The best star host campsites in Hainault Forest

Once part of the Forest of Essex, this age-old 280-acre expanse sprawling northeast from London has been protected since back in the 12th century. Dive into its horse-riding, cycling and walking routes, keeping an eye out for some of the 130 bird species among the trickling streams, whispering oak trees and wide-open heathland. A ‘monster trail’ keeps kids busy, and the whole area is dog-friendly. Autumn is a delightful season to explore Hainault Forest, with foliage slipping into rust-red clothes, while spring is perfect for vibrant blooms. You’ll want to book nearby campsites well ahead, especially in July and August when things get busy.

99% (752)

Top-rated campgrounds near Hainault Forest

Once part of the Forest of Essex, this age-old 280-acre expanse sprawling northeast from London has been protected since back in the 12th century. Dive into its horse-riding, cycling and walking routes, keeping an eye out for some of the 130 bird species among the trickling streams, whispering oak trees and wide-open heathland. A ‘monster trail’ keeps kids busy, and the whole area is dog-friendly. Autumn is a delightful season to explore Hainault Forest, with foliage slipping into rust-red clothes, while spring is perfect for vibrant blooms. You’ll want to book nearby campsites well ahead, especially in July and August when things get busy.

99% (752)

Top-rated campgrounds near Hainault Forest

1. Painters Farm Campsite

99%

(38)

46 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Whitstable, England

Nestled beside the village of Painters Forstal, Faversham, Kent. Our two acre orchard site with grass pitches. The campsite lies within seventeen acres on the slope of The Kent Downs, a designated area of natural beauty. The Alma ale house at the edge of the farm serves Shepherds Neame and hot meals all year round. Two acre quiet cherry orchard site based around a Tudor Manor house 1547 that gives its name to our village. Surrounded by orchards and open countryside but within easy reach of Faversham, Whitstable and Canterbury. Pitches for tents, campervans, motorhomes and touring caravans with or without electric hook up on a level grassy site. Pets are welcome and a crew member is always around the reception or farm to help out. The Campsite is open from 1st march until 31st October. The local area is awash with things to do. Faversham once the busiest port in 17th century England for its wool trade has the longest complete medieval street in the country. A wealth of little shops, cafes and pubs as well as the country’s oldest family owned brewery Shepherd Neame. Whitstable sitting just along the coast, famed for its Oysters and Sunsets is a fun beachside community bustling in the summer months and hauntingly bleak in the winter ones. The World Heritage sites of Canterbury are just a fifteen minute trip away with all its well documented history and plentiful shops and eateries.

2. Hale Farm

100%

(152)

38 units · Tents, Glamping · East Sussex, South East England

A family-run, working farm in East Sussex offering spacious, traditional camping with no set pitches

3. Tomkins Farm

96%

(164)

42 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · North Chailey, England

Relaxed camping beside a lake on an East Sussex farm, with alpacas, llamas, and camels

4. Freedom Farm Camping

98%

(20)

30 units · Tents · Newmarket, England

Eco permanent pasture farm with 12 mile views across the countryside in West Suffolk near Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge. Say goodbye to the road whilst camping privately and securely in 70 acres of paddocks edged with post and rail fencing. Footpaths accessed directly from the site to explore further afield. We produce most of our own food and have a herd of Dexter grass fed beef cows grazing. Beef and vegetables available for sale depending on the season and availability. Camping hammocks also welcome in the wood. We also have equestrian facilities including a manege and it is possible to bring a horse by arrangement in summer. We have a guide available for hacking locally and a resident BS qualified instructor. Please contact for details.

5. Star Field Camping

97%

(62)

21 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Kent, South East England

Off-grid camping and glamping in the High Weald of Kent with campfires, acres of space and a farm shop on site

Recent reviews from the Hipcamp community

L

Lee

October 2025

5 m Class B

Weekend Trip to Painters Farm Campsite

Great welcome and although the windiest weekend of the year so far a decent pitch with a little shelter. Two walks over the weekend one directly from camp and the other from the Swale estuary car park, both worth it.

