Idle Hours Owlsbury Park

View prices & book 9.6 177 reviews
Visitor image of the campsite
Visitor image of the campsite
Looking across the site
View across the pitches
Barley, our lakeland terrier enjoying her camping trip
Beautiful views
View from the site
The ponds
A bit of the view that doesn't do the site its justice
1/111
Looking across the site
View across the pitches
Barley, our lakeland terrier enjoying her camping trip

  • Wildlife-packed park with foxes, deer and badgers
  • Coarse fishing ponds stocked with carp, roach, tench and perch
  • Shops, pubs and eateries within a mile
How might you fancy a peaceful break in a rural wildlife haven, with countryside views to the South Downs, spectacular westerly sunsets and a night under the stars around a campfire? Then Idle Hours Owlsbury Park could be the place for you. Set on around three and a half acres, Idle Hours is an adults-only quiet site (strictly no groups and no noise after 11pm, please), with two attractive and peaceful coarse fishing ponds stocked with carp, roach, tench and perch. The site welcomes dogs, but please do keep them on leads while on site and remember to clean up after them. Pitches are on gently sloping grass, and amenities include ladies' and gents toilets, a hot shower, a hot water washing-up area and a chemical disposal point. Fire baskets are available and logs and kindling are available for sale. Please note there is no mains electricity on site. Despite its serene, pastoral surroundings, this site is very handy for shops, pubs and eateries, all about a mile and a half away.

Campground type

Tent sites 20
Camper sites 21
RV sites 21
Open all year
Opens
Please note
  • Group bookings of 2 or more units (e.g. tent, caravan, RV or accommodation hire) traveling together are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Group bookings of 4 or more adults are not permitted (couples and immediate family members excepted).
  • No bachelor/bachelorette parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Guests under the age of 25 are not allowed on site.
  • Guests are advised to bring a good quality flashlight with them as parts of the park are unlit.
  • Fishing costs: £10 per person for a day pass and £5 per person for a half day pass. A fishing licence is required. The showers are portable showers.

Languages spoken

English

Campsite types & availability

Accommodation

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

Reviews

9.6

Overall rating based on 177 reviews View breakdown

Peaceful

Voted 94% of visitors View breakdown

97%

would recommend this campground to a friend

95%

would stay here again

  • 85%
    10
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    9
  • 9%
    8
  • 0%
    7
  • 3%
    6
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    5
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    4
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    3
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    2
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    1

Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

Location, great views but had a Tesco five minutes drive away to…

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
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Primitive grass campsite

Liked: Location, great views but had a Tesco five minutes drive away to pick up any bits you've forgotten.
Nice and quiet.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Nice site. Facilities let it down

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

Primitive grass campsite

Liked: View was lovely with large pitches.
Site clean and well kept.
Staff friendly.

Disliked: Washing up area in shed with low ceiling - couldn’t stand up straight in it.
Shower in porta-loo - difficult to keep clothes dry.
Toilets very small and no area to have a wash or brush teeth.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely small site with great views.

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

Primitive grass campsite

Liked: Nice and tidy. View. Landscaping with trees etc. Nice welcome. Clean amenities.

Disliked: Not a dislike but site difficult to find as signposts were obscured and satnav takes you a mile down the road.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Exceptionally clean facilities. Peaceful. Paul and Julie helpful and friendly who told…

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

Primitive grass campsite

Liked: Exceptionally clean facilities. Peaceful. Paul and Julie helpful and friendly who told us about a lovely walk with the dog. Vineyard selling woodfired pizza, food and wines two minute walk away. Well kept pitches.

Disliked: NOTHING

Recommend to friends Visit again

Highly recommend

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

Primitive grass campsite

Liked: The place was easy to find the owners very friendly and helpful
Pitch was all ready for us, even though we were hr early 👍 pitches as well marked and large, plenty of space, lovely peaceful spot to chill.
The facilities were spotless and if you wanted could even order takeaway delivered, although we didn’t, will be back 👍

Disliked: Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Friendly staff, relaxed and peaceful adult only campsite. Well maintained facilities. Bird…

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
Matthew C. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Primitive grass campsite

Liked: Friendly staff, relaxed and peaceful adult only campsite. Well maintained facilities. Bird song, owl hoots, and horse whinnies are louder than the slight ambient noise from surrounding human civilization. I had a great view of the stars. I would camp there again!

Recommend to friends Visit again

hot shower, level grass pitch…

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

Primitive grass campsite

Liked: hot shower, level grass pitch

Disliked: Would be helpful if cold drinks were available to buy. not ideal for walkers as the final approach to the site is along a busy road with no pavement

Recommend to friends Visit again

Small but very friendly site, beautiful views and location. Basic but…

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

Primitive grass campsite

Liked: Small but very friendly site, beautiful views and location. Basic but good facilities.

