Recommendations for South or North Devon

18ME · May 18, 2023

I’m looking at staying at a site either Woolacombe side or Lyme Regis that is preferably within walking distance to a beach if that is possible. I’m a complete newbie and this will be our first time camping.

Ch1pbutty · May 18, 2023

Not Lyme Regis, but a few miles East.This place is on the Beach. Walking distance to West Bay (Great fish & chips) Bridport (Pubs, coffee shops & antiques) & villages (some great country pubs). Supermarket within a few minutes drive.

It’s got bigger and more commercial over the years like most sites, but still a great location. Our family have been going there for 60 years or so!.

Home - Freshwater Beach Holiday Park

Dorset's best family owned Holiday park, Freshwater Beach has its own beach, heated pools. Camping, touring and even holiday home ownership.

www.freshwaterbeach.co.uk

18ME · May 18, 2023

Ch1pbutty said:
Not Lyme Regis, but a few miles East.This place is on the Beach. Walking distance to West Bay (Great fish & chips) Bridport (Pubs, coffee shops & antiques) & villages (some great country pubs). Supermarket within a few minutes drive.

It’s got bigger and more commercial over the years like most sites, but still a great location. Our family have been going there for 60 years or so!.

Which site is this?

I was really trying to find something more west of Lyme Regis and not as far as Salcombe as we‘ll be staying at Dulverton the night before so trying to keep the travelling under 1hour 30mins. Also thought Ilfracombe side and down as far as maybe Bude.

I don’t know many coastal places as hardly ever has had in UK holidays as an adult and it was mainly Wales as a kid.

Ch1pbutty · May 18, 2023

martin.edwards said:
Which site is this?

I was really trying to find something more west of Lyme Regis and not as far as Salcombe as we‘ll be staying at Dulverton the night before so trying to keep the travelling under 1hour 30mins. Also thought Ilfracombe side and down as far as maybe Bude.

I don’t know many coastal places as hardly ever has had in UK holidays as an adult and it was mainly Wales as a kid.

Home - Freshwater Beach Holiday Park

Dorset's best family owned Holiday park, Freshwater Beach has its own beach, heated pools. Camping, touring and even holiday home ownership.

www.freshwaterbeach.co.uk

calimera · May 18, 2023

Here are a couple of campsites.
Hook Farm https://www.facebook.com/hookfarmcamping Uplyme. Can walk to Lyme Regis. Stayed here when we first rented a Cali before buying one.
or
https://www.facebook.com/WestDorsetLeisureHoliday
West Dorset have several parks . We have stayed at Highland Ends ,fabulous sea view if you can get a pitch. Also stayed at their Golden Cap site,you can walk to the beach. Nearby pub The Anchor Inn does great food. . Need to book. Plenty of room outside if weather is good.
Both sites less 1 hour 30 mins from Dulverton.

Perfectos · May 18, 2023

Croyde Bay, various campsites are right near the beach, loads of VW campers in the sites.Great Vibe.
tourist Market in a field a couple of times a Week
Bring on The Sunshine

18ME · May 18, 2023

Perfectos said:
Croyde Bay, various campsites are right near the beach, loads of VW campers in the sites.Great Vibe.
tourist Market in a field a couple of times a Week
Bring on The Sunshine

Is there a particular site you’d recommend? Had a quick look and Ocean Pitch has some good reviews,

Perfectos · May 19, 2023

martin.edwards said:
Is there a particular site you’d recommend? Had a quick look and Ocean Pitch has some good reviews,

I can’t recommend one site in particular over another.

Croyde has lots of campsites available in a relatively small area, ranging from one Big Holiday park with dedicated camping areas & lots of onsite facilities through to small basic sites with a particular relaxed vibe, some sites are more lively than others and suited more to couples, your choice will depend on what your looking for, budget, travelling with teens , young kids, facilities you’ll use etc etc.

The weather will make or break any Holiday in the U.K.

