Independent Campsite Reviews

We love Burnbake...there is something very magical about it. From the minute you pass the hand painted campsite sign on the gate you feel like you are entering a mini never land. Driving in past fields of horses and curious distant tipis you wonder what on earth will unfold. You arrive in a wooded area of wooden chalet style toilet blocks with swarms of happy children running around playing in the woodlands. Am fascinated enough seeing just the wonderful array of extravagant camping set ups (must be experts!!) Gazebos, tables laden with flowers, lights in the trees, but this year they have a traditional yurk cafe selling food, drink and all sorts of fair trade goods! Candle lit at night with soft jazz. By night it is really magical. It’s a sort of woodland lit by barbeques and happy people. I don't really know how else to describe it other than I have never been to a site with so much character and atmosphere. It’s camping at its best!

Great site this, which has pitches in both grassed and wooded areas. Facilities may be a bit basic for some. Only cold running water to basins with a bucket for hot water! Showers are run on a pay card system, which you buy at the shop for 20 or 30p for about 10 mins. Facilities were kept clean whilst we were there despite the wet weather. The site is very laid back with a turn up and pitch where you like policy. The friendly guy comes around in the evening to collect payment. Shop stocks a basic supply of food etc and runs an ice block service for about 50p. Shop is open twice a day mornings and early evening.

BBQs are allowed off the ground and you can hire tables and benches for a small charge. There isn't really a play area for children just a couple of tyres hanging from trees outside the shower block. Do take notice of the signs advising you not to leave any food in tents as the squirrels do find a way in and help themselves! This site definitely gives you the feeling of the Great outdoors. We love it and will be back again this spring. However, if you like your mapped out pitches, tarmac roads, centrally heated shower blocks and clubhouse this probably is not the site for you. Definitely a more basic camping experience.

We stayed over the Easter bank holiday. Plenty of room when we arrived. The site spreads across a large flat field surrounded by trees with some scattered around the middle too. Also lots of areas in the woods where groups of tents were. Further in were two smaller grassy areas but these also slope but do get some sun and there is a little stream running through. We did however find it difficult to select where to pitch on the flat upper field, as it was almost all waterlogged. When we did the ground was firm and didn't churn into deep mud (the rest of the stay was dry and the site did dry out significantly).

Friends found pitches near us too.

The showers were virtually useless ok so a shower card only cost 30p but I think if a site is going to charge separately for something then it should at least be worth having.

Notices all over site about not having fires but these were all ignored with some fairly spectacular fires built by one or two of the larger groups

Ah yes groups of campers; well we were one of these but there were some music fans who had a very loud sound system also another group who were very aggressive when reasonably requested to quieten down at around 2.00am leading to one very distraught couple packing up and leaving in anger.

This was the reason we will not be using Burnbake again as the very friendly owner is not on site except in the morning or evening so we felt there was a slightly threatening lack of security on site especially at night.

The plus side is the local area is brilliant for walking either directly from the site or the surrounding area.

I have been to this campsite nearly every year for the last 15 years, my dad took me and my sister there when we were kids and I take my family there now. I have never encountered late night noise (but maybe I was lucky) and have always found it to be a clean, family friendly site with an excellent shop that seems to sell everything!! The setting is beautiful, with plenty of walks and gorgeous beaches at Studland. Have had some of the best fish and chips in Swanage. Will be returning in a week for a short stay and I can't wait!

I visited Burnbake campsite last year with my family, It was a very enjoyable stay. The toilets and showers are kept fairly clean. Set in beautiful forests, with peaceful walks and rides. The campsite shop was very handy for bacon, fresh bread etc.

I am a regular camper at Burnbake - but have been disappointed on a few occasions by large groups of campers with little or no respect for their fellows. On a few of the occasions that I have stayed there (throughout 2004) then we have been kept awake by loud music, drinking and drug taking campers - it is so frustrating to still be awake at 4am with the large groups ignoring any requests to keep the noise down or switch off altogether. I think that allowing such large groups on site is a huge mistake as they have spoiled the otherwise perfect site. The outside showers (tucked away behind the main toilet block) are better than those inside the toilet blocks even though they use the same card system. I shall endeavour to return this year but should large noisy groups be present, then I too shall pack up and leave.

My family and I recently visited the site and found similar problems of high noise levels after 0100 hours. The site itself and the staff were fine, but based on noise, we will not be visiting this site again.

Burnbake campsite I have been to every year for the past 4 years, I spent a weekend there for my birthday also. It’s always very lovely and the people who work there are friendly as well. We've always gone in Tipi's which always makes it a bit better. Very welcoming and nice people, beautiful surroundings, and not too far from the beach. Wouldn’t want to go anywhere else in Dorset. Thank you whoever owns it for always providing me and my friends or family with a wonderful weekend!

