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Being someone that would prefer to stay in luxury and be pampered, but realising that my children are more important than me, I wanted a camp site that would offer something for all of us. I read the reviews, and was impressed by the generally positive feedback, so I decided to book for a weekend. We arrived to a happy face at reception, who was more than helpful. (Bring a chemical toilet, you will need it and it will be checked on arrival). We were given a map of the site and shown which areas were suitable for us, as we were in a tent. (use rock pegs at this site).
We drove around the site, which, although busy, seemed somewhat empty! We found a pitch that was a tents only pitch and set up. Although there were caravans all around us, the pitches are generally very private, so we did not feel like someone could see us all the time. Considering we stayed on the hottest weekend of the year, about 28 (82) degrees, the tree canopies gave great shade cover.
I was fully aware that there were no toilets or showers, but there are plenty of water outlets, sanitary disposal sites and bins dotted about, not next to pitches though. We had a pitch with electricity, which, given the heat, allowed us to keep the cool box on and a fan running as necessary.
The site is quiet and traffic is minimal. Although most pitches are near an on-site track, there is a sort of one way system around the site, so you don't have cars going back and forth all day.
Brockenhurst is an easy 5-10 mins away, where you can get all your shopping needs.
I noticed, on two occasions, a member of staff walking around, collecting rubbish, (although I didn't notice any), which, as a result, meant the site was very clean and tidy.
The disused railway line is ideal for younger children on bikes, so long as they don't fall off, (would graze/cut easily, due to the track material - crushed flint hardcore, like all Forest car parks), as it is obviously quite level. Depending on which way you go, you can get about 3 miles to the end and back. There are bits of the forest that are not too hilly too, for slightly more able children, then full off road for the more adventurous!
Noise at the site was minimal at peak times and very peaceful in the evenings. Check-out is at 12 noon, giving you plenty of time for breakfast, a walk or ride and time to pack up.
Would I return - Yes. Would I recommend the site - Yes. Are there any negatives about the site - None that I noticed, however, that could depend on the individual, (I like my children to have fun, but not scream whilst doing it, though some may prefer their children let it all out, this could have an impact, positive or negative, depending on what way you look at things). I have rated this site 10 out of 10, on the basis that the site is excellent, the facilities 10 out of 10 (although there is no toilet/shower, you are aware of this pre- booking, so I am rating on the known facilities), value 10 out of 10 (compare prices for other sites, just for the added shower/toilet), customer service 10 out of 10, (helpful on arrival), Children 10 out of 10 (safe, and usable site), overall 10 out of 10.
This was our second stay at Setthorns. It is set within The New Forest and has direct access to Setthorns Enclosure where you can walk for miles and miles. We come here because it has EHU which the other smaller Camping in the Forest sites do not. There are no toilet facilities or pot washing etc. But this doesn't bother us. It is good for children if they like walking, climbing the trees or riding a bike but there is no play area (again this does not bother us).
There are 2 downsides to this site which stop us from returning more often. 1. It is very expensive especially as there are no facilities except EHU which you pay extra for and 2. There are signs for dogs to be kept on leads but both times we have been there have been numerous dogs off lead around the site, especially around the caravans, so when we walk past we have dogs lunge at us or sniff around our dogs that are on leads! I have yet to see anyone be challenged about this by a warden, especially disappointing as there are many wardens/wardens caravans scattered around the site. If there are signs to keep dogs on leads-please enforce it, if not, take the signs down and let them all off leads!
Overall, the site is in a fabulous location, set in beautiful surroundings and accessible to lots of sightseeing but for us as a family that go caravanning for 6 weeks of the year and at least 15 weekends- if you lowered your price we would stay more often than just once a year and from talking to others we are not the only ones that feel that this site is far too pricey :(
We spent New Year's Eve at Setthorns and had a great stay. This was our first time camping in a 'minimal facilities' environment but we really liked this site and enjoyed our stay. The setting is beautiful - you're really in the forest camping under the trees - and there is an access point to a disused railway directly from the site. It's very dog friendly for this reason and there were lots of them around. We found the staff to be really friendly and helpful (we were a bit worried about whether our sockets were working ok. And they lent us a mains tester to check). There isn't anything around at all from the site but that was fine with us. We stopped in a Tesco on the way and had everything prepared for a relaxing night with a bottle of wine. Oh, it is very very dark at night. There is very little camp lighting which would be great for star gazing on a clear night but a bit of a pig for dog walking in the rain when the knob's come off your wind up torch! Little black dog felt even more ninja than usual running around in the pitch black.
