Camping in Tamar Valley

Name: Tamar Valley
Address: Tamar Valley
Rating: 4.7935

On the Devon and Cornwall border, the Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty draws hikers and wildlife enthusiasts to its unique drowned valley landscapes. Hike steep gorges, cycle through forested valleys, or camp at peaceful country campsites. With three rivers to choose from, getting on the water is a must—set sail on a barge cruise along the Lynher River, enjoy water sports on the lakes, or fish for salmon along the Tamar River. Summer is peak season for campers, while spring and fall are the best times for bird-watching around the estuaries.

96% (1.3K) • 2,982 campsites

Top-rated campgrounds in Tamar Valley

Meldon Lake and Woods Wild Camping

1. Meldon Lake and Woods Wild Camping

99%

(267)

Okehampton, England · 5 units · Tents, Motorhomes

Seriously simple but beautiful wild camping beside a lake on Dartmoor

Pets

Campfires

Forest Edge Camping & Glamping

2. Forest Edge Camping & Glamping

100%

(32)

Sidbury, England · 18 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping

A welcoming and wild-ish camping and glamping site on the edge of a forest in East Devon

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Campfires

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The Enchanted Wilderness

3. The Enchanted Wilderness

93%

(68)

Yelverton, England · 7 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping

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

Pets

Campfires

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Coverack Camping & Glamping

4. Coverack Camping & Glamping

98%

(162)

Coverack, England · 67 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping

Traditional family camping near Coverack, with the promise of coast, countryside and Cornish ice cream

Pets

Electrical hookup

Campfires

The Camping Field

5. The Camping Field

94%

(33)

Bodmin, England · 35 units · Tents, Motorhomes

Back-to-basics camping in beautiful Cornish countryside

Pets

Electrical hookup

Campfires

Willow Valley Holiday Park

6. Willow Valley Holiday Park

100%

(18)

Bude , England · 25 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping

This peaceful, sheltered site has a special character. The site is the ideal place to unwind with plenty of safe space, a meandering river and friendly atmosphere. It offers 4 acres with facilities, 7 acres of wilderness, shower block, level pitches, picturesque river, children’s playground and has been rated AA 4 star gold pennant. Becky and John both love Cornwall and fell in love with the site as soon as they saw it and it provided the perfect opportunity for a new challenge. Having only recently taken over at Willow Valley in the Summer of 2024, there are always ongoing improvements being made so make sure you keep in touch. Any returning campers will be glad to know we aren’t changing the campsite itself though. Why would we when it is already so perfect!

Pets

Electrical hookup

Campfires

Meadowsweet Farm

7. Meadowsweet Farm

100%

(1)

England · 25 units · Tents, Motorhomes

Meadowsweet farm is a rustic and peaceful sustainable family farm on the north Devon coast. A five-minute drive to Saunton Sands; 15 minutes to Barnstaple. Communal campfire and portable fire troughs are permitted Close access to the Tarka Trail. This site is a fast-track route back to nature five minutes’ drive from Saunton Sands and 15 minutes from Barnstaple. It's a place where the peace, sea breeze and sustainability mingle together to create a rural camping experience on a small eco-friendly farm. If surfing ranks high on the list for your trip, you’ll be well set with the local swell on several sandy beaches within 20 minutes’ drive. And if walking or cycling is your favourite pursuit, you can head out over the sand dunes (a great setting for watching the sunset) or walk right onto the lengthy Tarka Trail for a self-guided cycling and walking tour over Devon’s cliffs and coves. Friendly guests should find some good chat on site, as social and sensible souls can make use of the communal firepits (with wood available from the farm). And for when you feel like quality family time or gathering in a close-knit group, there are also portable fire troughs. With no electricity, this off-grid site will take you nicely back to basics, with just simple facilities such as toilets, sinks and hot showers on site. When you want to head into town, Braunton (five minutes’ drive) has several restaurants and a supermarket for food and a selection of pubs for a tipple. Surf shops, bike hire and guided nature walks with a local botanist are available too.

Campfires

Showers

Potable water

Pittaford Farm

8. Pittaford Farm

99%

(71)

Kingsbridge, England · 15 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping

A campfire-friendly site in South Devon, with a beach, a nature reserve and a pub all less than 45 minutes' walk away

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Campfires

Showers

Gatcombe Park Farm Glamping

9. Gatcombe Park Farm Glamping

89%

(19)

Littlehempston, England · 16 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping

Adult-only camping and glamping within striking distance of Totnes and the South Devon coast.

