Martha's Down

View prices & book 9.5 249 reviews
View from our pitch
Pitching field
Gorgeous skies
Camping pitches

  • Family- and dog-friendly rural site two minutes' drive from the A303
  • Within half an hour's drive of Stonehenge, Longleat and Salisbury
  • Two village pubs and village shop 15 minutes' walk away
Fancy a bit of wild-style camping but without a wild and complicated journey to get there? Make for Martha's Down, in a cracking Wiltshire countryside spot a couple of minutes’ drive from the A303, just south of Chicklade. Such a handy location makes this a top spot for cross-country stopovers, but those that choose to stick around for a little longer should be richly rewarded with fine views (as it’s in the Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and places to go for day trips (what with Salisbury, Shaftesbury, Stonehenge, Stourhead and Longleat all being within a half-hour drive…) The vibe here at Martha’s* place is ‘wild-style’ rather than completely wild camping – that means all the relaxed atmosphere and peace of a rural site but with the added comfort of hot showers and ample toilets (there’s also a chemical waste disposal point if you’re in possession of your own toilet facilities). This is a place that’s keenly family friendly, so it allows well-behaved dogs and has a strict quiet time from 10pm to 8am that all guests are asked to keep to. Family gatherings round a barbecue are most welcome too: there’s a village shop 15 minutes’ walk away for picking up the bits, although you may just choose to stick around in the village to eat at one of the two pubs instead. (*Martha being, of course, the owners’ favourite sheep that they hand-reared after she was orphaned as a lamb. See if you can spot her now among the small flock of ewes on site…)

Campground type

Tent sites 32
Caravan sites 5
RV & Motorhome sites 5
Open now
Opens 10 April
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • Your dog must be tattooed or microchipped.
  • The campground/park does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dog Act (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).
  • No bachelor/bachelorette parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • At least one of the party members must be aged 21 or over.
  • Guests are advised to bring a good quality torch with them as parts of the campground/park are unlit.
  • Please note that the toilet/shower facilities are unisex.
  • Fires, barbecues and/or firepits will not be permitted in dry, windy and/or hot weather conditions.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Thu, 10 Apr to

Site types & availability

Reviews

98%

would recommend this campground to a friend

97%

would stay here again

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Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

This unmanned site is well kept with a great view across the…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 6
Accommodation 8
Facilities / Activities 6
Customer service 8
Child friendliness 6
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 2
Paul E. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Unpowered grass site

Liked: This unmanned site is well kept with a great view across the downs. Some clean new mobile toilets and showers are also kept clean. There is a few Electric hook ups along one side of the feild. Dont forget to contact the site before you arrive!!! As unmanned you will probably need a gate access code. We never noticed this and got locked in for a while.

Disliked: No common undercover area.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Everything…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Jamie R. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Unpowered grass site

Liked: Everything

Disliked: Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Level pitches, Rob is always friendly and chatty when he comes over.

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Sheila B. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass site

Liked: Having been going to Martha’s Down for some years, we always enjoy going back. It’s so pleasant and the scenery is fabulous. Gorgeous to sit out and look at the view with a nice drink, before wandering down to the village. We cycle for hours around the villages and usually go out for lunch, but we do stay sometimes and have a bbq. Lovely place to stay, you could be anywhere in the world at Martha’s.

Disliked: Nothing.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great, clean toilets and showers. Easy to find off main roads. Secure…

Overall 8/10
Location 8
Value for money 8
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Tim N. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass site

Liked: Great, clean toilets and showers. Easy to find off main roads. Secure gated site with masses of room. Adequate wash up facilities. Peaceful apart from an idiot with a very loud radio but that's not owners fault it's just the poor standards of some people these days.

Disliked: Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Not described

Overall 2/10
Location 2
Value for money 2
Accommodation 2
Facilities / Activities 2
Customer service 2
Child friendliness 2
Cleanliness 2
Wifi 2
Stephen B. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass site

Liked: Nothing

Disliked: The facts

Just a field
Cattle style gates with padlocks
Being put next to toilet facilities
Given an option to move
Moved 2 pitches up
Elec lead was too short, but ours is 15 metres as standard
Caravan we were next to was pitched over our pitch so that's why our lead wouldnt fit,
It looked like the person was living there
Scruffy caravan, awning, and full of empty alcohol bottles, grass around it was about 1 foot high, so you can Imagine not very appealing to us. The 3rd option was in the corner if the field but so small we would be looking at the hedges with no view, plus everyone down that side we're all kicking a football around and I wouldn't want that all night.
The grass was long so we struggled with the caravan.
We decided just to leave as it was too stressful.
So hooked the caravan back up and headed of.
I contacted the people in charge or owners not sure.
There reply was seeing as you didn't pitch up we can't offer you a refund!!!! Also saying about the facilities it had were described on website. I knew what facilities it had we've got our own in the caravan so didn't need any.
I find this really bizzare, why would you pitch up and stay if you weren't very happy? Cause that's saying that you don't like it but ur put up with it?
I work on a holiday site and in customer service ,,if a customer wasn't happy and it wasn't described as it should be and didn't stay it would be sorted with no questions asked.
I want my money back(£30) as it wasn't as described.We had to find another pitch somewhere else and pay another £32.99,,, but it had so much more to offer.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: hank you for your feedback regarding your recent experience at our site. We are sorry to hear that your stay did not meet your expectations.

