Hill Farm Camping

View prices & book 9.9 101 reviews
Wide pitches with lovely views
Meet the animals
Campsite views
Around the site

  • Well-equipped Essex farm site with excellent accessible facilities
  • A 25-minute drive to Audley End; Colchester Zoo 40 minutes
  • Archery, frisbee golf and trailer rides on site, plus animals to meet
Getting around a campsite can sometimes be tricky for guests with restricted mobility – but not so at Hill Farm Camping in the Essex countryside, a mile from the village of Great Bardfield. The team at this 18-acre site have ensured that their place is accessible to all guests, with wheelchair-friendly paths and facilities including disabled toilets, a wet room with shower, a height-adjustable changing table and a power outlet for a personal hoist. Other handy amenities include a playground, picnic tables and a shared fridge and freezer. This welcoming spot isn’t just a campsite – it’s also an activity centre, where guests can play disc golf and have a go at archery or off-road skateboarding, walk around the wildlife lake or hire bikes to see some of the surroundings. Exploring isn’t off limits for less-mobile guests either, as there are rides available on wheelchair-friendly trailers that are also great fun for kids. And of course this is a farm, so there are chickens, sheep, goats and horses to meet as well as alpacas, emus and kangaroos. When you’re not busy talking to the animals, you may like to get a campfire going, wander up to the village for a drink in one of the pubs, or take day trips to places like Audley End or Colchester Zoo.

Campground type

Tent sites 25
Caravan sites 6
RV & Motorhome sites 6
Open now
Opens 1 May
Please note
  • Single-sex bookings of 5 or more people (couples and immediate family members excepted) are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Discount cards and gift vouchers cannot be applied to bookings made via Pitchup.com.
  • At least one of the party members must be aged 21 or over.
  • There is no reception building on-site: on arrival please contact the number provided on your booking confirmation.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Thu, 1 May to

No availability here for your search criteria

Site types & availability

Reviews

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Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
8

100% would recommend this campground to a friend

100% would stay here again

What customers say

Lovely spot, super friendly owners & loads to do for everyone. Clean facilities, cute animals (alpacas!), and a great vibe. Spacious, well-kept, perfect for families. Loads want to come back. Minor grumbles about loo distance or wind, but no major dramas.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 11
Arrival date (latest first)

Would recommend to friends and family kids & we had the best time

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
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No rating
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10
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10
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10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
No rating
Natasha L.

Power optional grass site

Liked Loved every bit we stayed two nights with our 6 and 2 year old was our first ever time camping and had the best time. Alan’s quad bike made my 2 year olds trip giggling away on the back. My 6 year old had so much fun made so many friends and enjoyed collecting woods going down to the river riding her bike on the hills it was brilliant! Thank u we will definitely be returning again!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Very clean facilities, very child friendly.

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
9
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No rating
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10
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10
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10
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10
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No rating
Anonymous

Power optional grass site

Liked Wonderful campsite with so much to do with the kids. Archery, golf, disk golf, play equipment, zip wire, paddling pool.
Loads of space to run around.
The animals were brilliant & our children were taken into the emu enclosure. The roaming alpacas were just wonderful. Lincoln the new puppy was adorable.
The amazing sunsets.
Very clean toilets & showers, very spacious.
Just under a mile away there was a Co-op to stock up if needed.

Disliked Nothing, it was a brilliant site & we cannot wait to return.

Recommend to friends Visit again

What a fantastic weekend! The location is stunning...we watched the amazing sunset…

Overall

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

Unpowered grass site

Liked What a fantastic weekend! The location is stunning...we watched the amazing sunset go down every evening and then was star gazing at night. There was so much to do on the site, Alan arranged for us to go on a trailer ride and even took my son grass-boarding. Ruth introduced us to their lovely animals and spent time talking to us about their backgrounds. Additionally, there was archery, zip wire and much much more. The site itself was spotless.

