Cabins near the beach in Bodiam Castle
This small Sussex village features an impressive castle, a railway, and riverside camping.
- Bodiam Castle
Popular camping styles for Bodiam Castle
Cabins near the beach in Bodiam Castle guide
Overview
Bodiam is a small village in East Sussex that’s most famous for its 14th-century castle. With a classic turreted exterior, a moat, and a railway running beneath it that connects Bodiam Station to Tenterden, campers with an interest in history and culture–and a dislike of big, busy cities–will enjoy little Bodiam. Set up a tent or park your campervan at the campground beside the River Rother, which also rents out kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, and row boats. Bodiam lies within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) so there are plenty of walks and other adventures to be found nearby.
Where to go
High Weald AONB
Spanning across East Sussex, Kent, and Surrey, High Weald AONB is a naturally and culturally important landscape with wooded, rolling hills dotted with limestone outcrops, farmsteads, and ancient roads. Bodiam is a village within the AONB and makes a good base for exploring this beautiful landscape. Campers can also find other campsites within the AONB and beyond Bodiam.
Ashdown Forest
West of Bodiam, Ashdown Forest is a must-visit place for campers who grew up with A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh books, as it’s where the books were set (fictionalised as the Hundred Acre Wood). It’s the largest public open space in southwest England and is a place of scientific interest for its unique heathland. The nearest campsite to Ashdown Forest is in Hartfield village and there are many other places to camp throughout East Sussex.
Bewl Water
Northwest of Bodiam, Bewl Water is a large reservoir that doubles as an outdoor recreation area, with watersports, walking and cycle paths, fishing, flora and fauna, and camping. Bring your own tent or campervan or book a yurt for a glamping experience. Scotney Castle is near Bewl Water and is another must-see 14th-century castle that’s very different from Bodiam Castle.
When to go
Like much of southern England, summer is the best time to camp in and around Bodiam. The temperatures are usually mild, there’s less rain, and the days are long. School holidays tend to be the busiest time to camp as families from across southern England and London head to the countryside. Some campsites may be closed in the off-season, when most travellers find tent camping in an English winter very uncomfortable anyway—book a cabin or cottage during this time instead.
