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Hickling Campsite

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· Hickling, Norfolk, England
1 acre hosted by Jo .
6 glamping pitches · 25 tent pitches
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Best in East Anglia / East of England: Finalist
Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2023.
Private sites
100% of recent Hipcampers say the sites felt private.
Jo is a Star Host
Star Hosts are highly rated, responsive, and committed to providing incredible experiences.
Tent camping and glamping within walking distance of Norfolk's largest broad and less than 10 minutes' drive from the beach

Bring a bike to Hickling Campsite and you’re pretty much sorted for your stay. Everything is within pedalling distance here. It’s less than a mile to the banks of Hickling Broad, the largest waterbody in the Broads National Park and a haven for wildlife, and only four miles to the coast, where beaches and protected dunescpaes await. In the other direction, there’s Ant Marshes and several good pubs and, when you finally decide you’ve done enough pedalling, you still don’t need to get in the car. There are canoes for hire, dinghies to sail and board walks to wander, stretching out like hugging arms around Hickling Broad, leading you to tree-top huts and bird-hides in the reeds. It really is the best of the Broads parcelled up into one small area.

Cycling is also particularly easy owing to the handy flatness of the region. There are no big hills to trek up here and, consequently, Hickling Campsite itself is blessed with a perfectly flat meadow. Tents are welcome, preserving a traditional camping feel and keeping the grass in good condition, while campfires are a must – firepits are provided with every booking. Initially, tents are recommended to pitch around the edge of the meadow, allowing extra space in the middle for children to run wild and make friends, while mature hedges along the border (look out for wild raspberries in summer and blackberries in autumn) provide shelter from the breeze.

“It’s our little piece of paradise”, owners Tom and Jo proclaim. The couple grew up locally and have a very clear affection for the area. If you need more advice on where to go, they’re happy to give recommendations – should you stroll to The Greyhound Inn or to The Pleasure Boat Inn, for example; such tough decisions to make. It’s the Norfolk Wildlife Trust that look after Hickling Broad itself and a Visitor Centre is open on the shore (½ mile away) from 10am–5pm daily during summer.

There’s an excellent little picnic spot, along with toilets and a café, and you can catch boats across the water to a 60ft tall tree tower on the far side. From the top the view is outstanding and it’s a great place to soak in the surroundings. You may well find yourself agreeing with Jo and Tom too – it's a little piece of paradise indeed.

Activities
Biking
Fishing
Hiking
Surfing
Natural features
Beach
Forest
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100%
102 Ratings · 113 reviews
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James K.recommends
August 22, 2023
Hare Hut
Stays in Hare Hut which was great. Toilets and washing up area nice a clean. Staff great and responsive on email too. On-site shop was amazing.
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Martin O.recommends
August 21, 2023
Grass Pitch
Really friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Showers toilets and washing up facilities excellent. Campsite shop lovely. High end but lively
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Nichola W.recommends
August 17, 2023
Grass Pitch
We loved this campsite, the facilities were always clean and well stocked. Lots of room and the fire-pit much appreciated. We especially loved our after dinner hot chocolate from the cute, little shop. We will definitely be back. Thank you.
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Lucy T.recommends
August 12, 2023
Grass Pitch
Lovely campsite. A shop with great coffee and well thought offer if beautiful local produce. The facilities were fabulous, clean and carefully planned. We'd highly recommend this site and look forward to visiting again.
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Steve M.recommends
August 10, 2023
Grass Pitch
Beach camping
Really easy to find and find pitch. All facilities were in good working order and clean. The on-site shop is great for all the basics and they make a great latte. Fire pits available and logs kindling all available to buy at anytime. Really quiet in the evening and a great sun trap in the morning. Would 100% recommend this site
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Kerris M.recommends
July 2, 2023
Hare Hut
Fantastic get away!
Me and my partner booked our night away two days before we arrived so safe to say it was a last minute book but the 'hare hut' did not dissapoint it was beautiful and for the price per night I think you get alot included. I was not expecting the toilets, showers and facilities to be so lovely. We will definitely be returning.
Location
Hickling, Norfolk, England, United KingdomTraditional, ancestral territory of various First Nations according to To respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
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Hosted by Jo .Joined in January 2017
From the host
‘My brother Isaac and I decided to try our hands at building our very own Shepherd’s hut! We had so much fun making it, we decided to build two more!’ Tom explains. Isaac, who is only 19-years-old built the Pod single-handed! Unlike the huts, the pod is the only place at Hickling Campsite where you will find plug sockets and electric lights! So, if you are a camper who prefers a few more mod-cons from your glamping experience, the pod is where you need to be! All the interiors have been carefully selected so that they are unique and bespoke to each individual hut. You will never stay in a Shepherd’s Hut that has been more carefully thought out than ours! We have the Duck hut (Jo’s personal favourite), the Stag hut and the Owl hut and each hut’s interior has its own individual style, lovingly handmade by Norfolk based seamstress Amy from Buttonpearl Crafts. ‘We loved seeing the huts come together with the furnishings we chose!!’ adds Jo. Tom and Jo hope you enjoy the huts as much as they did putting them together!
Nearby attractions

Walk the few hundred metres to Hickling Broad, the largest of the Norfolk Broads and a designated National Nature Reserve. Board walks and footpaths allow some access (including routes to bird-hides) but for the best of it go exploring by boat – canoes and dinghies are available to hire from Whispering Reeds Boats (01692 598314). You can also do full sailing lessons and courses with the Hickling Broad Sailing Club. If you want someone else to do all the hard work for you, take one of Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s boat tours. The timetable is available here. Away from the broads, it's around 4 miles to the coast. Overstrand beach is to the north and huge Winterton Dunes National Nature Reserve is just to the south. The nearest beach is Sea Palling – 3.5 miles away – and is an excellent dog-friendly, vast sandy spot. Waxham Beach is four miles from the campsite and is one of the few beaches that not many people know about, unless you're a local or a regular visitor.

Food and drink

Onsite they have 'The Hickling hut' which offers fresh local produce including meats, pastries, and cakes fresh-baked every day by award-winning Norwich bakery Pye Bakers. They also have an impressive all singing, all dancing coffee machine. It's a ½-mile walk to the Pleasure Boat Inn (01692 598870) down on the waterfront overlooking the Broad and just under a mile to The Greyhound (01692 598306) in Hickling where the food is excellent.

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