Palace Farm Campsite
UK England South East England Kent Sittingbourne
Unpretentious and peaceful camping in an underrated spot
The cockerel may crow or the goats may mutter as you enter Palace Farm, but that’s as noisy as it gets here. It’s a quiet old place, off the beaten track (but not far from some very worthwhile places to visit) and with a 10pm quiet rule that’s largely respected.
It’s a simple set-up: a flat, grassy field holds up to 25 tents around its hedgerow edges, with an adjoining field left free for games or general haring around. Two pre-erected bell tents provide the slightest hint of camping glamour, but this is good, honest Kentish camping with no pretensions to be anything else.
Don’t confuse quietness with strictness, though. Campfires are allowed, campers can help themselves to plums from the orchard or blackberries from the old hedgerows around the farm, and edible mushrooms are permitted to grow prolifically across the site in the autumn. (We’re told they’re not hallucinogenic which, apparently, is a good thing.) While you’re hunting and gathering, have a forage at the honesty shop, where zero-food-mile courgettes, pumpkins, and other seasonal veg are available fresh from the farm.
Busy days, quiet nights. Life’s good at Palace Farm.
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Details
Facilities
Campfires allowed (in fire pits); 25 pitches plus 2 bell tents on a field of over 3 acres with proper flushing toilets in a wooden shower block (3 showers, 3 toilets plus gents urinal, including family/disabled room). Tourist info and walking maps available in the information cabin, where you can also freeze ice packs and charge phones. Reduced noise after 10pm and no noise after 11pm.Suitable For
Tents, small campervans, dogs (on leads; must be pre-booked, there is a charge of £2 per dog per night), well-behaved groups – up to 5 families yes. Motorhomes, caravans – no.Nearby
Lots to explore in the wider area including Leeds Castle (10 miles), Challock Forest (10 miles), Canterbury (14 miles), and Whitstable (16 miles); owners happy to help.Food & Drink
The Chequers (01795 886366) in Doddington was recently revamped and serves good pub food. They are very good if you have any allergies (separate gluten free fryer) or prefer vegetarian or vegan food. The George Inn (01795 890237) in Newnham is a dependable old pub with a popular restaurant.Open
Easter–October.Pricing
Adult £10 per night; child (3 to 15) £5. Fire pit £2.50, logs £5 per bag. Bell-tent hire £70/night.
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The Owner Says
The small quiet campsite offers camping for visitors with their own tents or those who want to stay in one of our pre-erected Bell Tents. We ask guests to respect the peace and quiet and not to make excessive noise. We expect campers to be quiet from 10 pm, and those making excessive noise after 11 pm may be asked to leave without a refund. If you are looking for somewhere to party this is not the campsite for you. Fire pits are available on the campsite for just a warm fire, or to cook on. fire Perfect for walkers and cyclists who want to explore the heart of the Kent Downs with its beautiful wooded valleys and mixture of farmland concealing many old and interesting villages or visit the North Kent Marshes less than half an hours’ cycle away. There are plenty of attractions in Kent; Doddington is close to Sittingbourne making Palace Farm a great base for groups and families interested in visiting the close by towns of Canterbury, Rochester and Chatham. Leeds Castle and many other historic attractions towns, villages and castles in Kent are available for day trips from Palace Farm. Day trips to London are also possible as we are so well connected by train and motorway.
Accommodation
It’s a simple set-up: a flat, grassy field holds up to 25 tents around its hedgerow edges, with an adjoining field left free for games or general haring around. Two pre-erected bell tents provide the slightest hint of camping glamour, but this is good, honest Kentish camping with no pretensions to be anything else.
Family Pitch
Grass pitch
Sleeps 8
10 Available
Camping on a flat, grassy field holding up to 25 tents around its hedgerow edges, with an adjoining field left free for games or general haring around. Price includes pitch, parking for one car, use of facilities (including small freezer for ice blocks) and all hot water.
Grass Camping Pitch
Grass pitch
Sleeps 6
15 Available
Camping on a flat, grassy field holding up to 25 tents around its hedgerow edges, with an adjoining field left free for games or general haring around. Price includes pitch, parking for one car, use of facilities (including small freezer for ice blocks) and all hot water.
