Camping in Swinley Forest

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Known for 15 miles of varied-level mountain bike trails and its adrenalin-addled zipline courses just south of Bracknell in Berkshire, Swinley Forest is packed with outdoor fun for adventurers of all ages. Dog-friendly walks weave through the trees (pick up maps at the Look Out reception centre), and shaded forest tracks attract cycling. This area also makes an ideal base for trips to Legoland, Ascot, Windsor, and Thorpe Park, all within 30 minutes’ drive. Campers will delight in retreating to lakeside pitches, local working farms and secluded forest grounds nearby.

95% (2.5K) 4,391 campsites

Top-rated campgrounds in Swinley Forest

The Barn KT9

1. The Barn KT9

97%
(296)
Chessington, England · 16 units · Tents, Glamping
A unique rural campsite in Surrey, a stone's throw from London's Zone 6
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Penn Meadow Farm

2. Penn Meadow Farm

91%
(255)
Beaconsfield, England · 50 units · Tents, Motorhomes
Penn Meadow Farm is a beautiful 145 acre, family farm, nestled perfectly into the Chiltern Hills area of outstanding natural beauty. We’re just a 5 minute walk across our grassy fields to the oldest free-house pub in England (The Royal Standard of England) Say hello to our resident alpacas, sheep, pigs, pigmy goats, flock of 250 sheep and of course our lovely boarder collies. We aim to be a very relaxed spot to be able to rest for a few nights and maybe enjoying a nice camp fire in the evening. The site includes; Showers and Toilet block with toilet paper stocked. Open family pitches for you to choose where you want to set up Running drinking water Shared open kitchen Fires allowed but must be off the ground BBQ's allowed To ensure everyone’s enjoyment and safety, please follow these rules: Supervise children: Always supervise your children and ensure they do not wander off alone. Clean up after yourself: Dispose of all waste properly in the designated bins and leave no trace behind. Wash any items you use and return them to where you found them. Respect other campers: Be courteous to fellow campers and respect their privacy and space. Pets: If you bring pets, ensure they are well-behaved, kept on a leash or have impeccable recall, and cleaned up after. Do not allow your pet to enter another camper's space. Quiet time: Maintain quiet hours between 10pm and 8am. All music must stop by 10pm, and noise should be minimal after 10pm. Campfires: Penn Meadow Farm allows fires; but must be kept off the ground in BBQs or firepits. Fire pits are available to rent from check in. Never leave any fires unattended and ensure they are completely extinguished when finished. Cars/vehicles: Cars and vehicles can be on the field but should move minimally and always under 8mph. Car stereos should not be used for music entertainment. We do not typically book Large non-family groups unless they are seeking a calm and peaceful stay. These groups must have authorization prior to the visit.
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Lordington Park Camping

3. Lordington Park Camping

100%
(50)
Chichester · 16 units
Set on glorious parkland in the middle of the South Downs National Park, Lordington Park really is a wonderful countryside escape. A 15 minutes’ drive from Chichester, our rustic camping field has views over rolling countryside. Spectacular sunsets and sunrises can be expected on cloudless days. Escape the hustle and bustle of every day life in our peaceful rural campsite, with spacious grass pitches big enough for you to have lots of private space. Each pitch has a firepit for barbecues, and there is access to composting toilets, a shower block with warm water, and fresh drinking water. Please note there is no electricity on this simple site. Vehicles are not allowed to park on the camping field, but parking is provided a stone’s throw away. Wheelbarrows are provided to help you get your kit from car to tent. Countryside walks and cycle paths lead directly from your pitch. There are several pubs in the local area – the nearest being 10 minutes’ stroll away. We have a tea room on site, open Thursday - Sunday 10am-3pm. Near by local attractions: Goodwood Weald and downland museum West wittering beach Hayling island Portsmouth historic dockyard Chichester festival theatre Arundel castle Cowdray park Various national trust property’s And many more…
Pets
Campfires
Showers
The Secret Pondside Pitches