Thank you so much Ruth and Alan for making our camping experience so enjoyable. We will be back!

Recommend to friends Visit again

The owners The grounds The games Washrooms we're clean Animals…

Overall

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

Power optional grass site

Liked The owners
The grounds
The games
Washrooms we're clean
Animals

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great site with even better owners.

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
9
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
1
Anonymous

Power optional grass site

Liked This is the second time this summer we have stayed at Hill Farm. It was excellent the first time and has got even better with more games for the children dotted around. The addition of Lincoln the puppy is great as well. We will certainly try and fit another trip in this season.

Disliked Nothing to dislike

Recommend to friends Visit again

Family-friendly, clean campsite with great views—highly recommend!

Overall

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

Unpowered grass site

Liked We had a fantastic camping trip to Hill Farm with our two boys (8 and 14), staying in a pitched tent. From the moment we arrived, the friendliness of the staff stood out, with a really thorough welcome brief that included an escorted walk around the site where we could ask plenty of questions. The whole place was spotless, and the activities available kept both boys entertained from start to finish grass sledges and quad bike surfing were the absolute highlights and will definitely be lasting memories for them. The views were stunning, and with very little light pollution, we had some brilliant star spotting sessions. It was also reassuring to see a well stocked first aid kit available, which is a thoughtful touch for families with adventurous kids. Add in powerful hot showers, and a site that really caters to all ages, and it made for an excellent stay.

Disliked That said, there were a few minor downsides worth mentioning. The access road is single track for about a mile, which might be tricky for those with larger vehicles or trailers. The site itself is quite undulating, so finding a completely flat pitch during peak times could be a challenge. We honestly wished we could have stayed longer, but next time we’ll come more prepared. A small notice board with local takeaway options, shops, and firewood would be useful, although we’re sure the staff would have helped if we’d asked. The nearest large town with shops is about a 20-minute drive away, but now that we know there’s a fridge and freezer on site, we’ll definitely plan ahead and stock up before arriving.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great site, staff were fantastic great fun all round!

Overall

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

Power optional grass site

Liked Everything! really well catered for the younger ones with plenty of space and amenities

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

We can't wait to return!

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
No rating
Anonymous

Unpowered grass site

Liked For us, this was a perfect stay. Loads of space to camp, lovely sunsets and fabulous people. A campsite that is natural, safe, but wild enough for an element of risky play and a place where children could create their own outdoor adventures and make new friends. Alan was not only running a well maintained campsite but was the most fabulous host and all the kids loved his sense of fun. A beautiful place for children to have the space to explore and and have fun along with sports equipment to use and a variety of interesting animals to engage with. My daughter wanted to live on the site and I was miserable when we had to leave. This is our new favourite camping location and I'm thrilled that it is just down the road for us. My daughter spent her days making friends, playing in the stream and having rides on the quad trailer and will not forget the time she spent at Hill Farm.

Disliked For us, there was absolutely nothing to dislike. I wish more campsites were like this.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great facilities and good range of activities. We had a great time!

Overall

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

Unpowered grass site

Liked We pitched on a non electric pitch down by the stream. Family of 4, 2 x 10 year olds, it was very quiet on our pitch.
The showers and toilets were clean and well maintained. The kids activities were amazing, my children loved the quad bike trailer rides, paddling in the stream, the paddling pool and all the other sports activities.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Nothing to fault at all. Would highly recommend

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
1
Joanne K.

