Book yourself the top spot at Suffolk’s Sunnyside Campsite and you will have all the pleasures of camping without having to pitch a tent. The Hempland Easy Tent is the only pre-pitched canvas at this peaceful campsite on a smallholding on the edge of a rural village. The tent itself is a good one with a bit of retro appeal which suits both the site and the setting. The campsite may be relatively new but the field it sits in has been part of a farm for upwards of 500 years. There’s no denying that there’s a timeless appeal to the place: hedgerows are mature, the facilities are in an old stable block and the field is kept car free. To add to the old-school vibes, the milkman visits three times a week, the fishmonger and baker call in on Thursdays and an ice cream van tinkles past at the weekend. If you’re looking for a taste of old-fashioned fun on the campsite, you’re pretty much guaranteed to find it here.
The Easy Tent sleeps two and is set up with everything you need for your stay – except bedding. You will need to bring your own. Otherwise, it’s pretty much all here which makes it a great place for cyclists and people without cars to stay. Both are viable types of holiday at Sunnyside. The quiet country lanes make it great for two wheels and National Cycle Route 1 passes close by. For anyone who wants to camp without a car, there’s a train station just two miles away with a direct link to London. Once onsite you can hire bikes from a local hire company to get around.
Facilities for cooking are part of the deal: there’s a two ring gas hob and all the utensils you’ll need. You can also hire a fire pit and buy logs or charcoal on site from an honesty shop. Alternatively, stroll down the lane to The Racehorse, the community-owned pub that’s less than half a mile away. The Suffolk coast is a cyclable nine miles away with the quiet beach at Covehithe and the bustling little seaside town of Southwold the closest places to visit. And, of course, if you do come by car, you can get further, faster to explore more of Suffolk and neighbouring Norfolk.
The pre erected canvas tent (non electric) is available for £70 per night with a minimum x2 nights stay. It is ideal for 1-2 people and offers a fully equipt kitchen with gas cooker. Bedding not provided. No dogs. This cosy tent is pitched in the centre of a beautiful and sheltered, one acre grass meadow called ‘Hempland’ with x 9 other camping pitches generously spaced around the edges. Sunnyside is a medieval farm - a working dairy farm up until 1967 - now a seven acre small holding. It is situated quietly on the edge of the village of Westhall where we have ample walks, an ancient historic church and a good community pub called ‘The Racehorse’ - just a 4 min stroll away. With a short, 15 mins drive to the beautiful East Suffolk coast - the pretty town of Southwold - home of Adnams brewery is nearby, as is Walberswick, Dunwich and Covehithe. The Waveney valley, Norfolk Broads and RSPB Minsmere are also all in easy reach. Halesworth is the nearest town just 4 miles away! With the tent all set up and ready to go, you can explore the site - discover and relax in the hammocks in the woods, sit back and enjoy the wonderful wide views across the open farm land and watch the spectacular sunsets. We are lucky to have dark sky status here, so guests can enjoy a cosy campfire and gaze at the stars with the accompaniment of a hooting owl, swooping bats or snuffling of a hedgehog - which, along with other rare. native animals are all regular residents at the farm. This is a quiet rural and rustic site with basic facilities - perfect for cyclists, walkers and gentle folk who love the outdoors and nature.Sunnyside Campsite is on the edge of the village of Westhall, about nine miles from the Suffolk coast. The quiet country lanes around the site are great for walking and cycling and you can hire bikes from Southwold Cycles to be delivered to sit if you don’t bring your own. If you do bring your own, there’s cycle storage on site – if you ask in advance. Halesworth is the nearest town, five miles away. Beccles and Bungay on the River Waveney are not much further (seven and eight miles), situated on the edge of The Broads National Park with its peaceful waterways. Covehithe is the closest beach and it’s a lovely but wild one. For a seaside resort, head to nearby Southwold (also nine miles) where there’s a quirky pier, cafes, shops and facilities. The seaside villages of Walberswick (10 miles) and Dunwich (10 miles) are also lovely places to visit. RSPB Minsmere is 13 miles from site.
If you’re at Sunnyside Campsite at the right time, you can get fresh produce without having to go anywhere. On Thursdays, Paul’s Fresh Fish van visits, selling seafood and fish for the barbecue. In the afternoons fresh bread and baked goods are also for sale. Cakes are available from 2pm on Saturday afternoon and an ice cream van visits the village too. Breakfast baps are a treat on Sunday mornings and the milkman visits the campsite three times a week. Ask the night before if you want to order milk or juice. The closest place to pick up supplies outside of those times is the town of Halesworth (five miles) where there’s a good selection of shops and market on Wednesdays and the second Saturday of every month. If you don’t fancy cooking, the easiest place for a meal out is The Racehorse, a community-owned pub, that’s about a five-minute walk away. There are more options in Halesworth.