Campfires

Showers

Potable water

Cornish Tipi Holidays & Camping

10. Cornish Tipi Holidays & Camping

97%

(137)

St Kew, England · 83 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping

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.

Campfires

Showers

Potable water

Tregella Place Camping

11. Tregella Place Camping

94%

(36)

Padstow, England · 40 units · Tents, Motorhomes

Laid-back dog-friendly, family camping near Padstow

Pets

Showers

Potable water

Rocombe Valley Retreat

12. Rocombe Valley Retreat

97%

(17)

Lower Rocombe, England · 5 units

Glamping near the English Riviera, with wood-fired hot tubs and coarse fishing lakes

Showers

Campfires

Hot Tub

Old Park Cottage Camping

13. Old Park Cottage Camping

England · 6 units · Tents, Motorhomes

Please note: Adults only - all guests must be age 18 or over. Well-kept, spacious pitches at a rural Devon site near Holsworthy Bude and Westward Ho! beaches within a half-hour drive Dog-friendly pitches; barbecues permitted on site Park yourselves on the pitches at Old Park Cottage Camping and you'll be not only in a peaceful rural Devon spot but also prime position for getting out and about to a whole host of attractions around the coast and countryside of north Devon and Cornwall. About 10 minutes' drive from the town of Holsworthy (a useful place to find shops and places to eat), this is a quiet site with simple and spacious pitches where you'll be able to light barbecues and relax in the fresh air. Facilities include well-maintained toilets, showers and a washing-up area, with solar panels providing eco-friendly energy. Dogs and kids are welcome to join you at this site, and you should be able to find plenty of ways to entertain both. There are lots of great walks nearby, either on country trails (including in the northern part of Dartmoor National Park) or along the South West Coast Path. Beaches are in good supply too, as are family attractions (the BIG Sheep and Milky Way Adventure Park are both about half an hour’s drive away).

Pets

Electrical hookup

Showers

WILDSWIM2SAUNA

14. WILDSWIM2SAUNA

92%

(13)

England · 31 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping

Set within 146 acres, the wildswim2sauna campsite at the Yeo farm estate lends itself to adventurous and active families looking for a unique off grid camping experience. If alfresco living, wild swimming, hot tubbing, saunas, wild fire cooking, rivers, woods, fishing and being surrounded by nature and wildlife then you’re in the right place. fantastic beaches and cool places to visit such as Salcombe, Totnes, Bantham Beach, Hope Cove are just 20mins drive away.. Facilities include private riverside pitches, outside gym, trampoline adventure playground, fire pits, picnic tables, cinders gas bbq and outside dining area. The riverside sauna needs to be booked. Please visit; WWW.WILDSWIM2SAUNA.COM for a detailed description of our boutique riverside camp Ps Don’t forget your swimmers

Pets

Campfires

Potable water

Roskilly Camping

15. Roskilly Camping

98%

(43)

Helston, England · 20 units · Tents, Motorhomes

A small family run campsite located on the famous ice cream farm, Roskilly’s. On the Lizard in South West Cornwall, the farm is remote and tucked away with a Cornish feel, yet there is plenty to do. The farm has a vast array of animals that you can feed, a large woodland and ponds walk where the cows may be grazing. There are also many stunning beaches and Cornish fishing villages a small walk or drive away. We have a restaurant offering lovely food all day from breakfast to dinner. During the summer season there is also live music performed by local bands on selected evenings. Our campsite offers large grass pitches for tents and camper vans as well as a pristine toilet and shower block and communal area.

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Showers

Wild Wanderers - Riverside Camping

16. Wild Wanderers - Riverside Camping

100%

(15)

