South Downs 'wild' camp site named among best in Britain

Wiston Ponds on the Wiston Estate near Steyning beat locations in Devon, East Sussex, Kent, Northumberland, Oxfordshire and Essex, to be named one of the best locations for off-grid adventures.

An independent study by Camplify UK rated Wiston’s peaceful pitch as number six in the top 20 sites in the UK. The study, designed to help holidaymakers plan their summer escapes, analysed remote locations and their proximity to beaches, national parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, top attractions and the functional facilities available on site.

Wiston’s remote spote ranked highly because of its volume of attractions within a short drive, as well as the facilities on offer on the site itself.

Taking first place in the study was Crowan Beacon in Cornwall, followed by Skerraton Farm in Devon, Challacombe Meadows on Dartmoor, Atlantic View in Cornwall and White Sheet in Wiltshire.

Ann Jarvis, head of community and owners at Camplify UK, said: “With the exception of Scotland and parts of Dartmoor National Park, you need to plan ahead if you’d like to get off-grid in the UK – so we created this index to help adventure seekers find the best spots that offer a peaceful and quiet place to pitch that will fully immerse you in nature, located on bookable private land with welcoming hosts.

"With so many things to do nearby, it’s no surprise that Wiston Ponds scored so highly.”