Overall we really liked this site. As long as you're prepared and you've got an onboard toilet / water tank etc it's a very peaceful picturesque settling for a short break.
Used this site as we found it difficult to find a site that is open and had available pitches with mains hook-up. The lack of showers/toilets is not a problem for us as we always use our own facilities anyway. We were delighted with the site, we chose a select pitch as they are quoted as a bit bigger than the others.
The site is quiet and peaceful, can't imagine if could feel crowded even when full as there is so much space. Despite all the recent rain (two local roads were closed due to flooding below rail bridges) the hard standings provide a dry space on which to park. Having read previous reviews we took a club hammer to drive in rock pegs for the awning so had no problem, a normal mallet would not have worked. We are members of the C&C Club which gave a a discount making the site fees very cheap for such a great site.
The staff on site are welcoming and helpful but not obtrusive. If you want peace quite and space 'in the woods' this is a wonderful site. We will return.
We settled on Setthorns because it was the only 'Camping in the Forest' site open after October. No showers or toilets but does have EHU.
'Camping in the Forest's sites are now run by the CC&C but non-members can stay.
Setthorns has four separate areas:
The Brow at the top of the hill which is fairly open and thus sunny and breezy
Set Oaks which is tents only and is a grassy area browsed by horses
Oaken Bottom which is in the valley, damp and muddy in the Winter, but the pitches are secluded
Pine Top on the hill which is, obviously, amongst pines. Is a little regimented compared with Set Oaks
High Top which is designated as 'select' because each pitch has a you picnic table
The Brow and Pine Top are near the road so traffic noise is noticeable.
If you like being in woods and enjoy watching wildlife, but don't like being in regimented rows, then this site is for you.
There are superb walks and cycles within walking distance at the Wilverley Inclosure and Setthorns Inclosure itself. And across the road are superb 'lawn's and heathland to walk on.
What a beautiful site. We stayed in the Select section and choose our own pitch. Loads of room and a picnic table. We only stayed 2 nights wished we could of stayed longer. Lots of walks and villages to explore we will be back very soon. Had a lovely meal in the Fox and Hounds Lyndhurst lovely staff and proper home cooked food. Market in Lymington on a Saturday well worth a visit. Beaulieu was very good don't forget to print money off vouchers for kids to go free as it is quite expensive. £9. 95 for 4-12 years but they go free with a paying adult if you have a voucher. We saw the Bond cars, and had a ghost talk in the lounge of the Palace House as it was halloween. Setthorns is so well situated for exploring the whole of the New Forest and so peaceful to come back to. Just remember you need a toilet with you as no toilets or showers.
Fantastic site, despite the size it never felt big, in fact it felt like you were almost alone most of the time. The pitches were spaced amongst the trees, big pitches too! Three types of pitch, standard which is just a pitch. Premium is a pitch with electric hook up, and select which is the same as premium but with your own picnic table. There are no toilets or showers on site, despite this the site was full for several of the days we were there.
There are plenty of walks directly from the site, either in woodland or out in the open among the heather, bracken and ponies. The village of Brockenhurst is just a few miles away, easy to reach by car or bike. The high street still has a good selection of shops covering pretty much anything you might need during your stay.
We also loved the village of Burley and its witch and mystically themed shops, horse and cart rides and a good pub to have a meal.
The Setthorns wardens were welcoming and friendly and the site was very well kept. Having the caravan tucked into the woods is fantastic, as is the dawn chorus! If like us you are wary of big sites, please do not discount Setthorns, you would be denying yourself a fantastic camping experience.
