It's time to relax and unwind during your stay at The Pretty Thing - providing guests with a picturesque and calm atmosphere on peaceful grounds which cater for camping, touring and glamping. You'll find a choice of grass pitches or you can spend your nights under the shelter of a stylish bell tent or camping pod. Dogs welcome.

Peaceful site with welcoming owners, just 20 minutes from the historic town of Colchester

Within 20 minutes of the sandy beach and pier at Clacton-on-sea

Great facilities including a kid's play park and George's coffee shop where you can buy breakfast

About The Pretty Thing

A warm welcome awaits you at this peaceful camping, touring and glamping park. Just ten minutes from Clacton-on-Sea and Jaywick Sands Beach, you will be in a prime location for exploring the beautiful Essex coastline. Tent campers are welcome on one of the site's 15 non electric grass pitches. Each pitch allows up to six guests, with plenty of surrounding space for kids to play. There are also 18 grass touring pitches, each with a 16 amp electric hook up, suitable for campervans, caravans and motorhomes. For those who prefer glamping, there is a wide range of charming bell tents and pods for you to choose from. Each of the bell tents allows up to four guests, equipped with a double bed and either two camp beds or a sofa bed with bedding provided, though not for the pet-friendly tent. However, the two pet friendly tents do include a dog blanket, along with dog food and a drinking bowl so your four legged friends are catered for. Inside each of the tents, you will find plenty of soft furnishings, along with solar lighting in the large bell tents. Outside you will also have your own picnic bench, great for al fresco dining, along with shared toilet and shower facilities nearby. The site also has three camping pods available, suitable for groups of up to four, and a large camping pod fod up to five. The pods are furnished with a double bed, two camp beds with bedding (an optional additional camp bed in the large pod), tea and coffee making facilities and electric. The pods also all have their own decking area with a picnic bench, perfect for making the most of the summer sun. You're welcome to bring your own BBQs but please use with caution. Non electric grass touring pitches and caravan storage is also available.

The Pretty Thing is open from 07/03 to 31/10 in 2024 and 2025.


Facilities and amenities

Site facilities hopes include modern toilet and shower amenities and a children's play area and playpark. There is also George's coffee shop which sells breakfast. Fire pits available to hire and logs are also available for purchase.

The Red Lion pub and Premier store shop are both a five minute drive away. The site also a five minute drive to St Osyth town centre.

adult-only icon

Adult only

allow-commercial-vans icon

Allow commercial vans

allow-pets-on-site icon

Allow pets on site

bike-hire icon

Bike hire

cafe-restaurant icon

Café / restaurant

communal-bbq icon

Communal BBQ

disabled-facilities icon

Disabled facilities

drinking-water icon

Drinking water

electric-hookups icon

Electric hookups

entertainment icon

Entertainment

family-friendly icon

Family friendly

fires-allowed icon

Fires allowed

fishing icon

Fishing

games-room icon

Games room

glamping icon

Glamping

golf icon

Golf

horse-riding icon

Horse riding

hot-tub icon

Hot tub

kids-club icon

Kids club

kids-playground icon

Kids playground

laundry icon

Laundry

near-beach icon

Near beach

near-pub icon

Near pub

open-year-round icon

Open year round

peaceful icon

Peaceful

rv-pitches icon

RV pitches

shop icon

Shop

showers icon

Showers

swimming-pool icon

Swimming pool

toilet icon

Toilet

tv-room icon

TV room

vineyard icon

Vineyard

water-hookups icon

Water hookups

watersports icon

Watersports

wc-disposal icon

W.C. disposal

wifi icon

WiFi


A note from the site themselves...

Before opening, I had owned the land for a long time while working as a consultant to help caravan and holiday park owners to improve their businesses. I had always dreamed of owning a holiday park and one day just decided to build my own from scratch. I hoped that I could make it fun and enjoyable for guests and since launching in 2010, it seems to be working!

I love walking around on a sunny day, seeing kids playing and having fun, parents smiling over a glass or two of wine and guests telling me what a fantastic time they are having. It is great walking around, chatting with guests, sharing a BBQ or beer and stealing their ideas for park improvements.

I love reading all the positive reviews about my small team and having so many guests coming back for repeated stays. I am proud of the high standards of cleanliness and the idea of starting a coffee shop for breakfasts, snacks and tea/coffee/soft drinks, guests really love it.


Map and address

Park address

The Pretty Thing,

Kimbolds, Heath Road, St Osyth, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, CO16 9BP

Coordinates

51.8230, 1.1040 | TM 13 18

View on Google Maps

The Pretty Thing is ideal for...

Couples

Older children (13+)

Peace and quiet

Young children


There are 45 accommodation options on-site

Bookable pitches and accommodation options

15 x Non Electric Grass Pitches

Max 6 people

Grass pitches without electric for tents only.

3 x Non Electric Grass Touring Pitches

Max 6 people

Grass pitches without electric suitable trailer tents, caravans and motorhomes.

