Spacious grass pitches in the green Essex countryside
A 15-minute drive to Chelmsford; 40 minutes to Audley End
Tractor rides on site; firepits provided for campfires. Rural walks,
How about proper farm activities like tractor rides (ask site staff for details)?
The place to find all this is The Meadow at Waples Mill, an Essex farm site between Chelmsford and Dunmow (and about 15 minutes’ drive from both). This family-friendly site is handy for walks on the Essex Way and other local footpaths, and tractor and trailer rides around the farm are organised on alternate days to give guests a glimpse into agricultural life.
Activities complete for the day, it's time to chill out, and that should be easy here – all pitches have access to toilets and hot showers in a trailer close by, and firepits are provided so you can have a safe campfire (with wood available to buy on site and a great farm shop 10 minutes’ drive away for fireside snacks).
Pitches themselves are large (please note only one tent per pitch is allowed), well kept and well spaced within a meadow that backs onto the River Roding. Dogs are welcome, and there are plenty of places to take them for a walk nearby.
London folk looking for a quick escape to the countryside, this is a place to bear in mind – it’s only about an hour and quarter by road from the city.
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The Meadow @ Waples Mill
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(65)
Tent site · Sleeps 6
The meadow @ Waples Mill, is an Essex farm site between Chelmsford and Dunmow (approximately 15 mins drive from both.) You can pitch your tent in the picturesque grass meadow along the river roding, we can provide you with a fire pit on request. You can enjoy going back to nature in this beautiful county meadow. This family friendly site is handy for walks along the Essex way and other local footpaths. Both showers and toilets are also available on the natural site.
At Martin's Meadow, campers are treated to a breathtaking natural setting with abundant space, privacy, and the luxury of fire pits with free wood. However, the campsite's facilities, particularly the toilets and showers, have been a point of contention, with several visitors noting that they are in need of cleaning and maintenance. Despite the basic amenities, the overall atmosphere is peaceful, and the host, Martin, is often praised for his welcoming presence and helpfulness. For those who prioritize tranquility and scenic views over luxurious facilities, this campsite might be a charming choice.
My son and I are prolific campers, and we enjoyed every aspect of our week at Martin's Meadow campsite.
The layout is unlike any campsite I've visited. The pitches surround a field, with the river running behind them. There's plenty of space between pitches, and it's one of the few campsites where simply sitting down to enjoy the view or watch the sunset is a pleasure.
Every pitch has a fire pit, and Martin provides plenty of firewood free of charge.
The location is excellent too, within easy reach of Chelmsford and Ongar.
There are warm showers and proper toilets, but don't expect luxury.
And chatting with Martin is a fun part of the experience.
Very poor toilet facilities. Toilets were dirty and uncared for. Toilet door handle was broken and replaced by a pair of pliers. Litter in bushes and pitches not cleaned up. Pitches were nicely spaced and we had a good time overall but can't get over how little care is put in to facilities.
Nice quiet location. Firepits and wood are a good touch. Toilets and showers are worst i have come across in a long while. Toilets wouldnt flush properly so were full of brown waste and tissue and water wasnt working at all in the hand basins and showers. If it wasnt for the free wood I would be asking for a part refund as showers and toilets are part of what you are paying for and washing hands after toilet is basic hygeine. Am sure martins (we didnt see him so just let ourselves in and out) a nice bloke but he needs to spend a few quid on the plumbing or I doubt many people will be returning.
We loved the tent camping on Martin's land. There were almost unlimited space, very quiet. Met Martin and he is really nice person.
There was water, hot water, two toilets and two showers available to use.
This was our second camping on his land within August.
We could have camp fire and stay late and kept warm by the fire.
Definitely will come back next year.
This is short drive from London but between the filds.
We got a tour on his farm and find more about his farm.
Beautiful meadow, beautiful sunset, beautiful view. Not so beautiful amenities. But at least there's hot water and working flush. Don't forget your toilet paper.
The place is really magnificent. But the state the sanitary is in, would withhold me from recommending this place. At least a daily cleanup is absolutely necessary. In principle the scenery is worth the price, only if sanitary is in order.
Took my son first time camping here. Basic but perfect. Little shop 5 mins drive that provided fire starters.
Added bonus fire pits & logs provided.
A lovely get away together.
Great site, very peaceful -- the long layout with the river at your back and fields in front means you barely see anyone else's tent. I didn't have any interaction with the owner, so can't speak to that. The toilets were knackered -- only one worked. Seems to be an ongoing thing, but hey, it's camping. Some very decent pubs nearby, but you'll need to drive if you don't fancy a 4 mile walk each way (I walked, it was great, but it was midsummer and still light out at 10pm).
The site is a stunning location, well spaced out pitches around a field with sunset view that was amazing! 5* for location - especially for Hylands park!
The facilities - toilet and showers - are not very nice and really lets the place down. More regular cleaning when the site is busy (which it was) and especially in the hot weather, regular checks that the showers are working would be helpful too. Some of the dirt in the toilets is because people had to wash in the sink - making the floors wet /dirty with grass. Broken toilet seats don’t help.
Really lovely piece of land to camp on. Really peaceful with lovely scenery. Not great phone reception but this was a welcome tech break. Will definitely be back!!
We had a lovely weekend overall and really enjoyed the atmosphere and surroundings. We had a good time and felt relaxed during our stay.
There were a few things that could definitely be improved though. The toilet facilities weren't very clean — there were only two available, and I actually ended up cleaning one myself. On the second day, when temperatures reached around 36°C, there was also no water available, which was quite difficult in that heat. Drinking water availability could also be improved, and communication was a little slow as messages and calls weren't answered quickly.
Despite these issues, we still enjoyed ourselves and had a nice experience overall. With some improvements to cleanliness, water supply, and communication, this place could be even better.
Had a great weekend hear. We pitched up in the corner, it was peaceful and relaxing the guy came over several times making sure all was ok. They have fire pits available at no charge and even let you help your self to wood we will be staying again.
We had a great stay at the Meadow . The site was clean, peaceful, and a lovely place to relax.
Martin, the host, was very friendly and helpful. He made us feel welcome and was always happy to help if we needed anything.
Overall, a really nice campsite and we would happily stay here again.
Martin was a great host! Welcomed us upon arrival and was very relaxed about where we could pitch up. The campsite is a hidden gem! Peaceful location. Perfect for our festival weekend in Chelmsford! Campsite has many toilets and heated showers. Would stay here again!
Great camping experience. Martin is very helpful and easy to communicate with.
Site itself was clean and neat. Shower and toilet kept well.
Beautiful views, nice large pitches and children friendly.
Good sign posting and Martin welcomed us on arrival
The person who met us was pleasant even though I was a little late and had to get my partner to ring to let him know ( this camp was necessary due to my job).
However, the reviews of clean toilets and showers in a trailer proved to be not applicable. It was a wooden shed with toilet without a light and not so clean shower with not so so hot water.
Another fantastic stay on the site, Martin was lovely as always! He was incredibly accommodating for the get-together planned for the trip and even offered us a more personal pitch for us to set up. We'll be coming back whenever we can!
Location
Dunmow, England, United KingdomTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking