Blandford Camp lies two miles north-east of the Georgian Town of Blandford Forum in the heart of rural Dorset. The seaside resorts of Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth are all less than 30 miles away as is the Cathedral City of Salisbury. Within an hour you can reach Southampton (to the east) or the historic city of Bath (to the west). Closer to Blandford are the smaller rural towns of Dorchester, Shaftesbury, Sherborne and Wimborne.
Blandford Forum hosts the annual Great Dorset Steam Fair at the end of August each year. There is a street market every Thursday and Saturday and a Farmers market held once a month. Situated in Blandford are a jobcentre plus (limited opening hours), leisure centre (nearest swimming pool to camp), several dry cleaners, chemists, three supermarkets and gift & souvenir shops. There is also a selection of restaurants and takeaways, pubs, banks and building societies.
The camp boasts the following facilities: centrally located HIVE information centre, AFFeas, AFF training centre, army welfare service, bowling alley, cafés, cash dispensers, cinema, community centre, defence learning portal, families medical centre, serving personnel medical and dental centres, garrison church, grocery store, gurkha temple, gymnasium, george III bar, hairdressers, hobbies centre for warhammer, diving & music clubs, internet café, launderette, nursery, police station, 2 pre-schools, primary school, royal signals museum, SSAFA, thrift shop and two youth centres. The Blandford garrison golfing society is affiliated to Ashley Wood Golf Club two miles from camp and full details may be obtained from the HIVE.
Several children’s groups also run on camp: parent & toddler, rainbows and brownies, youth clubs – age 6–8, age 8-12 and age 11 upwards, archery and martial arts. Dance classes, football, beavers & scouts, gymnastics, rugby, swimming lessons, and much more are available in the local area.