We travelled down from South Wales to the New Forest and passed through some beautiful quaint villages, with ponies everywhere, they really do dominate, some really outstanding views. The area itself was very busy, but you can expect that in the south of England, but there's plenty of space for everyone. We spent one night here while travelling around the south west, I had taken time to choose a good site, as I was looking forward to visiting the New Forest. We arrived about 2pm, were told the areas we could choose from and were left to look for our own pitch, we chose a pitch near the cycle path down the bottom amongst the oaks, a beautiful spot, very secluded, even with vans and tents around you. We had a flat pitch with electric, no toilets or showers on site, but we knew that, which was no problem with the van.
Very short walk off the site onto the common, but the walk starts as you leave the van really, there's no real distinction. Fantastic walks on open heathlands and deep wooded areas, on the way back I met a deer on the path through the site, and loads of squirrels and birds all around. I loved it and was in my element but it's not for everyone, my husband just couldn't see the appeal, and wasn't taking long smoking out side once it got dark, he said there were some very strange noises coming from the trees!, when it's dark it's dark, but as planned we moved on the next day so he could find some nice cafes and shops ( he's not a nature lover). I would go back tomorrow for a longer stay and would love a stay in the winter with the frosty mornings.
The camp site is open all year, and the area is great for walking, cycling and horse riding, it would be a great place to bring a young family.
My boyfriend booked a Redletter Day cowboy experience riding in the New Forest, and we decided to make the most of our trip by spending a couple of nights camping out under the stars.
It was our first real camping experience, so we were both feeling a little nervous about it, but Setthorns Campsite made it truly unforgettable. For all the right reasons.
The campsite is absolutely gorgeous, you really are 'camping in the forest' here. It was quite breathtaking being surrounded by such beautiful nature, there is plenty of wildlife; birds, squirrels, rabbits bobbing about. My favourite moment was waking up to a mare and foal grazing just outside out tent. So cute!
When we arrived, one of the wardens (who was a real character, lovely guy!) checked out our chemical toilet. Oh yes! You have to bring you own as there are no toilets on site, and they don't allow you entry to the site without one. I was a little daunted by this prospect, having never camped before, but it wasn't actually an issue (because I whimped out and only used the local pubs' toilets!. Bladder of steel, mine). If you're an experienced camper, you won't be put off by chemical toilets, and Ray Mears would be proud of you, but I was a little out of my league. However, I chose this site over others (that had WCs & showers) for the seclusion and natural beauty it promised, and that was certainly worth bringing our own toilet for! -We picked up a real cheapy, the 'KampaKhazi' (someone had fun naming that bad boy. ) for about £15 from amazon. P. S They have chemicals on site that you can pick up from reception.
There must have been 5 or 6 other tents pitched - ranging in various sizes, we were definitely the smallest! The wardens advise that you pitch at least 6m from anther tent, but this wasn't even an issue as there was plenty of room, despite it being a bank holiday weekend. The other campers were very friendly, and were never a disturbance.
I obviously don't have experience with other camps, but I was surprised that it wasn't more packed with campers. I'm guessing this little patch of heaven isn't known to many, otherwise it would be a lot busier.
By the second night, they had all vacated, and we were tucked away, in our tiny two-man tent all on our own. It was bliss, we felt as though we had the whole campsite to ourselves as we couldn't even hear the people in the motorhome/caravan areas. It didn't even feel as though we were on a campsite, more like we'd just pitched a tent in the woods.
The cowboy experience was run by Burley Villa School of Riding, and was great fun, I recommend it to everyone. Suitable for beginners such as my boyfriend, and even for experienced riders like myself. It was a joy to ride out in the forest, through streams and amongst the ponies with their foals. Again, everyone on the yard were fantastic, really friendly people who just made it even more fun! And it's only 5miles from the campsite, if that.
Biking in the area is very accessible as are the walking trails. My only wish is that we'd brought the dog!