Bell Tent 5 Metres
Pre-pitched tent
Sleeps 6
3 Available
Bell Tents have a large interior with standing room and zipped in groundsheets, they have four 3 foot mattresses in each, we can provide up to two sleeping mats for extra children making them fantastic for families.
Location
Contact Palace Farm Campsite, Palace Farm, Down Court Road, Doddington, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 0AU
Getting There
From the A2 between Sittingbourne and Faversham turn south at Teynham, signposted Lynsted. Go through Lynsted, over the M2 bridge, then take the second right into Down Court Road. Palace Farm is on the left.
Train to Sittingbourne, then a bus to Doddington (up to 4.30pm), or hop in a taxi for about £15.
Reviews
Add Your ReviewRated ★★★★★ over 40 reviews
A peaceful haven - perfect for a weekend break
We had a lovely time at Palace Farm (despite the wind and unexpected rain!). The open fields were perfect for the children to run around safely and the camping field is long but with shelter from the bordering trees. The owners were friendly and helpful and recommended a lovely woodland walk just minutes away. We loved the calm and quiet and we will definitely visit again next year.
Quiet and peaceful campsite in a very nice location
We really enjoyed our stay, spacious field with very clean facilities. The hiring of the fire put was an added extra. Would highly recommend this place and we would love to go again!
Perfect peaceful campsite
Absolutely loved this place - big grassy field with a proper bathroom / washing up block which is kept very clean. The fire pit with the cooking grill was great too. Owners super friendly and welcoming. Pub down the road very good value too and a very short drive to Leeds Castle. Will be recommending to friends.
Palace Farm
We enjoyed our stay, great wide field for the kids to play. Clean toilet block and hot water. Some nice local walks too. We’ll be back.
Great atmosphere, clean and tidy site with excellent fire pits
The bathroom/toilets were kept very clean and the owners were very welcoming and helpful. Definitely recommend getting a fire pit, we used it everyday and it was great for cooking on.
Basic and peaceful but unlikely to be memorable
I read the top review, mentioning beautiful views, but there is no view to be found here, it's a tree lined field, and the next field is the same. For us, this was a disappointing holiday destination. Would have been better for a weekend visit. The facilities are OK they are clean, but abit tired. We felt Covid measures were lacking. We had a pleasant stay, but it wasn't memorable compared to other sites we've used in the past. The photos here are abit misleading as are the reviews. The owners are friendly, wood is well priced if you hire their fire pits. It was OK
Response from Palace Farm Campsite
Katherine, I think the reviewer you mentioned did some short walks into the surrounding countryside, all photographs were taken by me and with the exception of the 2 in Faversham, the poppy field and the young lady on horseback all were within a 30 minute walk from the campsite. The facilities, with free hot water, wonderful showers and flush toilets, are what they are, but they receive a top to bottom re-decoration every year and are regularly cleaned and maintained. We have been audited to enhanced level with Visit Britain's "We're Good to Go" Scheme. First we did a full risk assessment and from that decided on areas we needed to change to keep everyone as safe as possible, including ourselves. We made our reception virtually contact less, kept contact details for our guests (Track & Trace Scheme), reduced the number of pitches and increased pitch spacing to 15 metres (Visit Britain advise at least 6 metres), and reduced the number of guests to 2/3. We put up a screen between the washing up sinks and sanitation points at reception and on front and back of toilet/shower block. In addition we put up posters asking for guests to leave 2 metres for social distancing. We could not find a solution to marking queues as stickers don't adhere to grass or loose gravel and marker posts would be a trip hazard particularly in the dark. What we cannot control is the behaviour of a small number of guests and don't believe it should be our responsibility to police this. We have had guests from the NHS and emergency services and have received praise for what we have done in opening up to allow so many families enjoy a wonderful break in our lovely countryside, and to attract guests in to help our local pubs, shops and cafes. this wasn't a quick decision for us in deciding to open we did give a lot of thought to our own health. Thank you to everyone who has supported us and our local businesses.
Amazing!
A wonderful, quiet, family friendly, safe, spacious campsite with beautiful views. The facilities are very clean with 2 toilets, 2 showers, 2 wash basin rooms, a family shower and toilet room and 2 washing up sinks alongside recycling and rubbish bins. The field is spacious and the adjacent field is free for playing in. The owners are very friendly and accommodating. Would definitely recommend for families and quiet groups.
Friendly and clean!
