Walesby Forest

View prices & book 8.5 301 reviews
Kayak at the site
Kayak at the site
Swimming pool
The lake
Exterior of kemp lodge
Veranda and external seating area
Outside bar and shop
The outside bar area
Bar entrance
1/257
Swimming pool
The lake
Exterior of kemp lodge

  • Adventurous site set in 250 acres of woodland and other rural scenery
  • A mile from Walesby village and 35 minutes' drive from Lincoln
  • On-site bar and shop; over 40 leisure activities on land and water
If you're looking to alternate between relaxing in 250 acres of Robin Hood country and a whole host of adventurous activities for guests over the age of four, seek out a spot at Walesby Forest in leafy Nottinghamshire. The vast range of leisure activities here should help even those averse to alfresco exercise get moving, with popular options including watersports, climbing, archery and rifle shooting. A friendly team of dedicated instructors is on hand to make sure all that outdoor action takes place in a safe, low-pressure environment. The programme is updated daily, with a flexible play and pay policy to keep it all affordable. Time to swap sporty sessions for a bit of downtime? Take your pick from drinks or snacks at the bar, a poolside snooze or rambles through the site's wild woodland areas, where all sorts of animals can be spotted. Angling fans may find it similarly peaceful to take advantage of the free river Maun fishing opportunities available on site. When it comes to food, there's a handy catering barn (which, with advance notice, can sort meals for guests with special dietary requirements), plus a small shop that stocks plenty of sweet treats and souvenirs. If you'd rather step out for dinner, make your way into Walesby (a mile away), where two popular establishments are all set to serve up pub-cooked food. While there may not be a playground on site, there are 250 acres of space for ball games and adventures.

Site type

Tent pitches 218
Touring caravan pitches 64
Motorhome pitches 4
Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 4
Open all year
Opens
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • Your dog must be tattooed or microchipped.
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Facilities/activities including adventure activities are subject to extra charges payable on arrival.
  • The outdoor swimming pool is open between 02/05 et 31/08 (subject to weather conditions).
  • The bar and/or restaurant is open between 29/03 et 31/10.
  • Entertainment and activities are available between 29/03 and 31/10.
  • The site caters for families (immediate members) and couples only - bookings from all other forms of groups are not accepted.
  • Discount cards and gift vouchers cannot be applied to bookings made via Pitchup.com.
  • Reception is unmanned after 5:30 p.m.. Please inform the site while on your way there should you expect to arrive after this time, so that the team can provide information about your unit/pitch.
  • A cable measuring at least 20 metres is needed for the electric hook-ups.
  • The bar is open between 29/03 and 31/10.
  • Guests are advised to bring a good quality torch with them as parts of the site are unlit.
  • No naked flames are allowed inside the hired accommodation units.
  • Swimming in the lake is not allowed.
  • If reception is closed on arrival: please contact the number provided on your booking confirmation.
  • Fires, barbecues and/or firepits will not be permitted in dry, windy and/or hot weather conditions.
  • The charging of electric vehicles is not permitted on site.

Languages spoken

English

Pitch types & availability

Accommodation

Tent pitchesTouring caravan pitchesMotorhome pitchesLodges, cabins, pods or hutsCaravans for hireRent a tent
Choose your dates
2 adults
0 children

Reviews

8.5

Overall rating from 301 Pitchup.com customers

  • 48%
    10
  • 1%
    9
  • 31%
    8
  • 0%
    7
  • 12%
    6
  • 0%
    5
  • 3%
    4
  • 0%
    3
  • 1%
    2
  • 0%
    1
Location
 10
Value for money
 8
Accommodation
 9
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 9
Cleanliness
 8
Wifi
 6
Forest

88% would recommend this site to a friend

84% would stay here again

What customers say

Great campsite with loads of space, especially for families. Staff are lovely. Some found loos/showers not quite clean enough, and electric hook-ups a bit dodgy. Still, most keen to come back for the good times and value.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 31
Arrival date (latest first)

Nice peaceful overnight stay not too far away.

