Stubcroft Farm

Stubcroft Lane, East Wittering, Chichester, West Sussex PO20 8PJ, UK

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We say

Teaser text:

Scenery that will blow your mind...still, at least you got this chilling site for a comfort pillow.

This is based on a review from:

Cool Camping England Find out more

Cool Camping campsite review:

Run by a gregarious environmentalist and professional photographer, Stubcroft Farm is a sustainable lambing farm set in 50 acres close to the beautiful coastline of West Wittering. The campsite sits next to a handsome red-brick farmhouse, which, with its old pumps and nearby beehives, gives the place a real whiff of ‘olde’ England.

Stubcroft is proudly green in approach, with its use of fair trade and organic products, as well as environmentally friendly loos. The 90 pitches are pretty compact, having been bordered with specially planted hedges and a wealth of trees to provide privacy and shelter from those landlubbing sea winds. However, on a busy summer weekend you’ll be close quartered with your fellow campers, as the place is extremely popular. You’ll soon see why; the sky is huge here, and there’s an immediately calming effect when you look out across the wild paddock beyond to the distant smudge of Chichester on one side and the sea on the other.

Kids will be able to run free (thanks to the site’s secluded lane and surrounding fields) while you busy yourself buying home-made burgers from the shop and setting up your barbie. You may even find yourself helping owner Simon with the extraction of honey, or staying during one of the farm’s organised vintage-tractor rallies. April is a great time to visit, as there are newborn lambs to bottle-feed; and bring your binoculars – you might just spot some of the deer or 72 species of birds drawn to the area’s secluded tranquillity.

Cool factor:

Basic camping on the doorstep of stunning scenery.

Who's in?:

Everyone from dogs on leads to exuberant teenagers.

Onsite fun:

Campfires permitted in containers off the ground. Some can be rented out (£5 per night); logs also sold. Ninety pitches, 6 eco-loos, 5 modern showers, and 6 conventional-flush loos. Dotted around the site are drinking taps, and a CDP. There are 8 electric hook-ups. Bike hire is also available by the day (£10), weekend, or week so you can head off exploring the miles of cycle paths through natural areas. Ask about upcoming steam rally events and lambing weekends.

Offsite fun:

Easy access to some of the UK’s best beaches – head to Bracklesham Bay for surfing, walk along the East Head spit: 50 acres of Lawrence of Arabia sand dunes to live out those ‘take Aqaba’ fantasies; while West Wittering beach has some of the cleanest, clearest water in the country. For kids, visit the South Downs Planetarium in Chichester, the Old Windmill in Halnaker, or – less than ten miles away – Portsmouth’s impressive Blue Reef Aquarium (02392 875222).

Food & drink:

That smell of bacon winding its way through the oak trees to your tent is emanating from the farmhouse and Stubcroft’s famous breakfasts. For lunch head for fish and chips at Bracklesham Bay, then take dinner at East Wittering’s 16th-century Thatched Tavern (01243 673087) offering locally produced, mouth-watering dishes such as Aberdeen Angus steaks and freshly caught fish.

The damage:

Tent plus adult £7–8 per night; child (under-15) £3.50; dog £1; campervan/caravan plus 2 adults £20–25.

Open:

All year.

You say

Reviews:

Stubcroft Farm

JimMelrose

- Visited on: 09/11

2

This is one of the most frustrating campsites out there.

The location is perfect. The size is good - intimate but not too small, certainly not too big.

The facilities are plentiful (at least, when they're not busy).

There's a little shop too.

But then there's the bad - the utterly pointless 'eco loos' stink so atrociously that it's amazing they are continuing to pursue this futile war with nature. The shower block and plumbed toilets undermines this immensely.

The prices are high, and if you are camping alone in a small tent, even in a big group, you have to pay for two people. Baffling.

The deposits are steep, and if you are ORDERED by the woman working there to do it by BACS transfer beware - she will give it back in cash or cheque! If you are lucky - a month later I'm still awaiting mine.

They even want £20 deposits for the silly little fire pan things they insist you use. Forget that, we made our own!

The woman in the shop/ who runs the place was not fun to deal with, and the impression I got was that they are so successful and well placed in the area that they couldn't care less if you enjoyed your stay. There's plenty more people who will turn up, unaware that there's a giant hole full of human waste just around the corner...

It has enough going for it for a repeat visit, but that'll be in spite of the owners, and not because of them. It's probably great for kids though, I accept that. Presumably, the owners aren't as rude to the little ones!

Stayed in: tent pitch

Review submitted on: 11/10/11
Stubcroft Farm

rky

- Visited on: 08/11

2

We stayed at this campsite hoping for a chilled out cool camping experience. Sadly we were disappointed. As others have said, the pitches are pre allocated and small, and tents are packed in closely together like sardines. The pre allocated pitches and no campfires (unless in container off the ground) mean that the freedom and fun of camping are lessened. There is no space for children to play meaning that a tennis ball often lands in your barbeque.

The campsite is in a beautiful area of West Sussex and it is a joy to drive into the site through the tree tunnels and past fields of bright yellow sunflowers. Once on the site however, each field is surrounded by a high hedge which means that the only view you have is of other tents.

