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Canal Camping

97%
·
· North Walsham, England
1 acre
39 units
3 Glamping
36 Tent
Paddle the waterways, read among the reeds and bask beneath the big, blue skies of the Norfolk Broads at this family-friendly, tent-only campsite

No visit to the Norfolk Broads is complete without getting out onto the waterways that make the place so famous. Woven together with meandering rivers and snaking streams, the broads create an interconnected watery wonderland. And it’s campsites like Canal Camping that really make the most of this natural treasure. Why pitch anywhere else when, here, you can pop your tent right down by the riverside and slip your canoe or kayak straight into the water? And speaking of Canoe, Canal Camping gives you the opportunity of hiring a Canoe, and if that isn't enough adventurous, they also have Paddle boards available! (For more information please contact the site.)

Made up of little more than a grassy meadow, with a shower and toilet cabin at one end, a covered washing-up space and drinking water taps dotted about, this simple tent-only campsite offers camping on a casual scale. There are no designated pitches – simply find a nice spot that suits – and campfires are very much permitted, with the scent of wood smoke in the air and the sound of crackling logs backtracking the birds.

On one side of the wash-cabin an OS map is pinned to the wall. It’s a good way to get your bearings before you go out in a boat or take off by bike. You can see the canal running through the local village of Dilham, from Wayford Bridge to Antingham. It was built in the 19th century to help transport agricultural goods and, while today parts are being restored to their former beauty, other stretches have not changed for more than 100 years, retaining a semi-wild charm where nature has taken over. Further south, meanwhile, the waters feed into the large lake at Ant Broads and Marshes National Nature Reserve, where you can explore on boardwalks and signed pathways.

In total, the national park has 125 miles of navigable waterways, so you’re never going to see it all. But Canal Camping certainly offers a very enviable starting point. Between marshmallow toasting, jaunts to the nearby pub and enjoying the laid-back atmosphere of the camping meadow, getting out and about always takes a little more time than you expected. But that’s the pace of life this riverside place can’t help but instil: Slow, relaxed and meandering.

