Bellbrook Meadow is a secluded and sustainable glamping site quietly tucked away in Tiverton, hosting well-equipped bell tents with low environmental impact and a lovely lakeside cabin. Bellbrook's goal is to provide guests with ample 'Green Time', letting you shut off completely from your emails and awkward Zoom meetings, but also giving you access to amenities you don't often get in eco-friendly sites like this.
Reconnecting with nature has rarely been so comfortable. The bell tents themselves are equipped with proper beds, coir matting, and rugs, along with a wood burner for those chillier evenings. The private hand-built pods — constructed with locally-sourced larch — located next to your tents provide 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 that's not comfortable enough, there's always The Lake House; a lakeside cabin, sleeping up to six with everything under one roof. Wherever you stay, you'll have plenty of space to help you switch off. There are only three bell tents and the site exclusively hosts small families and couples. Although, if you're looking to bring more family, you're welcome to book multiple tents.
It's the little things that make a camping trip special, and Bellbrook features a number of special touches. A provided 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 — on their hands and knees in the mud. For the adults who also want to explore their surroundings but with fewer creepy crawlies, panoramic views and walks through the woodlands are available directly from your tent, while sun-lovers will appreciate that Devon beaches such as Instow and Minehead are within a 50-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.
