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We didn't have to travel far to Wickham Market and are familiar with the area which is great loads to see and do.
We chose The Orchard on the basis that it was voted Campsite for 2010 even though there were some patchy reviews on here.
Going back to those reviews I have to agree with a lot of the points raised. There are not enough toilets and showers and more importantly those that are there were very drab with rusting fittings and grim tiling. It was not just the muddy conditions they were smelly with toilet paper all over the floor and not cleaned regularly. It was bank holiday but that is not an excuse as when being shown my pitch the Gentleman tells me they are full most nights. Having said that over the bank holiday the facilities were not good enough and the site was not full.
The whole 'public area' toilets, showers and washing up sinks were dirty. Hot water was hit and miss and on two occasions I attempted to wash up there was no water pressure and the dribble that came from the 'hot' tap was stone cold.
Toilets have a sink with no soap and a hand dryer and ladies and mens dressing areas have sinks with soap but no facility to dry !.
There was mud everywhere caused by the horrendous weather in August I know. Having said that the hard paved areas could have been cleaned up as could the indoor table tennis area which just needed a good sweep.
There are no recycling facilities just four big green bins stuffed up one corner for all rubbish.
The owner was friendly and always on site. The glow sticks on the Saturday for the children was a nice touch.
But with such a wonderful location it could have been presented much better.
The children's play area is not as such it is a small fenced off area with two swings and a slide.
The relaxed atmosphere, glow sticks and ability to have campfires at £20 a barrow load I might add !
There is no 6M rule in fact I witnessed two caravans being positioned almost on top of a poor couple and their small two man tent. The owner offered them the chance to move but who wants to do that when you are all set up
Great site if you have older (or sensible 2 yr olds). Love the farm friendly feel. But be prepared for rivers. Not curtailed off and fish ponds with no netting and a general 'risk factor feel' with young kids'.
It is 'man mark' territory for the youngsters and watch the flies. Crikey! a load of them came home with us after two days, best for sensible adults and sensible kids! Who can deal with flies !.
Spent 2 nights at this site as an add on to a week at a nearby self catering cottage. We love this area of Suffolk, loads to do for families, great coastal towns, heathland, castles, pubs etc. Had read lots about the site and were attracted by the chance to have a camp fire and it sounded really family friendly.
The staff were helpful, friendly and very laid back. The site was very busy and is smaller than we expected, but attractive, although the grass was showing signs of wear and was scarred by the numerous fires.
At £15 or £20 with hook up the site is cheaper than most. The toilets and showers were OK but there weren't enough and this meant a half hour queue for a shower. The kids loved the camp fire but at £15 for wood and £3.50 for kindling it was very expensive.
Our stay was spoiled a little by groups of unsupervised children who spent most of the time having running battles with water bombs throughout the site. This caused annoyance to other campers as they were running across other people's pitches and launching water bombs that were hitting tents, cars and other campers. The site staff were aware of this and not only turned a blind eye to it but were selling the water bombs!
So we had a mixed experience, at a less busy time with a different mix of people we would have probably had a perfect weekend, and will probably visit again.
A medium sized campsite with good facilities and a relaxed but well tended atmosphere. In 2010 it set us back £15 per night-per tent with no electrical hook-up (add £5). It also benefits from a great location in terms of access and as a base for further exploration.
The site is a five minute drive from the A12 but set back from any immediate main roads. You park near your tent and the main entrance to the site is manned by a witty and helpful chap most hours from a reception/basic shop. Pitches are not set so you can pick your spot from clearer upper areas down to open woodland near the river. The slope may play a part in how you setup but it is in no-way sheer. Table tennis, a children's play area, fridge-freezer, laundry (charged for) and fishing add to what's available on site.
A short walk into Wickham Market provides a CO-OP, a chip shop and a curry house amongst other outlets. The nearest pub was okay for a daytime visit. BBQs are available and open fires are allowed with firewood supplied on site. There are washing up sinks in the main block which is well situated for the site in terms of access and noise from use. Five toilets (one exclusively female), four (free) showers and three washrooms (male, female and family) make up the main facilities. The showers especially get busy (perhaps due to some water pressure issues on this particular visit).
