Southover Woods
View prices & book- Wild woodland site 20 minutes’ drive from Dorchester in Dorset
- Half an hour’s drive to the Jurassic Coast and Weymouth harbour
- Woodland walks accessed from the pitches, trout fishing next door
Campground type
- At least one of the party members must be aged 18 or over.
- If making a fire, the fuel, logs and coal have to be purchased on site.
- Guests are advised to bring a good quality flashlight with them as parts of the park are unlit.
- No naked flames are allowed inside the hired accommodation units.
- Please note that the toilet/shower facilities are unisex.
- Swimming in the lake is not allowed.
- There are no garbage cans onsite: all garbage will need to be taken home with you.
- As the site is accessible via a forest track, it is not suitable for sports cars or vehicles with low trim.
Languages spoken
English
Open from Mon, Apr 1 to
Campsite types & availability
Meadow primitive grass campsite
10 people maximum Ground type: Grass
Site size: unlimited
Arrival daysFrom £30 1 night, 2 adults
View prices & bookPrimitive forest floor tent campsite (family)
10 people maximum Ground type: Forest floor
Site size: unlimited
Arrival daysFrom £40 1 night, 2 adults
View prices & bookPrimitive forest floor tent campsite (groups only, large)
20 people maximum Ground type: Forest floor
Site size: unlimited
Arrival daysFrom £90 1 night, 2 adults
View prices & bookTenders yurt
20 people maximum Dimensions: 5.0m width x 5.0m length (16.4ft width x 16.4ft length) Calculated area: 25.0m² (269.1ft²)
Arrival daysFrom £100 1 night, 2 adults
View prices & book
Reviews
Voted 92% of visitors View breakdown
would recommend this campground to a friend
would stay here again
Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.
Liked the environment…
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Primitive forest floor tent campsite (groups only, large)
Liked: Liked the environment
Disliked: Quite expensive
Recommend to friends Visit again
Gorgeous wild camping spot in the forest. We’ll definitely return!
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Meadow primitive grass campsite
Liked: A peaceful spot in the middle of the forest. Clean composting toilets and bucket showers. Each pitch comes with a firepit and seats. 15 minute walk to a lovely pub with nice food and great staff.
Disliked: The drive in is long with bumps and potholes.
Recommend to friends Visit again
From the manager: Thank you so much!
Great well thought out site
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Primitive forest floor tent campsite (family)
Liked: This is an extremely well thought out site and I just don't get why there are negative comments about it. The pitches are well laid out and I didn't hear a peep from other campers - they were there somewhere....as evidenced by the car park! I can by myself, but would definitely and would come back again for sure either solo or with friends and family. I read some negative comments about the unpaved road leading up to the site. Yes it's about a mile long, but drive sensibly (I have a "normal car") and you won't have any issues. (my photos don't do the site any justice - the weather was a little grim at the time)
Disliked: Nothing
Recommend to friends Visit again
From the manager: Dear Adam, Thank you so much for your review.
We have been to this camp size a couple of times now…
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Primitive forest floor tent campsite (family)
Liked: We have been to this camp size a couple of times now and it’s one of our favourite places to visit
Recommend to friends Visit again
From the manager: Thank you so much!
Plenty of compost loos
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Hazel Wood primitive forest floor tent campsite (woodland, small)
Liked: Loved the wild camp site. Stayed by myself with my 8 year old for the first few days, and felt very safe. Loved the parachutes providing shelter to cook and have a fire. My son loved being able to roam freely. Chloe was super helpful and welcoming. Will definitely return
Recommend to friends Visit again
From the manager: Thank you so much!
Excellent site, and friendly owners.
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Primitive forest floor tent campsite (family)
Liked: We liked the back to basics camping, the campsite we had was really big with plenty of space, a fire pit was already there with log seating around it. Plenty of places to go for a walk and a lovely setting. We liked that we were secluded and the other pitches were not too close by. Beautiful place to stay if you are looking for back to basic camping.
Disliked: It was a little tricky to find and the track road is pretty rough but that were the only things we disliked.
Recommend to friends Visit again
Not a good site
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Meadow primitive grass campsite
Liked: Nothing here.
Disliked: Certainly not with the money. Because My tent is roof tip I could not get to the pitch site. Its a long walk from the touring fiel to toilets and showers The track to the site is full if potholes and a danger to vehicles The postcode led me to a private house. Signage to the actual fields and woods is not obvious hence trouble finding the site It is obvious the person running the site does not know the local area very well. They were no help in getting me to the correct site.