Holsworthy, England · 10 units · Tents, Motorhomes

Wild Wanderers, family friendly, rough and ready, wild and woolly Camping on the Devon/Cornwall Border! We family run and we are excited to offer our very first camping season! NEW FOR 2026! After three years of welcoming families to our much-loved holiday cottages, we're thrilled to open our fields for our very first camping season. With just a handful of boutique pitches on our family-run smallholding, we're giving even more families the chance to experience the magic of Wild Wanderers. Expect the same warm welcome, beautiful countryside and unforgettable adventures, just with a tent, a campfire and a little more wilderness. This isn't a holiday park. There are no flashing arcades or rows of identical pitches. Instead, you'll find space to breathe, children free to explore, and the kind of camping that creates the stories you'll still be talking about years later. Wake up to birdsong, wander down to the river for a paddle or wild swim, meet our friendly sheep and farm animals, toast marshmallows around the campfire and watch the stars come out. We're keeping things beautifully simple with clean toilets, hot showers and a washing-up area everything you need, without taking away the feeling of being close to nature. Bring your BBQ, hire one of our raised fire pits, or join us on one of our popular wood-fired pizza evenings. Don't forget to grab one of our famous s'mores kits... because camping simply isn't camping without gooey marshmallows! Perfectly placed on the Devon and Cornwall border, we're just a short drive from Bude's award-winning beaches, fantastic surfing, breathtaking coastal walks and endless family adventures. Already loved by hundreds of families staying in our cottages, this is now your chance to enjoy the same beautiful setting on a camping budget. What you'll love • Spacious pitches on our boutique family smallholding • Riverside adventures, fishing, paddling and wild swimming • Friendly sheep and farm animals to meet • Campfires (raised fire pits only) and BBQs welcome • Wood-fired pizza nights on selected evenings • S'mores kits available to make evenings extra special • Family-friendly atmosphere with plenty of space to roam • Well-behaved dogs welcome • One-night stays accepted • A short distance from Bude, surfing beaches and the best of both Devon and Cornwall Whether you're surfing at sunrise, building dams in the river with the kids, or ending the day around the fire beneath a sky full of stars, Wild Wanderers is all about slowing down, reconnecting and making memories together. We can't wait to welcome you to our little corner of the countryside.

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Campfires

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Elm Farm Camp, Cafe & Cycle hire

17. Elm Farm Camp, Cafe & Cycle hire

98%

(94)

Redruth, England · 25 units · Tents, Motorhomes

Quiet camping meadows and a friendly café located beside some of Cornwall's most popular cycling routes

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Campfires

Showers

Little Meadow

18. Little Meadow

100%

(2)

England · 26 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping

Relax with the whole family at this idyllic place to stay in Cornwall. Relax at near by beaches like Widemouth, go to places like Port Issac, Tintagel and Padstow with just a small drive from were your staying. Spend time with your family with short drive down to Trethorne golf and leisure park with soft play, bowling and dodgem rides. The spectacular views from Bodmin Moor and the North coast are all easily accessible from where you're staying.

Pets

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Potable water

Chyan Wild Campsite

19. Chyan Wild Campsite

100%

(2)

Falmouth, England · 11 units · Tents, Motorhomes

Apple orchards grown to organic principles, wildlife galore and wild camping with heaps of room to play… if all this lot ticks all your holiday boxes, you'll be chuffed with what's on offer at Chyan Farm – and the kids will likely think the mud kitchen and willow playground are out of this world too. Set close to the Cornish hamlet of Halvasso near Penryn and five miles from Falmouth, Chyan Farm is a cultural centre and community project, running a spacious wild camping site with an eco-friendly approach, in a peaceful rural valley setting surrounded by apple orchards.There are several play areas for kids in the community field, including willow structures and a mud kitchen. Guests can also buy apple juice, which is made on site. The emphasis here is on wild camping with basic amenities including compost toilets, springwater taps and hot showers in the site's solar-powered bathhouse. The owners ask guests to keep in mind that this is simple camping with simple facilities: the bathroom, while kept clean, isn't made up of gleaming tiles and you may well see a spider's web here and there. There's no site reception here but although you may not see any staff during your stay, someone is always contactable by phone if you have any queries. The centre runs regular events such as fairs, workshops and craft classes throughout the year: ask the friendly team for details of what's on offer during your stay.

Campfires

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Potable water

Tregonetha Lake Camping & Glamping

20. Tregonetha Lake Camping & Glamping

99%

(37)

