The Railway Campsite

View prices & book 9.4 288 reviews
Train going past the site
Train going past the site
The steam train running past
View of the site on a cloudy morning
View of the site
View of the field
Party in the woods
Pitches
View of the site
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The steam train running past
View of the site on a cloudy morning
View of the site

  • Eight-acre field with Swanage Railway steam trains passing by
  • A 10-minute drive to Swanage Beach; 35 minutes to Durdle Door
  • Off-ground barbecues and firepits allowed; dogs welcome
If you’ve got little train enthusiasts in your family (or large ones, for that matter…), this is a site that’s likely to please them very much indeed. As the name suggests, The Railway Campsite is located next to the railway – and none other than the famed Swanage Railway. Waving at the steam trains as they puff past is a popular pastime around this dog-friendly site – although there are also some great Dorset countryside views for when there’s no railway action, plus lots of space around the eight-acre open field for whatever you choose to focus your attention on. And presumably you’ll want to take a ride on one of those trains too? That’s easily done, since Harmans Cross station is just next door to the site. All you have to do is choose whether to journey up to Corfe Castle or over to Swanage for a day at the beach (both about 15 minutes by train). When you’re not riding the rails, you can get out to some great coastal corners, including Studland Beach, Kimmeridge Bay or Dancing Ledge – all are within a 20-minute drive. This is a back-to-basics site, but it does have wooden composting toilets, a shower hut and chemical disposal facilities. The on-site snack shack opens its doors on weekends for breakfast, drinks and light evening meals. It's also open on Thursday evenings for Jamaican food. Off-ground barbecues and firepits are allowed in the designated areas (the site has firepits for hire and wood for sale if you need it), so you’re welcome to have a go at making your own dinner. You can source provisions at the small supermarket in the village of Harman’s Cross (five minutes’ walk).

Campground type

Tent sites 30
RV sites 20
Open now
Opens July 3
Please note

Admission

  • At least one of the party members must be aged 16 or over.

General

  • Please note that the toilet/shower facilities are unisex.
  • This is a quiet park: no music is allowed.

Occupancy

  • Group bookings of 6 or more adults are not permitted (couples and immediate family members excepted).
  • No bachelor/bachelorette parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Single-sex bookings of 6 or more people (couples and immediate family members excepted) are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • The park caters for families (immediate members) and couples only - bookings from all other forms of groups are not accepted.

Safety

  • Fires, barbecues and/or firepits will not be permitted in dry, windy and/or hot weather conditions.
  • Raised fire pits are allowed in designated areas only.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Fri, Jul 3 to

No availability here for your search criteria

Reviews

9.4

Overall rating from 288 Pitchup.com customers

  • 68%
    10
  • 11%
    9
  • 15%
    8
  • 1%
    7
  • 1%
    6
  • 0%
    5
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    4
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    3
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    2
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    1
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 9
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 6
Peaceful

98% would recommend this campground to a friend

97% would stay here again

What customers say

This campsite has a relaxed vibe with roomy sites and friendly staff. It's a big hit for its location near the Swanage Heritage Railway, where you can see steam trains often. Amenities include clean compost toilets and hot showers, plus a popular snack shack. While some note the hilly landscape and wish for more showers during busy periods, most rave about the value and scenic views.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews. Last updated 8/18/2026

Filter by topic

Reviews page 1 of 29
Arrival date (latest first)

Most favourite part of the world and now a new favourite campsite .

Overall

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

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Such a lovely vibe and no sooner had a got there a diesel engine went rolling past! 🤩 delicious snack bar on site and the stars were epic!!! Defo could see the Milky Way and spotted 5 shooting stars 👌We took the train into Swanage and back before heading for coastal walks! Amazing spot had to book a second night. Will be back for sure!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Location…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 8
Facilities / Activities
 5
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 6
Wifi
 5
 Colin F. 1 review

Primitive grass RV campsite

Liked Location

Recommend to friends Visit again

Everything was amazing so we will…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 9
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 1
 titch 1 review

Primitive grass RV campsite

Liked Everything was amazing so we will say our 4 best things otherwise it will take to long!
•location Perfect for everyone!
•space
•trains ☆☆☆☆☆
•views

Recommend to friends Visit again

A great stay.

