The Railway Campsite
View prices & book
- Eight-acre field with Swanage Railway steam trains passing by
- A 10-minute drive to Swanage Beach; 35 minutes to Durdle Door
- Off-ground barbecues and firepits allowed; dogs welcome
Campground type
50
3
Twin axle vehicles are not permitted on site.- At least one of the party members must be aged 16 or over.
Languages spoken
English
Open from Fri, 4 July to
Site types & availability
Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site
10 people maximum Ground type: Grass
Site size: Max 6m width × 6m depth
Calculated area: 36m²
Arrival daysFrom GBP 16 (GBP 16)
View prices & book
Unpowered grass motorhome site
10 people maximum Ground type: Grass
Site size: Max 6m width × 6m depth
Calculated area: 36m²
Arrival daysFrom GBP 20 (GBP 20)
View prices & book
Reviews
98% would recommend this campground to a friend
98% would stay here again
What customers say
Great spot near the Swanage steam train & countryside. Owners are lovely, facilities are clean (hot showers, compost loos), and the snack shack's a hit. Spacious, chill vibe, pick your own pitch. Some found loos basic or hills a bit steep, but most rave about it & want to come back.
Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews
Super campsite for those who enjoy fuss free and basic, which we do.
Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site
Liked The site was spacious, clean, well drained and airy hillside with plenty of flat areas. A cool wooded patch which made a great play area (the village playground was only a couple of minutes down the road, but we did not need it.)
The staff/owners were as friendly and helpful as you could wish.
The snackshack was just that and much appreciated.
Very dog friendly - not that we brought our own dogs but the kids made friends with loads of them.
Recommend to friends Visit again
Good quality site for the price.
Unpowered grass motorhome site
Liked Very friendly staff. Lots of space, play area for kids, shop onsite breakfast, evening options
Bbq's and fire pits,wood and kindling available. Elsan point, compost loos and showers all onsite.
Rail station for Swanage railway across from camp entrance.
Disliked Not all flat field, don't forget your levels if your in a vehicle.
Recommend to friends Visit again
The facilities are 2nd to none clean tidy and for £20 money well spent
Unpowered grass motorhome site
Liked Absolutely fantastic good value for £20 a night for a campervan highly recommend we didn’t plan on staying but it was so nice that we decided to stay more than two nights for a dog friendly very friendly all round steve
Disliked I found nothing to dislike
Recommend to friends Visit again
Loved seeing train run past every hour. Nice site and had cafe.…
Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site
Liked Loved seeing train run past every hour. Nice site and had cafe.
Disliked Breakfast £9.50 plus £2.50 for coffee expensive when served on paper plates, with wooden cutlery just outside of kitchen. Might have let this go but cafe owners friends turned up and were served on proper plates. Friends then proceeded to talk loudly about recent surgery, didn't go well with my breakfast!
Recommend to friends Visit again
From the manager: Sorry to hear about the conversation you overheard.
I’m afraid I’m not allowed to serve food on washable plates and knives and forks as I don’t have an industrial dishwasher it all has to be disposable for the general public I’m afraid. Only staff and family can eat off the kitchen crockery.
All the meat is from our local butcher and is top quality hence the price .
Great location and very quiet. No airplane or traffic noise.…
Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site
Liked Great location and very quiet. No airplane or traffic noise.
Disliked Toilets took some getting used too.
Recommend to friends Visit again
Lovely spacious quiet site…
Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site
Liked Lovely spacious quiet site
Recommend to friends Visit again
Great location. Friendly people…
Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site
Liked Great location. Friendly people
Recommend to friends Visit again
Excellent value and location was superb.
Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site
Liked Location was excellent and beautiful views. So close to train station, it was possible to catch the steam train into Swanage or over to Corfe Castle. The Snack shack was also good.
Disliked It was a shame that the The Snack Shack was not open on Sunday. It would have been nice to have a coffee and a bacon roll before heading off, after breaking camp. The toilets were a bit tricky, as they were very small and pitched at an angle that made standing back up quite tricky. Also, not sure how someone with any mobility issues would have coped.