England · 25 units · Tents, Motorhomes

🌿 Camping Season: 3rd April – 18th September 2026 Welcome to Tregonetha Lake – your little corner of paradise. We’re Mel and Tom, and we’d love to welcome you to our peaceful, eco-friendly camping site, proudly awarded a Silver Green Tourism Award. Sometimes you just need to slow down and surround yourself with nature. 🌿 If you’re looking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life, wake up to birdsong, enjoy beautiful lake views and reconnect with nature, you’re in the right place. Our small, off-grid campsite is surrounded by beautiful Cornish countryside, with a stunning two-acre coarse fishing lake at its heart. Watch damselflies dancing across the water, spot kingfishers and other wildlife, enjoy spectacular sunsets over the lake and spend your evenings beneath some of Cornwall’s darkest skies. Although you’ll feel wonderfully tucked away, we’re perfectly placed for exploring Cornwall. Mawgan Porth is just 9 miles away, Padstow 10 miles, Newquay 11 miles and Mevagissey 15 miles away, making Tregonetha Lake the perfect base for exploring both the north and south coasts. As a Freedom Camping Club Certified Site, we offer peaceful, low-impact camping in a natural setting — no membership required. Camping Tregonetha Lake is home to around 20 camping pitches, so while you’ll have other campers nearby during busier periods, we’ve designed the site to feel spacious, peaceful and relaxed. Whether you choose a lakeside pitch or one of our secluded woodland pitches, there’s always plenty of room to unwind and enjoy nature. All camping pitches are non-allocated, so simply choose your favourite spot when you arrive and make yourselves at home. Fishing At the heart of the campsite is our beautiful two-acre coarse fishing lake, where guests can enjoy peaceful days by the water surrounded by nature. Fishing day tickets are available during your stay. 🍕 NEW for Summer 2026 – Wildfire Lakeside Bar & Kitchen From 16th July until the end of August, we’re excited to introduce Wildfire – Lakeside Bar & Kitchen. Enjoy stone-baked pizzas, homemade loaded nachos, cold drinks and fresh coffee beside the lake while watching the sun go down. Opening Hours Thursday: 5:00pm – 9:00pm Friday: 5:00pm – 9:00pm Saturday: 1:00pm – 9:00pm 🍳 Breakfast Fresh coffee and breakfast rolls are available every morning for campsite guests between 8:00am and 10:00am. 🍕 Sunday – Wednesday Don’t fancy cooking? We also offer evening food for campsite guests by pre-order between 5:00pm and 9:00pm. Just let us know in advance and we’ll have everything freshly prepared for you. 🥐 Freshly Baked Breakfast Treats Fresh croissants and pain au chocolat are available to pre-order and collect from 8:00am each morning. A little about us We’ve called Cornwall home for over 20 years and love sharing our favourite beaches, walks, restaurants and hidden gems with our guests. Tom is a keen surfer and is always happy to recommend the best local beaches depending on the weather and surf conditions, while Mel is full of local knowledge to help you make the most of your stay. We’re a small family-run campsite and genuinely enjoy meeting the people who stay with us. Whether you’re here for a weekend escape, a family holiday or simply passing through, we hope you’ll leave feeling relaxed, refreshed and already planning your next visit. We can’t wait to welcome you to Tregonetha Lake. 🧡

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The best dog-friendly campsites in Tamar Valley

Meldon Lake and Woods Wild Camping

99%

(267)

Okehampton, England · 5 units · Tents, Motorhomes

Seriously simple but beautiful wild camping beside a lake on Dartmoor

Pets

Campfires

Forest Edge Camping & Glamping

100%

(32)

Sidbury, England · 18 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping

A welcoming and wild-ish camping and glamping site on the edge of a forest in East Devon

Pets

Campfires

Showers

The Enchanted Wilderness

93%

(68)

Yelverton, England · 7 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping

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

Pets

Campfires

Showers

Coverack Camping & Glamping

98%

(162)

Coverack, England · 67 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping

Traditional family camping near Coverack, with the promise of coast, countryside and Cornish ice cream

Pets

Electrical hookup

Campfires

The Camping Field

94%

(33)

Bodmin, England · 35 units · Tents, Motorhomes

Back-to-basics camping in beautiful Cornish countryside

Pets

Electrical hookup

Campfires

Willow Valley Holiday Park

100%

(18)

Bude , England · 25 units · Tents, Motorhomes, Glamping

Pets

Electrical hookup

Campfires

Recent reviews from the Hipcamp community

Beautiful private lake for swimming, fishing and water sports

Wendy

2 weeks ago

5 m campervan

With pets

Weekend Trip to Meldon Lake and Woods Wild Camping

Dartmoor at its best! No frills, no fuss. Definitely not manicured pitches. We absolutely loved it. Met the host but he wouldn't have come over to us if we hadn't gone to thank him first. A wave would have been enough for him we felt very welcome.

Deborah

2 weeks ago

5 m campervan

With pets

2 nights at Meldon Lake and Woods Wild Camping

Beautiful and tranquil!!! Hard to believe this spot is close to the A30. Amazing walks right from my van.

