eating & drinking
Sponsored by
entertainment
Sponsored by
lifestyle
Sponsored by
families
Sponsored by
shopping
Sponsored by
business
Sponsored by
sport
Sponsored by
jobs
Sponsored by
motoring
Sponsored by
Your Total Guide To lifestyle
We live just seven miles from Rockley's Buddens Activity Centre in Wareham, yet after three nights sleeping under canvas, kayaking, throwing tomahawks, swimming, paddleboarding, climbing and zip wiring, we came home feeling as though we'd properly been away – I can't remember the last time we switched off quite so much as a family.
We knew Buddens as an activity centre traditionally associated with Scouts and School and Group Activity Trips – Dorset Scouts actually bought the 96-acre site back in 1994, with Rockley taking over its operation through a partnership in 2021.
What we hadn't realised was that families can now holiday here too!
You can pitch your own tent or campervan, or – as we did – stay in one of the huge bell tents and build an entire family adventure break around the instructor-led activities available on site.
And considering this incredible place is practically on our doorstep, we couldn't believe we'd never done it before.
First Impressions: Our HUGE Bell Tent
Our first reaction when we were shown to our bell tent was simply: WOW. It was enormous.
There were eight single beds inside ours, despite there only being four of us, so we had masses of room.
We pushed our beds together and – I am not exaggerating here – I slept better than I have slept in years. It was so quiet, comfortable and peaceful.
In fact, we had so much room that we immediately decided next time we're bringing my brother, sister-in-law and niece with us.
The other thing that immediately struck us was the amount of outside space.
The tents weren't crammed together. We had a huge area around ours with our own picnic bench, and nearby was a large gazebo with picnic tables, fridge-freezer and kettle.
Rockley's current traditional family camping option also includes non-electric pitches for tents, campervans and motorhomes, alongside bell-tent hire.
The Buddens Facilities – And Yes, the Showers Were Good!
If you're someone who likes the idea of camping but immediately wants to know what the toilets and showers are like, I completely understand – and they were fantastic. Everything was spotlessly clean, there were plenty of facilities and we had plentiful, powerful warm water. There was also a large washing-up area.
The site itself is huge – Buddens covers 96 acres of countryside, heathland, woodland and plantations – but it's surprisingly easy to get around.
Top tip: bring the children's bikes or scooters.
Our girls brought their scooters and loved whizzing between the tent, reception and activities. We'd definitely do the same again.
The Family Digital Detox We Didn't Know We Needed
We barely had any phone signal and it was heaven. We properly switched off and were completely present for each other and the kids.
The girls explored, found places to make dens and played outside while my husband and I sat at our picnic table with a glass of wine.
There were huge boxes of outdoor games available too. We loved playing Kubb and cricket, while the family opposite us got stuck into a game of rounders.
In the evenings we ate outside our tent, watched some absolutely beautiful sunsets, played games and had hot chocolates under the night sky. It sounds incredibly simple, but that's exactly what made it so good. It felt like proper, wholesome family time.
Our First Buddens Activity: Kayaking
Before arriving we'd selected our activities and the communication from Rockley had been fantastic.
Once we'd unpacked, we headed to reception and met Rosie, who was taking us for our first activity: kayaking.
This was when we started to realise what we'd love most about the weekend. We're already an outdoorsy family. We love surfing, swimming and being by the sea. But because we'd booked these activity sessions, it made us try things that we wouldn't necessarily choose ourselves.
And that's particularly brilliant for children.
Our kayaking session took place on Buddens' beautiful private lake.
We paddled past swans – including a black swan – ducks and geese, and once the girls became comfortable in their kayaks their confidence just grew and grew.
Our youngest eventually decided being on the lake wasn't sufficient and jumped in for a swim with Daddy before heading off in search of the legendary 'Buddens crocodile'!
After the session, we all enjoyed a swim in the lake to cool off.
The Instructors Made the Weekend
This deserves its own section because it became such an important part of our experience.
The Rockley staff were absolutely fantastic with the children.
They managed to make everything fun while still making us feel completely safe.
Any initial trepidation the girls had seemed to disappear because the instructors knew exactly how to talk to them, encourage them and get them involved without making anything feel pressured.
There were several points during the weekend when I looked at my husband and thought, they would never have done that if it were just us trying to persuade them.
