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Hobby Farm

UK England South West England Dorset Lyme Regis

A peaceful, adult-only campsite 10 minutes' from the Jurassic Coast

In the height of the school holidays, when seaside campsites bulge and spread and ice-cream vans jangle their tune down on the waterfront, places like Hobby Farm can become true sanctuaries. Equidistant from Dorset’s highest point, Lewesdon Hill (three miles north), and it’s lowest, the beaches or the Jurassic Coast (three miles south), this rural retreat in Marshwood Vale is a thoroughly peaceful slice of the Dorset pie. It’s both a secluded backwater and a well-located rambler’s paradise – dogs are welcome, there’s a good pub down the lane and every local footpath leads somewhere scenic, but when you simply want to stay put and relax, there are few quieter spots to be.

Hobby Farm is an adults-only campsite, which is undoubtedly the main reason that there’s such a notable sense of calm. But the general setting plays an obvious role too. The camping meadow is bound by mature trees and hedgerows, for example, and centres around a large pond, beside which alders and willows grow. There are just nine pitches in total, ensuring there’s never a crowd, and no electrical hook-ups, so old-fashioned tent campers reign supreme. A pair of traditional shepherd’s huts have been kitted out for glampers, too, and parked up in their own space – a handy option for walkers who don’t want to carry a tent.

If you’re open to ideas, amiable hosts Tom and Gaby are happy to recommend local pubs or walking routes. They also run the stables a few yards up the lane from the campsite and are happy to offer livery to campers who want to bring their horses along too. If you’ve got the time you can walk all the way to the beach – the nearest being at Seatown, where the Anchor Inn makes and excellent viewpoint-cum-watering-hole – or hop in the car and drive. It’s 15 minutes to Bridport, 15 minutes to Charmouth, 20 to West Bay and 20 to Lyme Regis, each one being worth several hours of your time. Though be careful not to eat into your camping time too much – it’s tough to put a limit on chilling around the campfire, fishing in the pond or paddling around in the small white row boat that waits invitingly on the waters’ edge.

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Details

Facilities

Shared toilet and showering facilities. Covered washing up area. Fridge and freezer for communal use. Phone charging points. No electric hook-ups. BBQs and campfires allowed but must be raised off the grass. Fishing in the pond is permitted and there is a boat for shared use. Livery yard available for those bringing horses.

Suitable For

Hobby Farm is an adults-only campsite. Campers, glampers, tents, small campervans, adults, well-behaved dogs – yes. Caravans, large motorhomes and under-16s – no.

Nearby

You're a matter of minutes from the Jurassic Coast: Head south-west for Charmouth, one of the best places for fossil-hunting, and south-east for the small fishing town of West Bay, where you can join family-friendly mackerel-fishing trips with West Bay Charters (01308 421800). Bustling and historic Lyme Regis is a few miles further than Charmouth with The Cobb, the 13th century harbour arm, a Dorset must-see. Lyme Regis is also home to Dinosaurland Fossil Museum (01297 443541), which helps you dip into the history of the coastline, explaining its geology and why it is now so famous. Back inland, the market town of Bridport is just under six miles from Hobby Farm Campsite, with a regular market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, a leisure centre, cinema and its own brewery, Palmers, which offers tours (01308 422396). The former Cistercian monastery, Forde Abbey, is around seven miles (a 20-minute drive), meanwhile, with beautiful gardens to explore.

Food & Drink

It's a 10-minute walk to The Five Bells (01297 489262), with an excellent beer garden in summer and Palmers Ales on tap. Further afield, The Anchor (01297 489215), overlooking the sea at Seatown is a 10-minute drive, while West Bay’s Rise (01308 422011) café/bar is a recommended all-rounder with harbour views. For seafood, you might like to try The Watch House Café, which is right on the beach (01308 459330). Bridport has a wide range of good quality eateries to choose from and there’s also a farmers’ market in the town on the second Saturday of the month. At Beaminster, Brassica (01308 538100) and Ollerod (01308 862200) are particular highlights.

Opening Times

All year.

Featured in Cool Camping Britain

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The Owner Says

Hobby Farm is a countryside campsite retreat in the heart of the Dorset Marshwood Vale, West Dorset, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There are numerous footpaths leading to the nearby coastal beach at Charmouth and it is just a 10 minute drive to the bustling seaside town of Lyme Regis.

There’s also an abundance of wildlife all around the site with otters and ducklings to be found on the pond, horses grazing nearby and even a badgers set on the hill. There’s also a lovely country pub serving great food and ale just a 500 yard walk down the lane too!