Suffolk is as flat a landscape as you are likely to encounter so cycling is an excellent way to spend some time with the added bonus of having some very quiet roads/cycle lanes directly accessible from the campsite. Cycle hire is available on site. Orford was a excellent halfway point (small castle, pubs, waterside and village) on a medium length bike ride. For cycling you can also read walking although you may have to go a little further afield for more impressive scenery but you can take in some decent pubs on route. Handily The Dog and Duck in Campsea Ashe had good real ale, belly-filling food and a decent welcome and should be reachable by the average walker within 30 mins. It also has a playground and large field backing onto it.
My group of friends have been to this campsite three years running. I have only experienced the site from this prospective so cannot comment on the experience for a single tent. The relaxed approach makes us feel welcome but any stepping over the mark is swiftly dealt with in a reasonable manner (music off by 11pm but we could chat into the small hours if respectful). I'd imagine that if you wanted a back-to-nature break for yourself/a couple this might not tick all the boxes but I'm certainly not using this to criticize the site; the owners are sensible enough to propose pitching where you might find like-minded folk. A few babies have come into the group in 2010 so the addition of two excellent gypsy caravans meant that the new parents could still join in but not feel quite so exposed to the elements come bedtime.
If you are reasonably sociable, want a site that is looked after without being over fussy and are a responsible camper then you will feel welcome here. Thoroughly recommended.
Our overall opinion on this campsite was good. The facilities were adequate, nothing fancy but they were clean and tidy. People were friendly and helpful when asked questions.
Showers: The water pressure was good with the only downside really being that space was a little bit of an issue if you are a larger person and queues at the weekends possible.
Toilets: These again were clean with soap and electric dryers supplied.
Washrooms: The ladies wash-room consisted of 3 sinks + mirrors. Electric sockets for dryers etc and the occasional stool (handy for little people). Theses again were clean and tidy. I presume the mens was the same!
Family Bathroom: This was very simple with a standard sized bath with shower over the top. The shower could be placed at two levels or hand held. Only downside was that bath could be slippery for young child when standing.
The washing up area was the only thing that let the facilities down, and this can not fully be blamed on the campsite alone. Occasionally sinks and surrounding areas would be unclean were people had not rinsed sinks out and wiped surfaces down after washing up. Kettle and microwave were supplied and worked well.
Fridge-freezer was well used and the washing machine and tumbledryer were in good working order, although I did not use these I did see other people doing so.
The site has a small shop which supplies essentials but within a short walk along public footpath you can get into the town were there is a good sized Co-op.
Fishing: The pond has variety of fish in it, none of huge size but they can be caught. There is also some fishing to be done in the river. Rental of rods can be done but obviously cheaper if you can take your own.
Campfires: These are a great way to spend the evening and although they advertise that barrow load of wood is £15 it will cost more as you will need kindling and fire lighters so unless you go prepared with these look to spend at least £20. The barrow load can easily do 2 nights, we made it last 3.
Playground: This is simple with just a slide and 2 swings. It is enclosed with one way in and out and matting underfoot. There is a table tennis table for everyone.
The only downside to this site that we could really find was that the pitches themselves were not level, but if you can put up with sleeping on the slosh then this is a nice place to go.
We camped over the first bank holiday weekend when the weather was pretty rough. Overall I can see why this site appeals to many, the pitches are not clearly marked so there is an element of freedom that was helpful as it allowed our 5 tents to pitch around the outside of our camp fire.
The pitches were quite hit and miss as to how flat they were (but the freedom given allowed you to choose the best spot). The staff were very friendly and helpful and having a van on site selling hot food was great particularly on the first night when we did not fancy cooking.
The washing up facilities were good and having a kettle and microwave available for free use was great. I think we have gone soft as I did miss my electrics but there is limited availability if you want this. Childrens play area is quite small.
This was our second visit, really friendly owners / site workers & we could pitch where ever we wanted. It is great being able to have a fire going in the evening, £15 for a barrow load of logs. The grass is a bit sparse in places but being able to have a fire makes up for that.
