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Second visit to this park this year, didn't leave a review first time round as wanted to note any changes.
I have to admit that this time around was just as enjoyable as the first, no notable changes (except the poorer weather) both visits were taken under their ten pounds per night all in offer, and was really great value for that price, the other half took advantage of the swimming pool on three occasions, this time we used the on site bar as we didn't realise that the dogs could be taken in before, and prices were very reasonable for a holiday village, we are returning next year and considering joining the premium club scheme, it is also very convenient for visiting all the attractions and seaside places, besides being in a beautiful part of our wonderful country
What a find this site is for a bit of out of season camping! We camped here during the week for £15 per night with EHU (NB the price shoots back up to £40 per night at the weekend). The pitches are on gravel and each pitch has a grey waste drain, a tap and hook up, and the facilities help if the weather is bad. There is a good camp shop selling most things, a pub selling food and real ales, and another eatery sells pizzas etc. This site also has a nice heated indoor pool and an outdoor pool. The toilets and showers were plentiful and are kept clean. I suspect this site is heaving during peak times, but for us during a quiet week this place was ideal, and the pub was a good place to warm up out of the lashing rain…. The WIFI is free, but is only available in the centre by the shops. There are walks and footpaths from the site, and Fordingbridge is a couple of miles away, however, we cycled there and found the road a little too busy for us. This site is open all year and we would definitely consider returning.
I thought it was about time I left a review on Sandy Balls having been 2 years on the trot and a few more times in the last 10 years.
We love the place, beautiful surroundings, lovely walks and lots for the kids to do.
Not all is quite as wonderful as it should be though. A few tweaks here and there and it would be full marks. Right then. 1 The swimming pool changing area and corridor walk to the pool are grim to say the least. A good scrub and regular cleaning wouldn't go a miss. 2 The showers both in the pool and at the campsite pitches are very poor. Almost like standing under a watering can, no power to them at all. 3 This year as last the amusements and many grabber machines in the courtyard were broken, out of order, would take your money and you would have to go ask assistance etc. 4 Tables and bins in the courtyard need clearing/emptying regular. Never seen as many wasps swarming. 5 The beautiful walks down by the river could be improved with more sign posts. We had the paper map to follow but our second year running still couldn't find what a sandy ball looked like! Giants grave? Little thing which could make it a bit more interesting for kids. Those are my only gripes really. I'm not one for moaning and as I say a few tweaks here and there. Everything else is spot on.
Arrivals is smooth and no need to leave your car. We were on pitch 75 behind the adventure playground. Ideal for our 2 kids age 8 & 2 1\2. The site was very busy, lots of kids having fun, family's sitting out chatting at night. Dead quiet after 11 was adheard to perfect. This year we found the footpath behind the site which was a pleasant stroll which brought us about 200 yrd below The Fighting Cocks pub, which is fab with ponies and lots of donkeys this year wandering outside. The kids did tie dyeing which was good and my eldest archery which lasted an hour and was good value.
I do think Woodside drinks are expensive, the shop was reasonable ish with prices creeping up. The takeaway pizza at £6. 50 ish was delicious and well worth a try. Id say as a family we need to budget £100 a day for next year as we do tend to eat and drink out.
We enjoyed our stay and do hope reviews are read by Sandy Balls and a few improvements can be made for next year as we will be back :-)
We have just got back from Sandyballs and I have to say that we were quite impressed overall with the site. I say this as we usually only use small family run campsites but we decided to forgo this this time as the location was more important on this occasion. After an initial mixup with our booking where our selected pre-reserved pitch wasn't available (a service you pay extra for) we were eventually given an alternative pitch which whilst not as nice as the one originally selected was quite a decent size, quite private and close to the facilities as requested. The pitches are well serviced with TV water and electricity and are of an all weather hardstanding type with some grass. All tents and awnings need to be pitched on the rough flint hardstanding - you will need to take rock pegs with you to pitch awnings tents etc and possibly an extra footprint or tent carpet.
The facilities on site were great - swimming pool, Gym, beauty salon, shop, snack bar, restaurant, bike hire etc. My OH and daughter signed up to the gym for a week for a bargain £15 each, my daughter also used the hair salon and got a really good hair cut and style again for a reasonable cost. The shop was also quite suprisingly quite good value - no rip of prices. We hired bikes for the day and the staff were really helpful with route suggestions. The toilet block were well maintained and kept immaculately clean and tidy.
On the downside there was a bit of noise but as the site was quite full during the nine days we were there due mainly to the fantastic weather which was in the 30's this is only to be expected. I do like the sound of children playing freely during the day so this didn't bother me but it is a family and pet friendly site so be aware of this. There were also quite a few groups of all ages and so at night you could hear noise from these gatherings. The wardens did enforce the 11pm curfew if there were any problems we witnessed this on both Saturdays when they asked some groups to quieten down and turn their music off promptly at 11pm; the mornings were often noisy before 7am but this could have been because we were close to the toilet block.
A good site which I would recommend to families of all ages and for more mature couples, like us, alike.
