Andark Lake

View prices & book 8.7 330 reviews
Lakeside pitches
Swimming and diving on site
The grass pitch
Entrance to site

  • Peaceful site near the River Hamble: two pubs within walking distance
  • Six miles from Southampton and 12 from Portsmouth's ferry terminal
  • Set in scuba diving and open-water swimming lake grounds
Get set to get wet… with the Solent coast a couple of miles away, the Hamble river down the road and of course the lake on site, it’s safe to say that life pretty much revolves around the water at Andark Lake, a small and quiet grassy site six miles from the centre of Southampton. The main focal point here is the purpose-built scuba diving training lake, where wetsuit-clad types can sign up for training courses (when pre-booked) or recreational dives, hire kit and fill air tanks (for certified scuba divers). Open-water swims can be had for an extra charge at the weekends, when staff are on site and the place isn't in use by divers. Outside of swim time, there’s more water-based activity (sailing, paddleboarding, kitesurfing and windsurfing) along the riverside or at Swanwick Marina. Should all this aquatic activity have worked up a bit of a hunger, trot over to the site café for snacks and light lunches, plus hot and cold drinks throughout the day. For your evening meals, three pubs are within walking distance, or you can pick up supermarket supplies two miles away for a sunset sausage sizzle. Other amenities on site include a drinking water tap and a toilet block with male and female changing rooms, lockers and showers, all open 24/7. A coldwater sink is available in the pitching field where guests can wash pots and pans, and an accessible toilet is available on request.

Site type

Motorhome pitches 7
Tent pitches 10
Open now
Opens 3 January
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • Your dog must be tattooed or microchipped.
  • Group bookings of 3 or more adults are not permitted (couples and immediate family members excepted).
  • Single-sex bookings of 3 or more people (couples and immediate family members excepted) are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • The site caters for families (immediate members) and couples only - bookings from all other forms of groups are not accepted.
  • Reception is unmanned after 5 p.m.. Please inform the site while on your way there should you expect to arrive after this time, so that the team can provide information about your unit/pitch.
  • Guests are advised to bring a good quality torch with them as parts of the site are unlit.
  • Lake open-water swimming is not included in the rate and is charged at £7 per person for a day ticket . Swimming is only available Wednesday to Sunday. No swimming while divers are in the lake. The lake must not be used after hours or when no staff are on site, as it's a deep diving training lake and can be dangerous. Dogs are not allowed in the lake at any time.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Fri, 3 Jan to

Pitch types & availability

Reviews

  • 61%
    10
  • 2%
    9
  • 18%
    8
  • 1%
    7
  • 9%
    6
  • 0%
    5
  • 1%
    4
  • 0%
    3
  • 4%
    2
  • 0%
    1
Location
9
Value for money
9
Accommodation
8
Facilities / Activities
9
Customer service
9
Child friendliness
8
Cleanliness
9
Wifi
8

87% would recommend this site to a friend

84% would stay here again

What customers say

This campsite boasts a beautiful location by a lake, offering peace and quiet with many visitors enjoying the opportunity for swimming. Staff are consistently praised for being friendly and helpful. Facilities are generally clean and well-maintained. Some reviews mention traffic noise and a distance to amenities, while a few note pitches could be improved. Overall, it's a popular choice for a relaxing break with easy access to local pubs and walks.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 33
Arrival date (latest first)

Fantastic, scenic and friendly campsite would thoroughly recommend.

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
9
Accommodation
8
Facilities / Activities
9
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
9
Wifi
9
Doug W.

Electric grass and gravel motorhome pitch

Liked This is difficult because if I told you how idyllic this place is and how very friendly and helpful the staff are you would all want to go there and then I might not be able to get a spot on my return. This campsite definitely grows on you in the first couple of days to the point where you do not want to leave. The views over the lake and the wild life including dear in the camping field when it is quiet. This was our second time and we tried the cold water swimming in the Lake which was actually (23 degrees C) so not so cold. Sitting in the mornings over looking the lake enjoying a coffee and full English breakfast from the onsite café was fabulous. Will definitely be returning again. They also do a full moon swim on certain nights in the summer where they light up around the lake with candles and torches. Oh did I mention it also has a Sauna at the side of the lake and if you want a bit of a change one evening then go to one of the two near by pubs for meal or a acholic beverage both of which are within walking distance. The nearest being The Ship Inn (at the end of the driveway up to the campsite) and the other The Jolly Sailor that if you can be bothered to drag yourself away from this fabulous friendly campsite.

