Camping in Fernworthy Forest

Woodland walks, lakeside picnics, and Bronze Age ruins are the highlights of this Dartmoor forest.

96% (1554 reviews)
  1. Fernworthy Forest
96% (1554 reviews)

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12 top campsites in Fernworthy Forest

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Girt Down Camping

11 units · Motorhomes, Tents20 acres · Combe Martin, Devon, South West England
Set the edge of Exmoor, we have unrivalled coastal views, direct access to the South West Coast Path and Combe Martin bay is just a little walk away (perfect for paddle-boarding and dolphin spotting!). Choose your pitch, settle down by a fire pit and watch the sun set across Combe Martin bay. With pizza’s available on some weekends, breakfast baguettes for breakfast and a selection of farm produce available - we have everything you could need, we are campervan friendly too. With footpaths from the farm in all directions you can join the South West Coast Path or just ramble down to the village where there are shops, cafes and pubs a plenty. With full flushing toilets and hot showers, as well as a washing up area, there is even an old railway carriage with electric plugs to charge your phone or dry your hair, with a fridge and freezer to look after your supper too. We are a small site focusing on that quiet get-away. There is no road noise, just the farmer going about his day job, who’s more than happy to chat about the wildlife, birds and weather!
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from 
£24
 / night
Booked 1 time

Silver View Campsite

40 units · Motorhomes, Tents5 acres · England
Welcome to Silver View Campsite, we are a family and dog friendly site offering a traditional camping experience right next to Exmoor National Park. Our non-electric grass pitches are perfect for tents, campervans, trailer tents, and small motorhomes, all set in a gently sloping field with stunning coastal and countryside views. There are plenty of flat spots to choose from too! With Ilfracombe, the South West Coast Path, and beautiful sandy beaches just 15 minutes away, we’re the ideal base for your North Devon adventures. Nestled next to Exmoor National Park, just five minutes from Combe Martin and the coast, our family-friendly campsite offers a traditional camping experience in the heart of North Devon. With the South West Coast Path nearby, we’re the perfect base for keen walkers too. We welcome tents across our 50 non-electric grass pitches, each with space for up to six guests and stunning countryside and coastal views—perfect for sunset watching. Campfires and fire pits are welcome, with logs available on-site and fire pits to hire, ideal for toasting marshmallows under the stars. Up to two dogs are welcome per pitch too! We are open from the 23rd to the 1st of June, weekends from the 20th of June to the 20th of July, and from the 24th of July to the 31st of August for the summer holidays. Our campsite offers eco-friendly loos and showers, plus a converted horse box with flushing toilets, extra showers, and a washing-up area. You can hire a fire pits (wood available to buy onsite), and we’ve got USB sockets for phone charging and a freezing facility for ice packs. Combe Martin is just a 25-minute walk away, with plenty of pubs and shops, including the Pack o' Cards Inn, Castle Inn, a Premier, and a Co-Op - perfect for stocking up or enjoying a meal out!
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from 
£10
 / night
Value Prop
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Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Camping in Fernworthy Forest guide

Overview

Set on the banks of the Fernworthy Reservoir at the heart of the Dartmoor National Park, Fernworthy Forest has some of the NP’s most rewarding short walks. Follow the lakeside trail, enjoy bird-watching or fish for brown trout around the lake, then stop for a picnic by the lakeside. Hikers can choose from a variety of forest trails. Explore Bronze Age stone circles, follow scenic woodland walks, and spot herds of native Dartmoor ponies grazing the moors. There are no campsites at Fernworthy Forest, but wild camping is permitted—pitch your tent beneath the trees for a real back-to-nature experience.

When to go

July and August are the peak season in Dartmoor National Park, and popular spots such as Fernworthy Forest can get crowded—parking is limited, so get there early. Forest walks can be enjoyed year-round, but it’s most magical in autumn, with its canopy of fall foliage. Dartmoor weather is notoriously changeable, so pack a sweater and raincoat even in summer.

Know before you go

  • Fernworthy Forest is located north of Dartmoor National Park, about a 15-minute drive southwest of Chagford. There is a pay and display car park by the entrance to the forest.
  • Restrooms are located at the forest car park, but there are no other facilities, so bring everything you need with you. The closest village is Chagford, which has a few pubs and small shops. 
  • Trout fishing is possible on the lake between March and October, and fishing permits can be purchased on-site. 
  • Parts of the lakeside trail are accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
  • Dartmoor National Park is one of the few places in the UK where wild camping is permitted. Tents must be pitched away from roads and attractions, and large group camping is not allowed. 
  • Dartmoor has free-roaming ponies, sheep, and cattle, and these animals have the right of way on moorland roads. There is a strict speed limit of 40 mph throughout. It is a fineable offense to feed any of the animals in the park, and visitors are also advised to keep a distance for their own safety—these are feral animals and may kick or bite.