Camping in Fernworthy Forest

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

96% (1507 reviews)

United Kingdom
—
England
—
Fernworthy Forest

96% (1507 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Fernworthy Forest

Community favorites in and near Fernworthy Forest

Stories from the community

Grass Campsite with wooden jetty access to River Brue

Frances

2 days ago

5 m Class B

1 night at Riverside Restful Relaxing Campsite

Lovely place, very serene spot near the river and easy to get to Avalon Marshes and Brent Knoll. Great for a little swim in the river and sitting around in the evening enjoying the birdsong. Only one other van when we were there (a Sunday night) so it was very quiet. The little kitchen was nice for washing up and would be great for cooking if it was a rainy day! There is a road nearby but it's not very busy and there was no noise at all at night. Currently only one toilet and shower but both were clean and worked well, and they were installing more. Andy was lovely and welcoming, and the general vibe was very chilled. Thanks a lot, we will be back!

Weekend Trip to Berry's Ground Lane Campsite

Loved the vast amount of space, great views, it was peaceful, great comms, loos clean :)

Weekend Trip to Berry's Ground Lane Campsite

Wonderful site with stunning views. Perfect for peaceful camping.

Weekend Trip to Berry's Ground Lane Campsite

I loved the overnight stopover at Katie's campsite. The views are spectacular & the weather was kind .... lovely to wake up in the sunshine. Lots of space!

Weekend Trip to Berry's Ground Lane Campsite

Beautiful views and facilities for a wild camping site. Communication was great

2 nights at Riverside Restful Relaxing Campsite

Andy was lovely and the camping spot is great. Stairs down into the river to make getting in and out easy. It was lovely and quite while I was there and so peaceful!

1 night at Sweet Hill Farm

Magical place for nearly wild camping with sauna, amazing views and lovely people. Will be returning very soon!

1 night at Bredy Farm

Absolutely loved my trip here! Campsite was peaceful really well maintained. Bar and restaurant area was amazing and all the staff were really friendly and attentive. Managed to get myself a fresh pizza from the restaurant and eat it back at camp. Would absolutely stay here again!

1 night at Wookey Farm

Campsite 2 was a delightful location for camping, featuring a lovely, spacious field with rope swings and a large river where children and dogs could play. Visiting the animals was a pleasant experience, particularly seeing the baby goats. Unfortunately, the farm shop was closed, preventing us from exploring its interior, but the building itself appeared quite impressive.

1 night at Meldon Lake and Woods Wild Camping

It was fantastic, but I would hesitate recommending it because I love how private and secluded it is and it wouldn’t feel the same if it was busy

Weekend Trip to Parke Farm Camping

Charles was brilliant. Really friendly and took the time to show us around and came back to check on us the following day. He gave great local suggestions and the facilities were both clean and nice. Would 100% visit again. We also had two dogs - they loved it.

4 nights at Bredy Farm

Great place to camp! We had such a good time and the bar is brilliant on the weekends! Very dog friendly. We had the river right behind out pitch and the dogs loved it! Not somewhere to go if you’re looking for somewhere quiet on the weekend though😂

1 night at Farm camping in the Blackdown Hills

Amazing views. The site is very tidy toilets and showers are clean. Everyone is super friendly.

1 night at Farm camping in the Blackdown Hills

Great campsite, amazing views, plenty of room, quiet, helpful and friendly owners - would definitely stay again when we are in the area

Weekend Trip to Glan Y Mor Camping

We had a lovely stay here last weekend. Lots of little touches elevate this tucked away campsite above others. Highly recommend.

Weekend Trip to Glan Y Mor Camping

The campsite is small but very beautiful. We felt very comfortable. It has a beautiful walk through the forest and the facilities are good.

Weekend Trip to Wytch Wood Camping

Elise has set up a real gem in Wytch Wood Camping. Under the most gorgeous tall trees in the woodland, we had the best nights sleep in ages, awakened only by the uplifting calls of over 20 different species of birds! We were lucky with the weather - but honestly even if not I’m sure it would have still been as lovely. There is a compost loo per site, wonderfully clean hot showers, a washing up area, drinking water, honesty shop, wood-fire pizzas over the weekend, horses, sheep and even a car hill battle on the hills surrounding the site. We made the trip into Frome for the monthly market, and managed to sneak in a trip to Durdle Door. This was a lovely base and special trip for us, thank you Elise! We will be back!

Weekend Trip to Glan Y Mor Camping

Nice and quiet place. A lot to do around the area aswell and really welcoming host!

Weekend Trip to Glan Y Mor Camping

Stayed 3 nights here and it was perfect. Hosts were amazing! Communal area was nice with the fire pit and fridge for all to use really came in handy! Pembrokeshire is nice and plenty to do! Highly recommend.

