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Fox Wood Campsite - under the oaks

98%
·
· Patching, West Sussex, England
35 acres hosted by Ian T.
1 glamping pitch · 20 tent pitches
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Family-friendly
Recent Hipcampers say this Hipcamp is great for families and kids.
Best tent-sites: Finalist
Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2024.
Best in South East England: Finalist
Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2024.
Private sites
96% of recent Hipcampers say the sites felt private.
Woodland camping with campfires in the South Downs National Park

A good woodland campsite in the UK is a rare thing. But to find a woodland campsite that’s in a national park, allows campfires and is a 10-minute drive from the beach. That’s the stuff of dreams, right? Well, no. It turns out we’ve found it. And, not only is Fox Wood a joy, but it’s also huge, with acres of space to explore and individual glades and clearings that are good for groups and individual campers alike. It’s only open for the school summer holidays and weekends through spring and autumn. And, when it’s open, it’s the place to be. A forest hideaway that couldn’t be further from the humdrum of everyday life.

In the bottom of a gently sloping valley, just to the south of a long shelf that runs through the South Downs, Fox Wood is a 34-acre oak forest with around half set aside for tent-only camping. A track through the middle of the wood gives decent access, then you use wheelbarrows to take gear into the car-free camping space. For maximum privacy, it’s worth making the extra effort to lug your things right to the far end of the wood (around a three-minute walk), though, frankly, every pitch is wonderfully secluded and each comes with a metal fire pit to socialise around.

Visitors looking for a South Downs campsite with electrical hook-ups and plastic jungle gyms are in the wrong place. The forest is the playground here and, when it comes to facilities, Fox Wood still has the essentials families need. Excellent gas-powered showers are housed in oak-clad buildings (including some larger family cubicles) and there are proper flushing loos. Washing up areas have hot water – one alfresco row of sinks outside and second located in a repurposed mobile army building – and you can charge your phone at reception for a small fee. After that, what else do you need? 

As with all the best campsites, it’s the location that really does the hard work. The woods constantly chirp with the sound of wildlife and the canopy gently swooshes in the breeze. Below, footpaths link to footpaths and start a network of opportunities, as anyone with an OS map (or those into Geocaching) will tell you. You can easily drive to Goring Beach or Arundel Castle but countless walking routes take you straight into the South Downs from the campsite. Not that you need go far. Many campers wind their way in one of two directions: The World’s End or The Fox pub – each an easy and worthy stroll away. Proper woodland camping and a pub in easy reach. Now we’re talking!

Activities
Biking
Hiking
Wildlife watching
Natural features
Beach
Forest
98%
48 Ratings · 40 reviews
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Eimantas K.recommends
September 18, 2023
Woodland Pitch
What a superb site with everything you require. See you next summer!
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Emma S.recommends
September 3, 2023
Glamped Forest Hideaway
Fantastic!
We absolutely loved Fox Wood! Looking for somewhere to end the summer holidays in a chilled out way and this offered it in spades. The glamping tent took the stress out of pitching for a 2 night stay, the fire pit was great and the seating area was well used for card games. Toilets and showers were very clean and washing up area excellent. Two pubs within walking distance was a nice treat too. The rope swing was a massive hit with our 6 year old. We def will come again!
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David A.recommends
August 17, 2023
Woodland Pitch
Fantastic stay! Great camp spot with excellent facilities and brilliant location, ticks all the boxes! Highly recommend
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Jasmine P.recommends
August 15, 2023
Woodland Pitch
Beautiful woodland campsite with good facilities. There was a lot of space for each group and the way the pitches were spread out made it feel very private. We enjoyed using the firepit too.
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Kerry T.recommends
August 9, 2023
Woodland Pitch
Camping in the woods
Generous pitches in the woods so you’re not camping on top of other people. Good facilities - and good rules for a good time for all families. My son would rate the swing rope 10/10! Finally learnt how to get my fire going properly thanks to Ian’s wife! Near the A27 which can be noisy occasionally at night but we still heard the owl hooting!
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Bec A.recommends
August 7, 2023
Woodland Pitch
Love this place
We love this place. It’s the second time we have stayed, if you want a more family vibe then camp near the entrance. For a quiet woodland camping feel head further out. They have loads of wheelbarrows to help take your things from the car. Toilets are spotless, same with the showers. The team are super nice and helpful. 10/10 from us! Bec & Jess
Location
Patching, West Sussex, 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 Ian T.

Joined in February 2016
From the host
A beautiful, family-friendly campsite nestled at the bottom of a wooded valley within the South Downs National Park. The site is located within a 35 acre private woodland, and each of the pitches has their very own fire pit area. No adult only groups allowed. Fox Wood is directly adjacent to the Angmering Park Estate, which has footpaths and bridleways within an expansive 1300 acres of woodland to explore. Toilets, hot showers and hot water for washing up. A stunning meadow for picnics and ball games. Listen to the birds sing and the light breeze rustle through the leaves. At Fox Wood it's an opportunity to unwind and shrug off the daily thoughts. Fox Wood Campsite is great for friendship gatherings and totally family focused. Sit around a campfire in the evening. Toast marshmallows, chink a glass and tell each other stories. This is where memories are made. There really is no better woodland campsite in the forest to spend your next camping trip.
Nearby attractions
A footpath on the doorstep leads you roughly north into the whopping 1300 acres of Angmering Park (01903 882220), where there are tonnes of routes to explore, including by bicycle. Continue in this direction to explore the vast South Downs National Park (01730 814810) further or head south to the coast, just 5 minutes away by car. Climping Beach and Sandy West Wittering beach are particularly popular. The historic town of Arundel is also nearby, stacked up on the banks of the River Avon. The Arundel Park Estate is well worth exploring (try circling Swanbourne Lake with the kids) and fully-restored Arundel Castle (01903 882173), established in 1067, is also a must.
Food and drink
There are three country pubs within a mile of the site, each serving great food and with gardens and play areas for little campers. They are (in order of poximity) The Fox (01903 871299), The World’s End (01903 871346) and The Woodman Arms (01903 871240). There's a Tesco Extra 10 minutes away in West Durrington, and an Asda superstore slightly further in Ferring.
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