Choose from our 9 non-electric grass pitches for tents, trailer tents, campervans or, if you are looking for ‘posh camping’ why not try one of our 2 well-equipped glamping Shepherd’s Huts. Otter's Nest and Fox's Den. both situated at each end of our fishing pond.

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Accommodation

Nine non-electric grass camping pitches and a pair of shepherd's huts.

Otter's Nest

Shepherd’s hut Sleeps 2

Otter’s Nest is a comfortable Shepherd's Hut on the edge of a small adult-only campsite. The hut is warm and cosy with woodburner heating as well as kitchen area with sink, hob, fridge, and kettle so you feel right at home. The comfy kingsize bed means you’ll sleep soundly too.

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Fox's Den

Shepherd’s hut Sleeps 2

Slightly bigger than Otter’s Nest is The Fox’s Den Shepherd’s Hut. It measures 8 ft x 14 ft and is situated away from Otter’s Nest on the other side of the fishing pond. Enjoy the peace and quiet of the countryside in this luxury glamping shepherd’s hut

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Adult Only Grass Pitch Non Electric

Grass pitch Sleeps 2 9 Available

Adult Only Grass Pitch Non Electric

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Location

Contact Hobby Farm, Hobby Farm Campsite, Bluntshay Lane, Whitchurch Canonicorum, Bridport, Dorset DT6 6RJ

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Getting There

Hobby Farm Campsite is near the village of Whitchurch Canonicorum in Marshwood vale. From the A35 in Morecombelake, turn into Ryall village and continue through, heading for Whitchurch Canonicorum. At the Five Bells pub, take the right turn into Blunts Road and continue 500 yards along this road going past Hobby Farm (equestrian stables). The next turning on the right is Hobby Farm Campsite. Go through the gate, a short distance straight ahead, and then turn right into the lakeside field.

The nearest railway station is in Axminster, seven miles away.

Reviews

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Rated ★★★★★ over 15 reviews

★★★★★

Adult only site where your treated like an adult. Perfect.

Booked without prior knowledge and found a gem of a camp site. Now, your going to be disappointed if you rock up expecting a glamping experience. This is not boutique. It’s a simple, no frills peace of heaven. The shower and toilet blocks are basic but kept well stocked, clean and well serviced. Hobby farm is a working farm, not a theme park and the family work hard to manage the site and keep visitors happy but they cannot make the ground flat at visitors insistence. It’s a sloping field but there are plenty of places to pitch and the details do say it’s sloping. For the small in inconvenience, of uneven ground, you will be treated to big sky’s, peace and unbelievable views. The family have planted woods behind the site and there is a lovely dog walk to a view point and picnic table. There are two lovely ponds with a resident king fisher And nature surrounds you. It was a blissful 3 day break. There is a freezer for your cool blocks, fire pits, logs on sale, use of a toilet tent and loo if you want. Pick your pitch, put your feet up and enjoy. The staff are on hand to help if you need it but otherwise you are left to relax. It was perfect and we will go back.

Sep 20, 2020 by Jill

★★★★☆

Lovely quiet spot. Superb location

Spent 4 nights in this lovely spot. Fridge and charging points were very convenient. Hassle free camping with no bother from anyone. Closely located to plenty of gorgeous beaches. If you’re looking for a quiet camping spot then look no further

Sep 20, 2020 by Danny Nicholls Verified Review

★★★★★

Quiet & close to nature

I stayed only one night & wished it could have been longer. Beautiful views in lovely location. Close to the coast but away from too many people. It has proper Loos but certainly not a commercial campsite. Carefully looked after in unobtrusive manner. Thank u

Sep 16, 2020 by Jane Dennis Verified Review

★★★★★

Great stay at Hobby Farm

Peaceful and quiet campsite, with great and clean facilities. It was our first camping adventure with our two four-legged rascals, and there were plenty to do. Will definitely return!

Sep 13, 2020 by Seb & Dezi Hale

★★★★★

Lovely quiet campsite

Hobby Farm is a lovely peaceful site with good facilities. Very clean shower and toilet - which we never had to queue for. There were definitely a couple of larger groups but they were quiet so it wasn't a problem. I'll be back for sure.

Sep 1, 2020 by Zoe McKendree Verified Review

★★★★★

A little piece of heaven

I can honestly say this is the most peaceful and relaxing site that we have ever stayed at. Toilets, showers, fridge all so clean. Helpful and friendly owner. Covid friendly. Love love love this place

Aug 31, 2020 by samantha betterton Verified Review

★★★★★

Relaxing holiday

The site owner is lovely and helpful. The facilities were good with freezer, fridge, kitchen sink, toilets and shower - always clean. There are pubs and shops close by. The site was beautiful and very quiet. Ideal for relaxing.

