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I stayed at this site twice in September, each stay for a couple of nights (just me and a smallish tent). The school holidays had finished, as had the glorious summer, so the site was very quiet with maybe 15 tents/motorhomes spread over the large area available. Facilities were clean and modern. I noticed an older building but did not use any facilities there - not even sure whether they were open. The 'camp where you like' policy suited me fine and pitching was reasonably level, grass cropped short and pegs went in without a fight. The site is a good few hundred metres from the main road and thus pleasantly quiet. During the day, a steam locomotive chugged through the site every few hours. Very nice! The campsite shop is well stocked with a good choice of food and basic camping supplies. The owner is friendly and helpful. I was there mainly to catch a ride on the paddle steamer Waverley, the last sea-going paddle steamer in the world. It now calls at Swanage pier during its South coast activities each year. Swanage is a characterful seaside town a few miles down the road and Corfe Castle is about a mile in the other direction from the site. I will be using this site again.
I decided to find a site for a 2 week break in Purbeck - I wasn't looking for the sort of facilities you find in a holiday camp, I just wanted somewhere quiet to pitch my tent, with good toilets and showers and an on site shop for all the things I consistently forget to buy. Woodyhyde fits the bill exactly.
I booked a pitch with EHU which meant that I had the choice of 2 of the 3 fields. There aren't marked pitches which offers flexibility but can also cause a few problems. I spent some time finding the right pitch and the one I chose was on a gentle slope. The grass was well maintained and free of stones and anything else which could damage my groundsheet.
The steam railway that goes right past the site is something which I found captivating - too many years of Thomas the Tank Engine I guess.
There are two shower blocks both of which are chargeable but the price was a small amount to pay for clean showers with loads of hot water. I would agree with the comments about making sure you are careful not to put your clothes in the line of fire when the shower goes on.
The only problem I had was down to the lack of marked out pitches and I think could happen anywhere. I normally park the car on the right hand side of the tent. One morning I went out and when I came back there was a tent where my car was before - it was only 4 or 5 feet from my tent. Luckily the pitching area is quite deep and there was room to park the car in front of the tent. The only inconvenience was the fact that the people in the next tent could snore for England but thankfully they only stayed a couple of nights.
There's lots to see around the site either on foot, on the bus, on the train or by car. Corfe Castle is a short walk across the nearby common and it has some great pubs which do really good food.
I have to say I really enjoyed my time at Woodyhyde - I have already booked to go back for 2 weeks in May 2014 and 3 in August.
Just had 2 fab weeks camping, good clean site and facilities, friendly owner, very helpful about local area, good stocked shop of camping needs, will be going back next year. Other campers were really friendly and my son made friends easily, toilet blocks were clean and never full, always easy to find a empty shower or toilet when needed. Local area really good. Swanage only 5 miles away, stream train runs along back of camp, only a 15 min walk to nearest train station, if using the train buy your tickets from shop on site as you save nearly half on price tickets
We stayed here for four nights in August 2013. After reading all the reports of 'Mr Grumpy' I wasn't surprised to get few words out of him. My wife tells me he was quite chatty though.
The site was exactly what we were looking for, clean and well maintained. The shop had all the bits you'd expect, including the useful freezer pack hire. Our only gripe was the token system for the showers. All of the other camp sites we have visited gave you free use of the showers, so this was unexpected.
There's loads to do in the area. We went to the castle (National Trust members are free), drove to Swanage for the beach and had a return journey on the steam train. We also went to Monkey World and a quick tour of the coastal attractions. Need a lot more than 4 days to fully explore though!
Firstly I have to say many thanks to UKCampsite.co.uk and the reviews without them we wouldn't have had such a great time.
Woodyhyde is a good campsite for the price. It is well positioned if you want to explore the area by car or as others have said you can walk to Corfe by a National Heritage walk. (stay on the top of the ridge though
If you do walk as we went the wrong way on our first attempt and had to turn back. If you do get to Corfe there is a great taxi that will get you back for £5 their number is on side of reception/shop.
The showers in new block are clean warm but follow the advice of the other reviews and make sure your clothes are behind the little wall. We left our shoes right in the corner at end of block they stayed dry there.
