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This site is lovely - in fact we have just been back by car to visit the cafe for their savoury scone and cheese afternoon tea! This seems to be a 'community' camp site, with campers mingling with locals who eat in the cafe all year round, fishermen, who fish all year round, and, on one day, a group of model boat enthusiasts! The local pub opens at 6 pm for evening eating during the week, and there is a village shop just 5 minutes away for your morning newspaper - but go no further than the camp site cafe for your breakfast! We were camped by the small pond and used our nearest toilet block, which is 2 years old and definitely state of the art, with everything activated by sensors. And birdwatchers - take your binoculars. And there are also some lovely walks round the ponds and through the woods. The only drawback to this site is the lack of phone/wi-fi signal (although that would certainly enable you to get away from it all). Again, the cafe area seems to provide the answer as I believe a signal is generally available there. I am guessing it would be pretty busy in the high season, and children would have to be supervised as the lakes/ponds are not fenced in. There is a separate part of the camp site which has a playground and does not access directly onto a pond.
I'm 65 and I've used campsites in the UK and many other countries for more years than I care to remember, so I feel qualified to rate this campsite fairly - and my rating for this site has to be FANTASTIC.
The layout, the thoughtfulness that has gone into it's facilities (eg the torches that were left in the lodge for our use), the staff, the sheer beauty of the site, are the best I have ever encountered.
The main shower building is state of the art and would be more of the kind one would expect to find in a top hotel with underfloor heating huge shower cubicles and washrooms, and immaculately clean.
We will definitely come here again, soon.
One negative (and for many people these days it is a biggie) WiFi is only available in the cafe area - NOT all round the site. I find it really hard to understand how management that have obviously put so much thought into making this site so perfect in every other respect have failed to understand that many people are able to get away much more often if they have access to their email etc. While they are away, and that WiFi is an ESSENTIAL for many people. !
I stayed here with my two children last August and it was fantastic. We have booked to go again. There was a bit of miscommunication at the beginning regarding my reserved pitch, but the staff managed to sort it out and give me the one I had originally requested.
We stayed in Bluebell field which is fantastic for children. My two were able to roam freely to the playground and play with the other children as the Bluebell field has no open water, and if you pitch in the centre there are no roads to cross to get to the playground.
The washroom facilities were top-rate and the restaurant service & food were excellent.
The ONLY criticisms I have of the site are:-
1. The lack of WiFi to pitches. I agree with the previous poster that email is essential nowadays to many people who are trying to juggle work & holidaying with their children.
2. The shop should stock milk & bread at least at peak times. It makes a huge difference to campers to have access to fresh basic supplies on site.
3. The website could do with an overhaul - I have never been able to find the online booking system that I have been told exists! Sandy Balls, as an example, have an exceptionally good booking system that allows visitors to select and reserve their pitch.
Other than that, I would HIGHLY recommend this site :-)
We went to this site because we were looking for somewhere to use in the winter months for week-ends away and it seemed to fit the bill. We won't be visiting this site in the winter.
All the staff we met were very friendly and helpful and the site offers a great number of facilities but is spoilt by the following:-
*Poor road surfaces with many potholes.
*Unclear signage which leads you in the wrong direction when you're looking for reception.
*The pitches are too narrow for a large car and caravan.
*Several waterpoint taps were broken (something the warden looking after the field we were in seemed totally unaware of).
*Too much dog excrement around due to owners not picking it up and the site staff not clearing it up either.
*It feels 'low rent' when compared to Caravan Club and Camping & Caravan Club Sites. (even when taking into account this site is on a working farm.
If the above points were addressed this would make this site a whole lot nicer.
Stayed here for 5 nights with my 2 daughters and 3 grandchildren( they all stayed in a tent on adjacent pitch)in the ribbon field. This is our 4th year as a family.
Negatives first
Our stay started badly as the previous family were still packing up their unit at 1. 30. The pitch next to ours had chosen to put their tents right up to the pitch boundary so we felt obliged to set up our unit away so in fact lost half of our pitch.
They also had teenagers with them and were very noisy at night.