April 2022 fire pit with tent space in the trees behind

160 units · Glamping, Motorhomes, Tents7 acres · Cornwall, South West England

35 units · Motorhomes, Tents4 acres · Weymouth, Dorset, South West England

Camping in a Dorset field between Dorchester and the Jurassic coast.

12 top campsites in Fernworthy Forest

95%

(109)

Primrose Fields Campsite

30 units · Motorhomes, Tents11 acres · Wareham, England

Back-to-basics camping in a Dorset hay meadow

93%

(40)

Bredy Farm

31 units · Motorhomes, Tents30 acres · Bridport, England

Back-to-basics camping on a Dorset farm with a party vibe at weekends

99%

(137)

Meldon Lake and Woods Wild Camping

5 units · Motorhomes, Tents8 acres · Okehampton, Devon, South West England

Seriously simple but beautiful wild camping beside a lake on Dartmoor

98%

(60)

Glan Y Mor Camping

15 units · Glamping, Motorhomes, Tents7 acres · St Petrox, Pembrokeshire, South Wales

A super-friendly, family-run campsite on the edge of Pembroke

98%

(263)

South Dean Camping

70 units · Motorhomes, Tents12 acres · Barnstaple, Devon, South West England

Clifftop camping with epic sea views, right next to Exmoor National Park.

97%

(95)

Parke Farm Camping

67 units · Motorhomes, Tents8 acres · Barafundle Bay, Pembrokeshire, South Wales

Idyllic farm campsite with campfires in south Pembrokeshire, 10 minutes' drive from several top beaches

99%

(188)

Cadgwith Wild Camping

21 units · Motorhomes, Tents7 acres · Porthleven, Cornwall, South West England

A dog-friendly campsite on a farm in Cornwall where every pitch offers a sea view

97%

(128)

Brig's Farm

21 units · Glamping, Tents1 acre · Bridport, Dorset, South West England

Family camping with campfires near Charmouth, with sea views and a couple of quirky glamping lorries

100%

(9)

Riverside Restful Relaxing Campsite

12 units · Motorhomes, Tents4 acres · England

A very warm welcome to our guests at Little Eden, a restful and relaxing, riverside campsite for tents and campervans with grass pitches. We’re in a great spot if you love fishing, kayaking, gorge walking, cycling, seasides, fossil hunting, wild swimming, fell running, bird watching, archaeology or even Viking history! We are 9 miles from the mystical Glastonbury Abbey and Tor and directly on a Sustrans 33 cycle path route. The River Brue runs alongside the campsite with damsel flies fluttering by and kingfishers darting back and forth. We are on the Somerset levels so the sunsets are amazing as well as night time stargazing. We have a private, wooden jetty where you can launch your own paddle board. It’s a perfect get away for campers and nature lovers. Bring your own raised BBQs and logs or buy firewood on site. A family run campsite around 30 miles south of Bristol on the banks of the River Brue, it has a relaxed vibe and we try to keep things simple and straight forward. It’s ideal for doing some day trips nearby, then lighting the BBQ and playing Frisbee (games box you are most welcome to use). Shower and toilet, drinking water, washing-up sink in garden kitchenette. Our big sister site is just 4 miles away, and the café bar at 'Wall Eden Farm' serves fantastic coffee, cake, and family-made Somerset cider. If looking for classic countryside pub meal The Duck at Burtle and The Bird at Westhay are local favourites, be sure to book! Burnham on Sea close by has great fish and chips, a sandy beach, a pier and promenade if you like salty fingers and sandy toes. *DIRECTIONS* Little Eden Adventures is on Goole Maps Postcode takes you within 200 meters of campsite, look for white house with flagpole on stone bridge over river. What3words master.musical.titles. Our grandmother and her 5 sisters grew up milking cattle on the land. It’s steeped in history and archaeology. Bring your fishing rod as there are bream and roach in the River Brue. The site is a dream for cyclists. Electric vehicle charging at Wall Eden Farm with a Farmshop stocked with essential supplies, Moonshine and sweet treats. Sorry no pets as livestock in neighbouring fields. Big Adventures and Little Moments Warmest Wishes, Team Little Eden

100%

(48)

Goren Farm

7 units · Motorhomes, Tents70 acres · Seaton, Devon, South West England

Nearly wild camping in Devonshire wildflower meadows

97%

(91)

Sunny Corner Campsite

10 units · Tents10 acres · Saint Agnes, England

Back-to-basics camping with views of the sea in walking distance of St Agnes

93%

(267)

Sweet Hill Farm

10 units · Motorhomes, Tents6 acres · Dorset, South West England

Simple, almost-wild, seaside camping on the Isle of Portland

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.