Conclusion - lots to do and a great location for exploring the New Forest.
Stayed for three nights in caravan. Decent pitches in the touring part, toilets clean, modern, showers ok.
Bar had entertainment on but wasn't great, drinks expensive. Could of used leisure facilities which are available which is inclusive in the price. Amusement arcade fun for all. Great trails to walk with dogs. Cycle hire available. Reminded me of a mini centre parks without the price they charge! Fun outdoor pursuits for all members of the family. Convince store well stocked, take away food from cafe not cheap but lovely to eat. Will visit again and recommend to everyone, unless you after a quiet holiday this isn't the place to go!
All in all another really relaxing stay at Sandy Balls. The toilet blocks and showers were immaculately clean, though, as said before, the shower run times could be longer.
Really good facilities in the Plaza & food excellent in the pizza place. Just a shame that the service wasn't so good at the Woodside Inn.
I think that this a lack of training rather than idleness. It appeared that there were quite a few staff replenishing shelves at the expense of a very long queue at the bar. The staff were always polite though, just a bit of a sense of urgency to serve should be conveyed.
The entertainment that we saw was, on the whole, very good. We only went down to it three times, solo singer and band very good. Trad Jazz band very good musically, but, avoid the Jazz Night like the plague if you want to chat and have a good time, as they appear to have their own fan base that follow them around the new forest. They will stare at you and 'tut' if you enjoy yourself / talk / go to the bar etc. This is backed up by the fact that you have to go and get a drink at the woodside inn as the bar is not manned at the woodsite suite on jazz nights. It seems an orange or a cup of tea lasts them all night!
The area is really beautiful with some very nice pubs / restaurants within easy reach. We can recommend The George at Fordingbridge and The Horse and Groom at Woodgreen. Excellent food and service at both.
Excellent local butchers & bakers in Fordingbridge and a very good Coop. The on site shop is also very good if you get there early enough for their bakery products.
We would not like to be here in the height of school holidays but will definitely return.
Have just returned from a 2-night recce of Sandy Balls and feel I have to sing its praises from the perspective of a fan of adult-only sites ie quiet and no kids. We took advantage of a 10% online discount and paid 13. 50 per night. This is excellent value as, for that princely sum you get a roomy pitch comprising grass with a gravel awning area, EHU, tv ariel socket, fresh water tap and grey water drain (last two shared between two pitches). At night, the EHU pillars have subtle lighting which is helpful and not intrusive. There are oodles of showers, loos, a family bathroom, private washrooms, free hair dryers and plenty of free hot water, all very clean and tidy (didn't think the facilities were dated as one reviewer thought but it is in the eye of the beholder, obviously). The site is set in woodland and has lovely walks more or less straight from your pitch. The 'village' in the middle has a large, well-stocked shop, a pub which does food and keeps a reasonable pint, a restaurant which serves reasonably-priced Ask-type food - seriously good pizza's. Also does takeaway if you don't fancy cooking but want to lounge around back on your pitch and listen to the song thrushes compete with the blackbird as you chomp your pizza. Perfect! Breakfast is served in both the pub and the restaurant, and they do a jolly nice veggie fry-up along with the standard one. There is also the activity booking centre, the swimming pool (the price of which is included in your pitch fee), a spa and beauty centre, and a bike hire shop in the 'village'. Free entertainment at weekends, apparently. Oh, and free wifi within the area of said 'village'. The sea is a 25 minute drive away, through the ever-lovely New Forest. The staff we came across were very friendly and helpful. I would imagine, in school holidays this place would be my idea of hell on earth, not to mention pricey, but if you pick your dates (and there are plenty of them), you can have a brilliant break away in very pleasant, quiet surroundings and for a bargain price. We will definitely be returning!
A great site to stay at and we use it when we go to Peppa Pig world. The facilities are clean, the pitches are a good size and if you phone up with special requests about pitches the staff do their best to accommodate (we ask for cul de sac type location as we have very young children)
The options for eating are ok and since our last visit we found the Italian restaurant has been changed into more of a cafe style to attract people throughout the day.
The shop is big and can get busy so sometimes there is a wait to get out.
The 'Sandy Balls' we found tricky to get to with a big double pram. We walked down to the river and it really is a steep drop down the hill. Fine on the way down but regretted on the way back up!
The children's playground are very good - there are 3 and each is big and varied enough for children of different ages.
The drive to the site from the motorway is beautiful and the children love watching out for the many ponies and cattle along the way. Peppa Pig World/Paultons Park is close by too - think it was a 20 minute drive.
Overall we enjoy this site, the staff are very helpful and polite and it is run very well.