Disliked: Nothing.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Fantastic campsite. So beautiful, so peaceful, so much nature. Great facilities and…

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
Adam C. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Primitive grass campsite

Liked: Fantastic campsite. So beautiful, so peaceful, so much nature. Great facilities and nice big pitches, and very welcoming hosts! Highly recommended, and we’ll be back many times in future

Recommend to friends Visit again

Faculties very clean

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

Primitive grass campsite

Liked: I’ve stayed here before it’s a lovely setting very peaceful and the people running it at every helpful, totally recommend it 👍

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Dogs allowed

Adults only

Campfires 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

Bath available Car parking by site/unit 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 Portable toilet Pub toilets Restrooms Shower available Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

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

Rules

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

Themes

Hikers’ paradise Lake and/or mountain Peaceful Spectacular scenery Wildlife haven

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

Small (11-25 sites)

Nearby leisure

Climbing nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horseback riding nearby Indoor pool nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Tennis nearby

Touring and motorhomes

Seasonal sites

Location

Idle Hours Owlsbury Park

Hadlow Down Road

Crowborough

East Sussex

England

TN6 3RG

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

51.02666°N
0.17226°W

Route directions

From the A26 Uckfield, head north to Crowborough. Take the right turn 0.7 miles after The Crow and Gate pub signed to Millbrook Industrial Estate. Go straight on, over the golf course, over the small roundabout, down the hill and past the fish and chip shop, antiques shop and vets on the left, then after the Plough and Horses pub, go over the narrow bridge and turn immediately right to Hadlow Down Rd. The site is 1.2 miles on the right. From Hadlow Down (A272), the site is 2.5 miles on the left on Crowborough/Jarvis Brook Road. Do not turn into Dogetts - this is a satnav error. The site is half a mile further up the hill on the left. From Rotherfield-Crowborough Road B2100, take the Hadlow Down/Buxted Road (after Tesco). Go 0.25 miles and turn as indicated above. Beware of the satnav error; do not turn into Doggetts Drive.

Nearest transport

Bus
5.1 mi School Lane
5.1 mi School Lane
5.2 mi Bus Station
Rail
1.5 mi Crowborough Rail Station
3.1 mi Buxted Rail Station
4.5 mi Eridge Rail Station
Ferry
17.1 mi Newhaven Harbour Ferry Terminal
Airport
17.1 mi London Gatwick Airport
17.2 mi London Gatwick Airport South Terminal
17.9 mi London Gatwick Airport North Terminal

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

For those who fancy ditching the car for a bit, the site is close to public transport links: trains and buses from Crowborough (a mile and a half away) go to Tunbridge Wells, London, Lewes and Brighton. Crowborough village has plenty of amenities, including an indoor swimming pool and gym, and a miniature railway. The area is great for golfers, with a number of courses nearby. The spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells (to give it its full title) is eight miles from Owlsbury, and well worth a visit for a stroll round the specialist shops in the Georgian Pantiles, a taste of the water from the Chalybeate Spring, or a trip on the steam railway. The town also has plenty of food and entertainment options, including a multiplex cinema. Other potential day trips include a jaunt to the coast at Eastbourne or Brighton; to Lewes, home to a castle, gardens and the biggest Bonfire Night celebrations in the country; to the National Trust gardens at Sheffield Park and Wakehurst Place; to the William Morris interiors at Standen; Ashdown Forest, home of Winnie the Pooh; or a steam through the Sussex countryside on the historic Bluebell Railway.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Pevensey Bay 16.9 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Norman`S Bay 16.9 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodExcellent
Seaford 18 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Saltdean 18.3 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Bexhill 18.5 mi Sea N/AN/AN/AGood

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Groombridge Place and The Enchanted Forest 6.3 mi

Sheffield Park Garden 7.3 mi

Bluebell Railway 7.4 mi

Batemans 9.4 mi

Standen 9.7 mi

National Trust

Sheffield Park Garden 7.3 mi

Bateman's 9.3 mi

Standen 9.7 mi

Scotney Castle 11.2 mi

Wakehurst Place 11.5 mi

Cycle routes

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

Other

ROTHERFIELD HALL 1.5 mi

Fairwarp - Ashdown Forest - Fairwarp 3.7 mi

BUXTED PARK 3.8 mi

Mayfield - Renhurst Farm - Bassetts - Mayfield 3.9 mi

Mayfield - Batt's Wood - Wadhurst Deer-Park - Mayfield 3.9 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.

Offers

Conditions apply - see campsite type section for details

Nearest campgrounds

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable campgrounds.

Want to know more about camping in East Sussex?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Idle Hours Owlsbury Park have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Idle Hours Owlsbury Park dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Idle Hours Owlsbury Park? For those who fancy ditching the car for a bit, the site is close to public transport links: trains and buses from Crowborough (a mile and a half away) go to Tunbridge … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Idle Hours Owlsbury Park?
    RV, travel trailer and tent sites
    Arrive:  1 p.m. –  7 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Idle Hours Owlsbury Park? From $38.52 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.