The Red Lion

View prices & book 8.4 347 reviews
The site
The pub in the early morning sunlight
The red lion lit up at night
Winter sunrise over the campsite

  • Family-friendly campsite adjoining a Winfrith Newburgh pub in Dorset
  • A 10-minute drive to the Jurassic Coast, Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door
  • Showers and loos on site; delicious food and drink in The Red Lion pub
Set in the middle of lovely Dorset countryside and on the outskirts of the peaceful village of Winfrith Newburgh, The Red Lion is a family-run pub with a namesake campsite on the extensive field to its rear. There’s easy access by car to dump your gear at the spacious pitches – most are sheltered by mature trees – and modern facilities on-site include showers, mains water, toilets and a washing-up area. The adjoining pub is open throughout the year: winter brings warming log fires while summer invites alfresco dining in the beer garden – and whenever you visit, you’re assured of a constant supply of delicious food as well as award-winning West Country ales and ciders. As on-site guests, you get 10% off your food bill using the voucher given to you at check-in. Luckily the site is dog-friendly as it’s a great base for soaking up Dorset’s rural vibe on quiet walks across the downs. If you’d like to spark up your barbecue while you’re there, there’s a small store in the village; otherwise, do a bigger stock up in Dorchester (15 minutes).

Site type

Touring caravan pitches 6
Tent pitches 20
Motorhome pitches 6
Open all year
Opens
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • Your dog must be tattooed or microchipped.
  • At least one of the party members must be aged 18 or over.
  • Please note that the toilet/shower facilities are unisex.

Languages spoken

English

No availability here for your search criteria

Pitch types & availability

Reviews

  • 47%
    10
  • 11%
    9
  • 18%
    8
  • 4%
    7
  • 7%
    6
  • 2%
    5
  • 2%
    4
  • 0%
    3
  • 2%
    2
  • 2%
    1
Location
9
Value for money
8
Accommodation
9
Facilities / Activities
8
Customer service
9
Child friendliness
9
Cleanliness
9
Wifi
7

84% would recommend this site to a friend

83% would stay here again

What customers say

Great spot near attractions, with a decent pub attached. Staff get lots of praise for being friendly. Pitches are usually level and roomy. Facilities are clean but basic, could do with a spruce-up, especially lights/heating when it's cold. Road noise sometimes an issue.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 36
Arrival date (latest first)

A great site, pub has a lovely menu. Good for groups as large space

Overall

7 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
8
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
6
Jo P.

Non-electric grass tent or motorhome pitch

Liked Large flat camping field, very friendly welcome, fantastic smokery in pub serving delicious meat platters.

Disliked 1 toilet/shower out of action.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Wouldn’t choose this site again unless it was the only one available.

Overall

4 out of 10
Location
8
Value for money
4
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
2
Customer service
6
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
6
Wifi
No rating
Sandra G.

Electric grass pitch

Liked Lovely location. The pitches were flat and it was nice to have a pub on site. The bar staff were very friendly.

Disliked Facilities were inadequate with only 4 showers, 4 toilets and one washing-up sink on site. Two toilets were out of order, leaving only 2 in use, and one shower was out of order. One of the washhand basins also had red tape wrapped around it. Not good enough for the price we paid.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Very poor toilet and showers for the facilities

Overall

1 out of 10
Location
6
Value for money
1
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
1
Customer service
3
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
1
Wifi
No rating
Hannah M.

Non-electric grass tent or motorhome pitch

Liked Pitches are nice and flat and the field is big so plenty of space

Disliked Facilities are dreadful and it was not value for money.
There are only 2 working toilets and 2 showers for the whole site. There is only 1 plate wash sink and 1 drinking water tap.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Not far drive from Lulworth cove…

Overall

1 out of 10
Location
6
Value for money
2
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
2
Customer service
7
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
6
Wifi
2
paul f.

