Shepherd's Huts in Blackdown Hills AONB

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Marking the meeting point of Devon and Somerset, this modestly sized Area of Natural Beauty encapsulates quintessential English countryside—the perfect setting for a camping holiday. The tranquil region’s working farmland, winding waterways, and ancient woodlands are ideal for rambling, cycling, or horse riding, and can be explored year-round. A range of camping options include back-to-basics sites, traditional farm camps, and modern glamping sites, often relatively isolated and near a mosaic of ridges, high plateaus, wild valleys, and freshwater springs.

97% (333)

Top-rated campgrounds

South Town Farm

12. South Town Farm

100%
(7)
11 units · Tents, Glamping · Barnstaple, Devon, South West England
South Town Camping opened for a month in 2018 to see how guests would take to its private 10-pitch site. Tucked away in North Devon's Arlington estate, amid twenty-plus miles of footpaths and bridleways, this is a campsite designed by committed campers and it shows.The grass pitches are spacious, with paths leading to them mown into the wildflower meadows, all set within six acres kept peaceful (and safe for the kids!) by the absence of cars — simply roll your belongings to your tent with the help of a super-sized wheelbarrow. At the centre of the camping fields hay meadows are left to grow throughout the summer, providing an almost-wild aesthetic befitting of the sprawling surrounding woodland of which you'll enjoy uninterrupted views. Watch the sunset to the west right from your tent and, on clear nights, you'll have an enviable spot to take in the starry skies. If you don't fancy pitching a tent a shepherd's hut is also available, a cosy option for couples with outdoor seating for those nights cooking by the fire.Given that this is a campsite belonging to the environmentally-conscious South Town Farm, your time staying at the site will be as eco-friendly as possible. Your hosts take care of 200 acres of this estate, having National Trust tenancy of South Town and managing its grasslands, which remain unimproved to maintain the unique biodiversity of the region. In keeping with this ethos, your available amenities also won't impact the land — there are composting loos, a gas-powered warm shower and cold drinking water pumped directly from the mains to the sheltered washing-up hut.Despite South Town Camping's position out in the sticks, it's within excellent reach of its neighbouring beaches, all a short drive away. Woolacombe beach will likely be the first port of call for sun-chasers, given its reputation as not only one of the best beaches in the West Country, but one of the best in the world — two miles of sloping sand facing the Atlantic Ocean, and a favourite for families and surfers with thousands descending upon it each year. Or, if you don't fancy feeling the sand between your toes, multiple marked walks await you directly from your tent — embark on a ramble through the ample woodland and emerge at the Pyne Arms, the nearest pub, where award-winning food awaits.
Potable water
Campfires
Showers
from 
£20
 / night
Wild About Campers

18. Wild About Campers

100%
(2)
5 units · Glamping · Stockland, Devon, South West England
Wild About Campers is a peaceful retreat amid spectacular hiking country in the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and 25 minutes’ drive from cliff-top treks along the South West Coast Path. The Jurassic Coast at Lyme Regis is within 25 minutes’ drive, and if you feel a major shopping expedition coming on, the historic cathedral city of Exeter (35 minutes) will see you right. Both Exmoor and Dartmoor national parks are less than an hour’s drive away, while the pretty neighbouring town of Honiton (10 minutes) offers pubs and tearooms as well as antique shops to browse. But if it’s a rural retreat you’re after, well, this is the place. The camping paddock is surrounded by peaceful farmland and borders the River Otter (look out for the resident beavers, otters and kingfishers, which occasionally appear), so you can fall asleep lulled by the burble of the river along with the distant hoot of barn owls – and wake up fresh in the morning to the sound of birdsong. A popular family-run pub is five minutes’ stroll from the campsite, and you can pick up emergency supplies from a well-stocked village shop run by volunteers (five minutes’ drive).
Pets
Potable water
Campfires
from 
£89
 / night

Marking the meeting point of Devon and Somerset, this modestly sized Area of Natural Beauty encapsulates quintessential English countryside—the perfect setting for a camping holiday. The tranquil region’s working farmland, winding waterways, and ancient woodlands are ideal for rambling, cycling, or horse riding, and can be explored year-round. A range of camping options include back-to-basics sites, traditional farm camps, and modern glamping sites, often relatively isolated and near a mosaic of ridges, high plateaus, wild valleys, and freshwater springs.

