Bales Ash Campsite

View prices & book 9.6 78 reviews
The pitch (added by manager 23 Aug 2022)
View over the grass pitches
Relaxed atmosphere
Cream teas including gluten-free and vegan options

  • Chilled camping as it used to be but with quality free hot showers
  • Within half an hour's drive of Exmoor, Dartmoor and the Tarka Trail
  • Firepits for hire on site; a 15-minute drive from RHS Garden Rosemoor
With a low carbon footprint, views to make your eyes water, homemade cakes and scones and a warm welcome for the pooch… it's no surprise that guests glow with warmth about the spacious Bales Ash Campsite near Umberleigh. Described by its amiable owners as 'a little green campsite in the heart of north Devon', Bales Ash sits up above the Taw Valley amid countryside of the beaut variety and fab views across to nearby Exmoor. The Tarka Trail is within easy driving distance and the (also fab) surfing beaches of north Devon are within 35 minutes' drive of the site. As you might expect from a site that endorses 'camping as it used to be', the vibe is relaxed and friendly. The amenities are kept to a spotless standard and include three hot showers, three eco-friendly compost loos, a shared portable toilet and outdoor Belfast sinks with hot and cold water. Wifi is available and guests can charge phones for free in the shower block. Water at Bales Ash comes from the site's borehole and is treated to provide pristinely clean fresh drinking water; tap water standpipes are also on each pitching field. All of the electric comes from 40 solar panels. There's also recycling collection. Teas and cakes can be baked on request (surely something to request as soon as you arrive) and the owners specialise in top-notch gluten-free baking. There's a shop selling cakes on site. And then settle down to stargaze or to sit by a firepit (for hire for a small charge): guests glow with warmth about the quiet of this place too.

Campground type

Tent sites 25
RV sites 25
Rent a tent 1
Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 2
Open all year
Opens
Please note
  • The park does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Breed-specific legislation (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).
  • Twin axle vehicles are not permitted on site.
  • At least one of the party members must be aged 18 or over.

Languages spoken

English

French

German

Spanish

Reviews

99%

would recommend this campground to a friend

97%

would stay here again

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Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

Amazing site, facilities, amazing staff and an absolute bargain!

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Natalie O. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

The Beech Hut cabin

Liked: Absolutely loved every second! The beach hut was exactly as I imagined, the area is just beautiful and serene, on arrival we were greeted with so much warmth! The honesty boxes are a life saver!!! Beautiful 😍 place definitely back again !!

Disliked: I didn’t stay longer 😭

Recommend to friends Visit again

Just fabulous

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Lisa N. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Shepherd's hut

Liked: We stayed in the shepherd's hut with our 2 dogs for one night. We loved everything. It was clean and the accommodation was beautiful with all the things you need. Debbie was a lovely host and we've already booked to go back again.

Disliked: Nothing to dislike

Recommend to friends Visit again

Clean and well ran estate

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Chris M. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass tent or RV campsite

Liked: Thanks to Debbie and the team we had a wonderful stay at Bales Ash Campsite, nothing was to much to ask we forgot out kettle and she even had one of those we could borrow. Lovely campsite and very knowledgeable about surrounding areas thanks Debbie see yous all next year.

Disliked: Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Level large pitches , clean facilities, fab host

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 6
Laura M. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass tent or RV campsite

Liked: We loved our stay at bales ash , Debbie was a fantastic host. Very welcoming. Very well kept , very clean . Lovely little shop for all your essentials . Fire pits to hire with logs etc for a proper camping experience . So much space for the family to play games. Our dog loved it and was made very welcome . I highly recommend trying Debbies cakes. She made one for our sons birthday all gluten free for our needs and it was fantastic . Debbie was very knowledgeable on places to eat in the area . There's some lovely walks for the dog . Love that it's all very eco friendly. We will 100% be returning to bales ash campsite .

Disliked: Absolutely nothing to dislike. It's fab

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great back to basics camping, with clean facilities & a laid back vibe

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Gemma R. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass tent or RV campsite

Liked: Debbie was very laid back about arrival times & putting a group of us (roller derby teammates) together. We had loads of space & paid extra for our own private portaloo. The main shower block, recycling & washing up facilities were a short walk away & clean & tidy & never busy. The campsite was friendly & peaceful & was close to the river where we swam at Umberleigh & played on paddle boards & kayaks (wasn’t deep enough for fins but ok for a play around). We enjoyed being able to have a camp fire each night & enjoy hanging out together. I had electric hookup for my van & it was well priced. I’d stay again, handy being half an hour from home but far enough into the countryside that it felt like a little holiday.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lots of space. Great host. Toilets and showers cleaned regularly. Great views…

Overall 10/10
Location 8
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 8
Tara P. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Primitive grass tent or RV campsite

Liked: Lots of space. Great host. Toilets and showers cleaned regularly. Great views and amazing sunsets

Disliked: Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely quiet chilled stay!

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Jessica P. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass tent or RV campsite

Liked: Loved how quiet and relaxed it was here! Really chill vibe. The owners were so friendly and helpful! Lovely people! Our dog loved it!

Disliked: Nothing.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent site, friendly, clean, quiet and nice level pitches.

