Badgells Woodland Camping Review: Off-Grid Camping 2024

Are you thinking of going camping in the Kent Downs? We spent a few nights at Badgells Woodland Campsite, an off-grid campsite, with the aim of helping you disconnect from the every day and inspiring a love for the woods. Here’s our full review of Badgells Woodland Camping.

Nestled in the North Kent Downs, Badgells Woodland Campsite is perfect for nature lovers thanks to being situated in the middle of an ancient forest surrounded by wildlife. The area is fantastic for outdoor exploration, foraging, super cosy village pubs and reconnecting with nature.

---

Is Badgells Woodland Camping Worth Visiting: The Review You Need To Read!

In this post, I’m sharing our experience camping in the Kent Downs at the wonderful Badgells Woodland Camping, an eco-friendly campsite. I’ll also cover topics including:

• I’ll share why we think it’s worth visiting.
• The activities which are available at the campsite.
• Places to visit around the area, including local villages and pubs.

---

What Is Badgells Woodland Camping?

Badgells Woodland Camping is a fantastic option if you’re seeking a unique and environmentally conscious camping experience. This off-grid campsite prioritises sustainable, eco-friendly, and regenerative tourism, with a focus on preserving the natural environment.

You can choose from private and secluded pitches in the heart of the woodland, all equipped with running water, hot showers, firepits, and dry firewood. There’s even a small shop on site.

It’s possible to use your own tent or stay in pre-erected bell tents, a campervan, or under the stars in a hammock.

To ensure the campsite maintains its manifesto, they utilise composting toilets using sawdust from their own sawmill, as well as solar power and home-grown firewood. Additionally, they use their own timber from the surrounding trees to build their facilities.

Is Badgells Woodland Camping Worth Visiting?

100%, absolutely. Badgells Woodland Camping is worth visiting. We had a wonderful stay and highly recommend it if you’re searching for a campsite in the North Kent Downs.

One of the wonderful things about the campsite is it is home to a variety of wildlife, including bats and badgers, there are dormice running around, and you’ll even spot owls if you’re lucky. Flying overhead, you’ll notice buzzards, kestrels, and red kites.

⭐ Pro tip >> There are plenty of walking trails throughout the site, leading into the countryside. It’s possible to attend activities like Foraging, Basket Weaving and Outdoor yoga. They also run a Forest Bathing experience to help you relax.

---

The Badgells Woodland Camping Experience

If you follow us, you’ve probably realised that Jack and I love a bit of camping. For us, Badgells Woodland Camping was the perfect weekend camping trip to take over the August Bank Holiday.

At first, we were a little pessimistic about the weather ruining our trip, as high winds and rain were predicted for most of the weekend. However, once we arrived, all doubts were put aside.

It was a surprise, Jack having booked the eco-friendly campsite without telling me, and I was not expecting to be camping in the middle of a wooded area! Since the site is protected and eco-friendly, there are some things to know if you choose to stay here.

Conservation Management At Whitehorse Wood

Badgells Woodland Camping site is part of the larger Whitehorse Wood, which surrounds the area. It is a 250-acre ancient woodland which makes up part of the Birling Estate.

The woodland, apart from having a thriving eco-friendly campsite, is also a designated Local Wildlife Site. The adjacent escarpment and chalk downland are both SSSIs – Sites of Special Scientific Interest – and home to rare species.

The Kent Wildlife Trust has prepared a Conservation Management Plan to protect, among others, but especially the bats, badgers, and bluebells within the woods, and it’s our responsibility as visitors to adhere to the conservation guidelines.

Badgells Woodland Eco-Friendly Campsite

The campsite provides an off-grid, eco-friendly camping experience. It takes up around 30 acres and has been created to allow you to enjoy a truly unique woodland camping experience in Kent, with each pitch having its own campfire and plenty of space.

We found the campsite to be a bit of a maze, and it took us a while to orientate ourselves with the paths leading in and out of the site. There were lots of trails and private paths leading further into the woodland and private camping bays. Luckily, there are signs to send you in the right direction.

The Noisy Owl Pitch

We arrived early afternoon, and although relatively easy to get to from where we live, we did get stuck in some traffic along the way. After we had checked in, which was quick and easy, we filled our wheelbarrows with all our camping gear and picked up a bag of logs and a Swedish Candle – more on that below.

To be honest, it was a fantastic feeling to be out in the woods like this, and although there were other campers around, we did feel alone. Each bay is given a name; ours was the Noisy Owl Corner, so needless to say, we weren’t totally alone!

