & Plough Freehouse Pub 2.6 mi
  • The Gamekeeper Pub 2.6 mi
  • King's Head Pub 2.7 mi
  • The King's Head Pub 2.9 mi
  • Old Railway Tavern Pub 3 mi
  • Fighting Cocks Pub 3.2 mi

Groceries

  • The English Distillery Off-licence 4.7 mi
  • Sainsbury's Supermarket 5 mi
  • Lidl Supermarket 5.1 mi
  • Aldi Supermarket 6 mi
  • Morrisons Supermarket 6.1 mi
  • Wolf Brewery Shop Off-licence 6.2 mi
  • Tesco Supermarket 6.2 mi

Parks and play

  • Old Buckenham Play Area Playground 2.6 mi
  • Quaker Wood park 5.3 mi
  • Broomscot Common park 5.3 mi

Family days out

  • Market Cross 2.7 mi
  • Bressingham Steam & Gardens 4.4 mi

Public transport

  • Zoo, opp 0.1 mi
  • Post Office 1.5 mi
  • Quidenham Road 2 mi
  • Green, adj 2.6 mi
  • Green, opp 2.6 mi
  • Green 2.7 mi
  • School, adj 2.8 mi
  • School, opp 2.8 mi
  • The Green 2.8 mi
  • Rail Station, adj 3 mi

What’s nearby

  • No 8 Marketplace 5.9 mi

Local services

  • King's Ride Surgery Doctors 1.5 mi
  • Esso Fuel station 3.7 mi
  • Aircraft Charger Charging station 3.8 mi
  • East Harling Surgery Doctors 4 mi
  • East Harling Pharmacy 4.1 mi
  • Plug in Suffolk Charging station 4.4 mi
  • Travel Norfolk Charging station 4.6 mi
  • Station Road Surgery Doctors 4.9 mi
  • Attleborough Health Clinic 4.9 mi
  • Sainsbury's Fuel station 4.9 mi

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Must see

Banham Zoo 0.1 mi

Bressingham Steam and Gardens 4.4 mi

Grimes Graves 15.2 mi

Colman's Mustard Shop and Museum 17 mi

Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery 17 mi

National Trust

Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds 19.3 mi

Oxburgh Hall 21.4 mi

Ickworth House, Park and Gardens 22 mi

Lavenham Guildhall 25.2 mi

Blickling Hall, Gardens and Park 26.6 mi

Cycle routes

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

Other

Banham Mlllennium Walk 0.7 mi

New Buckenham 2.7 mi

Lopham Fen 4.5 mi

Blo-Norton 5.5 mi

Burston 5.5 mi

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.

Want to know more about camping in Norfolk?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Applewood Countryside Park have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Applewood Countryside Park dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Applewood Countryside Park? Banham Zoo will surely be the first port of call for a lot of guests here – all it takes is a five-minute walk and you’ll be meeting primates, big cats, reptiles … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Applewood Countryside Park?
    RV, travel trailer and tent sites
    Arrive:  noon –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    On-park accommodation
    Arrive:  3 p.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  10 a.m.

    From 01 October to 26 March, arrivals are until 5pm.

    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Applewood Countryside Park? From $40.63 (for 1 night, 4 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.