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If its peace and quiet you desire this is the place to be whether single, a couple or a family
The land is welcoming and certainly exceptionally beautiful. I found the peace in myself I was searching for for a long while
It's natural warm and the hospitality is amazing
The land owner goes above and beyond to make sure your stay is most enjoyable, a really lovely Lady most welcoming,
The sites and sounds of the site and surrounding forests are absolutely stunning, amazing, sure to make your stay a memorable experience of warmth and happiness
I absolutely LOVE this place. Within one night I decided I am staying here for the season and beyond.
Where to start?!
So the peace and the views are unmatched. Where else do you get to wake up to acres of equine pastures and forest beauty?
As a single woman I haven't felt quite so safe before (even in so-called APNR gated places) and have had the best nights sleep. There is a gated and padlocked entrance and strict adherence to the rules.
People here are so friendly and helpful and the Owner Teresa can't do enough for you to help you fit in. She even arranged for her friend to help me move for which I was extremely thankful.
She ensures people stick to the rules and do not make a mess or noise.
The quiet is almost deafening but the occasional bark of a deer or fox wandering on to the fields which are left to grow naturally is just heaven, along with the occasional whinnying of the gorgeous horses on here. (Well to me anyways!)
No 'happy campers' with screaming kids, noisy parties and no respect for nighttime peace.
We're allowed to have a fire or BBQ, (with care) and we have more than enough electric and water included in the price (yes really!) The amenities are fully available, warm, comfortable and clean.
Seeing some of the pithy comments in here makes me shake my head. Let me say, it's RUSTIC camping. The clue is in the name! Don't expect toilet paper, fancy soaps and shower gels and breakfast served in bed. It's not meant to be a 5-star hotel. But the toilet and shower room provided are cleaned every day, warm and dry. Again, if you want a gold plated toilet seat on which to rest your weary butt. Go to a hotel!
Location?
Epping Forest is stunning. So many walks and beauty, you wouldn't know you are really close to the M25, Waltham Abbey and the beautiful Essex countryside with loads to do, shops and access to London, as well as villages that look like they should be in Cornwall!
Not knowing Essex much at all I have been so surprised at what is available. Do yourself a real favour and come stay. You wont regret it. via mobile
Not a great experience - if Rustic means paying £35 pn with no electric, no toilet paper, no rubbish facilities and sleeping in between long term noisy caravan / van renters, then this site is not for you!
We were told the field had not been cut but we wern't told this before we arrived and it looked as thought it hadn't been cut this year.
A quiet spot with an open view may have made the stay more acceptable.
I stayed at this site over the weekend with a large group. It was chosen as it is only 3 miles from the nearest London tube stop, with taxis available.
They allow campfires (on the ground) and are located very close to Epping Forest and a nearby pub with decent food.
It has quite a rural feel to it, and is surrounded by hedges, fields and horses.
Dogs are permitted.
The combination lock allows you to come and go as you wish.
There is electric hook up, cold water tap, chemical waste disposal, toilets and a single shower.
When we arrived the grass was thigh high, and wet from recent rain. Within a short time we were soaking. The ground is bumpy.
No part of the field had been mown.
There was an adjacent car parking area, and cars or camper vans are permitted onto the grassed area. We were warned that in very wet weather cars have got stuck.
As a group we were pretty much left to our own devices and I had minimal interaction with anyone from the site.
Apparently it has been running for some time, but little effort or thought has been put into it as a campsite. It appears to be an offshoot of a riding stables, and there is an abandoned stable block in the corner of the field, and a half built block of some sort.
The shower/toilet block was bleak and poorly assembled. There is essentially a lean to at the back with unfinished plywood and a packed floor with leaves. The locks do not work. There is a washing machine, but I never saw it available.
There are a number of signs telling you what you must not do. No washing up facilities are provided, no rubbish or recycling facilities whatsoever.
There is hot water in the toilet sink.
