Campsite suggestions – some visited, some not, buyer beware!
(Suggestions/feedback gratefully received!)
Click on the name of the campsite to go through to websites or contact info.
Dorset
- Ansty – Moonfleet Farm – great host and we loved the loo in the telephone box!
- Nr The Fox at Ansty – Brewery Farm
- 2 miles North of Cerne Abbas – Lyons Gate – a Fishery too!
- Middlemarsh, a bit further N of Cerne Abbas Greenfields
- Cerne Abbas – Giants Head – very helpful and used to DofE teams
- Nr Shaftesbury – Blackmore Vale Camping – behind the garage
- Stourton Caundle – The Trooper Inn – Camping and Caravanning Club
- Cranborne Chase – Church Farm – earplugs for light sleepers who get disturbed by church bells (ie the leaders)!
- Burnbake – not far from Swanage, they usually put Exped teams in a different field to the family campers. Under new management.
- Renscombe, Purbeck – Poole and Dorset Adventure Centre – bunks and camping
- Wareham Forest – Carey Camp – super place and easy to access much walking. The whole site can be booked to include the use of classroom (double as bunkhouses), cabin, camping pods, undercover cooking/eating/teaching barn
- Dorset Scout’s Campsite – Buddens Farm, near Wareham – difficult to access directly by footpath from the South
- More Dorset Scout Campsites – some a little basic, but quiet.
- Gundrys Farm which is at Three Legged Cross, Wimborne
- Woodyhyde – near Corfe Castle
- Norden Farm – just outside Corfe Castle
- Acton Field – Langton Matravers
- Steeple Leaze Farm campsite which is in Steeple, nr Kimmeridge.
- Harmans Cross, between Corfe and Swanage
- Thorncombe Farm, Higher Bockhampton, Dorchester
- On the A37 nr Dorchester – Clay Pigeon – not sure if still taking campers – worth an ask
- West Dorset – Bagwell Farm – near the sea and very friendly staff
- Higher Moor Farm campsite, Nottington, Weymouth
- White Horse Campsite, Osmington, Weymouth
- Hook Farm at Lyme Regis
- A review on more Dorset sites from The Guardian – a few to try we think! Check them out beforehand as not all will take DofE groups
New Forest. You must notify the Forestry Commission of ANY DofE expedition: criteria here
- Camping in the Forest (includes other UK Forests). DofE groups must prebook email: groupsandmeets@campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk
- Hampshire Scout campsites are listed here. Book well in advance as they are usually very well used at weekends and during the holidays.
- Braggers Wood – Scout campsite – Dave’s gr8!
- Fernycrofts – Scout campsite – a lovely site. Ground is a bit hard to camp very near the loo block but lots of space to use and endless activities if you want to link into them.
- Foxlease Girl Guide Centre
- Tile Barn Outdoor Ed Centre – very smart, good as a start point due to positioning on the edge of Brockenhurst.
- Red Shoot Camping Park – behind the pub – cant always take DofE groups.
Exmoor and the Quantocks
- Somerset Scout camps are listed here.
- Quantocks – Moorhouse – very helpful and have a site at West Bagborough too
- Porlock – Sparkhayes campsite – good as a base camp – but may have an issue with cards – check
- More Accommodation here
Dartmoor
- Farm sites on Dartmoor – very basic and sometimes a bit poohy – go with an open mind!
- Whiteworks Bunkhouse can accommodate up to 20 people.
- Postbridge, Dartmoor – Runnage Farm – bunkhouses very useful in the winter!
- Powdermills and Dewerstone Bunkhouses – Spirit of Adventure – great winter training bases
- Princetown, Dartmoor – Plume of Feathers – can be midgy in the small camping area
- Princetown, Dartmoor – newly refurbished – Prince of Wales
- Harford, Dartmoor Bunkhouse
- Langstone Manor is a great site to use as a very comfortable and accommodating base during those long Gold Finals – nr Tavi but just off the W edge of the Moor Good location for the Tavi supermarkets and take-aways. Wetherspoons is open late for food
- Okehampton, N Dartmoor – YHA – become a YHA Member and enjoy good camping rates to include inside access to loos, showers, games room, lounge and self catering kitchen
- Devon Scout campsites here. Cornwall here.
Wiltshire Scout Centre is a bit further afield, but may be a consideration. Its in Potterne Wick and looks to be surrounded by a goodly number of footpaths?
Campsite websites: Useful to trawl through if you’re really stuck!
- https://campsites.scouts.org.uk/
- http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/
- http://www.lovecamping.co.uk/
- http://www.campsites.co.uk/