The Secret Campsite
Lewes, Lewes, England
The Secret Campsite | Real Camping nr. Lewes, East Sussex
Just north of Lewes in East Sussex and hidden in the beautiful South Downs National Park, is the aptly named and completely gorgeous Secret Campsite. Aptly named, not because you need a password and complicated handshake to gain access through the grassy gates, but because of the isolated and secluded feel to it; secretly hidden from the world, but fully open to those who love nature and real camping.
The Secret Campsite is a sustainable and peaceful, tents-only campsite, in quiet and rural countryside and has been carefully landscaped to encourage a varied amount of wildlife to come into the camping areas. The campsite itself is kept car free and dog free to ensure that the flora and fauna can flourish and be enjoyed by everyone staying. Tents and bags need to be loaded up at the car park and wheelbarrowed into the site, which means children are safe to roam and noise is kept to an absolute minimum. The open meadow provides a picturesque space for 16 huge pitches over 8 acres, each area mown into the meadow with a track leading to each pitch. The pitches are a long way apart - on average about 15 metres but sometimes more - and each comes with its own brick circle fire pit and surrounding logs to sit on. Plants surrounding the pitches provide varying degrees of privacy and it is a wonderfully wild and rustic site with ancient woodland for children (and adults too of course) to have some proper old fashioned adventures.
The facilities are excellent here causing minimum impact on the environment, with solar powered showers, toilets, a solar powered fridge and freezer for storing supplies and even a solar powered car charger available for electric cars. There is also a covered washing up area. Firewood and kindling is available at reception along with (pre ordered if you can be super organised!) meat boxes from the local farm which is a real treat. Tea and coffee can be bought from the Secret Teapot cafe - also at reception. For any other food provisions, it is a five minute walk down the road to an excellent farm shop.
There are two fabulously quirky “secret shelters” on site for those who don’t want to bring their own tent. Choose from ‘The Gridshell’ - a wooden structured shelter covered in heavy duty canvas, sleeping up to 5 people with its own firepit and grassy area. The other is a Tree Tent, a huge bauble carefully suspended from three sturdy oaks on the edge of the woodland that surrounds the camping meadow. Windows offer stunning views across the South Downs National Park. The Tree Tent sleeps three people inside, but there is also a private grass pitch to put up another tent if you wish. Both of these include basic cooking equipment, a kettle and some crockery.
Relaxing, recharging, connecting with nature and nurturing the soul are all on the menu here, along with having fun, building dens in the woods and exploring the surrounding countryside on foot or by bike - including the neighbouring bluebell covered Knowland Wood. Should you wish to go further afield then the beaches of Brighton, the historic town of Lewes and the South Downs coast park are right on your doorstep. And only an hour and a half from London. But try and keep it a secret…..
Lewes.
Accommodation types
- The Tree Tent — Our Tree Tent is similar to a Dormouse nest, and it was the first one to go up in England. The Tree Tent featured in George Clarkes Amazing Spaces and has been lovingly created by Brighton based designer Jason Thawley.
Access to the Tree Tent is via wooden stairs, and the tent is suspended between 3 sturdy oak trees on the edge of the ancient woodland that surrounds the camping meadow. From one of the two windows in the Tree Tent there are fantastic views across the campsite and on to the South Downs National Park. The other looks across the camping meadow. Inside you will find three single beds with mattresses. Once inside you can relax and take in the canopy view, whilst gently moving with the sway of the trees. The Tree Tent has its own grass pitch where you can enjoy a campfire at your exclusive fire pit.
Required: Duvet or Sleeping Bags, Pillows and Pillow Cases, Bed Sheets, Towels, Tea Towels, Food, Drink, Rubbish Bags, Torches and Lanterns, Warm/Dry/Suitable Clothing. Wellies if the weather hasn’t been kind.
Recommended: A torch, marshmallows, ingredients for cooking and a sense of adventure….
Please note that you can’t cook inside the Tree Tent, so you should bring along any cooking shelter that you require such as a small tent or a gazebo.
- The Okra — Quirky and comfortable are the hallmarks of the Okra. It has a bold five-sided shape, with precision wooden cladding and a simple interior.
The Okra sits in the orchard area of the campsite and is the latest understated design by Jason Thawley from Tree Tents.
Inside you’ll find 2 double sized bunk-style beds, with one accessed via a short ladder. There is a small day sofa, perfect to sit on whilst playing cards and board games. It has low-level lighting.
The large “porthole” shaped window ensures guests sleeping in the top or bottom bunk can enjoy beautiful, natural light.
The front doors open onto a small decked area, perfect for your morning coffee. Below this is the firepit with a bench and logs for evening campfire conversations, perhaps even some cooking.
Required: Duvet or sleeping bags, Pillows and pillowcases, Bed sheets, Towels, Tea Towels, Food, Drink, Rubbish Bag, Torches and Lanterns, Warm / Dry / Suitable Clothing. Wellies if the weather isn’t being kind.
Recommended: Torch, marshmallows, ingredients for your cooking and a sense of adventure.
Please note that you cannot cook inside the Okra. So please bring your own gazebo if you wish to ensure your cooking remains dry.
- The Gridshell — The Gridshell is located in the orchard part of the campsite and has its own firepit. There is an adjoining grass area where you can relax and enjoy the sunshine and wildlife. Jason Thawley of George Clarks amazing spaces fame, designed and built his first Gridshell for us. The structure is built from locally sourced wooden laths of ash. These are clad in a heavy duty marine canvas.
Required: Duvet or Sleeping Bags, Pillows and Pillow Cases, Bed Sheets, Towels, Tea Towels, Food, Drink, Rubbish Bags, Torches and Lanterns, Warm/Dry/Suitable Clothing. Wellies if the weather hasn’t been kind.
Recommended: A torch, marshmallows, ingredients for your cooking and a sense of adventure….
Please note that you can’t cook inside the The Gridshell. If you need to, you should bring along your own small tent or a gazebo.
Extra guests, up to 4 more people, with no more than 4 adults in total, can camp on the adjoining grass pitch, or sleep inside the Gridshell. They pay our normal camping rates.
- Tent Pitch — Each of our pitches can accommodate most sized tents, up to a small circus marquee and they are flanked by trees which, in time, will provide plenty of dappled shade. To ensure that you have space and peace to enjoy your stay here, each one is increasingly well screened from neighbouring campers by native shrubs, grasses and perennial plants.
We have 13 pitches in the main camping meadow over the bridge, 3 pitches in the disorganised orchard and 2 pitches on The Bank which is near to the buildings. The Tree Tent is in the Camping meadow, and The Gridshell is in the disorganised Orchard. If these structures are unsold a couple of days before the rental date, they become normal camping pitches. We also have an emergency pitch for surprises.
For the peace of other campers, we avoid groups of more than 3 families and do not take single sex groups of more than 3 adults unless you are all related. We also limit pitches to a maximum of 4 adults and 6 people in total. We restrict the number of people on a pitch to 7 with no more than 4 adults. The aim is to keep the site peaceful and to avoid large groups
Suitable for
- Groups
- People
- Couples
- Solo
- Family
- Tweens (11-13)
- Teens (13+)
- Retired
Contact: +441273401100