Disliked There is a slight downside, and that is in the gents loos and changing rooms. There is a slight dip in the floor near the sinks which tends to hold a slight puddle of water which is a shame but not a game changer.

Recommend to friends Visit again

We really loved the campsite, helpful staff and facilities. Admittedly, we thought…

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
No rating
Value for money
No rating
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
No rating
Customer service
No rating
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
No rating
Wifi
No rating
tristram m.

Non-electric grass tent or trailer tent pitch

Liked We really loved the campsite, helpful staff and facilities. Admittedly, we thought the swimming in the lake was included. As no prices were shown. We look forward to staying again with you. Absolutely breathtaking mature oaks and woodland. Thanks again. Tris

Recommend to friends Visit again

We have stayed twice in tents and once in a camper and we will return

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
7
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10
Anonymous

Electric grass and gravel motorhome pitch

Liked As always extremely friendly, clean and welcoming. We joke that as this site isn’t busy we should down play how fantastic it is to avoid other people flooding it.
The owners clearly have thought about capacity vs services and the shower and toilet ratios are better than a normal site. Andark benefits from using the dive school facilities which as one would imagine are top notch. A quiet tranquil place that also serves great food.

Recommend to friends Visit again

An amazing camp site.

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
9
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10
Benjamin M.

Electric grass tent pitch

Liked We were travelling with our 13 month old child. We were given a pitch out the way so it was nice and quiet. The site is in a lovely location!

Disliked Nothing!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Chilled vibes camping near Southampton

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10
Paul N.

Non-electric grass tent or trailer tent pitch

Liked The setting is perfect, right in the heart of the area so easy to get to loads of places to do touristy things but up a gravel country road in a field so you feel totally separate from the bustle of Southampton traffic. Really peaceful and quiet, nice amenities, will definitely go again. One thing I didn't expect was the nightly display of bats around dusk, filling their little bat bellies with insects on the wing. Lovely to see.

Disliked Nothing.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Nice location but inadequate facilities for the campers.

Overall

6 out of 10
Location
9
Value for money
7
Accommodation
6
Facilities / Activities
4
Customer service
7
Child friendliness
7
Cleanliness
4
Wifi
6
Karen H.

Electric grass and gravel motorhome pitch

Liked Lovely location with views over the lake, very nice coffee shop and the small team tried their best with our plot size.
Transport good and local bars/restaurants good although a bit pricey for the area.

Disliked The facilities were shared by all swimmers of the lake so the changing room was always packed with just 2 showers & 2 toilets resulting in cold showers and very dirty wet floors that were not cleaned during our 5 day stay.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Clean facilities, quiet and tranquil

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
9
Value for money
10
Accommodation
9
Facilities / Activities
9
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
4
katy b.

Non-electric grass tent or trailer tent pitch

Liked Quiet site, loads of room, it's our second stay and we'd definitely go back

Disliked Would appreciate a discount on swimming and other activities if staying on site! Some pitches are not anywhere near level - we were in 7/8/9 which are all fine.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent facilities, plenty of space, safe for kids to play

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10
Anonymous

Non-electric grass tent or trailer tent pitch

Liked The secure nature of the site, the peace and quiet, the ease of checking in

Disliked That a swim in the lake is still charged, would be nice to have the option to use it within the pitch fee

Recommend to friends Visit again

An excellent site, with great facilities and friendly staff.

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10
Matt L.

Electric grass and gravel motorhome pitch

Liked The site was amazing. Great views over the lake. Really nice and friendly staff. Very handy shop and cafe. The WiFi reached us in our campervan. Nice clean toilets and showers. Very reasonably priced holiday and we’ve already booked again!

Disliked Nothing to dislike.

Recommend to friends Visit again

We booked for 3 nights and left after the first.