Non-electric grass tent or motorhome pitch

Liked Not far drive from Lulworth cove

Disliked Only one toilet and one tiny shower. Both were dark at night with no lighting.
This was serving at least 60 campers this weekend also everyone was paying different rates….

Recommend to friends Visit again

Meh

Overall

1 out of 10
Location
4
Value for money
1
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
1
Customer service
No rating
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
3
Wifi
1
Anonymous

Non-electric hardstanding touring pitch

Liked Spacious field and level

Disliked Noise from the main road.
Facilities were shocking.
Overpriced for what it is.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Nice mostly flat camping field &…

Overall

5 out of 10
Location
8
Value for money
5
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
3
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
8
Wifi
No rating
Lucy P.

Non-electric grass tent or motorhome pitch

Liked Nice mostly flat camping field & gravel EHU pitches, the camping areas were very clean & tidy.

We had a meal in the Pub and the food was good and the staff were lovely.

Great location for Durdle Door, Lulworth Cove & local attractions.

Disliked We stayed as part of a large group of 40+ people and there were also other D of E groups staying aswell.

Sadly there were only 2/3 showers and 2/3 toilets working for the campsite, so not great (one toilet and shower was out of use).

As you can imagine there was quite a queue each morning to use the facilities, which were kept clean but were VERY basic.

We paid £39 a night for a hardstanding EHU pitch.

For well under £39 a night we have stayed in other campsites with fantastic toilet & shower block facilities, so the very basic facilities at this campsite made it seem very expensive for what it was.

Also part of the camping field & EHU hook up's are next to a really busy main road which was really noisy well into the early hours of the night. Appreciate there is nothing the campsite owners can do about that but just something to be aware of when booking if you do want peace and tranquillity!

Con's were the facilities could do with being updated & expanded and if you pitch near the road or pub car park it can be very noisy.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Nice site, quite. Nice pub friendly…

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
Steve S.

Non-electric hardstanding touring pitch

Liked Nice site, quite. Nice pub friendly staff

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for your kind review! We’re glad you enjoyed the peaceful site and found the pub and team welcoming. Hope to see you again soon!

Great pitches and friendly staff, the…

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
10
Kelly M.

Electric gravel and sand touring pitch

Liked Great pitches and friendly staff, the new renovation completed on the pub looks great.

Disliked Was a little disappointed that twin excels can only go on the gravel pitch with electric, we like off grid camping

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for your lovely feedback! We’re really pleased you enjoyed the pitches, friendly team, and the pub refurbishment.

We also appreciate your comments regarding pitch allocation and understand your preference for off-grid camping. Your feedback is very helpful and will be taken on board as we continue to develop the site.

We hope to welcome you back again soon!

Great site as a base for a few days and nights

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
9
Value for money
7
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
5
Customer service
8
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
9
Wifi
5
Mark S.

Electric gravel and sand touring pitch

Liked The camp site has easy access from the main road and is attached to the Red Lion Pub which sells good food and a fine selection of drinks.

Friendly greeting on arrival and given information about the site and its amenities.

The pub does have some good offers on food (at the time of our stay)

The site is mainly grass which was cut to a good length with a few electric hook ups, it also has 5 level pitches on gravel with electric hook ups.

We stayed on pitch 5 which is 1 of 5 on the gravel. These are sited is on the back of the pub car park and not far from the main road.

No issues with the electrics

The toilets and shower areas were nice and clean

Very little light pollution at night so great for star gazing

Very little road noise or noise from the pub car park

Nice easy mooch into the village and its store

Village cricket ground in the next field

Lots of open space

Pretty central to Dorchester, Swanage, Weymouth, Poole, Lulworth Cove, Wareham and all those other places and villages in between.

Disliked In the camping field there are two separate showers and toilet cubicles at the time of our visit one shower and one toilet was out of action.

The remaining shower did not have a great flow and not very warm; however, at the back of the pub there are two more showers which do get hot and have a good flow another toilet and wash hand basin.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent site with basic amenities. Ideal for Jurassic Coast walks

Overall

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

Electric gravel and sand touring pitch

Liked Lovely welcome and well laid out site. Ideally situated for walks out to explore local area and down to Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove. Discount given on food at drink in pub.

