The Hare and Hounds

10 5 reviews
Level grass campsite

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  • Family-centric camping paddock at a country pub near Colchester, Essex
  • Five minutes’ drive to Colchester Zoo; 20 minutes to West Mersea beach
  • Bar and restaurant adjoining the site; shops 10 minutes’ drive
With a two-acre grass paddock overlooking heather and wild flowers on Layer Breton Heath, The Hare and Hounds offers a group-friendly, dog-friendly and family-friendly – in fact just very friendly – rural camping retreat near Colchester, Essex. With the added bonus of your very own local pub thrown in… Yes, book a stay here and you can spend the night under canvas safe in the knowledge that you’ll have all the amenities of an award-winning pub and restaurant on your doorstep. Although you’ll have to create your own breakfasts and go self-catering on Mondays, the pub is open and serving food for the rest of the week – and takeaways are on the menu too if you’d prefer to eat back at your pitch. Barbecues are permitted on site (pick up bits from supermarkets in Tiptree, 10 minutes’ drive), so you shouldn't starve on days when the pub’s closed. Apart from the siren call of the pub and a decent pint, facilities in the camping field are pretty minimal. Recycling is available, as well as ice-pack freezing to keep your food fresh. Please note there’s no running water on site, but the pub toilets are available for use by campsite guests.

Site type

Touring caravan pitches 2
Motorhome pitches 2
Tent pitches 20
Opens

Languages spoken

English

Nearby sites that are bookable on Pitchup.com

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

Want to know more about camping in Essex?

Features

Leisure on site

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

Amenities on site

Bath available Car parking by pitch/unit 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

Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

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

Themes

Budget/backpacker Peaceful Remote location Walkers' paradise Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Chemical disposal Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available No hot water Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Public transport nearby

Type

Pub campsite Small (11-25 pitches)

Accessibility

Disabled facilities

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horse riding nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby

Location

The Hare and Hounds

Crayes Green

Layer Breton

Colchester

Essex

England

CO2 0PN

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London GMT (GMT+00:00)

GPS

51.83396°N
0.82212°W

Nearest transport

Coach
8 km Stanwell Street
9.5 km Valley Road
9.5 km Valley Road
Rail
5.9 km Marks Tey Rail Station
8.2 km Colchester Town Rail Station
8.3 km Kelvedon Rail Station
Ferry
14.2 km Point Clear Ferry Landing
14.3 km Brightlingsea Ferry Landing
23.3 km Burnham on Crouch Ferry Landing
Airport
30.6 km London Southend Airport
39.2 km London Stansted 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

Now, resist the urge to stay in the pub all day… Kids with you? Colchester Zoo (five minutes’ drive) will easily entertain youngsters for the day, thanks to its animal encounters and mini-train rides. Jimmy's Farm and Wildlife Park (35 minutes) is another corker for families, as it's packed with kids’ activities at the petting farm. Get out and about in the fresh air with a trip to the sand-and-shingle beach at West Mersea (20 minutes’ drive) for paddling and swimming. Up the activity ante with kitesurfing off Clacton beach (40 minutes), or have a giggle on the inflatable floating climbing course at Curve Water Sports (40 minutes). For more sedate days out in nature, take your binoculars to the Essex Wildlife Trust’s Abberton Reservoir Nature Discovery Park (five minutes) to spot all manner of wading birds, or see if you can catch sight of hen harriers or plovers at Blackwater Estuary National Nature Reserve (25 minutes). Head for Dedham (25 minutes) to see equine paintings in The Munnings Art Museum, and abandon the car in Flatford and Constable Country (half an hour) for strolls along the River Stour to Flatford Mill, made famous by John Constable’s painting ‘The Haywain’.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
West Mersea 10.3 km Sea N/AGoodN/AN/A
Brightlingsea 13.3 km Estuary N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Jaywick 21.1 km Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Clacton Beach Martello Tower 22.7 km Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Clacton 24.4 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Colchester Zoo 3.4 km

Colchester Castle Museum 8.3 km

firstsite 8.3 km

East Anglian Railway Museum 11 km

RHS Garden Hyde Hall 25.2 km

National Trust

Bourne Mill 7.8 km

Coggeshall Grange Barn 10.1 km

Paycocke's 10.6 km

Thorington Hall 17.9 km

Flatford: Bridge Cottage 19.4 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

Layer Breton - Layer Marney - Birch - Layer Breton 0.4 km

LAYER MARNEY TOWER 2.1 km

Friday Wood - Abberton - Malting Green - Layer de la Haye - Roman River - Friday Wood 4.5 km

Marks Tey - Copford - Copford Green - Easthorpe - Marks Tey 5.8 km

Marks Tey - Copford - Heckford Bridge - Easthorpe - Marks Tey 5.9 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.

Offers

Conditions apply - see pitch type section for details

Reviews

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Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

Very well looked after

Overall 10/10
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
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Electric grass touring pitch

Liked: What a lovely warm friendly pub, will be coming back 😀😀😀😀

Recommend to friends Visit again

There was ‘room at the inn’ on a chilly winters night

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

Electric grass touring pitch

Liked: We arrived in the dark , the grass pitches were wet ( we were concerned we might get stuck as there had been heavy rain the day before ) so we were told we could stay in the car park ( this worked out really well) We had a meal in the pub restaurant, the young waiting staff were brilliant and the food was sublime. The pub had a great “ country inn”busy, cosy and warm vibe .
We would definitely stay again

Recommend to friends Visit again

Very nice no nose land lard very easy to talk to,…

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

Non-electric grass touring pitch

Liked: Very nice no nose land lard very easy to talk to,

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely country position. Very quiet and peaceful. Landlord helpful. Had a spacious…

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

Electric grass touring pitch

Liked: Lovely country position. Very quiet and peaceful. Landlord helpful. Had a spacious pitch. Picturesque country pub with good beer and a new refurbished restaurant.

Recommend to friends Visit again

good site to stop off at great food in the pub

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

Electric grass touring pitch

Liked: we loved staying at this site very friendly staff and customers and very dog friendly
very good food and service
great for dog walks as woods and fields just over the road
need to update electric but ok My
plenty of room in field behind pub for tents and motorhomes
there are two porta toilets and you can use a shower and toilet in the outside letting room or use the pub so all good

Disliked: nothing - all good

Recommend to friends Visit again


Frequently asked questions

  • Does The Hare and Hounds have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is The Hare and Hounds dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near The Hare and Hounds? Now, resist the urge to stay in the pub all day… Kids with you? Colchester Zoo (five minutes’ drive) will easily entertain youngsters for the day, thanks to its animal encounters and … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of The Hare and Hounds?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  noon –  Anytime
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    Read more