Shepherd's huts near Falmouth

·

Falmouth’s picture-perfect location is befitting of its popularity. Verdant headlands slope down to a trio of sandy beaches, cobbled lanes lead the way to artisan shops and cafés, and fishing boats line the marina. Explore the seafront Pendennis Castle, visit the National Maritime History, then cruise over to St Mawes in a water taxi. There are plenty of ways to get outdoors, whether walking or cycling along the coast, fishing or bird-watching around the Fal Estuary, or coasteering, kayaking, and surfing at the beach. Campsites dot the surrounding countryside, making it easy to escape the crowds.

You’re unlikely to run out of things to do while you’re on a camping holiday in Falmouth. The beaches alone can keep you occupied for days: there’s Castle Beach with its rock pools at low tide, Gyllyngrase and its crescent of golden sand and Swanpool on the edge of a nature reserve—and they’re just the beaches within walking distance of the town. You can, of course, take to the water; swim, surf or SUP to your heart’s content and, if you haven’t got your own gear for watersports, there are plenty of outdoor companies with equipment to hire and the expertise to teach you the ropes. There’s more sea-salt flavoured fun to be had in taking a boat trip out to sea, visiting the National Maritime Museum and eating out – perhaps at one of Rick Stein’s eateries. In town, you can browse the independent shops, visit the Falmouth Art Gallery and stroll through the sub-tropical plants of Kimberly Park Gardens.

There are more impressive and exotic plants at Trebah and Glendurgan Gardens in nearby Mawnan Smith and, on the outskirts of town, you can visit Pendennis Castle. You can take a boat to the town of St Mawes, where there’s another castle on the other side of the estuary, or go up-river to the Cornish city of Truro with its Gothic cathedral. Lizard Point, the most southerly point of England, is about 20 miles west of Falmouth and the Eden Project is 30 miles northeast of here.

98% (21)

Top-rated campgrounds

South Town Farm

10. South Town Farm

100%
(7)
134km from Falmouth · 11 units · Tents, Glamping · Barnstaple, Devon, South West England
South Town Camping opened for a month in 2018 to see how guests would take to its private 10-pitch site. Tucked away in North Devon's Arlington estate, amid twenty-plus miles of footpaths and bridleways, this is a campsite designed by committed campers and it shows.The grass pitches are spacious, with paths leading to them mown into the wildflower meadows, all set within six acres kept peaceful (and safe for the kids!) by the absence of cars — simply roll your belongings to your tent with the help of a super-sized wheelbarrow. At the centre of the camping fields hay meadows are left to grow throughout the summer, providing an almost-wild aesthetic befitting of the sprawling surrounding woodland of which you'll enjoy uninterrupted views. Watch the sunset to the west right from your tent and, on clear nights, you'll have an enviable spot to take in the starry skies. If you don't fancy pitching a tent a shepherd's hut is also available, a cosy option for couples with outdoor seating for those nights cooking by the fire.Given that this is a campsite belonging to the environmentally-conscious South Town Farm, your time staying at the site will be as eco-friendly as possible. Your hosts take care of 200 acres of this estate, having National Trust tenancy of South Town and managing its grasslands, which remain unimproved to maintain the unique biodiversity of the region. In keeping with this ethos, your available amenities also won't impact the land — there are composting loos, a gas-powered warm shower and cold drinking water pumped directly from the mains to the sheltered washing-up hut.Despite South Town Camping's position out in the sticks, it's within excellent reach of its neighbouring beaches, all a short drive away. Woolacombe beach will likely be the first port of call for sun-chasers, given its reputation as not only one of the best beaches in the West Country, but one of the best in the world — two miles of sloping sand facing the Atlantic Ocean, and a favourite for families and surfers with thousands descending upon it each year. Or, if you don't fancy feeling the sand between your toes, multiple marked walks await you directly from your tent — embark on a ramble through the ample woodland and emerge at the Pyne Arms, the nearest pub, where award-winning food awaits.
Potable water
Campfires
Showers
from 
£20
 / night
The Shepherdess Hut