Overall

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

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked The location is beautiful. Welcoming hosts and our dog is welcome here.
Peaceful setting.
Hot showers.

Disliked Toilets ok but as a pop up sight a bit primitive.,

Recommend to friends Visit again

We would stay again. Kids loved it.

Overall

6 out of 10
Location
 5
Value for money
 5
Facilities / Activities
 7
Customer service
 8
Child friendliness
 6
Cleanliness
 7
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Primitive grass RV campsite

Liked Kids loved seeing, waving to and chasing the steam trains as they went by. The Caribbean food on a Thursday was amazing. On site bar was nice. Very good rope swing and great environment for the kids. Quite a lot of space and didn't need to book. Good long drop toilets and very good warm gas showers. Location very handy for taking the steam train to Swanage and handy for Swanage if you like going into town. Very friendly staff.

Disliked Most of the field is on a slope so blocks/chocks essential but we found OK space each night. Main field is just a massive expanse of open short grass - Given a lot of it is on too much of a slope to pitch, it would be nice to see some areas left to meadow or even a few trees planted. There is an opportunity for the owners to do nature a favor and create some fun spaces for the kids at the same time. No specific driving routes in the field allowing everyone to drive anywhere is a bit of a hazard with kids.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: The field is only used for Camping for 60 days of the year the rest of the year it is used for grazing and then hay for animal feed so landscaping and tree planting in the middle of the field is not an option. The Woodland area is designated for kids to play in and a shaded area to sit in too. It does seem very barron at the moment due to the very dry weather/drought. It is usually a lot more lush. There is not enough water for the trees that are in the ground at the moment as it is!

Relaxed feeling and brilliant views of…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 7
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 8
Wifi
 No rating
Alex M. 1 review

Primitive grass RV campsite

Liked Relaxed feeling and brilliant views of the steam train.

Recommend to friends Visit again

It's a lovely campsite, it's a…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 No rating
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 No rating
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked It's a lovely campsite, it's a great location especially if you love trains. And everyone is really friendly and helpful.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great campsite but field quite hilly

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 No rating
Clair E. 1 review

Primitive grass RV campsite

Liked Great location. Friendly staff. Great food shack. Has all you need for off grid camping. Showers nice and hot although a bit temperamental.
Great seeing the trains going past and station opp campsite so great for visiting swanage and Corfe Castle.

Disliked Very hilly so need chocks as not many flat areas.
No hot water in washing up area.
Compost toilets a bit gross but we had a moho with toilet so not an issue.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Relaxed atmosphere…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 No rating
Customer service
 No rating
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Relaxed atmosphere

Recommend to friends Visit again

We will be back!

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
 Sara M. 1 review

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Fabulous spot
Loved every minute
Peaceful and beautiful
Friendly staff

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Pop-up campground

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 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

Budget/backpacker Hikers’ paradise Leave the car at home Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery

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 Large (51-200 sites) Pop-up campground

Accessibility

Accessible parking at site Bathrooms: Large spacious shower Uneven terrain; gravel or loose mud

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horseback riding nearby Indoor pool nearby Mountain biking nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Tennis nearby Watersports nearby

Location

The Railway Campsite

Sunny Glade

Haycrafts Lane

Harmans Cross

Swanage

Dorset

England

BH19 3EB

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

50.61958°N
2.0239°W

Nearest transport

Bus
1.8 mi East Street
1.9 mi East Street
2.9 mi Bus Station
Rail
6.5 mi Wareham Rail Station
6.8 mi Holton Heath Rail Station
7.1 mi Poole Rail Station
Ferry
5.3 mi Shell Bay Ferry Terminal
5.5 mi Sandbanks Ferry Terminal
5.6 mi Brownsea Island Ferry Landing
Airport
13.8 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