Activities
Biking
Fishing
Hiking
Available pitches
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Location
North Walsham, 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 Jo .Joined in January 2017
97%
73 Ratings · 86 reviews
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Bill L.recommends
September 21, 2022
Grass Pitch
Beautiful nature!
Beautiful campsite with exceptionally clean facilities in a wild and quiet part of the broads.
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Lauren E.recommends
September 10, 2022
Grass Pitch
Great campsite to explore the canal
Great spacious campsite with walks along the canals directly from the site. Amazing to have the option to hire canoes from the site, which we did and had a great day exploring the water ways with a nice stop at the pub! Facilities were the cleanest that I have ever seen at a campsite, lovely hot showers!
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James P.recommends
September 2, 2022
Grass Pitch
Great location
Gorgeous showers and bathrooms. Great location. Friendly staff what more can you want 🤷🏼‍♂️
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Kieran J.recommends
September 2, 2022
Grass Pitch
Great site with excellent access to the broads
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Andrew F.recommends
August 31, 2022
Grass Pitch
Freindly and clean campsite
I wanted a place where I could launch my kayak, and this had a perfect site. Next to the river was so convenient. Facilities were clean and the staff were very friendly and helpful. Would definitely be going back here again.
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Andrew C.recommends
August 30, 2022
Grass Pitch
Was amazing little camp site ,with lovely walks and a small river running along side where you can hire a canoe £50 for the whole day!! This was such good fun for me and my two kids ,highly recommend!!!
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Kate C.recommends
August 27, 2022
Grass Pitch
Camping With Pup
We had the best time! Dog friendly with a lot of room surrounding us so we could have him on a long lead. Definitely a campsite we’ll be going back too.
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Elizabeth B.recommends
August 23, 2022
Grass Pitch
Fantastic campsite great location for lovely walks and an opportunity to hire kayaks. Th3 camp site has hot showers and great facilities we really enjoyed our stay. Thank you!
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Becky H ?.recommends
August 20, 2022
Grass Pitch
Great campsite. The site is kept immaculate by the team who come in twice a day. Proper toilets and showers. A relatively small site compared to some but big enough for everyone to have their own space. You can canoe direct from the campsite, walk along the river or stroll to the pub. Beaches are about 15 mins drive away. Very kid friendly. No noise after 10pm and no music allowed. All dogs must be kept on leads. Lots of wildlife around, its a very peaceful site which we thoroughly enjoyed.
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Andrew M.recommends
August 6, 2022
Grass Pitch
Really lovely site
Really enjoyed this campsite. The showers and toilets were cleaned twice a day and kept in good order. There was hot water for washing up! The field was lovely and flat with very few stones. Loads of space for the kids to play and easy access to the canal.
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Renate B.recommends
July 31, 2022
Grass Pitch
We had a great time at canal camping. It was big enough for the kids to explore but had a good sight of them at all times. My kids instantly mad friends with the kid in the next tent and couldn't wait to return. Fire wood was easily accessible, fire pits were dotted around the campsite. The site manager was so helpful (kids left the light burning in the car and he lent us his jum leads). Showers and toilets were clean and 15 minutes drive to the closest beach. All in all we very much enjoyed our stay.
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Helen C.recommends
July 31, 2022
Grass Pitch
Excellent campsite with great facilities (including firepits), the canoes were the highlight of our trip!
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Leah L.recommends
July 31, 2022
Grass Pitch
Great little spot
Loved this site, although we arrived late in the evening so had to pitch up in the middle which wouldn't have been our first preference as it meant we had noise coming from all sides as there were several large groups - everyone was respectful though and the site was quiet from 10 pm. Showers and toilets were clean and comfortable - showers, in particular, are spacious and easy to change in. We rented the canoes on site and had a lovely day in the water. All in all, a great little spot.
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Debbie S.recommends
July 24, 2022
Grass Pitch
Lovely campsite. Toilets and showers very clean.
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Gavin S.recommends
July 24, 2022
Grass Pitch
Good, calm, well managed and very good fire pits!
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Katie M.recommends
July 17, 2022
Grass Pitch
Idyllic!
Nicest campsite we’ve ever been to! Facilities so clean, no need to queue for loos etc. hot showers, all spotless! Paddling on the canal was so great, a real adventure. We wouldn’t set off with paddleboards again though from the campsite. Pretty tricky on boards through the lily pads! Canoe next time / further up the canal. Highly highly recommend overall.
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Martin F.recommends
July 16, 2022
Grass Pitch
A lovely peaceful experience from other types of camping, just loved, the quiet time with nature, definitely to it again
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Andrew C.recommends
July 12, 2022
Grass Pitch
Camping with friends
Me and three friends had a 3 night stay at the camp at the end of june. We have camped all over UK in the last 15 years and this is as good as any of them. Very clean toilets and showers.Lots to visit around the area as well. We hired a boat on the broads and went to Cromer.
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Julia S.
June 14, 2022
Grass Pitch
