Shepherd's huts near Torquay

Camping in Torquay puts you at the heart of the action on the English Riviera. With its own microclimate and long sunshine hours, this seaside resort town is a top tourist attraction on England’s south coast. A trio of award-winning beaches (Babbacombe, Oddicombe and Tore Abbey Sands), wildlife-rich woodlands, Stone Age caves, and clifftop trails are all within easy reach of town, providing thrills for outdoor-loving families and lone travellers alike. Beyond the bay, several protected landscapes reveal the beauty of rural England, and offer all sorts of opportunities for sleeping beneath the stars.

It’s the seaside that’s been bringing holidaymakers to Torquay and the English Riviera for centuries and that’s where you’ll find much of the action. Buy a bucket and spade and head for the beach, try your luck at the amusements, play crazy golf or ride the English Riviera Wheel – Torquay’s answer to the London Eye. At Brixham you can watch the fishing boats land their catch and all along the coast you can sample the Devon crab that the area is famous for. You can have a go at crabbing from the quay, jump aboard a local ferry to head from town to town or head out to sea on a kayaking or paddleboarding trip. Torquay’s most-famous daughter, Agatha Christie, is celebrated at the Torquay Museum and on a literary trail of the area. Her former holiday home, Greenway House, near Brixham is open to the public too.

If you’re on a family camping holiday in Torquay, there are plenty of attractions with an appeal for all ages from Kents Cavern Stone Age caves to Paignton Zoo to and Babbacombe Model Village, with the Dartmouth Steam Railway offering a scenic way to get around. On a rainy day, why not head to a show at Babbacombe Theatre? While, to enjoy the natural highlights of the area when the sun is out, you can stride out on the South West Coast Path and perhaps visit Berry Head National Nature Reserve, south of Brixham, for wildlife and fantastic sea views.