We have discovered Burnbake within the last 2 years and are gutted to find a number of websites about it since we were rather hopeful that no one else would find out about it. We have stayed 3 times and each time loved every second. Why - because it is so laid back and far from our city (Bristol) life. We took our sister in law ( a non camper) who now is a complete convert, nay neo woodland pixie, who now will not be persuaded to camp anywhere else. We really can't wait to arrive this year..............

England at its best.

[This has been slightly translated from the original vernacular]

I have been camping since I was 4 and now I’m 14 I still love it. I try to go every other weekend but I always make sure I go every bank holiday. Anyone who says there are no facilities or that they’re too basic are just wrong coz they think that if you go camping it will be the same as being at home but you will just sleep in a tent. I have been to many campsites round the area and Burnbake is by far the best. My reasons are that it is in a great area, children can play in the woods or run around in the open fields and there are also friendly staff and yeah there is a bit of noise but nothing some ear plugs won't sort out and anyway if there were no noise you would be worried. So I would tell anyone to go to this campsite coz it is so good.

BURNBAKE RULES

We first started staying at Burnbake in 1983 and had no problems with noise. My son has just returned from camping there (July 2006) and although the campsite was its usual unspoilt self, he had one particular night spoiled by a large group setting up at 11pm and continuing to make a great deal of noise until past 2am........such a shame....…

I went camping here and it woz really good coz all the staff r really friendly and nice, but one slight draw back woz dat there were loads of mosquitoes and midges, and the mozzy repellent in da shop woz a bit pricey, but other than dat it was really good and fun. (if u want cheaper mozzy repellant go 2 the pharmacy in swanage). When u wake up in da morning it is a mad rush 2 make yourself decent before 9 o'clock and then peg it down the shop and get a croissant or a danish before they all go. hopefully goin back, didn't hear any late night noise when we were staying though.

I've been visiting Burnbake for several years and it has been a great site particularly for families. However when we visited this year in late July two things drove us away after the first night. The mosquitoes in the evening were dreadful - the first time I've noticed them here - and despite the heat we had to cover every inch of skin and still ended up with lots of bites. But the worst was the stench of drains/sewage in the morning when people started using the loo block en masse - it was really bad and having travelled extensively in Africa and South America my nose is pretty hardened! It could just be the location on the site we chose this year, or the heat, but I shall be reluctant to return until the problem, whatever it is, is resolved.

I visited Burnbake last year. The camp is basic but everything is there that you need, I am shocked to read other stories of loud noise and large groups of people as I didn’t experience any of this. I know that a lot of campsites have a policy where no large groups are allowed maybe the owners could consider this, I will visit again and hope its as good as last time.

We’ve just returned from 2 eventful nights at Burnbake. We arrived enthusiastically at the site, being welcomed by lovely wooded surroundings and the promise of tranquillity. How wrong we were! In the middle of our first night, we were awoken by revelling travellers in their converted bus and ambulance obviously high on life (or something similar). They continued to party until well into the early hours.

They left the next day, so we thought we were in for a much more peaceful and tranquil night, how wrong we were! Just settling down to a quiet early evening drink, we were joined by our new neighbours (the family from hell!). I thought Wayne and Waynetta were just fiction until they arrived. They shouted and argued from the moment they arrived until the moment we left. Their barbeque was close to something you’d see on November the 5th (clearly they had not read the signs which said "No Fires"). It’s a wonder Dorset is still standing, the amount of petrol that was going on the fire. Their celebrations continued into the early (or should that be late?) hours of the morning.

The site is seriously lacking in any control (we assume because the owner is not based on site). Regrettably, we would never return unless something is done about noise and security. The bloke collecting the money (presumably the owner), seemed really nice though.

We have just got back from two nights at Burnbake and we will not be going back. I have enjoyed taking my boys to the site over the last few years the noise problem has just got intolerable.

Once again, there were one or two groups who kept everyone else awake until past 2.00am playing loud music, drinking, shouting and swearing. We have been two ro three times a year for the last few years and this seems to happen every time and enough is enough.

This is a shame as Burnbake is a great site. OK it's rustic but it's in the woods, the showers work and the shop opens. But if you want a good night's sleep and don't want to have to explain to your frightened six year old what 'f**k' and 'c**t' mean at 2.00am, don't go. I overheard a couple complaining to the very ameniable capsite owner in the morning and he said he would "read them the riot act", as if that will make any difference.

If however you are a selfish yob who wants to sit around a bonfire with your mates drinking, swearing, shouting, playing loud music and driving your car around the site until the wee small hours, then go to Burnbake because no one is going to do anything about it.

Hey I’m 16 and believe it or not I had never been camping so didn’t know what to expect. Overall it was a great place, especially where it is located. The site’s facilities could do with upgrading, but the places around it like the beach and watching the sunset in Wareham by the river (WAREHAMS CLASS) so made up for it. Would advise it.

I have been twice a year for the past 2 years, and come in a big group. We do not disturb other people as we are on a separate field. It is a great site, with good facilities. We tend to find that instead of complaining about us, lots of people from the main site come and sit with us in the evenings and enjoy the music etc. We’ve never had any complaints!!