Had a lovely one night's stay at Palace Camping. A warm welcome, clean facilities and helpful walking directions from Graham made the visit a real pleasure. Don't forget to ask for a firepit so you can get comfy under the stars and satellites!
Am converted to camping!
We atayed here for one night with our two grandchildren and loved the experience. The site is well organised (good showers, toilets, washing block. Quiet, clean and pretty site. We hired a fire pit and sat ouside watching the stars. The owners are very helpful. We would come back again in a heartbeat. There's a nice pub down the road and a small shop nearby and you are surrounded by beautiful, Kent countryside. The site feels spacious.
Lovely site for kids
We had two nights here as a group of 5 with daughters aged 2&4 and two adult wheelchair users. The site was great, lovely and flat and pretty easy to get around. Facilities were cleaned regularly and the accessible bathroom was fine for us with a plastic garden chair as a shower seat. The fire pit was a big hit and we cooked on it with the grate
Great family friendly campsite!
We had a great stay here, the facilities are very clean and well kept. Lovely flat pitch with and lots of space between each one. We rented a fire pit and logs, which the kids loved for toasting marshmallows. We will definitely come again and would recommend to others.
Simple and peaceful
Spent 3 great nights at Palace Farm. Spacious, flat pitches. Facilities basic but very clean. Lovely atmosphere. Good walks and excursions from the site
Lovely campsite
We spent 2 nights here with our young children and were really impressed. Very Quiet and peaceful. Extremely clean toilets/showers. Mainly other families with young children. The owner is friendly and helpful. We can’t wait to come back!
Lovely small site with great facilitiws
We had a lovely visit to Palace Farm this weekend. It is a great flat site with loads of space for tents and socially distanced socialising. Our kids loved being able to run and ride around the field without being in anyone's way. We all loved using the firepits in the evening (although we didn't need the warmth over the hot weekend!) Facilities were great and cleaned regularly. Staff were really friendly and helpful.
Lovely campsite
We stayed in a bell tent for 2 nights with our children and had a really lovely time. The campsite is well organised and we felt so relaxed. The amazing weather helped! We would really recommend this campsite and there are some great walks and bike rides to do nearby.
Exactly what we wanted
Lovely campsite, clean, quiet, lots of space for the kids to play and pitches were spread out so didn’t feel like we were camping on top of each other. Would definitely go back.
Excellent, will certainly come back
We had just recently purchased a new tent and wanted to try it out and selected Palace Farm for 2 nights. A pleasant greeting when we arrived and the pitches were well spaced and clearly numbered. The field only took about 16 tents or campers and was half full when we were there but it was very quiet, especially after 10pm. The shower and toilet block was very clean and well kept, although perhaps when the site is full you might have to wait to access the facilities. Overall a very enjoyable 2 nights camping and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a peaceful stay. Note the pub just down the road serves excellent food.
lovely family site
We tentatively booked a 2 night stay at palace farm during lockdown, fearing it may be the only type of break we would be able to go on. We arrived on July 4th (the first day campsites were allowed to open, and were warmly greeted and directed to our pitch We also hired a fire pit, which I would definitely recommend as we ended up doing most of our cooking on it. The campsite was extremely well kept, and although we were mostly self contained in our tent with chemical toilet etc, the blocks with showers and loos seemed to be being cleaned very regularly. I used the shower once and all the facilities looked spotless The campsite was quite busy on the first night but everyone was reasonably quiet, particularly after 11pm. I'd especially recommend palace farm to families with young kids as there are open fields either side, and not easy access to the road. We'll definitely go back here
Lovely quite relaxing
Just got back from a 3 night stay camp site is lovely and clean owners are very friendly, chickens running about kids loved that, nice pub with great food down the road if I wanted to change anything I would maybe add a climbing frame for kids but will say kids were never board the were busy playing with all the other children on site
Relaxing campsite in a good location.
Palace Farm is a very tidy and quiet campsite. We felt very comfortable, and could leave the kids to run free and explore the site and adjacent fields, and they loved seeing the chickens roaming around. Facilities are basic but just what you need and very clean. The owners were very friendly and we loved the fact we could hire a firepit and buy logs from the farm. It was in a good central location for us, close to the coast and Leeds Castle. We had a great time and would thoroughly recommend.