IMO Croyde is a good location, Especially when the sun is shining, retaining a quaint village community feel, despite the numbers of tourists visiting in summer, regular tourist markets in the village and by the beach (different days) pubs, organised activities (coastering, surfing etc) , Deck chair Cinema etc, within an easy walk of all the campsites and its close to your target area of Woolacombe And very close to a Beach As noted in your first post.
Croyde is a good base for exploring North Devon area.

IMO better than Woolacombe, which primarily has one large , highly commercial Holiday park situated away from the beach, (aimed at static Caravan Family holidays and retaining people onsite, rather than camper van / tents etc, which admittedly are accommodated onsite but they make up a very very small portion of the Holiday park vs static Caravans. Other campsites in and around Woolacombe are limited in Number and tend to be isolated away from the main visitor areas, i.e. not within walking distance of pubs etc, which is why there are always lots of Campervans parked in Woolacombe along the beach road, over nighting, I.e. not enough campsites Locally).

18ME · May 19, 2023

Perfectos said:
I can’t recommend one site in particular over another.

Croyde has lots of campsites available in a relatively small area, ranging from one Big Holiday park with dedicated camping areas & lots of onsite facilities through to small basic sites with a particular relaxed vibe, some sites are more lively than others and suited more to couples, your choice will depend on what your looking for, budget, travelling with teens , young kids, facilities you’ll use etc etc.

The weather will make or break any Holiday in the U.K.

IMO Croyde is a good location, Especially when the sun is shining, retaining a quaint village community feel, despite the numbers of tourists visiting in summer, regular tourist markets in the village and by the beach (different days) pubs, organised activities (coastering, surfing etc) , Deck chair Cinema etc, within an easy walk of all the campsites and its close to your target area of Woolacombe And very close to a Beach As noted in your first post.
Croyde is a good base for exploring North Devon area.

IMO better than Woolacombe, which primarily has one large , highly commercial Holiday park situated away from the beach, (aimed at static Caravan Family holidays and retaining people onsite, rather than camper van / tents etc, which admittedly are accommodated onsite but they make up a very very small portion of the Holiday park vs static Caravans. Other campsites in and around Woolacombe are limited in Number and tend to be isolated away from the main visitor areas, i.e. not within walking distance of pubs etc, which is why there are always lots of Campervans parked in Woolacombe along the beach road, over nighting, I.e. not enough campsites Locally).

Thank you, you’ve been very helpful.

This will be our very first experience on a camp site and first time renting a camper van so any advise is welcome. We’re in our mid-late 50’s and would prefer a quieter campsite although we’re not quite old foggies and the last countless years our holidays have been 10 days staying in nice hotels in Dubai and 7 days staying in villas in Lanzarote. So it’s time to do something very different.

Ch1pbutty · May 19, 2023

This place is nice if you are after a quiet site, Hartland quay & Spekes Mill are nice unspoilt beaches which don’t attract the crowds…great for walking and also great surf spots. Also not to far from Clovelly,

Home

Stoke Barton is a campsite and working farm on the south west coastal path in Devon UK

www.westcountry-camping.co.uk

Spekes Mill Mouth | Hartland Peninsula North Devon

A twenty-minute walk south of Hartland Quay brings you to Speke’s Mill Mouth with its beautiful waterfall and long curving beach. Access to the beach via steps gives you sandy stretches at low tide running down to the shore. Surfers like to visit Spekes for its renowned reef brake, yet it...

www.hartlandpeninsula.co.uk

Hartland Quay | Hartland Peninsula North Devon

The spectacular cliffs at Hartland Quay with their incredibly contorted rock layers are always worth a visit and at low tide there is plenty of sand, rock pools and rocks to scramble over. In wild weather it is the perfect place to appreciate the power of the sea and wind as the waves crash...

www.hartlandpeninsula.co.uk

Clovelly Village

Clovelly, North Devon. Britain's Most Instagrammable Village 2020 is the perfect UK holiday destination to visit, eat and explore

www.clovelly.co.uk

Welcombe

Welcombe,North Devon,Beautiful.Beautiful North Devon,north,welcombe,north devon images

www.beautifulnorthdevon.co.uk

Ifracombe also worth checking out. Croyde is also nice, best best enjoyed out of season as can get very busy in the summer.