The Eco-Toilets & How To Use Them

It didn’t take long to realise that the toilets were something of interest. Since our visit was a surprise, I hadn’t done any research, so opening the door to find a composting toilet was an interesting experience.

The idea is that instead of flushing, you scoop sawdust down the toilet. The urine absorbs into the soakaway, and the poop mixes with the sawdust. It’s kept for a couple of years before being used as ‘humanure’ in the surrounding woods.

⭐ Pro tip >> You’ll be happy to know that the toilet doesn’t smell, and you will be provided with toilet paper.

Available Activities At The Campsite

There are a lot of activities provided at the campsite for both adults and children. Some of them include:

• Saturday Bushcraft Adventures: A range of skills are taught from primitive man all the way through to modern-day approaches. The sessions will teach you how to survive in a range of environments.
• Archery & Axes: An introduction to archery and learning to throw axes at custom-built targets
• Yoga & Forest Bathing: Designed to guide you in an uplifting yoga practice and connect with nature in the midst of the woods.
• Spoon Carving: Discover tool selection, maintenance and safe use, wood selection, carving techniques and theory before carving your own spoon.
• Foraging workshops: A slow-paced walk around the woods to teach you how to identify the different plants, flowers, fruits and mushrooms that you find.
• Basket Weaving: Learn about where willow grows, its uses and how to prepare it for making baskets.

---

Points Of Interest Around Badgells Woodland Camping – A Review Of Our Trip

Summary activities in the surrounding area: Nature Trails, Birling Village, Ryarsh Village, Pub lunches, Hemsley Conservation Centre, Trotterscliff Village, Leeds Castle, Holly Hill Woods and Foraging activities.

The Nature Trail

On our first afternoon, we decided to explore the local woodland in the immediate area. Unknowingly to us, we had followed the Nature Trail from The Noisy Owl Corner through the wood and into an open meadow filled with grazing sheep.

The walk was about an hour and took us on a small foraging adventure. We discovered the woodland to be full of mushrooms, blackberries, cranberries, hazelnuts and elderberries.

The Villages Of Birling And Ryarsh

Day two, and we had decided (before the rain hit us) to visit the nearby village of Birling. The staff had informed us that the walk was around an hour and to follow the path down the hill. I suggest you get directions from them as well.

The walk was a steep downhill trot through woodland and fields, a bridal way, another public footpath and an open road. We initially went the wrong way, which we found out on the return, but it was still a relatively easy and enjoyable walk.

The Nevill Bull Pub

Birling was a small village with pretty buildings made from stone and a large church on a hill just as we entered. Following the main road into the village, we found the Nevill Bull Pub.

It was a small family-run pub and restaurant, and it was here we decided to stop for lunch. It was around midday, so slightly early for a typical Sunday Roast, but luckily there was room.

⭐ Pro tip >> If you’re planning a weekend getaway and want to have lunch at one of the pubs, I would suggest booking ahead of time. The Nevill Bull pub was almost full by the time we had left.

I had the roast beef and Jack the gammon. It was delicious. We also added a bottle of wine. The portions are generous: a good amount of meat, crunchy roasties, a huge Yorkshire pud, plenty of vegetables, and an extra jug of gravy. It was exactly what we wanted – a rate this roast!

The Wellington Pub

We stayed at the Nevill Bull pub for a couple of hours before deciding to leave and have dessert at the next pub in the village of Ryarsh. It’s about a 15-minute walk between the two villages, passing through stable fields, we saw some beautiful horses.

The Wellington pub was a super cosy pub and restaurant which was extremely welcoming and full of cheerful families and pets.

⭐ Pro tip >> I recommend sitting outside. It’s a lovely area with a wooden pergola, comfortable seating and fairy lights. After we had settled in we ordered the cheese plate and another cheeky bottle of wine, we also added a Spanish chorizo tapas which was sensational.

⭐ Pro tip >> It’s possible to cut through the field instead of going back on the same path. Overall, it was a gentle walk, with only one part becoming steep towards the end.

Hemsley Conservation Centre

That evening, back at our eco-friendly campsite, we heard the owls for the first time. It was lovely having them close by, even though we were asleep in no time.

In the morning, we headed by car to the Hemsley Conservation Centre, about a 10-minute drive from base camp. The small zoo and wildlife centre opened in 2015 and cares for some most endangered animals. It’s a small centre, but it was nice to get close to the animals. 

As we walked around, there were interactive information videos which could be played on phones, which were really informative. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see some animals as they were in hiding, but the ones we did appeared joyful, swinging and jumping around.

