Wildlife-watching campsites in Haldon Forest

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.

97% (853) • 422 campsites

Top-rated campgrounds near Haldon Forest

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.

97% (853) • 422 campsites

Top-rated campgrounds near Haldon Forest

1. 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

2. Deer Barn Retreats

94%

(33)

3 units · Glamping · Taunton, England

Dog-friendly glamping on the Somerset-Devon border

3. The Enchanted Wilderness

93%

(43)

6 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Yelverton, England

Simple riverside camping pitches in the Tamar Valley on the edge of Dartmoor

4. Higher Roddon Farm

1 unit · Glamping · Wiveliscombe, England

Duncan and Alexis live here with their young family and we want to continue to improve the biodiversity of the farm alongside building a sustainable farm business incorporating luxury rural accommodation and grass-fed beef and lamb. We are lucky enough to have a wide variety of wildlife on our farm including tawny and barn owls, deer, buzzards, pheasants, swallows, bullfinches, fieldfares and numerous bats, butterflies and beetles! Take a look at our Wildlife page. We follow a grass-fed, low input, regenerative agriculture philosophy. This means that (apart from our bulls, rams and boars which have to be bought in to prevent in-breeding) all of our animals are born on the farm. They stay with their mothers’ as long as possible growing well on their mothers’ milk and our beautiful grass. Apart from our pigs, all of our animals are only fed grass from the farm or hay (from our species rich hay meadows) in winter. We believe this is more sustainable, gives us a minimal carbon footprint and provides our animals with the best possible lives.

5. Kingsmead Camping

99%

(96)

36 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Cullompton, England

A range of pitches, from grassy open spaces to off-grid woodland clearings, topped off by two well-stocked fishing lakes

6. Splatt Farm Gardens

100%

(7)

1 unit · Tent · Bridgwater, Somerset, South West England

Classic, simple, farm camping for families near the Quantock Hills

7. 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..!

8. Bredy Farm

87%

(63)

31 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Bridport, England

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

9. Buckland Farm Camping

95%

(21)

12 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Somerset, South West England

Dog-friendly camping on the edge of the Blackdown Hills

10. 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

11. Flowerdew Farm

100%

(18)

23 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Bridport, Dorset, South West England

Bell tents and camping with alpacas near Dorset’s Jurassic Coast

12. Summit Camping Panoramic views

83%

(3)

33 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Cornwall, South West England

Cornish camping at the foot of Kit Hill in an area of outstanding natural beauty

13. Tamarisk Holiday Cabins

90%

(5)

3 units · Glamping · Bude, England

Holiday cabins with hot tubs on the North Cornish Coast

14. Hardyes Countryside Camping

98%

(43)

35 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Weymouth, Dorset, South West England

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

15. Ruby Country Camping

100%

(30)

6 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · Highampton, England

A natural, spacious meadow campsite perfect for exploring North Devon and Cornwall

16. Beryl's Campsite

97%

(38)

5 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Devon, South West England

A secret, secluded campsite with wonderful views down to Start Bay

17. Camp De Lank Cornwall

100%

(6)

35 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping · St Breward, England

Bell tents and pitches close to Bodmin Moor and the Camel Trail

18. 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

19. 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

20. Camp Couture

100%

(17)

4 units · Tents, Glamping · Barnstaple, Devon, South West England

We Have 10 acres, 5 of which is woodland. Each let has its own private area with seating table and fire pit some of our let’s have either a hammock or swinging chair Tent pitches are in the woodland which also have their own private area with table chairs hammock fire pit and a camp kitchen to share. We have friendly residents of Alpaca, sheep, a goat and peacocks and chickens that you are welcome to feed with the supplied food. We have a local pub you can walk to across farmers fields about a 20 minute ramble. South Molton, a 3 minute drive away, has a small artisan market voted the best in the UK

Recent reviews from the Hipcamp community

C

Charlotte

August 2025

Tent

1 night at The Enchanted Wilderness

Lovely site, great amenities that were also eco friendly, river is right there for a swim or kayak and the morning views were beautiful. We were the only campers so it was super quiet but Jonathan was close by if we had any issues. Would have loved to have stayed longer!

P

Peter

August 2025

Tent

3 nights at Secret Spot Camping Saunton

Fabulous 3-field site, fantastically located and very quiet after the August Bank Holiday. Cleanest showers, toilets and guest hut with very friendly and helpful hosts. I'd say more, but it's supposed to be a secret.

Enjoying the lush green surroundings of the camp area on the provided hammock

J

Josh

August 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Camp Couture

Had a really great time camping at Camp Couture. The facilities were fantastic, lots of space and beautiful setting. Nick was a brilliant host, help us move our stuff to our pitch and was friendly throughout. Would 100% recommend!