Overall

4 out of 10
Location
3
Value for money
2
Accommodation
1
Facilities / Activities
5
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
1
Cleanliness
1
Wifi
8
Anonymous

Electric grass and gravel campervan pitch

Liked Excellent cafe on site with huge portions, I don’t manage even a 1/4 of the portion of beans on toast

Disliked The site is really not set up for motorhome. We were on the largest pitch #6 and it was just not suitable.
Electric is a daisy chain of extension cables. The water station had to be driven to and it was nearly impossible to do a 3 point turn in.
Cold showers

Definable not worth the £35 per night, considering we stayed at a CAMH site and this was only £35 per night

Recommend to friends Visit again


Features

Leisure on site

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site cafe On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis Watersports Wild swimming

Amenities on site

Bath available Car parking by pitch/unit Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Launderette Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Picnic table Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Themes

Lake and/or mountain Peaceful Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise Wild camping Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Chemical disposal Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Public transport nearby Shop nearby

Type

Small (11-25 pitches)

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Cycling nearby Outdoor pool nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Watersports nearby

Location

Andark Lake

Oslands Lane

Lower Swanwick

Southampton

Hampshire

England

SO31 7EG

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London BST (GMT+01:00)

GPS

50.88013°N
1.29099°W

Route directions

The site is at the top of Oslands Lane, an unmade track. The access road is opposite the Old Ship pub (Bridge Road). The road runs between Andark Shop and the Carsa Car dealership.

Nearest transport

Coach
5.1 mi Telephone House
5.1 mi Telephone House
5.1 mi Terminal 1
Rail
0.7 mi Bursledon Rail Station
1.1 mi Swanwick Rail Station
1.8 mi Hamble Rail Station
Ferry
1.8 mi Hamble-le-Rice Ferry Landing
1.9 mi Warsash Ferry Landing
4.8 mi Hythe (Hants) Ferry Terminal
Airport
5.7 mi Southampton Airport
24.7 mi Bournemouth International Airport

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

Wetsuits at the ready – if you’re into your watersports you’ll have plenty to pick from around here. Swanwick Marina is 10 minutes’ walk away for sailing training, and there’s paddleboarding, windsurfing and kayaking on the Hamble 15 minutes’ drive away. Kitesurf kit hire and lessons are 40 minutes away on the other side of the river. Take a break from the big blue for a wander around Holly Hill Woodland Park, five minutes away by car, or a sea-view stroll through Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, 20 minutes away. SeaCity Museum, Solent Sky Museum and the Tudor House and Garden in Southampton are worth a visit too, and there are shops, restaurants and a cinema at the city’s West Quay. Cross the River Hamble to hit the New Forest National Park, 25 minutes’ drive away, for a walk, bike ride or horse ride or a trip to meet the furry and feathered residents of the New Forest Wildlife Park. It’s also worth trundling along to the classic car collection at Beaulieu’s National Motor Museum (35 minutes away).

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Calshot 5 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Hillhead 5.4 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Lee-On-Solent 6.6 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Lepe 7.2 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Cowes 7.8 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Southampton Maritime Museum 5.1 mi

Beaulieu National Motor Museum 8.1 mi

Portchester Castle 8.3 mi

Osborne House 8.9 mi

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard 9.8 mi

National Trust

Newtown Old Town Hall 12.5 mi

Winchester City Mill 12.5 mi

Hinton Ampner 12.8 mi

Mottisfont 15.4 mi

Bembridge Windmill 15.9 mi

Cycle routes

Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.

Other

Grace Dieu 0.9 mi

ROYAL VICTORIA COUNTRY PARK, FORMERLY ROYAL VICTORIA MILITARY HOSPITAL 2.2 mi

TOWNHILL PARK 4.7 mi

CENTRAL PARKS, SOUTHAMPTON 5.1 mi

SOUTHAMPTON CEMETERY 6 mi

Local events

  • CarFest (Friday 22 August 2025 – Friday 22 August 2025)

    Basingstoke, Hampshire 23.4 mi

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Nearest sites

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

Want to know more about camping in Hampshire?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Andark Lake have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Andark Lake dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Andark Lake? Wetsuits at the ready – if you’re into your watersports you’ll have plenty to pick from around here. Swanwick Marina is 10 minutes’ walk away for sailing training, and there’s paddleboarding, windsurfing … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Andark Lake?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  9 p.m.
    Depart by:  12 p.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Andark Lake? From £20 (for 1 night, 5 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.