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Dernwood Farm Wild Camping

95%
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· Waldron, East Sussex, England
70 acres hosted by Dernwood F.
7 glamping pitches · 10 tent pitches
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Family-friendly
Recent Hipcampers say this Hipcamp is great for families and kids.
Best in South East England: Finalist
Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2024.
Creature comforts
Enjoy the comforts of home in nature at some pitches — including real toilets, showers, and kitchen.
Camping and glamping in Sussex meadows and woodlands

Dernwood Farm offers wild camping and rustic off-grid glamping among the ancient trees of a Sussex woodland. You arrive here down leafy lanes then check in with your lovely hosts at the farm shop and cafe which doubles as campsite reception. The car and all the stress of the journey are abandoned as you make your way to your home for a night or two. Whether it’s a bell tent, a cabin, or simply a patch of grass in the field, the walk through woodland with wheelbarrows sets the tone for your stay. You slow down, take in your surroundings, enjoy a bit of nature’s magic… and breathe.

As you make your way through the trees, the glampers are signposted off to their private clearings in the woods. The site’s wagon, shepherd’s hut, cabin, and safari tent each have their own personality, quirks, and space but do have some similarities. They are all furnished with made-up beds, their own loo, the means to cook, and a fire pit outside. The wagon and the cabin both have a hot tub too. There are also three bell tents which come well equipped – but without bedding included.

If you’ve come with your own tent, you finally emerge into the main camping field to find a car-free, sheltered idyll that you can access only on foot. It’s a lovely spot where you choose your own pitch. It’s the kind of place that once you’re in, you’re in. With tree swings, dens, and footpaths through the surrounding 70 acres of trees, why would you go anywhere else? Okay, so you might want a shower at some point. If so, just toddle back up to the main facilities (there are loos in the field, but no showers). Those are close to where you parked your car and, while you’re there, perhaps pop into the cafe and shop. It’s stocked with everything you need for a weekend of camping including farm-fresh burgers, bacon, and eggs. If you want more than that, how about a long walk to the local pub? Or a trip out to some of the nearby Sussex attractions: Drusilla’s Zoo Park, the Bluebell Railway or even the beach at Pevensey Bay.

Activities
Hiking
Wildlife watching
Natural features
Forest
Field
Farm
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95%
55 Ratings · 49 reviews
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Mithika D.recommends
October 5, 2024
Oak Stargazer Bell Tent
Wild side with all amenities
Beautiful lush wood with amazing sounds of wildlife. It's a real wild feel place. The cafe is amazing for a nice breakfast. The set up for the star garzer were excellent. The toilets are a little bit not kid friendly. But the rest the kids were in heaven. Would highly recommend for families with kids above 10 for a totally easy camping experience. Everything available on site.
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Lottie M.recommends
September 16, 2024
Oak Stargazer Bell Tent
We had the most perfect weekend celebrating my 26th birthday! The site was idyllic, the bell tent just perfect and such great facilities. The hosts and breakfast was also just wonderful - would definitely recommend and can’t wait to come again!
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Isabelle G.recommends
August 27, 2024
Site 9 - Wild Camping Field
Never slept so well than there! We had an amazing week camping, falling asleep to the sound of silence and owls. Loved the woods and the area, and Amanda and Emma are so welcoming and helpful they made our stay extra special.
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Lynette P.
August 26, 2024
Willow Bell Tent
Not enough glam for glamping
It was a lovely location and great for wildlife. Peaceful once other campers had settled down. The pitch had about 4 hours of sun due to grown trees making it shady. It meant that the wood chairs/benches didn't have a chance to dry so needed bags to sit on. The kitchen area was great, good space, hob, cool box with ice packs, utensils etc no sharp knives for food prep. The futon chair/beds were great, comfortable and easy to make up at night. The little wood burner was a needed comfort. Unfortunately many of the logs didn't fit. The worst was the compost loo. The space was too small to be able to sit comfortably and to turn around. The solar light didn't work so needed a torch and position it somehow. It was also a way from the tent up a track that's muddy if wet. Also shared with 2 other tents making it potentially shared with 12 people. Not fun at night.
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Dominic S.recommends
August 18, 2024
Site 5 - Wild Camping Field
Lovely site surrounded by trees. Kids had loads of fun roaming and finding swings. Great cafe with good breakfasts.
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Harry P.recommends
August 17, 2024
Site 1 - Wild Camping Field
Great staff and farm shop, lovely
Camping was great, lovely soft grass that my daughter loved, she spent most of the time walking around barefoot! Delicious meat on sale in the farm shop, fresh pastries and plenty of useful other bits and bobs for sale too. Very accommodating and friendly, cheerful staff. Iced cream truck arrived on the second day to my daughter's delight and terrific forests for exploring! Will most certainly be back :)
Location
Waldron, East Sussex, England, United KingdomTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
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Hosted by Dernwood F.