The owner does have a very good sense of humour and is very helpful so don't be put off speaking to him. The shop seems to have everything you would need but did find some basic foods were cheaper from your big supermarkets. We found a Budgens in Swanage and a Sainsburys in Wareham.
One thing we wished the site had was a children's area as the kids tended to play around their tents and our daughter didn't have a chance to meet friends as she has done at other sites.
Set in 15 acres of breathtaking countryside,right next door to the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, this site offers stunning views of the Chesil Bank, Fleet Lagoon, and Lyme Bay. Welcoming tents, motorhomes and caravans, this family friendly site offers spacious grass pitches with or without electric. For kids there's an outdoor heated swimming pool, 3 acre playing area including slides, swings and more.
Facilities include toilets, showers, washing up, launderette, and WifI. There is an onsite shop and off-licence. The Bar in the Barn at the site serves a delicious food and offers a variety of entertainment, including live music. As well as the attractions of Weymouth's beach and harbour, this is a great base to explore family attractions throughout South and West Dorset. Find out more here
We arrived on sunny bank holiday weekend. The site was full!
There is no 'organized' pitches so you can just find a space where you like. Field 1 is electric hook ups & the Swanage train track is along side the field - great for kids young & old. Field 3 is dog free which was great for us.
The new shower block & older toilet block are in the middle of the site & were never busy enough that you had to queue. Considering this was bank holiday weekend & the site was full we were very impressed by how tidy & clean the facilities were. I had an occasion to visit the loos at 1 in the morning & met the cleaning contractors & there were there again at 6am & 11am.
As mentioned in other reviews, there is a bit of a design fault in the new shower block, but lets not get too hung up on it. Yes a shower curtain & some hooks in the shower would be great but guys, you are camping not visiting a hotel!
The shop is very well stocked for everything you might have forgotten & enough goodies for a fry up, or BBQ. They have an extensive beer, wine & cider collection in a large fridge ready for that evening of doing nothing.
Although the shop opening times seem limited, they will stay open for as long as there are customers coming through the door.
Great site & we would come again.
We used the site as a base to visit the local sites.
Corfe is less than an hours ramble away over the fields(note - stay on the left when you get to the road) The castle is worth a visit & the taxi costs about £5 back. Great pubs!
Brownsea is nearby too. Use the chain ferry rather than going round to Poole. It's quicker & you can park on the streets nearby before catching the foot ferry to the island.
Swanage. Beautiful clean beach, the pier is worth a visit & the town itself is lovely.
I have been to this site many times I used to go with my parents when I was little. This time I went with my husband and two girls. Since I last went proper tracks have been laid to drive on throughout the site and pitches have been allocated for those wanting electric hookup. Also a new shower block has been built which excited me because the old block was a bit dark and was just as it used to be 30 years ago! Unfortunately the new showers are badly designed as the water sprays everywhere nowhere to put your clothes to keep them dry, the water from the next cubicle flows into yours, then yours flows into the next one and so on. I found that particularly gross having other people's muck swishing round my feet! At one point it was ankle depth in my cubicle! From then on I decided to use the old showers which were much better. The water sprayed in pretty much the right direction and you don't have to suffer others muck! The loos and showers are cleaned by contract cleaners but I think they need to be a bit more thorough the back of toilets need cleaning too not just the seat and bowl. Plenty of loo roll though much more than there ever used to be!
Pitches are nice and flat and a good size and if you don't want electric you can spread out as much as you want!
Some have commented on the owner, yes at first I thought he was a miserable so and so but once you get him chatting he's really nice and you can't shut him up! The shop on site is great sells everything you could possibly need.
Overall it's a really picturesque site with the Swanage Steam Railway running across the top of the site.
I was here from 16-19 August. Unlike a previous reviewer, I did not find the campsite noisy. I think it is a sheer question of luck who is pitched in your field and when. I also don't agree that it is a bad thing not to have regimented pitches. I much prefer to choose my own pitch and it also makes it easier for groups of friends and families to be near to each other. Again, if you are hemmed in by selfish campers, that is probably a one-off question of bad luck- it has never happened to us over the years. As most other previous reviewers say, the new showers are very disappointing. Apart from water going all over the place, there wasn't much pressure and they weren't very hot; however, I realise this is pretty subjective. So just stick to the old shower block or make sure everything is in plastic bags! We weren't with children, but I noticed there are low lus for kids, which is a good idea. As for the owner, I don't think it really matters that he is not exactly effusive - it's not as though he's a guest at your dinner party! If you don't need electrics, to my mind field 3 is the best, with lovely views. If you are a walker the location is excellent, as you can walk straight from the site. All in all, I would thoroughly recommend Woodyhyde.