Watching that confidence grow was really special.
Dinner Overlooking the River in Wareham
After kayaking and our swim, we headed into Wareham for dinner at The Old Granary.
We sat on the upstairs terrace overlooking the River Frome, watching people swimming and jumping into the river in the evening sunshine.
It was such a lovely atmosphere.
Then it was back to Buddens, into our bell tent and – genuinely – one of the best night's sleep I've had in years.
Tomahawk Throwing – Not Our Normal Saturday Morning!
After a brilliant night's sleep, I headed out early for a long run through the beautiful surrounding countryside, across towards Arne and into Wareham for a quick caffeine stop before heading back.
And then it was time to throw axes – as you do.
Tomahawk throwing is absolutely not something we'd normally decide to do on a family Saturday morning.
And we all LOVED it.
The other families in our group were really good fun too. We started by learning the technique with smaller practice throwing equipment before progressing onto the tomahawks.
It wasn't long before some friendly competition began.
This became one of the biggest lessons of the weekend for me: sometimes it's the activity you would never think to book that everyone remembers.
Swimming in the River at Wareham
After tomahawk throwing, we headed back into Wareham for lunch and spent a few hours swimming and cooling off in the river.
Again, normally we'd automatically head to the beach.
And that's another reason we enjoyed the weekend so much – it made us experience our own local area differently.
Afterwards we grabbed picnic supplies for dinner.
Because of the exceptionally hot, dry conditions during our stay, barbecues weren't permitted due to the fire risk, so we had a picnic outside our tent instead, watched the sunset and finished with hot chocolates.
Then another blissfully peaceful night's sleep.
Giant SUP, Climbing and the Zip Wire
After sneaking out for another morning run, it was time for Giant SUP.
Predictably, our youngest found another opportunity to jump in!
Again, the staff were so lovely and funny with the children and made them feel incredibly comfortable in the water.
After lunch, we returned for our final afternoon of activities: climbing followed by the zip wire.
The girls were lucky enough to have their climbing session to themselves, and their instructor Patrick was brilliant.
Within no time he had them confidently getting right to the top. Then came the zip wire. They looked petrified.
Had it just been Mum and Dad standing there telling them to go for it, I genuinely don't think they would have. But they did, and they absolutely loved it.
Our youngest, Phoebe, needed a bit of extra help getting herself down afterwards, so Patrick climbed up to help her. She remained completely calm and happy and, with his encouragement, got herself down.
Those little moments – watching your children go from I'm not sure I can do this to I DID IT! – are priceless.
Is Rockley Buddens Good Value for a Family Break?
This is another thing that really surprised us.
When you're budgeting for a UK family break, it's easy to look purely at the accommodation price.
But that's not really the whole cost of a family holiday.
Once you're there, you need to do things – and paying for a family of four to do activities and days out throughout a weekend can quickly add up.
For 2026, a bell tent is £85 per tent, with metal-framed beds and proper mattresses.
Instructor-led activities are normally £13 per person, per activity session, although Rockley advises that the £13 price can sometimes be subject to change.
So, based on those 2026 prices:
That's your bell-tent accommodation plus three completely different instructor-led family activities!
When you consider how easily one premium family activity or day out can take a sizeable chunk out of your holiday budget, being able to build your own break with completely different activities feels like fantastic value.
And these aren't five-minute add-ons.
They're proper experiences with qualified instructors and equipment provided.
Rockley is also planning a new all-inclusive three-night camping weekend option for 2027, with prices and full details due to be released shortly.
We'll be covering the new all-inclusive option in a separate Total Guide feature once the details are confirmed – so watch this space!
Always check current prices and availability directly with Rockley before booking.
What Activities Can Families Do at Buddens?
This is where the site really comes into its own.
Rockley lists activities including:
The programme changes depending on dates and availability.
Our 2026 family activity programme included sessions throughout the day, including kayaking, climbing, tomahawks, Mega SUP, canoeing, paddleboarding, archery, zip wire and more.
What Should You Take to Rockley Buddens?
One thing I would definitely recommend is trainers or closed-toe water shoes that you don't mind getting wet.
Rockley's activity information specifies:
From our experience, I'd also pack swimwear, towels, sun cream, reusable water bottles, layers for the evenings and a torch.
And definitely consider bikes or scooters for the children.
