Idle Hours Owlsbury Park

From £27 For 1 night, 2 adults 9.6 171 reviews
Visitor image of the campsite (added by manager 07 Sep 2022)
Looking across the site (visitor image) (added by manager 07 sep 2022)
View across the pitches (added by manager 07 sep 2022)
. (added by visitor 05 oct 2020)

  • Wildlife-packed park with foxes, deer and badgers
  • Coarse fishing ponds stocked with carp, roach, tench and perch
  • Shops, pubs and eateries within a mile
How might you fancy a peaceful break in a rural wildlife haven, with countryside views to the South Downs, spectacular westerly sunsets and a night under the stars around a campfire? Then Idle Hours Owlsbury Park could be the place for you. Set on around three and a half acres, Idle Hours is an adults-only quiet site (strictly no groups and no noise after 11pm, please), with two attractive and peaceful coarse fishing ponds stocked with carp, roach, tench and perch. The site welcomes dogs, but please do keep them on leads while on site and remember to clean up after them. Pitches are on gently sloping grass, and amenities include ladies' and gents toilets, a hot shower, a hot water washing-up area and a chemical disposal point. Fire baskets are available and logs and kindling are available for sale. Please note there is no mains electricity on site. Despite its serene, pastoral surroundings, this site is very handy for shops, pubs and eateries, all about a mile and a half away.

Site type

Tent pitches 20
Touring caravan pitches 1
Motorhome pitches 1
Open all year
Please note
  • Group bookings of 2 or more units (e.g. tent, touring caravan, motorhome or accommodation hire) travelling together are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Group bookings of 4 or more adults are not permitted (couples and immediate family members excepted).
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Guests under the age of 25 are not allowed on site.
  • Guests are advised to bring a good quality torch with them as parts of the site are unlit.
  • Fishing costs: £10 per person for a day pass and £5 per person for a half day pass. A fishing licence is required. The showers are portable showers.

Languages spoken

English

Reviews

97%

would recommend this site to a friend

96%

would stay here again

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    1

Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

Lovely peaceful site with spotlessly clean facilities. Only stayed one night but…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 8
Accommodation No rating
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Ellie B. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric hardstanding touring pitch

Liked: Lovely peaceful site with spotlessly clean facilities. Only stayed one night but would definitely stay again.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Hello Elli, Thank you for your kind review ,I am so pleased you enjoyed your stay ,at any time you wish to return feel free to ring me direct kind regards Julie 😊

Peace, birdsong and owls, nearby footpaths, friendly owner, spotless facilities.…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Kathryn G. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric hardstanding touring pitch

Liked: Peace, birdsong and owls, nearby footpaths, friendly owner, spotless facilities.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Quiet campsite and clean facilities…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
laur o. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric hardstanding touring pitch

Liked: Quiet campsite and clean facilities

Recommend to friends Visit again

Scenic

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
julia j. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric hardstanding touring pitch

Liked: A beautiful small campsite .The host Julie was really friendly.The pitches were a spacious size .Some lovely countryside.There is a small walk around the fishing pond .If you cross the road from the campsite and walk a little along the road there is a wooded walk .The toilets and shower were clean .

Disliked: Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Nice, peaceful site

Overall 8/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Alison W. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric hardstanding touring pitch

Liked: The site was peaceful, surrounded by beautiful views. The hardstanding pitches were substantially sized and had a picnic table. The toilets were nice enough and kept clean. It had a community pot washing/kitchen with book swap. The site is advertised as back to basics but it also had showers, although they were in porta-loo buildings so we didn’t try them.

Disliked: The grassed area was waterlogged but that’s just the Great British weather for you!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Clean site, disappointing facilities

Overall 6/10
Location 8
Value for money 6
Accommodation 6
Facilities / Activities 4
Customer service 8
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 8
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric hardstanding touring pitch

Liked: Campsite was exceptionally clean and tidy. Friendly text from owner advising of pitch number. Very good sized level pitch with nice addition of a picnic table for warmer months.

Disliked: Shower..disappointing and did not use...was a singular module like a portaloo. No hot water to wash hands in in toilet block. No tap linked to hose to fill tank with, when raining things like this have to be quick and convenient.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Get away from it all and enjoy peace & quiet.

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Rachel G. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked: This is such a tranquil site, surrounded by beautiful countryside and walks nearby. The facilities are basic but just what’s needed. A nice indoor washing up area, clean toilet block and hot shower. The site is well maintained and really quiet.

Disliked: Nothing at all, it was all lovely!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Peaceful, clean and friendly

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Felicity B. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked: This is a wonderful campsite, the owner was very accommodating, and there is a great indoor kitchen, lovely clean toilets and shower and a perfect location to explore local forests. Wonderful sunset across the fields, very peaceful and relaxing Very good value for money We will be back

Recommend to friends Visit again

The view, the welcome, the cleanliness, the tranquility…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities No rating
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked: The view, the welcome, the cleanliness, the tranquility

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent site

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass pitch

Liked: Very nice place. Fresh air, pond, marvelous views and lawns, clean facilities. Ancient oaks make it place incredible.