We only tried a couple of local pubs, one in Sway called the Hare and Hounds (I'd rate it two thumbs up), but I would highly recommend The Snakecatcher in Brockenhurst. They have a Hot Rocks menu, which translates to. Your meat is brought out sizzling on a slab of volcanic rock and you cook it yourself. It just HAS to be tried. They also have a pool table and dart board so there's light entertainment too.
The only thing I would avoid where possible are the local taxis, we didn't have much luck with them. They're very expensive (£20 for a round trip to Brockenhurst) and one driver who didn't know where the Setthorns campsite was, offered to take us to Hollands Wood instead - there's offering alternatives, but that just wasn't helpful!
Overall. We had the best experience, and that was mainly due to the campsite feeling so inviting. It was an ideal getaway, super clean, super quiet, and super stunning.
I hope you all have an excellent time here, because we certainly did!
Returned yesterday from a stay of nearly two weeks here, the site was lovely, really peaceful and kept spotlessly clean, we saw a warden picking up rubbish every morning and occasionally in the evenings as well.
It was a dog walkers paradise with dogs outnumbering people it seemed. It was really nice to be able to walk straight into the forest from our caravan. Despite it being in the woods our van had lots of sun (when it did choose to shine) but we were also sheltered, it did rain heavily but the site was not muddy, it was well drained and had gravel roads so you didn't tramp too much mud indoors.
As others have said there was loads of wildlife; squirrels, deer, ponies of course, donkeys, cows, loads of different birds, (I saw woodpeckers for the first time) frogs and toads, and probably loads of things I missed.
The site does not have toilets or showers and so I was pleased to be in a caravan with our own shower, but there are lots of water points and so only had to move water a few yards. There are no other facilities but there is a payphone which was useful as 3 network is non existent in that area, and thay had a well stocked information board with useful local phone numbers, such as doctors, vets etc.
Wardens were helpful and friendly, despite one couple being there only two weeks, they tried to help us out with local knowledge.
We had a great time and so did our collie. Would love to return very soon, possibly in the winter, I expect it is spectacular then.
The children all seemed to love the freedom and it was great to see them playing 'real' games, using their imagination, building dens, and exploring the forest, they could have adventures whilst still being in shouting distance from their caravans.
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Common Questions
Is Setthorns Camping In The New Forest child friendly? YES, it accepts children View all facilities
Where is the nearest shop to Setthorns Camping In The New Forest? There is a shop within 5 miles View all facilities
Is Setthorns Camping In The New Forest dog friendly? YES 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 
No Statics for Hire 
No Statics 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 
No Toilets 
No Showers 
No Washing Up Area 
No Bathroom 
No Baby Changing 
No Laundry 
Drinking Water 
Disabled Friendly 
Chemical Disposal 
No Battery Charging 
No Gas Exchange 
Recycling Facilities 
No Kitchen Facilities 
No Freezer / Fridge 
No Motorhome Point 
No Wifi Access 
Shop <5 miles 
Bar <1 mile 
Restaurant or Cafe or Takeaway <1 mile 
No Playground 
No TV Room 
No Games Room 
No Evening Ents 
Fishing <5 miles 
No Wild Swimming 
No Indoor Pool 
No Outdoor Pool 
Horse Riding <5 miles 
No Cycle Hire 
No Golf 
No Tennis 
Beach <10 miles 
Watersports <10 miles 
Boat Launch / Mooring <10 miles 
No Sea Views 
Not Working Farm 
No Campfires Allowed 
Open All Year 
No Waterside Pitches 
Public Transport <5 miles
Offroad Dog Walk On Site or Direct Access 
Being someone that would prefer to stay in luxury and be pampered, but realising that my children are more important than me, I wanted a camp site that would offer something for all of us. I read the reviews, and was impressed by the generally positive feedback, so I decided to book for a weekend. We arrived to a happy face at reception, who was more than helpful. (Bring a chemical toilet, you will need it and it will be checked on arrival). We were given a map of the site and shown which areas were suitable for us, as we were in a tent. (use rock pegs at this site). 
