The best campsites in Fernworthy Forest with horseback riding

·

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.

97% (417) 474 campsites

Top-rated campgrounds in Fernworthy Forest

Goren Farm

1. Goren Farm

100%
(92)
Seaton, England · 7 units · Tents, Motorhomes
Nearly wild camping in Devonshire wildflower meadows
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
Secret Spot Camping Saunton

2. Secret Spot Camping Saunton

99%
(140)
Braunton, England · 12 units · Tents, Motorhomes
Finding this exclusive Devon spot is like making it on to the best VIP guest list in town
Pets
Campfires
Showers
The Enchanted Wilderness

3. The Enchanted Wilderness

92%
(49)
Yelverton, England · 6 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping
Simple riverside camping pitches in the Tamar Valley on the edge of Dartmoor
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Devon Yurt

4. Devon Yurt

Lifton, England · 2 units
Rolling Dartmoor views from the yurts, from the shower, and from the rolltop bath...
Pets
Showers
Campfires
Pure & Rustic

5. Pure & Rustic

86%
(7)
Croyde, England · 6 units
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
Atlantic Horizons

6. Atlantic Horizons

100%
(1)
Bude, England · 9 units · Tents, Glamping
We are a friendly glamping and camping site set in the beautiful natural surroundings of the North Cornwall coast and countryside allowing for a quiet getaway or family break. Atlantic Horizons aims to offer the camping experience but without the hassle. Supplying you with everything you need for a relaxing yet comfortable glamping experience. We understand how the issues of packing and unpacking can be for you, especially after a long drive, therefore we feel that it is important to remove any challenges by providing you with a variety of glamping packages to suit your needs.
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Wylde Valley Camping

7. Wylde Valley Camping

97%
(16)
Bude, England · 130 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping
A popular festival space that's now a bona fide campsite, with modern, pop-up facilities and a top North Cornwall location
Electrical hookup
Campfires
Showers
Tremanor Farm

8. Tremanor Farm

89%
(19)
Castledore, England · 50 units · Tents, Motorhomes
Cornish camping with sea views, 5 minutes from the beach and 10 minutes from the Eden Project
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
Strawfields Cabins and Camping

9. Strawfields Cabins and Camping

100%
(26)
Titching Park Lane, England · 13 units · Tents, Glamping
Camping and rustic glamping with campfires on an idyllic smallholding close to North Devon’s best-loved beaches
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
Livit, Glamping by the coast

10. Livit, Glamping by the coast

98%
(48)
Bideford, England · 3 units
Adventure-filled glamping with sea views to savour
Pets
Showers
Campfires
Bowhayes Farm - Glamping & Camping

11. Bowhayes Farm - Glamping & Camping

98%
(20)
Sidmouth, England · 12 units · Tents, Glamping
Nearly-wild camping in a Devon cider orchard, 5 miles from the Jurassic Coast
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Surf Pods and Camping at Atlantic Farm

12. Surf Pods and Camping at Atlantic Farm

88%
(66)
Bude, England · 40 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping
Glamping near Bude, with eye-catching eco-pods, a staggering treehouse for couples and traditional tent camping
Pets
Electrical hookup
Showers
Buckland Farm Camping

13. Buckland Farm Camping

95%
(21)
Wellington, England · 12 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping
Dog-friendly camping on the edge of the Blackdown Hills
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Camp De Lank Cornwall

14. Camp De Lank Cornwall

100%
(6)
St Breward, England · 17 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping
Bell tents and pitches close to Bodmin Moor and the Camel Trail
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Passaford Meadow Campsite

15. Passaford Meadow Campsite

100%
(1)
Okehampton, England · 15 units
Camping for walkers and cyclists in the Devon countryside
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
Yarde Orchard Bunkhouse & Camping

16. Yarde Orchard Bunkhouse & Camping

100%
(1)
Torrington, England · 2 units
Tent pitches on a nearly wild grass site with hot shower and toilet. 1 eco-lodge. The heart of our site is our café, where you'll experience the warmest hospitality and the most mouth watering meals. Our café is a haven for cyclists and nature lovers. Enjoy breakfasts that fuel your day, lunches that satisfy your cravings, and dinners that leave you content and ready for another adventure. Pitch your tent on a private grass field, picnic tables and fire pit available and with the dark skies, you can see the milky way. Owls and bats will be your neighbours. We have direct access to the Tarka Trail, a long distance cycle and footpath here in North Devon. So get ready for your Devon Coast to Coast adventure, we're a perfect stop off mid way through your journey. We're on the Sustrans route 27 and 3. We are accredited with Freedom Camping. For North Devon’s bigger attractions, Exmoor and the coast, you’ll need to get in the car but neither are too far and driving through countryside to get there is a delight. Great Torrington is our closet town and has everything you need for a great holiday. Bideford is around 9 miles away, beyond which it’s not too far to the harbour village of Appledore, or the expansive beach at Westward Ho! It’s 25 miles to the edge of Exmoor or Dartmoor and to Woolacombe’s award winning golden sandy beach. All of Devon is within reach of a day trip but you wouldn’t know it when you’re back on site listening to the sounds of nature and watching the stars come out in the dark, dark skies above, listening to the owls calling.
Showers
Potable water
Picnic table
South Hoggs Hideaway

17. South Hoggs Hideaway

100%
(17)
Holsworthy, England · 7 units · Tents, Motorhomes
We moved here in 2021 to start a camping site. It has been our dream for a long time to give people a great experience and enjoy the wonderful part of the UK that we live in. Come and make some memories. We have 27 acres, the campsite is approx 5 acres with well spaced pitches. and includes access to the wooded area and lake also. We have 2 fields that we have separated for children and dogs to play. There is a stunning lake where you can watch ducks, birds and geese. The wooded area is brimming with wildlife and wild flowers, deer are often running by in the woods. This area is a like a world away, an idyllic escape.
Pets
Campfires
Showers
Pleasant Streams Farm Camping

18. Pleasant Streams Farm Camping

91%
(70)
St Austell, England · 67 units · Tents, Glamping
Lakeside camping with streams, rope swings and farmyard animals in rural Cornwall
Campfires
Showers
Potable water
Lickham Bottom Camp

19. Lickham Bottom Camp

100%
(9)
Taunton, England · 3 units
Ready-made camping in Devon’s Blackdown Hills
Pets
Showers
Campfires
Porte Meadows

20. Porte Meadows

90%
(10)
Kentisbury, England · 15 units · Tents, Motorhomes
Set on a contractor farm is Porte Meadows. Just on the edge of Exmoor National Park, 10 miles from Woolacombe beach and 12 miles to the busy town of Barnstaple. We are back to basics off grid but with proper toilets and showers, filtered drinking water and waste points. Caravans, campers and tents welcome and there is a pub within walking distance ( just across the road). Easy to find, no narrow lanes. Storage available.
Pets
Campfires
Showers

Recent reviews from the Hipcamp community

Fernworthy Forest camping 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.
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Popular Fernworthy Forest holidays