Ben

3 weeks ago

Tent

2 nights at Tregonetha Lake Camping & Glamping

Great couple nights staying here, easy to find, nice and peaceful with great facilities on site, will definitely stay again just hopefully for a bit longer next time

Caroline

September 2026

5 m campervan

With pets

2 nights at Meldon Lake and Woods Wild Camping

Beautifull camping sIte!! Nice and friendly host

Gary

September 2026

7 m campervan

3 nights at Wild Wanderers - Riverside Camping

Lovely secluded spot next to a river. Nice hot showers and clean toilets. Lovely hosts. Will be back.

Jane

September 2026

6 m campervan

With pets

1 night at Wild Wanderers - Riverside Camping

Such a beautiful, magical spot next to the river through the trees. Peaceful, felt like being in the heart of nature. The fairy trail took me back to my childhood. Felt really welcomed. Facilities good. Loved all the sheep, goats, chickens, bats, owls and the cows on the other side of the river. A truly wild experience. We will be back

Josh

September 2026

Tent

3 nights at Tregonetha Lake Camping & Glamping

This is such a lovely site set around a peaceful lake. The facilities are excellent and the pizzas were amazing. Highly recommend.

Kerry

September 2026

Tent

2 nights at Roskilly Camping

Such a lovely and unique place. Words can’t describe just how fantastic this campsite is.

Jane

September 2026

6 m campervan

With pets

1 night at Tregonetha Lake Camping & Glamping

Beautiful little campsite. Car free camping so just campers and tents on the lakeside field. Everything is so pretty with lots of handcrafted wooden buildings. Composting toilets which are so clean. Great showers and washing up facilities. Pretty lights, new bar area which did morning coffee and breakfast baps. Some lovely glamping tents and woodland area. Pretty walk round the lake and lovely people, Tom told us how he has developed the site with such pride. We loved it so much we came back for a second night and will definitely come again. Recommend!

Robbie

August 2026

3 m campervan

With pets

Weekend Trip to Meldon Lake and Woods Wild Camping

Amazing off grid campsite leading straight onto Dartmoor toilets nearby in car park and there’s usually a hot food/coffee van

Phil

August 2026

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Wild Wanderers - Riverside Camping

I would absolutely recommend this place. Serina and Craig have a lovely section of land for camping that is surrounded by trees wildflowers and wildlife. It is very peaceful and has some great spots to pitch up the tent. The showers are power full clean and hot. We also got the heads up for the pizza night freshly made by Serina and Graig which were 10/10 and they even made a vegan version for my partner. Our dog absolutely loved roaming around and swimming in the river that runs along camp and enjoyed the company of the sheep that roam around. We shall definitely be returning best campsite I’ve stayed at for a while. Many thanks Serina and Graig 🙂

John

August 2026

Tent

Weekend Trip to Tregonetha Lake Camping & Glamping

Great site, really nice hosts loved the pizza!! This a a great site, ideally placed to visit either side of Cornwall. The hosts have great local knowledge & are very happy to recommend things based on your interests.

Catriona

August 2026

Tent

Weekend Trip to Roskilly Camping

I really liked the communal barn area. The garden areas with the ponds were lovely, and walking through the fields with the cows was also really nice. Shame I had such bad weather. The pizza and ice cream definitely made up for it.

Ian

August 2026

7 m Class A

5 nights at Roskilly Camping

Great site. Lovely facilities. Great restaurant and entertainment. Short walk to village with great bus services.

Dale

August 2026

Tent

With kids

6 nights at Cornish Tipi Holidays & Camping

Gorgeous site in north Cornwall. We (family of four with a six-man tent) stayed for a week in Gosel’s in August, we booked because we loved the secluded nature of the pitch, hidden in the trees and the possibility of wild swimming and canoeing in the quarry- both were just as amazing as expected. We went down to the quarry first thing every morning and normally had it to ourselves - saw a barn owl from the canoe one morning which was exciting for all of us. Wished we’d brought our fishing stuff as other kids were catching rainbow trout regularly! Having a stand pipe and a picnic table on the pitch was a luxury- the site had a sensible approach to camp fires (and actually to all things H&S which we really appreciated). Compost loo and hot shower was a minute walk away with flushing loos available a bit further on- these facilities were absolutely fine, well maintained and exactly as advertised. You can drive to pitch to unload and then park in the carpark which is our preference. The on-site cafe- bar had a variety of drinks, pizza, salad and breakfast options and we treated ourselves a couple of times. All staff were lovely, chill and other guests largely great too. Brilliant spot for kids and teens but there were a wide range of different types of guest which is our preference. Would 100% recommend!