There is another shed area at the front which was at least fairly clean, with no soap or toilet paper. There are two adjacent sinks, one of which had a shower head, and a shower with a flimsy curtain and a plastic garden chair. In the same room, with no separation, there is a urinal and flushing toilet which you are asked to clean yourself.
There is an electric light and no heating.
There is an outside cold tap.
Onsite, there were a number of caravans which seemed to either be left there to overwinter, or were inhabited by itinerent workers. In the caravan nearest the gate there were 2 very barky dogs who went ballistic every time you went to the toilet block. We found dog poops in various places over the field and it was obvious that despite being told that dogs should be kept under strict control due to the proximity of horses, these dogs were allowed to roam and poop unfettered.
There was some "firewood" available, which was predominantly architectural scrap, which we had to scavenge from what was obviously a smashed up bathroom deposited in the middle of the field. There was also a traffic cone, a hippo bag, a few doors and miscellaneous other bits of tat.
Next door was a helicopter base, from which there were periodic takeoffs and set downs. I did not find this particularly disturbing though, but I did pack earplugs.
The next door pub is a less than 5 min walk away, with an above average range of pub food - but it had very little character and was consistently rammed all weekend, with no space for Sunday lunch and private events on every day.
I would consider revisiting, but realistically it is well below average quality for an average price (£10 per person per night).
The wood fired stove area made for a very authentic camping experience. It was fun to get wood and make a fire. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would go back again. The person in charge was very friendly. The location was great and there were many nearby trails. Very satisfying experience overall! :)
I returned here after three years and nothing has changed at all, although they did have a warden staying on site this time.
Calling it Willows Rustic is just an excuse for a very basic site with facilities that work but are nothing to write home about.
We were charged £10 per person per night and the dog was free. We were offered the loan of a fire pit and to purchase wood however we had our own, and she still charged us £5 for the privilege, “for the insurance”, we should have purchased her wood and and saved ours, I doubt it was much more than £5. We were also told we could not gather wood from the fences or surrounding areas, yet others were doing this all night and were left alone and not challenged.
On arrival we were told that dogs must be on a lead, however as soon as we arrived a dog from another pitch ran across the campsite and started hassling ours, nothing was done.
The warden told us two big groups were arriving later on and had booked each corner and she tried to put us right by the entrance, pitched in front of a seasonal caravan that was empty for the night. We asked for a space around the edge in the middle of the two groups which she reluctantly gave us. One group arrived and the other didn’t show, I wonder why were not favoured with a decent pitch in the corner. However we made do with our pitch and it had views of the rolling fields or looking the other way into the site to view the row of seasonal caravans.
The site however was quiet and there were around 6 groups all with fires and it was real back to basics camping, lovely to watch the kids play, smoke rising from the fires and generally a relaxed site.
The toilets were the same as three years ago, just a few toilets, quite open, quite small, but they did the job. Take your own toilet paper though. There was a shower, however I didn’t use it as only there for a night. Fresh water points around the site.
There is The Owl round the corner, two minutes walk, but we didn’t use it.
Close to London and Epping Forest for days out.
Yes I would go again, but I feel £10 per person is too much for what’s on offer.
When I called up to book, the owner 'warned' me that this was a 'rustic' campsite. We had camped in the area before and thought that we were returning to a site we had previously enjoyed. It was not.
The site is a field, with long grass when we visited. This was not a problem but were were surprised to find nettles growing in amongst the grass. The site had a good deal of litter, mostly barbeque coals, used and unused.
There is a large and popular pub nearby which we did not visit.
The site is out of the way, for sure, but less than 10 minutes drive to a large superstore in Waltham Abbey and the town of loughton where you can get trains into London.
The main issue is the toilet/washing facilities. They are spartan to say the least. A single hut in the corner of the field with very dirty toilets and shower that backed up when used. My wife cleaned out one cubicle before it was useable. There appeared to be no separation between male and female facilities and only a curtain over each shower.
