The Blue Ship

From £18 For 1 night, 6 adults 9.1 172 reviews
The pub (added by manager 21 Sep 2022)
Grassy pitches lined with trees (added by manager 21 sep 2022)
Plenty of space (added by manager 11 may 2022)
Turning up on the friday (added by visitor 19 sep 2022)

  • Simple pitches behind a West Sussex country pub
  • A 15-minute drive from Horsham; half an hour to the South Downs
  • Friendly pub with homemade food, beer garden and play area
Country walk, nice pub dinner, couple of drinks, very short walk back to your bed… if that sounds like a top way to spend a day, get yourselves over to the pitches behind The Blue Ship, a rural West Sussex pub just under 10 minutes’ drive from Billingshurst. The pitches here are on the basic side (toilets are provided, but not showers) but they’re very well placed for rural walks and bike rides. Nearby trails run alongside rivers or canals and through little villages, and there’s easy access to the Downs Link route not far away too. Families and dogs are welcome on site, making it a splendid spot for a weekend away in the countryside, walks with the dog included and all. If you catch yourself in the mood for a bit of alfresco cooking, it's good to know that barbecues are permitted on the pitches (although please note that disposable foil barbecues are not permitted). Bilingshurst should have most of the supplies you need, and bigger Horsham is about 15 minutes’ drive away for the pickier eateries. That said, the prospect of an evening in the pub is likely to be enticing too – it’s got a good menu of homemade dishes (including desserts and weekly specials) and an equally tempting range of drinks including cask ales. All of this is rightly popular, so booking is essential if you want to dine in the pub for lunch or dinner. In sunny weather, the beer garden (with a play area) is the place to be for an alfresco drink or two.

Campground type

Tent sites 25
RV sites 10
Camper sites 10
Opens May 10
Please note
  • This park has no on-site shower facilities.
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • 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).
  • No bachelor/bachelorette parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Commercial vehicles (vehicles used for work-related purposes, carrying goods or fare-paying passengers) and sign-written vehicles are not permitted on site.
  • At least one of the party members must be aged 21 or over.
  • Guests are advised to bring a good quality flashlight with them as parts of the park are unlit.
  • There are no garbage cans onsite: all garbage will need to be taken home with you.
  • Fires, barbecues and/or firepits will not be permitted in dry, windy and/or hot weather conditions.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Fri, May 10 to

Campsite types & availability

Reviews

91%

would recommend this campground to a friend

88%

would stay here again

  • 68%
    10
  • 0%
    9
  • 22%
    8
  • 0%
    7
  • 6%
    6
  • 0%
    5
  • 1%
    4
  • 0%
    3
  • 0%
    2
  • 0%
    1

Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

Perfect rural retreat with pub!

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

Primitive grass travel trailer campsite

Liked: Perfect field in a rural location surrounded by trees and birdsong. Clean and modern toilet block on site. The pub it sits behind is both unique and charming with delicious home made food. We loved the fact that home was less than a minutes walk after eating far too much! The couple who run both the pub and site are extremely pleasant and friendly. Great spot for a weekend away. Thank you!

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for taking the time to write a review. We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us and hope to welcome you again for the 2024 camping season. Best Wishes Sophie.

Excellent site. Great food and service in the pub.

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

Primitive grass travel trailer campsite

Liked: We loved the small, personal nature of the camping field and the great food and company at dinner.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Grabbed a last minute late break in October. So great to be…

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
Jenny C. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Primitive grass travel trailer campsite

Liked: Grabbed a last minute late break in October. So great to be able to stay in the 'back garden' of a beautiful old country pub! First visit here and I was really pleased. The field is lovely, surrounded by trees and therefore a haven for birds, wildlife, etc. Loved seeing the bats flit around at dusk and hear the owls at night. It was really quiet and properly dark at night, so a good nights sleep was thoroughly enjoyed. Liked being able to book online, read the site rules in advance, and then just turn up when you like, let yourself in, and find your own pitch. Added bonus was being able to have dinner in the cosy pub. The pie in particular was delicious - filling, hot and freshly home made. Everyone was really friendly. Good little toilet block perfectly adequate for one night or two. Can't wait to come back in the Spring and try a Sunday roast!

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for taking the time to write a review. We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us and look forward to welcoming you again for the 2024 camping season. Best Wishes Sophie.

Very basic great value for money site, very clean facilities

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

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked: Very basic site with just a clean toilet block, and a tap and sink for washing up, the absence of showers and more luxurious washing facilities is clearly indicated in the description when booking. The site is extremely quiet and peaceful and offers fantastic value for money. The pub offers excellent quality food with a very friendly welcome from the staff

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for taking the time to write a review. We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us and hope to welcome you again for the 2024 camping season. Best Wishes Sophie.

Lady who welcomed us at the pub was helpful, kind, friendly and…

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

Primitive grass travel trailer campsite

Liked: Lady who welcomed us at the pub was helpful, kind, friendly and accommodating. Food was really good standard and pitch had plenty of space. Didn't use the loos as we have one in our camper but looked nice. Quiet area with countryside walks.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for taking the time to write a review. We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us and your meals within the pub. We hope to welcome you again for the 2024 camping season. Best Wishes Sophie.

Nice basic quiet field. Toilets very clean, lovely friendly country pub with…

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

Primitive grass travel trailer campsite

Liked: Nice basic quiet field. Toilets very clean, lovely friendly country pub with great food. We will be back :)

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for taking the time to write a review. We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us and hope to welcome you again for the 2024 camping season. Best Wishes Sophie.