Overall

7 out of 10
Location
 7
Value for money
 7
Accommodation
 5
Facilities / Activities
 5
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 9
Cleanliness
 4
Wifi
 8
Vanessa L.

Non-electric grass pitch (no pets, wild)

Liked I love the space between each pitch. We had an end pitch so faced the wooded areas felt more like family camping away from it all.
Laser Tag, Archery, Climbing and Low ropes.
Free WiFi at the bar area.

Disliked Toilets and showers need regularly cleaning especially during summer holidays. And near the swimming pool.
Not having a drinks menu on the tables in the bar.
Not having a frée play area for younger children or sand pit.

Recommend to friends Visit again

The most amazing place can’t wait to return

Overall

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

Non-electric grass pitch (no pets, wild)

Liked Everything was amazing, wonderful site clean and tidy where it needed to be and wild where it was supposed to be

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

You get what you pay for

Overall

7 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 5
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 5
Cleanliness
 1
Wifi
 3
Jennifer L.

Non-electric grass pitch (no pets, wild)

Liked The location was perfect for what we wanted

The price was brilliant

The dark sky's are awesome for stargazing we saw an incredible meteor shower and a fireball

Loved the cave and the lake walkable from the pitch

Disliked 30min time slots on peak times for swimming is just far too short and the showers where lukewarm at best and the cleanliness of the showers toilets and changing room left a lot to be desired

Flying ants swarms of them

Massive scout groups with noisy generators that went on until 11pm that really did spoil the tranquility

Recommend to friends Visit again

Peaceful break from our busy lives, great facilities and fab staff!

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
Megan M.

Non-electric grass pitch (no pets, wild)

Liked We stayed in the 'wild camping' area during our visit. We loved how quiet it was, the wild camping area is so huge that we had no neighbours for the whole weekend. There was access to fresh water at the entrance of our field and a toilet block just a short walk from us which was very convenient. No light pollution either so we got to enjoy the full show of the stars each night! The shower blocks were very clean and plenty of hot water, the staff were all very friendly and helpful too. We really enjoyed our stay and cant wait to return and tell our friends about it!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Would stay again if there was a no noise curfew implemented.

Overall

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

Electric optional grass pitch

Liked The kids loved the range of activities and we didn't really have to queue for long apart from the pool.
The size of the pitch we had was huge which was a bonus.
The toilets were pretty clean.
The gift shop was handy for bread and milk and a decent price.
All the staff were super friendly and helpful.

Disliked The pool was freezing and we had to queue for it for about 45 minutes. It would be better if you could book separately just for the pool.
Other than that we loved the site however our weekend was ruined really due to a lack of sleep. Unfortunately we had 2 different families on sepearate nights next to us that had no regard for anyone. Kids screaming around, music blaring, singing, shouting smoking weed up until about 1-2am.
I appreciate this is not down to the site but we hadn't realised there is no curfew here and as a result it seems this is the type of families it attracts.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Must stay!!!

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
Christina P.

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked Absolutely amazing, dog friendly, lovely views, amazing gift shop and everyone is so friendly. Love the walks and activities!

Disliked Absolutely non!!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely campsite set in the forest. Great range of activities to choose…

Overall

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

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked Lovely campsite set in the forest. Great range of activities to choose from with the day pass. Tasty and good value meals from the bar.

Disliked Excessively loud music played over the speakers all day in the central area - no need for it!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Vast wildcamping area with water and clean toilet block

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
Wayne R.

Non-electric grass pitch (no pets, wild)

Liked Vast wildcamping area with water and toilet facilities plus access to all the main site facilities. I had one of the many areas to myself making for a very peaceful stay.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great site shame about how awful toilets and showers are as they awful

Overall

6 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 6
Accommodation
 9
Facilities / Activities
 6
Customer service
 5
Child friendliness
 5
Cleanliness
 1
Wifi
 1
Anonymous

Electric optional grass pitch

Liked We really liked our pitch where it was, it’s great as it’s not strict on the site with rules.
We didn’t do any activities just the park and the cave maize.
However there is areas that need BIG Improvements, the toilets and showers are awful.