Wonderfully relaxing family weekend in countryside
This was a perfect base for exploring interesting local towns and seaside then back home for bbq and relax. The owners were great, facilities nice and simple but clean and showers were good and hot. Wish we could have stayed longer as it was so relaxing and easy to get to from London.
Clean, Quiet, Plenty of Space
This clean quiet campsite in the Kent Countryside was perfect for a few nights with the kids. The children enjoyed the firepit and playing games in the vast expanse of land. The pub just 5 minutes away served up good grub when camp food became too much.
Fantastic campsite for an relaxed and easy stay
Small campsite which offers everything you need of the basics. Good clean shower, loos and washing up area. Just myself and my daughter stayed, so it was great to have the large toddler shower room. Made life so much easier! Welcoming owners, who were available if you needed them. Safe areas for little ones to run around. Definitely, hope to go back at some point, as in easy reach of Whitstable where we spent lots of time at the beach and Canterbury perfect for a city day.
Amazing!
We had a lovely time over the weekend, we stayed on the farm (on a camping pitch) for two nights. The location is perfect to visit lots of different places and the facilities are just what we needed; toilets, shower, space to clean the dishes and a freezer for the ice cubes.
First time campers - great experience
This was the first time both myself and my partner have been camping and we had a great time. The campsite is clean, easy to access, near the pub (which serves delicious food) and lots of walks nearby which was great to explore. We will definitely return.
Lovely, well kept site.
Lovely site. Beautiful, flat pitches with plenty of space left for children to play. Facilities clean. Loved having a firepit. My only complaint was the grill on the firepit was filthy so we couldn't BBQ on it, which I hadn't expected when you are paying for it. Luckily we had brought out own grill which fitted the firepit we hired.
Quiet clean campsite - friendly helpful owners
We spent just one night here, as we just wanted a campsite close to home to test out our new tent. The owner was pleasant and helpful (bringing us our logs as we were still setting up when she wanted to pop out). This is a basic campsite in that it's only a field (no play area or anything) but the field seems well-kept and the facilities were all that were needed, and clean. I would happily go here again and recommend to others.
Just what we needed.
A clean simple quiet campsite. We loved it. We will go again. Very good pub food just down the road.[No food Sunday evening] Tom McDougal
Very nice campsite clean and friendly
Campsite was very clean and well kept. The toilet block was regularly cleaned. Showers had hot water. Enjoyed using fire pits to cook on. Very peaceful and relaxing.
Lovely bank holiday camping experience 🌞
Lovely family friendly campsite ,you can hire a fire pit 🔥 with 🐓 running free and loads of different birds to wake you up in the morning singing there songs . Dogs allowed on leads, very common sense rules to abide by no loud noice after 10pm. Proper flushing toilets and lovely hot powerful showers . Lovely friendly owners who will help you out if needed at all. Will defiantly be back .
Fantastic
Arrived the day before the campsite officially opened, to the surprise of Graeme and his wife (sorry, I didn't get your name! Next time!). Wasn't a problem though and they soon showed us our pitch and delivered a fire pit with wood. Its a beautiful field with all the facilities you need. Other campers arrived the following day and the way the site is arranged means you camp either on the side with morning sun, or the side opposite with evening sun. This leaves a space in front of the tents where the children mingle and play, this meant they met others really early and got on with it, leaving us with our books! Graeme is really friendly and helped me out on arrival because my airbed pump was blown, then on departure because the car battery was flat! We loved it!
Flat site perfect for tents
We stayed for 3 nights at Palace farm and we straight away relaxed on arrival as we were greeted by Woody, the goat and the chickens& chicks. Pitch sizes are ok and the owners friendly. The site was well thought out but the toilet facilities were not enough for when the site is full. 3 toilets ( unisex) isnt enough for 100 people. Also felt the rough concrete floor was never really clean., tiled would be better. We all liked the firepits you could hire for £2.50 a day, camping isnt camping if you cant have a fire. Also the local team room is worth a visit. Good coffee& reasonable priced food with very friendly service.
Peaceful Stay
Very pleased with our recent 4 night stay at Palace Farm. Nice flat field for tents and not very busy when we were there. Friendly owners. We brought our dog which was fine, but they are a bit concerned about having dogs there as they have hens walking free. Of course she stayed on lead. Basic, but perfectly decent facilities. We were provided with a fire pit and there is a freezer to re-freeze your cooler packs and laminated maps of local walks. Great pub with good food nearby. Can recommend a walk to Doddington Place for a walk around the gardens and a nice cup of tea.
