15 Places To Go Camping In Essex UK

When you search ‘camping in Essex’, you’ll often be greeted with quite a lot of different holiday parks. HOWEVER, many of these places only have private holiday homes and several only offer static caravan holidays. If you have a tourer, motorhome or are a tent camper, these options aren’t available!

In this post I give you a quick glance option to see what a range of caravan parks in Essex offer, without having to individually click on each park’s website! There are both sites that offer more relaxed, peaceful breaks, as well as those that offer facilities such as swimming pools and entertainment. If you enjoy glamping, you may want to check out this post too: 15 Places To Go Glamping In Essex!

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Camping in Essex

Barleylands Campsite – Billericay

Tents | Tourers | Motorhomes

🗺Barleylands, Barleylands Rd, Billericay CM11 2UD

The campsite at Barleylands has both hard standing and grass pitches, with or without electric hook up. There are toilet and shower facilities on site. Rates start from £12 per night. Just a short walk away is a farm shop that is open 7 days a week, a Tiptree Tearoom, plus Barleylands Farm Park (with farm animals, birds of prey, meerkats and exotic animals, campsite guests receive a discount) and The Village. The Village is has various shops, eateries, treatment rooms and more.

Gosfield Lake Resort – nr Braintree

Tents | Tourers | Motorhomes

🗺Gosfield Lake Resort, Church Rd, Gosfield, Halstead CO9 1UD

The lake is primarily for the water ski club (I used to have wakeboarding lessons there!), but sometimes they will offer open water swim sessions. Alongside the lake is a camping field for tents (no electric) and close by is an area for tourers and motorhomes, which have electric hook ups. There’s a toilet and shower block, a laundry room and a washing up area. This is a little walk away from the primitive camping area. For those that don’t have their own accommodation, you can stay in the ‘Annexe at Gosfield Lake’, which has 2 lake view rooms with en-suites.

Campsite facilities include: a snack shack, a play area and an open space for picnics and ball games. Water activities can be pre-booked.

Finchingfield Camping – nr Braintree

Tents | Small Camper Vans (VW bus sized)

🗺Finchingfield Camping, Howe Street, Finchingfield, Braintree CM7 4JB

Finchingfield Camping is located just outside of the picturesque village of Finchingfield. During July and August, campers will get to enjoy the small lavender farm in bloom. A pitch costs £28 per night for 2 adults (kids are free) and each pitch has a private toilet, a firepit and picnic bench. Shared shower facilities are available, along with a mobile phone charging point (pitches are non electric).

Lakeside Caravan Park – Brightlingsea

Tents | Tourers | Motorhomes

🗺Lakeside Caravan Park, Promenade Way, Brightlingsea, Colchester CO7 0HJ

The Lakeside Caravan Park is a peaceful campsite located in Brightlingsea. Pitches are suitable for tents, tourers and motorhomes (including camper vans) and have electric hook ups. The site is a short walk from Brightlingsea Lido which is an outdoor swimming pool. There is a toilet and shower block and pets are welcome.

Colchester Country Park – Colchester

Tents | Tourers | Motorhomes

🗺Colchester Country Park, Cymbeline Way, Colchester CO3 4AG

Located just off the A12 is Colchester Country Park, a campsite in Colchester with 145 pitches. They offer both hard standing and grass pitches, all with electric hook up. There’s a large children’s play area, a toilet and shower block, dishwashing and laundry facilities. Pets are welcome.

Osea Leisure Park – Maldon

Tourers | Motorhomes | Glamping

🗺Osea Leisure Park, Goldhanger Road, Maldon CM9 4SA

Osea Leisure Park is largely a privately owned ‘holiday home’ site, however they have recently upped their glamping game. Across the road from the main park is Osea Meadows, which consists of 13 electric hook up pitches and a huge selection of their different glamping accommodation options. Currently the pitches are only available to tourers and motorhomes.

Campsite facilities include: toilet and shower blocks (in regular times, check site for information), a restaurant and bar with entertainment, 2 playgrounds, an outdoor gym, a Tiptree Tearoom and a small beach area.

Naze Marine Holiday Park (Parkdean) – Walton on the Naze

Tourers | Motorhomes | Static Caravans

🗺Naze Marine Holiday Park, Walton on the Naze CO14 8HL

Naze Marine Holiday Park is the only Parkdean owned park in Essex that offers facilities for tourers and motorhomes. Each pitch has electric hook up, with water points and toilet and shower blocks nearby. There’s also washing up facilities and a launderette. Pets are also welcome. The beach is just a 5 minute walk away.

Campsite facilities include: an indoor swimming pool, playground, amusement arcade, a camp shop, restaurant/bar, kids club and entertainment and more.

Things To Do In Walton On The Naze Essex!

Dovercourt Holiday Park (Park Holidays) – Harwich

Static Caravans | Glamping Pods

🗺Dovercourt Holiday Park, Low Rd, Harwich CO12 3TZ

Dovercourt Holiday Park is one of three sites in this post that doesn’t offer pitches for tents, tourers or motorhomes. It’s a large holiday park that has static caravans and glamping pods that can be reserved. Static caravans come in a wide range of sizes, sleeping from 4 people, up to 10. There are lots of facilities and it is minutes from one of Essex’s blue flag beaches.

