Beach camping in Fernworthy Forest

·

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.

95% (791) 465 campsites

Top-rated campgrounds near Fernworthy Forest

Cornish Tipi Holidays & Camping

1. Cornish Tipi Holidays & Camping

97%
(147)
168 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Cornwall, South West England
Wake up to the sound of birdsong, go swimming before breakfast in the clear water of a secluded lake. Cook your bacon and eggs over an open fire while you plan your day, or just laze it away in the peace and quiet of your own personal tipi. You can always go fishing tomorrow, and walk along the cliffs the day after that… The site is a unique woodland valley folded around a clear, spring-fed lake created from the old Tregildrans Quarry. Our tipis and tent pitches are dotted about this secret 20 acres full of ferns, bluebells, oak and meadowsweet. Left in peace for many years there's been no modern chemicals or poisons on the land, meaning we've got bluebells, dormice, Red Admirals and shy woodland Jays for you to spot. It’s a place set apart from the rush and clutter of the modern holiday experience, with an atmosphere that makes you forget the world outside, and just lounge, ramble, or potter about in a boat. We're committed to giving you a genuinely individual service from first contact to your time staying with us. We established CTH in 1996. This was the first and we believe still is the best tipi holiday site in the UK. We know our area inside out and can always help with local knowledge or contacts if you need them. We want to offer our guests a sustainable holiday. A return to real camping means the lowest possible impact on the land and environment - our tipi poles don’t even break the surface of the earth. Your footprint while here could only be bettered by a survival expert. You don't have to fly! a major bonus, and we source all our wood, fish and canvas locally and work with local people wherever possible.
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
from 
£25
 / night
Secret Spot Camping Saunton

2. Secret Spot Camping Saunton

99%
(140)
12 units · Tents · Devon, South West England
Finding this exclusive Devon spot is like making it on to the best VIP guest list in town
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£20
 / night
Pittaford Farm

3. Pittaford Farm

99%
(67)
15 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Kingsbridge, England
A campfire-friendly site in South Devon, with a beach, a nature reserve and a pub all less than 45 minutes' walk away
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£26
 / night
American School Bus with Hot Tub!

4. American School Bus with Hot Tub!

1 unit · Glamping · Woolacombe, England
Texas School Bus – an authentic, beautifully converted American School Bus for a memory-filled and Insta-worthy stay on a truly stunning location near the beach in Woolacoombe, Devon - complete with a Hot Tub with Sea Views! Freshly retired from the highways of Houston, Texas School Bus is the iconic split-screen American Yellow School Bus – or ‘Skoolie’ for aficionados – lovingly converted into a truly unique Glamping retreat. Gloriously spacious, there’s plenty to delight couples, families, and groups of friends alike. For starters, you’ll have a proper kitchen to whip up your own school dinners complete with a gas oven, hob, grill, sink, and cooking equipment galore (There’s even a seriously cool fridge freezer, to help you chill those essential holiday tipples!) Enjoy gastronomic delights at the dining table while enjoying the views through the panoramic windows, or outside enjoying a sizzling sunset supper on the barbecue. With toasty underfloor heating and a clean-burning wood stove you’ll be gorgeously snug. There’s a thoughtfully-chosen selection of books and games on board, and if music’s more your thing, remember to bring your Bluetooth speaker and choose your own groove. You could even plonk yourself down in the driver’s seat if you like…with the original cab fully intact, you can travel anywhere your imagination cares to take you! When it’s finally time to turn in, you’ll discover a king-sized John Lewis bed to the rear dressed in Egyptian cotton sheets and a gorgeous duvet. If you miss out on claiming this for yourself, you’ll also find two comfy, John Lewis full-sized singles, and a really good sofa bed too. Freshen up with a shower and fluffy towels (there’s even an illuminated mirror and a plug socket for your hairdryer!) then it’s on with the important business of planning your day. Parked at the truly beautiful Lee Meadows Campsite on the Devon coast this cosy bus couldn’t be in a better spot for all kinds of fun and adventure - near gorgeous beaches and some of the most stunning walks around. Enjoy the on-site Zip Wire and FreeRide Cycle Track!
Showers
Campfires
Hot Tub
from 
£195
 / night
Berry's Ground Lane Campsite