Vanessa

August 2026

Tent

4 nights at Elm Farm Camp, Cafe & Cycle hire

What a lovely place to pitch! Fabulous land, lovely and quiet, half hour walk if that to the coastal path. Eco showers and loos really well maintained and cleaned. And the best bit? Ali’s lovely warm welcome and hosting. Rubes and Ali’s breakfast and white Rioja also blinking awesome! Much recommended!

Daisy

August 2026

5 m campervan

With pets

1 night at Meldon Lake and Woods Wild Camping

A real hidden gem! A beautiful area with access to Dartmoor and incredibly peaceful. We were visited by ponies at night :) it was my dog's first time camping and was perfect - lots of space and very quiet. We had a great time

Sophie

August 2026

4 m campervan

With pets

Weekend Trip to WILDSWIM2SAUNA

Beautiful setting, large site, lovely old oak trees and river running through, very spacious pitches. Sauna and river swimming very invigorating, children enjoyed the trampolines and the dog loved the freedom. Minimal facilities, no mobile reception, truly off grid. Charles, the owner was very friendly and helpful.

Robbie

August 2026

3 m campervan

With pets

Weekend Trip to Wild Wanderers - Riverside Camping

This place is a hidden gem, probably one of the best campsites we’ve ever stayed at! The setting is beautiful, the family who run it are lovely, and the onsite pizza oven/ bar was a great surprise when we arrived! Shower block and toilets were spotless, the water was lovely and hot, fire pit rental for £5 and the fact you can forage for your own wood is a awesome. we can’t wait to come back again. 10/10

Matthew

August 2026

Tent

Group trip

Weekend Trip to Meldon Lake and Woods Wild Camping

It is an amazing place of solitude and escape. Phil is a very pleasant guy, he welcomed us and we just camped. Its just perfect for all ages. We had the best time. Thank you so much. Definitely returning soon. 💯 recommended.

Tamar Valley camping guide

Where to go

Along the River Tamar

The River Tamar runs through the heart of the AONB, marking the border of Cornwall and Devon. Take a ride on the scenic Tamar Valley Line railway from Plymouth to Gunnislake, and hop off to visit Calstock village, enjoy riverside walks, or have lunch at a country pub. May through October is fishing season, and the river is known for its salmon and trout fishing.

Dartmoor

The River Tavy winds its way north through the Tamar Valley, where you can enjoy woodland walks and pitch your tent at rural camping grounds. Go kayaking or windsurfing at Lopwell Dam, visit the market town of Tavistock, and tuck into a traditional Devonshire cream tea at a local café. Beyond Tavistock, the wild moorlands of the Dartmoor National Park are a natural playground for hikers and campers.

South Devon

Coastal Plymouth lies between two AONBs, with the Tamar Valley to the north and South Devon to the east. Set sail on a boat cruise around the Plymouth Sound, then head along the South Devon coast to enjoy beachside camping and seaside hikes. The blue flag beaches at Bantham and Bigbury on Sea are favorites for summer sunseekers, or visit in winter, when migrating seabirds flock to the coast.

Cornish coast

Saltash and Torpoint lie on the southwest borders of the Tamar Valley, where the Lynher River meets the Plymouth Sound. Dive into Cornwall’s mining heritage as you explore 18th-century mines, hike along the South West Coast Path, or try wakeboarding and windsurfing along the Hamoaze estuary. To escape the crowds, head to the Rame Peninsula, where you’ll find secluded coves, sea-cliffs walks, and ocean-view campsites.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some activities to enjoy in the Tamar Valley?

In the Tamar Valley, you can enjoy woodland walks, pitch your tent at rural camping grounds, go kayaking or windsurfing at Lopwell Dam, visit the market town of Tavistock, and tuck into a traditional Devonshire cream tea at a local café. Beyond Tavistock, the wild moorlands of the Dartmoor National Park are a natural playground for hikers and campers. The River Tavy winds its way north through the Tamar Valley, offering plenty of outdoor activities.

What are the best times for bird-watching around the estuaries in the Tamar Valley?

The best times for bird-watching around the estuaries in the Tamar Valley are spring and fall. The Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty draws wildlife enthusiasts to its unique drowned valley landscapes, offering opportunities to observe a variety of bird species.

What are the best times for fishing in the Tamar River?

May through October is fishing season in the Tamar River, and the river is known for its salmon and trout fishing. The River Tamar runs through the heart of the Tamar Valley, marking the border of Cornwall and Devon, offering excellent fishing opportunities during this time.

What are some coastal activities near Plymouth in the Tamar Valley?