On our last evening new families moved in for the weekend with 2 teenagers insisting on throwing a baseball between pitches and at one time hit our car. Also run flashing torches through our pitch at night and frightened the young ones.
Also the 2 car pitch rule is ignored with some pitches having 3 or 4 cars.
Very noisy at the weekends when the weekend campers arrive!
Positives
The staff are really helpful and friendly
The shower blocks are kept to a very high standard and the music is a lovely idea.
Lots of safe walking and took the children through the woods to the village park
We all enjoyed the ride on the tractor land train that goes around the site then up through the woods
The children like the freedom to ride their bikes across the touring field
Hard to fault this site. Stayed for a week on Bluebell field which is geared toward families, there is a kids playground in the middle of the field and it has it's own washroom in full view so even young ones can wander safely. We initially thought that the field might be noisy at night with the playground but all the kids were back in their tents/caravans by nine and it was really quiet. Our three quickly found new friends and were very happy there. All the staff were friendly and efficient although I did hear a little grumbling about the long wait for food at the café on Sunday-a little short on staff I think. Washroom facilities were consistently clean and never overwhelmed even though the field was full over the weekend, showers were large and hot water plentiful. It is a shame that the on-site shop doesn't sell milk and newspapers-it's mainly a bait shop- it's not much further to the shop off site but you couldn't let young kids walk to it. Plenty to see out and about, visited Brighton, Worthing and Hever Castle which are all an easy drive away. This is a pretty, well-maintained site in a nice location(enjoying a drink overlooking the lake on a sunny afternoon here is hard to beat)that is well worth a visit.
This is the second time that we have visited Sumners Pond, having also visited in 2012. We returned because we love it there.
The site itself is lovely, very rural and on a working farm so you have to make allowances for the noise that comes with that. There is an on site shop and a lovely cafe on the lake.
The toilet and shower blocks are clean and each cubicle has a bench on which to put your belongings. The toilet blocks are well lit overnight and cleaned on a regular basis. The washing up facilities are kept clean and there is also a fridge freezer where you can store food if labelled if you don't have electrical hook up.
The pitches are spaced well apart, and staff generally helpful and friendly. One field has a children's play area that is not allowed to be used after dark in order to keep noise to a minimum.
The site is well placed, not far from the A24 and close to several family attractions.
I think that you pay slightly more than average for your pitch, but to me, you are absolutely paying for what you get. We are planning our next visit for summer 2014.
Just returned from a long weekend at this site. Its a gem, its fantastic !
We opted for the ' premium pitch' with water and electric, gravel pitch with turf area beside,
We had stunning weather while we were there, but the review of this site would be just as good no matter what time of year you go- its lovely
The site is well kept, well laid out, and on the level, and NO horrendous sloping pitches.
with several lakes on site. There is a lakeside cafe/ coffee shop which also serves local ale in the evening along with local musicians or singers providing live music if you wish while you take in the views of the lake, fishing seemed popular with well stocked carp lakes, there is also a kids play area, and woodland walks and loads of space generally.
If your kids cant swim I suggest they are not left unattended while 'playing' as the lakes are within the 'camping areas'.
Yes its not a 'cheap site' and the premium pitches make it a fair few quid more than a standard pitch but you get what you pay for,
The toilet block is out of this world, very well finished, and immaculate on every visit - it seems to be cleaned round the clock so its always spotless, it had masses of hot water and lovely large wet room showers and stuff, family rooms and disabled facilities are available too. Outside are plenty of washing up facilities - a nice touch is music in the block so you can enjoy a shower and listen to classical music!
There was laundry rooms with washing machines and dryers too.
Reception was well staffed and the wardens were helpful and nothing was too much trouble.
Ideally situated for trips out to slinfold, horsham, brighton, bognor regis and surrounding areas, this site is great.
This is by far the best quality site we have visited in England. You naturally pay a little bit more, but it is well worth the money. All other sites we have visited in the Sussex area don't seem to care about investing in the site and their amenities and instead rely upon people coming because of the picturesque settings. Most sites are simply a field and a portacabin toilet/shower if you are lucky. With Sumners Pond you get the same qualty of setting and services as you see in the high end French sites.
