Campsites near Ilfracombe

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This quaint harbour town on the North Devon coast is a hotspot for outdoor enthusiasts, thanks to its dramatic coastline, remote surrounds, and excellent location within reach of some of the best surf in the UK and Exmoor National Park. Try surfing, get up close with England’s famous moorland ponies, or soak up the sights deep in the Devonshire countryside, with varied accommodation options suited to all manner of Hipcampers. From tent pitches beside beaches to luxury pods in national parks, here are our top picks for your Ilfracombe adventure.

You might be the type of camper who is happy to kick back on the campsite and make the most of campsite life while it lasts: soaking up the sun (fingers crossed), cooking on the campfire or barbecue, letting the kids run wild and enjoying the idyllic scenery of North Devon’s coast and countryside. But there’s also plenty of things to do in Ilfracombe and the surroundings during a holiday in the area. In the town of Ilfracombe itself you can watch the boats coming in and out of the harbour under the watchful eye of Verity, an enormous and controversial sculpture of a pregnant woman by Damian Hirst. Stay on dry land to explore harbour heritage on the Fish Trail, hop aboard a boat for a trip to see the wildlife at Lundy Island or find out about underwater life at the Ilfracombe Aquarium.

The Ilfracombe Museum reveals the history of the town and has an eclectic mix of curiosities from around the world too and no visit to Ilfracombe would be complete without visiting Tunnels Beaches and the Victorian tidal pool. For surfing, sandcastles and family swimming in shallow waters, head for Woolacombe Sands, Saunton Beach or Croyde—all under 10 miles away. Family-friendly attractions in the near area include Watermouth Castle, the Big Sheep Farm Park and Coombe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park.

95% (1.4K)

Top-rated campgrounds

The Look Out

4. The Look Out

99km from Ilfracombe · 1 unit · Glamping · England
Welcome to the ‘Look Out’, our beautiful handmade pod, set in 12 acres of woodland and pasture nature reserve above our offgrid eco lodge - The Sanctuary Cornwall. First things first - this is for those guests who are used to camping and all that it entails, but with the opportunity to explore an offgrid stay with quite a bit more comfort than camping normally provides! It needs to be emphasised that booking this space is really for the relatively fit and active. There is one car parking space available half way up our driveway, but after that it is not only a walk uphill to the main building, but a further steep walk uphill to the Look Out. You will need to carry everything that you need. It is definitely worth it - the views are amazing! You are away and up above, but within easy reach of the Sanctuary. There will also be some filling and emptying of water containers involved, and you may like to charge the solar battery from the panel on sunny days! So, what do we offer? A king bed. Fair trade, organic bed linen, and cotton & bamboo towels. A fold up table and two wicker chairs. Charnwood wood burning stove, with firelighters, kindling, brush and poker set. Wood, selected and dried is available free of charge for the first basket, £5 after that. A tiny kitchen pod with a single gas burner and even tinier sink with pop up tap. Underneath, there is a 10 litre water container for fresh water and another for waste. These can be filled or emptied at the Sanctuary. There is a kettle, teapot, coffee pot, enamel mugs, crockery & cutlery, knives, breadboard and washing up things. A solar battery to provide power for the tap pump along with charging facilities for charging your phone or laptop (we hope you won’t be bringing work with you!) Led battery lanterns - we ask that you do not burn candles - we have a good range of battery candles for you. There is also a separate wooden shelter kitchen, with kitchen worktop, washing up bow and two burner gas stove. It has a cool box, saucepans, crockery etc and a lidded storage box for food. There is a 10 litre water container with a tap, and bins for kitchen waste, recycling and general rubbish. This is next to the Look Out, and there is a separate charcoal fire pit and seating under the trees. We ask that you burn nothing other than the fuel you are provided with. A composting toilet in its own, handmade building next to the Crow’s Nest, with a water container and small bowl for washing hands. An exclusive use shower room is back at the Sanctuary (a short walk downhill) and there is a separate flushing toilet (not exclusive, but only used by occasional staff members) Another outdoor kitchen for all guests with a gas barbecue, and wood fired pizza oven, picnic tables and an outdoor sink. You can wash up and fill your containers there from our own filtered spring water. This is at the side of the Sanctuary building. Storage benches on the covered deck area, with outdoor cushions, and a welly rack. In good weather, a pair of hammocks under the trees to relax in! Hopefully, during the season, there will be produce available from our new vegetable garden and polytunnel - as long as the voles, rabbits, pigeons, blackbirds & deer haven’t beaten us to it! You have a parking space in the carpark for one car - this is halfway down the steep entrance track. If you are nervous of driving small lanes and steep hills, we may not be right for you. We do not accept dogs at The Lookout, as we feel it is a bit small, and we do not allow dogs on any furniture so it’s not fair to them. Also, it is a wild landscape with deer etc and so there is no secure place for them to be other than on a lead. We are also adults only, and there are quiet hours between 10pm and 9am, and we are strictly no smoking. Although you are private at The Look Out, you are also part of our Eco Lodge surroundings, and nature reserve, and we also welcome bed and breakfast guests, so there will be others around. You are also welcome to join us for breakfast at the Sanctuary building for an extra charge. We have a good village pub, 5 mins walk away, (www.fishermansarmsgolant.co.uk) and a kayak/paddleboard company in the village (www.encountercornwall.com)
Potable water
Showers
Trash
from 
£100
 / night
Cornish Tipi Holidays & Camping

