The Best Campsites on the Isle of Wight
Going abroad this year? No, nor are we, so how about a campervan trip to the lovely Isle of Wight?
Some campsites offer discounted ferry deals and the island’s excellent pubs, tea rooms and tourist attractions will ensure you’re never bored. It’s fun to drive casually onto the ferry, and if you have children with you they will get all the excitement of a short sea crossing, but without any of the hassle of passport queues. It’s worth visiting Queen Victoria’s summer palace, Osborne House, and taking a stroll along the waterfront at Cowes, where there are luxury yachts and upmarket bars. For children, we recommend visiting the gardens and ramparts of Carisbrook Castle, the fairground attractions of Blackgang Chine, the Isle of Wight Zoo, steam railway and the many sandy beaches. Couples might prefer the spectacular clifftop walks on Tennyson Down, the tea rooms and Chessell Pottery Café.
Take a torch to guide you back to the van after nightfall, if you’re near one of the island’s famously haunted places. Carisbrooke Castle, Osborne House, Appuldurcombe House, Fort Victoria, Brading Roman Villa and the Royal Yacht Squadron all claim to have active ghosts, and islanders often spot ghost ships out at sea. Spirits have also been spotted in many of the older pubs, such as The Castle and Wheatsheaf Inns in Newport (according to the Newport Ghost Walk) and The Dairyman’s Daughter at Arreton Barns. Nothing to do with sea mists or alcohol, honestly...
Whitefield Forest Touring Park
Brading Road, Ryde PO33 1QJ
01983 617069
“I loved waking up in this beautiful woodland clearing, listening to the birds. We followed the forest trails and used the ‘hide’ to spot red squirrels, which I’ve never seen before. There’s an adventure playground for children, too. There are grass and hardstanding pitches and good facilities - hot showers, baby changing area. disabled toilets, a washing machine and dryer. We cycled from the campsite to the beaches and there are lots of footpaths. The island has a regular bus service, run with tourists in mind. When booking, ask the site about ferry discounts and special offers for over-50s.” John
Stoats Farm
Weston Lane, Totland PO39 0HE
Nightly fee: £20-£35
Open 1st March - 31st October
“We had a fantastic weekend away on the Isle of Wight in our magnificent Sussex Campervan ‘Sparky’. Stoats Farm campsite was excellent. Well situated, quiet and perfectly located for the south coast surf.“ Natalie.
You can see the famous Tennyson Monument on the Downs above the farm, and it’s ideal for anyone wanting to walk from here to The Needles or Freshwater Bay. This is a quiet, dog-friendly campsite, with heated toilet facilities. There are private showers, hair dryers, two family/disabled washrooms with low level sinks and wheelchair access, with washing up sinks undercover outside. Laundry facilities are available. Only Elsan Green toilet fluids should be used.
Appuldurcombe Gardens
Wroxall, Ventnor PO38 3EP
01983 852 597
Nightly fee: £19.50-£38
Open March - 31st October
“This is a pretty site in the grounds of Appuldurcombe House, with a heated pool, licensed café and access to some good hiking routes and birdwatching spots, so it’s great for couples. Lots of families come here for bucket-and-spade holidays, too, as it’s close to Ventnor’s beaches, while on-site there’s a children’s play park, crazy golf and launderette. It wins many national campsite awards.” Jane
Chine Farm Caravan and Camping Park
Military Road, Atherfield Bay, Ventnor PO38 2JH
Nightly fee: £21 all season
Open: 12th April - 1st September
“High on the cliffs, on the southwest side of the island, this is a grass downland campsite with sea views from the cliff field, and electric hook-ups in the other two fields. This year the toilet facilities are closed due to Covid, so you’ll need to be self-sufficient and just use their Elsan point. It’s only a five-minute walk on the coast path to the beach - one of the best sea-fishing spots on the island. Coarse fishing is also available locally. We used the village shop at Brightstone for supplies, and had a meal in The Wight Mouse Inn at Chale. Chine Farm isn’t ideal for children, since the cliffs are dangerous, but it is near The Dinosaur Museum, recently featured on the BBC."