D

David

August 2025

Tent

4 nights at Secret Spot Camping Saunton

What a wonderful find. Relatively close for a camping site to lots of local amenities and all of the wonderful opportunities that Croyde, Saunton and Wollacombe offer for jut getting out there and calling. The campsite is well maintained and good value. Steve is so knowledgeable and informative and will guide you through what to do and see.

P

Paul

August 2025

With pets

1 night at Deer Barn Retreats

Would highly recommend , we stopped in the safari lodge and had the whole site to our selves kids and dog loved it . lodge was very clean and so was the shower and toilet facilities also has a kitchen what has everything you need if you do forget anything with an honesty box to leave the money in . We was lucky to have a clear night so seeing all the stars at night was amazing also spotted deers in the morning. Very pleased with our stay

J

Joshua

August 2025

4 m Class B

With kids

1 night at Hardyes Countryside Camping

Great site and local knowledge from the host Chris. Amenities very clean and organised and a nice addition with optional baked goods for breakfast. Add in the walk to the local pub Highly recommend

View showing how private and tucked away the tent pitches are!

M

Med

August 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to The Enchanted Wilderness

Beautiful campsite with beautiful surroundings. Great value would recommend

S

Suzie

August 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to The Enchanted Wilderness

A stunning location that was relaxing and nourishing. Jonathan was welcoming and we loved the Runner ducks too!

M

Megan

August 2025

6 m Class A

3 nights at Hardyes Countryside Camping

Beautiful quiet spot. Chris gave us brilliant recommendations for the local area. We had a lovely stay. The view from nearby Hardys Monument and surrounding walk was fab!

S

Sophie

August 2025

5 m Class B

With pets

3 nights at Hardyes Countryside Camping

Lovely spot with lovely hosts! Very chilled out atmosphere and Chris was very knowledgeable about the local area. We enjoyed our stay 😊

S

Sue

August 2025

Tent

3 nights at Bredy Farm

I arrived on a Monday afternoon as I wanted to miss the noise and busyness at the weekend. The site was immaculate and just what I needed for a few days away. There was plenty of room to not be bothered by neighbours and plenty of the orchard pitches are close to the river which is perfect for paddling. The showers are clean and I got a decent time for £1. I didn’t have a pizza from the restaurant but they looked amazing. I loved Bredy’s Farm and will definitely come back.

A

Abby

August 2025

6 m Class B

5 nights at Hardyes Countryside Camping

Great campsite. Clean facilities. Christopher was lovely and friendly. Would recommend!

H

Hilary

August 2025

Tent

1 night at The Enchanted Wilderness

My pitch had a fabulous view of the River Tamar. The site was super quiet and all features for basic camping as described, i.e. shower and composting loo. Handy to be on the Tamara Coast to Coast Path as well.

John

August 2025

5 m pop-up camper

With pets

Weekend Trip to The Enchanted Wilderness

What a campsite great view of the river with access to swim, paddle board etc Lovely and quiet just wildlife that can be heard Jonathan was most helpful can’t recommend this enough if you like getting back to basics away from the noise

K

Kate

August 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Hardyes Countryside Camping

Great views, relaxed vibe, phenomenal host and good restroom etc. As someone else said- the land can be very hard so pack extra strong tent pegs! (Advantage is then it’s nice and dry!)

Luke

August 2025

6 m Class B

With kids

Weekend Trip to Summit Camping Panoramic views

This is such a beautiful campsite with absolutely incredible sunrise and sunset views. Lovely communal area with firepit makes sunny evenings a lovely experience. Everything was super clean and Tracy, the host was super friendly and helpful. Would definitely stay again

A

Amy

August 2025

Tent

With kids

2 nights at Secret Spot Camping Saunton

A beautiful, very well maintained camp site, quiet and hidden away from the bustle of the nearby towns and villages. It has a unique charm. We loved our short stay, and will definitely be back!

L

Lynn

July 2025

Tent

With pets

5 nights at Camp Couture

What a lovely site down amongst the trees. We particularly enjoyed the space, quiet, fire pit and being able to let our dogs roam free. The kitchen setup is great and the shower was so easy to use. Lovely clean site perfect for our family get away. Do book Sunday lunch at the castle inn pub and walk the 20-30 mins across the fields it was a great lunch.

A

Alexandra

July 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Hardyes Countryside Camping

We loved our little gateway for the weekend. Very easy to reach there, and Chris is a great host! Bathroom was clean and they also prepared bread and other breakfast items for guests at a very reasonable price. The area was very nice too, and we will definitely return.

S

SARAH

July 2025

Tent

With kids

7 nights at Hardyes Countryside Camping

We had a fantastic week camping at Hardyes countryside camping. Chris was really helpful in recommending some brilliant places for us to visit and the site was very welcoming with hot showers and space for the kids to play! Lovely home baked breakfast goodies on offer too and delivered to the tent! There were so many great places to visit we need to come back to see everything! Thank you Chris for a great holiday!

Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Wildlife-watching campsites 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.