Peace Place Pilgrim Bivouac

View prices & book 9.6 46 reviews
Grass and earth
Grass and earth
The compost loo got a makeover
Paddock pitches
Willow bay pitch
Barney pitch for camper vans or tent, electric available
Paddock pitches
Hector pitch
Paddock pitches
1/88
The compost loo got a makeover
Paddock pitches
Willow bay pitch

  • Wild camping on a small organic farm on Essex’s Dengie Peninsula
  • Saltmarsh Coast and Bradwelll beach half an hour’s walk away
  • Bike hire available on site and barbecue provided
When it comes to quiet sites, Peace Place Pilgrim Bivouac is up there with the best of them. Sitting on the outskirts of Bradwell-on-Sea village, on Essex's Dengie Peninsula, the site was established with one key purpose: providing a place of spiritual rest to those keen to leave the stress of modern life behind for a while. If that sounds like you, read on for what awaits here. You’ll be wild camping on an organic three-acre farm run by Ted and Elizabeth, who acquired it in 2014. Vegetable plots and fruit trees are combined with hay and wildflower meadows to form a varied landscape that allows nature its full expression. A barbecue is provided (for provisions, there’s a community shop in Bradwell-on-Sea), and amenities for guests include a washing-up area and a composting toilet, plus charging and recycling points. However, please note that while some hot water is available from an urn between 8 and 10am and then again between 8 and 10pm, there is no hot running water on site. Once you’re all set up and settled into your accommodation, you can explore the surrounding area. If you choose to walk due east, you can reach St Peters Chapel (a stone structure dating from the seventh century) within 20 minutes, and Bradwell beach (popular for dog walks) on the Saltmarsh Coast in about half an hour.

Campground type

Rent a tent 3
Tent sites 13
RV sites 3
Open now
Opens July 18
Please note
  • This park has no on-site shower facilities.
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • No bachelor/bachelorette parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Bookings must not be for more than 14 consecutive nights.
  • Discount cards and gift vouchers cannot be applied to bookings made via Pitchup.com.
  • This is a quiet park: no music is allowed.
  • If making a fire, the fuel, logs and coal have to be purchased on site.
  • Guests are advised to bring a good quality flashlight with them as parts of the park are unlit.
  • Please note that the toilet facilities are unisex.
  • There is no reception building on-site: on arrival please contact the number provided on your booking confirmation.

Languages spoken

English

French

Russian

Spanish

Open from Fri, Jul 18 to

Open from Thu, Aug 14 to

Open from Thu, Aug 21 to

Campsite types & availability

Accommodation

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

Reviews

9.6

Overall rating from 46 Pitchup.com customers

  • 84%
    10
  • 4%
    9
  • 8%
    8
  • 0%
    7
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    6
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    5
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    3
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    1
Location
 9
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 9
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 9
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 6
Peaceful

98% would recommend this campground to a friend

98% would stay here again

What customers say

Peace Place is a rustic, tranquil getaway with secluded, wildflower-filled pitches. Wildlife, including free-roaming chickens and goats, are common. Owners Ted and Elizabeth are praised for friendliness. Guests appreciate the natural, back-to-basics vibe and walks to the beach. Facilities are basic (compost toilet), fitting the wild camping experience. A few noted an unkempt entrance and flies by the toilet.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 5
Arrival date (latest first)

Great value for money

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 No rating
Customer service
 No rating
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 No rating
Wifi
 No rating
Samantha R.

Primitive grass and earth tent campsite

Liked Lovely and peaceful my son absolutely loved the chickens

Recommend to friends Visit again

Made to feel very welcome and provided a beautiful pitch for a…

Overall

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

Primitive grass and earth tent campsite

Liked Made to feel very welcome and provided a beautiful pitch for a weekend exploring.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Peaceful back to basics campsite

Overall

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

Hector powered grass tent, campervan or trailer tent campsite

Liked Very peaceful. Large pitch with electric hook up. Friendly owners. Hot water urn made cups of tea easy. Handy (and tasty) fish and chips shop directly next door. We took a lovely circular walk (as recommended by Elizabeth) to the beach and along the coast to St Peter's Church (which was open) and then back to the campsite.

