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The Old Airfield

85%
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· Burley, Hampshire, England
30 acres hosted by Vivien S.
15 glamping pitches · 99 motorhome/tent pitches
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Family-friendly
Recent Hipcampers say this Hipcamp is great for families and kids.
Staff verified
Accuracy verified by Hipcamp's on-the-ground team.
A New Forest airfield that's been overtaken by nature, less than 10 minutes' drive from the coast

This old RAF base in the south eastern corner of the New Forest was so vital to the Second World War it used to operate under a code name. Today the tarmac's been torn up and grass and shrubs have taken over but its main merits as an airfield turn out to be just as convenient as a campsite. It's incredibly flat (great for pitching a tent), it's spacious and open (ideal for enjoying big blue skies) and it's just three miles as the bomber flies from the south coast.

The 30-acre space is reliably run by the family behind two other popular campsites in the New Forest (Harry's Field and Harry's Meadow), so the team know a thing or two about pleasing campers. Everything here is temporary but it's also very thoroughly thought through. There are piping hot gas-powered showers, good eco-friendly loos and a number of food trucks visit the campsite throughout the summer. And though campervans and motorhomes are welcome, the focus here is very much on back-to-basics family camping, with tents dominating the scene and more bicycles about the place than there are cars.

Perhaps the nicest thing about the campsite is the fact that, though it's vast, the make up of the former airfield breaks it all down into a series of small spaces. It's easy to arrive with friends, take off across the heathland and find a place to make your own. At the southern end, for example, there's a copse of beech and oak trees, where manager Vivien has set up a stretch tent and some of the facilities are found. In the middle of the site, meanwhile, there are two small segments drilled by the local farmer and full of standing wheat (or stubble in late August). It's as though there's a tiny patch of farmland within the campsite, framed by the grassy lines of the old runway.

While the campsite is wonderfully open – great for enjoying sunrises and huge summer sunsets – it's not long before you get into the trees if you want to. One of the best ways to get around here is by bike. Route 2 of the National Cycle Network runs directly past the campsite gate and you can venture north along car-free trails in the Holmsley area or cycle south, towards the coast on a series of quiet lanes. There's an easy route to Burley – one of the most quaint and popular villages in the whole national park – that's about four miles long. Take your time and you'll see plenty of New Forest ponies along the way, as well as potentially deer and other wildlife too. Or head off to Highcliffe Beach. There's less wildlife there but plenty of seagulls and a good number of fish and chip shops where you can find some tasty supper.

Activities
Biking
Boating
Fishing
Hiking
Natural features
Beach
Forest
River, stream, or creek
Swimming hole
85%
123 Ratings · 91 reviews
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Lizzie B.recommends
September 8, 2024
Grass Pitch
Beautiful site, very helpful hosts and great on site facilities.
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James S.recommends
August 27, 2024
Grass Pitch
Old Airfield campsite
Lovely stay. Staff all helpful and cheery. Lovely atmosphere and relaxed ambiance.
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Victoria H.recommends
August 26, 2024
Grass Pitch
Great Stay
We loved our stay at the Old Airfield, nice grass pitch with the cleanest porta-loos I’ve ever used. Really friendly welcome and added bonus of being able to get a coffee and pastry in the morning. Super dog friendly- would love to come back.
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Sandrine S.recommends
August 12, 2024
Grass Pitch
First time family campers.
We had such a lovely time at this very family friendly camp site. (Though there are fields without kids running around) The Pizza Hut was fantastic and loved the coffee and bar hit too. The communal sitting area was lovely overlooking fields with horses and ponies. The toilets were a mix of porta toilets and compost toilets and well distributed. There were taps and hand soap outside. There was always toilet paper. The showers were hot and good pressure. Small compartment but large enough to have a small stool and basin as well as hooks to hang things. The washing up area was great with dish washing liquid, bowls and drying racks. Staff were all friendly and kind. We hired a fire pit and wood. (There is no charcoal or matches there) There is a coop about 7 minute drive for any forgotten items. With nothing really to compare it to it as a first time camping experience for a young family I can highly recommend.
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Bradley B.
August 11, 2024
Grass Pitch
Bad toilets
Campsite is great, staff very nice and has a nice bar and pizza grill, however the toilet situation for me personally was awful. Choice of a medieval compostable toilet that you can see everyone’s business in the bottom off that made me feel ill, and was stinky, or portaloo’s that weren’t much better. Some people this wouldn’t bother, especially as it was a really nice site, but for me this spoiled my stay.
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Tara A.doesn't recommend
August 11, 2024
Grass Pitch
Campsite was fine, but personally far too big & busy for my preference. Everything seemed to be an extra payment. Would work for some campers but not the relaxed atmosphere I usually look for
Location
Burley, Hampshire, England, United KingdomTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
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Hosted by Vivien S.