This is a lovely setting for a campsite. It's easy for children to meet and play and the facilities are kept really clean, and there are enough of them. Being next to the canal is also a treat. It's not crowded and the atmosphere is relaxed. The children enjoyed visiting the horses in the adjacent field. Sadly the showers are a let down as the hot water is very unreliable - we stayed for three nights and were never able to have a hot shower. It puts me off from staying here again, it's not much fun trying to get children to take a luke-warm shower on a luke-warm day. I would also recommend not buying firewood from here - it just doesn't burn well. There's a garden centre 5 mins up the road you can buy good kindling and kiln-dried logs from which burns much better.
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Mark R.recommends
June 12, 2022
Grass Pitch
Canal Camping rocks!
The site location was remote but easy to find, and only a half hour drive to the coast. The site was huge, with large mown pitches with room for a large tent and car were spaced a good 20+m apart. The ground was good quality grass, totally flat and peg friendly. Each pitch had a large fire bowl with a grill plate. Fire lighters are free, bags of wood are available to buy. The central facilities were excellent, well built quality flushing WC’s, hot showers and large washing up sinks. Everything was spotlessly clean and in perfect working order. The site was well managed, and the no noise after 10pm was respected. I really enjoyed my weekend at Canal Camping and would not hesitate to use it again.
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Sarah R.
June 7, 2022
Grass Pitch
Not good for a peaceful pitch.
Camping here was definitely a game of two halves. The first half being delightful. Plenty of room between pitching areas, great fire pit (but definitely not ideal to cook on, so do bring your own is my advice, especially for that all important morning brew), good facilities and super tranquil. However later in our stay we had one very large group of teenagers pitch up - the campsite became a bit of a football pitch/games area by us, and the drinking, dancing and partying went around the clock burning as many sacks of logs throughout the night and day as they could carry… The tranquility we’d originally enjoyed was gone. A shame really as it ruined our experience and we packed up and left a day early as a result. We booked thinking this would be a relatively quiet campsite as they advertise no noise after 10pm, but with large and young groups permitted that’s not really the reality. A big spacious site that I appreciate appeals to those who fancy a mini festival type experience with your friends but not for us I’m afraid. Would be better if the campsite had been more transparent as I would’ve merrily booked somewhere else more peaceful.
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Louise A.recommends
June 7, 2022
Grass Pitch
Canal Camping is a lovely, small campsite. It is in a quiet location, has a low key vibe, and is kept clean and tidy. There is a road right next to it but there is very little traffic so it wasn't a problem. However, the best thing about the site is the canal and the option to hire a canoe and go exploring. The first bit of canal is narrow, a little overgrown and mostly disused. This made it feel like a mini adventure! We then canoed up to the pub for lunch, went down another stream and then came back. So relaxing!
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Elizabeth R.recommends
September 28, 2021
Grass Pitch
What an amazing site! The toilets, showers and outdoor washing up facilities were spotlessly clean. The freedom to pick your spot and move the fire pit near to you. The smell of woodsmoke from the fire pits around the site and cooking over a wood fire. If you want to relax in peace and quiet and experience a slower pace of life I can absolutely recommend this site. Canal Camping Dilham - you are do a fantastic job, please don’t change anything! I will be back next year you can count on it!! 😁👍👍
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Katharine S.recommends
September 14, 2021
Grass Pitch
I can honestly say this is probably the best campsite I've been to. The campsite itself is very clean with good facilities. It was so peaceful and had a very relaxed vibe. The main reason we booked was for a weekend of kayaking the broads. It was lovely to have access to the canal straight from the campsite. Just be aware that the first part of the canal is quite overgrown but we had fun making our way through it anyway. I'll definitely be booking again next summer!
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Annie E.recommends
September 11, 2021
Grass Pitch
This was a peaceful, relaxing, well run campsite. It was as we expected very basic. It was a bit disconcerting to arrive and just pitch with no reception or even a sign or prior email to tell you to do so. However once pitched the beautiful location was hard to beat. The facilities were very clean, the showers were a bit temperamental I presume as they were heated by gas and did need turning on and off multiple times to keep the hot water. Also due to the lack of electricity on site there was nowhere to refreeze ice blocks, we got around this by buying ice at the Sainsbury's at north Waltham. At the end of our stay we were told that we might be able to get them frozen at another campsite 15 minutes drive away but we didn't try as we had reached the end of our stay. The guy who came round to check we were okay when we arrived didn't really seem that interested in whether we were okay or not, I think he was just box ticking!! However overall we very much enjoyed our stay, we did not use the fire pits that were available but enjoyed the wafting of camp fire smoke from others that drifted across the site in the evenings. We would definitely recommend this site to others.
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Juliet B.recommends
September 11, 2021
Grass Pitch
Just returned from a fabulous week at Canal Camping. A large field provided more than ample space to pitch our tent. Facilities are simple but kept exceptionally clean and tidy. We enjoyed walking, cycling and canoeing directly from the site. Would thoroughly recommend it and will most definitely return 😄
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Mat J.recommends
September 9, 2021
Grass Pitch