Disliked We knew there were no showers when we booked but there are some in progress, likely ready sometimes in August. We also knew there was a compost loo. It was ok but a shallow drop. Improvements likely there too.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: thank you for your helpful feedback. Alterations to the compost loo were completed yesterday. although the outer appearance is the same the 'plumbing' is now much improved.

A quirky rustic campsite with private pitches.

Overall

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

Primitive grass and earth tent campsite

Liked A quirky rustic campsite with private pitches. The owner Elizabeth was friendly and helpful.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Basic facilities, compost toilet and no shower but adequate.

Overall

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

Barney powered grass campervan campsite

Liked We loved Peace Place. The pitches are secluded and you are surrounded by wildflowers and birdsong. Chicken are roaming around and the eggs we bought were delicious. Ted and Elizabeth were very helpful, even lending us a camping stove when our gas ran out.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: We were very glad that you enjoyed your stay.. both of you and your cheerful dispositions and very apparent enjoyment were a blessing for us all..
Apologies for the lack of showers which we hoped to be able offer during your stay period. The shower cabin has taken a little longer than expected to complete .. everything is in hand however.

Happy travelling and safe arrivals ....

I loved the unspoiled, secluded, peaceful location. I loved the 'off the beaten…

Overall

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

Hector powered grass tent, campervan or trailer tent campsite

Liked I loved the unspoiled, secluded, peaceful location.
I loved the 'off the beaten track walk to the beach.
I loved the authenticity of the site... no destroying Mother Nature here.
I loved the non-conformity compared to other venues where you have to stay between the prominent white lines drawn. This organic layout feels more freeing. I appreciate the owners'environmentally friendly way of life.

Disliked No dislikes. Just to say to fellow campers, make sure you read the description so that you understand this is a wild camping site on an organic farm, meaning no mod cons, just natural beauty you could not put a price on.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: thank you so much for appreciating what we have worked to provide here .

Peaceful, idyllic

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Kate B.

Hector powered grass tent, campervan or trailer tent campsite

Liked Peaceful site, loved and cared for by Ted and Elizabeth. They couldn't have been more helpful and the campsite and farm is a wildlife haven in an idyllic spot in Essex. Our dog was made very welcome and loved the site, lots of sniffing and chickens to encounter. Waymark beach is a 30 min walk away across fields and worth the walk.

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Elizabeth and ted where great hosts very accommodating, really lovely farm, kids…

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
 No rating
Stuart K.

Hector powered grass tent, campervan or trailer tent campsite

Liked Elizabeth and ted where great hosts very accommodating, really lovely farm, kids loved the animals and even had freshly laid eggs for breakfast, very peaceful and a great walk down to the beach/chapel would highly recommend for those who like being off grid 👍

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great stay in a great location - a real find

Overall

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

Ninian's Paddock primitive grass and earth tent campsite (fire ring, family)

Liked Loved the quirky space, the chickens and the goats, the bird song in the morning, being close-ish to the sea. Our pitch was a bit away from others - we liked that. Elizabeth was lovely and helpful.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Peaceful Relaxing Easy to find Very quiet Owners helpful…

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
 10
Alain K.

Primitive grass and earth tent campsite (solo)

Liked Peaceful
Relaxing
Easy to find
Very quiet
Owners helpful

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Pop-up campground

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 Pétanque Recreation room/arcade TV room Takeout Tennis Watersports

Amenities on park

Bath available Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Free wifi Grocery store Ice pack freezing Internet access Laundromat Local produce 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

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

Themes

Budget/backpacker Forest Hikers’ paradise Leave the car at home Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Wild camping 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 Public transportation nearby

Type

Farm Pop-up campground Small (11-25 sites)

Nearby leisure

Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby

Location

Peace Place Pilgrim Bivouac

Battle's Field

East End Road

Southminster

Essex

England

CM0 7PS

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

51.7299°N
0.9174°E

Route directions

What3words: demoted.butterfly.practical. From Bradwell village (church), follow the sign for St. Peter's Chapel. The post code is a rough guide only. You will pass the Cricketers Arms pub (closed down). After 300 yards of open fields, the site is on the left-hand side. The gateway is a gap in the hedge by a telegraph pole. There is bunting on the gate. Trains run regularly from London Liverpool Street through to Southminster (then take the D4 bus).

