The Gaggle of Geese

View prices & book 9.5 70 reviews
Hut and pitches
Hut and pitches
Grass pitches
Pitches
Plenty of space to relax
Garden and barbecue shack
Exterior view
Gardens running up to the orchard
A place to unwind
1/74
Grass pitches
Pitches
Plenty of space to relax

  • Pub site over five acres in the village of Buckland Newton
  • Half an hour's drive from beaches and the Jurassic Coast
  • Homemade meals and local beers, plus barbecue and pizza oven in summer
Walkers, riders, fishing folk, dog owners, family groups… all will want to take a gander at The Gaggle of Geese, a friendly country pub in the little village of Buckland Newton. This is a place that’s mighty well located for all sorts of Dorset days out – it’s in the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty for all your country pursuits, 20 minutes’ drive from the historic market town of Dorchester and half an hour from the county’s stunning coastline. On top of that, those on family hols may like to note that a drive of less that 45 minutes offers up all sorts of ways to entertain/wear out the small sorts – animal parks, fossil hunting, watersports… It’s not all about location though – the pub’s a rather fine destination in its own right. Five fab acres of peaceful fields, an orchard and a pleasingly sizeable beer garden with a soft play double decker bus, ping pong shack, miniature golf, pygmy goats and a space for football make up the outside space. The inside’s all comfy corners and a warm welcome for all (nippers and dogs included) too. Up for a bit more activity? Skip over to the skittle alley or check the events list to see if there are any quiz nights, wine tastings or live music afternoons scheduled. And you’ll be needing eats and drinks of course... homemade pub classics can be washed down with local beers and ciders; summer nights often see action out at the barbecue shack and wood-fired pizza oven too. Barbecues and campfires are welcome if you’d rather go the DIY route.

Campground type

Tent sites 15
RV sites 7
Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 1
Open all year
Opens
Please note
  • 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).
  • Single-sex bookings of 10 or more people (couples and immediate family members excepted) are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • No bachelor/bachelorette parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Bookings must not be for more than 14 consecutive nights.
  • No cars/motorcycles at the site. All cars must be parked in the designated area.
  • Commercial vehicles (vehicles used for work-related purposes, carrying goods or fare-paying passengers) and sign-written vehicles are not permitted on site.
  • Discount cards and gift vouchers cannot be applied to bookings made via Pitchup.com.
  • At least one of the party members must be aged 18 or over.
  • Please note that the pub is closed on Mondays.

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

9.5

Overall rating from 70 Pitchup.com customers

  • 77%
    10
  • 4%
    9
  • 14%
    8
  • 0%
    7
  • 4%
    6
  • 0%
    5
  • 0%
    4
  • 0%
    3
  • 0%
    2
  • 0%
    1
Location
 9
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 9
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 7
Peaceful

94% would recommend this campground to a friend

96% would stay here again

What customers say

This well-maintained, family-friendly campsite offers a peaceful rural setting with excellent, clean facilities. Guests praise the friendly staff, the adjacent pub's good food, and numerous activities for children, including a play bus and goats. Some minor points include occasional shower temperature issues and limited WiFi outside the pub.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 7
Arrival date (latest first)

Ideal for peace & quiet. Handy to have pub on site.

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 8
Value for money
 5
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 5
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 6
Wifi
 10
Anonymous

Primitive grass tent or RV campsite

Liked Peaceful setting. Great pub food & cider.

Disliked None

Recommend to friends Visit again

Child friendly site with great facilities and good food in the pub

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 8
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 9
Anonymous

Primitive grass tent or RV campsite

Liked The availability of play equipment and the lovely camping area

Disliked Dogs seemed to be allowed to run free at any time
Ours was always on a lead

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent break away

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
 5
Christopher C.

Primitive grass tent or RV campsite

Liked Excellent service. Clean facilities and we will come back again

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent, clean and friendly site with a great pub!

Overall

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

Primitive grass tent or RV campsite

Liked Friendly, clean, lots of space, pretty views. Nice to have hot water wash up and handwashing. Lots for kids to do near the pub end which maintained some peace in camp during the evenings. Lots of dog walks from site. We really enjoyed this stay and will definitely return

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great space, with welcoming staff and good facilities.

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
Graham S.

Primitive grass tent or RV campsite

Liked A Really hospitable crew at the goose. Every member of staff deserves a 👍. A shout out to all the locals to whom were especially welcoming. Good food, Great facilities, young kids were having a great time, and adults could relax too.

Disliked It would be more convenient if the showers were seperare from each toilet. Quite a 'backlog' each morning.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Everything. Such a lovely little site and a great pub. Fantastic food…

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
Rebecca E.

Primitive grass tent or RV campsite

Liked Everything. Such a lovely little site and a great pub. Fantastic food in the pub too and the campsite facilities were immaculate (the onsite warden cleans them frequently throughout the day). Great for kids too with lots to do.

