- Riverside Camping
Riverside camping in Kent Downs AONB
94% (495) • 360 campsites
Top-rated campgrounds in Kent Downs AONB
The Barn KT9
1. The Barn KT9
97%
(284)
Chessington, England · 16 units · Tents, Glamping
A unique rural campsite in Surrey, a stone's throw from London's Zone 6
Pets
Campfires
Showers
The Meadow @ Waples Mill
2. The Meadow @ Waples Mill
93%
(45)
Dunmow, England · 12 units
Spacious grass pitches in the green Essex countryside
A 15-minute drive to Chelmsford; 40 minutes to Audley End
Tractor rides on site; firepits provided for campfires. Rural walks,
How about proper farm activities like tractor rides (ask site staff for details)?
The place to find all this is The Meadow at Waples Mill, an Essex farm site between Chelmsford and Dunmow (and about 15 minutes’ drive from both). This family-friendly site is handy for walks on the Essex Way and other local footpaths, and tractor and trailer rides around the farm are organised on alternate days to give guests a glimpse into agricultural life.
Activities complete for the day, it's time to chill out, and that should be easy here – all pitches have access to toilets and hot showers in a trailer close by, and firepits are provided so you can have a safe campfire (with wood available to buy on site and a great farm shop 10 minutes’ drive away for fireside snacks).
Pitches themselves are large (please note only one tent per pitch is allowed), well kept and well spaced within a meadow that backs onto the River Roding. Dogs are welcome, and there are plenty of places to take them for a walk nearby.
London folk looking for a quick escape to the countryside, this is a place to bear in mind – it’s only about an hour and quarter by road from the city.
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Otter Channel Campsite
3. Otter Channel Campsite
95%
(160)
East Sussex, England · 15 units
Spacious, nature-friendly camping with campfires on the banks of the River Rother
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Wonderland Festival Retreat
4. Wonderland Festival Retreat
93%
(7)
Henfield, England · 3 units
Glamping by the lake with an optional sauna and hot tub
Pets
Showers
Campfires
The Nut Plat Retreat
5. The Nut Plat Retreat
94%
(81)
Tonbridge, England · 3 units
Antique living wagons on the banks of the River Bourne, with a charming orchard setting, a pub down the lane and a history unlike anywhere else
Pets
Showers
Campfires
Hale Farm
6. Hale Farm
100%
(155)
Chiddingly, England · 38 units · Tents, Glamping
A family-run, working farm in East Sussex offering spacious, traditional camping with no set pitches
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
The Sunset Tree
7. The Sunset Tree
96%
(34)
Sussex, England · 29 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping
A sociable, tents-only, pop-up campsite, with a good village pub and playground on the doorstep
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Wethersfield Eco Project Off grid
8. Wethersfield Eco Project Off grid
90%
(20)
Sudbury, England · 39 units · Tents, Motorhomes
Update we allow cars ad camper and this land has a special energy. Set in the valley with the hillside gives 360 degrees view of natural landscape. Wethersfield Eco Project is the historic parkland of Wethersfield Manor. Veteren Oaks and Sequoia Grace the woodland hillside with badgers and foxes in the sandy hills, buzzards and kites soaring the ponds full of dragonfly.
Great space for a family or romantic getaway or larger group party. If you are a group under 10 people please expect to share the space with others but we'll ensure you have your own private area!
Bring your sound system and have your own party or event.
Music must be off after 11pm as houses are 500metres away.
Price is per adult 16 or over per night 11am to 11am checkout. Late checkout or day rate til 5pm is 10 per adult. Kids free. Dogs are 5 pounds.
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Woolton Farm
9. Woolton Farm
88%
(20)
Canterbury, England · 23 units · Tents, Glamping
Camping pitches and bell tents on an apple farm in Kent
Pets
Campfires
Showers
The Slips
10. The Slips
91%
(85)
Henfield, England · 38 units · Tents, Motorhomes
A relaxed, back-to-basics campsite in the West Sussex countryside
Pets
Electrical hookup
Campfires
Glottenham - Nearly Wild Camping
11. Glottenham - Nearly Wild Camping
85%
(37)
Robertsbridge, England · 10 units
Family camping and luxury glamping in the grounds of a former castle and hop farm
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
Allington Lock Campsite
12. Allington Lock Campsite
100%
(3)
England · 10 units · Tents, Glamping
Set beside a peaceful river, this family-friendly campsite offers a simple, nature-filled getaway. Pitch your own tent on one of our 8 non-electric grass pitches, or make yourself at home in one of our two cosy Scandinavian-style softwood cabins, each sleeping up to 4.
Please note: guests staying in cabins will need to bring their own bed linen.
Onsite facilities include:
Riverside setting for a tranquil stay
Hot showers and toilets
Covered eating area with BBQs
Cabins with electricity (for charging devices only)
Parking for 1 car per booking (£5 per night)
Dogs welcome
Onsite CCTV and security barriers
Pets
Showers
Potable water
Stone Pit Meadows
13. Stone Pit Meadows
100%
(8)
Sandhurst, England · 5 units
Bell tent and shepherd's hut glamping in a wild and luscious space, 5 minutes from Bodiam Castle.
Pets
Showers
Campfires
Recent reviews from the Hipcamp community
R
Rachel
2 weeks ago
Tent
With kids
Lovely big pitch, great, clean facilities (both compost and flushing loos available), and beautiful tree edged site with a distant soundscape of peacocks! Being able to visit the animals each morning was a real highlight, especially meeting a day old baby goat! Log delivery available each teatime but we missed it one night and the owners were still able to arrange for us to have logs when we texted them. Thank you.