We've just returned from this site having spent 4 nights there.
I choose a family site on the basis that most families go to bed early and get up early which suits us. This way we (hopefully) get little noise with groups sitting up all night laughing, etc.
Well, it sort of worked out how we expected BUT the amount of noise was actually incredible until about 10pm.
There is no organisation regarding where you pitch your tent and as a consequence it can feel a bit like a refugee camp! We were totally hemmed in by tents and had to squeeze through the smallest of gaps to get out this morning.
The showers are as previous posts state. Adequate but really poorly thought out. Even the hooks where you hang your clothes are really high (no chance for younger children having an independent shower and hanging their clothes up). The toilets were really bad. Not only are they old, but they are dirty and smelly. They do flush (always a bonus) and there was always plenty of loo roll.
The shop is good and has some very thoughtful products in it (calpol, antihistamine).
Would I go back? Well, the area is outstanding and in the dead of night all you can hear are some fabulous owls tooting out their territory. But personally I would not go back. It was just too noisy with too many unruly children running around (I recall a screaming competition with the parents laughing at the event. )! A good cheap option if you just want your kids to run wild and to sit back and watch.
I'm now back on the quest in finding a quiet campsite for boring couples like ourselves! Any suggestions please?
We stayed here for four nights ! We booked in then went and choose a pitch! Luckily it was big enough to house our tent we had EHU! with a nice view of the railway which the children enjoyed !
My one gripe was the showers and toilets not the best I don't mind paying for a shower if it was decent and the doors to the toilets you could actually lock would be good, also the washing up area is not covered so in the rain you would have got soaked !
Would go back to this sight but couldn't do a week good for a long weekend !
Set in 15 acres of breathtaking countryside,right next door to the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, this site offers stunning views of the Chesil Bank, Fleet Lagoon, and Lyme Bay. Welcoming tents, motorhomes and caravans, this family friendly site offers spacious grass pitches with or without electric. For kids there's an outdoor heated swimming pool, 3 acre playing area including slides, swings and more.
Facilities include toilets, showers, washing up, launderette, and WifI. There is an onsite shop and off-licence. The Bar in the Barn at the site serves a delicious food and offers a variety of entertainment, including live music. As well as the attractions of Weymouth's beach and harbour, this is a great base to explore family attractions throughout South and West Dorset. Find out more here
I chose this site as it suited my needs perfectly - fantastic location, proximity of the Swanage Railway and a good price. I had intended to stay four nights but extended it to five because there was so much to see and do in the surrounding area.
I arrived on Monday an hour before Reception opened and chose a pitch with EHU on the field adjacent to the railway line. It had hardstanding with a water pipe near by and a nice grassy spot beside it.
The whole site was pretty quiet so I checked out the facilities. The old shower block was perfectly serviceable but the showers there are no longer free and you need to buy a token which gives 4 mins for 40p. There are way more toilets in the old block than the new and also more shelves and hooks to put your stuff when using the wash basin. The new shower block was a bit of a disappointment as the cubicles lack anywhere to put your shower gel etc and the water sprays out into the drying area so you have to make sure your clothes are well tucked away behind the dividing wall or they get soaked. You can't adjust the temperature or the flow and get 4 mins weather you want it or not. This is something the owner definitely needs to address and some minor adjustments would make the whole experience much more satisfactory. This is the only negative thing I have to say about the site and I managed to stay clean in spite of the limitations!
The wash up area is outside the shower blocks and there was plenty of hot water but it would be very exposed in the rain as there is no cover. The CDP was fine and did the job.
The owner/Receptionist has quite a deadpan sense of humour and you sense he would probably rather not be in a 'customer facing roll' but I found him helpful and pleasant enough. I didn't use the shop but noted it was well stocked with the basics as well as beer and wine at very reasonable prices. It was open for an hour twice a day while I was there except the last evening when the site was busy and it was open for longer.
