Buckland Farm Camping

Buckland Farm Camping is almost as simple as it sounds. It’s a West Country farmer’s field that’s open for dog-friendly camping with views of the Blackdown Hills. And while the simplicity of this Somerset site may feed nostalgia for camping in days of yore, it’s actually a relatively new site, having opened for the first time back in 2022. There may be a few concessions to modern-day life (online booking for one) but nothing can take away from the fact that it’s the perfect place for the good old-fashioned family fun of holidays under canvas.

Once you’ve made your booking at Buckland Farm Camping, you’ll be given arrival instructions that will lead you off the M5 and down country lanes until you reach a gate into a field. It’s as simple as that. You let yourself in, pick your pitch from a selection of spots mown into the longer grass of this meadow…. and either wheelbarrow to your car free pitch or drive to your ‘drive-on’ pitch. Soon enough, Buckland Farm’s owners, Carol and Richard, will be round to say hello.

This flat, five-acre field is just a small part of their family farm, with arable and grazing land stretching in every direction. While simple enough, it’s been readied for campers with the addition of all that you need. There are composting loos, hot-water showers, a sheltered washing-up sink and a central shared area. Here, there are picnic benches, hay bales and an information point that’s undercover. It’s a great place for kids to play and, while the rest of the site is off grid, it offers power for the charging of phones — but perhaps don’t tell the kids that. If you’re a campfire fan, make sure to add a fire pit and picnic bench to your booking.

There’s a fenced doggy play-paddock on site, which makes this place particularly good for dog owners and there are plenty of places for walks. You can join a local bridleway to head for those Blackdown Hills or drive out to its well known beauty spots, like the Wellington Monument. Further afield, but not far, is the edge of Exmoor, The Quantock Hills and Cheddar Gorge. The north coast of Somerset and the south coast of Dorset are also close enough to visit with Minehead, Lyme Regis and Charmouth all popular spots to head for. In other words, some of the best of the west are within reach of this simple and unpretentious camping spot on the edge of the Blackdown Hills.