15. The Shepherdess Hut

100%
(1)
131km from Falmouth · 1 unit · Glamping · Ilfracombe, Devon, South West England
Set in a hilltop near Ilfracombe in North Devon, Fullabrook Farm Retreat is home to The Shepherdess shepherd’s hut. Based on a family-run working farm, this romantic hut is ideal for a couples’ holiday amid spectacular woodland views – plus the chance to have the place to yourselves – apart from the grazing sheep in nearby fields of course. Built from scratch by the site owners, the hut is decked out with a kingsize bed, dining and living space, plus an en-suite bathroom with a powerful, hot shower. Thoughtful extras here include robes and toiletries, plus a TV for chilling. There’s a gas oven and hob in the modern kitchenette, alongside a fridge with freezer and a stylish Belfast sink. There’s no danger of you feeling the cold on chillier evenings, as the hut has its own central heating. For those sunny evenings, the private patio has a barbecue, tables and a firepit, so you can dine outside and cosy up around the fire as the night sets in – look out for some spectacular sunsets and starry displays on clear evenings. If you can manage to drag yourselves from this lovely little spot, the local village is West Down (five minutes’ drive), which has a community-run shop for stocking up on barbecue essentials, as well as a foodie pub if you fancy a change of scenery.
Potable water
Campfires
Showers
from 
£115
 / night
Northcombe Farm Shepherds Hut

17. Northcombe Farm Shepherds Hut

100%
(2)
91km from Falmouth · 1 unit · Glamping · Beaworthy, England
Whether you’re planning on darting down to Dartmoor National Park for hikes and the like or exploring sandy beaches and surf hotspots on the Devon coast, you’re going to need somewhere cosy to stay that’s within reach of it all. That’s exactly what you get with the shepherd’s hut at Northcombe Farm, just half an hour’s drive from Dartmoor National Park, 35 minutes from Bude and 40 minutes from Widemouth beach. That’s not all – the shepherd’s hut also has stabling facilities available for one horse, and with three bridleways nearby, there are plenty of options for outings. With two private fishing lakes, you’ll be free to spend the morning fishing for roach and tench if you wish. The river Wolf also runs through the site’s boundaries. It’s likely you’re already aware of the excellent beaches along the south Devon coast, but fab views can also be caught from the ferry or boat trips that operate around the coast. Soak up all that spectacular scenery from the South West Coast Path too, along with splendid seaside towns along the clifftop route. South Devon has three areas designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, as well as a World Heritage Site, a selection of national nature reserves, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, forests, woodlands and parks. They’re all mighty good places to appreciate nature at its finest. Beaworthy (10 minutes’ drive) first, perhaps, for granite tors, standing stones and ancient woodlands? Or Dartmoor’s ponies, stannary towns and peaceful villages?
Pets
Potable water
Showers
from 
£99
 / night

Falmouth’s picture-perfect location is befitting of its popularity. Verdant headlands slope down to a trio of sandy beaches, cobbled lanes lead the way to artisan shops and cafés, and fishing boats line the marina. Explore the seafront Pendennis Castle, visit the National Maritime History, then cruise over to St Mawes in a water taxi. There are plenty of ways to get outdoors, whether walking or cycling along the coast, fishing or bird-watching around the Fal Estuary, or coasteering, kayaking, and surfing at the beach. Campsites dot the surrounding countryside, making it easy to escape the crowds.

You’re unlikely to run out of things to do while you’re on a camping holiday in Falmouth. The beaches alone can keep you occupied for days: there’s Castle Beach with its rock pools at low tide, Gyllyngrase and its crescent of golden sand and Swanpool on the edge of a nature reserve—and they’re just the beaches within walking distance of the town. You can, of course, take to the water; swim, surf or SUP to your heart’s content and, if you haven’t got your own gear for watersports, there are plenty of outdoor companies with equipment to hire and the expertise to teach you the ropes. There’s more sea-salt flavoured fun to be had in taking a boat trip out to sea, visiting the National Maritime Museum and eating out – perhaps at one of Rick Stein’s eateries. In town, you can browse the independent shops, visit the Falmouth Art Gallery and stroll through the sub-tropical plants of Kimberly Park Gardens.