14. Cornish Tipi Holidays & Camping

97%
(147)
81km from Ilfracombe · 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.
Potable water
Campfires
Showers
from 
£25
 / night
Girt Down Camping

19. Girt Down Camping

99%
(79)
8.7km from Ilfracombe · 23 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Combe Martin, Devon, South West England
Set the edge of Exmoor, we have unrivalled coastal views, direct access to the South West Coast Path and Combe Martin bay is just a little walk away (perfect for paddle-boarding and dolphin spotting!). Choose your pitch, settle down by a fire pit and watch the sun set across Combe Martin bay. With pizza’s available on some weekends, breakfast baguettes for breakfast and a selection of farm produce available - we have everything you could need, we are campervan friendly too. With footpaths from the farm in all directions you can join the South West Coast Path or just ramble down to the village where there are shops, cafes and pubs a plenty. With full flushing toilets and hot showers, as well as a washing up area, there is even an old railway carriage with electric plugs to charge your phone or dry your hair, with a fridge and freezer to look after your supper too. We are a small site focusing on that quiet get-away. There is no road noise, just the farmer going about his day job, who’s more than happy to chat about the wildlife, birds and weather!
Pets
Potable water
Campfires
from 
£24
 / night

This quaint harbour town on the North Devon coast is a hotspot for outdoor enthusiasts, thanks to its dramatic coastline, remote surrounds, and excellent location within reach of some of the best surf in the UK and Exmoor National Park. Try surfing, get up close with England’s famous moorland ponies, or soak up the sights deep in the Devonshire countryside, with varied accommodation options suited to all manner of Hipcampers. From tent pitches beside beaches to luxury pods in national parks, here are our top picks for your Ilfracombe adventure.

You might be the type of camper who is happy to kick back on the campsite and make the most of campsite life while it lasts: soaking up the sun (fingers crossed), cooking on the campfire or barbecue, letting the kids run wild and enjoying the idyllic scenery of North Devon’s coast and countryside. But there’s also plenty of things to do in Ilfracombe and the surroundings during a holiday in the area. In the town of Ilfracombe itself you can watch the boats coming in and out of the harbour under the watchful eye of Verity, an enormous and controversial sculpture of a pregnant woman by Damian Hirst. Stay on dry land to explore harbour heritage on the Fish Trail, hop aboard a boat for a trip to see the wildlife at Lundy Island or find out about underwater life at the Ilfracombe Aquarium.

The Ilfracombe Museum reveals the history of the town and has an eclectic mix of curiosities from around the world too and no visit to Ilfracombe would be complete without visiting Tunnels Beaches and the Victorian tidal pool. For surfing, sandcastles and family swimming in shallow waters, head for Woolacombe Sands, Saunton Beach or Croyde—all under 10 miles away. Family-friendly attractions in the near area include Watermouth Castle, the Big Sheep Farm Park and Coombe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park.

95% (1.4K)

