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Reviews of The Orchard Camp Site

Q: Is The Orchard Camp Site child friendly?

YES, it accepts children & has a playground View all facilities

Q: Where is the nearest shop to The Orchard Camp Site?

There is a shop on site View all facilities

Campsite Search > UK > East Anglia England > Suffolk > Wickham Market > The Orchard Camp Site > Reviews

The Orchard Camp Site
Spring Lane
Wickham Market
Suffolk (Browse area)
IP13 0SJ
Tel: 07818 034729
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This site has an availability calendar. You can check for availability here

Pitches: 11 acres plus 20 electric pitches
Open: 05/04/2024 to 01/10/2024
11/04/2025 to 01/10/2025

Rating:

9/10 from 386 Reviews

Photos (7)

Tent Pitches	Caravan Pitches	Motorhome Pitches	Small Campervans
Glamping Units	No Statics for Hire	No Statics for Sale	No Seasonal Pitches
Electric Hookups	No Hardstandings	No Fully Serviced Pitches	Show Full Facilities

Who's it for
Families Welcome	Not Members Only	Rallies Welcome	Not Naturist Site
Dogs Welcome	No Dogs Allowed	Groups Welcome	Motorbikers Welcome
Facilities
Toilet Facilities	Hot Showers	Washing Up	No Bathroom
No Baby Changing	Laundry On Site	Drinking Water	Disabled Friendly
Chemical Disposal	Battery Charging	No Gas Exchange	No Recycling Facilities
Kitchen Facilities	Freezer / Fridge	No Motorhome Point	Wifi Access
Shop On Site	Bar On Site	Restaurant or Cafe or Takeaway On Site
Activities
Kids Playground	No TV Room	No Games Room	No Evening Ents
Fishing On Site	No Wild Swimming	No Indoor Pool	No Outdoor Pool
Horse Riding <1 mile	Cycle Hire <5 miles	Golf <1 mile	Tennis <1 mile
Beach <10 miles	Watersports On Site	No Boat Launch
Other Features
No Sea Views	Not Working Farm	Campfires Allowed
No Waterside Pitches	Public Transport <1 mile	No Dog Walk

Reviews: 386 in total, now showing 271 to 280 Previous 10 Next 10

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Date of Visit: September 2010

Unit: Tent

Reviewer: GReed

2 reviews from this member

Lovely site.

Friendly owners, they even gave my partner a pack of rizlas when he ran out

Great facilities, clean hot lovely showers. Great use of kitchen facilities. Lovely wash up area.

Lovely location, just off the A12 for access to all parts of Suffolk and into Norfolk, but very quiet, close to a lovely vineyard which is excellent for wine lovers.

All round a very pleasant camping experience.

We'll definitely be going back.

Date of Visit: September 2010

Unit: Tent

Reviewer: Rooks

2 reviews from this member

I suppose we all have little gems on our must go back to lists I think we have just found ours.

The campsite is set on a small hill that goes onto a flat area amongst the trees. 10 Electric hook up places and no set pitch just go where you want.

The owner Alan is very laid back and comes round to welcome you and to make sure everything is ok.

Facilities

4 washing up stations,a microwave, electric kettle,3 showers, 5 toilets, a mens and ladies wash room, and a family bathroom that needs to be booked are all included in the pitch fee of £15 per night. 2 washing machines are £3.00 per wash. Toilets/showers all clean and tidy on our visit but the campsite was quiet at busy times I think queue's would be a bit of a problem.

A queue does form for the electric kettle in the morning.

The idea of pitching 'where you want' was great the views are stunning across the countryside. A small playground is great for the kids but the whole site is a great place for them to explore. We 'lost' our kids for most of the days, they made friends with other kids on the site, and they were all out exploring the dens, fishing in the ponds and rivers and generally having lots of outdoor fun, which tired them out and made the sleep well! One of the nights we were there, glow sticks were thrown out for the kids at dark, this added to their fun. The campsite is really friendly and definitely geared up for the kids.

