Motorhome travel: 12 top Dorset campsites

Explore the wonders of Dorset, one of the UK's most popular holiday destinations, with our selection of coastal and countryside campsites:

1 Harrow Wood Farm Caravan Park

2 The Inside Park

3 Bagwell Farm Touring Park

4 Woodyhyde Campsite

5 Monkton Wyld Caravanning & Camping Park

6 Ulwell Cottage Caravan Park

7 Wareham Forest Tourist Park

8 Meadow View Caravan Park

9 South Lytchett Manor Caravan & Camping Park

10 Norden Farm Campsite

11 Durdle Door Holiday Park

12 Back of Beyond Tranquil Touring & Camping Park

Harrow Wood Farm Caravan Park

Poplar Lane, Bransgore, Christchurch, Dorset BH23 8JE
Call: 01425 672487
Open: 1 March – 6 January

Set in 80 acres of farmland on the edge of the New Forest National Park, Harrow Wood Farm is located in the village of Bransgore. Exploring the national park is easy with the open forest being just two miles away, where you can walk and cycle to your heart’s content. It’s also only five miles to Christchurch, where you’ll find picturesque rivers, a natural harbour and great beaches.

The site has 60 pitches with hardstanding and electric hook-up for motorhomes. There is an on-site fishing lake that is great for fans of the sport but also makes for a nice spot to relax or to take a walk. A one-mile circular walk leads around the farm, meaning guests can enjoy the animals and the surroundings. The facilities at Harrow Wood Farm include toilets, showers, dishwashing, a laundry and also facilities for disabled guests. Please note that dogs are not accepted at Harrow Wood Farm.

The Inside Park

Fairmile Road, Blandford, Dorset DT11 9AD
Call: 01258 453719
Open: 29 March – 4 November

A unique location in Dorset, The Inside Park offers pitches among specimen trees in ancient parkland. The site provides a secluded environment at the centre of a family farm well away from road noise. Due to the location, wildlife here is abundant and includes deer, foxes, badgers, buzzards and woodpeckers. Facilities on the site include modern washrooms housed within the eighteenth century stables and coach houses, a shop, laundry, indoor games room and outdoor adventure playground. There are 120 pitches, most with electric. Dogs are welcome and there are even on-site day kennels for hire.

There are over six miles of marked routes for walking and cycling, all on the site’s private land. The Inside Park is a top choice for cyclists as there is a 5½-mile mountain bike course on the site’s land and there are miles of off-road cycling available on the doorstep, including the North Dorset Trailway that runs from Blandford to Sturminster Newton and beyond.

Bagwell Farm Touring Park

Chickerell, Weymouth, Dorset DT3 4EA
Call: 01305 782575
Open: All year

This family-run site is set in a quiet valley within five miles of Weymouth’s sandy beach and busy harbour. It’s just a short walk to the South West Coast Path and the Fleet Lagoon. Pitches on site include super pitches with double-width hardstanding, 16A electric hook-up, water and drainage point. Some pitches are available for RVs, too.

Facilities include bathrooms and wetrooms along with regular toilets and showers. There is also the Red Barn bar and takeaway that is open at weekends in mid-season and nightly in high season. If you decide to venture off site there’s a pub within half-a-mile and also a bus stop at the pub so you can easily explore the area.

Woodyhyde Campsite

Valley Road, Corfe Castle, Wareham, Dorset BH20 5HT
Call: 01929 480274
Open: 1 March – 31 October

The perfect ‘camping how it used to be’ site but with all the luxuries you’ve come to expect, Woodyhyde is set in 13 acres of countryside within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is just a 20-minute walk to the ruins of Corfe Castle and a short distance from the seaside town of Swanage. There are 160 unmarked pitches across three fields including a dog-free field. One field is bordered by the Swanage steam train line that links Corfe Castle and Swanage. There are 100 electric pitches, of which 20 are hardstanding for motorhomes.

Facilities at Woodyhyde include toilets and showers, WiFi and a shop and off licence. Footpaths lead from the site directly to the Purbeck Hills and there are coastal paths to the Jurassic Coast.If you’d rather relax on golden sands then the award-winning beaches of Swanage and Studland are close by.

Monkton Wyld Caravanning & Camping Park

Scotts Lane, Charmouth, Dorset DT6 6DB
Call: 01297 808893
Open: 16 March – 29 October

Monkton Wyld in west Dorset combines the rural feel of the countryside while still being close to the coast. It’s only three miles to the famous towns of Lyme Regis and Charmouth and all that the scenic Jurassic Coast has to offer. All pitches on site are level and every pitch backs up against a hedge or shrub bed in order to add an air of privacy for every guest, along with native woodland planting that divides the grounds up into separate small paddocks. The site lies in 25 acres of landscaped grounds with plenty of wildlife.

Facilities on the site include toilets and showers, two children’s play areas and a small shop. There’s also access to the 80 acres of Monkton Wyld woods just a minute’s drive from the site. Less than 10 minutes’ drive from Monkton Wyld is Charmouth Road long stay car park (DT7 3DR), where motorhomes are welcome and then you can walk into Lyme Regis to explore the seafront, harbour, museum and aquarium.

