We know, we know, we said we wouldn’t and
we have. There is no denying that Stowford Farm Meadows has a certain holiday
park vibe and with a whopping 700 pitches it certainly caters for anybody and
everybody. Yet since the hedgerows were planted and the meadows first mown back
in 1978, this family run-campsite has been striving to retain that smaller
campsite feel. And with so much space to play with, the Rice family have
certainly done a decent job. Don’t expect a Tetris of intertwining guy ropes
here; pitches are spacious, amenities are endless and with such a top location,
Stowford can’t help but tease a smile out of even the most hard-nosed
traditional campers.
Divided into five fields, Stowford Farm
Meadows manages to shroud its size by lines of trees or hedges and is reached
via a long driveway that places it a mile from the nearest main road. The
result is a distinctly rural feel and with many of the facilities housed in
converted farm buildings, there’s no maze of concrete building blocks to navigate your way round. Instead pitches are well-located amongst the meadows, all
with electrical hook-ups, and have easy access to a central sanitary block in
each field.
It's families and active campers who’ll
feel most at home here, with a wealth of things to keep you
occupied. Wander back to the main entrance area where you’ll find crazy golf,
an indoor play area and the indoor heated swimming pool, or pick up a couple of
golf clubs and enjoy the nine hole 'pitch and putt' course. The campsite is also adjacent
to the farm’s private riding stables. Guests can make the most of the expert
tuition or, for the more experienced riders, take out a horse on the surrounding
bridleways. Those happier to stay on two feet can head back past the pool and
take the campsite’s quiet footpath down into the wooded Bittadon Valley. No
fewer than 70 acres of Stowford Farm’s woodland has been set aside for
conservation and in total there’s well over three miles of paths and nature
trails to enjoy. Beneath the leafy canopy of oak and larch that's home to a wealth of wildlife, this is a brilliant
place to escape.
While the onsite bounty is a joy for those
with tireless kids, it's the nearby surroundings that really make this campsite
a winner. A 15 minute drive from the coastline, the dog-friendly campsite is
matched by a host of dog-friendly beaches and the famous sands of Woolacombe,
Croyde and Saunton Sands all await would-be surfers or nimbly-handed sand
castle builders. Those who prefer to leave their cheeky scamp at the campsite
(the dog that is, not the kids) can take advantage of a handy pet crèche as well, or
simply head into Exmoor National Park with endless room to run wild.