Campsite facilities include: an indoor swimming pool with waterslide, indoor soft play area, adventure playground, crazy golf, camp shop, restaurant/bar, entertainment and more.

Mersea Island Camping

West Mersea Holiday Park (Park Holidays)

Tourers | Motorhomes | Glamping Pods

🗺West Mersea Holiday Park, Seaview Ave, West Mersea, Colchester CO5 8DA

Just like Parkdean, West Mersea Holiday Park is the only Park Holidays owned site in Essex that has options for tourers and motorhomes. Pitches are all hard standing with electric, so no tents are allowed. Campers have access to a toilet and shower block, plus a fresh water hookup. The glamping pods don’t have private toilets and share the communal facilities. However they do have a double bed, bunk bed, lighting and plug and USB sockets. The beach is just a short walk away.

Campsite facilities include: a camp shop, a restaurant/bar and a laundrette.

Waldegraves Holiday Park

Tents | Tourers | Motorhomes | Static Caravans

🗺Waldegraves Holidays Park, Waldegraves Ln, West Mersea, Colchester CO5 8SE

I hear great things about Waldegraves! They offer all different camping options with the majority of the camping pitches having electric hook ups and water points. There are 2 toilet and shower blocks, a laundrette and washing up areas. For those on a non electric pitch, there are mobile phone charging areas available for a fee.

Campsite facilities include: outdoor swimming pool, camp shop, playgrounds, restaurant, a kids club and entertainment, crazy golf, fishing lake, boating lake and more.

Fen Farm Caravan Site

Tents | Tourers | Motorhomes

🗺Fen Farm Caravan Site, Moore Ln, East Mersea, Colchester CO5 8FE

Compared to the other Mersea Island camping options, Fen Farm Caravan Site, offers a more peaceful setting without the larger entertainment facilities. There are grass pitches with or without electric hook ups, that are suitable for tents, tourers and motorhomes. The site is located in East Mersea and beach is just a short walk away. Dogs are welcome.

Campsite facilities include: toilet and shower block, a children’s playground, laundry room and washing up facilities and more.

(Coopers Beach Holiday Park (Parkdean) is another caravan park on Mersea Island that only offers static caravan holidays.)

Caravan Parks in Clacton

Grange Farm Campsite – Thorpe Le Soken

Tents | Tourers | Motorhomes

🗺Grange Farm Campsite, Station Rd, Thorpe-le-Soken, Clacton-on-Sea CO16 0HG

Grange Farm Campsite is a basic camping site a 15 minute drive from Clacton seafront. The campsite is located on a farm which is a 10 minute walk from the shops and pubs in Thorpe Le Soken village. There are limited toilet and shower facilities and pitches have electric hook ups. Grange Farm Campsite is a small campground, which may suit those looking for a more peaceful getaway. Well behaved pets are welcome.

The Orchards Holiday Village (Haven) – St Osyth

Tents | Tourers | Motorhomes | Static Caravans

🗺The Orchards Holiday Village, Clacton-on-Sea CO16 8LJ

This Haven owned caravan park is located 20 minutes from Clacton in St Osyth. It has a total of 63 pitches which are suitable for tents, tourers and motorhomes, with the majority having electric hook up. Campers have access to toilet and shower blocks, a dishwashing area and a launderette. Dogs are also welcome.

Campsite facilities include: 2 swimming pools (indoor and outdoor), play areas, 9 hole golf course, beach access, 4 restaurants/bars, entertainment, pool tables and more.

Martello Beach Holiday Park (Park Holidays) – Jaywick

Static Caravans

🗺Martello Beach Holiday Park, Belsize Avenue, Jaywick, Clacton-on-Sea CO15 2LF

Similar to Dovercourt Holiday Park, Martello Beach only has static caravans available. The beach is just a short walk from the site and guests of Martello Beach can also use the facilities at Seawick and St Oysth Beach Holiday Parks, which are just across the road. Pets are welcome.

Campsite facilities include: indoor and outdoor pool, adventure playground, restaurant/bar and entertainment, amusement arcade, camp shop and more, plus the facilities at the sister parks (such as indoor swimming pools and fishing lake)

Valley Farm Holiday Park (Parkdean)

Static Caravans

🗺Valley Farm Holiday Park, Valley Rd, Clacton-on-Sea CO15 6LY

Just like Martello Beach, Valley Farm Holiday Park also only offers static caravan holidays. However Valley Park is the closest caravan park to Clacton. The beach is a 15 minute walk away, or a 35 minute walk to Clacton Pier. Caravans have various capacities, ranging from 2 person caravans, up to models that sleep 8. Certain ones are also pet friendly.

Campsite facilities include: indoor and outdoor pool, playground, restaurant/bar and entertainment, amusement arcade, camp shop, laundrette and more.

(Seawick Holiday Park, St Oysth Beach Holiday Park (both Park Holidays sites) and Highfield Grange Holiday Park and Weeley Bridge Holiday Park (Parkdean sites) are other caravan parks in Clacton, that only offer static caravan holiday options. Many of the sites have swimming pools and restaurants onsite.)

9 Best Things To Do In Clacton, Essex

*Note – Some sites do not accept twin axel caravans, please check terms and conditions on campsite webpages. Information correct at the time of writing.

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