Jubilee Camping

Despite being a new site, Jubilee Camping – located a mere 10 minutes from the New Forest National Park – has taken old-fashioned, traditional camping principles to heart and applied them to perfection. The site's owners, Alison and Dave, understand that campers want to let their kids roam around making dens and getting muddy. They understand the importance of a crackling campfire. And they understand that today’s campers don’t want to share these moments with big motorhome monsters and rows of caravans. It’s no surprise then, that we think this killer combination of space, campfires, and a tents-only rule, makes Jubilee prime camping territory.

Consisting of little more than a four-acre field, the camping area – with 60 generously sized, 10 metre-squared pitches – is firstly, fantastically spacious. Due to its impressive size, the flat field never feels overloaded and there's always plenty of space for family fun and ball games. Surrounded by trees and with countryside views, there's a gravel track along one side of the field for easy access and a fence along the other, with livestock nuzzling along its base as they graze the longer grass that grows there. In fact, the land was previously a Hampshire dairy farm but is now occupied by a mixture of beef cattle and recreational horses.

Washing facilities – housed in bespoke wooden-clad units built on skids – are impeccably clean and simple, but that's all part of the charm of Jubilee; a real throwback to the halcyon days of old-school, unfussy camping. Simple extras include washing up sinks and a well-pressured water supply to the camping field, but there's no electricity and mobile signal is limited – although it can normally be found somewhere in the field.

With a wealth of things to do within easy driving distance – notably the New Forest's web of walking and car-free cycling trails – plus, Jubilee's humble and easy-going atmosphere, this is one of the best camping options in the region for traditional campers. Pity it's only open for 28 days in the summer...