Bournemouth Holidays

Camping near Bournemouth: tents, tourers and beach distance

Meadowbank in Christchurch says it is the closest touring site to Bournemouth beach but takes no tents or dogs. 15 campsites compared on pitches, dogs and season.

Facts checked against official sources on 11 October 2026. How we research

Christchurch Harbour and the Stour from above Christchurch
Photo: JackPeasePhotography, CC BY 2.0

Every cell comes from the campsite's own website or its club's page. Most sites do not publish a distance to the beach, and where they don't the table says so instead of estimating one.

Campsites and touring parks near Bournemouth, checked 11 October 2026
Meadowbank
Location
Christchurch, River Stour
Tents / tourers / motorhomes
No tents; tourers and motorhomes
Beach (as the site states it)
Closest touring site to Bournemouth beach (no distance given)
Dogs
No, pet-free
Season
Not stated
Facilities
Hook-up on all pitches, showers, cafe, play area
Notes
Also hires static caravans
South Lytchett Manor
Location
Lytchett Minster, Poole BH16 6JB
Tents / tourers / motorhomes
All three
Beach (as the site states it)
Hamworthy Park about 2 miles
Dogs
Yes, £2.50 per dog a night, up to 3
Season
1 March to 2 January
Facilities
Hook-up, showers, shop, play area; no pool
Notes
Book online or 01202 622577
Huntick Retreat
Location
Lytchett Matravers BH16 6BB
Tents / tourers / motorhomes
Tents and caravans; motorhomes not stated
Beach (as the site states it)
Not stated
Dogs
Yes, on a lead (fee not stated)
Season
Not stated
Facilities
10A hook-up on all pitches, shower block, games room
Notes
Adults only
Wareham Forest Tourist Park
Location
North Trigon, Wareham BH20 7NZ
Tents / tourers / motorhomes
All three
Beach (as the site states it)
Not stated
Dogs
Yes, dog exercise area and dog wash
Season
All year (superior pitches closed 31 Oct to 1 Mar)
Facilities
Hook-up, showers, shop, heated outdoor pool late May to early Sept, playground
Notes
Book online or 01929 551393
Back of Beyond
Location
St Leonards BH24 2SB
Tents / tourers / motorhomes
Tents and tourers; motorhomes not stated
Beach (as the site states it)
Not stated
Dogs
Yes (fee not stated)
Season
27 February to New Year
Facilities
Licensed shop, bar
Notes
Adults only
St Leonards Farm Park
Location
West Moors, Ferndown BH22 0AQ
Tents / tourers / motorhomes
All three, plus campervans
Beach (as the site states it)
Not stated
Dogs
Not stated
Season
Not stated
Facilities
10A hook-up, play area
Notes
Book online
Verwood Camping and Caravanning Club site
Location
Woodlands BH21 8NQ
Tents / tourers / motorhomes
All three, plus rooftop tents
Beach (as the site states it)
Not stated (Bournemouth a short drive)
Dogs
Yes (fee not stated)
Season
27 March to 26 October 2026
Facilities
Hook-up on some pitches, showers, shop, play area
Notes
Club site
Harrow Wood Farm
Location
Bransgore BH23 8JE
Tents / tourers / motorhomes
Tourers and motorhomes; small seasonal tent field
Beach (as the site states it)
Not stated (5 miles from Christchurch)
Dogs
No dogs
Season
March to December (exact dates not stated)
Facilities
10A hook-up, showers, fishing lake
Notes
Book by phone 01425 672487
New Forest Centenary Club Campsite
Location
Bransgore BH23 8EB
Tents / tourers / motorhomes
266 touring pitches; 9 tent pitches
Beach (as the site states it)
Nearest sandy beach 4.5 miles
Dogs
Yes, dog walk and dog wash
Season
13 March to 31 October 2026
Facilities
Hook-up, showers, laundry, motorhome service point, play area
Notes
Non-members welcome
Holmsley
Location
Burley BH23 7EQ, New Forest
Tents / tourers / motorhomes
All three, plus bell tents
Beach (as the site states it)
Not stated (Christchurch about 6 miles)
Dogs
Yes, dog wash
Season
Hardstanding pitches 26 March to 2 November 2026
Facilities
Hook-up, toilets and showers, shop, play area
Notes
Forestry England site
Setthorns
Location
Near Brockenhurst BH25 5WA, New Forest
Tents / tourers / motorhomes
All three, plus trailer tents
Beach (as the site states it)
Not stated
Dogs
Yes, dog wash
Season
All year
Facilities
No toilets or showers: bring a chemical toilet
Notes
Forestry England site
Lytton Lawn
Location
Milford on Sea SO41 0TX
Tents / tourers / motorhomes
All three, plus trailer tents
Beach (as the site states it)
Close to Milford on Sea beach (no distance)
Dogs
Yes, £3 a night
Season
Not stated
Facilities
Hook-up, showers, shop, play area; pool at Shorefield Country Park
Notes
Book online or 01590 648333
Haycraft Club Campsite
Location
Swanage BH19 3ED
Tents / tourers / motorhomes
Tourers and motorhomes only
Beach (as the site states it)
Nearest sandy beach 4 miles
Dogs
Yes, dog walks
Season
27 February to 2 November 2026
Facilities
Hook-up, toilets and showers
Notes
Club members only
Tom’s Field
Location
Langton Matravers BH19 3HN
Tents / tourers / motorhomes
Tents and motorhomes only
Beach (as the site states it)
Not stated (20 minutes’ walk to the coast path)
Dogs
Not stated
Season
Not stated
Facilities
Basic facilities, shop
Notes
Book online
Downshay Farm
Location
Harman’s Cross, Purbeck
Tents / tourers / motorhomes
Tents; 12 pitches for caravans and campervans
Beach (as the site states it)
Studland Bay beaches just over 4 miles
Dogs
Not stated
Season
Tent field closed until late May bank holiday 2027
Facilities
Not stated
Notes
Book by email or 01929 480316

The table leaves out holiday parks that also sell pitches, because their pools and clubhouses are the reason to pick them. Sandford (Parkdean), Wilksworth, Shorefield Country Park and Ulwell Holiday Park in Swanage all take tents or tourers and are compared in holiday parks near Bournemouth and Poole.

