Back to Basics Camping
No availability at present on Pitchup.com 
- No-frills pop-up site on the edge of South Downs National Park
- Haslemere 20 minutes’ drive; Bignor Roman Villa 25 minutes
- Dogs welcome; barbecues allowed; pubs within a five-minute drive
Site type
32
3
3
This site has no on-site shower facilities.
The site does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act (i.e. XL Bully, Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro) and/or any of the following: Staffordshire bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Rottweiler, any Mastiff or Tosa.- No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
- At least one of the party members must be aged 18 or over.
- Guests are advised to bring a good quality torch with them as parts of the site are unlit.
- Swimming in the lake is not allowed.
- Please note that the toilet facilities are unisex.
- Fires, barbecues and/or firepits will not be permitted in dry, windy and/or hot weather conditions.
Languages spoken
English
Pitch types & availability
Choose your dates and we'll email when available.
See nearby bookable sites
Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch
10 people maximum Ground type: Grass and earth
Pitch size: Min 5.0m width x 7.0m depth (16.4ft width x 23.0ft depth) Calculated area: 35.0m² (376.7ft²)
Arrival days No availability on our site
Non-electric grass and earth touring pitch
10 people maximum Ground type: Grass and earth
Pitch size: Min 7.0m width x 7.0m depth (23.0ft width x 23.0ft depth) Calculated area: 49.0m² (527.4ft²)
Arrival days No availability on our site
Reviews
would recommend this site to a friend
would stay here again
Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.
Fabulous two nights in a quiet location with 180 degree views, glorious…
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Non-electric grass and earth touring pitch
Liked: Fabulous two nights in a quiet location with 180 degree views, glorious sunsets and night time star-gazing. Cleanest porter jon toilet I have ever seen! Highlights were seeing giant mushrooms and hearing owls at night. Thanks for a wonderful stay!
Disliked: Grass was almost too long
Recommend to friends Visit again
The peace and views. Its exactly what we wanted .…
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Non-electric grass and earth touring pitch
Liked: The peace and views.
Its exactly what we wanted .
Recommend to friends Visit again
We stayed for one night as a last minute adventure for the…
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Non-electric grass and earth touring pitch
Liked: We stayed for one night as a last minute adventure for the end of the school holidays in our camper and we had a wonderful time. It is peaceful and with beautiful views, what a gem! We shared the whole site with one other tent so the kids had masses of space to play. The portaloo was clean and not smelly,even our loo fussy kids said it was nice! We will be back again.
Recommend to friends Visit again
Excellent ! So much space . So much peace .
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Non-electric grass and earth touring pitch
Liked: The space and peace. Water and compost loo( long way to walk from the camping field if you're in a hurry)
It is what it says on the tin . Back to basics.
Virginia the owner is lovely and very relaxed .
Gorgeous place to unwind.
Disliked: Nothing !
Recommend to friends Visit again
Remote, beautiful countryside, plenty of space. It is basically a field but…
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Non-electric grass and earth tent pitch
Liked: Remote, beautiful countryside, plenty of space. It is basically a field but that is what it says it is!
Disliked: A long way from the loo!
Recommend to friends Visit again
What a wonderful experience we had! My wife & I stayed for…
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Non-electric grass and earth touring pitch
Liked: What a wonderful experience we had! My wife & I stayed for one night (wish it had been longer 😔) and had the best sleep. So quiet & peaceful, with plenty of space around us. The field is huge which meant we could choose a secluded spot.
Wild camping is not for everyone but this place is ideal if you can forego a shower for a few days! The owner introduced herself to us as we were packing up. She's lovely and totally invested in the wild camping experience. ☆☆☆☆☆
Disliked: •Not Applicable
Recommend to friends Visit again
Great pop up site, felt a million miles from everywhere
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Non-electric grass and earth touring pitch
Liked: Exactly as described. It's a big field. There were 2 other campers on the field, but wouldn't have known they were there. It was like having the place to ourselves.
1 x portal loo was kept clean. And a fresh water tap. was in the next field
Recommend to friends Visit again
Features
Portable toilet
Pop-up campsite
Dogs allowed
Leisure on site
Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis WatersportsAmenities 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 Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area WifiGroups welcome
D. of E. welcome Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcomeRules
Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all yearCamping 2.0
Jumbo tent pitchesThemes
Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Wildlife havenUtilities
Charging facilities Chemical disposal Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available No hot water Recycling available Renewable energyNearby amenities
Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Shop nearbyType
Farm Medium (26-50 pitches) Pop-up campsiteAccessibility
Accessible parking at pitchNearby leisure
Canoeing/kayaking nearby Cycling nearby Golf nearby Horse riding nearby Leisure/theme park nearby Mountain biking nearby Restaurant nearby Tennis nearbyLocation
Back to Basics Camping
Scratchings Farm
Petworth
West Sussex
England
GU28 9JY
Directions Timezone
Europe/London BST (GMT+01:00)
GPS
51.04698°N
-0.59131°W
Route directions
Nearest transport
Coach
Rail
Ferry
AirportPlease 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
Water quality at nearby bathing waters
| Name | Distance | Type | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Littlehampton | 17.1 mi | Sea | N/A | Good | Good | Good |
| Middleton-On-Sea | 17.8 mi | Sea | N/A | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Felpham | 18.2 mi | Sea | N/A | Good | Good | N/A |
| Bognor Regis East | 18.6 mi | Sea | N/A | Good | Good | Good |
| Worthing | 18.8 mi | Sea | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Data source: European Environment Agency
Must see
Petworth House & Park 4.1 mi
Fishers Adventure Farm Park 4.4 mi
Parham House & Gardens 9.8 mi
Weald & Downland Open Air Museum 12.1 mi
West Dean Gardens 12.9 mi
National Trust
Petworth House and Park 4.2 mi
Oakhurst Cottage 6.1 mi
Hindhead Commons and The Devil's Punch Bowl Caf� 7.7 mi
Winkworth Arboretum 7.8 mi
Shalford Mill 11.9 mi
Cycle routes
Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.
Other
Northchapel and the Sussex Border Path 2.4 mi
PETWORTH HOUSE 3.9 mi
BLACKDOWN PARK 4.2 mi
Tillington - Lodsworth - Upperton 4.3 mi
PITSHILL AND THE MANOR OF DEAN 4.3 mi
Local events
- Arundel Festival (Saturday 16 August 2025 – Saturday 16 August 2025)
Arundel, West Sussex 13.4 mi
- Goodwood Festival of Speed (Thursday 10 July 2025 – Thursday 10 July 2025)
Chichester, West Sussex 13.7 mi
- Farnborough International Airshow (Monday 20 July 2026 – Monday 20 July 2026)
Farnborough, Hampshire 17.2 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.
Offers
Conditions apply - see pitch type section for details
Nearest sites
Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.
Want to know more about camping in West Sussex?
Frequently asked questions
- Does Back to Basics Camping have a swimming pool? No View all features
- Is Back to Basics Camping dog friendly? Yes View all features
- What attractions are near Back to Basics Camping? Linger on the Capability Brown-designed grounds of National Trust - Petworth House and Park (10 minutes’ drive) when you first get there, to make friends with the resident herd of deer. The … Read more
- When can I check in and check out of Back to Basics Camping?
Read moreCamping and touring Arrive: 9 a.m. – 10 p.m. Depart by: 12:30 p.m.