4. The Secret Pondside Pitches

England · 10 units · Tents, Motorhomes
The Secret Pondsite Pitches offers 20 pitches by the water! Located just within the borders of Southdown National Park, between Burgess Hill and Hassocks on the site of working plant Nursery, but pleasantly located just behind it, in the company of nature only. The site is remote, but there is a few walking distance attractions: 1. A private gate into the Ditchling Common. 2. Village of Ditchling-a home to of craftsmen and makers, with beautiful history dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period. 3. Pubs, vineyards and other farms-the area is known for it's favourable conditions to grow varieties of grapes perfect for Champag.....oops, not allowed to say it.....for Sparkling Wine! 4. The Beacon-those who love a cycling challenge, The Beacon is a classic and The Secret Pondside Pitches serve as a great starting point to park up, rest up and tackle the hill. Please be quiet and respectful, respect the boundaries of surrounding businesses, watch your babies and pets closely and most importantly-enjoy the natures melody! ____________________________________________________________________________________ This is a working farm, so please arrive with patience and care. More details available via email eastwoodplantmarket@gmail.com or 07309062112
Pets
Campfires
Littleton Farm Campsite

5. Littleton Farm Campsite

95%
(31)
Upwaltham, England · 20 units
Nestled in a valley on the South Downs Way, Littleton Farm Campsite offers a secluded spot for enjoying the countryside. Welcoming tent campers only, the site offers non electric pitches with plenty of space for everyone to have some peace and quiet. Grab breakfast from the onsite Cadence Cafe, spend days exploring picturesque walking routes and evenings by the campfire. Arundel and Chichester are within 20 minutes drive. A great base for exploring the South Downs and all that West Sussex has to offer. For events at Goodwood or for walkers and cyclists on the South Downs Way, the site is also an ideal spot for escaping the crowds. There are 20 non electric grass pitches onsite, each welcoming tents only. Each pitch allows up to six guests, with plenty of space for tents and gazebos with no extra charges other than on a per-person basis. Unloading is allowed by the pitches with parking in the designated car park. Wake up to fantastic rural views and grab a bite to eat from the onsite cafe, which also serves a delicious cup of coffee. Days can be spent enjoying long walks in beautiful open countryside, exploring the charming nearby towns and villages, or down by the coast, only 25 minutes away. In the evenings, guests can cook up a BBQ or relax by the campfire. Please note, the site is dog free.
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
Old Litten

6. Old Litten

99%
(74)
Petersfield, England · 1 unit
Nestled atop a serene hill, this idyllic field offers a perfect escape for campers. Blanketed in lush, green grass, the field stretches out under a vast, clear sky, providing panoramic views of the South Downs National Park. Wildflowers in vibrant hues dot the landscape. As the sun goes down, the sky transforms into a canvas of twinkling stars, untouched by city lights. This remote haven, far from the hustle and bustle, is a sanctuary for those seeking tranquility and a deep connection with nature.
Pets
Campfires
Potable water
Chalky Downs

7. Chalky Downs

96%
(609)
Brighton, England · 10 units · Tents, Motorhomes
Traditional tent camping in a stunningly-located South Downs farm, just down the road from buzzing Brighton
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Riverside Farm experience camp fire

8. Riverside Farm experience camp fire

88%
(33)
England · 83 units · Tents, Glamping
NEW we have 2 brand new toilet blocks with multiple toilets , showers , basins . NEW we have 2 full kitchens for you to use with fridge freezers , gas hobs , electric , and everything needed for your stay we have many different options including bring your own tent , belltent yurts cabins . please enquire for info farm riverside camping in an idyllic 60 acre grade 1 listed country estate conservation farm and pleasure grounds in central Hertford. Large free camping meadow includes fire pits next to the river and ancient woodlands. Stunning valley views. Paddle swim boat fish in our crystal clear chalk streams , explore our woodland areas , with hammocks swings and huge 1960s army parachute shelter. NEW Goldings sandy mini beach , next to our crystal clear shallow paddling area . We have many activities at the farm including woodland activities , cooking campfire with our unique forest school . Loads of fun with friendly lambs, piglets, donkeys and mini cows to pet and feed. Your stay includes a farm tour with farmer Morag and the team, bottle feed our piglets walk our baby mini pygmy goats, ALL ACTIVITIES INCLUDED IN THE PRICE OF YOUR STAY (no extra costs) such as arts and crafts are available, plus play areas, with zip wire, fishing, boats, swimming and paddling in our crystal clear chalk stream. We have 60 acres of grade 1 listed farmland, woodlands, a canal, river and meadows to explore. We are 5 minutes from Hertford north train station which has trains every 35 mins to Central London. Close to all the amazing activities, museums, bars, restaurants and shops of historic Hertford. Close to Hertfordshire Zoo, Harry Potter World, and loads of attractions.
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Stockbridge View Campsite