Power optional grass site

Liked Fantastic site! Ruth & Alan are amazing, Alan with his quad bike rides made the kids weekend. The toilet/shower block was always clean & they provided food & recycling bags which made the site spotless. The games & paddling pool provided was an added bonus. The alpacas wondering around amazed the children & adults! Not overcrowded at all. We will definitely return

Disliked Nothing

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 restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis Watersports

Amenities on site

Baby-changing facilities Bath available Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Laundry Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Tents for hire 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 No dogs allowed No pets allowed

Camping 2.0

Jumbo tent sites

Themes

Peaceful Walkers' paradise Wild camping Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Communal freezer Communal fridge Dump point Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Convenience store nearby Dog walk nearby

Type

Farm Small (11-25 sites)

Accessibility

Accessible parking at site Bathrooms: Large spacious shower Bathrooms: Large spacious toilet Bathrooms: Step-free access Bathrooms: Wheelchair accessible shower Bathrooms: Wheelchair accessible toilet Bathrooms: Wide doorways (over 85 cm) Dedicated quiet space Site close to accessible bathrooms Step-free or level access

Nearby leisure

Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Restaurant nearby

Location

Hill Farm Camping

Mill Road

Great Bardfield

Braintree

Essex

England

CM7 4QQ

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London +0100 (GMT+01:00)

GPS

51.94878°N
0.45766°E

Nearest transport

Coach
11.4 km Tesco Store
14.9 km Coach Station
14.9 km Coach Station
Rail
10.6 km Braintree Rail Station
11.7 km Braintree Freeport Rail Station
13.6 km Cressing Rail Station
Ferry
42.1 km Point Clear Ferry Landing
42.1 km Brightlingsea Ferry Landing
43.1 km Wallasea Island Ferry Landing
Airport
15 km London Stansted Airport
34.9 km Cambridge Airport
45.5 km London Southend 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

Anyone who hasn’t had their fill of wildlife on site can meet rhinos and tigers at Colchester Zoo (40 minutes’ drive). Your younger offspring will likely enjoy an hour clambering around the soft-play centre at Little Monsters House of Fun (15 minutes), and most kids will also love the miniature railway ride and fairy-themed walk at Audley End House and Gardens (25 minutes). There’s more family-friendly entertainment to be had at Mountfitchet Castle and Norman Village (half an hour), where kids can dress up as knights in a recreated medieval hamlet. Great Notley Country Park (15 minutes) is another handy spot for you all to let off steam, with facilities for horse riding and cycling. Any grown-ups keen to grab some cultural time can have a nose around the fabulous art collection at Gainsborough’s House (half an hour), or tour rooms filled with antique treasures at the National Trust-owned Melford Hall (35 minutes), a Tudor mansion that started life as a Benedictine monastery. Followers of aviation history can also check out the Spitfires and Vulcan fighters at IWM Duxford (45 minutes).

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
West Mersea 38 km Sea N/AGoodN/AN/A
Brightlingsea 41.1 km Estuary N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Leigh Bell Wharf 47.5 km Estuary GoodN/APoorN/A
Southend Chalkwell 48.1 km Estuary N/AGoodN/AGood

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Audley End House and Gardens 18.1 km

East Anglian Railway Museum 20.6 km

Colchester Zoo 27.6 km

Imperial War Museum Duxford 27.8 km

Colchester Castle Museum 31.1 km

National Trust

Paycocke's 17.6 km

Coggeshall Grange Barn 18.1 km

Melford Hall 23.4 km

Lavenham Guildhall 29.2 km

Bourne Mill 32.1 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

Finchingfield - Howe Woods - Little London - Howe Street 2.2 km

SPAINS HALL 3.2 km

SALING HALL 4.9 km

SALING GROVE 5.6 km

Thaxted - Great Easton - Tilty - River Chelmer - Thaxted 7.7 km

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.

Want to know more about camping in Essex?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Hill Farm Camping have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Hill Farm Camping dog friendly? No View all features
  • What attractions are near Hill Farm Camping? Anyone who hasn’t had their fill of wildlife on site can meet rhinos and tigers at Colchester Zoo (40 minutes’ drive). Your younger offspring will likely enjoy an hour clambering around the … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Hill Farm Camping?
    Camping and caravan
    Arrive:  noon –  7:30 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  10 a.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  Anytime
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Hill Farm Camping? From $104 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.