Recommend to friends Visit again


Features

Leisure on site

Bar or club house

Cycle hire

Evening entertainment

Fishing

Fitness centre

Games room

Indoor swimming pool

Kids' club

On-site restaurant/cafe

Outdoor swimming pool

Play area

TV room

Take away

Tennis

Watersports

Amenities on site

Bath available

Car parking by pitch/unit

Composting toilet

Disabled facilities

Dog park

Drying room

Food shop

Free wifi

Ice pack freezing

Internet access

Launderette

Parent & baby washroom

Pick-up from public transport

Portable toilet

Pub toilets

Public telephone

Shower available

Toilet block

Washing-up area

Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly

Motorcycle friendly

Single-sex groups welcome

Student groups welcome

Rules

Adults only

Barbecue provided

Barbecues allowed

Campfires allowed

Commercial vehicles allowed

Dogs allowed

Dogs allowed all year

Themes

Lake and/or mountain

Peaceful

Spectacular scenery

Walkers' paradise

Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities

Chemical disposal

Electric car charging point(s)

Gas cylinders available

Recycling available

Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby

Dog walk nearby

Nearby farmers' market

Public transport nearby

Shop nearby

Type

Small (11-25 pitches)

Nearby leisure

Climbing nearby

Fishing nearby

Golf nearby

Horse riding nearby

Indoor pool nearby

Restaurant nearby

Sailing nearby

Tennis nearby

Touring and motorhomes

Seasonal pitches

Location

Idle Hours Owlsbury Park

Hadlow Down Road

Crowborough

East Sussex

England

TN6 3RG

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London GMT (GMT+00:00)

GPS

51.02666°N
0.17226°W

Route directions

From the A26 Uckfield, head north to Crowborough. Take the right turn 0.7 miles after The Crow and Gate pub signed to Millbrook Industrial Estate. Go straight on, over the golf course, over the small roundabout, down the hill and past the fish and chip shop, antiques shop and vets on the left, then after the Plough and Horses pub, go over the narrow bridge and turn immediately right to Hadlow Down Rd. The site is 1.2 miles on the right. From Hadlow Down (A272), the site is 2.5 miles on the left on Crowborough/Jarvis Brook Road. Do not turn into Dogetts - this is a satnav error. The site is half a mile further up the hill on the left. From Rotherfield-Crowborough Road B2100, take the Hadlow Down/Buxted Road (after Tesco). Go 0.25 miles and turn as indicated above. Beware of the satnav error; do not turn into Doggetts Drive.

Nearest transport

Coach
5.1 mi School Lane
5.1 mi School Lane
5.2 mi Bus Station
Rail
1.5 mi Crowborough Rail Station
3.1 mi Buxted Rail Station
4.5 mi Eridge Rail Station
Ferry
17.1 mi Newhaven Harbour Ferry Terminal
Airport
17.1 mi London Gatwick Airport
17.2 mi London Gatwick Airport South Terminal
17.9 mi London Gatwick Airport North Terminal

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

For those who fancy ditching the car for a bit, the site is close to public transport links: trains and buses from Crowborough (a mile and a half away) go to Tunbridge Wells, London, Lewes and Brighton. Crowborough village has plenty of amenities, including an indoor swimming pool and gym, and a miniature railway. The area is great for golfers, with a number of courses nearby. The spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells (to give it its full title) is eight miles from Owlsbury, and well worth a visit for a stroll round the specialist shops in the Georgian Pantiles, a taste of the water from the Chalybeate Spring, or a trip on the steam railway. The town also has plenty of food and entertainment options, including a multiplex cinema. Other potential day trips include a jaunt to the coast at Eastbourne or Brighton; to Lewes, home to a castle, gardens and the biggest Bonfire Night celebrations in the country; to the National Trust gardens at Sheffield Park and Wakehurst Place; to the William Morris interiors at Standen; Ashdown Forest, home of Winnie the Pooh; or a steam through the Sussex countryside on the historic Bluebell Railway.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020 2019 2018 2017
Pevensey Bay 16.9 mi Sea N/A Good Good Good
Norman`S Bay 16.9 mi Sea N/A Good Good Excellent
Seaford 18 mi Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent
Saltdean 18.3 mi Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent
Bexhill 18.5 mi Sea N/A N/A N/A Good

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Groombridge Place and The Enchanted Forest 6.3 mi

Sheffield Park Garden 7.3 mi

Bluebell Railway 7.4 mi

Batemans 9.4 mi

Standen 9.7 mi

National Trust

Sheffield Park Garden 7.3 mi

Bateman's 9.3 mi

Standen 9.7 mi

Scotney Castle 11.2 mi

Wakehurst Place 11.5 mi

Cycle routes

Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.

Other

ROTHERFIELD HALL 1.5 mi

Fairwarp - Ashdown Forest - Fairwarp 3.7 mi

BUXTED PARK 3.8 mi

Mayfield - Renhurst Farm - Bassetts - Mayfield 3.9 mi

Mayfield - Batt's Wood - Wadhurst Deer-Park - Mayfield 3.9 mi

Local events

  • Glyndebourne Festival (Thursday 16 May 2024 – Thursday 16 May 2024)

    Lewes, East Sussex 11.4 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.

Want to know more about camping in East Sussex?

  • Does Idle Hours Owlsbury Park have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Idle Hours Owlsbury Park dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Idle Hours Owlsbury Park? For those who fancy ditching the car for a bit, the site is close to public transport links: trains and buses from Crowborough (a mile and a half away) go to Tunbridge … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Idle Hours Owlsbury Park?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  1 p.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Idle Hours Owlsbury Park? From £27 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.