Palace Farm Camping in the heart of the village of Doddington in Kent offers a place for tranquil holidays despite its proximity to London and the coast. Situated within the North Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it is a family-run site co-existing beside a farm of fruit orchards and arable land, with campfires welcome. Try the bell tents for a hassle free stay.

Peacefully set in the North Kent Downs alongside a farm of fruit orchards

Half an hour to the seaside town of Whitstable and the bustling Canterbury

Spacious pitches perfect for nights round the campfire or try the onsite bell tents

About Palace Farm Campsite

Proud of its natural wildlife and credentials as a sustainable site, Palace Farm Camping is surrounded by the wooden valleys and mixed-use farmland that exemplifies Kent, the Garden of England. In addition to a grass field edged with hedges and trees for those wishing to bring their own camping gear, the site also boasts pre-erected bell tents. Each bell tent contains four mattresses, with a capacity to sleep six people, and a dedicated picnic table. Cook boxes with all you need to cook basic meals can be hired. Dogs are welcome on the site, but are not permitted inside or around the bell tents. This is one of the few campsites in this region to allow campfires in fire pits. Do note that this is a quiet campsite with quiet time from 10pm and no noise from 11pm, amplified music is not permitted at any time of day or night.

Camping is available from 2nd May to 21st September while glamping is available from 16th May to 21st September.

Green Tourism (Gold)

Facilities and amenities

Facilities include an environmentally-friendly toilet block, showers, and washing up area, both of which have hot and cold running water. Logs can be purchased from the site's woodman for use in the fire pits.

Just a short distance away is the rural village of Doddington, which has a traditional pub and a small number of independent and local shops.

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Adult only

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Allow commercial vans

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Allow pets on site

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Bike hire

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Café / restaurant

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Communal BBQ

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Disabled facilities

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Drinking water

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Electric hookups

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Entertainment

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Family friendly

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Fires allowed

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Fishing

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Games room

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Glamping

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Golf

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Horse riding

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Hot tub

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Kids club

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Kids playground

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Laundry

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Near beach

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Near pub

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Open year round

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Peaceful

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RV pitches

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Shop

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Showers

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Swimming pool

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Toilet

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TV room

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Vineyard

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Water hookups

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Watersports

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W.C. disposal

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WiFi


A note from the site themselves...

Graham was born in Doddington and was brought up on the farm, where he worked to earn pocket money and learn as much about farming as he could. After working for a summer in Alberta, Canada, Graham finished college and came back to work full-time on the farm.

Graham married Liz and took on the running of the farm with help from his father. Best known for growing strawberries, the farm also grew many other crops, including potatoes, swede turnips, runner and french beans, plums, cherries, apples, blackberries, tayberries as well as cereals like wheat, barley, oats, rapeseed oil and cattle beans.

The farm had a breeding flock of sheep and fattened cattle, out to graze in the summer and in the cattle yards during the winter. By early 2000 the farm wasn't making a sufficient profit so they looked at other ways of earning a living.

In 2004 Graham and Liz opened the hostel, the campsite followed in 2007 and the Granary in 2010 after giving up the tenancy of the Doddington Place Estate held for over 80 years.


Map and address

Park address

Palace Farm Campsite,

Palace House, Doddington, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 0AU

Coordinates

51.2862, 0.7727 | TQ 93 57

View on Google Maps

Palace Farm Campsite is ideal for...

Couples

Duke of Edinburgh Award

Older children (13+)

Peace and quiet


There are 28 accommodation options on-site

Bookable pitches and accommodation options

25 x Non Electric Grass Pitches

Max 6 people

Grass pitches without electric hook-up suitable for all size of tents and small campervans. Dogs are welcome.


Palace Farm Campsite reviews

4.83 /5

21 reviews

90%

would recommend

Overall
4.83
Location
4.9
Value for money
4.76
Service
4.9
Facilities
4.71
Cleanliness
4.86

Lovely, back to basics campsite

Kim B

0

0

Medium Tent - Non Electric Grass PitchesSep 2024

Very nice campsite on spacious, laid out plots with clean facilities. Only met Liz who seemed lovely and very helpful, even giving us permission to pick some blackberries in the field (in the end we forgot, but the thought was there 😀) Even though no electric, we could use a little shed with plugs in free of charge if needed. Nice walk through a couple of fields to get to the pub. Our first camping trip together and we thoroughly enjoyed it even with a storm during the night. Thank you Liz and Graham, we will be back x

Fabulous, friendly site

Sarah J

0

0

Medium Tent - Non Electric Grass PitchesAug 2024

A very warm welcome and great service throughout our stay. Facilities were spotless and well equipped.

Peaceful stay

Nick W

0

0

Medium Tent - Non Electric Grass PitchesJul 2024

Great place to stay, and well positioned to get out around Kent, some good village pubs close by. Site is well managed and maintained - lovely stay. 👍

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FAQ

Check in is available from noon till 8pm for camping and from 1pm until 8pm for bell tents. If you do happen to experience any delays, the site just asks that you let them know as soon as possible please. Departure is due before 11am for bell tents and before noon for camping pitches.

Dogs are welcome on the non-electric grass pitches as long as they are kept on a lead and not left unattended. Sorry, dogs are not allowed in the bell tents.

The site allows BBQs as long as they are raised well clear of the ground, this is to avoid any scorching of the grass. Fire pits are allowed at a small cost and must be pre-booked. The site has some of their own available for hire, or bring your own.

Yes, you are welcome to park next to your pitch, the site allows for one car per pitch.

Yes, you're welcome to bring all of these. There is a small charge for gazebos.

Yes, this is a quiet site with the site asking campers to be quiet from 10pm, and then no noise from 11pm. Amplified music is not permitted at any time.


A short walk away, within the same village as Palace Farm Camping, is Doddington Place Gardens, open on Sundays and bank holidays. At Eastwell Manor you can undertake half-and full-day falconry experiences, getting you up close with owls, hawks, eagles, and falcons.

Located within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the site makes a great base for a walking or cycling holiday - with natural attractions such as the Kent Marshes depicted by Dickens in works including Great Expectations just a half an hour cycle ride away.

The surrounding countryside is a mix of woodland and farmland as this part of The Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is rich in wildlife and popular with bird watchers too.

Not only is it one of the few places in the south-east of England where it may be possible to spot turtle doves, but there is also a local population of tawny owls, little owls, barn owls, buzzards, occasional Red Kites, kestrels, sparrow hawks and a hobby falcon to look out for among other predator species.

The North Kent Downs offer miles of footpaths, marked walking trails, and bridleways suitable for cycling. Spanning a range of difficulty levels, these cycle routes range from easy coastal routes to tougher rides through the downs themselves.

There are also a number of lakes in which its possible to freshwater fish, and a long expanse of coastline for those looking to experience sea fishing.

Points of interest at nearby Faversham include the Fleur de Lis Heritage Centre, and indoor and outdoor swimming pools. Open during the summer months, the outdoor pool includes rapids, a children's pool, and diving board. Guided walking tours of Faversham take place every Saturday and bank holiday, starting at the Heritage Centre, and last approximately 1.5 hours.

Slightly further afield, guests can enjoy days out at attractions including Leeds Castle stately home, GoApe! Forest adventure, and Canterbury Cathedral, seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury for hundreds of years.

Kent is not only a naturally beautiful county, but also a historic one, and there are a variety of historic sights within easy reach of the campsite. Thanks to great train connections, its even possible to visit London for the day.

The listing for Palace Farm Campsite was last updated on December 22nd, 2024 at 8:09 AM

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