Recommend to friends Visit again
From the manager: Dear anonymous commenter, Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback regarding your recent experience at our woodland campsite. We genuinely appreciate all feedback, as it helps us improve our services for future guests. We understand your concerns regarding the suitability of your 'rif tent' for the woodland pitch site. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. It's important to note that our woodland pitches are designed to offer a more wild and immersive camping experience, which may not be suitable for all types of camping equipment. However, we do offer alternative options, such as the meadow pitch, which would accommodate your roof tent with ease. Regarding the distance to the toilets and showers, we acknowledge that our shared facilities are located a short walk from the meadow pitch area. We strive to provide clear directions and maps to assist guests in navigating the site, and we will continue to improve our signage to ensure ease of access for all visitors. We understand that the access tracks to the site can be challenging at times, especially during inclement weather. While we do not have tarmac roads or urban surroundings, we believe that the natural beauty of our woodland campsite is part of its charm. We appreciate your understanding and patience in this regard. Regarding the issue with the postcode leading to the main estate Manor house rather than the woodland campsite, we apologize for any confusion this may have caused. We have taken steps to improve our signage and directions to ensure that guests can easily find their way to the correct location. Lastly, we want to assure you that the person running the site is well-versed in the local area and is committed to assisting guests. We appreciate your feedback and will continue to strive for excellence in all aspects of our service. Thank you again for bringing these issues to our attention. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back to our woodland campsite in the future and provide you with a more enjoyable camping experience. Warm regards.
An excellent proper campsite. The pitches on the woods are magic.
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Meadow primitive grass campsite
Liked: Outside space. Proper back to basics campsite. Space between pitches. Very quiet.
Recommend to friends Visit again
From the manager: Thank you!!
Very remote and wild, bumpy access, nice forest with no real facilitie
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Primitive forest floor tent campsite (groups only, large)
Liked: The forest was very nice and relatively quiet. Out pitch was quite close to an activity centre (not related to the camp site) and was a bit noisy late in the night.
Disliked: We were not told on pitchup about the true conditions of the camp site. In order to have a shower you need to fetch your water and heat it up on the fire pit. That might be fun once but quite an effort especially when you have younger children with you. We weren't given any details on how to find our pitch, no map of the place so we had to ring the campsite owners and she gave us good guidance on the phone. We couldn't see (and we weren't offered) any activities on site despite what is said on Pitch-up. The access road is unpaved and very bumpy and about a mile long. The bushes and shrubs are not well cut back so there is a risk of damaging car paint. Overall a nice campsite but surely not what was described on Pitch-up. We would not go again.
Recommend to friends Visit again
From the manager: Dear valued guest, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience you experienced during your recent visit to our wild woodland campsite. We understand your disappointment regarding the lack of accurate information provided. While we strive to ensure that all guests are well-informed about the conditions of our campsite, we recognise that there may have been shortcomings in this instance. We regret any inconvenience caused by the absence of shower facilities. As part of our commitment to embracing nature and encouraging a slower pace of life, we encourage guests to experience the simple pleasure of heating water on a fire pit for their personal use. However, we understand that this may not be suitable for everyone, and we apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused you. Regarding the availability of maps and details, we are grateful that our guidance was able to assist you during your stay. Please accept our apologies for any confusion regarding the booking of activities. We strive to provide a memorable experience for all guests, and pre-booking activities ensure that we can offer the best possible service. We appreciate your understanding in this matter. We acknowledge that the access roads to our campsite are unpaved and may be bumpy at times. While we understand that this may present challenges for some guests, we believe that the natural beauty of our surroundings more than compensates for any inconveniences. Once again, we apologise for any shortcomings you experienced during your visit. Your feedback is invaluable to us as we continuously strive to improve our services and provide a memorable experience for all our guests. Thank you for choosing to stay with us, and we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back to our campsite in the future. Warm regards
Excellent location and pitch
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Meadow primitive grass campsite
Liked: The firepit and space around the pitch. Excellent location with good access to the Jurassic coast
Disliked: Lack of customer service. No pre arrival information or clear instructions on arrival. There was a large group in the area we camped who were telling us they had booked two meadow pitches and we shouldn't be there but were kind enough to let us camp there and gave us more instructions in where things were on site than from anyone else. Overall needs to be more organised-not brilliant if double booked, and needs better signinage about where loo/taps are (including signs mentioning water needs to be boiled)
Recommend to friends Visit again
From the manager: Dear Camper, I am sorry for the negative experience had with us. Further to this we have spoken to pitch up to improve the information provided to our campers, especially directions as we are very much in the woods. We are a self check in site as we appreciate customers go camping for privacy and to be 'left alone'. The Ranger or myself (the manager) are either on site or less than 5 mins from the Campsite itself incase anyone would like assistance. I believe the group that spoke to you were being untruthful, we have no record of double up bookings in The Meadow for the date of your booking, a phone call to myself would have given me chance rectify this. All information in regards to water hygiene, maps to toilets and site information can be found in the information boxes at each pitch (I am guessing the other party again didn't share the information) so apologises that you didn't get chance to read this. We try to keep plastic signage to a minimal in and around the woodland to protect and preserve the woodland. Over all we thank you for your honesty as we can only improve if we know where and how.
