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Tomkins Farm

95%

· North Chailey, England

15 acres hosted by Philip O.

1 glamping pitch · 40 motorhome/tent pitches

Philip is a Star Host

Star Hosts are highly rated, responsive, and committed to providing incredible experiences.

Family-friendly

Recent Hipcampers say this Hipcamp is great for families and kids.

Best tent sites: Finalist

Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2023.

Relaxed camping beside a lake on an East Sussex farm, with alpacas, llamas, and camels

Tomkins Farm is the sort of place you can pitch up with your friends, family and dog in tow for a weekend of good old-fashioned camping. Campfires are allowed, groups are welcome and you can park up next to your pitch. Kids can roam the little on-site woodland to climb trees, build dens, get muddy and generally have a good time. This is the epitome of laid-back camping in the Sussex countryside – with the added bonus of some rather unusual farm animals in the surrounding fields. Tomkins Farm is home to alpacas, llamas and camels, alongside its flock of sheep.

This 40-pitch campsite (formerly known as Alpaca Camp) is spread over two neighbouring fields with generously-sized grass pitches for tents and small campervans only. Situated centre-stage at each pitch is an off-ground fire pit made from an old washing machine drum. And as the sun starts to set, owner Philip does the rounds to see if you’d like some logs for a campfire under the stars. This is your chance to ask him for tips on the local area too.

If you’re after a walk, he’ll likely point you in the direction of The Anchor Inn. It’s a walk of four miles through lovely countryside which culminates at a pub with a riverside setting and boats for hire to add to the appeal. Or he might suggest you drive in that direction instead, to launch into the water for a swim or paddleboard at nearby Barcombe Mills. There’s plenty more to do within easy reach (Lewes, Brighton, the steam trains of the Bluebell Railway and so on) but this is the kind of campsite where kicking back by the campfire and letting the kids run wild is the best adventure of all.

Activities

Biking

Boating

Hiking

Paddling

Natural features

Field

Farm

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95%

130 Ratings · 78 reviews

Catherine R.recommends

June 8, 2024

Camping at Tomkins Farm

Amazing camp site, really impressive facilities. Pizza and bar was an unexpected luxury!

Ju O.recommends

June 2, 2024

Camping at Tomkins Farm

Lovely simple site. Kids enjoyed playing in the little woods. Large, flexible pitches.

Rob V.

May 31, 2024

Camping at Tomkins Farm

No specific issues. Just quite a boring place. Very simple. So I wouldn't recommend - if someone had booked I also wouldn't tell them not to go; completely indifferent to it.

Steve P.recommends

May 21, 2024

Camping at Tomkins Farm

Peaceful camping!

Absolutely amazing experience at Tomkins Farm. Was so serene and peaceful. Lots of space there to camp and explore. Will definitely be rebooking very soon. Perfect spot for a get away, have already recommended to my friends and Will recommend to anyone else asking. Thanks for having me guys

K A.recommends

May 20, 2024

Camping at Tomkins Farm

Great weekend camping with friends

We stayed for a weekend in May at Tomkins Farm. It was a lovely location. We did the hours walk to The Bull pub which was nice. The kids loved seeing the alpacas, lamas and camels. It was a peaceful site with no music and the other guests were respectful during our visit -it wasn't too noisy at bedtime. The showers had hot water. The toilets were very basic, but were ok. I would be worried they would be enough when the site is full though. Overall we had a lovely weekend and would return.

David W.recommends

May 15, 2024

Camping at Tomkins Farm

We loved it .. Just the perfect spot, thank you Philip

Location

North Chailey, England, United KingdomTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking

Hosted by Philip O.Joined in May 2022

From the host

This family friendly site is a peaceful rural retreat that welcomes families, groups and couples. Only 15 minutes from Barcombe Mills, you'll be able to relax whilst still having plenty to do nearby. There are grass pitches, none of which have electric hook up. These spacious pitches allow tents, trailer tents and small camper vans to set up at this lovely spot. If you want electric hook up, wifi and 5 star facilities we are not for you! The site is basic but functional. We specialise is family gathering as we are, due to size of our pitches, able to offer the ability for you as a group to pitch in a large circle around a fire pit! If this is off interest give me a call. 07801109243 With Brighton just half an hour down the road and home to stunning pebble beaches, this is a great choice to explore both the countryside and coast. Dogs are allowed but please keep them on the lead at all times as there are resident farm animals, including sheep, alpacas and camels! Fire pits can be provided and are perfect for toasting marshmallows after a busy day exploring or just relaxing around under the stars. We recommend that you take out holiday insurance to cover any eventuality where you may not be able to stay with us as we are only able to offer a full refund up to 30 days prior to your arrival.

Nearby attractions

You can walk out into the Sussex countryside on footpaths straight from site with the most popular route cross country to the River Ouse and The riverside Anchor Inn (see below) where you can hire rowing boats. Nearby Barcombe Mills is a popular spot for wild swimming, paddleboarding or pleasant waterside walks. The town of Lewes with its castle, high street of independent shops and lido, Pells Pool, is seven miles away and sits on the edge of the South Downs National Park. There, you’ll find more scenic walking, mountain biking and horse riding on the South Downs Way National Trail. The south coast is just the other side of the Downs with Brighton the big and busy attraction. Its pier, beach, seafront and quirky shops are 14 miles from site.

Food and drink

There’s an on-site bar, The Camel’s Hump, which opens when demand is there (most weekends in summer) and food vans visit on busier Saturday and Sunday mornings serving coffee and breakfasts. There are occasionally other visiting food trucks too, check with owner Philip if any are planned for your stay. The closest off-site pub is The Five Bells in Chailey (01825 722259), 10 minutes’ walk away. Book if you want to eat. Another good option is The Anchor Inn (01273 400414) which has a riverside setting and boats available for hire. The closest shop is a small convenience store and off licence in Chailey, a 30-minute walk or five-minute drive away, with more shops and pubs in Newick, a 10-minute drive from site. There are plenty of good places to eat and drink in Lewes (seven miles from site) and there’s a farmer’s market there on the first and third Saturdays of the month.

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