Disliked Pitch was at side of pub car park so a lot of activity with car doors slamming and people having chats, but doesn't go on too long or too late do not a major issue and to be expected.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thank you for your lovely review! We’re really pleased you enjoyed the site layout, location and the pub discount.

We hope to welcome you back again soon!


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/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis Watersports

Amenities on site

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 Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

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

Themes

Peaceful Spectacular scenery

Utilities

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

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Public transport nearby Shop nearby

Type

Medium (26-50 pitches) Pub campsite

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Restaurant nearby Watersports nearby

Location

The Red Lion

Winfrith Newburgh

Dorset

England

DT2 8LE

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

50,66708°N
2,2767°W

Nearest transport

Coach
12 km Red Lion
12 km Post Office
12,3 km South Station
Rail
4,2 km Wool Rail Station
4,6 km Moreton (Dorset) Rail Station
11,8 km Wareham Rail Station
Ferry
13,8 km Weymouth Ferry Terminal
20,6 km Poole Ferry Terminal
21,2 km Poole Quay Ferry Landing
Airport
33,7 km 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

You won’t have to wander very far afield to sample the best of Dorset attractions; The Red Lion is only 10 minutes’ drive from Man O’War Beach on the Jurassic Coast, the spectacular Durdle Door sea arch and romantic, almost circular Lulworth Cove. The kids will relish the chance to encounter the primates at Monkey World - Ape Rescue Centre (yes, also 10 minutes away), or see the nesting mute swans at Abbotsbury Swannery (40 minutes). Weymouth (25 minutes), its sandy beaches and Sea Life Adventure Park is also a good bet for keeping youngsters happy. Plus, the ever-popular Tank Museum in Bovington (10 minutes) is within striking distance. Take the Dorset air as you scramble up to Osmington White Horse (15 minutes), cut into the limestone landscape in 1808, for views over the downs to the English Channel. There are more wonderful vistas to be had from hilltop Corfe Castle (also 15 minutes), and if any cobwebs still need blowing away, head to Chesil Beach (half an hour) for a blustery walk along the shingle.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Durdle Door East 5 km Sea N/AExcellentN/AExcellent
Durdle Door West 5 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Lulworth Cove 5,7 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Ringstead Bay 6,6 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Bowleaze Cove 10,8 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

The Tank Museum 3,9 km

Monkey World - Ape Rescue Centre 5,4 km

Lulworth Heritage Centre 5,7 km

Lulworth Castle & Park 5,7 km

Hardy's Birthplace 10,6 km

National Trust

Clouds Hill 5,9 km

Hardy's Cottage 10,6 km

Max Gate 11,3 km

Corfe Castle 15,8 km

White Mill 21,6 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

West Lulworth Circular 4,8 km

Lulworth and White Nothe Coastal Tour 5,4 km

South Down Car Park - White Horse Hill - Osmington - Osmington Mill - Ringstead - South Down CP 5,5 km

LULWORTH CASTLE 5,5 km

Clouds Hill - Moreton 5,6 km

Local events

  • Tankfest (Friday, 26 June 2026 – Friday, 26 June 2026)

    Wareham, England 3,8 km

  • Camp Bestival Dorset (Thursday, 30 July 2026 – Thursday, 30 July 2026)

    Wareham, England 5,9 km

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

    Dorchester, England 12,2 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.

Want to know more about camping in Dorset?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does The Red Lion have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is The Red Lion dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near The Red Lion? You won’t have to wander very far afield to sample the best of Dorset attractions; The Red Lion is only 10 minutes’ drive from Man O’War Beach on the Jurassic Coast, the … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of The Red Lion?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  4 p.m. –  9 p.m.
    Depart by:  10 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at The Red Lion? From R581,75 (for 1 night, 6 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.