There are more impressive and exotic plants at Trebah and Glendurgan Gardens in nearby Mawnan Smith and, on the outskirts of town, you can visit Pendennis Castle. You can take a boat to the town of St Mawes, where there’s another castle on the other side of the estuary, or go up-river to the Cornish city of Truro with its Gothic cathedral. Lizard Point, the most southerly point of England, is about 20 miles west of Falmouth and the Eden Project is 30 miles northeast of here.

98% (21)

Top-rated campgrounds

South Town Farm

10. South Town Farm

100%
(7)
134km from Falmouth · 11 units · Tents, Glamping · Barnstaple, Devon, South West England
South Town Camping opened for a month in 2018 to see how guests would take to its private 10-pitch site. Tucked away in North Devon's Arlington estate, amid twenty-plus miles of footpaths and bridleways, this is a campsite designed by committed campers and it shows.The grass pitches are spacious, with paths leading to them mown into the wildflower meadows, all set within six acres kept peaceful (and safe for the kids!) by the absence of cars — simply roll your belongings to your tent with the help of a super-sized wheelbarrow. At the centre of the camping fields hay meadows are left to grow throughout the summer, providing an almost-wild aesthetic befitting of the sprawling surrounding woodland of which you'll enjoy uninterrupted views. Watch the sunset to the west right from your tent and, on clear nights, you'll have an enviable spot to take in the starry skies. If you don't fancy pitching a tent a shepherd's hut is also available, a cosy option for couples with outdoor seating for those nights cooking by the fire.Given that this is a campsite belonging to the environmentally-conscious South Town Farm, your time staying at the site will be as eco-friendly as possible. Your hosts take care of 200 acres of this estate, having National Trust tenancy of South Town and managing its grasslands, which remain unimproved to maintain the unique biodiversity of the region. In keeping with this ethos, your available amenities also won't impact the land — there are composting loos, a gas-powered warm shower and cold drinking water pumped directly from the mains to the sheltered washing-up hut.Despite South Town Camping's position out in the sticks, it's within excellent reach of its neighbouring beaches, all a short drive away. Woolacombe beach will likely be the first port of call for sun-chasers, given its reputation as not only one of the best beaches in the West Country, but one of the best in the world — two miles of sloping sand facing the Atlantic Ocean, and a favourite for families and surfers with thousands descending upon it each year. Or, if you don't fancy feeling the sand between your toes, multiple marked walks await you directly from your tent — embark on a ramble through the ample woodland and emerge at the Pyne Arms, the nearest pub, where award-winning food awaits.
Potable water
Campfires
Showers
from 
£20
 / night
The Shepherdess Hut

15. The Shepherdess Hut

100%
(1)
131km from Falmouth · 1 unit · Glamping · Ilfracombe, Devon, South West England
Set in a hilltop near Ilfracombe in North Devon, Fullabrook Farm Retreat is home to The Shepherdess shepherd’s hut. Based on a family-run working farm, this romantic hut is ideal for a couples’ holiday amid spectacular woodland views – plus the chance to have the place to yourselves – apart from the grazing sheep in nearby fields of course. Built from scratch by the site owners, the hut is decked out with a kingsize bed, dining and living space, plus an en-suite bathroom with a powerful, hot shower. Thoughtful extras here include robes and toiletries, plus a TV for chilling. There’s a gas oven and hob in the modern kitchenette, alongside a fridge with freezer and a stylish Belfast sink. There’s no danger of you feeling the cold on chillier evenings, as the hut has its own central heating. For those sunny evenings, the private patio has a barbecue, tables and a firepit, so you can dine outside and cosy up around the fire as the night sets in – look out for some spectacular sunsets and starry displays on clear evenings. If you can manage to drag yourselves from this lovely little spot, the local village is West Down (five minutes’ drive), which has a community-run shop for stocking up on barbecue essentials, as well as a foodie pub if you fancy a change of scenery.
Potable water
Campfires
Showers
from 
£115
 / night
Northcombe Farm Shepherds Hut

