Riverside glamping in Haldon Forest

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More than 3,500 acres of woodland await adventurers at Haldon Forest, and nature lovers will be in their element. Explore miles of forest trails on foot, by bike, or on horseback; climb up to hilltop lookout points for views over the Exeter countryside; or find a shady picnic spot beneath the trees. Up for a challenge? Test out your map-reading skills on an orienteering course, zip through the woods on a Segway, or take to the treetops to tackle the GoApe high ropes and zipline course. There are no campsites in the park itself, but you’ll find holiday parks within a 10-minute drive.

95% (223)

Top-rated campgrounds

Wild About Campers

11. 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
Enchanted Valley Yurts

14. Enchanted Valley Yurts

100%
(9)
2 units · Glamping · Looe, England
About There’s something ever so right about describing this valley as ‘enchanting’. The stream that bubbles its way through the 34-acre small holding ranges from a soundscape of gurgling to an almost silent trickle when the weather is dry. The long grasses change from a buttercup speckled yellow in June to a light, sun-scorched green by August. And the trees, hedges and saplings are as inviting to children as any artificial playground. It’s a wonderful place to explore. The Yurt and Lodge here have been fittingly finished to provide the same enchanting feel. Solar-powered fairy lights and lanterns cast their ambient light across the exposed wooden lattice on the inside of each structure, while wood burners and colour-schemed furnishings give a warm and cosy feel. They are, of course, also perfectly practical. Each one sleeps up to five people and are accompanied by a neighbouring cabin with your own private shower and toilet facilities. The mown grass provides children a space to play and also leads you to a communal log cabin that’s home to the main kitchen and dining area. It comes complete with everything you need (including a range cooker) and there’s an outside cooking area with a proper pizza oven and a campfire. Owl Yurt is perhaps the more secluded of the two, with the stream and a line of bushes slightly separating it and involves crossing a tiny bridge to get there, while Pheasant Lodge is closer to the kitchen area. When the sun’s out, it’s all so nice it’s difficult to leave. The raised wooden platforms on which each Yurt and Lodge sits has outdoor furniture where you can sit and enjoy a sun-downer and you can even put your feet up and relax under the guise of ‘supervising the kids’. Enchanting though it may be, there is life beyond the valley (really, there is) and once you drag yourself away you’ll be quick to realise that the coast is the real draw here. It’s a 15-minute drive to the beaches of the south and the charming harbour town of Looe, stacked up along the steep sides of the river valley. From there you can chug out on the ferry to the nature reserve of Looe Island or join the coastal path to wander to neighbouring coves and beaches.
Potable water
Campfires
Showers
from 
£86
 / night

More than 3,500 acres of woodland await adventurers at Haldon Forest, and nature lovers will be in their element. Explore miles of forest trails on foot, by bike, or on horseback; climb up to hilltop lookout points for views over the Exeter countryside; or find a shady picnic spot beneath the trees. Up for a challenge? Test out your map-reading skills on an orienteering course, zip through the woods on a Segway, or take to the treetops to tackle the GoApe high ropes and zipline course. There are no campsites in the park itself, but you’ll find holiday parks within a 10-minute drive.

95% (223)

Top-rated campgrounds

Wild About Campers

11. 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
Enchanted Valley Yurts

14. Enchanted Valley Yurts

100%
(9)
2 units · Glamping · Looe, England
About There’s something ever so right about describing this valley as ‘enchanting’. The stream that bubbles its way through the 34-acre small holding ranges from a soundscape of gurgling to an almost silent trickle when the weather is dry. The long grasses change from a buttercup speckled yellow in June to a light, sun-scorched green by August. And the trees, hedges and saplings are as inviting to children as any artificial playground. It’s a wonderful place to explore. The Yurt and Lodge here have been fittingly finished to provide the same enchanting feel. Solar-powered fairy lights and lanterns cast their ambient light across the exposed wooden lattice on the inside of each structure, while wood burners and colour-schemed furnishings give a warm and cosy feel. They are, of course, also perfectly practical. Each one sleeps up to five people and are accompanied by a neighbouring cabin with your own private shower and toilet facilities. The mown grass provides children a space to play and also leads you to a communal log cabin that’s home to the main kitchen and dining area. It comes complete with everything you need (including a range cooker) and there’s an outside cooking area with a proper pizza oven and a campfire. Owl Yurt is perhaps the more secluded of the two, with the stream and a line of bushes slightly separating it and involves crossing a tiny bridge to get there, while Pheasant Lodge is closer to the kitchen area. When the sun’s out, it’s all so nice it’s difficult to leave. The raised wooden platforms on which each Yurt and Lodge sits has outdoor furniture where you can sit and enjoy a sun-downer and you can even put your feet up and relax under the guise of ‘supervising the kids’. Enchanting though it may be, there is life beyond the valley (really, there is) and once you drag yourself away you’ll be quick to realise that the coast is the real draw here. It’s a 15-minute drive to the beaches of the south and the charming harbour town of Looe, stacked up along the steep sides of the river valley. From there you can chug out on the ferry to the nature reserve of Looe Island or join the coastal path to wander to neighbouring coves and beaches.
Potable water
Campfires
Showers
from 
£86
 / night

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Riverside glamping in Haldon Forest guide

When to go

Forest walks are available year-round in Haldon Forest. Escape the heat along the shaded trails in summer or come in autumn to admire the colourful fall foliage. July and August is peak season, when advance booking is essential for park activities. To avoid the crowds, choose a weekday visit outside of the school holidays. The treetop adventure park is open all year, but opening hours are limited through winter, so check ahead.

Know before you go

  • Haldon Forest is a 15-minute drive from Exeter along the A38.
  • Paid parking is available at the park, and buses run from Exeter centre to Exeter Racecourse, a 1-mile walk from the park.
  • There are restrooms and a café in the park.
  • Many of the park’s trails are accessible, and Tramper and mobility scooters are available to hire.