Which campsite is closest to Bournemouth beach?

Meadowbank Holidays in Christchurch describes itself as "the closest touring caravan and motor home site to Bournemouth beach", without giving a distance. It sits on the River Stour, takes touring caravans and motorhomes only, and states on its touring page that it does not offer camping pitches and is pet-free.

Meadowbank Holidays website →

For tents, the nearest sites that state a beach distance are on the Poole side. South Lytchett Manor gives Hamworthy Park as about 2 miles away on its FAQ page.

South Lytchett Manor website →

The Caravan and Motorhome Club's New Forest Centenary site at Bransgore gives its nearest sandy beach as 4.5 miles. It is a large site (275 pitches, 123 of them hardstanding), and non-members can book.

New Forest Centenary Club Campsite website →

Where can I park a motorhome in Bournemouth?

During the day, some BCP car parks take motorhomes: Queen's Road car park (BH2 6BE) lists motorhome as an accepted vehicle and charges 24 hours a day, according to its BCP car park page. Overnight is a different matter.

BCP's beach visiting guidelines say: "No overnight sleeping or camping is allowed on the beach, seafront, cliffs or car parks." The same page says a 24-hour beach patrol visits and that offenders could face a £1,000 fine. For a night's stop, a touring site with a motorhome service point (New Forest Centenary has one) is the option the council's rules leave. Daytime car park tariffs are on the beach parking page.

Campsites that take dogs

Ten sites in the table accept dogs. Two publish a fee: South Lytchett Manor charges £2.50 per dog a night on touring pitches, up to three dogs per pitch (dog-friendly page), and Shorefield's Lytton Lawn charges £3 a night. Wareham Forest Tourist Park has an enclosed dog exercise area and a dog wash.

Meadowbank and Harrow Wood Farm are dog-free. Harrow Wood calls itself "a No Dog site" on its tariff page. Bournemouth's summer dog bans on the main beaches are set out in dog-friendly beaches in Bournemouth.

Wareham Forest Tourist Park website →

Adults-only and quieter sites

Two sites take adults only. Huntick Retreat at Lytchett Matravers (formerly Huntick Farm) states it is adult only, with children allowed to visit between 10am and 6pm, per its FAQ. Back of Beyond at St Leonards says it is "exclusively for adults" and is open from 27 February until New Year.

Huntick Retreat website →

Back of Beyond Touring Park website →

Harrow Wood Farm at Bransgore has 60 hardstanding pitches, a fishing lake and a small seasonal tent field. Bookings are by phone or email rather than online.

Harrow Wood Farm website →

Camping in the New Forest

The nearest Forestry England campsite to Christchurch is Holmsley, near Burley, which states that Christchurch is about 6 miles away. In 2026 its hardstanding pitches open from 26 March to 2 November, with bell tents from 22 May to 30 September. Forestry England's camping page now sends New Forest bookings to the operator, Camping in the New Forest.

Holmsley Campsite website →

Setthorns, near Brockenhurst, is open all year but has no toilets or showers, so campers bring a chemical toilet.

Setthorns Campsite website →

Purbeck sites across the harbour

Three sites in the table are on the Isle of Purbeck, reached from Poole by the Sandbanks chain ferry or the road round the harbour. Downshay Farm at Harman's Cross gives Swanage and the sandy beaches of Studland Bay as just over 4 miles away; its tent field is closed until the late May bank holiday 2027, while its caravan site states it is open through September and October. Tom's Field at Langton Matravers takes tents and motorhomes only and describes its facilities as basic. Haycraft, near Swanage, is a members-only Caravan and Motorhome Club site with no tent pitches.

Frequently asked questions

Can you camp on Brownsea Island?

Yes. The National Trust runs a campsite on Brownsea Island open to the public from 3 April to 28 September 2026, with tent pitches, bell tents, tree tents and, new for 2026, a shepherd's hut. You reach it by ferry from Poole (ferry not included in the booking), then a 20-minute walk. Dogs are not allowed on the island.

Which campsites near Bournemouth are open in winter?

Wareham Forest Tourist Park and Setthorns are open all year, and South Lytchett Manor runs from 1 March to 2 January. Club sites at Verwood and New Forest Centenary close at the end of October.

Can you book a Camping and Caravanning Club site without being a member?

The Verwood site page shows members' prices and does not say whether non-members can book, so check with the club. The Caravan and Motorhome Club's Haycraft site at Swanage is members only, while its New Forest Centenary site welcomes non-members.

Related guides

Prices, rules and policies change. Everything on this page was taken from the hotel, operator or council concerned and checked on 11 October 2026; check with them before you travel. Spotted something out of date? See how we research.