The highlight fo me was seeing the steam and diesel trains pass the site and the access to wonderful inland and coastal walking. I would definitely return to this site and recommend to others but I hope they tweak the showers.
Very nice, relaxed site in a beautiful location. Stayed for four nights.
Three fields, on two of which dogs are allowed, and no marked pitches so you can take your time to look around and find your ideal pitch. Some areas are mildly sloping but not to the extent it causes any problems or discomfort. Water posts dotted around so never too far to walk.
Shop is well stocked and reasonably priced and ice blocks are available to rent. Opening hours are one hour morning, one hour early evening but in reality it tends to stay open longer. The man in the shop can appear rather introverted but actually is quite chatty and funny if you give him the chance!
Showers are 40p for 4mins (tokens from the shop). While clean they do have a few defects: water spray takes up the whole cubicle so you have to wait for them to stop before drying and dressing, showers cannot be adjusted (flow or temp) and in many the hooks are broken so nowhere to place clothes / towels when using them (unless left outside or on the wet floor). Also no seats to get dressed which may be an issue for seniors or infirm. Toilets clean and perfectly ok.
Coastal walks are spectacular and inland walks into Corfe and to the Square & Compass (in Worth Matravers) are a must. The location is ideal for exploring the whole south Dorset region, with stunning scenery and picture-postcard villages at every turn. Durdle Door is one of many recommended local sights.
Steam railway runs adjacent to field one but this just add to the charm, and the train is a lovely sight rumbling through each day.
Other than the showers this site is pretty much perfect and we'll definitely be returning.
Booked adjacent pitches for our m/h (with EHU) and our friends' tent for the last weekend of the spring half term holiday. This was no problem through the web site and the proprietor helpfully e-mailed the dimensions of the railway bridge (9ft wide by 10. 5ft high) before we booked. It was a tight fit for our low-profile X250-based coachbuilt - had to fold the mirrors to get through - but not too difficult. Check in was efficient - cards are accepted - and the man in charge seemed chatty and helpful. Shop stock is quite extensive including reasonably priced wine and beer, as well as anything you might require for barbecues (which are permitted). Although the advertised opening hours are relatively short, it seemed to be open for longer in practice.
We were allocated a stoned and almost level pitch for the m/h and our friends had a gently sloping pitch opposite. The great joy of Woodyhyde is the presence of the Swanage Railway along the northern boundary of the site. Steam and diesel trains passed frequently - the sight of children rushing to wave to the crew and passengers every time a whistle was heard was delightful.
The new shower block does have issues. At the time of our visit the drainage was inefficient so users had to make sure all their gear was off the floor, wait for the generous 4 min or so of (decently warm) water to finish flowing and then for the cubicle to drain out through the doorway. The nice looking chrome hooks had mostly been broken, making it more difficult to keep stuff out of the flood. If it all worked properly, 40p would be a fair price.
We had a fine weekend and enjoyed several of the walks mentioned by others. The Square and Compass is worth the effort and the Coast Path - at least the bits we did - spectacular.
I agree with most of the other reviews - it is a lovely site in lovely surroundings - but. If you value a good shower, for which you now have to pay 40p in both blocks, you should know that in the new toilet block he has got the design badly wrong: the shower head, which you can't reach to adjust, is set so that that the shower sprays strongly into the area where you hang your clothes, dry yourself and change. This means that you have to wait in the very small space until the shower finishes - there are no controls - which is about ten minutes, as there is no room to dry yourself and put on your clothes without everything getting wet. My wife's shoes and dressing gown in fact got quite wet.
This may seem rather nit - picking and I don't want to be negative but in our cold climate the one thing you want when camping is a nice hot shower before you go to bed. This is quite impossible and we don't want to go back there unless things are improved. I did want to say all this personally to the owner/manager but he wasn't around on the afternoon we left.
Another strange thing is that in the new block he has put just 2 toilets and a dozen or more showers. I would imagine that at busy times there will be queues!
I think the old block will still be OK, but you will now have to pay in that block as well as he is changing those showers too to pay ones.