Ulwell Cottage Caravan Park

Ulwell Road, Swanage BH19 3DG
Call: 01929 422823
Open: 1 March – 7 January

With a beautiful location under the Purbeck Hills, Ulwell Cottage is surrounded by countryside and close to a coastline of dramatic cliffs and clean, safe beaches. Facilities on site include hardstanding and grass pitches with electric, with some fully serviced ones available. For touring customers there are toilets, showers, an indoor pool, shop, play area and WiFi. There’s also The Village Inn restaurant and bar that has been refitted for 2018, along with a takeaway in high season.

The Victorian seaside town of Swanage offers many attractions including a Blue Flag beach, restored pier and railway. There are also plenty of walking trails and cycle paths around Purbeck’s Countryside and the Jurassic Coast to explore.

Wareham Forest Tourist Park

North Trigon, Wareham, Dorset BH20 7NZ
Call: 01929 551393
Open: All year

This five-star graded and award-winning site is surrounded by 14 square miles of forest, providing a tranquil holiday destination. Pitches are spread across a 55-acre site, with facilities including toilets and showers, a laundry, play area, shop and family room. There is also a heated outdoor pool with patio area. For motorhome guests there are superior hardstanding pitches with individual water, waste water, TV point and electric. There are also just hardstanding electric pitches.

As well as trails through the forest, there are many attractions close by. These include the Bovington Tank Museum, Swanage and the National Trust’s Corfe Castle and Kingston Lacy.

Meadow View Caravan Park

Wigbeth, Horton, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 7JH
Call: 01258 840040
Open: All year

Meadow View is a small family-run site with its own lake and nature reserve, making for a peaceful retreat. Site facilities include toilets, showers, a barbecue area and even battery charging. There are hardstanding pitches and electric hook-ups available. There’s plenty on site to keep you occupied including coarse fishing, bird watching and plenty of local wildlife to see.

There are many footpaths and bridleways locally along with a woodland walk to Horton’s Tower. This eighteenth century folly is 140 feet high and was once said to have been the tallest non-religious building in Britain. If you decide to head off site then the New Forest National Park, Poole harbour and Bournemouth are all within driving distance and offer plenty to keep everyone occupied. Just 10 minutes down the road is Moors Valley Country Park – great for outdoor pursuits, cycling, picnics and golf. There’s even a café and a steam train here that takes visitors around the park.

South Lytchett Manor Caravan & Camping Park

Dorchester Road, Poole BH16 6JB
Call: 01202 622577
Open: 1 March – 2 January

This AA Campsite of the Year award winner is set in 25 acres of stunning parkland just three miles from Poole and 20 minutes from Bournemouth. The bus stop at the site gates is handy for motorhomers and services go to Poole, Bournemouth and Swanage. There are fully serviced pitches offering free WiFi and TV connection, while heated blocks have toilets and showers, disabled and family bathrooms. There is also a shop, off licence and games room.

The site is dog-friendly and a 2.5-acre mowed, off-lead dog walking field is provided along with a handy dog wash. There is a bakery on site in high season, and the local pub, St Peter’s Finger, is just a five-minute walk away. All South Lytchett guests receive a free bottle of wine when two main meals are purchased.

Norden Farm Campsite

Corfe Castle, Dorset BH20 5DS
Call: 01929 480098
Open: 1 March – 31 October

Set on a working farm just outside Corfe Castle, Norden Farm is a top site for motorhomers due to its location and public transport links. With bus stops at the site entrance and the steam train to Swanage just a short walk away, exploring is easy. There is a footpath leading directly to the village of Corfe where you can visit the castle and there are a few pubs, shops and a bakery.

This is an all-grass site, within a valley setting, with three camping and touring fields, all with electric. There are two large facilities blocks with toilets and showers, a disabled toilet/wetroom, a laundry and dog shower. There’s also a terrific farm shop on site offering a wide range of groceries, local fresh produce, plus all camping goods and accessories along with a mini garden centre.

Durdle Door Holiday Park

West Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset BH20 5PU
Call: 01929 400200
Open: March – October

Think of Dorset and several things may spring to mind. One of the most iconic being the limestone rock arch of Durdle Door and the sweeping turquoise waters of Lulworth Cove. For a site with great access to both of these beautiful attractions, it has to be Durdle Door Holiday Park. Part of the family-owned Lulworth Estate, that stretches for 20 miles over the Dorset countryside and has been owned by the same family for over 400 years, the holiday park backs straight onto the South West Coast Path. You can easily walk from the site to the Jurassic Coast and explore the dramatic cliffs and secluded coves.

The village is just a 30-minute walk with restaurants, coffee shops, cafés, pubs and an information centre. There’s a choice of pitch locations, from shaded to an open field, sea view pitches and country view pitches. Facilities include electric and grey waste hook-up if needed, children’s play areas, toilets and showers, a laundry and WiFi. There’s also a shop on site and the Blue Crab Café Bar.

Back of Beyond Tranquil Touring & Camping Park

234a Ringwood Road, St Leonards, East Moors Lane, Dorset BH24 2SB
Call: 01202 876968
Open: March – October

Back of Beyond provides an adults-only oasis within a 30-acre site of woodland, heathland and lakes. The site is a haven for wildlife and located within a short drive of beaches and the New Forest. Pitches on site are all spacious and on firm grass, with 10-amp electric.

Toilets and showers have recently been refurbished to offer modern comforts such as power showers. There’s also a warm water dog wash and a fishing lake that is stocked with carp, chubb and tench. Recreation facilities include a pitch and putt course and a boules pitch. Moors Valley Country Park and Hurn Forest are close to the site, with New Forest villages and Ringwood just a cycle ride or short drive away.