Features
Dogs allowed
Campfires allowed
Leisure on park
Bar or club house
Cycle hire
Evening entertainment
Fishing
Fitness centre
Indoor swimming pool
Kids' club
On-site restaurant/cafe
Outdoor swimming pool
Playground
Recreation room/arcade
TV room
Takeout
Tennis
Watersports
Amenities on park
Bath available
Car parking by site/unit
Composting toilet
Disabled facilities
Dog park
Drying room
Free wifi
Grocery store
Ice pack freezing
Internet access
Laundromat
Local produce
Parent & baby washroom
Payphone
Pick-up from public transport
Picnic table
Portable toilet
Pub toilets
Restrooms
Shower available
Washing-up area
Wifi
Groups welcome
Family friendly
Motorcycle friendly
Scouts welcome
Single-sex groups welcome
Student groups welcome
Rules
Barbecue grills allowed
Barbecue provided
Campfires allowed
Commercial vehicles allowed
Dogs allowed
Dogs allowed all year
Camping 2.0
Jumbo tent sites
Themes
Budget/backpacker
Forest
Hikers’ paradise
Peaceful
Remote location
Spectacular scenery
Wild camping
Wildlife haven
Utilities
Charging facilities
Dump station
Electric car charging point(s)
No drinkable water point
No hot water
Propane/gas cylinders available
Recycling available
Renewable energy
Nearby amenities
Bar nearby
Dog walk nearby
Type
Small (11-25 sites)
Nearby leisure
Canoeing/kayaking nearby
Climbing nearby
Cycle hire nearby
Cycling nearby
Fishing nearby
Golf nearby
Horseback riding nearby
Indoor pool nearby
Leisure/theme park nearby
Mountain biking nearby
Restaurant nearby
Sailing nearby
Location
Southover Woods
Affpuddle car park
B3390
Dorchester
Dorset
England
DT2 7HP
Timezone
Europe/London +0100 (GMT+01:00)
GPS
50.73135°N
-2.27892°W
Route directions
Nearest transport
Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.
Local attractions
Water quality at nearby bathing waters
Name | Distance | Type | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
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Durdle Door East | 7.6 mi | Sea | N/A | Excellent | N/A | Excellent |
Durdle Door West | 7.6 mi | Sea | N/A | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
Ringstead Bay | 7.6 mi | Sea | N/A | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
Lulworth Cove | 7.9 mi | Sea | N/A | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
Bowleaze Cove | 9.1 mi | Sea | N/A | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
Data source: European Environment Agency
Must see
The Tank Museum 2.9 mi
Monkey World - Ape Rescue Centre 3.6 mi
Hardy's Birthplace 4.9 mi
Lulworth Castle & Park 7.1 mi
Lulworth Heritage Centre 7.9 mi
National Trust
Clouds Hill 1.5 mi
Hardy's Cottage 4.9 mi
Max Gate 6.5 mi
White Mill 10.8 mi
Corfe Castle 11.6 mi
Cycle routes
Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.
Other
Clouds Hill - Moreton 1.8 mi
ATHELHAMPTON 2.3 mi
Beacon Hill - Hardy's Cottage - Stinsford - Beacon Hill 3.7 mi
WATERSTON MANOR 4.5 mi
Higher Bockhampton - Puddletown Forest 4.9 mi
Local events
- Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival and Rally (Friday, July 19, 2024 – Friday, July 19, 2024)
Dorchester, England 1.5 mi
- Tankfest (Friday, June 28, 2024 – Friday, June 28, 2024)
Wareham, England 3 mi
- Dorset County Show (Saturday, September 7, 2024 – Saturday, September 7, 2024)
Dorchester, England 6.4 mi
- Camp Bestival Dorset (Thursday, July 25, 2024 – Thursday, July 25, 2024)
Wareham, England 7.2 mi
Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.
Nearest campgrounds
Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable campgrounds.
Want to know more about camping in Dorset?
- Does Southover Woods have a swimming pool? No View all features
- Is Southover Woods dog friendly? Yes View all features
- What attractions are near Southover Woods? Should you fancy a change of scenery from Southover Woods, go hunting for fossils on the Jurassic Coast’s Bowleaze Cove or have a potter around the Georgian harbour at Weymouth (both half … Read more
- When can I check in and check out of Southover Woods?
RV, travel trailer and tent sites Arrive: 2 p.m. – Anytime Depart by: 11 a.m. On-park accommodation Arrive: 2 p.m. – Anytime Depart by: 11 a.m. From the car park, head across the crossroads, under the silver height barrier gate then follow signs for Southover Woods.
Read more - How much does it cost to stay at Southover Woods? From $38.32 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.