97% (333)

Top-rated campgrounds

South Town Farm

12. South Town Farm

100%
(7)
11 units · Tents, Glamping · Barnstaple, Devon, South West England
South Town Camping opened for a month in 2018 to see how guests would take to its private 10-pitch site. Tucked away in North Devon's Arlington estate, amid twenty-plus miles of footpaths and bridleways, this is a campsite designed by committed campers and it shows.The grass pitches are spacious, with paths leading to them mown into the wildflower meadows, all set within six acres kept peaceful (and safe for the kids!) by the absence of cars — simply roll your belongings to your tent with the help of a super-sized wheelbarrow. At the centre of the camping fields hay meadows are left to grow throughout the summer, providing an almost-wild aesthetic befitting of the sprawling surrounding woodland of which you'll enjoy uninterrupted views. Watch the sunset to the west right from your tent and, on clear nights, you'll have an enviable spot to take in the starry skies. If you don't fancy pitching a tent a shepherd's hut is also available, a cosy option for couples with outdoor seating for those nights cooking by the fire.Given that this is a campsite belonging to the environmentally-conscious South Town Farm, your time staying at the site will be as eco-friendly as possible. Your hosts take care of 200 acres of this estate, having National Trust tenancy of South Town and managing its grasslands, which remain unimproved to maintain the unique biodiversity of the region. In keeping with this ethos, your available amenities also won't impact the land — there are composting loos, a gas-powered warm shower and cold drinking water pumped directly from the mains to the sheltered washing-up hut.Despite South Town Camping's position out in the sticks, it's within excellent reach of its neighbouring beaches, all a short drive away. Woolacombe beach will likely be the first port of call for sun-chasers, given its reputation as not only one of the best beaches in the West Country, but one of the best in the world — two miles of sloping sand facing the Atlantic Ocean, and a favourite for families and surfers with thousands descending upon it each year. Or, if you don't fancy feeling the sand between your toes, multiple marked walks await you directly from your tent — embark on a ramble through the ample woodland and emerge at the Pyne Arms, the nearest pub, where award-winning food awaits.
Potable water
Campfires
Showers
from 
£20
 / night
Wild About Campers

18. Wild About Campers

100%
(2)
5 units · Glamping · Stockland, Devon, South West England
Wild About Campers is a peaceful retreat amid spectacular hiking country in the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and 25 minutes’ drive from cliff-top treks along the South West Coast Path. The Jurassic Coast at Lyme Regis is within 25 minutes’ drive, and if you feel a major shopping expedition coming on, the historic cathedral city of Exeter (35 minutes) will see you right. Both Exmoor and Dartmoor national parks are less than an hour’s drive away, while the pretty neighbouring town of Honiton (10 minutes) offers pubs and tearooms as well as antique shops to browse. But if it’s a rural retreat you’re after, well, this is the place. The camping paddock is surrounded by peaceful farmland and borders the River Otter (look out for the resident beavers, otters and kingfishers, which occasionally appear), so you can fall asleep lulled by the burble of the river along with the distant hoot of barn owls – and wake up fresh in the morning to the sound of birdsong. A popular family-run pub is five minutes’ stroll from the campsite, and you can pick up emergency supplies from a well-stocked village shop run by volunteers (five minutes’ drive).
Pets
Potable water
Campfires
from 
£89
 / night

Camper favorites in and near Blackdown Hills AONB

Top-rated campgrounds reviewed by the Hipcamp community.

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Shepherd's Huts in Blackdown Hills AONB guide

Where to go

Chard

On the eastern border of the Blackdown Hills, this countryside parish is a convenient launch point for exploration of South Somerset and Devon, with the seaside town of Lyme Regis just 30 minutes’ drive away. The surrounding area is home to touring parks, working farms, and exclusive glampsites, offering plenty of overnight accommodation under the stars.

Cullompton and the Culm Valley

West of the Blackdown Hills AONB, this rural region offers something for every Hipcamper. Campsites are easy to find, many offering caravan spots, secluded glampsites, and tent pitches. Walking and riding trails along the Culm Valley toward Hemyock reveal historic landmarks, riverside villages, and an array of native wildlife.

Honiton

Just 30 minutes’ train ride from Exeter St Davids and connected directly to London Waterloo, Honiton is an ideal destination for car-free adventurers. Wild-style pitches, working farms, and glamping lodges are popular, with many campers drawn to the picturesque banks of the River Otter.

East Devon AONB

Adjoining the Blackdown Hills to the south, this diverse landscape is also worth exploring, especially for anglers, birdwatchers, and watersports fans. A vast network of footpaths, riding routes, and nature trails guide adventurers through heathland, forests, and along World Heritage-listed coastline, while an array of holiday parks, farm pitches, and glamping accommodations provide plenty of camping options.