Disliked The toilet and showers are horrific, it’s on parr with one of the worst campsites I’ve been to regarding the toilets. It’s a real shame as the pitch’s are great for kids etc.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great for an activity holiday, planning on easing back

Overall

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

Non-electric grass pitch (no pets, wild)

Liked We stayed in the wild camping area, it was empty and relaxing. My son enjoyed the pool on site at no extra cost.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Dogs allowed

Campfires allowed

Leisure on site

Bar or club house Covered terrace area Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis Watersports

Amenities on site

Baby-changing facilities Bath available Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Launderette Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

D. of E. welcome Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Rallies welcome Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

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

Camping 2.0

Jumbo tent pitches

Themes

Forest Peaceful Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise Wild camping Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Chemical disposal Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Nearby farmers' market Shop nearby

Type

Very large (over 200 pitches)

Accessibility

Accessible parking at pitch Bathrooms: Large spacious shower Bathrooms: Large spacious toilet Bathrooms: Step-free access Bathrooms: Wheelchair accessible shower Bathrooms: Wheelchair accessible toilet Bathrooms: Wide doorways (over 30 inches/75cm) Level site, no steep slopes Smooth, hard roads e.g. tarmac Step-free or level access

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Leisure/theme park nearby Mountain biking nearby Outdoor pool nearby Watersports nearby

Location

Walesby Forest

Brake Road

Newark

Nottinghamshire

England

NG22 9NG

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

53.22455°N
0.99979°W

Nearest transport

Coach
10.3 km Hetts Lane
10.4 km Bingo Hall
11.5 km Bus Station
Rail
10.6 km Retford Low Level Rail Station
10.7 km Retford Rail Station
12.7 km Worksop Rail Station
Airport
28.5 km Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport
29.1 km Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport
31.8 km Sheffield City 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 its tales of Robin Hood, ancient oaks, country houses and lush leafy landscape, Sherwood Forest has something to keep most sorts content. Clumber Park (15 minutes' drive) has long avenues of limes and open heath to stroll through, while over by the Major Oak (10 minutes) you can get acquainted with one of the area's stand-out trees before setting out on several waymarked hiking routes (maps available at the visitor centre next door). Similarly close to base is Go Ape Sherwood (10 minutes), where a medley of segways and zipwires nicely complement any on-site activities you've got up to during your stay. Kids not quite old enough for that kind of activity? Fear not, as families with younger members will find plenty of age-appropriate entertainment at Wheelgate Waterpark (15 minutes) or Sundown Adventureland (20 minutes). Spending time in town is also doable here, as Walesby Forest is just over half an hour from Lincoln's castle, cathedral and urban arboretum. Meanwhile, over in Newark (30 minutes), there's Civil War heritage, antiques shops and weekly markets in a handsome Georgian square, plus hovercraft tours if you fancy something a little different.

Must see

Sherwood Forest Country Park 4.9 km

Mansfield Museum 16.1 km

Bolsover Castle 19.6 km

Hardwick Hall 20.8 km

Hardwick Old Hall 21.5 km

National Trust

Clumber Park 6.5 km

Mr Straw's House 12.6 km

The Workhouse, Southwell 16.5 km

Hardwick Hall 21.5 km

Hardwick Estate: Stainsby Mill 21.5 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

Bothamsall - Robin Hood's Cave - Walesby - Bothamsall 3.1 km

THORESBY PARK 3.1 km

The Major Oak and Sherwood Forest 4.9 km

The Major Oak - Sherwood Forest - Edwinstowe 4.9 km

Clumber and Surrounding Forests - Robin Hood Way 6.2 km

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 sites

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

Want to know more about camping in Nottinghamshire?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Walesby Forest have a swimming pool? Yes View all features
  • Is Walesby Forest dog friendly? No View all features
  • What attractions are near Walesby Forest? With its tales of Robin Hood, ancient oaks, country houses and lush leafy landscape, Sherwood Forest has something to keep most sorts content. Clumber Park (15 minutes' drive) has long avenues of … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Walesby Forest?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  10 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  10 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.

    Please call the duty manager on the number provided if you are running late.

    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Walesby Forest? From R428,90 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.