Heathfield Farm Camping Park
Heathfield Road, Freshwater PO40 9SH
Nightly fee: £18-£36
Open: 1st May - 30th September
“Two miles from the ferry port at Yarmouth, this pretty campsite is near beautiful Freshwater Bay. There are 75 electric pitches and we liked walking the dog through the wildflower meadow, and putting our barbecue on the bricks in another field, where ball games are allowed. The shower and toilet blocks were kept very clean and there’s a wheelchair-accessible toilet and shower room. This is such a lovely area, with plenty of walks for all abilities. Cowell bay is beautiful. Book your ferry through the campsite to get a discount.” Annie
Southland Caravan and Motorhome Club Site
Winford Road, Newchurch, Sandown PO36 0LZ
Nightly fee: From £14.40
Open: 12th April-1st November
"This is a lovely campsite for family holidays, being only three miles from the sandy beaches and safe bathing at Sandown and Shanklin. We walked to the pub at Newchurch for a meal, and another day we went to the garlic farm. The site facilities are excellent and there’s lots of tourist information available for anyone wanting to go fishing, playing golf, tennis, horse riding or doing water sports.” Ben
Adgestone Camping and Caravanning Club Site
Lower Road, Adgestone PO36 0HL
Nightly fee: From £14
Open: 21st April to 27th September
“Fabulous location, great site, friendly and helpful staff, not too crowded. The facilities are a bit dated, but very clean. The road to the site is very narrow. We used this as our base for walking and cycling around the island, and we found many quiet lanes. We especially liked the cycle path from Newport to Sandown. It’s also worth visiting Brading Roman Villa to see the 2000-year-old Medusa mosaic, artefacts and conservation work.”
Old Barn Touring Park
Cheverton Farm, Newport Road, Sandown PO36 9PJ
Nightly fee: £20-£28
Open: 1st March - 30th October
“What a tranquil campsite. The pitches are well spaced and there are lovely views all around. We played pool in the thatched barn some evenings.” Ruth
Willow Brook Camping
Ninham Farm, Shanklin PO36 9PJ
Nightly fee: £18
Open: School summer holidays
“This summer pop-up campsite has sheltered grass pitches with electric hook-ups and once you’re here, you’re encouraged to walk and cycle everywhere, in line with their eco-friendly ethos. It’s only five minutes to the supermarket and 15 minutes to the beach and there are numerous footpaths and bridleways. Charcoal BBQs are allowed on the site, but not camp fires.” Colin
Chequers Inn Camping
Niton Road, Rookley PO38 3NZ
01983 840 314
Nightly fee: From £20
Open: All year
“Super pub stopover campsite, centrally located, near Ventnor. Like most pubs, the campsite isn’t their main business, but each pitch had an electric hook-up and water. The play area was brilliant and the food and service in the pub itself were excellent.”
Lower Hyde Holiday Park
Shanklin, Isle of Wight, PO37 7LL
Nightly fee: From £17-£69
Open: Easter to 30th September
“We were worried that bad weather might affect our holiday, so we booked here, knowing that there would be plenty for the kids to do. It’s half a mile from sandy Shanklin beach, and on-site there is a kids’ club, pool, spa pool, diner, bar and restaurant, with evening entertainment.” Amanda
Island Harbour Camping
The Control Tower, Mill Lane, Newport PO30 2LA
Nightly fee: £25
Open: May to September
“We found this while browsing the Isle of Wight Festival website. Set in the fields beside the River Medina, it’s near Newport, right in the centre of the island, so nowhere is far away. We liked the riverbank walks and there’s lots of space for ball games with children and dogs. There’s a fantastic on-site restaurant and bar, The Breeze, with a heated veranda and lots of indoor and outdoor seating, a children’s play area with a tower slide, swings, a high climbing area with rock wall, a bank slide, a toddler’s play tower and a wobble beam. There are good shower and toilet facilities, too.” Mark
The Orchards Holiday Caravan and Camping Park
Main Rd, Newbridge, Yarmouth PO41 0TS
01983 531 331
Nightly fee: £20-£60
Open March - 31st October
“This is a lovely campsite. There are three paddocks for campervans and touring caravans. We left it late to book and our pitch was on a hill, with beautiful views. The showers, toilets and washing up area were the best I have ever come across. Well designed and extremely clean. It was great to have an on-site shop. We bought hot croissants from the takeaway in the mornings. Sadly the swimming pools were closed due to Covid when we went.” Jenny
Kate Taylor
Journalist and Writer