Recommend to friends Visit again
From the manager: I’m sorry I missed the snack shack we were open at 8-just got 11 and then 5-9 . I didn’t open this morning as I had a hospital appointment but I put a sign on the hatch.
I bought the Loos as they are. I am looking into adding some larger ones next year but they will need to be made on site. It was only a few years ago that we had only Porta loos . The shack was added last year, the sinks and 2 showers this year. I try and add a bit extra each year to improve the place for everyone.😊
Lovely campsite, especially if you love trains
Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site
Liked Lovely spacious campsite with a food hut.
Great view of the Swanage steam train and only 5 mins walk to the train station.
Disliked It wasn’t a huge problem for us, but the campsite is on a hill. Some parts are quite steep which forces people to bunch up pitches on ‘flater’ areas.
Recommend to friends Visit again
PURRRFECT!! Super friendly well organised chilled set up !! Will be back…
Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site
Liked PURRRFECT!!
Super friendly well organised chilled set up !!
Will be back
Recommend to friends Visit again
Features
Pop-up campground
Dogs allowed
Campfires 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 site/unit 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 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 yearThemes
Budget/backpacker Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradiseUtilities
Charging facilities Dump point Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energyNearby amenities
Bar nearby Convenience store nearby Dog walk nearby Public transport nearbyType
Farm Large (51-200 sites) Pop-up campgroundAccessibility
Accessible parking at site Bathrooms: Large spacious shower Uneven terrain; gravel or loose mudNearby leisure
Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horse riding nearby Indoor pool nearby Mountain biking nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Tennis nearby Watersports nearbyLocation
The Railway Campsite
Sunny Glade
Haycrafts Lane
Harmans Cross
Swanage
Dorset
England
BH19 3EB
Directions Timezone
Europe/London +0100 (GMT+01:00)
GPS
50.61958°N
2.0239°W
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swanage Central | 4.7 km | Sea | N/A | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Studland Knoll House | 6.2 km | Sea | N/A | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Kimmeridge Bay | 7.6 km | Sea | N/A | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Shell Bay North | 8.4 km | Sea | N/A | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Poole Sandbanks Peninsular | 9.8 km | Sea | N/A | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
Data source: European Environment Agency
Must see
Corfe Castle 3.3 km
Swanage Railway 4.6 km
Studland Beach and Nature Reserve 6.1 km
Brownsea Island 9 km
Lulworth Castle & Park 13.2 km
National Trust
Corfe Castle 3.1 km
Studland Beach and Nature Reserve 5.8 km
Brownsea Island 8.9 km
Clouds Hill 19.4 km
White Mill 20.8 km
Cycle routes
Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.
Other
Worth Matravers - Cliffs, Caves and Chapel 2.6 km
Worth Matravers - Winspit - Dancing Ledge 2.6 km
Corfe - Nine Barrows Down - Swanage 3.2 km
Herston - Worth Matravers - Corfe 3.2 km
The Purbecks - Castle and Coastal 3.5 km
Local events
- Dorset County Show (Saturday 6 September 2025 – Saturday 6 September 2025)
Dorchester, England 30.5 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.
Nearest campgrounds
Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable campgrounds.
Want to know more about camping in Dorset?
Frequently asked questions
- Does The Railway Campsite have a swimming pool? No View all features
- Is The Railway Campsite dog friendly? Yes View all features
- What attractions are near The Railway Campsite? Famed for its ever-changing shades of blue and green, the Blue Pool (15 minutes’ drive) is surrounded by acres of heath- and woodland laced with trails. Take the easy path skirting the … Read more
- When can I check in and check out of The Railway Campsite?
Read moreCamping and caravan Arrive: Anytime – Anytime Depart by: 4 p.m. - How much does it cost to stay at The Railway Campsite? From $32.96 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.