Exploring Dorset From Buddens
Another big advantage is the location.
Rockley puts Buddens around 10 minutes from Wareham and describes the family camping site as being close to Dorset's beaches.
We managed to combine our activity weekend with dinner and river swimming in Wareham and a trip to Studland for a sea swim before heading home.
You're also perfectly positioned for exploring Purbeck and the Jurassic Coast, with Corfe Castle, Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door and Studland Beach among the nearby Dorset highlights.
So if you're travelling from further afield, you could easily turn Buddens into the base for a much bigger Dorset family holiday.
A Brilliant August Bank Holiday Weekend With Friends
One thing we said almost immediately after seeing the size of our bell tent was that next time, we'd bring more of the family – and we could equally see Buddens working brilliantly for a group of families holidaying together.
With the August Bank Holiday weekend coming up, it's a great opportunity to get a few families together for one final summer adventure: stay on site, book activities for the children and adults, explore Wareham and Purbeck and then come back together for relaxed evenings outside the tents.
For Dorset families in particular, you get that feeling of going away together without spending hours travelling – which, having experienced it ourselves, is a huge part of the appeal.
Would We Go Back to Rockley Buddens?
In a heartbeat.
We left feeling genuinely refreshed, and it wasn't one particular activity that made the weekend so special.
It was all of it; being outside in the stunning Dorset countryside, barely looking at our phones, watching the girls make dens, eating outside as the sun went down, swimming in lakes, rivers and the sea, trying things we'd never normally choose, watching our children surprise themselves – and simply having proper time together.
We were only seven miles from home but felt completely removed from everyday life – and didn't have a three-hour drive to get home!
And perhaps the biggest endorsement of all?
We loved our Rockley weekend so much that we'd already booked the girls into Rockley's Poole Park holiday club for the following day.
Next time we're bringing the extended family.
That eight-bed bell tent has their names on it!
A huge thank you to Hannah, Jo, Rosie, Patrick and all of the Rockley team for such a special family experience.
We will absolutely be back.
Rockley Buddens Family Camping FAQs
Where is Rockley Buddens?
Buddens Activity Centre is on Puddletown Road near Wareham, Dorset, BH20 7NU, in the heart of Purbeck.
How much is a bell tent at Buddens?
For 2026, bell tents are £85 per tent. Check directly with Rockley for current prices and availability before booking.
How much are activities at Buddens?
For 2026, activities are normally £13 per person, per activity session, although Rockley advises that this price can sometimes be subject to change.
Can you bring your own tent?
Yes. You can bring a tent, campervan or motorhome, or hire a bell tent.
What activities can children do?
The extensive activity list includes kayaking, paddleboarding, Mega SUP, climbing, zip wire, archery, abseiling, tomahawk throwing and many others. Activities vary by programme.
What should children wear for the activities?
Rockley's 2026 family programme specifies closed-toe shoes, tops covering shoulders and suitable-length shorts for harness activities.
Is Buddens close to Dorset beaches?
Yes. Buddens is in Purbeck and is well positioned for exploring Studland and the Jurassic Coast.
What's coming to Buddens in 2027?
Rockley is planning a new all-inclusive three-night camping weekend option for 2027. Full prices and details are due to be released shortly and we'll be covering the new package in a separate Total Guide feature.
About the Author – Liz
Liz is the Founder and Managing Director of Total Guide to, which she launched in 2012 with a vision to create trusted local digital guides connecting people with the best businesses, events and experiences in their area.
Now based in Dorset, Liz leads the growth of Total Guide to Dorset while overseeing the wider Total Guide to network, Total Marketing and Total Business Network.
A passionate advocate for local businesses and communities, Liz loves getting out and experiencing the places she writes about first-hand. When she’s not working, you’ll often find her exploring the Dorset coastline with her family, running, surfing or taking on her next outdoor challenge.
Through Total Guide to, Liz combines her love of Dorset with more than a decade of experience in digital publishing and local marketing, sharing genuine recommendations and first-hand experiences to help people make the most of the area.
Buddens Activity Centre lies in the heart of the historic and beautiful Isle of Purbeck and Jurassic Coast, boasting 96 acres of natural countryside, heathland, woodland and plantations.
Puddletown Road, Bere Regis, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 7NU
Website 01202 677272
We recommend
In case you missed it see what’s in this section
Listings