2haw · May 19, 2023

Ch1pbutty said:
Not Lyme Regis, but a few miles East.This place is on the Beach. Walking distance to West Bay (Great fish & chips) Bridport (Pubs, coffee shops & antiques) & villages (some great country pubs). Supermarket within a few minutes drive.

It’s got bigger and more commercial over the years like most sites, but still a great location. Our family have been going there for 60 years or so!.

Home - Freshwater Beach Holiday Park

Dorset's best family owned Holiday park, Freshwater Beach has its own beach, heated pools. Camping, touring and even holiday home ownership.

www.freshwaterbeach.co.uk

We stayed here a couple of years ago for a few days and with young kids, was really good.

Indoor and Outdoor pools. Bowling. Nice walk to West Bay.

Only downside was the pitches were fairly small, very open and a bit crammed in.

Would definitely go back.

Sad · May 19, 2023

Not a place we've been to, but I have it saved as a recommendation from Instagram:

Woolacombe Campsite - Little Roadway Farm Family-friendly

Little Roadway Farm Campsite in Woolacombe is a long-established family-run, family-friendly campsite nestled on the edge of the beautiful North Devon coast, within 15 acres of picturesque countryside.

www.littleroadway.co.uk

Is walking distance, but rather steep it seems, to Woolacombe

Perfectos · May 19, 2023

martin.edwards said:
Thank you, you’ve been very helpful.

This will be our very first experience on a camp site and first time renting a camper van so any advise is welcome. We’re in our mid-late 50’s and would prefer a quieter campsite although we’re not quite old foggies and the last countless years our holidays have been 10 days staying in nice hotels in Dubai and 7 days staying in villas in Lanzarote. So it’s time to do something very different.

Presumably no kids going with you ?
out of school Holidays ?

surfing ?
Outdoor activities ?
pool?
Long walks ?
Pubs nearby ?
electric hook up required ?
how long are you going for ?
consider multiple sites on the trip ?

the more info you can give us the more targeted the responses can be?

+1 for clovelley (out of school hols) or get there early

Perfectos · May 19, 2023

Camping aside, I recommend this place for a Cream tea (Cream first Obvs

) close to Ilfracombe
It is tucked away and not obvious Unless looking for it. (Parking close by or on the road)
Nice pebble cove nearby

Hele Corn Mill & Tea Room | Award-winning tea room in North Devon

Award-winning tea room in Ilfracombe, North Devon. Devon Life's best tea room 2017! Serving traditional cream teas and homemade cakes.

www.helecornmill.com

AJQ · May 19, 2023

Another one in north Devon is Warcombe Farm near Mortehoe/Woolacombe, good facilities, nice big pitches, on coast path with good walks in various directions. There's a lovely walk down to Lee Bay where there's a beach and a pub in the village. I think the walk is about twenty or twenty five minutes, mostly paths off road.

Woolacombe camping & caravanning site | Warcombe Farm

Warcombe Farm offers a wonderful location for camping in Woolacombe. Situated near Mortehoe, it has great access to beaches.

warcombefarm.co.uk

Loz2286 · May 19, 2023

It really depends on exactly what you're after...but here is a list of a few I've stayed at.

North Devon

Orchard Campsite - Croyde Village located in the village tucked behind the post office. Small informal basic (but adequate and clean) campsite, only a couple of minutes from the village centre with its active vibe. Ten minutes walk via a track to the beach. Not much at the site, but this one is all about being right in the village and close to the action.

Ruda Holiday Park - Croyde right by the beach. Holiday Park with pool, bar, chippy, restaurant etc. Great for young families, but very busy. If you've got youngsters they'll love it. We used to use it when my son was in his early teens. We could lose him for the entire day between breakfast and dinner.