A van visits the site every morning with your basics and not so basics. The club shop has everything you would need.Fishing rods can be hired for £5 a day from the shop,Wi-fi is all over the site. There is a freezer and fridge for everyone to use its not big but again its free.

There are no set arrival/departure times which again we thought was brill if your last day is warm and sunny and you are in no rush it adds an extra days holiday!

Wickham market is a stones throw away with everything your going to need Ipswich is about 12 miles away with all the major supermarkets.

FIREWOOD

You are not allowed to take your own and must buy from the site £15 for a wheelbarrow and £3.50 for kindling we thought this was a bit expensive for what you got but it made our camp so much better.

We loved it and WILL be going back again many times

Date of Visit: August 2010

Unit: Tent

Reviewer: Tinaj1108

3 reviews from this member

Just returned from a 4 night stay with my 2 children aged 9 & 6.

We had a fantastic time but a few small niggles!

Our pitch was very uneven and sloped quite badly. So much so that when it rained, which it did a LOT, the water ran down through the middle of our tent!

The fact that we could build a campfire was great. The children could not have been happier about that but I did find it expensive-£15 for barrow of logs, £3.50 for box of kindling.

The washing facilities were great but with only 3 showers for the whole site it led to long queues morning and evening if you wanted a shower!

I was very impressed with the washing up sinks and the fact that there was a microwave and fridge/freezer that could be used for free.

Cleanliness in the toilets suffered later in the day. They were obviously cleaned over night but maybe a clean after lunch as well would help that.

The play area was really nothing more than 1 swing set but the children liked it and really just used it as a place to hang out with the new friends they had made.

They also liked the covered table tennis which was very handy when the weather was bad!

The site was very relaxed, I would say horizontal at times! some nights it was very noisy with youngsters running around until almost 11 at night. Probably not great if you have very young ones trying to sleep.

We spent an idyllic afternoon down at the rivers edge with a couple of fishing nets, borrowed from the camp shop!, and a bucket. Half a dozen children all standing up to their ankles in the river soaking wet & covered in mud having a thoroughly good time! that it one reason that I will definitely go back next year!

The local village has a co-op, cash machine, chinese takeaway, cafe and is only 15 mins walk away.

I must also mention a lovely pub, the dog and duck (opposite wickham market railway station) which was recommended to us by barry in the camp shop and does the most fantastic food!

All in all, a pleasant experience! I will definitely go back, in fact I have already emailed a booking for next year!

Date of Visit: July 2010

Unit: Tent

Reviewer: Dida

3 reviews from this member

We returned here again this year after our virgin camping holiday the same time last year and were not disappointed! New washrooms had been added which were great especially for teeth brushing and child washing! Alan as always made us feel like part of the family with Pimms on the terrace and glow sticks for the kids. Our children built a Trepee in the forest and spent many hours enjoying it! There were parties going on every evening we stayed but they never interrupted our fun or became too loud or late. The only thing that interrupted our sleep was the noisy cockerels from the field next door! This is a must visit site, we'll be back same time next year.

Date of Visit: August 2010

Unit: Tent

Reviewer: Mush145

3 reviews from this member

Have just returned from this site after 4 nights camping. This is really a family campsite in which children can go and play. That said it is well maintained and the owner has really tried to do something slighty different to other sites. The camp shop was good and the staff very friendly, it never seemed to close. A baker visits the site first thing in the morning so fresh croissants make a pleasant change.

The toilet block is well maintained and has some nice features such as microwave and kettle free to use, this is especially handy for baby milk. The only negative point here was that there is probably not quiet enough showers and toilets for the numbers on site.

The site sells and allows open fires and most people seem to have one and it can be a good way to meet your neighbours. The owner walks round the site once a night to chat to the guests and to be fair he seems to really care that everyone is having a good time.

The only criticism is there is a lot of water that is not well signposted so you do have to be vigilant with young children. There is also an uncovered water feature by the washrooms which again did not seem to be in line with family camping.