Disliked Nothing!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Brilliant campsite with a gorgeous pub (get some food!) Loads for 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
 10
Anonymous

Primitive grass tent or RV campsite

Liked The pub is amazing and the best pub roast we have ever had (both veggie and meat eater). The campsite is fantastic, everything you need, well thought out and goats and a play bus to keep the kids happy. A fab find!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Hoping to visit again soon!

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
 6
Anonymous

Gaggle bell tent (four person)

Liked Beautiful camping grounds next to a well run pub with great menu for children and adults. Real food freshly made. Relaxed site with plenty for children including play bus and mini golf. Really friendly team running pub and camping. Greatful for extra touches such as hot water bottles in the bell tent and marshmallows for roasting!

Disliked Not a negative for me as was good to switch off - but no signal on camp site. Can go to the pub and use their WiFi however.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely campsite attached to a pub. Nicely presented toilet/shower facilities that…

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 8
Value for money
 7
Accommodation
 8
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 8
Child friendliness
 8
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 5
Anonymous

Primitive grass tent or RV campsite

Liked Lovely campsite attached to a pub. Nicely presented toilet/shower facilities that are close to the camping area. Plenty for the kids with a play bus on site.
Food is good in the pub and plenty of seating outside.

Disliked Something for the owners to think about - extending Free WiFi so that it covers the garden and campsite would be a real benefit to your guests.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent site, friendly staff and a great atmosphere.

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
Matt P.

Primitive grass tent or RV campsite

Liked This campsite was Everything we were looking for and more! Beautiful scenery in every direction. The campsite itself was comfortable, well maintained and had a very relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.
The facilities on site were always clean.
All of the staff were very friendly and always happy to help, especially Simon and Sarah.
The pub had a great atmosphere and a traditional feel to it.
And as an added bonus, there is archery and axe throwing run by a very nice man named Glen.
Highly recommend, we will definitely be returning!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Dogs allowed

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 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 Rallies 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

Budget/backpacker Hikers’ paradise Peaceful Remote location

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

Type

Pub campground Small (11-25 sites)

Nearby leisure

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

Location

The Gaggle of Geese

Buckland Newton

Dorchester

Dorset

England

DT2 7BS

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

50.8438°N
2.44397°W

Nearest transport

Bus
8.1 mi Greenhill
8.1 mi Coldharbour
8.5 mi Queens Head
Rail
5.9 mi Chetnole Rail Station
6.7 mi Yetminster Rail Station
7 mi Maiden Newton Rail Station
Ferry
16.3 mi Weymouth Ferry Terminal
21.8 mi Poole Ferry Terminal
22.1 mi Poole Quay Ferry Landing
Airport
27.2 mi Bournemouth 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

Country wanderings aplenty await around here – there are heaps of places for walks both short and lengthy in the surrounding Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. A popular ramble from the pub is the four-mile route to the Cerne Abbas Giant (indeed a sizeable chap at 55 metres long – potential pub quiz answer...?) Horseback hacks can be had from several stables within half an hour, and there’s a fab coarse fishery with 10 lakes (10!) five minutes’ drive away. Want a bit more oomph in your outings? Head to Henley Hillbillies (five minutes’ drive) for days zooming about on quad bikes or in hovercrafts or souped-up Minis. Need nipper-pleasing days out? Take your (or more likely their) pick from The Dinosaur Museum (20 minutes), Monkey World (half an hour), the Tank Museum (half an hour), the Sea Life adventure park (40 minutes), Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park (40 minutes)… or head to the coast for beach days in Weymouth (40 minutes), watersports at Lulworth Cove (45 minutes) or fossil hunts in Kimmeridge (50 minutes).

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Bowleaze Cove 14.4 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Weymouth Lodmoor 15.1 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Ringstead Bay 15.2 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Weymouth Central 15.8 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Hive 15.9 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Hardy's Birthplace 8.2 mi

Mapperton House & Gardens 12 mi

The Tank Museum 13.5 mi

Montacute House 13.9 mi

Monkey World - Ape Rescue Centre 14.2 mi

National Trust

Hardy's Cottage 8.2 mi

Max Gate 9.4 mi

Clouds Hill 12.1 mi

Montacute House 13.9 mi

Tintinhull Garden 14.8 mi

Cycle routes

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

Other

MINTERNE 1.7 mi

Beneath The Feet Of Cerne's Giant 2.8 mi

Piddlehinton - Buck Hill - Piddletrenthide - Piddlehinton 4.9 mi

BINGHAM'S MELCOMBE 5.6 mi

CHANTMARLE 6.4 mi

Local events

  • Dorset County Show (Saturday, September 6, 2025 – Saturday, September 6, 2025)

    Dorchester, England 8.4 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 Dorset?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does The Gaggle of Geese have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is The Gaggle of Geese dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near The Gaggle of Geese? Country wanderings aplenty await around here – there are heaps of places for walks both short and lengthy in the surrounding Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. A popular ramble from the … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of The Gaggle of Geese?
    RV, travel trailer and tent sites
    Arrive:  noon –  11 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    On-park accommodation
    Arrive:  5 p.m. –  11 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at The Gaggle of Geese? From $34.83 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.