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Milly H. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass tent or RV campsite

Liked: The campsite was perfect! Not too busy and everyone was so friendly, facilities were clean. Perfect for a weekend get away.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Everything you need. Peaceful, clean and friendly and helpful staff

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Sam F. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

The Horse Box cabin

Liked: Amazing views Peaceful

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely site, so much space! Great location to travel to lots…

Overall 8/10
Location 8
Value for money 10
Accommodation 8
Facilities / Activities 6
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 6
Claire M. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass tent or RV campsite

Liked: Lovely site, so much space! Great location to travel to lots of lovely beaches & other days out. Showers & shop were great. Loved the honesty box/tab - so convenient and loved the trusting attitude! Very dog friendly 🐶 Amazing sky-scape for stargazing 💫 Owners - Debbie & co…were wonderful, super friendly, helpful, seriously relaxed attitude!! Loved it ❤️

Disliked: Not so keen on the separator toilets, a bit of a struggle for little people…but this was overcome by booking our own portaloo next to our pitch. Lovely site, so much space! Great location to travel to lots of lovely beaches & other days out. Showers & shop were great. Loved the honesty box/tab - so convenient and loved the trusting attitude! Very dog friendly 🐶 Amazing sky-scape for stargazing 💫 Owners - Debbie & co…were wonderful, super friendly, helpful, seriously relaxed attitude!! Loved it ❤️ 👍

Recommend to friends Visit again


Features

Leisure on park

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Playground Recreation room/arcade TV room Takeout Tennis Watersports

Amenities on park

Bath available Car parking by site/unit Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Free wifi Grocery store Ice pack freezing Internet access Laundromat Local produce Parent & baby washroom Payphone Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Restrooms Shower available Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Rallies welcome Scouts welcome Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue grills allowed Barbecue provided Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Themes

Budget/backpacker Hikers’ paradise Peaceful Spectacular scenery Wild camping

Utilities

Charging facilities Dump station Electric car charging point(s) Propane/gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Convenience store nearby Dog walk nearby Public transportation nearby

Type

Medium (26-50 sites)

Accessibility

Disabled facilities

Nearby leisure

Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horseback riding nearby Leisure/theme park nearby Restaurant nearby Surf school nearby Watersports nearby

Location

Bales Ash Campsite

High Bickington

Umberleigh

Devon

England

EX37 9BL

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London GMT (GMT+00:00)

GPS

50.95563°N
-3.98211°W

Nearest transport

Bus
7.7 mi The Square
7.7 mi The Square
9.1 mi Bus Station
Rail
1.4 mi Portsmouth Arms Rail Station
2.8 mi Umberleigh Rail Station
3.6 mi Kings Nympton Rail Station
Ferry
10.6 mi Bideford Ferry Landing
10.9 mi Instow Ferry Landing
11.3 mi Appledore Ferry Landing
Airport
29.2 mi Exeter International Airport

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

A number of scenic strolls are directly accessible from the site, such as the easy one-hour round walk to two local pubs, or the hike to Woodland Trust land on Kingford Hill. The north Devon stretch of the South West Coast Path is a little further away. Within easy reach by car, the scenic beaches of Croyde, Woolacombe, Saunton, Putsborough and Westward Ho! will give days upon days of sunbathing, surf lessons, swimming, rockpools, kitesurfing and coasteering. The Tarka Trail, a series of footpaths and cycle paths through north Devon, is a short drive away; alternatively, cycle to one of the stations along the Tarka Line train route running for 39 miles between Exeter and Barnstaple. Also in the region, you could get green at the RHS Rosemoor Gardens or Broomhill Sculpture Garden; try National Trust attractions like Arlington Court; hike the Heddon Valley or visit the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon to see what's been what in the area throughout the ages. And if you have kids, they'll be glowing with happiness after days out at Devon family-based attractions like The Big Sheep, Exmoor Zoo, Watermouth Castle and Family Theme Park and Atlantis Adventure Park.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020 2019 2018 2017
Westward Ho! 12.6 mi Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent
Saunton Sands 15.3 mi Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent
Croyde Bay 16.5 mi Sea N/A Good Excellent Good
Putsborough 16.7 mi Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent
Combe Martin 17.6 mi Sea Poor Poor Poor Poor

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

RHS Garden Rosemoor 6.8 mi

Castle Drogo 19.4 mi

Exeter Cathedral - Church of Saint Peter 25.4 mi

The National Trust Killerton House & Gardens 25.5 mi

National Trust

Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum 13.2 mi

Finch Foundry 15.8 mi

Heddon Valley 18.1 mi

Castle Drogo 19.4 mi

Watersmeet 20.1 mi

Cycle routes

Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.

Other

KING'S NYMPTON PARK 3.7 mi

Eggesford Station - Eggesford Barton - Nethercott - Eggesford Station 6.6 mi

CASTLE HILL 7.2 mi

GREAT TORRINGTON CEMETERY 7.5 mi

TAPELEY PARK 10.1 mi

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Nearest campgrounds

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable campgrounds.

Want to know more about camping in Devon?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Bales Ash Campsite have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Bales Ash Campsite dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Bales Ash Campsite? A number of scenic strolls are directly accessible from the site, such as the easy one-hour round walk to two local pubs, or the hike to Woodland Trust land on Kingford Hill. … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Bales Ash Campsite?
    RV, travel trailer and tent sites
    Arrive:  noon –  10 p.m.
    Depart by:  11:30 a.m.
    On-park accommodation
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  10 p.m.
    Depart by:  10:30 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Bales Ash Campsite? From $84.51 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.