Mill Park Campsite - nr Ilfracombe bit further along the coast. Lovely quiet park with superb restaurant and bar. Brilliant Sunday lunches. Really lovely coarse fishing lake. Superb WC and bathroom facilities. Only about 15 minutes from a stunning secluded beach (Broadsands), though the walk is a little challenging for older folks. Close to Watermouth Bay with lovely little cafe.

And if you're near Croyde, don't forget a visit to Squires Restaurant in Braunton, best chip-shop in Devon.

Hope this helps.

SteveBristol123 · May 19, 2023

martin.edwards said:
I’m looking at staying at a site either Woolacombe side or Lyme Regis that is preferably within walking distance to a beach if that is possible. I’m a complete newbie and this will be our first time camping.

Bayview Croyde - 10 min walk flat through the dunes and field to the beach. Nice family run site and great for kids, peaceful and a 5 minute walk from the pubs etc in the village. Lots of small sites in Croyde too. Ruda is the big site in Croyde with bar, clubhouse, pool and everything I try to avoid!

Esandar#1 · May 19, 2023

martin.edwards said:
I’m looking at staying at a site either Woolacombe side or Lyme Regis that is preferably within walking distance to a beach if that is possible. I’m a complete newbie and this will be our first time camping.

Look no further than Ruda Campsite at Croyde. You can park the van & not need to move it for days! The huge benefit of Ruda (Parkdean Resorts) is that if the weather isn’t great you have access to loads of indoor activities (compared to other Croyde campsites). The beach is a very short walk, as is the village of Croyde, with three excellent pubs & a good number of shops & restaurant. Having toured the south west extensively for beach / surf, this is the best resort / campsite. I will add a bit more detail tomorrow but Croyde is just brilliant in a VW Camper. Many of the other campsites would be great too, but Lyn field at Croyde is hard to beat!!!!

HectorPascal · May 19, 2023

martin.edwards said:
I’m looking at staying at a site either Woolacombe side or Lyme Regis that is preferably within walking distance to a beach if that is possible. I’m a complete newbie and this will be our first time camping.

We liked Lyme Regis. Good fish restaurant in the town centre and a good micro-brewery.
Liked the place.

Dill Tart · May 19, 2023

If you get the chance to walk part of the coastal path, the Heddon Valley near Hunters Inn (tea stop) is very beautiful.

I worked on a farm at Challacombe for a while on Exmoor, lovely countryside up there.

18ME · May 20, 2023

Perfectos said:
Presumably no kids going with you ?
out of school Holidays ?

surfing ?
Outdoor activities ?
pool?
Long walks ?
Pubs nearby ?
electric hook up required ?
how long are you going for ?
consider multiple sites on the trip ?

the more info you can give us the more targeted the responses can be?

+1 for clovelley (out of school hols) or get there early

Presumably no kids going with you ? No just the two of us
out of school Holidays ? We’ve got a 3 day hire 19th - 21st June

surfing ? No
Outdoor activities ? Not really, my partner doesn’t do sports although she doesn’t mind crazy golf
pool? Only if it was adults only
Long walks ? Yes
Pubs nearby ? Yes
electric hook up required ? Yes
how long are you going for ? 3 nights in total
consider multiple sites on the trip ? 3 different site, Dulverton + coast + maybe another in a woodland site. Hopefully this will give us a varied experience

Esandar#1 · May 20, 2023

martin.edwards said:
Presumably no kids going with you ? No just the two of us
out of school Holidays ? We’ve got a 3 day hire 19th - 21st June

surfing ? No
Outdoor activities ? Not really, my partner doesn’t do sports although she doesn’t mind crazy golf
pool? Only if it was adults only
Long walks ? Yes
Pubs nearby ? Yes
electric hook up required ? Yes
how long are you going for ? 3 nights in total
consider multiple sites on the trip ? 3 different site, Dulverton + coast + maybe another in a woodland site. Hopefully this will give us a varied experience

Based on your list above, I retract my recommendation for Ruda at Croyde, as I had wrongly assumed you were a family after surf & beach action!

