South West•Dorset•50.803° N, 2.005° W

Farrs Meadow

A hilltop Dorset woodland site where horse-trailer shower blocks, goats in the morning and a ten-minute stroll to the River Stour make camping feel genuinely alive.

Farrs Meadow sits on a wooded hill above the Stour Valley outside Wimborne, with views across misty fields that earn the setting rather than merely decorate it. The pitches are scattered through the trees on grass; the glamping options run to yurts, shepherd's huts and gypsy wagons. Facilities are unpretentious by design: showers and loos occupy converted horse trailers, which sounds odd and works completely.

David runs the place with the attentiveness of someone who actually enjoys hosting: he'll carry bags up the hill, dispense walking routes, and point you towards the local thatched pub without being asked. The site keeps fridges and charging points available, sells wood on site, and fire pits are part of the deal. It is not slick, and that is precisely the point.

The River Stour is a ten-minute walk through the surrounding woodland, with off-road paths that also reach Wimborne in around fifteen minutes. Guests swim and paddleboard in the river in season. Back on site, children gravitate to the swing and the resident goat; after dark, the hilltop position gives a clear look at the sky. The atmosphere is relaxed and social without being a party site: a regular crowd returns year after year.

Before you book

The pitches are up a hill; David will help carry gear but it is not flat access.

“Farrs Meadow earns its reputation through owner care and a setting that does quiet, consistent work: woodland, valley views, a river for swimming and a pub close enough to walk to.”

Why it made the cut

Owner David is hands-on and knowledgeable, making the experience feel personal rather than managed
The combination of tent and glamping options on the same site works for mixed groups and return visitors
River Stour swimming and off-road walking trails directly from the site
Rustic facilities (horse-trailer shower blocks, open fire pits, goats) give the place genuine character

The Feeling

Lovingly scruffy · Soulful handmade · Mixed tempo

Horse trailer washroomsGoat in the morningValley mist viewsFire and wood on siteRiver stour swim

Good For

Date
Family
Solo

Best For

Hilltop woodland setting with breathtaking Stour Valley views
Glamping in yurts, Shepherd's huts and Gypsy wagons alongside tent pitches
River swimming and walking access to Stour Valley Way trails

In Campr's collections

Date night campingA wooded hilltop with valley views, yurts, shepherd's huts and a thatched pub within walking distance, the case for Dorset practically writes itself.
Slow familyWoodland to roam, a goat to befriend, a river ten minutes down the track and a host who carries your bags without being asked.
Glamping at its bestYurts, shepherd's huts and gypsy wagons on a Dorset hilltop: glamping that leans on setting and owner character rather than the hot-tub upsell.