Aug 28, 2020 by Claudia Nunes Esposo Verified Review

★★★★★

Great few days

Lovely peaceful site. Facilities clean and adequate. Tom comes round twice a day and cleans and restocks. Great to be able to have barbecues and log fires. Communal fridge a great idea to keep your beers cold. Hope to come back for a longer stay

Aug 24, 2020 by Barbara Rennie Verified Review

★★★★★

Calm, quiet and relaxing site away from it all.

We stayed at Hobby Farm for 10 days this month. We searched the internet for adult only sites in Dorset and here we are! There are two fields with ponds, each has a shower and toilet section along with a washing up station. Showers are hot with good water pressure. Tom the site owner cleans and restocks the facilites morning and evening and also delivers wood for you to make a camp fire (remember to bring your own fire pit or bbq so you don't burn the ground.) Very relaxing site, off the beaten track, sounds of birds, horses and cattle. Moorhens and fish thrive on and in the ponds, bats swoop around the ponds in the evening. We are not dog owners and would have preferred dogs to be on leads on site as requested on the notice boards - some dog owners let their dogs run free and bark unneccesarily which can be a nuisence if you are not a fan. POINTS TO NOTE Covid19 precauctions in place! Basic but very useable facitlies! Not a flat site but plenty of space over the 2 fields to find your perfect spot! Reycling bins available so no reason not to! Take shower flipflops - helps keep the showers clean! WALKS There are ample walks from the site, we walked the River Char into Charmouth and another day we walked to Shaves Cross for lunch at the Shaves Inn. Thank you Tom and family - we will be back!

Aug 19, 2020 by Penny Anyon

★★★★★

Peaceful, chilled, beautiful.

We stayed at the top of the field for 2 weeks. This campsite epitomises cool camping - and we’ve stayed at many of the best all over Europe. It is tucked away down country lanes and is well away from the madding crowd even at the height of this years national staycation. The pitches are beautiful and the sun sets between the distant hills at the bottom providing a drama that all the campers watch from their chairs. It is peaceful in the evenings with just the sounds of woodpeckers and, later, owls. The toilets are cleaned and sanitised like clockwork. There are fridges and charging points. The owner provides wood and kindling at cost price and everyone I spoke to during our time there were in a very happy ‘Cool Camping’ mode. Will be back for sure! Those moments of cooking alfresco in such beautiful scenery......pure bliss.

Aug 16, 2020 by Jules

★★★★★

Really lovely campsite, immaculate facilities, peaceful and quiet.

This must be one of the loveliest campsites we’ve stayed at. Small but perfectly formed. Spotless loo and shower, plenty of hot water. Fridge freezer for everyone’s use and plenty of camping space. Highly recommended -we’ll be back!

Aug 8, 2020 by Liz Smith

★★☆☆☆

Dirty toilets, one overflowing chemical waste, the other an open cesspit - more mud than grass,

Dirty toilets, one overflowing chemical waste, the other an open cesspit - more mud than grass, sorry not up to Cool Camping standards in any way - utter disappointment, left a day early

Jul 31, 2020 by John Wiltshire Verified Review

Response from Hobby Farm

I am disappointed that you have chosen to write this review so many weeks after your stay, especially as we spoke on the phone at the time and I explained to you that you had not used the correct chemical disposal point, which has a sign next to it. You chose to use an older point (which is no longer in use and so has no sign near it) and proceeded to block it. The toilets are cleaned regularly as indicated by all other reviewers, and I work hard to ensure this. There is no mud on the pitches so I’m unsure where you think this is. Your comments are a hurtful and an untrue account and so I am naturally very unhappy that you have set out to damage the good reputation of Hobby Farm.

★★★★★

Peaceful, friendly, stylish, minimal and clean.

A lovely introduction to camping in a van for us. The facilities were spotless and the location was perfect with easy access to the coast. Open fires and a great sunset. It was the ultimate in a relaxed and quiet site.

Jul 14, 2020 by Charlotte Crewe Verified Review

★★★★★

A beautiful, peaceful spot. Highly recommended.

We spent just one night there last week on our way home from Cornwall. I only wish we could have stayed longer. A beautiful, peaceful location with hills and woods all around. Immaculately clean loos and shower. And very friendly team. Would definitely stay there again.

Sep 30, 2019 by John Neville Verified Review

★★★★★

Lovely quiet campsite

The site has very basic facilities- one toilet, one shower and a couple of standpipes- but this a lovely place to camp, with a wildlife pond, great views of the hills, and no light pollution. The owners keep the site remarkably clean and discourage motorhomes, big groups and children, so it's really peaceful. You can choose your own spot, and there was always plenty of space while we were there for four nights.

Sep 5, 2019 by Andrew Starkie Verified Review