The Gridshell

The Secret Campsite | Real Camping nr. Lewes, East Sussex Just north of Lewes in East Sussex and hidden in the beautiful South Downs National Park, is the aptly named and completely gorgeous Secret Campsite. Aptly named, not because you need a password and complicated handshake to gain access through the grassy gates, but because of the isolated and secluded feel to it; secretly hidden from the world, but fully open to those who love nature and real camping.

The Secret Campsite is a sustainable and peaceful, tents-only campsite, in quiet and rural countryside and has been carefully landscaped to encourage a varied amount of wildlife to come into the camping areas. The campsite itself is kept car free and dog free to ensure that the flora and fauna can flourish and be enjoyed by everyone staying. Tents and bags need to be loaded up at the car park and wheelbarrowed into the site, which means children are safe to roam and noise is kept to an absolute minimum. The open meadow provides a picturesque space for 16 huge pitches over 8 acres, each area mown into the meadow with a track leading to each pitch. The pitches are a long way apart - on average about 15 metres but sometimes more - and each comes with its own brick circle fire pit and surrounding logs to sit on. Plants surrounding the pitches provide varying degrees of privacy and it is a wonderfully wild and rustic site with ancient woodland for children (and adults too of course) to have some proper old fashioned adventures.

The facilities are excellent here causing minimum impact on the environment, with solar powered showers, toilets, a solar powered fridge and freezer for storing supplies and even a solar powered car charger available for electric cars. There is also a covered washing up area. Firewood and kindling is available at reception along with (pre ordered if you can be super organised!) meat boxes from the local farm which is a real treat. Tea and coffee can be bought from the Secret Teapot cafe - also at reception. For any other food provisions, it is a five minute walk down the road to an excellent farm shop.

There are two fabulously quirky “secret shelters” on site for those who don’t want to bring their own tent. Choose from ‘The Gridshell’ - a wooden structured shelter covered in heavy duty canvas, sleeping up to 5 people with its own firepit and grassy area. The other is a Tree Tent, a huge bauble carefully suspended from three sturdy oaks on the edge of the woodland that surrounds the camping meadow. Windows offer stunning views across the South Downs National Park. The Tree Tent sleeps three people inside, but there is also a private grass pitch to put up another tent if you wish. Both of these include basic cooking equipment, a kettle and some crockery.

Relaxing, recharging, connecting with nature and nurturing the soul are all on the menu here, along with having fun, building dens in the woods and exploring the surrounding countryside on foot or by bike - including the neighbouring bluebell covered Knowland Wood. Should you wish to go further afield then the beaches of Brighton, the historic town of Lewes and the South Downs coast park are right on your doorstep. And only an hour and a half from London. But try and keep it a secret….. Lewes.