9. Stockbridge View Campsite

94%
(106)
Stockbridge, England · 62 units · Tents, Motorhomes
A simple campsite in the Test Valley, just a 15-minute walk from Stockbridge
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Secluded Woodland Camp

10. Secluded Woodland Camp

97%
(18)
Ware, England · 31 units · Tents, Glamping
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.
Pets
Campfires
Picnic table
Camping at Tomkins Farm

11. Camping at Tomkins Farm

96%
(175)
North Chailey, England · 41 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping
Relaxed camping beside a lake on an East Sussex farm, with alpacas, llamas, and camels
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Cattlestone Farm Adult Only

12. Cattlestone Farm Adult Only

97%
(122)
Pulborough, England · 56 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping
Friendly camping and glamping on a Sussex farm, with animals to meet, a pond to swim in, and the South Downs nearby.
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Sindles Farm Glamping and Camping

13. Sindles Farm Glamping and Camping

100%
(15)
Emsworth · 9 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping
We are a small, friendly site on a working farm in the beautiful South Downs National Park. We have shepherds huts, bell tents and a land pod in an old sheep paddock, all with private fire pits. We’re surrounded by footpaths and bridleways that can be explored all day, and 10 minutes drive from the sea. We also have a small grass-pitch campsite that opens in the summer for tents and camper vans.
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Housedean Farm Campsite

14. Housedean Farm Campsite

98%
(108)
Lewes, England · 4 units
Epic views of the South Downs, and a walker’s paradise, hidden sweetly on the South Downs Way
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Spring Hill Wild Camping

15. Spring Hill Wild Camping

96%
(97)
Andover, England · 15 units
Spring Hill Wild Camping is a camping site set in the beautiful Hampshire village of St Mary Bourne. Within easy walking distance of the two local pubs, the well stocked village shop and a pick-your-own fruit farm with cafe and play areas. The campsite aims to be a low impact, environmentally friendly site, providing only the basic necessities for camping; well maintained toilets and clean water. If you are looking for hot showers and a pool, this is not the campsite for you. If you are looking for beautiful views, countryside walks and open fires Spring Hill Wild Camping is the campsite for you.
Campfires
Potable water
Weston Caravan and Campsite

16. Weston Caravan and Campsite

97%
(16)
England · 30 units · Tents, Motorhomes
A small family run site in Weston-on-the Green village located with a local pub 5 minutes walk away and on site cafe. The site also has newly refurbished toilet and shower facilities. Amazing location to access Oxford city and easy access to M40 (Junction 9). Good things await for those who grab a berth at Weston Caravan and Campsite, in the Oxfordshire village of Weston-on-the-Green. For starters, space seekers should be pleased to see that there’s plenty of breathing room around this former dairy farm – excellent news for kids or dogs that need a bit of haring-about time after being cooped up in the car. Depending on where you’ve plonked down you may find that your nearest neighbours are the resident beef cattle, sheep or horses; it’s worth keeping your eyes open for sightings of the hedgehogs that often scuttle about the place too. Perhaps most crucially for those whose stomachs dictate a site’s success is the presence of a café that serves up a tempting range of freshly cooked goodies: breakfasts (no rush – they’re served all day), salads, cakes and coffees, plus cheeses, pies and the like to take away. And the crème de la crème – literally: homemade ice cream in up to 16 (yes, a lipsmacking 16) different flavours. Evening appetites can be sated with a barbecue out on the field, or trotting off to the local pub five minutes’ walk away. The site added a new toilet and shower block in 2018. And how to get to this little slice of rural loveliness? The village is just a few minutes’ drive from the A34 and Junction 9 of the M40, making it both a useful stopover on cross-country voyages and a handy spot for Oxfordshire breaks (perhaps taking in Oxford, Blenheim Palace or bagging bargains in Bicester).
Pets
Electrical hookup
Showers
Lagnersh camping

17. Lagnersh camping

78%
(105)
Bognor Regis, England · 75 units · Tents, Motorhomes
Dog-friendly camping near Chichester and the West Sussex coast
Pets
Electrical hookup
Campfires
Hook Farm Campsite

18. Hook Farm Campsite

98%
(210)
East Grinstead, England · 13 units
Blissfully back-to-basics camping in the heart of the West Sussex High Weald
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Woodlands Camping