We had planned to stay 4 nights but left after 1. For a family of 5, one tent and a car, the cost was £45 per night which was significantly higher than that for a nearby site with better facilities to which we moved.
A couple weeks ago and friend and I decided we wanted to go camping for two nights in the first week of October. Our usual spot was closed for the season. We really wanted to camp somewhere which wasn’t overly commercialised. After searching online for locations in Loughton we came across the Willows Rustic Camping. The name alone held some appeal, so I gave them a call and the owner was happy for us to come the next day with doggy.
We got a bit lost on the way there. (Top Tip: if you find the Owl Pub you’re in the right area). I’d suggest you make note of the directions before you leave as you might find it difficult to get data services running whilst driving in the country side. Yes, I do mean country side. Within minutes from Loughton we found ourselves driving along scenic country roads. The owner very kindly guided us on our way, met us at the entrance to the site and helped us to get settled. She also came back make sure we were okay, and to tell us about the many walking routes and things to do in the area.
The campsite was just what we needed; plenty of space with beautiful views and campfire pitches. The view of the horses in paddocks across the way added to the landscape. A few of nature’s little pets came scurrying around for a visit. Doggy had a great time too investigating the trees and horses. One morning a dense mist had descended on the whole site. I was transfixed and sat for ages outside my tent just watching until it lifted away. There were a few other people staying in touring vehicles and caravans, a friendly bunch.
The site has a water tap, showers and a toilet, which are basic but kept clean, near the entrance. They were just a stone’s throw from our pitch. This was a nice touch considering it was rustic camping. Although I have to admit, we didn't make use of the showers. That would've been cheating lol!
We read on the website that no wood was to be taken off the site. This actually worked in our favour, since usually campsites force you to buy wood on arrival. To find wood, we took a short drive and parked up on the side of the road. There’re fallen trees and dry wood almost anywhere you park. We managed to find loads of wood for our campfire.
We absolutely adore this campsite. All in all, it was a lovely experience and I’d highly recommend a visit if you want to really feel in touch with nature. We plan on going back later in the season with a few more friends.
My self and my friend stayed at the Willows Rustic Camping, We found the owner very welcoming.
The facilities were very clean, and we were impressed with the site. The owner made us feel very welcome and even came out to the road to greet us as we missed the site entrance a few times.
The campsite is very clean, the views are amazing and it's so peaceful. After we set up the tent the owner came back down to let us know what was in the area and if we needed anything else.
The Owl Pub is literally 5 minutes walk up the road. We will be definitely coming back.
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Common Questions
Is Willows Rustic Caravan Park child friendly? YES, it accepts children View all facilities
Where is the nearest shop to Willows Rustic Caravan Park? There is a shop within 1 mile 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
No Tents 
Caravan Pitches 
Motorhome Pitches 
Small Campervans 
Glamping Units 
Holiday Homes for Hire 
No Statics for Sale 
Seasonal Pitches 
Electric Hookups 
Hardstanding Pitches 
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 
No Battery Charging 
No Gas Exchange 
No Recycling Facilities 
No Kitchen Facilities 
No Freezer / Fridge 
No Motorhome Point 
No Wifi Access 
Shop <1 mile 
Bar <1 mile 
Restaurant or Cafe or Takeaway <1 mile 
No Playground 
No TV Room 
No Games Room 
No Evening Ents 
Fishing <10 miles 
Wild Swimming <5 miles 
Indoor Pool <5 miles 
Outdoor Pool <5 miles 
Horse Riding <1 mile 
Cycle Hire <5 miles 
Golf <1 mile 
Tennis <5 miles 
No Beach 
Watersports <5 miles 
Boat Launch / Mooring <5 miles 
No Sea Views 
Not Working Farm 
No Campfires Allowed 
Open All Year 
No Waterside Pitches 
Public Transport <1 mile
Offroad Dog Walk On Site or Direct Access 
If its peace and quiet you desire this is the place to be whether single, a couple or a family 
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