We spotted some monkeys hiding high up in the corner of one pen, a porcupine, otters, parrots, ring-tailed lemurs, and a Tyra. This is a great addition to your itinerary, with entrance fees helping to support the centre.

Trotterscliff Village

After we had enjoyed the animals at the wildlife centre, it was time for lunch. We had been told the George pub in Trotterscliff was a good choice. It is walkable from camp (maybe 2 hours), but feeling lazy, we agreed to continue driving.

⭐ Pro tip >> We arrived around 1:30 pm, and the place was packed. We were lucky to get a table out the front, but inside and in the garden, it was fully booked. If you plan on visiting here, make sure you book a table!

Jack had previously said he wanted chips and a prawn rose-marie sandwich, but after seeing the menu, he was a little confused as it all sounded so good! I was stuck between a double cheese New York-style hot dog and a deep-filled homemade pie: chicken, ham and leek.

In the end, Jack stuck to his original choice, and I had the pie. It was filled to the brim and probably the best pie I have ever had; a bold statement, I know!

Leeds Castle

Extremely happy and with both our bellies full, we decided to visit Leeds Castle. It was not part of our original plan – it was a spontaneous decision made en route to the petrol station. Nonetheless, it turned out to be fantastic and well worth the additional 25-minute drive and £27 admission – I highly recommend it.

Leeds Castle was originally a 12th-century stronghold built on islands in a lake formed by the River Len. The Norman stronghold was transformed over the centuries into the beautiful castle it is today, which became the property of the Kings and Queens of England.

It was visited by Henry VIII and became a Jacobean country house, a Georgian mansion and a retreat for the famous. It was used as a hospital during World War II and was the base for a secret project developing weapons and safety systems.

⭐ Pro tip >> Admission provides access to the castle grounds as well as inside the castle, the gardens and their Bird of Prey Centre. There was also crazy golf, an adventure playground and a golf course.

Holly Hill Woods

On the final morning of camping in the Kent Downs, we thought it would be nice to take one last walk to the Holly Hill viewpoint. We went back along the path we took on the first day into the meadow.

⭐ Pro tip >> Follow the path through the meadow and take a right at the road. The route we should have taken but missed on the first day took us into a field which provides stunning views over the Kent Downs.

Luckily, it was a sunny day, and we managed to get some amazing photos. Afterwards, we continued down a lane and into Holly Hill Woods.

Unknown to us, this was actually the wood we ended up in on the first day! Holly Hill Woods has a beautiful viewpoint at its highest point – we could just make out the Shard in London.

Our Final Night Camping

The night before we left, we lit our Swedish candle.

The candle was incredible. It works by utilising vertical cuts from top to bottom, and by stuffing a firelight into the cut, it burns from centre to bark, creating a flame out of the top which looks like a candle. Very clever.

---

Summary Trip Costs

FAQs: Badgells Woodland Camping

Are pets allowed at Badgells Woodland Camping?

Yes, pets are allowed at Badgells Wood Camping. When we stayed there, we saw a lot of people with their dogs who absolutely loved being surrounded by nature. When we get back, we are going to take our family dog too!

Even though pets are allowed, it’s always worth calling in advance to make sure that nothing has changed!

Is parking available at Badgells Woodland Camping?

Yes, parking is available at Badgells Wood Camping. There are plenty of spaces to park, and you will be advised which parking area is closest to your campsite. When we visited, parking was free; however, I believe it is now paid private parking.

What facilities are there?

There are hot water showers and washing-up sinks together in a shower block close to the car park. The composting toilets are dotted all around the campsite, and you will be provided with toilet paper and hand sanitiser.

There is drinking water from the mains close to the shower block, too. Keep in mind you are asked to use their own bio-degradable soap, which is eco-friendly and washing-up liquid so as not to cause any contamination to the woodland and soakaways.

There are recycling bins footed around the campsite, too, and you are asked to separate general waste and recyclables accordingly. Remember, this is an eco-friendly campsite!

Can You Take Your Own BBQs?

It’s not possible to take your own disposable BBQs; however, each pitch has its own fire pit, and you will be able to pre-order firewood from reception on-site.

---

Conclusion: Badgells Woodland Camping

Badgells Woodland Camping was such a wonderful experience. We had the best time, which was made even better by where we were and the kind and helpful staff at camp.

It was the perfect way to spend the long weekend as a couple or with family – we were there for our anniversary and absolutely loved being outdoors and enjoying nature. There are tons of activities to do for everyone, but it’s best if you have a car so you can get to some of the places a little further out, like Leeds Castle.