The site is set around four lakes and is in beautiful and peaceful countryside. The lakes are well stocked, competition grade and so attract a year round attendance, but I would say about half of the visitors were not fishing. However, because the lakes are so well stocked and the relaxed atmosphere it is a perfect place to let your kids try fishing for the first time. My son and cousins were fishing for their first time and must have caught over 30 fish during the two days we stayed.
The biggest shock and talking point was the quality of the toilets and showers. There are two or three toilet/shower blocks, but the one we used was between the Ribbon lake and the main lake. It was like walking into a toilet in a hotel. There is carpeting and underfloor heating. The showers are modern, hot and sensored controlled. Everywhere was spotlessly clean. And to top it off they have classical music playing as you shower. Not a muddy footprint or piece of rubbish in site. Amazing.
There is also a really nice cafe/restaurant/bar which serves good quality and reasonably priced food. In the shop you can buy the usual essentials such as gas, bread, milk, but also you can buy burgers and meat from their own herd of cows.
The staff are plentiful and friendly. Our kids loved going on a tractor ride with Simon which is well worth the £2. 50 charged. His son also came to our resce with a flat battery on our car when it was time to go.
The surrounding area is forests, farmland and nice little villages. There is a pub just the other side of he woods about 5inutes walk away. They serve really good quality food only slightly let down by the landlord's unfriendliness to children.
I could waffle on forever about the site, but I think you get the gist of it. My advice is book up now (well in advance) and see for yourself.
We stayed here for a sunny weekend at the very start of June. We went with friends who were in a tent, with their 8 year old who is partial to a spot of fishing as it my husband.
The most amazing facilities, the loos and showers were wonderfully clean with a large variety of classical music playing whenever you entered the building which was novel. The showers were lovely but a bit more of a spray than a shower though.
They fished from 3 swims all excellent and they caught loads of different fish. Crutian, Mirror, Common carp, Rudd, Tench. There is an excellent café on the waters edge with a fridge with meat and other supplies. The site is pricey but they appear to re-invest the cash into the site.
There did appear to be a field that had a children's playground which meant that we weren't bothered by children running about all day.
We would go again but would try and get a pitch on the waters edge, they were all booked when we tried to book one.
Just back from a 2 night stay at Sumner Ponds. We have never been here before and choose it for its reviews and location. Well it is fab. Clean, well planned and friendly. Although we did not fish, there is plenty to enjoy here, wildlife, walks, good views and immaculate facilities. The best we have ever used. Lovely. Staff are plentiful and helpful. We disliked our allocated pitch but this was exchanged immediately and happily. Great music in the café/ bar. Regular local bands. Beautiful setting on the lake. Good hot food serving breakfast, lunch and evening meals. Have decided to make this our local retreat. Brilliant.
We have been camping with them for the last 5 years, we are a really big family that usually books about 7 spaces, we love the beautiful views, the facilities are excellent; the only issue that we have and we are not going to be able to go back again is that they don't let groups book together and in their policy states if they find out that individuals have booked but they meet in the place as a group they'll be ask to leave.
I understand if it was a group of teenagers or a group of people looking to have a party but we are one big family (mums, dads, uncles, aunties grandparents and kids you get the idea) that looks forward to meet once a year and have a relaxing couple of days.
Not once in any of our stays we had an issue as our kids are well behaved and we are in bed the latest by 11 pm (adults).
I think Sumners ponds should have a better approach to families specially people that been camping with them for such a long time.
I'll really recommend this place is beautiful really well looked after and the toilets are completely amazing is such a shame that they are not flexible.
We went to Sumners Pond with another family. Our pitches were together in Ribbon Park. We were jammed up close to caravans and motorhomes which gave us no feeling of privacy. In fact, the caravan infront of us had brought their karaoke machine along and serenaded us all weekend (badly). This is a huge site, much much bigger than we had anticipated. I think if we had been pitched in Bluebell Park, then we might have had a more positive experience. However, we couldn't wait to escape to be honest.
