Bellbrook Meadow is a secluded and sustainable glamping site quietly tucked away in Tiverton, hosting well-equipped bell tents and a lakeside cabin. Bellbrook's goal is to provide guests with ample 'Green Time', letting you shut off completely from your emails and Zoom meetings but still giving you access to amenities you don't often get in other eco-friendly campsites. And it works. Reconnecting with nature has rarely been so comfortable.
The bell tents at Bellbrook Meadow are equipped with proper beds, coir matting, and rugs, along with a wood burner for those chillier evenings. Alongside them are hand-built cabins—constructed with locally-sourced larch—housing a bathroom and well-equipped kitchen (the former with a hot shower and flushing toilet, the latter with a fridge, hob, and a bunch of biodegradable essentials). And, if you don't fancy living under canvas there's always The Lake House; a lakeside cabin, sleeping up to six with everything under one roof.
It's the little things that make a Hipcamping trip special, and Bellbrook features a number of special touches. A welcome basket boasts local Devon produce, while organic and fair trade tea, coffee, and hot chocolate are complimentary, plus the kids are given bug hunting kits to explore the region from a different perspective (usually on their hands and knees in the mud!). A few maps point out the best places for panoramic views, along with walking routes through the woodlands that start directly from your tent. For a good daytrip, meanwhile, Devon's top beaches, including Instow and Minehead, are around a 45-minute drive.
The Stag Inn (01884 881755) is three miles away, rumored to be the oldest pub in Devon with a history dating back to the 12th century. Enjoy a cosy open fire, a well-stocked bar with three locally-sourced changing ales, and fresh food including the house specialty, beer bread. Wild Woods Tapas Bar (07858 140563) is less than a 15-minute drive away and reopening in spring, brimming with rustic charm in its remote farm setting, with tasty tapas dishes to try out. The Masons Arm (01398341231) in Knowstone is a 10-minute drive, an award-winning restaurant with a traditional bar area serving real ale and champagne by the glass, along with a robust wine list.
Bellbrook Meadow also runs the Bellbrook Valley Trout Fishery (07967 335159) and guests can purchase a pass to enjoy a spot of fishing across its five lakes, with it having been voted one of the top 30 UK fisheries by Trout Fisherman magazine. The National Trust's Knightshayes is a 20-minute drive away, a 19th-century manor house surrounded by over 250 acres of Parkland. Visit its gardens, with unique topiary and intimate trails through its picturesque surroundings. The market town of Bampton is a 15-minute drive, which you might recognise as one of the filming locations for Downton Abbey, with the West Ox Arts Gallery (01993 850137) available to peruse along with pubs and restaurants.
