Meldon Lake and Woods Wild Camping

Go wild and get back to nature by booking yourself in at Meldon Lake and Woods on Dartmoor. The closest you’ll get to a wash is a swim in the on-site lake, the only undercover space is the one you’ll bring with you and when it comes to drinking water – come prepared. If that sounds like the kind of adventure you’re after, you’re in for a real treat. Meldon Lake and Woods is a private place to camp in Dartmoor National Park. It has all the hallmarks of wild camping with just five spaces for tents or small campervans. You certainly won’t be crowded by other campers but Dartmoor ponies may pay you a visit and owls will almost certainly hoot at night.

Farmer Phil is in charge at Meldon Lake and Woods, which is all part of his cattle farm on the northern edge of Dartmoor. He’s a busy man so you may or may not see him during your stay but he’s providing something rather special here: permission for a handful of campers to stay between his private lake and woods. Here, campfires are allowed and logs are provided. All he asks is that you come and go leaving no trace of your stay. There are no bins, no taps and, you might have guessed by now, no toilets. Hipcampers: please bring your own portable camping loo.

This back-to-nature adventure awaits less than a mile from Meldon Reservoir, which offers fantastic views of the Okemont Valley. To get there, simply pull on your walking boots and hike along the footpath which passes through the camp. If you’ve come with a bike, you’ll be pleased to know that the most scenic part of the Granite Way passes over site on the Meldon Viaduct. Use it to cycle to Okehampton in 15 minutes or, in the other direction, to Lydford. And, of course, there’s the rest of Dartmoor with its rocky outcrops, walking, wild swimming and woodlands. Put simply: more of what you’ve got right here.