This aside the owner is really trying to make this an enjoyable family get away

Date of Visit: August 2010

Unit: Touring Caravan

Reviewer: B12kjc

12 reviews from this member

We just had couple days there. The positives are its 40mins from Africa Alive which is brilliant and country side is beautiful. The entrance approach as someone else commented is up narrow lane where suddenly you have to make a sharp turn and as I did I got the van stuck on the large tree. Coming down into site is very narrow and there is not much space to park and check in. The ground and pitches were uneven and not at all suitable for tourers its 95% tents and I can see why. The owner and couple staff are very friendly and he does keep shop open most evenings. However as nearly everyone says campfires a good idea but £15 plus cost kindling £20 is far too much. The showers and toilets were not cleaned before or during our stay. The pitches are close together The kids play area is small and there is no space to play. Finally the glow stick party a great idea but it was not a party they just chucked a couple boxes sticks out at 9pm and kids and parents jossle for em !

Date of Visit: August 2010

Unit: Tent

Reviewer: SandMWarriner

4 reviews from this member

We chose this site as it was a different area of Suffolk that we have not visited yet and were looking for somewhere relatively close to home so we could leave after work and get there and set up before dark.

We arrived to a bit of a muddy field (it had been raining all day!) and were not greeted very friendly. It took a while to book us in but we were then able to choose our pitch-they were a bit uneven and lacking in grass as fires were allowed anywhere. We were asked to leave our car at the top of the site due to the conditions but were assisted in taking our stuff down to the pitch and provided wih wheelbarrows if needed which was handy!

We liked the fact you could have an open fire but wood has to be brought from the site and is a bit expensive at £20 but it does include marshmallows which is a bonus! We stayed up quite late chatting with our friends around the fire and it definitely added to the camping atmosphere.

Toilets are ok but there were not very many and there were queues for the showers and sinks in the morning-they also needed to be cleaned more regularly due to the muddy conditions!

It was not a very quiet campsite with noise still happening after midnight but it was a very relaxed atmosphere, although the one of the least friendly sites we have visited.

Ther location is very nice with facilities close by to get basic food and BBQ essentials (the shop on site is expensive!) Surrounding area is interesting with lots of places to visit. We went to Orford castle and would highly recommend it.

Overall a nice site but I think it is a bit overrated although might have been put off by the muddy conditions on arrival!

Date of Visit: August 2010

Unit: Tent

Reviewer: Bondieson

1 review from this member

Just returned from a great 3 night stay at the Orchard Campsite with my two lads aged 12 & 9. It's a lovely looking site with a large main field on a slight slope leading down to the wooded area down by the River Deben, which runs along the bottom of the campsite. We pitched our two-man and three-man tent, after being shown there by the extemely helpful staff, down by the side of the river within the forest which was great because the boys could fall out of the tent straight onto the river bank for a spot of fishing!(Jacks, Perch, Roach, Minnows, Gudgeon etc). Be aware that if you are down by the river it's a bit of a walk up a gentle hill to the toilet/wash facilities but hey! it's a campsite! If it does rain it can get a bit muddy but wellies will sort out this little problem.

The washing and showering facilities are really good and well looked after, although busy at peak times, as you can imagine if the site is fairly full. There are unisex toilets + a female only toilet and also a male washroom and female washroom and 3 or 4 showers. There's also a large double freezer situated by the washrooms and where the washing machine and tumble dryer are sited. There's also a washing-up area with 3 large sinks for pots and pans etc.

There are a number of Bar-B-Qs up by the house that you can borrow and take to your pitch should you wish to, just ask at the shop, who are really friendly and helpful. The shop stocks the bare essentials should you run out but at 8.00AM each morning a van with local produce, meat, eggs, milk, bread, etc comes to the site.

There are plenty of kids of all ages so my two were normally off running about through the woods etc. Be careful of the pond and the river though, as neither are fenced off, especially for the younger children.