5. Berry's Ground Lane Campsite

100%
(18)
40 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Martinhoe, England
Lovely wild camping pitches on the North Devon coastline. You will be one of a maximum of 6 pitches in a large field on the beautiful North Devon coast with incredible sea views. We can provide a firepit to borrow and you can purchase logs onsite so you can stargaze and chatter around the fire - back to nature! We are based just outside the pretty hamlet of Martinhoe in North Devon, a stone's throw from the SW Coast Path. There is a historic Roman Beacon closeby and plenty of wildlife around, we'd be surprised if you didn't see deer in the neighbouring fields! There is a compost loo and a water point, but no electricity / wifi - delightfully off-grid. Situated on an organic working farm this is the perfect place to escape!
Pets
Campfires
Potable water
from 
£24
 / night
Pure & Rustic

6. Pure & Rustic

86%
(7)
6 units · Glamping · Croyde, Devon, South West England
Acres of beautiful woodlands & pastures for those that like to sleep under canvas with or without electric. Hot showers, Pure Greenfields spring water on tap, designated fire pits to bring out your rawness of nature!! Pure & Rustic is close by to some fantastic local pubs, and the beaches of Croyde, Saunton, Putsborough & Woolacombe. A magical woodland retreat to watch the moon & stars float by..!
Pets
Showers
Campfires
from 
£15
 / night
Hideaway Camping

7. Hideaway Camping

98%
(43)
17 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Okehampton, England
Carefree camping and glamping in Devon with a nature-friendly setting and imaginative owners
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
from 
£13
 / night
South Dean Camping

8. South Dean Camping

98%
(307)
70 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Barnstaple, Devon, South West England
Clifftop camping with epic sea views, right next to Exmoor National Park.
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£35
 / night
Bush Farm Campsite

9. Bush Farm Campsite

99%
(99)
50 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Saltash, England
As close to wild camping as you can get on a rewilded 200-acre farm in Cornwall
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£12
 / night
Brig's Farm

10. Brig's Farm

97%
(157)
21 units · Tents, Glamping · Bridport, Dorset, South West England
Family camping with campfires near Charmouth, with sea views and a couple of quirky glamping lorries
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£13
 / night
Beryl's Campsite

11. Beryl's Campsite

97%
(38)
5 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Devon, South West England
A secret, secluded campsite with wonderful views down to Start Bay
Pets
Electrical hookup
Campfires
from 
£35
 / night
The High Nature Centre

12. The High Nature Centre

92%
(19)
14 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Salcombe, Devon, South West England
A stay at The High Nature Centre is sure to reinvigorate the soul as only a sojourn by the sea can
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£10
 / night
Strawfields Cabins and Camping

13. Strawfields Cabins and Camping

100%
(26)
14 units · Tents, Glamping · Titching Park Lane, England
Camping and rustic glamping with campfires on an idyllic smallholding close to North Devon’s best-loved beaches
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
from 
£30
 / night
LEE MEADOW FARM CAMPING

14. LEE MEADOW FARM CAMPING

95%
(11)
45 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Ilfracombe, England
Traditional camping with lovely farm shop and take away Bike hire Zip wire camping shop Camp fires allowed bell tent glamping stays available cycle trail at the end of the lane situated just off the South West Coast Path 5 min drive from award winning Woolacombe Beach set in the beautiful countryside with some amazing views some of the sea electric hookup available grass pitches free hot showers washing up facilities family bathroom plenty of room for everyone to have a lovely time
Pets
Electrical hookup
Campfires
from 
£35
 / night
Livit, Glamping by the coast

15. Livit, Glamping by the coast

98%
(48)
9 units · Glamping · Devon, South West England
Adventure-filled glamping with sea views to savour
Pets
Showers
Campfires
from 
£55
 / night
Fairlinch Camping

16. Fairlinch Camping

96%
(74)
20 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Devon, South West England
Keep your eyes on the sky; buzzards, kestrels, peregrine, falcons and barn owls are all common visitors
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£14
 / night
Hobby Farm

17. Hobby Farm

96%
(45)
16 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Whitchurch Canonicorum, England
A peaceful, adult-only campsite 10 minutes' from the Jurassic Coast
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£22
 / night
Westland Farm

18. Westland Farm

100%
(140)
21 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Barnstaple, Devon, South West England
Camping and glamping on a working farm, with yurts, huts with hot tubs, and simple, spacious, sociable camping pitches
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£13
 / night
Coppet Hill

19. Coppet Hill

100%
(88)
18 units · Tents, Glamping · Bridport, England
Wildlife-friendly camping and glamping with private loos at each pitch, 15 minutes' drive from the coast
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
from 
£65
 / night
Rocombe Valley Retreat

20. Rocombe Valley Retreat

97%
(17)
5 units · Glamping · Lower Rocombe, England
Glamping near the English Riviera, with wood-fired hot tubs and coarse fishing lakes
Showers
Campfires
Hot Tub
from 
£80
 / night

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.

