Waterside camping near West Bay, Dorset

Pitch your tent by the water in West Bay—this area packs over 750 waterside camping options, from fields above the cliffs to tucked-away riverbanks. Expect campsites where you can watch sunrise over the harbour, rinse off salt with a hot shower, and keep your dog happy by your side. Top picks draw loyal campers: Sweet Hill Farm (142 reviews) sits near the coast path, Brig's Farm (66 reviews) puts you close to fishing spots, and Frome Meadow Campsite (62 reviews) offers quiet corners for wildlife-watching. Surfing and fishing are right on your doorstep, and you’ll find sites with pets welcome, proper toilets, and showers. Prices range from as low as £11 per night, with most options averaging around £100. Bring your kit, mind the tides, and don’t leave your rubbish behind—the Dorset coast rewards those who camp smart.

95% (975)

Top-rated campgrounds

Pitch your tent by the water in West Bay—this area packs over 750 waterside camping options, from fields above the cliffs to tucked-away riverbanks. Expect campsites where you can watch sunrise over the harbour, rinse off salt with a hot shower, and keep your dog happy by your side. Top picks draw loyal campers: Sweet Hill Farm (142 reviews) sits near the coast path, Brig's Farm (66 reviews) puts you close to fishing spots, and Frome Meadow Campsite (62 reviews) offers quiet corners for wildlife-watching. Surfing and fishing are right on your doorstep, and you’ll find sites with pets welcome, proper toilets, and showers. Prices range from as low as £11 per night, with most options averaging around £100. Bring your kit, mind the tides, and don’t leave your rubbish behind—the Dorset coast rewards those who camp smart.

95% (975)

Top-rated campgrounds

1. Cornish Tipi Holidays & Camping

97%

(147)

143km from West Bay · 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.

2. Bulstone Springs Devon Eco-Glamping

100%

(7)

29km from West Bay · 1 unit · Glamping · Devon, South West England

A unique combination of off-grid glamping and spa days in Devon

3. Elmar's Place

60%

(5)

117km from West Bay · 2 units · Tents · Bude, England

Nearly wild camping on the border of Devon and Cornwall

Stories from the community

Wild Camping - Communal Meadow Tent Pitch

N

Nick

August 2025

Tent

With kids

4 nights at Cornish Tipi Holidays & Camping

An interesting and wonderful spot that is a superb location for cornwall adventures and an incredible campsite with the lake and restaurant! They need to sort out the hot water and when they do it will be 5/5!

M

Mark

August 2025

Tent

4 nights at Cornish Tipi Holidays & Camping

I stayed in Gosels as a private pitch and absolutely loved it. The campsite was perfect blend of eco/modern (compostable/flushable toilets and hot showers) within a tranquil setting. I liked how the campsite was used in a traditional sense for escape keeping noise and disturbance down to a minimum. The quarry lake was a great area for a splash around and cool down. Though used heavily by young families, had enough space for all. I already miss my chicken and rabbit friends seen daily on my pitch. The location of the site was perfect for me to make some visits out to North Cornwalls surrounding beaches and beauty spots. Well worth the trip.

Wild Camping - Private Pitch - Bluebell Bank

a

anna

August 2025

Tent

With kids

4 nights at Cornish Tipi Holidays & Camping

This is wonderful. The private pitches for wild camping are perfect for a family holiday. What a beautiful place teeming with wildlife and beautiful swimming.

C

Callum

July 2025

Tent

With kids

Weekend Trip to Cornish Tipi Holidays & Camping

The lake was amazing - even better than the pictures. Beautiful private wooded sites running down the hill and a lovely set of open pitches at the top. The site staff were really friendly and helpful, with an excellent on site cafe for brunch and dinner. My daughter says her caramel cookie was the best she had ever eaten - high praise!

Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Dominated by the reddish, strata-divided, sandstone cliffs, West Bay was the dramatic setting for the hit BBC television series Broadchurch and is attractive not just as a popular beach spot but also for its walking, with the coastal path offering a steep trip up to the top of the cliffs. West Bay campsites are a recipe for holiday success: Quick access to the beach, picturesque stop-offs in the harbour and excellent seaside walks. There are plenty in the surrounding countryside but only the best make the cut for Hipcamp. Which West Bay campsite will you choose?