N

Niall

September 2025

Tent

With kids

Weekend Trip to Freedom Farm Camping

We had an amazing stay at the wonderful Freedom Eco Farm. The location is really lovely, with distant views of rolling hills and mature trees - all to ourselves. What is especially great was Helena and Duncan’s relaxed and warm welcome and the ability to roam the tracks around their farm. The grass fed beef burgers were delicious and we’ll be back to try the swimming pond and sauna. Thanks, we loved our stay.

M

MARTYN

September 2025

Tent

3 nights at Freedom Farm Camping

Excellent private location. Very relaxing with good facilities.

J

Jayne

September 2025

4 m Class B

Weekend Trip to Star Field Camping

We had a wonderful time late in the season it was sunny, quiet and very peaceful, lovely night sky. Facilities excellent everything has been thought of, showers particularly good! The woods are spectacular! Farm shop a must - great choice of lovely produce. Everyone super friendly, would highly recommend.

L

Laurence

September 2025

5 m Class B

4 nights at Painters Farm Campsite

We had a wonderful time, the place is beautiful and quiet, away from roads and houses. Vans, campers and tents are well spaced from each other. Everybody very respectful. Facilities are great: shower and loos are immaculate, fire pits available to rent and wood to buy, pub in walking distance, and even home pizzas nights at the weekend. Location is great too, we will definitely be back!

B

Bob

August 2025

3 m Class B

Weekend Trip to Tomkins Farm

Friendly welcome. Good space. Hot water in wash up and showers. Weather changed so I baled one day early so didn't get to try their Saturday night pizzas which sounded fab!

W

William

August 2025

Tent

With kids

Weekend Trip to Tomkins Farm

Phil, family, and staff made us all feel extremely welcome (especially the kids). The showers and facilities were great 😅. The breakfast rolls and the pizzas were really tasty and very handy as we had a lot of rain on one day 😋. Having a forest play area for kids as well as llamas nearby makes it an ideal family camp site.

Chris

August 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Tomkins Farm

Have stayed here before and would again. Really well organised from logs to food, good facilities including the open air showers. staff all really friendly. space is perfectly located for walk (to lots of well placed pubs) pitches are large and no space is very far from the facilities. if i had one request for next time it would be better coffee but that’s a bit picky! really good, reasonable camp for couples and families.

D

David

August 2025

Tent

With kids

2 nights at Hale Farm

Lovely place to camp - nice open space and there was a tree the kids really enjoyed climbing and decorating with our camping lights! Really nice to have farm animals on site too. Great location to visit Eastbourne.

Andrew

August 2025

Tent

With kids

2 nights at Hale Farm

Facilities are so clean! And everyone is very friendly.

C

Clinton

August 2025

Tent

With kids

3 nights at Painters Farm Campsite

Loved the site and the attention from the owners. The facilities were clean and well maintained. Even the WiFi was strong and easy to access. Only stayed for three nights but would definitely book again.

J

Jassey

August 2025

Tent

1 night at Tomkins Farm

Hot water in shower and sinks. Drinking water a bit cloudy. Lovely and peaceful. Nice walks nearby. Quite surreal with the camels in the distance! Alpacas were sweet but a little far for petting. Not windy as sheltered location. A very large area with many pitches near alpacas, the camels or trees as you prefer. Completely safe and enclosed. Manager came to offer firewood which is available at any time for the permanent fire pits. Bring your own logs

C

Christopher

August 2025

Tent

Group trip

Weekend Trip to Freedom Farm Camping

The farm is a great spot for camping. The facilities are very nice and the hosts are lovely. Would highly recommend.