We understand that you encountered several issues during your visit. However, we were not made aware of these concerns at the time, which limited our ability to assist you effectively. We strive to provide a comfortable and enjoyable experience for all our guests, and we regret that we were not given the opportunity to address your concerns during your stay.

Upon your arrival, we offered you alternative pitches to accommodate your needs. We understand that the options provided did not meet your expectations, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Our standard electrical leads are 15 meters, and we regret that this was insufficient for your setup due to the neighboring caravan’s positioning. Had we been informed of this we would have provided you with a longer lead.

Regarding the condition of the neighboring caravan and the surrounding area, we will review our site maintenance protocols to ensure that all pitches are kept to a high standard.

We appreciate your feedback and will use it to improve our services. However, as you chose to leave without pitching up and utilizing the facilities, we are unable to offer a refund. Our facilities and site conditions are described on the website, and we encourage guests to review this information prior to booking.

Reasonable site in a great location.

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 8
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Unpowered grass site

Liked: Great communication & ease of booking.
Clean toilets & showers.
Very close to A303.
Beautiful countryside.

Recommend to friends Visit again

This a beautiful and peaceful place. The owner is kind and helpful.…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass site

Liked: This a beautiful and peaceful place. The owner is kind and helpful.
He has a cleaner to keep the shower blocks and toilets clean.
Dogs are allowed
Beautiful countryside view

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely peaceful location. All facailities clean . Nice view.…

Overall 10/10
Location 8
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 6
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Unpowered grass site

Liked: Lovely peaceful location. All facailities clean . Nice view.

Disliked: Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Spacious, quiet, dark, clean facilities, well kept, friendly staff easy to contact. Good…

Overall 8/10
Location 10
Value for money 6
Accommodation 8
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 2
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass site

Liked: Spacious, quiet, dark, clean facilities, well kept, friendly staff easy to contact.
Good for a night’s stop if travelling

Disliked: Really a big field….could do with some landscaping

Recommend to friends Visit again

Good

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 4
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 2
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass site

Liked: Simpleness and quiet

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

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 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

Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise

Utilities

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

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Convenience store nearby Dog walk nearby Nearby farmers' market Public transport nearby

Type

Medium (26-50 sites)

Nearby leisure

Restaurant nearby

Location

Martha's Down

Chicklade Road

Hindon

Wiltshire

England

SP3 5SU

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

51.10342°N
-2.12612°W

Nearest transport

Coach
11.8 km Market Place
11.8 km Market Place
11.9 km The Town Hall
Rail
5.8 km Tisbury Rail Station
12 km Warminster Rail Station
12.8 km Gillingham (Dorset) Rail Station
Ferry
44.7 km Poole Quay Ferry Landing
44.9 km Poole Ferry Terminal
47.6 km Brownsea Island Ferry Landing
Airport
41.7 km 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

Whether you’re taking the dog for a wander or sloping off for a well-earned pint in the pub you’ve come to the right place for country walks – there are oodles of paths to pick from in the local area. If you'd rather pedal, have a chat with the folk at local outfit Cranks and Planks for e-bike hire. For a rather grander backdrop to your rambles, aim for the gorgeous gardens at Stourhead (15 minutes’ drive) or the lakeside Old Wardour Castle (20 minutes) – this latter is in a ruined state but still intact enough for youngsters to play at being knights. Surely no visit to this area would be complete without stopping by at Stonehenge (20 minutes) to see the ancient circle up close, and taking a stroll around Salisbury (half an hour) to explore its market and gaze up at the cathedral’s 123-metre spire. A full day out should certainly be planned at Longleat (20 minutes) as well – alongside the drive-through safaris are friendly farm animals, a mini railway to ride on, a castle-themed playground and one of the biggest hedge mazes in the world (plus a very smart house with formal gardens and art collection, if that’s more your thing…)

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Poole Harbour Rockley Sands 43.1 km Estuary N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Poole Harbour Lake 43.9 km Estuary N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Bournemouth Durley Chine 46.5 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Bournemouth Alum Chine 46.5 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Bournemouth Pier 46.6 km Sea N/AExcellentGoodGood

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Stourhead House and Garden 13.5 km

Longleat 14 km

Wilton House 19 km

Stonehenge 22.4 km

Old Sarum 22.8 km

National Trust

Philipps House and Dinton Park 9.8 km

Little Clarendon 10.4 km

Stourhead 13.6 km

Mompesson House 23.2 km

Stonehenge Landscape 23.5 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

Hindon - Wessex Ridgeway - Tisbury - Greenwich 1 km

FONTHILL 2.8 km

The Green and Around West Knoyle 4.8 km

Chilmark - Monarch's Way - Fonthill Bishop - Ridge 5.8 km

HATCH HOUSE 5.9 km

Local events

  • Glastonbury Festival (Wednesday 25 June 2025 – Wednesday 25 June 2025)

    Glastonbury, England 32.7 km

  • Dorset County Show (Saturday 6 September 2025 – Saturday 6 September 2025)

    Dorchester, England 47.3 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.

Offers

Conditions apply - see site type section for details

Nearest campgrounds

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable campgrounds.

Want to know more about camping in Wiltshire?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Martha's Down have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Martha's Down dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Martha's Down? Whether you’re taking the dog for a wander or sloping off for a well-earned pint in the pub you’ve come to the right place for country walks – there are oodles of … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Martha's Down?
    Camping and caravan
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  10 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.

    Please call the site just before arrival with your name and registration number so you can be given the gate access code.

    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Martha's Down? From $51.93 (for 1 night, 4 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.