Joined in January 2011
From the host
Woodland campsite and luxury glamping… We are family run working farm in the heart of the Sussex Weald, in between Brighton, Eastbourne and Tunbridge Wells. We have woodland pitche(only bookable via our own website) and a camping meadow in the middle of 70 acres of ancient coppiced woodland. Ideal for those who enjoy a bit of wild camping with open fires, and we are dog friendly! We are tent only. All pitches are unallocated, you can pitchup wherever you like when you get down to the field. We only advertise 10pitches via hipcamp, our field can take 30 tents. Farm Map : https://dernwoodfarm.co.uk/farm-map/ Glamping We also have lots of gorgeous glamping choices from bell tents in gorgeous private clearings, with wood-burning stoves and toilet and shower facilities to right at the top of the camping scale we have our safari tent, situated in a large sunny glade in an exclusive area of woodland. This has 3 bedrooms, wood burning range, ‘normal’ hot shower, and hot water. You really couldn’t ask for anything more. It is the ultimate in luxury camping. The Cabin was built by a team from William Hardie Designs after an idea by architect and innovative design aficionado George Clarke. The build was filmed throughout by Channel 4, and used local resources and timber harvested from our ancient coppice woodland. It was shown on the third series of George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces. It has a great big wood fueled hot tub which will fit you all in. The Wagon is our gypsy caravan and perfect for two people, with its own wood fired hot tub made out of an old Victorian cast iron water trough it’s the perfect way to escape – sitting in the hot tub watching the stars in your secluded woodland clearing will shake off the city blues. Our newest addition is The Shepherd’s Hut, a great family option, it sleeps four with a cool loft bed for 2 children and sofa which pulls out to a large double. It has a walk in wet room with hot water shower and hot running water inside the Hut too. Tucked into the corner of the clearing is the amazing tree-bog toilet, which looks rather like a tiny chapel. As with all our beautiful spaces it is situated in a private woodland clearing with a fire pit and outside seating plus a table on the large deck. All our accommodation options are placed sensitively in clearings in our woodland. We are not like so many sites, where you are just plonked in a field with everyone else and have no privacy. You are immersed in the woodland, able to reconnect with nature, unplug from technology and find refuge from urban existence and everyday life. As one recent Tripadvisor reviewer put it “re-wilding the children at Dernwood”. I couldn’t have put it better myself! Our cafe serves our home produced award winning meat for breakfasts and lunches. We are a dog friendly campsite, providing they are kept under control! No unaccompanied under 18s Please – no breed banned under the Dangerous Dog Act.
Nearby attractions

The Cuckoo Trail, a spit from the site, is a great option for cycling or walks – weaving through woods, fields, and the best of Sussex countryside. Drusilla's Zoo Park (nine miles) is great for kids as it has fantastic play equipment (indoors and out) as well as a host of animals. The south coast at Pevensey and Normans Bay, named after the Normans who landed here a thousand years ago, is just 20 minutes away for days at the beach. Alternatively, pop into The Observatory Science Centre (seven miles away) for hands-on science and, on selected evenings, a peek through their telescopes. There are plenty of grand houses and gardens in the surrounding countryside too including Batemans, once the home of Rudyard Kipling (eight miles), and Sheffield Park Gardens (18 miles) from where you can also hop aboard the heritage trains of The Bluebell Railway.

Food and drink

Your hosts, sisters Amanda and Emma, run Dernwood Farm Shop and Cafe at the entrance to site. Stock up on steaks before heading to camp – they’re hung for 21 days so are bursting with flavour. They also do a good line in breakfasts and brunches if you don't fancy cooking and stock basic camping supplies too. Beyond the woods, The Six Bells in Chiddingly is a 45-minute walk away (just under three miles). It comes highly recommended (voted Best Bargain Pub in Britain) for its tasty fare and shabby-chic decor. Other recommended nearby options for a meal out are The Gun Inn at Gun Hill (which has a children's play area) and The Star at Waldron. Both are about three miles away and walkable in an hour.

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