There is a small playground for the kids & clean toilets (need to take your own soap in) & showers,also washing up facilities. There is a shop on site & a van that arrived in the mornings selling fresh bread, meat & dairy products. There is a supermarket just down the road in the village if you miss the van in the mornings.
The relaxed atmosphere makes this place & there are plenty of local places to visit. We went to Sutton Hoo, Southwold & Orford Castle.
Initially we were worried that this site would be more suitable for group, but we were wrong! We are a couple with a small tent, and we had a fantastic time!
They have won a Campsite of the year 2010, and they deserve it.
The Town is within walking distance yet, this campsite is away from it all and some of the pitches are even by the river.
All facilities are clean and working very well. They even have a kettle for us to boil some hot water while our stove was broken!
Only downside is 20.00 GBP per night regardless how many people and 15.00 GBP per barrow of woods are very expensive compare to other campsite.
We are going to book as early as possible for next year's pitch once they take booking.
Thought it was a cracking little site, choice of open fields or under trees pitches, you can pitch where you like and no one was on top of each other and facilities clean and good showers etc, however we went on a none bank holiday, bank holidays could be different, think this site will struggle.
Very relaxed site with the benefits of buying fire wood for your camp fires. Kids highlights probably on a Saturday night when the owners throw glow sticks up in the air ( hundreds of them) and the kids go mad for the next few hours, by warned though they only do this when it is dark, so at this time of the year is around 10pm.To late for some kids, just don't tell em if they are asleep.
The site does not accept debit or credit cards, cash only so make sure you have some to pay for the stay and little bits during the stay otherwise its a 10 minute walk into town. Also they do not sell milk ! as they do not have a milk licence.
However, overall a cracking little site and with the coast (Aldeburgh) just down the road which worth a visit, old quaint seaside resort, but more to do for the adults and kids. You can buy fresh fish from the fishermen on the beach huts, take it back to your site and cook it on the BBQ / campfire :).Happy days.
It was the first time for my girlfriend and her daughter camping and they loved it, but think the lovely hot weather we had may have added to the nice experience.
I would say this site is more suitable to tents than caravans, as I found the access into the site quite tricky, there is a sharp left bend on the entrance to the site and I almost damaged the caravan turning in on a silver burch tree, although I do have a larger outfit this year 23ft van and a 4x4 so perhaps I'm still just getting used to towing with a larger van. That said one of the employees did come and help me unhook and turn the caravan. Also the road leading to the site is quite narrow and as I passed some parked cars on one side managed to scratch the side of the caravan with overhanging branches on the other side.
The site itself is very spacious although the few caravans what were there were put quite close together,I guess this was because most of the site is very uneven.
The owners/workers seemed friendly enough and showed us to our pitch. They asked us if we wanted a camp fire, which they are relaxed abut here and indeed many tents seemed to enjoy this.
What we did like was a tv point by the electric hook up and they offered to lend us a lead if we needed it, so that was nice not having to mess about with a dish for a change.
We stayed at the site in may and found it very peaceful not noticing and noise from the road etc.
We didn't really use the showers/toilet block, however they did seem quite spacious and clean.
There is a co-op just up the road which was very good for choice and price and Wickham market was a lovely little place with nice shops etc.
For the OH and myself the cost was £20 per night and I found this a tad expensive for what you got. All in all I found this a very relaxing site to stay at, however the access for me and the lack of level pitches for caravans would make me think twice about returning.
After 3 years of trying to stay at The Orchard Camp Site for a Bank Holiday Weekend, we finally made it - yippeee
Very impressed with the relaxed & friendly welcoming, no signing your life away or being read the rule book.
The pitches are not regimental and are based on your actual party size and not just for your tent no matter what size with plenty of space. For once there was no frowning to large tents.
It is a group camp site, with little villages scattered around with their own campfires. I don't think that I would return just ourselves instead of being within a group.
The site owners and assistances were always on hand if required and were always willing to assist. You couldn't ask for a better service or welcome.
Despite the relaxed atmosphere of no rules, everyone seemed to respect one another at night and seemed no different from other high standard campsites.