18 x Electric Grass Touring Pitches

Max 6 people

Grass pitches with 16 amp electric hook ups. Suitable for campervans, caravans and motorhomes.


The Pretty Thing reviews

4.84 /5

86 reviews

97%

would recommend

Overall
4.84
Location
4.8
Value for money
4.88
Service
4.93
Facilities
4.69
Cleanliness
4.9

"They also do the tastiest freshly cooked breakfasts"

Sarah W - May 2024

"Great vibe amazing hosts ... I would give more than 5 stars if I could"

Thomas M - May 2024

"We were looking for a low effort easy to stay site and we definitely found the best"

Mark H - Mar 2024

"Phil the owner is so hospitable and friendly, the facilities were constantly being cleaned"

Leigh-Anne P - Sep 2023

"We stayed for 1 night, wished it was more!"

Tracey R - Aug 2023

"Good size pitches, friendly helpful owner and a great location"

Adam C - Apr 2023


Great site

Sharon H

0

0

VW-Type Campervan - Electric Grass Touring PitchesAug 2024

Great site. Good atmosphere, friendly welcome. Facilities spotless. TV and a hut where you can buy drinks. There was a problem with our booking and we were not booked onto an electric pitch. It was not too bad for one night and we coped. Owner gave us a free breakfast as compensation. We will return but will double check before we arrive that we have electric.

A really lovely campsite!

Abigail G

0

0

VW-Type Campervan - Electric Grass Touring PitchesAug 2024

This campsite was made by the friendly welcome from the manager! We forgot our hammer and were clearly novices at setting up our new awning. He came over to check we were okay. There is also a really lovely atmosphere and had some nice chats with other guests over washing up. We didn't visit the café but it looked really nice. Would heartily recommend! Kids enjoyed the playground also. Plenty of showers and toilets and they were pretty clean.

Our first camping experience!

Sarah I

0

0

Motorhome - Electric Grass Touring PitchesAug 2024

Great site, super friendly and clean, thank you for your help and warm welcome.

Share your feedback

Did you stay at The Pretty Thing? Tell us what you thought!

Create a review


FAQ

You are welcome to check-in between 3pm and 9.15pm. On the day of check out, please vacate by 11am.

Pets are allowed, and free of charge!

The site allows BBQs and firepits, they also have a variety of firepits and a small BBQ available to hire. Firewood is available to purchase. Sorry no disposal BBQs allowed.

Yes, you can find a link to the site map by clicking here.

Pup tents are welcome for a small charge. Awnings can be brought free of charge, but these must not spread onto neighbouring pitches. The site does not allow gazebos.


Clacton-on-Sea is just a ten minute drive from the site, great for days out at the beach. Head to Clacton Pier and enjoy the amusements and arcade, or challenge your friends and family to a game of bowling. The sandy beach is also the perfect place to head for a dip when the weather gets warm.

For wildlife lovers, Essex Wildlife Trust Fingringhoe Wick Nature Discovery Park (35 minutes) is a must. Here you can see goats and sheep grazing, wander through beautiful walking trails and even bring your dogs along for a picturesque walk.

If you're looking for a challenge, Cluetopia - Harwich Escape Rooms (30 minutes) will be sure to get your brain working. Take on Dr Evil's science lab or try and make your way out of the prison cell.

Other attractions nearby include:

  • Brightlingsea Beach (15 minutes)
  • Natural History Museum (25 minutes)
  • Cudmore Grove Country Park (40 minutes)
  • Felixstowe Pier (50 minutes)
  • Ocean Boulevard Fun Park (50 minutes)
The listing for The Pretty Thing was last updated on December 26th, 2024 at 8:16 AM

Similar sites

Rushbanks Farm Caravan and Camping Site

Rushbanks Farm Caravan and Camping Site

Nayland, Colchester, Nayland (15.2 miles)

Riverside camping in Constable Country. Hire a canoe and paddle to the pub, then relax by the campfire at night.

Shottisham Campsite

Shottisham Campsite

Shottisham, Woodbridge, Shottisham (19.9 miles)

Peaceful family-friendly campsite with onsite animals on the beautiful Suffolk Coast, near Sutton Hoo.

Sutton Hoo Holidays Campsite

Sutton Hoo Holidays Campsite

Sutton, Woodbridge, Sutton (21.6 miles)

Small, family friendly campsite in the Suffolk Coast AONB, just minutes from the Sutton Hoo site. Dogs welcome!

Osea Meadows

Osea Meadows

Maldon, (17.3 miles)

Family park on the banks of the Blackwater Estuary. Onsite entertainment, a snack hut, a cafe and restaurant!

Lee Wick Farm Cottages and Glamping

Lee Wick Farm Cottages and Glamping

St Osyth, Clacton-on-Sea, St Osyth (3.3 miles)

Peaceful glamping, camping and touring site in the picturesque North Essex countryside, ten minutes from the beach.