Famed for its ever-changing shades of blue and green, the Blue Pool (15 minutes’ drive) is surrounded by acres of heath- and woodland laced with trails. Take the easy path skirting the lake (where kids can also hunt for magic fairy doors), or steel yourself for a more challenging uphill route leading to views of the Purbeck Hills. Overlooked by the Georgian Clavell Tower, Kimmeridge Bay (20 minutes) is part of the Jurassic Coast. Rockpooling here may well yield some fossils; if not, you can head to the Etches Collection Museum, which displays fossilised marine creatures dating back millennia. The bay has clear waters for swimming and a summer snorkelling trail. Stay on the Jurassic Coast and move westwards to Durdle Door (35 minutes from the site), an iconic limestone arch stretching out into the sea. You can admire this imposing natural landmark from the dog-friendly beach or from the lookout point up on the cliff (easily reached via the South West Coast Path).

Food and drink

  • Golden Bengal 2.2 mi
  • Isle of Purbeck Golf Club 2.2 mi
  • Coastal Crust Pizza 2.2 mi
  • The Corner 2.9 mi
  • Sea Breeze 3 mi
  • The Narrows 3 mi
  • The Parade Fish and Chips 3.1 mi
  • La Trattoria 3.1 mi
  • The Purbeck Plaza 3.1 mi
  • Dragon Inn 3.1 mi

Parks and play

  • West Burton Field Playground 1.8 mi
  • King George's Play Area 2.6 mi
  • The Chadwick Playground 3 mi
  • Blue Pool Play Area 3.6 mi
  • Natural Play Area 5.4 mi

Public transport

  • Haycrafts Lane 0.7 mi
  • Haycrafts Lane 0.7 mi
  • Acton Lane 0.9 mi
  • Acton Lane 0.9 mi
  • Worth Lane 0.9 mi
  • Langton Matravers, Capston Field 1 mi
  • Worth Lane 1 mi
  • Langton Matravers, Capston Field 1 mi
  • Durnford Drove 1.1 mi
  • Durnford Drove 1.1 mi

Groceries

  • Co-op Food 2.9 mi
  • Budgens 2.9 mi
  • Sainsbury's 5.9 mi
  • The Co-operative Food 6 mi

Family days out

  • West Burton Field Playground 1.8 mi
  • King George's Play Area 2.6 mi
  • The Chadwick Playground 3 mi
  • Blue Pool Play Area 3.6 mi
  • Natural Play Area 5.4 mi

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Must see

Corfe Castle 2 mi

Swanage Railway 2.9 mi

Studland Beach and Nature Reserve 3.8 mi

Brownsea Island 5.6 mi

Lulworth Castle & Park 8.2 mi

National Trust

Corfe Castle 1.9 mi

Studland Beach and Nature Reserve 3.6 mi

Brownsea Island 5.6 mi

Clouds Hill 12.1 mi

White Mill 12.9 mi

Cycle routes

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

Other

Worth Matravers - Cliffs, Caves and Chapel 1.6 mi

Worth Matravers - Winspit - Dancing Ledge 1.6 mi

Corfe - Nine Barrows Down - Swanage 2 mi

Herston - Worth Matravers - Corfe 2 mi

The Purbecks - Castle and Coastal 2.2 mi

Local events

  • Dorset County Show (Saturday, September 5, 2026 – Saturday, September 5, 2026)

    Dorchester, England 19 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 Dorset?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does The Railway Campsite have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is The Railway Campsite dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near The Railway Campsite? Famed for its ever-changing shades of blue and green, the Blue Pool (15 minutes’ drive) is surrounded by acres of heath- and woodland laced with trails. Take the easy path skirting the … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of The Railway Campsite?
    RV, travel trailer and tent sites
    Arrive:  Anytime –  Anytime
    Depart by:  4 p.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at The Railway Campsite? From $27.08 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.