V

Vignesh

August 2025

Tent

With kids

Weekend Trip to Hale Farm

I visited Hale Farm for 2 nights with my daughter aged 7 and 4 for their first experience of camping and could not be happier. The organisation, attention to detail and facilities were all spot on. We were greeted shortly after arrival and introduced to the layout and facilities and then left in peace to enjoy our stay. There were also frequent rounds by the campsite management to ensure guests remained respectful of others later in the evening which was very appreciated. The small animal farm was great fun for the kids and to while away part of the mornings. There is indeed a coffee truck and an ice cream van who visit the site each day and were very reasonably priced. We visited The Gun for lunch and enjoyed the short walk which meandered through some hedgerows and fields. I quite enjoyed that there weren't a slew of activities available to sign up to as it meant more quality time amongst ourselves, with the added bonus of no mobile reception which means my attention was fully on the kids. We'd love to come back and perhaps bring some friends next time!

C

Claire

August 2025

Tent

3 nights at Freedom Farm Camping

Lovely big field, very flat, peaceful spot. A bit of a long way to the bathrooms from the field but they were brand new and spotless.

B

Becca

August 2025

Tent

With kids

Weekend Trip to Hale Farm

We had a wonderful stay at Hale farm campsite, the facilities were excellent and clean. Great sized pitch, plenty of room. My 4 year old and 9 year old really enjoyed going to see the animals on the farm each morning. We all especially enjoyed eating the tasty produce sold on site. My children couldn’t believe their luck when the ice cream van turned up in the evening too. We will definitely be returning again.

Z

Zeeshan

August 2025

Tent

With kids

Weekend Trip to Freedom Farm Camping

Beautiful land and sky. Owners were really helpful and accommodating with the firewood and etc. Even gave some of younger ones a fun trip in their truck which they loved. Highly recommend.

M

Miriam

July 2025

Tent

With kids

Weekend Trip to Freedom Farm Camping

We absolutely loved camping here - beautiful farm setting, very peaceful at night. Our toddler enjoyed saying hello to the calves & horses, spotting dragonflies, and pottering in the wooded area! Helena and Duncan were very welcoming and helpful. The swimming pond is stunning - clear and very deep - and the sauna warmed us up before bed! Thank you for a lovely stay - hope to return for longer :)

J

Joel

July 2025

Tent

Group trip

Weekend Trip to Freedom Farm Camping

Lovely campsite. Really peaceful, lots of space -- and a friendly dog!

A

Antonia

July 2025

Tent

With kids

Weekend Trip to Tomkins Farm

Tomkin's Farm was a lovely place to camp for the weekend. Friendly welcome, lovely facilities, lots of toilets, gorgeous open air showers. And a bar/shop every night, and cooked breakfast each morning.. plus pizza one night! Great unexpected luxuries. Thank you guys. See you again 🙂

The best campsites for under £50 near Hainault Forest

The Sunset Tree

96%

(34)

30 units · Tents, Glamping · West Sussex, South East England

A sociable, tents-only, pop-up campsite, with a good village pub and playground on the doorstep

The Barn KT9

97%

(271)

22 units · Tents, Glamping · Greater London, South East England

A unique rural campsite in Surrey, a stone's throw from London's Zone 6

Secluded Woodland Camp

95%

(10)

27 units · Tents, Glamping · Ware, England

Glamp or pitch up here in our secluded and peaceful mini off-grid site combining both field and forest. We have a shared under cover space and also an outdoor fire-pit to gather more than 20 people comfortably. There is a simple compost loo for your use with hand-washing and dish washing area outside. And the rest is all Mother nature! There is no running water or drinking water. You will need to bring your own. No electricity points or WIFI are in the campsite and no masts nearby so enjoy the EMF cleanse. Whether you chose to stay in the ancient woodland or the herbal pasture, you will feel the benefits of reconnecting with yourself in nature, breathing the clean air and hearing the birds singing. The parking is 800m away and there is minimal tractor use so you can imagine yourself roaming the fields and forest of England in days gone by. Fitness required. It's a long walk from the car park to the campsite. Trolleys provided.

Hook Farm Campsite

98%

(203)

18 units · Tents · West Sussex, South East England

Blissfully back-to-basics camping in the heart of the West Sussex High Weald

Laleham Camping Club

100%

(10)

124 units · Tents, Motorhomes · England

Our 100 pitch campsite is located in the protected Green Belt area to the west of London. With the River Thames on one side and Laleham Park on all others, the beautiful surroundings are hard to beat given the proximity to the capital. The campsite is run voluntarily by its members, with day-to-day matters being handled by an elected committee and wardens.