Lovely campsite close to London
This is a simple and lovely campsite. We spent 4 night at the beginning of the school holidays and we don’t have kids so was a bit worried about the amount of noise from lots of kids playing etc. this was far from the case. The campsite is big and there is plenty of space between each tent. It is a quite campsite and it is lovely. You can have campfires at night and the owners are so lovely and relaxed and always at hand to help out with anything. The facility’s are kept clean at all time though it could do with another toilet as 2 is not quite enough when the site is full. The location is lovely and you just have 30 min drive to the sea and so many other lovely attractions. We will def be back here for a long relaxing weekend.
Relaxed friendly site
I spent two nights camping at Palace farm with my two young boys. We had a really lovely stay. The owners had a relaxed and friendly attitude which made for a chilled out stay. The site is quiet and what I would call ‘real camping’ with simple facilities of washing up station, shower block and toilets which were clean and tidy. The place was natural and family friendly with no raised eyebrows over my boys playing, running and flying their kite in the adequate space around the tents. There was a culture of quiet politeness amongst the patrons, and lights were out and all was quiet by 10pm. We intend to return soon.
Great if you have children, but could do with more facilities
This is a very popular campsite with families. We arrived on a Friday evening outside of school holidays and the campsite was nearly full with families. The site is a long rectangle, with pitches along both sides. The middle is used by children as a football pitch/play area from dawn until late into the night (up to 10.30/11pm) Although pitch sizes are generous, the set-up doesn’t allow you a lot of privacy, even when you pitch facing the edge of the field. If you’re camping as a family, then this is a great campsite, but if you don’t have children and are hoping for a peaceful weekend away then this is definitely not for you. The facilities are very basic and in my opinion not big enough for the size of the campsite. There were over 100 people staying in a 75/80% full campsite sharing 2 toilets, showers, basins and washing up sinks. There was no working hand soap dispenser available for the whole 3 day trip in either toilet and on at least 2 occasions there was no hot water available for showering or washing up. The rough concrete floored toilet cubicles opened up directly onto the field full of campers, leading to awkward moments when someone had finished doing their business and had to step out past a queue of people. There are fire pits for rent which I’m sure would be nice to use in a chilly evening, but not great when you’re down-wind of the pitch next door and have to inhale light fluid fumes and smoke instead of nice country air. In summary, it’s a great campsite for families but could do with some additional facilities.
Easy to get to, but feels deep in the country
Very nice site, with some facilities so you are semi off grid. Fire pits are great to have an open fire without damaging the ground. Great for a family or group wanting a restful escape from the urban sprawl
A lovely camp site
This is a very child-friendly campsite. We stayed just one night with some friends. It was very quiet and friendly. The fire pits are great and we used ours to have a BBQ. The toilets were kept clean, but I think they could do with a few more than 3 when the campsite is full. A lovely stay though and we will go back.
Lovely family friendly camping
This is a lovely little site with large flat, grassy pitches on either side of the field. We stayed the second weekend in the May half term after the storms and the field was dry. The owners are very friendly and on hand if you needed anything but otherwise pretty relaxed. Fire-pits and wood refreshingly reasonably priced and the facilities basic but clean and well maintained, plenty of hot water/loo roll etc. The site was completely full of families when we stayed, with all the kids playing together in the middle of the field. There's chicken and a goat which kept our kids entertained for quite a while, lovely local pub 5 mins walk away and if you fancy going further afield - Whitstable is not too far for a beach day and Leeds Castle even closer. All in all a lovely stay!
Family friendly chilled out campsite
Huge pitches around the edge of a quiet, massive tree lined grass field with the middle free for the kids play with their new campsite buddies. Sturdy fire pits to hire and logs for sale = cozy marshmallows evenings. 'Facilities'' are basic but do the job nicely! An enjoyable week exploring the nearby Kent villages lanes, farms and orchards on our bikes. Graham and Liz are very welcoming and this campsite is highly recommended!
Why book with Cool Camping?
- Best Price Guarantee, with no fees
- Instant booking confirmation
- Trusted for over 10 years
- A chance to win prizes in our regular competitions
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