Had a few days here after some time on a boat on the Broads. We arrived in the morning, and it was so quiet. To be honest, the missus panicked when seeing the facilities, and wasn't happy with me - that was until she used them! Has to be the cleanest campsite we've ever used! Spoke to the owner a few times, was so helpful and made the effort to ensure we were OK (even lending me his lighter as we'd forgotten ours!). We had issues with our car before heading down, so had to go in our T5, and even though its a camper, the owners were very accommodating about it. And to be honest, I'm gutted that campers aren't really allowed - as we'd definitely be back if they were (we only went camping in a tent because we had our dogs with us - usually our daughter would have them). The site is very well looked after, and so peaceful!! Great little walk down the canal, which is a really picturesque. The firepits with the grills are a great idea, and made life even easier. We absolutely loved it, and genuinely didn't want to come home. Would recommend 100%! Thank you to the owners for a great few days.
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Andrew G.recommends
August 16, 2021
Grass Pitch
Great campsite which is nice and quiet especially with the no loud noise after 10pm notices. Basic but effective facilities although a few more toilets wouldn't go amiss especially in the morning and bedtime. Showers were good but wifey said hers went cold a few times. It may have been the time of day when she was using them as my shower was nice and hot! Each pitch has it's own fire pit with wood available although we had trouble getting ours going. The pop up pizza tent was a great idea as is the ice-cream van. Our kids loved it, made some friends who coincidentally only live a few miles away from us! Just a great little campsite.Looking forward to booking again.
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Sarah C.recommends
August 9, 2021
Grass Pitch
Really nice campsite with plenty of space to spread out which was appreciated. Showers were ok but not always warm/hot! And only 4 loos is too few for the number of people that were on site I think. Everything was very clean and well maintained, and the free firelighters were really handy (although the logs were too damp when we first arrived)! Seemed like a really good place to come with a group – there were several whilst we were there and it created a really cool atmosphere. Main drawback for us was the amount of dogs off the lead which is not great for non-dog people, particularly when they run through your pitch and pee on your stuff!
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Adele S.recommends
August 6, 2021
Grass Pitch
Lovely quiet site, plenty of space, very laid back atmosphere. Great idea that every camper is offered a camp fire included in the price. Facilities are super clean, basic but effective. Only thing I would add would be lights in the showers. Canal trips are very well organised but we could have done with being told about having to get the boats out the water and dragging them along the banks, quite difficult for me on my own, had to get help.
From the host
Located in Dilham, Norfolk, our tucked away campsite is nestled among the water, the reeds and the beautiful skies. Canal Camping caters for those that are looking for a relaxing, natural adventure, with the added bonus of being able to walk out of your tent, launch your canoe and drift along one of the country’s most unique canals. After a long day exploring this beautiful part of Norfolk, come back to your camp for hot showers, clear skies for star-gazing, open campfires for toasting marshmallows, and fantastic pubs within walking distance. What more could you ask for!?
Nearby attractions
Bring bikes along to enjoy the car-free routes, though canoes and kayaks are the best ways to explore this watery wonderland.Canal Camping caters for those that are looking for a relaxing, natural adventure, with the added bonus of being able to walk out of your tent, launch your canoe and drift along one of the country’s most unique canals. We have ten canoes ready for hire direct from the campsite. You can fit three adults, or two adults and two small children in one canoe at any one time. To hire a canoe on your preferred date from the campsite, click on the following link. Canoe hire - Canal Camping  You can rent vessels of all shapes and sizes nearby. How Hill National Nature Reserve (01692 678555) near Ludham, with the River Ant running through it, has reedbeds, grazing marshes, wet woodlands and its very own broad, all full to the brim with wildlife. Entry to the site is free, with free parking and 24-hour moorings. Take a circular walk around How Hill and see Buttle Marsh – home to some of the rarest birds in the broads. The riverside footpath continues to Ludham Bridge and there’s also a 300m access path along the river to Boardman’s Mill and Clayrack Mill. BeWILDerwood (01692 633033), meanwhile, is always a popular choice with families – an award winning forest park, with treehouses, zip wires and more – and Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens (01493 369477), where attractions include snow leopards, tigers, gibbons, deer, otters and crocodiles in a swamp house – is also a good choice (there are several play areas for children and parking is free).
Food and drink
It's just under 2 miles to the local pub – the Cross Keys (01692 536398) – and there is a good walk there via the banks of the river for most of the way. It's a shame, though, that this old haunt, apparently around since 1730, has been given a pretty ugly facelift inside at some point (we'd guess late 90s) and isn't exactly a country classic. When the sun's out, though, it's got a good beer garden and a big lawn with a goal post and games for kids. For something more off the beaten track, try The Butchers Arms (01692 650237) in East Ruston where portions are hearty and there's a wide variety of drinks. The award winning Recruiting Sergeant pub and restaurant (01603 737077) situated in the village of Horstead, near Coltishall, has perhaps the best reputation in the area. The pub is well-known for its food quality, friendliness and attention to detail. The portions are not sparse… so wear your most loose fitting clothes!

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