The view from Hardyes Countryside Camping is field after field after field. Stay here and you can gaze at this rural scene all day and, on a clear night, enjoy the starriest of skies. This is somewhere to enjoy simple camping in a peaceful part of Dorset that feels, as this area’s most famous son put it, far from the madding crowds. It’s Hardy Country indeed; the quiet countryside that inspired the writer. His preserved home, Hardy’s Cottage, is just 20 minutes’ drive from here. But closer still, another famous Thomas Hardy from Dorset is commemorated. This one, the Vice Admiral who helped Lord Nelson to victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. A monument to him is high on one of those rolling hills you can see from the site.
That’s not all that’s within easy reach of this site that feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere. It’s actually in a good spot to explore all of Dorset from. Nowhere is too far away from this central spot and much is within a 20-minute drive: Dorchester, Bridport and the Jurassic Coast all included. Weymouth, Durdle Door and Lyme Regis are all just a little further. After days of fossil hunting, exploring market towns and historic sites, you’ll be glad for the peace and quiet back at Hardyes Countryside Camping.
Tucked behind the farmhouse and yard at Higher Hogleaze Farm, is where you’ll find its four acres. They’re shared by tents, campervans, motorhomes and caravans – all are welcome here and so is your dog. There’s a relaxed atmosphere that’s helped along by host, Chris, who keeps the place spotlessly clean. He built the facilities which are sheltered in a barn and include flushing toilets, reliably hot showers and a campers’ kitchen too. It’s a sociable space on a sociable site in the middle of Dorset, the middle of Hardy Country – and the middle of nowhere as well.