95% (791) 465 campsites

Top-rated campgrounds near Fernworthy Forest

Cornish Tipi Holidays & Camping

1. Cornish Tipi Holidays & Camping

97%
(147)
168 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Cornwall, South West England
Wake up to the sound of birdsong, go swimming before breakfast in the clear water of a secluded lake. Cook your bacon and eggs over an open fire while you plan your day, or just laze it away in the peace and quiet of your own personal tipi. You can always go fishing tomorrow, and walk along the cliffs the day after that… The site is a unique woodland valley folded around a clear, spring-fed lake created from the old Tregildrans Quarry. Our tipis and tent pitches are dotted about this secret 20 acres full of ferns, bluebells, oak and meadowsweet. Left in peace for many years there's been no modern chemicals or poisons on the land, meaning we've got bluebells, dormice, Red Admirals and shy woodland Jays for you to spot. It’s a place set apart from the rush and clutter of the modern holiday experience, with an atmosphere that makes you forget the world outside, and just lounge, ramble, or potter about in a boat. We're committed to giving you a genuinely individual service from first contact to your time staying with us. We established CTH in 1996. This was the first and we believe still is the best tipi holiday site in the UK. We know our area inside out and can always help with local knowledge or contacts if you need them. We want to offer our guests a sustainable holiday. A return to real camping means the lowest possible impact on the land and environment - our tipi poles don’t even break the surface of the earth. Your footprint while here could only be bettered by a survival expert. You don't have to fly! a major bonus, and we source all our wood, fish and canvas locally and work with local people wherever possible.
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
from 
£25
 / night
Secret Spot Camping Saunton

2. Secret Spot Camping Saunton

99%
(140)
12 units · Tents · Devon, South West England
Finding this exclusive Devon spot is like making it on to the best VIP guest list in town
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£20
 / night
Pittaford Farm

3. Pittaford Farm

99%
(67)
15 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Kingsbridge, England
A campfire-friendly site in South Devon, with a beach, a nature reserve and a pub all less than 45 minutes' walk away
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£26
 / night
American School Bus with Hot Tub!

4. American School Bus with Hot Tub!

1 unit · Glamping · Woolacombe, England
Texas School Bus – an authentic, beautifully converted American School Bus for a memory-filled and Insta-worthy stay on a truly stunning location near the beach in Woolacoombe, Devon - complete with a Hot Tub with Sea Views! Freshly retired from the highways of Houston, Texas School Bus is the iconic split-screen American Yellow School Bus – or ‘Skoolie’ for aficionados – lovingly converted into a truly unique Glamping retreat. Gloriously spacious, there’s plenty to delight couples, families, and groups of friends alike. For starters, you’ll have a proper kitchen to whip up your own school dinners complete with a gas oven, hob, grill, sink, and cooking equipment galore (There’s even a seriously cool fridge freezer, to help you chill those essential holiday tipples!) Enjoy gastronomic delights at the dining table while enjoying the views through the panoramic windows, or outside enjoying a sizzling sunset supper on the barbecue. With toasty underfloor heating and a clean-burning wood stove you’ll be gorgeously snug. There’s a thoughtfully-chosen selection of books and games on board, and if music’s more your thing, remember to bring your Bluetooth speaker and choose your own groove. You could even plonk yourself down in the driver’s seat if you like…with the original cab fully intact, you can travel anywhere your imagination cares to take you! When it’s finally time to turn in, you’ll discover a king-sized John Lewis bed to the rear dressed in Egyptian cotton sheets and a gorgeous duvet. If you miss out on claiming this for yourself, you’ll also find two comfy, John Lewis full-sized singles, and a really good sofa bed too. Freshen up with a shower and fluffy towels (there’s even an illuminated mirror and a plug socket for your hairdryer!) then it’s on with the important business of planning your day. Parked at the truly beautiful Lee Meadows Campsite on the Devon coast this cosy bus couldn’t be in a better spot for all kinds of fun and adventure - near gorgeous beaches and some of the most stunning walks around. Enjoy the on-site Zip Wire and FreeRide Cycle Track!
Showers
Campfires
Hot Tub
from 
£195
 / night
Berry's Ground Lane Campsite

5. Berry's Ground Lane Campsite

100%
(18)
40 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Martinhoe, England
Lovely wild camping pitches on the North Devon coastline. You will be one of a maximum of 6 pitches in a large field on the beautiful North Devon coast with incredible sea views. We can provide a firepit to borrow and you can purchase logs onsite so you can stargaze and chatter around the fire - back to nature! We are based just outside the pretty hamlet of Martinhoe in North Devon, a stone's throw from the SW Coast Path. There is a historic Roman Beacon closeby and plenty of wildlife around, we'd be surprised if you didn't see deer in the neighbouring fields! There is a compost loo and a water point, but no electricity / wifi - delightfully off-grid. Situated on an organic working farm this is the perfect place to escape!
Pets
Campfires
Potable water
from 
£24
 / night
Pure & Rustic

