Down to Earth Camping

1 review

Smaller wild pitch suitable for 1-3 person tents

Yurt set in its own private space with benches and stone firepit

Several small tents can fit on the large wild pitch

Space for several small tents on the large pitch

Almost-wild camping at a small family-run Co. Antrim site
Carrickfergus Castle and Gobbins Cliff Path within 15 minutes' drive
Firepit and communal shelter on site; farm shop half an hour's walk

Wild camping isn’t legally allowed in Northern Ireland, but here’s the next best thing: almost-wild pitches at a small family-run campsite in a scenic Antrim valley. Come along to Down to Earth Camping and you’ll be staying amid 14 acres of wild nature, with forest walks and beehives on site and chickens and ducks to meet. Yes, you’ll be within the boundaries of an approved campsite, but the vibe is very much ‘wild camping’ in style – you’ll park your car in the car park and carry your kit up to the wild pitches, which are designed for smaller tents and those who don’t require too much stuff to be comfortable. Being ‘almost-wild' means that there are in fact a few facilities provided here – guests have access to nicely done compost toilets (but no showers) and there’s a firepit on each pitch so you can have a campfire. A covered communal area also has space for a campfire or barbecue, and is a good place to have a chat with fellow guests. A half-hour walk along quiet roads from the site takes you to the local village of Gleno, which is home to some splendid waterfalls as well as a café and farm shop where you can pick up some bits for a meal back at base. For other needs you’ll want to head into Larne (10 minutes’ drive), which has a good choice of shops and places to eat.

Site type

Languages spoken

English

Nearby sites that are bookable on Pitchup.com

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

Features

No dogs allowed

Pop-up campground

Campfires allowed

Leisure on park

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Playground Recreation room/arcade TV room Takeout Tennis Watersports

Amenities on park

Bath available Car parking by site/unit Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Free wifi Grocery store Ice pack freezing Internet access Laundromat Local produce Parent & baby washroom Payphone Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Restrooms Shower available Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

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

Rules

Barbecue grills allowed Barbecue provided Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed No dogs allowed

Themes

Budget/backpacker Forest Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Wild camping Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Dump station Electric car charging point(s) Propane/gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby

Type

Pop-up campground Tiny (1-10 sites)

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Indoor pool nearby Restaurant nearby

Touring and motorhomes

Seasonal sites

Location

Down to Earth Camping

32 Ballyhone Road

Glenoe

Larne

Co. Antrim

Northern Ireland

BT40 3LL

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

54.78972°N
-5.80073°W

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

Attractions and activities nearby include: - Carrickfergus Castle: 10 minutes' drive - Gobbins Cliff Path: 15 minutes - Kilcoan Gardens: 15 minutes - Blackcave Tunnel And The Devil's Churn: 15 minutes - Browns Bay beach: 20 minutes - Ballygally beach: 20 minutes - Carnfunnock Country Park: 20 minutes - Belfast: half an hour.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name	Distance	Type	2020	2019	2018	2017
Brown`S Bay	7.4 km	Sea	Good	Good	Good	Good
Ballygally	12.7 km	Sea	Good	Good	Good	Good
Helen`S Bay	13.6 km	Sea	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
Crawfordsburn	14.1 km	Sea	Excellent	Good	Good	Good
Ballyholme	16.9 km	Sea	N/A	N/A	N/A	Poor

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Belfast Castle 18.7 km

Belfast City Hall 23 km

Harland And Wolff Shipyard 23.3 km

Grand Opera House 23.7 km

National Trust

Patterson's Spade Mill 18.5 km

The Crown Bar 23.3 km

Mount Stewart House, Garden and Temple of the Winds 29 km

Rowallane Garden 38.1 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

LARNE LOUGH ISLANDS (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 01/01/1998) 4.1 km

BELFAST LOUGH (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 10/10/2003) 17.5 km

PORTMORE LOUGH (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 19/08/2002) 40.2 km

A Walk North from Portpatrick 44.1 km

A Walk South from Portpatrick 44.1 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.

Payment terms

Offers

Conditions apply - see pitch type section for details

Reviews

would recommend this site to a friend

would stay here again

Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

Friendly, fun and off the beaten track

Overall	10/10
Location	10
Value for money	10
Accommodation	10
Facilities / Activities	8
Customer service	10
Child friendliness	8
Cleanliness	10
Wifi	2

Claire W. Aug 2023

The Den yurt

Liked: We loved down to earth camping', such a unique experience. It was well thought out and had enough amenities to help us out when required.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Frequently asked questions

Does Down to Earth Camping have a swimming pool? No View all features
Is Down to Earth Camping dog friendly? No View all features
What attractions are near Down to Earth Camping? Attractions and activities nearby include: - Carrickfergus Castle: 10 minutes' drive - Gobbins Cliff Path: 15 minutes - Kilcoan Gardens: 15 minutes - Blackcave Tunnel And The Devil's Churn: 15 minutes - … Read more