This site ticked nearly all the boxes for me. Dog friendly (but has dog-free areas for non-dog lovers). Clean, heated washrooms with powerful hot showers. Roomy sites with good landscaping for privacy. No road noise. Good shop. Indoor pool. Good bike shop. Lovely grounds through the forest and down to the river. Loads of cycle rides and walks straight from the site. My husband, who needs to use the disabled facilities was pleased that the shower room was accessible via a RADAR key and was roomy. However, unlike the main shower block it was unheated and had large gap around the door. We stayed in March which was very reasonably priced (low season) but would not pay the very high charges outside of the low season
We decided to try one of our favourite New Forest campsites on a late November break, weather was wet and dark but we had such a lovely long weekend on this beautiful campsite. The only downside was that the swimming pool was closed due to some contamination! Evening entertainment was laid on in the bar Friday & Saturday night, which was very good
This is a large park but the pitches are a good size. We stayed in the pet free area which is a great thought for those who do not have dogs. Pitches are grass and gravel and you have to pitch on the gravel. Rock pegs are a must and can be a little uncomfortable underfoot.
Toilets, etc are plentiful and clean, never had to queue. It is a large site so be prepared to walk or cycle. Both restaurants are good and not badly priced. Swimming pool is a nice extra on site. Would agree with previous reviews that the activities were aimed at younger children.
A little more in cost than the average site but for us is a great start to the year as we are 30 mins away so perfect for a quick getaway
Just returned from our first visit to Sandy Balls. Weather absolutely marvellous, even enjoyed the massive night time thunderstorms! We will definitely return as we had a wonderful week. We ate at the Woodside Inn & the Piazza and couldn't fault the food or service. Toilets and shower block bit dated though clean and loads of hot water. Chemical toilet disposal points could do with marking on the map a bit better though. Excellent walks for our dog, though, as someone has mentioned before, they could do with a bit more marking on site map?? I should imagine it could get very claustrophobic on your pitch when the school's break up. We noticed from our last Friday how busy it suddenly became with people cutting through our pitch etc. Also there seem to be no real management of the campsite as regards the rules. We knew that gazebo's were not accepted, so didn't bring ours. Only to see them by the score + event shelter's, open fires etc?? Whilst we were there some people from a pitch nearby thought it perfectly acceptable to tether their dog to a tree and let it bark for 3 - 4 hours while they went off site daily??
In summary, great location, facilities but we wouldn't want to be here in August! but we will most definitely return.
Too busy, too expensive £220 for 4 nights. Expected activities to be included in price. Combat games £25 and not even in new forest as advertised, but in a grotty little field. The camouflage suits were all too small for everyone.
Feel as if not had money's worth expected more for teenager to do. Everything seemed to be for under 12 year olds. Toilets old but seemed to have plenty of hot water. Gravel pitch. Not good for tent as painful to walk on. Site map did not show walks very clear and we got lost. Did not eat in restaurant, but did have well stocked shop. Could do with up dating amusements. How about crazy golf, go ape or lazer tag, something for older children and adults, all free of course.
We had a fantastic two nights at sandy balls. I was worried it would be overly commercial but that wasn't all at the case. Lovely clean facilities, big quiet pitches, lots to so with a young toddler and lovely park and river walks nearby. Definitely one of the best campsites we've ever stayed in. I was particularly impressed by the indoor and outdoor pool. It felt like you got so much for your £15 a night.
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Common Questions
Is Sandy Balls Holiday Village child friendly? YES, it accepts children & has a playground View all facilities
Does Sandy Balls Holiday Village have a swimming pool? YES, there is a pool on site View all facilities
Where is the nearest shop to Sandy Balls Holiday Village? There is a shop on site View all facilities
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
All reviews and comments are the personal opinion of the review author only , and as such do not represent the view of the UK Camp Site.co.uk.
The facilities shown on this website are a guide only, and you should check with the campsite direct before making any booking. The UKCampsite.co.uk will not be held responsible for any errors or omissions
Tent Pitches 
Caravan Pitches 
Motorhome Pitches 
Small Campervans 
No Glamping Units 
Holiday Homes for Hire 
Holiday Homes for Sale 
No Seasonal Pitches 
No Electric Hookups 
No Hardstandings 
No Fully Serviced Pitches 
Families Welcome 
Not Members Only 
Rallies Welcome 
Not Naturist Site 
Dogs Welcome 
No Dogs Allowed 
Groups Welcome 
Motorbikers Welcome 
Toilet Facilities 
Hot Showers 
Washing Up 
Bathroom 
Baby Changing Facilities 
Laundry On Site 
Drinking Water 
Disabled Friendly 
No Chemical Disposal 
No Battery Charging 
No Gas Exchange 
No Recycling Facilities 
No Kitchen Facilities 
No Freezer / Fridge 
No Motorhome Point 
Wifi Access 
Shop On Site 
Bar On Site 
Restaurant or Cafe or Takeaway On Site 
Kids Playground 
No TV Room 
Games Room 
Evening Entertainment 
Fishing <10 miles 
No Wild Swimming 
Indoor Pool On Site 
Outdoor Pool On Site 
Horse Riding <1 mile 
Cycle Hire On Site 
Golf <5 miles 
No Tennis 
Beach <10 miles 
Watersports <10 miles 
No Boat Launch 
No Sea Views 
Not Working Farm 
No Campfires Allowed 
No Waterside Pitches 
Public Transport <1 mile
No Dog Walk 
Second visit to this park this year, didn't leave a review first time round as wanted to note any changes. 