The shop is great and reminiscent of an old fashioned general store. You can literally buy anything here from tinned spaghetti bolognase to beach balls. There are flushing toilets and hot showers, which get crowded at busy times but are otherwise ok. There are also composting toilets by each field. If you have ever been to Glastonbury you will be familiar with the smells that greet you.

If you want to be close to the sandy beaches of the Witterings I think this is the best site in the area (no campfires or large groups at all the other ones) but if you just want a good camping experience I would avoid this site.

Stayed in: tent pitch

Review submitted on: 21/08/11
Stubcroft Farm

red73

- Visited on: 07/11

1

The best thing about this campsite is its location. It was easy to get to the beaches at the Witterings and Bracklesham Bay by car or by bike, and it was quiet. The campsite is very tucked away down unmade tracks, but if you follow the directions on the website, not your satnav you should find it without any trouble.

However, I don't think any of our party will be returning. The pitches are on the small side, and really packed together. There wasn't enough room for the kids in our party (or the others in the field) to play ball games without bothering other campers. There are not enough showers or flushing toilets. The washing up stations have only cold water. The eco loos smell terrible (luckily we had pitches at the far end of the field - make sure you don't get a pitch near the loos because the smell carries for quite a distance!) There are also problems with water pressure - the taps and showers often just stop, and you have to wait for the water to begin trickling back out.

I'm quite happy with basic camping, but the tradeoff is usually that there is plenty of space. This had neither good, clean facilities, nor space, so overall I really wasn't impressed by the site.

Stayed in: tent pitch

Review submitted on: 01/08/11
Stubcroft Farm

red73

- Visited on: 07/11

1

The best thing about this campsite is its location. It was easy to get to the beaches at the Witterings and Bracklesham Bay by car or by bike, and it was quiet. The campsite is very tucked away down unmade tracks, but if you follow the directions on the website, not your satnav you should find it without any trouble.

However, I don't think any of our party will be returning. The pitches are on the small side, and really packed together. There wasn't enough room for the kids in our party (or the others in the field) to play ball games without bothering other campers. There are not enough showers or flushing toilets. The washing up stations have only cold water. The eco loos smell terrible (luckily we had pitches at the far end of the field - make sure you don't get a pitch near the loos because the smell carries for quite a distance!) There are also problems with water pressure - the taps and showers often just stop, and you have to wait for the water to begin trickling back out.

I'm quite happy with basic camping, but the tradeoff is usually that there is plenty of space. This had neither good, clean facilities, nor space, so overall I really wasn't impressed by the site.

Stayed in: tent pitch

Review submitted on: 01/08/11
Stubcroft Farm

paulette

- Visited on: 05/11

3

We stayed here for 2 nights over a busy May bank holiday weekend. We had a good pitch, although be prepared to be quite near your neighbour. The Eco loos were no problem but there were long queues at the showers in the morning and evening and they weren't up to much even when eventually you go in. The washing up areas were messy, but as another reviewer said, that's more to do with your fellow campers. It's a nice campsite but I would not say it was anything special

Stayed in: tent pitch

Review submitted on: 12/07/11
Stubcroft Farm

Kelsa

- Visited on: 06/11

4

We liked Stubcroft - its a beautiful campsite in a verdant, tucked away setting - although finding it can be tricky. We worked on the basis that this was to keep the riff raff out, but there is not a signpost to be seen and we ended up at the wrong end of an impassable lane thanks to our SatNav. Be warned...
Once we'd waited 25 minutes in the queue to check in (they definitely need more staff) we were greeted by an extremely personable and friendly (if slightly hassled) proprietor who found us and our group a fantastic spot in which to camp. The site itself has a lovely laid back vibe, with lots of kids running around until it gets dark, barbecues smoking and summer sunsets in abundance - we even had some local colour in the shape of a clucking pheasant in the next field. Less good are the showers, which are, frankly, a cold trickle - we resorted to baby-wipe washing and boiling kettles for washing up - the washing up stations were cold only (try cleaning welded on scrambled egg with that) and pretty grotty - by no means as clean as you would hope, but to be fair that's also a reflection on our fellow campers, who should have left things as they would wish to find them.
The Eco-loos are absolutely fine by any seasoned festival-goer's standard but do not expect frills - there are none. That said, our six year old adapted quickly and was happily using them. But that is part of Stubcroft's charm - camping there is a really nice experience, fellow campers are really friendly and the relaxed, warm attitude is a real plus point given the hostile reception this camper has had at some sites.
Overall, well worth a visit, but set your expectations to basic - and you may just find you enjoy life without frills for a few days.

Stayed in: tent pitch

Review submitted on: 05/06/11

Photos

Getting there

Take the A27 towards Chichester, continuing on to the bypass, then the A286 towards the Witterings and Bracklesham. Continue on, through Birdham village then take the left fork on to the B2198 (Bell Lane) at the mini roundabout by a Total garage (signposted East Wittering and Bracklesham Bay). Just past the Bell pub there is an S-bend – turn right on the apex of the second bend into Tile Barn Lane, then turn left and follow signs to the farm.

Public transport:

Train or bus to Chichester. Then take a regularly running Stagecoach bus towards Bracklesham Corner and soon after passing the Bell pub, alight just after the S-bend.