The facilities were extremely clean and for once a nice family bathroom ie bath for the kiddies that was code locked to prevent it being used by others. The only downside is that there wasn't a bench or table to lay your towel and baby down as the floor did tend to get wet from the splashing of a 14 month old. The shower rooms had plenty of space, a nice stool, enough hooks for clothes with a shower curtain separating them from the actual shower with further hooks / shelves for bathing equipment.
There was even single sex wash rooms which contained sinks, mirrors, plugs for straighteners or hair dryers.
The Washing up area also provided access to a kettle and microwave with no additional cost.
Washing Machine and Tumble Dryer are also available at an additional cost.
These areas were also kept clean.
A new feature at the camp site this Bank Holiday was a catering van serving burgers, curries, breakfasts and hot drinks - operated by a lovely couple who did experience a few teething problems, which I am sure would be ironed out by their new opening.
The play area ie slide, swing and a rope swing was rather small for the actual campsite and the number of children on site and this is one area that I would strongly recommend they improve in size and add some more equipment. As the current wooden frame is one that you would find within your garden.
We all thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Orchard Camp Site and would highly recommend this to other group campers due to the variety of pitches available and the nice relaxed atmosphere. We will definitely be back either later this year or next.
Dont be put off with the lanes leading to the town if travelling by foot, it seemed quite safe even at night with a pushchair. The local co-op catered for all essentials required (a 10 minute walk). If you wanted a large Tesco, it was only 7 miles away, but Co-op was more than enough for us. We would recommended the local curry house of which we escaped to during the rain that never let up on the Sunday.
We were a little disappointed upon arrival, firstly due to the smell as there were muck spreaders working in nearby fields and secondly, as prior to booking this site we asked if it would be possible for us to book a pitch with an area for the dogs to run around next to the tent, to which they replied this would be no problem, whereas upon arrival we were told a different story and we were told dogs must be kept on leads at all times.
The website did not state that the campsite was pretty close to the main A road that ran through to Ipswich / Lowestoft so at peak times it was quite loud.
The toilets and shower blocks were not in the cleanest state, my feet ended up being cleaner before I went in the shower than when I came out.
The site is quite pretty with a river at the bottom, trees dotted around and a small pond. The campsite has a small shop selling little things like sweets, chocolate, drinks, bacon and charcoal.
The local villages around wickham market were all very pretty and quaint and the location was quite good due to the A12.
My family of four had our very first camping trip at this site, and were very satisfied. The facilities provided were modern and clean, and we didn't even have to queue once.
For families with children, this would be a great place to camp. A lot of forest backgrounds and a small play area to keep them occupied. The governor and the staff are very helpful and friendly, even our neighbours who we just met were friendly.
The best part we all enjoyed was the campfire at night. Without the campfire, it would be pretty boring in the evening so we enjoyed that a lot. We would definitely recommend this to our friends and families, and are hoping to come back again this September.
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Common Questions
Is The Orchard Camp Site child friendly? YES, it accepts children & has a playground View all facilities
Where is the nearest shop to The Orchard Camp Site? 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 
Glamping Units 
No Statics for Hire 
No Statics for Sale 
No Seasonal Pitches 
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 
No Bathroom 
No Baby Changing 
Laundry On Site 
Drinking Water 
Disabled Friendly 
Chemical Disposal 
Battery Charging 
No Gas Exchange 
No Recycling Facilities 
Kitchen Facilities 
Freezer / Fridge 
No Motorhome Point 
No Wifi Access 
Shop On Site 
Bar On Site 
Restaurant or Cafe or Takeaway <1 mile 
Kids Playground 
No TV Room 
No Games Room 
No Evening Ents 
Fishing On Site 
No Wild Swimming 
No Indoor Pool 
No Outdoor Pool 
Horse Riding <1 mile 
Cycle Hire <5 miles 
Golf <1 mile 
Tennis <1 mile 
Beach <10 miles 
Watersports On Site 
No Boat Launch 
No Sea Views 
Not Working Farm 
Campfires Allowed 
No Waterside Pitches 
Public Transport <1 mile
Offroad Dog Walk On Site or Direct Access 
We didn't have to travel far to Wickham Market and are familiar with the area which is great loads to see and do.