You would better off planning a 3 day adventure with two nights at different places, and choosing places to meander through on route, as that will get you a more varied experience.

The Jurassic coast has loads of things worth seeing and is a very pleasant drive too. Lyme Regis & Sidmouth are nice places to visit, you could climb the Golden Cap - highest point on South Coast (via National Trust Car Parks) & do lunch in the pub at Sea Town (not to be confused with Seaton). Exploring West or East is good. Lulworth Cove & Durdle Dor are both worth visiting and walking the headland between (parking at Lulworth). Open Google Maps and just move along the headland. Places to visit will jump out!

Esandar#1 · May 20, 2023

martin.edwards said:
Which site is this?

I was really trying to find something more west of Lyme Regis and not as far as Salcombe as we‘ll be staying at Dulverton the night before so trying to keep the travelling under 1hour 30mins. Also thought Ilfracombe side and down as far as maybe Bude.

I don’t know many coastal places as hardly ever has had in UK holidays as an adult and it was mainly Wales as a kid.

If you are starting at Dulverton… then do North Devon coast (rather than Jurassic coast)

Ilfracombe is worth a visit on the first day, but make your way there via a scenic route over Exmoor. Then head towards Mortehoe & Woolacoombe for overnight stop number 1. North or has some nice coastal walks & a charming pub. Drive into Woolacoombe on day two & explore the town, walk the beach, then take the back roads (not main roads) to Croyde where there are so many campsites, and any will do for what you want. If you want a view of the ocean head down towards Ruda or Ocean View campsite. Walk the beach, sand dunes & into Croyde village. Have food in either The Manor House or The Thatch pub. If you stay at Ruda you can park on the overflow car park there & walk the loop to the Baggy Point headland, from where you will have terrifies views up & down the coast. Take the coast road towards Staunton Sands via a taunton to Barnstaple. Stop off & explore Barnstaple. Head back to the M5 & on you way home stop off at Brent Knoll (village) & climb up Brent Knoll peak for more amazing views. Pack as much into you itinerary & use the van to go to places you wouldn’t otherwise discover!

18ME · May 20, 2023

Esandar#1 said:
If you are starting at Dulverton… then do North Devon coast (rather than Jurassic coast)

Ilfracombe is worth a visit on the first day, but make your way there via a scenic route over Exmoor. Then head towards Mortehoe & Woolacoombe for overnight stop number 1. North or has some nice coastal walks & a charming pub. Drive into Woolacoombe on day two & explore the town, walk the beach, then take the back roads (not main roads) to Croyde where there are so many campsites, and any will do for what you want. If you want a view of the ocean head down towards Ruda or Ocean View campsite. Walk the beach, sand dunes & into Croyde village. Have food in either The Manor House or The Thatch pub. If you stay at Ruda you can park on the overflow car park there & walk the loop to the Baggy Point headland, from where you will have terrifies views up & down the coast. Take the coast road towards Staunton Sands via a taunton to Barnstaple. Stop off & explore Barnstaple. Head back to the M5 & on you way home stop off at Brent Knoll (village) & climb up Brent Knoll peak for more amazing views. Pack as much into you itinerary & use the van to go to places you wouldn’t otherwise discover!

It's great to have lots of helpful tips and suggestions. Much appreciate everyone's input.

Think we'll stick to north Devon and have more of a detailed look into exactly where to stay and what to do in the next few days as I'll have to start booking sites now.

We have to get the Cali back by 2pm on the 22nd so was thinking of staying a bit closer to home on the 21st. We live near Broadway and the Cali's going back to Chipping Campden so was looking at no more than 2 hours drive back from the final camp site. Possibly somewhere around Chedder Gorge way. My partner's son and girlfriend live in Midsomer Norton so could potentially meet up on the last day.