Nearest transport

Bus
8.4 mi Colchester Road
8.4 mi Colchester Road
8.9 mi Oaklands
Rail
6 mi Southminster Rail Station
8 mi Burnham-on-Crouch Rail Station
8.9 mi Wivenhoe Rail Station
Ferry
6.7 mi Point Clear Ferry Landing
6.9 mi Brightlingsea Ferry Landing
8.4 mi Burnham on Crouch Ferry Landing
Airport
14.5 mi London Southend 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

Spreading between the estuaries of the River Blackwater and the River Crouch is Dengie National Nature Reserve (five minutes’ drive). This expansive area of tidal flats and saltmarshes is a birdwatcher’s dream, with large numbers of Brent geese and grey plovers, plus turnstones and oystercatchers. For a vintage day out, take a trip on a steam or diesel train along the heritage Mangapps Railway (25 minutes). In addition to just under a mile of standard-gauge track with restored stations and period equipment, there is a museum with an extensive signalling collection – it should keep trainspotters happy for a few hours. Bradwell beach (half an hour's walk) is a splendid place for a picnic on the sand or a walk along the nature trail. At the other side of the peninsula, Burnham-on-Crouch (20 minutes' drive) is a quiet riverside town with an art trail, a museum and some lovely places to eat and drink by the water. You may also like to stop by at Clayhill Vineyard, a little way outside the town, for a tour, a tasting or a bite to eat.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
West Mersea 2.9 mi Sea N/AGoodN/AN/A
Brightlingsea 6.6 mi Estuary N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Jaywick 8.9 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Clacton Beach Martello Tower 10.1 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Clacton 11.7 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Colchester Zoo 9.9 mi

firstsite 11 mi

Colchester Castle Museum 11.1 mi

East Anglian Railway Museum 15.1 mi

RHS Garden Hyde Hall 15.3 mi

National Trust

Bourne Mill 10.1 mi

Coggeshall Grange Barn 13.7 mi

Paycocke's 14 mi

Flatford: Bridge Cottage 16.4 mi

Thorington Hall 17.3 mi

Cycle routes

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

Other

Bradwell-on-Sea - Roman Fort - St Peter's Way - Bradwell 0.6 mi

Bradwell St Peter - River Blackwater - Bradwell Waterside 0.6 mi

West Mersea 3.1 mi

Mersea Island Circular 3.6 mi

OLD HALL MARSHES (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 01/08/1998) 3.8 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.

Nearest campgrounds

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable campgrounds.

Want to know more about camping in Essex?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Peace Place Pilgrim Bivouac have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Peace Place Pilgrim Bivouac dog friendly? No View all features
  • What attractions are near Peace Place Pilgrim Bivouac? Spreading between the estuaries of the River Blackwater and the River Crouch is Dengie National Nature Reserve (five minutes’ drive). This expansive area of tidal flats and saltmarshes is a birdwatcher’s dream, … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Peace Place Pilgrim Bivouac?
    RV, travel trailer and tent sites
    Arrive:  11:30 a.m. –  10:30 p.m.
    Depart by:  10 a.m.
    On-park accommodation
    Arrive:  10:30 a.m. –  10:30 p.m.
    Depart by:  10:30 a.m.

    Please check-in at #2 and do not disturb the neighbours at #1, which is not connected to the business despite being opposite the site's main gate.

    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Peace Place Pilgrim Bivouac? From $10.75 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.