The best campsites available this weekend near Hainault Forest

Hastingford Fishery Glamping

100%

(8)

4 units · Glamping · Uckfield, England

Searching for a peaceful holiday/short break without kids underfoot? Ramble along to Hastingford Fishery, an adults-only shepherd's hut and fishing site set in a scenic lakeside setting less than five minutes’ drive from the East Sussex village of Hadlow Down and 20 minutes from Royal Tunbridge Wells. This site should suit couples or singles wanting to 'get away from it all' and also fishing fans down to the ground. It’s got several fishing lakes to choose from with lots of different species, so settle down on the banks with rod in hand and while away a few hours (or days) in quiet contemplation, waiting for something to bite. But please note, the site is not for 'competition anglers' although there are plenty of good sized carp around. and asks anyone fishing to only use barbless hooks, and for fish to be returned to the lake quickly after being caught.Not the fishing type? Chill out in and around your secluded hut, or there’s plenty to entertain in a leisurely fashion: paths wind around the lakes and through copses/shaws (as this is the High Weald) plus through the local countryside. There are spectacular views towards the South Downs National Park from the top lakes. A spring-fed lake is also on site to cool off in with some wild swimming. Lots of bird life around, with feeders outside each hut and waterfowl visitors to the lakes.When it comes to eats, pick up or have supplies delivered from supermarkets or takeaways in Uckfield, Heathfield or Crowborough or take a drive to Buxted Park for some posh food or pubs in Blackboys, Crowborough, Ringles Cross, 5 Ash Down, Rotherfield, or Buxted (it'll take about 10 minutes to drive to any of these). Lots of sample menus in huts.

Far and Away Camping

100%

(18)

40 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · England

Nestled within the heart of the Kent countryside, Far and Away allows you to escape into a rural, peaceful and wild campsite. The skies are full of song birds and birds of prey, hot air balloons dominate the still summer evenings and there is always a spitfire or biplane circling from the local aerodrome. With close to zero light pollution, the night skies are a stunning way to end the day not to mention Far and Away sunrise and sunsets are also worth staying up for! Immerse yourself in the heart of the beautiful Kent countryside and take advantage of the many public footpaths around the campsite. Far and Away is 1.2 miles away from Headcorn village where you can find a host of local amenities, shops, pubs and restaurants. There is also a host of National Trust sites within a short drive including Sissinghurst Castle and many wonderful villages to visit including medieval Biddenden and the magical market town of Tenterden. Next to junction 8 of the M20 there is also Leeds Castle, only a 20 minute drive from Far and Away and the Big Cat Sanctuary is only a few fields away. At night you can hear the roar of the wild cats really making it feel like you are Far and Away!

Beech Estate Campsite

97%

(185)

57 units · Tents, Glamping · Battle, England

Tent pitch camping and wild glamping in a Sussex woodland hideaway

Hill Top Farm Wild Camping

95%

(10)

1 unit · Tent · England

Hill Top Farm Wild Camping has just one pitch but the folk here keep the grass trimmed for easy pitching and you can park right next to the pitch. It's a tiny Wild Camping site with no running water, toilets or showers. What Noakes Meadow does have is plenty of space for you to enjoy and camp fires are definitely allowed. A wheelbarrow of fire wood can be purchased for £10 Cash/Paypal/Bank Transfer on arrival. This site is far away from the madding crowds though close to the M20 and A20 for easy access. A mere 10-minute stroll along the road is a fab 16th-century country inn for food and pints. On the other hand you could always fire up a barbie and sizzle some sausages or grab a take away from the chippie 7 minutes away in the nearby village of Lenham. This wild camping site operates a leave no trace policy so be prepared to bag up and take everything with you when you leave.

