Tin Barn Camping is a back-to-basics campsite that can happily be described as both small and spacious. It manages this feat by offering pitches to just a few campers and campervans at a time, which ensures that each has plenty of room. The seven spacious pitches occupy a two-acre plot within a nine-acre field that’s shared with a horse, a pony, lambs, ducks, and chickens. Campers find themselves lined up at the top of this rural meadow in the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, looking westwards towards the setting sun. Add to all this, a super-friendly and helpful host and you have the kind of campsite that doesn’t need to offer five-star luxury to get five-star reviews.
What’s on offer at Tin Barn Camping is rather more rustic than that, as you may have guessed from the name. This is good old-fashioned camping at its best. You pitch up or park up in host Tony’s field, hire a fire pit if you want one, and kick back to enjoy the view and stars. No music and no dogs mean the place is incredibly peaceful. There’s a portable loo in the field and a few more facilities a short walk away in the Tack Room: a flushing loo, hot water shower, washing-up sinks, and a fridge-freezer. There’s even a washing machine and dryer, which means that even though this is a simple site, you can comfortably stay more than a day or two.
There’s certainly enough to see. Apart from the horses in neighbouring paddocks, the buzzards swooping over fields, and the star show at night, there’s the whole of Dorset to explore. And Somerset too as you’re not far off its southern border. Yeovil, Dorchester, and the Jurassic Coast – none are more than a half-hour drive from here. Hardy County is what you see all around providing ample walking and cycling opportunities. But it’s those beaches that most people come for. From here they spread out like a fan to the south from Weymouth to Lyme Regis. You could visit a different one each day. And, if you do, peaceful evenings amid the green and pleasant simplicity of Tin Barn Camping provide the perfect counterpoint to busy days out in the sun.
On-site amenities include a shower, fridge, freezer, double sink, washing machine, and dryer in the tack room by the stables. There is also a portable toilet at the top of the field. Please note that Tin Barn is a quiet rural site, and guests are expected to keep noise levels low out of respect for others. If you're looking for a party site, this may not be the right choice for you.Tin Barn Camping is at the top of the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty not far from the village of Halstock. There’s great walking nearby including on the Macmillan Way and the Hardy Way. Both pass close by as does National Cycle Route 26 if you prefer to explore on two wheels. It’s seven miles from Yeovil in Somerset and 16 miles from the county town of Dorchester, which stands on the banks of the River Frome. You can see the source of the Frome in the village of Evershot, three miles from the campsite. The chalky outline of the Cerne Giant can be seen in the hills 11 miles from site. The Jurassic Coast is about half an hour from site at West Bay where sandstone cliffs back the sandy beach. The site is not too far from the A37 which gives a fast route to Weymouth if you’re looking for traditional seaside fun. There’s an aquarium and plenty of opportunities to get out on the water. It’s about the same distance (23 miles) to Charmouth and Lyme Regis where fossil-hunting is at its best.
There are occasionally a few local bits and bobs for sale in the Tack Room but, generally, for basics head for the community shop in Halstock or perhaps to Goose Laid Farm, four miles away in East Coker, for local produce. There’s a good bakery in Evershot (three miles away) and the village is also home to a recommended pub, The Acorn Inn (mentioned in Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles). It’s one of three that can be reached on long walks in the countryside from the campsite. The others are The Fox at Corscombe (also three miles) and The Helyar Arms, a bit further away in East Coker (four miles). Host Tony is enthusiastic about supporting local producers and businesses so ask for his recommendations when on site.
