The Sunnyfield Campsite

Tents and campervans are equally welcome at The Sunnyfield Campsite in Kent. Groups are allowed, dogs are permitted and there’s glamping in bell tents too. The ethos of hosts Sasha and Philip has always been to encourage everybody to enjoy a simpler life – however they choose to camp. Their Sunnyfield boasts a hilltop position that's blessed with sunlight all day long (hence the name). It’s an off grid site in a rural Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty so the night skies are predictably dark and starry and the hedgerows are teeming with life. Owls hoot at night, birdsong greets you in the morning. There's no traffic noise here as you're far off any main roads. Here, in the rolling Kent Downs, you may only be an hour south of London but, as you sit around the campfire, you feel a world apart.

Arrival is tinged with anticipation as you wind your way through lanes edged with cow parsley and long grass. When you pull through the gate, you’re greeted with a generous open space for 30 pitches of various sizes and a car-free site that’s perfect for kids. Glampers have their own fully-furnished bell tents, complete with bedding, cooking kit and a fire pit. They can be positioned on their own or pitched next to friends with their own tents. Let Philip and Sasha know what you need and they’ll do their best to help.

Refreshingly understated, ablutions consist of cleverly-converted horsebox showers and compost loos. Drinking water taps and washing-up stations are conveniently dotted around the site. At its heart, this remains a simple site in a largely unadulterated meadow, but a few well-chosen additions over the years have enhanced the camping experience. Philip roasts his own coffee and serves it in the mornings at The Sunnybean Cafe, weekend massages and facials are on offer in the old barn and there's the occasional yoga session too. Perhaps, the biggest weekend crowd-pleaser, though, is the availability of wood-fired pizzas in the farmyard, a stroll down the lane. 

You have everything you need in this secluded setting, including walks and cycle rides on the doorstep. But those willing to re-emerge from their cocoon in the countryside will find themselves poised to make the most of the south east. By car, the beaches of Sandgate, Folkestone and Dymchurch are less than half an hour away, while historic Canterbury is just a 15-minute drive.