Star Host camping experiences near Hainault Forest

Hale Farm

100%

(152)

38 units · Tents, Glamping · East Sussex, South East England

A family-run, working farm in East Sussex offering spacious, traditional camping with no set pitches

Star Field Camping

97%

(62)

21 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Kent, South East England

Off-grid camping and glamping in the High Weald of Kent with campfires, acres of space and a farm shop on site

Freedom Farm Camping

98%

(20)

30 units · Tents · Newmarket, England

Eco permanent pasture farm with 12 mile views across the countryside in West Suffolk near Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge. Say goodbye to the road whilst camping privately and securely in 70 acres of paddocks edged with post and rail fencing. Footpaths accessed directly from the site to explore further afield. We produce most of our own food and have a herd of Dexter grass fed beef cows grazing. Beef and vegetables available for sale depending on the season and availability. Camping hammocks also welcome in the wood. We also have equestrian facilities including a manege and it is possible to bring a horse by arrangement in summer. We have a guide available for hacking locally and a resident BS qualified instructor. Please contact for details.

Painters Farm Campsite

99%

(38)

46 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Whitstable, England

Nestled beside the village of Painters Forstal, Faversham, Kent. Our two acre orchard site with grass pitches. The campsite lies within seventeen acres on the slope of The Kent Downs, a designated area of natural beauty. The Alma ale house at the edge of the farm serves Shepherds Neame and hot meals all year round. Two acre quiet cherry orchard site based around a Tudor Manor house 1547 that gives its name to our village. Surrounded by orchards and open countryside but within easy reach of Faversham, Whitstable and Canterbury. Pitches for tents, campervans, motorhomes and touring caravans with or without electric hook up on a level grassy site. Pets are welcome and a crew member is always around the reception or farm to help out. The Campsite is open from 1st march until 31st October. The local area is awash with things to do. Faversham once the busiest port in 17th century England for its wool trade has the longest complete medieval street in the country. A wealth of little shops, cafes and pubs as well as the country’s oldest family owned brewery Shepherd Neame. Whitstable sitting just along the coast, famed for its Oysters and Sunsets is a fun beachside community bustling in the summer months and hauntingly bleak in the winter ones. The World Heritage sites of Canterbury are just a fifteen minute trip away with all its well documented history and plentiful shops and eateries.

Tomkins Farm

96%

(164)

42 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · North Chailey, England

Relaxed camping beside a lake on an East Sussex farm, with alpacas, llamas, and camels

Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

The best star host campsites in Hainault Forest guide

Where to go

Lee Valley Country Park

Beyond Hainault Forest itself, campers can explore the nearby Lee Valley, which stretches along the River Lea northeast from London into Buckinghamshire and Essex. Some of it was transformed into London’s Olympic Park for the 2012 games, bringing a welcome green lung to the capital’s east. Its handful of campsites take in tent spots, caravan parks, cosy lodges and pre-pitched safari tents, while adventure activities swing from white-water rafting to rowing along the river to leisurely horse riding.

Epping Forest

Another favourite nature spot on London’s fringes, Epping Forest sits just north of Hainault on the Essex-Hertfordshire border. With endless hiking paths, cycling routes, horseback trails and everything from paintball to windsurfing, you’ll be spoilt for entertainment. And while you can’t pitch up in the forest itself, there are wild-camping and caravanning sites on its edges.

Kent Coast

Kent’s beach-strung northern coastline awaits within a two-hour drive of Hainault Forest, offering up lively, bohemian beach towns such as Whitstable and Margate alongside miles of seaside walks, plenty of watersports and tempting ocean-view camping spots.

Suffolk Coast

Trundle less than two hours east from Hainault Forest to reach the pretty villages, Tudor mansions and pastel-painted resorts dotted around Suffolk’s sleepy littoral, not to mention the unmissable Algo-Saxon burial mounds at Sutton Hoo. Rewarding hikes lead along the 96-km Suffolk Coast Path, with tempting stops including Aldeburgh. There’s also fabulous coastal cycling, along with sunset horse rides along the golden beaches.