17. Northcombe Farm Shepherds Hut

100%
(2)
91km from Falmouth · 1 unit · Glamping · Beaworthy, England
Whether you’re planning on darting down to Dartmoor National Park for hikes and the like or exploring sandy beaches and surf hotspots on the Devon coast, you’re going to need somewhere cosy to stay that’s within reach of it all. That’s exactly what you get with the shepherd’s hut at Northcombe Farm, just half an hour’s drive from Dartmoor National Park, 35 minutes from Bude and 40 minutes from Widemouth beach. That’s not all – the shepherd’s hut also has stabling facilities available for one horse, and with three bridleways nearby, there are plenty of options for outings. With two private fishing lakes, you’ll be free to spend the morning fishing for roach and tench if you wish. The river Wolf also runs through the site’s boundaries. It’s likely you’re already aware of the excellent beaches along the south Devon coast, but fab views can also be caught from the ferry or boat trips that operate around the coast. Soak up all that spectacular scenery from the South West Coast Path too, along with splendid seaside towns along the clifftop route. South Devon has three areas designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, as well as a World Heritage Site, a selection of national nature reserves, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, forests, woodlands and parks. They’re all mighty good places to appreciate nature at its finest. Beaworthy (10 minutes’ drive) first, perhaps, for granite tors, standing stones and ancient woodlands? Or Dartmoor’s ponies, stannary towns and peaceful villages?
Pets
Potable water
Showers
from 
£99
 / night

Camper favorites near Falmouth

Top-rated campgrounds reviewed by the Hipcamp community.

Stories from the community

Value Prop
Value Prop
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Shepherd's huts near Falmouth guide

Where to go

Along the Cornish Riviera

East of Falmouth, the South West Coast Path takes hikers on a thrilling tour of the Cornish Riviera, passing rocky coves, traditional fishing villages, and seafront castles. Beach lovers can choose from some of Cornwall’s sunniest shores—Carlyon Bay, Par Sands, and Porthpean are all popular choices, and campsites pepper the seaside. Don’t miss a visit to the Eden Project, just outside of St Austell.

West Cornwall

Venture west of Falmouth and Cornwall’s coastal scenery becomes even more dramatic. Hike along windswept sea cliffs and discover hidden coves along the Lizard Peninsula, walk the causeway to St Michael's Mount, then check into a beachfront campsite in resorts like Helston, Hayle, or Penzance. A visit to Land’s End, the westernmost point of mainland Britain, is also a must.

North Coast

The wind-ravaged shores of the Atlantic coast are a mecca for surfers, and you’ll find the best waves in Newquay and Bude. Look out for dolphins as you drive along the St Agnes Heritage Coast, visit the beaches of Perranporth and Port Isaac, then discover the legend of King Arthur at Tintagel Castle. For foodies, a pitstop in Padstow is essential—the town is renowned for its seafood.

When to go

Falmouth is one of Cornwall’s most popular summer vacation spots, so book campsites and holiday parks in advance if visiting in July and August. There’s always something going off in this student town, especially on weekends and university holidays, and the annual Oyster Festival (October) draws a crowd. Winter weather can be wet and windy in Cornwall, but Falmouth’s student population means it’s still one of the liveliest places to visit in the off-season.

Know before you go

  • Falmouth has a few camping and outdoors stores where you can pick up supplies for your camping trip. 
  • Falmouth has public transport links to many of the surrounding towns, but it is handy to have your own transport, especially if staying at rural campsites.
  • Most campsites require advance booking, and many ask for the full payment in advance. Be sure to check opening dates, as many campsites close in the winter months.
  • Wild camping is illegal throughout Cornwall.

Popular Falmouth glamping styles