Joined in April 2016
From the host
The team behind Harry’s Field, one of the New Forest’s most celebrated and established campsites, are pleased to reveal The Old Airfield in the south of The New Forest. We are near Burley and four miles from the sandy beaches at Mudeford and Highcliffe. If you are desperate for open space and endless skies, The Old Airfield has both in abundance. Escape the house and venture into the heart of the New Forest. Just a few miles from Burley, an ancient village with a history of local witches and sprightly fairies, The Old Airfield is a vast, 30 acres of well-drained and flat camping ground, but we have chosen to limit the capacity – so you won’t struggle to claim your corner of the countryside. Overlooked by nothing more than a smart copse of beech and oaks, at The Old Airfield, the only distractions come from the forest’s wild inhabitants, the New Forest ponies and their foals will be watching from the surrounding heathland, as you relish the great outdoors. But it wasn’t always this way. As the name suggests, in the 1940s The Old Airfield was an RAF airstrip, perfectly situated for reconnaissance missions over continental Europe. The proximity to the coast brought planes to Burley. They may have gone; mother nature has reclaimed the land and just a short four-mile jaunt from the campsite, some of the New Forest’s best beaches are to be found. In terms of facilities, The Old Airfield offers best-in-class pressured hot showers, compostable eco loos, portaloos, sinks and hot water for washing up, fire pits to hire along with an impressive range of onsite food options including morning coffee and pastries, pizza oven, cocktail truck and beer tent. We are avid recyclers and there are 8 recycling bins on site as well as plenty of general waste bins so that the countryside is not spoiled.
Nearby attractions

The best way to explore the New Forest is undoubtedly by bike. You can hire bikes from Avon Tyrrell (01425 672347) or just bring your own and ride straight from the campsite – the National Cycle Route 2, which follows the entire south coast of England, passes metres from the campsite. It's only a couple of miles on the route before you hit the old railway station house that was formerly Holmsley Station. It's now a lovely tea rooms (a great place to stop if you're already puffed out). From here, a huge stretch of the former railway line is now a car-free greenway that's great for family cycling. Look out for deer and the famous New Forest ponies as you ride. If you want a quicker way to find the dear, head to Bolderwood (20-minute drive), one of the most beautiful forests in the area, where you can watch the fallow deer being fed (it's has a large picnic area amongst the tall trees, alongside which is a New Forest Information Centre). Perhaps the best thing about choosing a campsite in this southern stretch of the New Forest National Park is that you're also so close to the coast. It's a 10-minute drive to Mudeford Beach, Avon Beach and Highcliffe Beach, backed by magnificent Highcliffe Castle, and, on hot days, it's a great alternative to days inland.

Food and drink

For pretty village pubs and free-roaming New Forest ponies in the streets, drive the 10 minutes to Burley. For convenience, though, Bransgore is closer and also has plenty of pubs. Try the thatched, 17th-century Three Tuns (01425 672232) – good food, dog and family friendly and cask-ale accredited. The closest supermarket is also in Bransgore, where there's a decent sized CoOp.

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