Hogsdown Farm Caravan and Campsite, Gloucestershire

For the past two May Day Bank Holidays, we’ve spent our weekend at the gloriously named Hogsdown Farm Caravan and Campsite in Dursley, Gloucestershire. I’ve been meaning to write about it after both trips, but imposing work deadlines always forced me to push it to the bottom of the to-do list.

Where is Hogsdown Farm?

The farm is not far from Dursley, between Gloucester and Bristol near the A38 and M5 – making it an easy to get to option for families based in the Midlands, the Cotswolds or the South West.

Why did we choose it?

Our main criteria for campsites these days is that it has a playground. There’s a handy way to filter such campsites on the UK Campsite website, and when we looked at those within about an hour’s drive from us: the name Hogsdown jumped out at us. What can I say? Jim has a Hog Roast side business, so it appealed to his interests!

Campsite Facilities

Hogsdown Farm is a small, but clean campsite with nice level pitches for both touring caravans and tents. We stayed in the back field (usually plenty of availability, even at short notice), which doesn’t offer electric hookup, but the main pitches do. There are no assigned pitches in the back field – you’re free to pitch up wherever you like, making it really good for groups.

The toilet block is a good size considering the size of the site – I occasionally had to queue for a shower, but only for a few minutes. The showers are hot, clean and each cubicle has it’s own little changing area. The flowers in the toilets are a nice touch, and add to the charm of the campsite.

There’s a small washing up area, with a couple of sofas and plenty of leaflets for nearby attractions. We often found it difficult to get hot water there – it was a little bit hit and miss, but I can deal with that for a weekend. Worth bearing in mind if you’re looking to stay longer.

The Atmosphere

The campsite is fairly quiet, and family-orientated. Everyone we met was really friendly (although, we find that at most campsites!), and Pickle loved chasing around the other children. We liked being in the back field as it felt really safe to let Pickle run around without us having to chase him every thirty seconds – although, I did always leap out of my seat whenever he got near the little bridge over to the main campsite.

The site is accessed through a coded security gate, which offers great peace of mind for letting the children play – no one can just wander in, and they can’t wander out!

What’s Nearby?

What we particularly enjoyed about this campsite was the proximity to some lovely days out. On our first visit, we went to Cattle Country World and Berkeley Castle, and on our second visit we had a brilliant day out at Slimbridge Wetlands.

• Berkeley Castle (3 miles)
• Cattle Country World (3 miles)
• Nearest National Trust: Newark Park (7 miles)
• Slimbridge Wetlands Centre (8 miles)
• The Royal Gardens at Highgrove (15 miles)
• Westonbirt Arboretum (15 miles)

Would We Return?

Absolutely. For sentimental reasons alone it’s worth coming back to – although, I’m trying to actively make an effort to explore new places. Looking back at our photos from our previous visits, I have so many happy memories associated with this campsite – and I think it’ll always be a special place for us.

Perfect For:

• A cheap and/or last minute break away
• Young families
• Nearby family-friendly attractions
• Large groups