Top 5 luxury camp sites in Sussex

For me the Summer is not complete without a few days camping here and there, but I can’t help thinking that I’d enjoy the experience a whole lot more if I had a double bed, somewhere to hang my clothes and I didn’t have to lug a car load of gear along with me (it’s probably an age thing).

If you’re in agreement then the good news is that Sussex is rich with camp sites offering you the chance to get closer to nature but with many of life’s little creature comforts thrown in. Dubbed ‘glamping’ or glamorous camping, glamp sites combine the comfort and convenience of a hotel with peaceful ‘back to nature’ vibe of camping, making them ideal for those who just don’t dig spending a night under the canvas.

Sound good? Then check out our guide to the Top 5 glamp sites in Sussex.

Safari Britain – Firle, East Sussex

Nestled in a fold of the South Downs an within the National Park, Safari Britain’s site at Firle in East Sussex, offers luxury camping with exciting wildlife adventures for groups of adults and children in a commune style set up of yurts, all utterly private and very beautiful.

Comprising of six bell tents and two mega yurts, the site has to be booked in its entirety, sleeping 18 people which is great, because once booked you get to have free reign of the site and make as much noise as you like. Why not have your own mini festival? Get away with the kids? Start a cult? It’s up to you.

What I love about Safari Britain is that all you need to bring is food, wine and beer. Every dome tent and yurt comes equipped with wrought-iron double beds, vintage furniture, bedding, glassware and copper and iron cookware (some pans so big you can cook a meal for 18 in just one pot!). What’s more, the site is complete with a hot shower built into an oak tree which is heated by a stove, providing the perfect blend of home comfort and outdoor living.

Right now Safari Britain still has a few dates available for this season, but once word gets out you’ll be booking years in advance – trust me.

Hidden Spring – Horam, East Sussex

If you think that staying in a yurt in a comfortable double bed couldn't get any better then, ladies and gentlemen, I give you Hidden Spring, a site located in the middle of a vineyard slash cider orchard, which produces its own red, white and rose wine plus a range of organic ciders... and yes, you CAN taste them.

Hidden Spring is located outside Horam, a stones throw from the historic villages of Battle and Rye and a short walk to the local amenities which include a farm shop, café and even a nice pub serving proper food, perfect if you can’t be bothered to cook or don’t care for camp stove cuisine.

As well as tent pitches, you can also opt for one of the sites yurts or geodomes, which at £50/45 per night respectively, will sleep two adults and two children in absolute comfort – bargin! What’s more, many of the essentials like bedding, cooking apparatus and furniture are provided, so that all you need to do is grab some pants and a toothbrush and your away.

If you’ve done your research you’ll know that £50 per night for a fully equipped yurt is incredibly good value, but with onsite vineyard and farm shop, pub and café only minutes away I’d say it’s only a matter of time until those prices double.

Blackberry Wood – Ditchling, East Sussex

Dubbed the ‘Coolest Campsite in the UK’ by defacto guide Cool Camping, Blackberry Wood certainly offers a fresh take on the whole campsite experience. Offering traditional tent pitches (£5 pn) alongside some awesome and quirky accommodation options such as static and retro caravans, a double decker holiday bus and even a gypsy caravan.

What’s more, Blackberry Wood is nestled in the heart of East Sussex near Ditchling, making it extremely handy for some excellent farm shops and first rate gastropubs including Good Pub Guide’s Sussex dining pub of the Year The Jolly Sportsman and the excellent Half Moon.

Demand for this site is incredibly high so be prepared to book up to two years in advance; you’ll thank yourself when your turn comes round.

Woodland Yurting – Billingshurst, West Sussex

Woodland Yurting is a company based in West Sussex, which offers the complete ‘back-to-nature’ yurting experience, combining outdoor fun with a comfortable edge. Set in 63 acres of bluebell woodland in the heart of the Weald downlands, the site is perfect for a well earned break and unique eco retreat.

The site offers five yurts each situated on its own plot slightly apart from the others to provide a secluded and tranquil environment, surrounded by Hawthorn thicket and Hornbeam woodland. Accommodation options include yurts, family tents, safari tents and the meadow cabin and, for an extra charge, the site can provide bedding, charcoal, holistic massages, organic hampers, gas bottles and even bushcraft skills classes.

Thanks to our friends at GoGlamping for the heads up.

Barefoot Yurts – Brede, East Sussex

Forget every preconception you have about camping until you’ve check out Barefoot Yurts, because Barefoot Yurts ladies and gentlemen is a campsite with a difference. Set within a forest clearing Barefoot Yurts offers a completely private outdoor experience as the site can only be booked by one group at a time, meaning there are no fat blokes with their tops off burning meat, loud groups or other outside interferences whatsoever.

Here you get to stay in a Mongolian cloud house, with an adjacent cloud house serving as your lounge area. The cloud houses are beautifully decorated; boasting luxurious interiors and furniture making them perfect for that romantic get away.

The bathroom and showers are housed in a log cabin right next to the cloud houses so you won’t have to break your neck wandering to the toilet block at night (the short journey is lit by solar lanterns just to make sure).

The site itself is located in an area of out standing natural beauty, on the edge of woodland with stunning views over the Brede valley, about 10 mins from Rye and less than 2 hours from London. There are also a wealth of places to visit located close by such as Battle, Rye and Camber Sands. Plus if you’re interested in food and drink then the area is rich with vineyards, cider orchards and farm shops.

A weekend stay will cost you £220 per couple or £240 for a family which, considering how unique the experience is, represents incredibly good value if you ask me.