Sea Barn Farm

Tucked down single-track country roads, shaded with tall trees on either side, this little tenters’ campsite is perfectly pitched atop Fleet Lagoon, Lyme Bay and the Jurassic Coast. Many of the pitches have countryside or sea views, and a low-key ambience thrives.

This is a traditional site with a well-stocked shop and facilities that include the two most impressive family bathrooms we’ve seen at any UK campsite, with a self-contained WC, shower, sink and even a bath. It is actually part of a larger operation that includes an adjacent campsite; guests can use their facilities too, including an outdoor heated pool and a bar. So, it’s the best of both worlds – quiet camping, with extra entertainment just next door. 

Regulars to Sea Barn tend to be visitors who travel from afar on long breaks. Parents like to pitch near the small children’s playground. Older families enjoy all the grassy space for ball games. Climbers come to be near Portland’s cliffs and quarries; and walkers just love the Fleet Lagoon – a unique nature reserve that attracts migrating waterfowl in spring and autumn. It’s just a 500-metre stroll down private, scenic farm trails to the South West Coast Path, which runs along the shore of the lagoon. Take binoculars and a good bird book and you can tick the breeds off one by one.