Exe Valley Glamping
Bickleigh, EX16 8RA
A peaceful and very comfortable retreat on a 150-acre farm adjoining the River Exe. Each canvas tent, accessed along a woodland path, has three bedrooms and is surrounded by a raised wooden terrace. Solar energy supplies the fridge and a woodburning stove keeps the place cosy warm. Ideal for families. Dogs allowed.
Hideaway Camping
Higher Melbury, EX20 3PG
Thirteen camping pitches set in a four-acre field with a communal campfire. There’s also a variety of glamping options: two igloos with double bunk beds; an owl pod; a shepherd’s hut; a gypsy caravan; an Airstream trailer; and a double decker bus that sleeps six. Hideaway spreads over 24 acres so there is a lot of space for everyone, with a fairy grotto, a nature trail and a pond all hidden away somewhere for guests (and especially children) to discover. Campers have a shower block in the camping field and the glampers each have their own toilet and shower unit. No dogs.
Koa Tree Camp
Welcombe, EX39 6HE
You don’t rough it at Koa Tree: choose from a fully equipped log cabin or geo-dome, settle in and relax – ‘camping’ with comfy beds and good linen. You might head for the Swedish barrel sauna or, maybe, the bar for a glass of champagne, wine or a cold beer. The geo-domes sleep six, the log cabins four. All come with their own bathroom, and a deck with outdoor seating. There is a communal surf-shack-style kitchen and a rainy-day room in the recently converted barn.
Loveland Farm
Hartland, EX39 6AT
Situated near Hartland Point, Loveland Farm has been created by fashion designers Jeff and Karina Griffin and their family and has nine glamping pods, sleeping from two to seven. Some are single geodesic domes, one is a double dome; some include a wooden extension. Each has its own kitchen, shower and toilet, and some have sea views. The interior of every pod has been designed and furnished by Jeff and Karina and the results are stunning – fabulous bold fabrics and handcrafted furniture complement the pod’s design. At night, you can stargaze from your bed. There is a heated indoor swimming pool, powered by wood-chip biomass.
North Morte Farm
Mortehoe, EX34 7EG
With direct access to the coast path and a short walk to the superb beaches of Woolacombe, this family-run park has been here since the 1940s. The camping field has breathtaking views to the sea and is just a five-minute walk to the village of Mortehoe, which has two pubs, a shop and two takeaways. The site accommodates tents, caravans and motorhomes and four six-berth static caravans are also available.
Orchard Retreat
Cheriton Fitzpaine, EX17 4BA
A great base for a self-catering family holiday, offering three yurts, the Cider Barn and Apple Tree Cottage, set in 15 acres of wildflower meadows, woods and orchards. The yurts each sleep up to four and have their own kitchen and wood-fired stove; the amenity block is across the orchard, with a private bathroom for each yurt and a big communal kitchen. There is also a lovely play area, a little honesty shop (lots of local produce, including their own delicious apple juice) and a communal room with games, books and maps. Tucked away among the trees and grasses are a pizza oven, a fire pit and places to picnic. Dogs welcome.
Pickwell Manor
Georgeham, EX33 1LA
Set in six acres of grounds, Pickwell Manor offers glorious views over Devon’s rolling hills and plunging coastline. There are ten self-catering apartments in the 10th-century manor but these are not the real draw for hidden in the woods is something truly wonderful: three bespoke tree houses. Two are designed for couples who want the ultimate romantic treetop retreat and a third sleeps four as a family hideout. Up in the trees, you can look west across the Atlantic Ocean – you may even hear the sound of the ocean from the beach below.
Ten Acre Vineyard
Winkleigh, EX19 8EY
This small, unique glamping and camping site with its own vineyard and wine store is hidden just one mile north of Winkleigh. The site faces south and overlooks Devon’s rolling countryside. Glamping comes at two levels – either just a posh tent that you put your own equipment in or a fully equipped 19ft tent. The camping area has ten pitches and there is a separate field to wander or play in and a woodland where you may discover a hammock or two. No caravans.
Upcott Roundhouse
Cheriton Fitzpaine, EX17 4LF
Lit by candles and the central fire, this cathedral-like home, constructed with thick cob walls and a tall thatched wooden roof, is amazing, offering a unique opportunity to experience Iron-Age living. The hearth is where you cook, the hanging kettle where you boil water. The four-poster bed adds a touch of comfort, as does the attached mini-roundhouse with a composting toilet and hot shower. It’s a rare opportunity for off-grid living. Sleeps up to ten.
Vintage Vardos
Atherington, EX37 9JA
A vardo is an old-fashioned gypsy caravan with a bow top. The three vardos here are set apart in a field next to the sheltered woodland and cooking area; each has been beautifully and individually decorated, sleeping two in comfort or more at a squeeze. There’s a hot outdoor shower and a compost loo. They can usually only be rented together, so you need to be a group of six to 14 people, though it’s always worth checking out of season for a smaller number. The hospitable owners, Gavin and Jemma, farm rare-breed sheep (Zwartbles) and cattle (Swiss Simmental) for their exceptional meat, as well as growing their own vegetables. They provide guests with a welcome basket of homemade bread, free-range eggs and milk, and other farm produce can be purchased. The cooking is done outside on an open fire, though there’s a bad-weather cover, and there’s a rope swing for children. You can feel – and actually are – miles from anywhere here.
Welcombe Meadow
High Bickington, EX37 9BJ
Luxurious glamping in two safari-style tents: leather sofas, wood burning stoves, electric blankets, full kitchen and your very own flushing toilet and power shower. There is even Wi-Fi (but they will turn that off if you ask). Each secluded tent sleeps six, spread between two bedrooms and, our favourite, a double bed in a cabin pod. The children will love the play barn and soon discover the rope bridge over the stream.
Westland Farm
Kentisbury, EX31 4SH
Glamping in a Mongolian yurt, a charming shepherd’s hut or the drover’s hut, all with private hot tubs and sleeping up to five. In summer there is a camping field, too. Set on a working farm so you can choose to meet the animals or just chill and enjoy the tranquillity and blissful back-to-nature simplicity.
Wild Spaces
East Panson, PL15 9SQ
Tucked down a private track are these two restored gypsy caravans, each set in its own private field. Wild Spaces’s intention is for guests to be able to holiday with a light touch: power is all solar, the toilet is an eco-compost loo, and all wood for the wood burners and fire pit is their own. Each caravan sleeps two adults and up to two children; both have an additional deck and a wooden pod containing the kitchen-diner and the shower room.
Woodland Retreat
Langtree, EX38 8NP
Woodland Retreat suits its name. The Shack is a cabin, partly open to the elements; small and rustic but with a wood-burner, an outdoor covered kitchen and shower, and a terrace that acts as a lounge and dining room. The Retreat sleeps four but you can accommodate two more in the Dodge, a converted wood-panelled bus set a few steps away – perfect for a couple or as a den for the kids. Owners Lydia and Alex have their own music label, Candyland Studios, and you can hire the on-site recording suite.
More information
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