Having experienced several French sites where you never have this problem it is a great pity that we can't do it better and more professionally. I would hope therefore that someone will say something to him - although I am not sure he will take it on board.
I've been frequenting this site for years, solely for weekend use, and feel it's about time I left a review. We met up with friends over the end of May BH weekend and for once caught some sunny weather. A real bonus after our weekend here last year in early July when were drowned out after five inches of rain in one night! (Incidentally the only time I've ever given up and gone home).
For us, a big plus for this site is that they don't seem to do bookings, even over a BH weekend. This does mean it can be a bit hit and miss for space, but ideal if you want to turn up as a group last minute, there's is usually loads of room anyway.
The owner is never going to win any charm awards but he's actually quite friendly and chatty if treated with care. The site has a great feel since it does allow group camps to form with the associated noise. Ball games, frisbees and bikes are permitted and since one of the key attractions is the steam railway line running alongside there will be plenty of kids running around.
The pitching area is well maintained, level and plenty of surrounding trees for shelter. One of the three fields is dog free so those of us who fail to see the attraction of keeping a domesticated pack animal as a pet can BBQ outside in peace and don't have to zip up the tent every time we take a walk. There is a new shower block (40p token) and an older free toilet/shower block which is still perfectly serviceable. There is a well stocked shop and some electric hook ups too.
Corfe Castle is only a 30 minute walk. The Square and Compass at Worth Matravers does some excellent cider and the Purbeck coastal scenery is awesome, you must visit Dancing Ledge for starters.
If you're into walking try this: Start at the campsite and head into Corfe. Then up and over Nine Barrow Hill to Studland for lunch at The Banks. Then across to Old Harry Rocks and on to Swanage for the afternoon. You can then either catch the train back to Harmans Cross or continue the walk back along the coast to Dancing Ledges. Head for The Globe then along the coast to Worth Matravers before dropping back down to Woodyhyde. That is one of my favourite all day walks for scenery, wildlife (sand lizzards and dolphins included) and plenty of pubs along the way!
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Common Questions
Is Woodyhyde Campsite child friendly? YES, it accepts children View all facilities
Where is the nearest shop to Woodyhyde Campsite? 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 
No Caravans 
Motorhome Pitches 
Small Campervans 
Glamping Units 
No Statics for Hire 
No Statics for Sale 
No 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 
No Laundry 
Drinking Water 
Disabled Friendly 
Chemical Disposal 
No Battery Charging 
Gas Exchange 
Recycling Facilities 
No Kitchen Facilities 
No Freezer / Fridge 
Motorhome Point 
Wifi Access 
Shop On Site 
Bar <1 mile 
Restaurant or Cafe or Takeaway <1 mile 
No Playground 
No TV Room 
No Games Room 
No Evening Ents 
Fishing <1 mile 
No Wild Swimming 
No Indoor Pool 
No Outdoor Pool 
Horse Riding <1 mile 
No Cycle Hire 
Golf <1 mile 
No Tennis 
Beach <1 mile 
Watersports <1 mile 
Boat Launch / Mooring <5 miles 
No Sea Views 
Not Working Farm 
No Campfires Allowed 
No Waterside Pitches 
Public Transport <1 mile
Offroad Dog Walk On Site or Direct Access 
I stayed at this site twice in September, each stay for a couple of nights (just me and a smallish tent). The school holidays had finished, as had the glorious summer, so the site was very quiet with maybe 15 tents/motorhomes spread over the large area available. Facilities were clean and modern. I noticed an older building but did not use any facilities there - not even sure whether they were open. The 'camp where you like' policy suited me fine and pitching was reasonably level, grass cropped short and pegs went in without a fight. The site is a good few hundred metres from the main road and thus pleasantly quiet. During the day, a steam locomotive chugged through the site every few hours. Very nice! The campsite shop is well stocked with a good choice of food and basic camping supplies. The owner is friendly and helpful. I was there mainly to catch a ride on the paddle steamer Waverley, the last sea-going paddle steamer in the world. It now calls at Swanage pier during its South coast activities each year. Swanage is a characterful seaside town a few miles down the road and Corfe Castle is about a mile in the other direction from the site. I will be using this site again. 