6. Pure & Rustic

86%
(7)
6 units · Glamping · Croyde, Devon, South West England
Acres of beautiful woodlands & pastures for those that like to sleep under canvas with or without electric. Hot showers, Pure Greenfields spring water on tap, designated fire pits to bring out your rawness of nature!! Pure & Rustic is close by to some fantastic local pubs, and the beaches of Croyde, Saunton, Putsborough & Woolacombe. A magical woodland retreat to watch the moon & stars float by..!
Pets
Showers
Campfires
from 
£15
 / night
Hideaway Camping

7. Hideaway Camping

98%
(43)
17 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Okehampton, England
Carefree camping and glamping in Devon with a nature-friendly setting and imaginative owners
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
from 
£13
 / night
South Dean Camping

8. South Dean Camping

98%
(307)
70 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Barnstaple, Devon, South West England
Clifftop camping with epic sea views, right next to Exmoor National Park.
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£35
 / night
Bush Farm Campsite

9. Bush Farm Campsite

99%
(99)
50 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Saltash, England
As close to wild camping as you can get on a rewilded 200-acre farm in Cornwall
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£12
 / night
Brig's Farm

10. Brig's Farm

97%
(157)
21 units · Tents, Glamping · Bridport, Dorset, South West England
Family camping with campfires near Charmouth, with sea views and a couple of quirky glamping lorries
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£13
 / night
Beryl's Campsite

11. Beryl's Campsite

97%
(38)
5 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Devon, South West England
A secret, secluded campsite with wonderful views down to Start Bay
Pets
Electrical hookup
Campfires
from 
£35
 / night
The High Nature Centre

12. The High Nature Centre

92%
(19)
14 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Salcombe, Devon, South West England
A stay at The High Nature Centre is sure to reinvigorate the soul as only a sojourn by the sea can
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£10
 / night
Strawfields Cabins and Camping

13. Strawfields Cabins and Camping

100%
(26)
14 units · Tents, Glamping · Titching Park Lane, England
Camping and rustic glamping with campfires on an idyllic smallholding close to North Devon’s best-loved beaches
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
from 
£30
 / night
LEE MEADOW FARM CAMPING

14. LEE MEADOW FARM CAMPING

95%
(11)
45 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Ilfracombe, England
Traditional camping with lovely farm shop and take away Bike hire Zip wire camping shop Camp fires allowed bell tent glamping stays available cycle trail at the end of the lane situated just off the South West Coast Path 5 min drive from award winning Woolacombe Beach set in the beautiful countryside with some amazing views some of the sea electric hookup available grass pitches free hot showers washing up facilities family bathroom plenty of room for everyone to have a lovely time
Pets
Electrical hookup
Campfires
from 
£35
 / night
Livit, Glamping by the coast

15. Livit, Glamping by the coast

98%
(48)
9 units · Glamping · Devon, South West England
Adventure-filled glamping with sea views to savour
Pets
Showers
Campfires
from 
£55
 / night
Fairlinch Camping

16. Fairlinch Camping

96%
(74)
20 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Devon, South West England
Keep your eyes on the sky; buzzards, kestrels, peregrine, falcons and barn owls are all common visitors
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£14
 / night
Hobby Farm

17. Hobby Farm

96%
(45)
16 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Whitchurch Canonicorum, England
A peaceful, adult-only campsite 10 minutes' from the Jurassic Coast
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£22
 / night
Westland Farm

18. Westland Farm

100%
(140)
21 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Barnstaple, Devon, South West England
Camping and glamping on a working farm, with yurts, huts with hot tubs, and simple, spacious, sociable camping pitches
Pets
Campfires
Showers
from 
£13
 / night
Coppet Hill

19. Coppet Hill

100%
(88)
18 units · Tents, Glamping · Bridport, England
Wildlife-friendly camping and glamping with private loos at each pitch, 15 minutes' drive from the coast
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
from 
£65
 / night
Rocombe Valley Retreat

20. Rocombe Valley Retreat

97%
(17)
5 units · Glamping · Lower Rocombe, England
Glamping near the English Riviera, with wood-fired hot tubs and coarse fishing lakes
Showers
Campfires
Hot Tub
from 
£80
 / night

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Beach camping in Fernworthy Forest guide

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.

Top regions near Fernworthy Forest