Perfect site, well maintained & excellent pub with delicious food

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
Caroline D. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Primitive grass travel trailer campsite

Liked: Everything about this place - the site, the pub, the people who served us.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for visiting and for taking the time to write a review. We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay and we hope to welcome you again. Best Wishes Sophie.

Would recommend!

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

Primitive grass travel trailer campsite

Liked: Lovely place for a getaway . Lots of space with a local pub next to site staff are helping and friendly. Facilities are kept nice and clean. Nice for a walking area aswell.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for visiting and for taking the time to write a review. We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay and we hope to welcome you again. Best Wishes Sophie.

Toilets were clean, staff were lovely 👍…

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

Primitive grass travel trailer campsite

Liked: Toilets were clean, staff were lovely 👍

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for visiting and for taking the time to write a review. We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay and hope to welcome you back next season. Very Best Wishes Sophie.

Great site for no fuss fun

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

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked: Pub next to site and great price for simple facilities ... toilets clean and Sophie was very accomodating

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for visiting and for taking the time to write a review. We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay and hope to welcome you back next season. Very Best Wishes Sophie.


Features

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

Disabled facilities

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

Barbecue grills allowed

Barbecue provided

Campfires allowed

Commercial vehicles allowed

Dogs allowed

Dogs allowed all year

Themes

Hikers’ paradise

Peaceful

Remote location

Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities

Dump station

Electric car charging point(s)

No hot water

Propane/gas cylinders available

Recycling available

Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby

Dog walk nearby

Type

Medium (26-50 sites)

Pub campground

Nearby leisure

Cycling nearby

Fishing nearby

Golf nearby

Horseback riding nearby

Restaurant nearby

Location

The Blue Ship

The Haven

Billingshurst

West Sussex

England

RH14 9BS

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

51.06338°N
-0.45288°W

Nearest transport

Bus
12.7 mi Crossroads
12.7 mi Crossroads
13 mi The Castle
Rail
3.3 mi Billingshurst Rail Station
4 mi Christs Hospital Rail Station
5.7 mi Warnham Rail Station
Ferry
22 mi Weybridge Ferry Landing
22.1 mi Shepperton Ferry Landing
23.4 mi Ditton Island Ferry Landing
Airport
13.7 mi London Gatwick Airport North Terminal
14.1 mi London Gatwick Airport South Terminal
14.2 mi London Gatwick 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

With the South Downs National Park (half an hour’s drive) so straightforward to get to from The Blue Ship, your packing list might need to include hiking boots for trails like the South Downs Way and a camera to snap pics of the sloping hills and river valleys. To fuel those adventures in the South Downs, fill yourself up with a few tasty treats from the market town of Horsham (15 minutes). The energy will also come in handy for the walking and cycling trails that weave their way around Knepp Castle Estate (20 minutes), a gorgeous castle setting with an eco-friendly rewilding project. Or perhaps you’re keen to potter around more historical places. Loxwood Joust (15 minutes) is a medieval jousting festival that runs on select dates. Otherwise, get into the Victorian spirit around Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens (half an hour), a Grade I-listed building with a Victorian garden, a dollhouse museum and wine tastings. When it’s time for a few classic seaside activities like paddleboarding and strolls along the prom, Worthing (40 minutes) is a very worthy spot.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020 2019 2018 2017
Lancing, Beach Green 17.8 mi Sea N/A Good Good Good
Worthing 17.9 mi Sea N/A N/A N/A N/A
Shoreham Beach 18.2 mi Sea N/A Excellent Good Excellent
Littlehampton 18.4 mi Sea N/A Good Good Good
Southwick 18.8 mi Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Fishers Adventure Farm Park 2.9 mi

Petworth House & Park 8.6 mi

Parham House & Gardens 10.2 mi

Nymans 11.2 mi

Denbies Wine Estate 13.8 mi

National Trust

Petworth House and Park 8.6 mi

Winkworth Arboretum 8.8 mi

Oakhurst Cottage 8.9 mi

Nymans 11 mi

Shalford Mill 11.8 mi

Cycle routes

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

Other

WARNHAM COURT 4.9 mi

Shipley - Knepp Castle - River Adur Circular 6.4 mi

SEDGWICK PARK 6.6 mi

KNEPP CASTLE 7 mi

Nuthurst 7.2 mi

Local events

  • Arundel Festival (Saturday, August 17, 2024 – Saturday, August 17, 2024)

    Arundel, England 15.1 mi

  • Goodwood Festival of Speed (Thursday, July 11, 2024 – Thursday, July 11, 2024)

    Chichester, England 18.2 mi

  • Farnborough International Airshow (Monday, July 22, 2024 – Monday, July 22, 2024)

    Farnborough, England 19.8 mi

  • Hampton Court Palace Festival (Tuesday, June 11, 2024 – Tuesday, June 11, 2024)

    Hampton, England 24 mi

  • Glyndebourne Festival (Thursday, May 16, 2024 – Thursday, May 16, 2024)

    Lewes, England 25.8 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 West Sussex?

  • Does The Blue Ship have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is The Blue Ship dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near The Blue Ship? With the South Downs National Park (half an hour’s drive) so straightforward to get to from The Blue Ship, your packing list might need to include hiking boots for trails like the … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of The Blue Ship?
    RV, travel trailer and tent sites
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  9 p.m.
    Depart by:  noon

    On arrival, follow signs for the campsite.

    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at The Blue Ship? From $22.58 (for 1 night, 5 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.