See more
P
Peter
3 weeks ago
Tent
With kids
Great site. Not many pitches, so felt like we had plenty of space. Nice to have a cafe on site and there was lots to do in the nearby area..
See more
Manuela
3 weeks ago
Tent
With kids
We had a lovely weekend overall and really enjoyed the atmosphere and surroundings. We had a good time and felt relaxed during our stay.
There were a few things that could definitely be improved though. The toilet facilities weren't very clean — there were only two available, and I actually ended up cleaning one myself. On the second day, when temperatures reached around 36°C, there was also no water available, which was quite difficult in that heat. Drinking water availability could also be improved, and communication was a little slow as messages and calls weren't answered quickly.
Despite these issues, we still enjoyed ourselves and had a nice experience overall. With some improvements to cleanliness, water supply, and communication, this place could be even better.
See more
A
Alix
3 weeks ago
Tent
With kids
We had a lovely two nights in the campsite. It’s a great location: close to home but felt far away with pretty views, some great games for kids and good amenities. We’d love to visit again soon.
See more
N
Nik
3 weeks ago
Tent
Excellent bike camping adventure at KT9. Would recommend. Great facilities and overall vibe. We will be back.
See more
C
Cassandra
May 2026
Tent
Lovely facilities and Ruth and Scott are so friendly. The farm is a wonderful added extra and the atmosphere of camp is serene. Would definitely recommend and will be visiting again in the future.
See more
J
James
May 2026
Tent
With pets
Had a great weekend hear. We pitched up in the corner, it was peaceful and relaxing the guy came over several times making sure all was ok. They have fire pits available at no charge and even let you help your self to wood we will be staying again.
See moreV
Vignesh
May 2026
Tent
With kids
Our second visit to Hale Farm and it was as good as our first. The utilities are always very clean and the water hot. The kids love having a big field to run around and hedgerows to explore. The fire pit is always a big hit!
See more
J
Jo
May 2026
Tent
With kids
My 5 year old and I had a great time camping at The Barn KT9. Getting there and setting up was easy, with clear directions. The nearby cafe, woods, and pub were easy walks away. The site was quiet late at night, and having our own firepit and BBQ was a real bonus, as well as real flushing loos. Would recommend as an easily accessible (from London) campsite. Could do with slightly better ground underfoot for walking and running around.
See more
G
Graham
April 2026
Tent
KT9 is an absolutely stunning spot with fantastic amenities and views for days!
Falling asleep under the stars (we were in bivi bags) and waking to Deer in the distance.
Perfect!
See more
I
Iryna
April 2026
2 nights at The Nut Plat Retreat
Wonderful place to relax. Friendly hosts and a lovely atmosphere. We will definitely come back!
See more
E
Ed
March 2026
Tent
With kids
Great couple of days camping. Site very picturesque, facilities good and proximity to the barn very helpful for food and drink! George was very welcoming. Site well located to explore Kent (we spent a day in Deal)
See more
J
Jioji
March 2026
Tent
We had a great stay at the Meadow . The site was clean, peaceful, and a lovely place to relax.
Martin, the host, was very friendly and helpful. He made us feel welcome and was always happy to help if we needed anything.
Overall, a really nice campsite and we would happily stay here again.
See more
a
azam
March 2026
With kids
A lovely place to stay> larger than expected and lots of firewood to keep us warm.
See moreM
Matt
December 2025
Weekend Trip to The Nut Plat Retreat
The cabin was homely, warm and comfy. Plenty of logs provided for the burner. The hot tub is surrounded by trees and when the stars come out a lovely place to wallow. Nice country pub on doorstep. Would recommend.
See moree
erin
November 2025
Weekend Trip to The Nut Plat Retreat
Highly recommend, my partner and I had a great time at Finlay’s cabin. It was exactly what we were looking for in terms of: how remote & private it was, outdoor and indoor fire & the hot tub! We also loved the unique structure and authentic feel… however a few things to note, for the cost per night(£180) I would expect: body wash & shampoo / hairdryer, better kitchen essentials, the coffee left was almost empty for example and old stuff was left in the fridge& top shelf was left completely wet.. I know it’s ‘small’ things but for the price you’d expect these things to be attended to.. for us we didn’t mind too much, but would have made the experience a lot nicer to have these things to improve the overall feel and experience. Also I felt that in terms of cleanliness, it could have been cleaner, many cobwebs & spiders, hair and dirt in the bath tub, messy outdoor porch area; we wanted to use the outdoor bbq and had to clean it very well ourselves.. for the price you would expect it to be clean and ready to use with coals etc however we had to make do with the indoor logs with no fire starter as only option was the chemical indoor one which we didn’t want to use to cook food on.. making it difficult. The hotub area is lovely, however we wanted to use it at night which proved difficult as no outdoor lightning, and indoor torch didn’t work.. some lanterns outside would be a great addition. Duncan was a kind host and has a very special plot!
See more
A
Abigail
October 2025
With pets
While the facilities are basic they are perfect as a base for exploring a truly picturesque part of Kent. We had an amazing time and really loved being able to bring our puppy along for the holiday!
See more
L
Liam
October 2025
With pets
Easy check-in, lovely area, nice guy, comfy cabin.
See more
C
Charlie
September 2025
Tent
Excellent site, so relaxing and beautiful: just as described. Cannot recommend highly enough, will definitely return and highly recommend
See moreR
Ryan
September 2025
Tent
Group trip
It is well organised, easy to access and you really do feel you are in the countryside/out in the wide open spaces. I highly recommend this site and aim to be back very soon!
See more
