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
Campground type
32
3
3
This park has no on-site shower facilities.
The campground/park does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Breed-specific legislation (i.e. 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 bachelor/bachelorette 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 flashlight with them as parts of the park 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
Campsite types & availability
Choose your dates and we'll email when available.
See nearby bookable parks
Primitive grass and earth tent campsite
10 people maximum Ground type: Grass and earth
Site 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
Primitive grass and earth travel trailer campsite
10 people maximum Ground type: Grass and earth
Site 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 campground 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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Primitive grass and earth travel trailer campsite
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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Primitive grass and earth travel trailer campsite
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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Primitive grass and earth travel trailer campsite
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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Primitive grass and earth travel trailer campsite
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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Primitive grass and earth tent campsite
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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Primitive grass and earth travel trailer campsite
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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Primitive grass and earth travel trailer campsite
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 campground
Dogs 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 WatersportsAmenities 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 Parent & baby washroom Payphone Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Restrooms Shower available Washing-up area WifiGroups welcome
Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Scouts welcome Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcomeRules
Barbecue grills allowed Barbecue provided Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all yearCamping 2.0
Jumbo tent sitesThemes
Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Wildlife havenUtilities
Charging facilities Dump station Electric car charging point(s) No hot water Propane/gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energyNearby amenities
Bar nearby Convenience store nearby Dog walk nearbyType
Farm Medium (26-50 sites) Pop-up campgroundAccessibility
Accessible parking at siteNearby leisure
Canoeing/kayaking nearby Cycling nearby Golf nearby Horseback 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 +0100 (GMT+01:00)
GPS
51.04698°N
-0.59131°W
Route directions
Nearest transport
Bus
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, August 16, 2025 – Saturday, August 16, 2025)
Arundel, England 13.4 mi
- Goodwood Festival of Speed (Thursday, July 10, 2025 – Thursday, July 10, 2025)
Chichester, England 13.7 mi
- Farnborough International Airshow (Monday, July 20, 2026 – Monday, July 20, 2026)
Farnborough, England 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 campsite type section for details
Nearest campgrounds
Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable campgrounds.
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 moreRV, travel trailer and tent sites Arrive: 9 a.m. – 10 p.m. Depart by: 12:30 p.m.