Top-rated campgrounds

The Look Out

4. The Look Out

99km from Ilfracombe · 1 unit · Glamping · England
Welcome to the ‘Look Out’, our beautiful handmade pod, set in 12 acres of woodland and pasture nature reserve above our offgrid eco lodge - The Sanctuary Cornwall. First things first - this is for those guests who are used to camping and all that it entails, but with the opportunity to explore an offgrid stay with quite a bit more comfort than camping normally provides! It needs to be emphasised that booking this space is really for the relatively fit and active. There is one car parking space available half way up our driveway, but after that it is not only a walk uphill to the main building, but a further steep walk uphill to the Look Out. You will need to carry everything that you need. It is definitely worth it - the views are amazing! You are away and up above, but within easy reach of the Sanctuary. There will also be some filling and emptying of water containers involved, and you may like to charge the solar battery from the panel on sunny days! So, what do we offer? A king bed. Fair trade, organic bed linen, and cotton & bamboo towels. A fold up table and two wicker chairs. Charnwood wood burning stove, with firelighters, kindling, brush and poker set. Wood, selected and dried is available free of charge for the first basket, £5 after that. A tiny kitchen pod with a single gas burner and even tinier sink with pop up tap. Underneath, there is a 10 litre water container for fresh water and another for waste. These can be filled or emptied at the Sanctuary. There is a kettle, teapot, coffee pot, enamel mugs, crockery & cutlery, knives, breadboard and washing up things. A solar battery to provide power for the tap pump along with charging facilities for charging your phone or laptop (we hope you won’t be bringing work with you!) Led battery lanterns - we ask that you do not burn candles - we have a good range of battery candles for you. There is also a separate wooden shelter kitchen, with kitchen worktop, washing up bow and two burner gas stove. It has a cool box, saucepans, crockery etc and a lidded storage box for food. There is a 10 litre water container with a tap, and bins for kitchen waste, recycling and general rubbish. This is next to the Look Out, and there is a separate charcoal fire pit and seating under the trees. We ask that you burn nothing other than the fuel you are provided with. A composting toilet in its own, handmade building next to the Crow’s Nest, with a water container and small bowl for washing hands. An exclusive use shower room is back at the Sanctuary (a short walk downhill) and there is a separate flushing toilet (not exclusive, but only used by occasional staff members) Another outdoor kitchen for all guests with a gas barbecue, and wood fired pizza oven, picnic tables and an outdoor sink. You can wash up and fill your containers there from our own filtered spring water. This is at the side of the Sanctuary building. Storage benches on the covered deck area, with outdoor cushions, and a welly rack. In good weather, a pair of hammocks under the trees to relax in! Hopefully, during the season, there will be produce available from our new vegetable garden and polytunnel - as long as the voles, rabbits, pigeons, blackbirds & deer haven’t beaten us to it! You have a parking space in the carpark for one car - this is halfway down the steep entrance track. If you are nervous of driving small lanes and steep hills, we may not be right for you. We do not accept dogs at The Lookout, as we feel it is a bit small, and we do not allow dogs on any furniture so it’s not fair to them. Also, it is a wild landscape with deer etc and so there is no secure place for them to be other than on a lead. We are also adults only, and there are quiet hours between 10pm and 9am, and we are strictly no smoking. Although you are private at The Look Out, you are also part of our Eco Lodge surroundings, and nature reserve, and we also welcome bed and breakfast guests, so there will be others around. You are also welcome to join us for breakfast at the Sanctuary building for an extra charge. We have a good village pub, 5 mins walk away, (www.fishermansarmsgolant.co.uk) and a kayak/paddleboard company in the village (www.encountercornwall.com)
Potable water
Showers
Trash
from 
£100
 / night
Cornish Tipi Holidays & Camping

14. Cornish Tipi Holidays & Camping

97%
(147)
81km from Ilfracombe · 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.
Potable water
Campfires
Showers
from 
£25
 / night
Girt Down Camping

19. Girt Down Camping

99%
(79)
8.7km from Ilfracombe · 23 units · Tents, Motorhomes · Combe Martin, Devon, South West England
Set the edge of Exmoor, we have unrivalled coastal views, direct access to the South West Coast Path and Combe Martin bay is just a little walk away (perfect for paddle-boarding and dolphin spotting!). Choose your pitch, settle down by a fire pit and watch the sun set across Combe Martin bay. With pizza’s available on some weekends, breakfast baguettes for breakfast and a selection of farm produce available - we have everything you could need, we are campervan friendly too. With footpaths from the farm in all directions you can join the South West Coast Path or just ramble down to the village where there are shops, cafes and pubs a plenty. With full flushing toilets and hot showers, as well as a washing up area, there is even an old railway carriage with electric plugs to charge your phone or dry your hair, with a fridge and freezer to look after your supper too. We are a small site focusing on that quiet get-away. There is no road noise, just the farmer going about his day job, who’s more than happy to chat about the wildlife, birds and weather!
Pets
Potable water
Campfires
from 
£24
 / night

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Campsites near Ilfracombe guide

Where to go

Around Ilfracombe and the North Devon Coast

There’s no need to travel far outside of Ilfracombe in search of camping options. In fact, luxury retreats, holiday parks, glamping huts, and no-frills campsites can be found all along this stretch, plus farm sites a little way inland. Along the coast, surfing spots such as Croyde Bay boast several beach-accessible sites.

Exmoor National Park

Just east of Ilfracombe, this vast open moorland attracts wildlife lovers with its famous ponies and red deer. A haven for hikers, horse riders, and mountain bikers, as well as sea and river canoeists, there are plenty of options for overnight stays, including farmland camps, luxury yurts, and caravan parks.

Dartmoor National Park

About 45 miles (70 kilometres) south of Ilfracombe, this iconic landscape is home to its own resident ponies, plus unique boglands and tors. Climbing is particularly popular here, as is walking and wild camping—though rules are very strict, so private campsites and caravan parks can be a safer bet.

Blackdown Hills and the East Devon AONBs

Under two hours’ drive southeast of Ilfracombe, these adjoining AONBs provide a glimpse of England’s rural heritage. Woodlands, upland plateaus, ridges, and valleys provide all sorts of outdoor opportunity, while the East Devon Way delivers ramblers directly to the Dorset-Devon coast. Traditional farm camps and trendy glampsites abound in the area.

When to go

Summer is particularly popular on the Devon coast, but the region is generally less busy than its sister-seaside resorts. If you’re hoping to catch a wave or two, early autumn’s your best bet.

Know before you go

  • Ilfracombe isn’t the most easily accessed from London, requiring two trains and a bus, changing at Exeter St Davids.
  • If you plan to explore North Devon’s more secluded spots, it’s worth bringing or hiring your own vehicle.
  • Camping supplies can be picked up in nearby Barnstaple.
  • Most campsites prefer advanced booking, though some allow walk-ins in a pinch.