19. Woodlands Camping

97%
(115)
Ropley, England · 10 units · Tents, Motorhomes
A back-to-basics campsite in the South Downs National Park
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Beech Farm Camping

20. Beech Farm Camping

100%
(2)
England · 99 units · Tents, Motorhomes
A rural getaway doesn’t have to involve a long drive or lots of winding lanes to negotiate – and an excellent example of this is Beech Farm, in the West Sussex countryside about five minutes’ drive from Billingshurst. This site is about a mile and a half from the nearest A road, half an hour’s drive from the A3 and M23, and about 45 minutes from Junction 9 of the M25. All of that adds up to a quick-to-reach destination for residents of London and most of the South East, as well as easy access for those coming from further afield. This is a fairly simple site with just essential facilities (toilet block, rubbish area and chemical disposal point), but it’s all well maintained. It’s a laidback place where families, dogs and groups are all welcome, but please note that campfires and barbecues are not allowed for safety reasons. Bed down here and you’ll be in an excellent spot for all sorts of days out – the site is just outside the South Downs National Park for scenic walks and bike rides, and within easy reach of Chichester (40 minutes), the Goodwood Estate (35 minutes) and the beaches of the south coast (half an hour). Billingshurst has a good selection of shops and places to eat, plus a railway station for days out by train. - Simple but well-kept site five minutes’ drive from Billingshurst - Just outside South Downs National Park; farm park two minutes' drive - Rural location with easy access from main roads and motorways
Pets
Campfires
Potable water

Recent reviews from the Hipcamp community

Swinley Forest camping guide

Where to go

Windsor & Eton

Queen Elizabeth’s beloved weekend escape, millenium-old Windsor Castle lords it over the twin Thames-hugging towns of Windsor and Eton, a half-hour drive northwest of Swinley Forest. Wander the swish galleries and boutiques, jump aboard a boat trip along the Thames, then explore Windsor Great Park, filled with footpaths, gardens, and a much-loved deer park.

Chiltern Hills AONB

Northwest from London (and just an hour’s drive north of Swinley Forest), the Chiltern Hills AONB rolls across 320 square miles of beautiful Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Hertfordshire countryside. Sprawling farmland, secluded beechwoods, brick-built villages, and chalk hillsides characterise the area, which is also famous for its rare red kites. There are miles of bucolic walking paths, while cyclists can tackle the 167-mile Chilterns Cycleway. 

Along the Thames

From Windsor, the River Thames flows southwest to Tudor-tastic Hampton Court and Kingston, then onward into London, sweeping past the tiny village of Bray. Go kayaking, rowing, boating, and more before settling in at a riverside campsite.

South Downs

The chalk hills rippling between Winchester in Hampshire and Eastbourne on the East Sussex coast make up one of southern England’s most beautiful natural spaces, protected as a 628-square-mile national park. Venture here for hikes along the South Downs Way and the impossibly scenic Seven Sisters cliffs; visits to delightful country pubs and on-the-up vineyards; strolls around buzzy market towns such as Lewes; and oodles of other adventure activities. Sea-view campsites and caravan parks, along with glamping pods, bell tents, and lodges, cater to outdoors lovers in every budget.

Frequently Asked Questions

Known for 15 miles of varied-level mountain bike trails and its adrenalin-addled zipline courses just south of Bracknell in Berkshire, Swinley Forest is packed with outdoor fun for adventurers of all ages. Dog-friendly walks weave through the trees (pick up maps at the Look Out reception centre), and shaded forest tracks attract cycling. This area also makes an ideal base for trips to Legoland, Ascot, Windsor, and Thorpe Park, all within 30 minutes’ drive.

Sea-view campsites and caravan parks, along with glamping pods, bell tents, and lodges, cater to outdoors lovers in every budget. You can also explore different options for camping near Swinley Forest on Hipcamp.

From Windsor, the River Thames flows southwest to Tudor-tastic Hampton Court and Kingston, then onward into London, sweeping past the tiny village of Bray. Go kayaking, rowing, boating, and more before settling in at a riverside campsite.

The chalk hills rippling between Winchester in Hampshire and Eastbourne on the East Sussex coast make up one of southern England’s most beautiful natural spaces, protected as a 628-square-mile national park. Venture here for hikes along the South Downs Way and the impossibly scenic Seven Sisters cliffs; visits to delightful country pubs and on-the-up vineyards; strolls around buzzy market towns such as Lewes; and oodles of other adventure activities.

Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Popular Swinley Forest holidays