Beach camping in Dorset

Take a beach camping trip near Dorset for cliffside views and fossil hunts.

94% (397 reviews)
94% (397 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Dorset

Under £50

Dog-friendly getaways

12 top beach campsites in Dorset

67%
(6)

Glamping at Swanage by PitchingIt

4 units · Glamping1 acre · Swanage, England
Camping is all about horses for courses: some people want to stay somewhere so remote that it’s accessible only by car, while others prefer the convenience of getting to the site by train and then being able to reach everything within a short walk. If you belong in the second camp (and if you are after a holiday at the seaside), Glamping at Swanage Bijou by PitchingIt, in Dorset, might well be the answer to your prayers. You’ll have little need for your car at this family- and dog-friendly Swanage site, since it’s only a short stroll from the High Street (about 10 minutes) and an even shorter stroll from the beach (five minutes). Despite being so close to town, though, the site feels remarkably peaceful – likely thanks to the high hedges that surround it and make it feel more secluded than it is. Bell tents decorated with bunting and floral accents sit on a level grassy field that’s part of Kirkwood Park, an outdoor complex that includes an 18-hole golf course, plus foot and frisbee golf. There is also direct access to a well-equipped playground and to a skateboard park with multiple ramps where the kids can practise their kickturns and flips. Toilets and hot-water showers complete the picture, alongside an area where you can wash up after your barbecue. The nearest supermarket is a five-minute drive away (10 minutes on foot), but if you prefer to let someone else take care of the cooking, there are lots of restaurants and cafés within walking distance.
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from 
£92
 / night
100%
(6)

West Holme Glamping, Dorset

6 units · Glamping20 acres · Wareham, Dorset, South West England
West Holme Glamping is a micro-site with pre-erected bell tents in the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Just the job for romantic mini-breaks or holidays for small families, it's set in 20 acres, so there’s plenty of privacy and lots of space to roam around. The bell tents here come equipped with a double bed, rugs, picnic tables, lanterns, a gazebo and a gas barbecue. The three showers and three toilets are shared between six tents.. You'll just need to bring your own bed linen and towels or add them to your booking. You can explore the area by car – medieval castles, beaches, National Trust sites and the Jurassic Coast are all less than half an hour’s drive away. Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove are 20 minutes' drive away. Pretty market towns like Dorchester (also 30 minutes) or seaside resorts like Swanage (20 minutes) are all worth a mosey, while historic Wareham has Saxon town walls and riverside churches to explore. The sandy beaches of Studland and Swanage are also within half an hour's drive of the site. If you’re feeling energetic, the Isle of Purbeck has plenty of walks and bike rides on the rocky peninsula overlooking the English Channel, as well as parts of the South West Coast Path. The local farm shop is a five-minute walk and sells the very best of local Dorset produce if you fancy cooking on the barbecue. And if you don’t, there’s a cosy tea shop attached, and there are plenty of gastropubs serving real ales and great grub in less than a 15-minute drive too.
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from 
£100
 / night
97%
(37)

Thorncombe Farm

57 units · Glamping, Motorhomes, Tents1 acre · Dorchester, England
Situated in the heart of the Dorset countryside, Thorncombe Farm offers a warm, friendly welcome. Our mostly flat campsite has beautiful views into the valley and comes with all the amenities you would expect from a small site, with the add bonus of fresh free range eggs and home produced meat, burgers and sausages available for pre order! Bell Tents For 2023, glampers and those that want to take the hassle out of pitching/buying a tent/less baggage in the vehicle or even those that want to try camping under canvas for the first time our site has 3 (5 metre) furnished bell tents each with a separate dining area complete with seating and table. The tents have been upgraded with deluxe double and 2 single beds, carpeting and rugs , storage cabinet and mirror. We have now supplied electricity to the tents so we can provide a small fridge, recharge points for devices, In addition each bell tent has a fire pit and barbeque and a double ring gas stove. Four settings of cutlery , plates and mugs are supplied with a wash bowl. The beds are supplied with a top sheet only. So please bring what you need or a sleeping bag. Each booking is for a minimum 2 night stay and is for up to 4 people. Priced from £70/night We can supply 2 additional Disco beds bunks to take the total to six guests . The additional guests would be subject to a supplemental charge.Any queries please contact us before booking if necessary. CAMPING All are grass pitches only. and we retain the same facilities. There will be 25 pitches available. Please note at Bank Holiday Weekends it is a minimum 3 night booking. Fri-Sunday.We allow fires and Barbecues. All we ask is the barbecue or fire pit is off the ground and does not burn the grass of the campsite.There are fire pits for hire on a first come first serve basis at £5 for the duration of your stay. There is firewood available for sale Showers are no longer on a card system; Free as they should be Absolutely no pets in our bell tents whatsoever on the grounds of hygiene, health and the welfare of other guests , guest will be asked to leave if pets are found or seen in our bell tents. Pets welcome as per existing rules just not in our tents.
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£17
 / night

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Star Hosts in Dorset

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Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Beach camping in Dorset guide

Overview

With some of the most beautiful coastlines in England, Dorset is full of memorable beach camping. Stay at Studland Bay, an area noted for its beaches and heathland. Along with kayaking and other water activities, beach campers can visit Old Harry Rocks, a unique rock formation at the end of a circular trail. Beach camping in the area includes classic tent pitches, yurts, and camping pods with hot showers, flushing toilets, and beachside views. At the southernmost tip of Dorset, Isle of Portland boasts more amazing coastal scenery, local pub fare, a castle, and a lighthouse. Beachside campsites on the island feature running water, compost toilets, and token-operated hot showers. Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site, stretches along the Dorset coast. Ancient geological formations make it a hotbed for fossil hunting for specimens dating up to 200 million years old. Peaceful holiday parks outfitted with accessible toilet and shower blocks and fully equipped laundry facilities make on-site beach camping easy after a day of archaeological adventure. Whatever the season, come rain or shine, you can always enjoy a seaside camping holiday in Dorset. Swimming, sandcastle-building, and strolling on sandy shores, rockpooling, fossil-hunting, and watersports—seaside camping in Dorset can be as active or as relaxed as you like.

Top towns in and near Dorset

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