Being able to have your own campfire was also great and the boys loved this at the end of the evening (apart from the silly stories told by Dad apparently!) so it was well worth the 20 quid for the logs and kindling and couple of bags of marshmallows. They lasted us for all three nights.

Rendlesham Forest is only a 15 minute drive away where there are some great walks, just beware of the aliens! We also went to Aldeborough which has got a great pebble beach and stretches for miles.

All in all a smashing camp site with everything you need and a good base from which to explore, and we'll definitely be going back there again. Well done the Orchard!

Date of Visit: August 2010

Unit: Touring Caravan

Reviewer: Gooner2010

2 reviews from this member

On arrival at the Orchard all seemed well. At first it had a novelty value of being able to have camp fires and toast marshmallows, but at £15 for the logs this novelty (for me) soon wore off, you are not allowed to bring your own logs onto site for Safety Reasons

Lots and lots of flies, which just made me uncomfortable, especially in the toilets. Ah the toilets/showers/washing up etc. First the cleanliness of them is a perfect deterrent to blissful ablutions, get in. Go. Get out. Quick ! This is partly down to the fact there were simply not enough toilets and showers for a camp this size, queuing to wash or poo is just not fun.

The shop /log cabin/shed, stays open to midnight. The play area is somewhat teeny weeny and serves a useful job of getting the kids dirty(er).

The surrounding area is fine for days out, but the camp offers no useful guides or advice on whats on or where to go, could make a big improvement here.

It rained when we went. It really rained, this lead to the paths and driveway becoming a quagmire, a bit of type 1 or dare I say a few yards of tarmac drive wouldn't go amiss.

If it's going to be all friendly and family run, organise some things to do, chucking a few glo sticks for free isn't exactly a pile of effort.

Camp fires are great but how about being reasonable with the wood, a weeks stay can see you spend another £50 on logs.

All in all the family had a decent time, I just couldn't wait to get home to a clean bathroom

Date of Visit: August 2010

Unit: Tent

Reviewer: Canvasloveit

3 reviews from this member

We didn't have to travel far to Wickham Market and are familiar with the area which is great loads to see and do.

We chose The Orchard on the basis that it was voted Campsite for 2010 even though there were some patchy reviews on here.

Going back to those reviews I have to agree with a lot of the points raised. There are not enough toilets and showers and more importantly those that are there were very drab with rusting fittings and grim tiling. It was not just the muddy conditions they were smelly with toilet paper all over the floor and not cleaned regularly. It was bank holiday but that is not an excuse as when being shown my pitch the Gentleman tells me they are full most nights. Having said that over the bank holiday the facilities were not good enough and the site was not full.

The whole 'public area' toilets, showers and washing up sinks were dirty. Hot water was hit and miss and on two occasions I attempted to wash up there was no water pressure and the dribble that came from the 'hot' tap was stone cold.

Toilets have a sink with no soap and a hand dryer and ladies and mens dressing areas have sinks with soap but no facility to dry !.

There was mud everywhere caused by the horrendous weather in August I know. Having said that the hard paved areas could have been cleaned up as could the indoor table tennis area which just needed a good sweep.

There are no recycling facilities just four big green bins stuffed up one corner for all rubbish.

The owner was friendly and always on site. The glow sticks on the Saturday for the children was a nice touch.

But with such a wonderful location it could have been presented much better.

The children's play area is not as such it is a small fenced off area with two swings and a slide.

The relaxed atmosphere, glow sticks and ability to have campfires at £20 a barrow load I might add !

There is no 6M rule in fact I witnessed two caravans being positioned almost on top of a poor couple and their small two man tent. The owner offered them the chance to move but who wants to do that when you are all set up

Previous 386 Reviews in total, now showing 271 to 280 Next

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Common Questions

Is The Orchard Camp Site child friendly?  YES, it accepts children & has a playground  View all facilities

Where is the nearest shop to The Orchard Camp Site?  There is a shop on site  View all facilities

Is The Orchard Camp Site dog friendly?  YES  View all facilities

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