Positives : lovely woodland adjacent to the site, great pub within walking distance, fantastic new loo block beyond Farm Pond
Negatives : very expensive, too tightly packed in, water tasted terribly of chlorine all weekend (we spent a fortune on bottled water), the lakes are open water in the middle of the campsite, the tractor and trailer rides hurtled round the site - I feel there will be an accident soon.
All in all, it felt like the Butlins of camping, which if that's what you are looking for, then great, but we wont be back.
The site was excellent. The staff very helpful and friendly. Was cold but still caught some fish. Restaurant and bar small and friendly. Food quality was very good especially the home reared steak. Have booked another lakeside pitch in July, looking forward to an enjoyable visit. Toilet shower block was the best I have ever come across on a camp site. Would recommend this site to everyone.
Stayed for a long weekend in Jan, rates were good as there was an extra 20% offer on for January.
Nice layout with plenty of trees & grass between units. Had an on site cafe which was nice to have, & a 5 min stroll to the village store & pub.
Toilet block was the best I've seen on any site I have stayed at, warm underfloor heating in the entire block, very nice when having a shower & it's snowing outside !. All the water taps are sensor so just wave your hand & they are on. Looking forward to visiting in the summer.
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Common Questions
Is Sumners Ponds Fishery And Campsite child friendly? YES, it accepts children & has a playground View all facilities
Where is the nearest shop to Sumners Ponds Fishery And Campsite? There is a shop within 1 mile View all facilities
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Tent Pitches 
Caravan Pitches 
Motorhome Pitches 
Small Campervans 
Glamping Units 
Holiday Homes for Hire 
Holiday Homes for Sale 
Seasonal Pitches 
Electric Hookups 
Hardstanding Pitches 
No Fully Serviced Pitches 
Families Welcome 
Not Members Only 
No Rallies 
Not Naturist Site 
Dogs Welcome 
No Dogs Allowed 
Groups Welcome 
Motorbikers Welcome 
Toilet Facilities 
Hot Showers 
Washing Up 
No Bathroom 
Baby Changing Facilities 
Laundry On Site 
Drinking Water 
Disabled Friendly 
Chemical Disposal 
No Battery Charging 
Gas Exchange 
No Recycling Facilities 
No Kitchen Facilities 
Freezer / Fridge 
Motorhome Point 
Wifi Access 
Shop <1 mile 
Bar On Site 
Restaurant or Cafe or Takeaway On Site 
Kids Playground 
No TV Room 
No Games Room 
Evening Entertainment 
Fishing On Site 
No Wild Swimming 
No Indoor Pool 
No Outdoor Pool 
Horse Riding <5 miles 
Cycle Hire <5 miles 
Golf <5 miles 
Tennis <1 mile 
No Beach 
Watersports <5 miles 
No Boat Launch 
No Sea Views 
Working Farm 
No Campfires Allowed 
Open All Year 
No Waterside Pitches 
Public Transport <1 mile
Offroad Dog Walk On Site or Direct Access 
This site is lovely - in fact we have just been back by car to visit the cafe for their savoury scone and cheese afternoon tea! This seems to be a 'community' camp site, with campers mingling with locals who eat in the cafe all year round, fishermen, who fish all year round, and, on one day, a group of model boat enthusiasts! The local pub opens at 6 pm for evening eating during the week, and there is a village shop just 5 minutes away for your morning newspaper - but go no further than the camp site cafe for your breakfast! We were camped by the small pond and used our nearest toilet block, which is 2 years old and definitely state of the art, with everything activated by sensors. And birdwatchers - take your binoculars. And there are also some lovely walks round the ponds and through the woods. The only drawback to this site is the lack of phone/wi-fi signal (although that would certainly enable you to get away from it all). Again, the cafe area seems to provide the answer as I believe a signal is generally available there. I am guessing it would be pretty busy in the high season, and children would have to be supervised as the lakes/ponds are not fenced in. There is a separate part of the camp site which has a playground and does not access directly onto a pond. 
