Tarka Trail Camping

View prices & book 9.5 173 reviews
Nice and flat pitches
Reception
Sunsets at tarka trail camping
Cycling

  • Peaceful family-run site on the outskirts of Yelland
  • Five miles from Barnstaple and Bideford, and six from Westward Ho!
  • Walkers' paradise: direct access to Tarka Trail/South West Coast Path
North Devon has many special spots, but the golden triangle around the rivers Taw and Torridge and the sea is particularly pretty. Guests at Tarka Trail Camping are right in the middle of this sweet spot, making this a great base to explore the area's various watery vistas. This site on the outskirts of Yelland is well suited to quiet rural breaks, but its location close to a main road makes getting around a breeze: popular spots such as Barnstaple, Bideford and Westward Ho! can all be reached within 15 minutes' drive. Guests who want to leave the car behind can hop about on the local bus, which handily stops in the village (10 minutes' walk away). There's direct access to the popular Tarka Trail from the site – it is, of course, named after an otter so it's no surprise that the creatures make an appearance now and then around these parts (although this smashing stretch of river is reward enough even without them). If all that walking (or cycling) builds up an appetite, fear not – weary wanderers are free to enjoy a barbecue back at base (provisions can be picked up a mile away in Fremington). Looking for a drink with that? Yelland Manor Micro Brewery is located right next door, and a café is 10 minutes' walk away. Well-behaved dogs are welcome, but please keep them on a lead while on site.

Site type

Tent pitches 20
Motorhome pitches 20
Touring caravan pitches 5
Open now
Opens 28 March
Please note

Dogs

  • The site does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act (i.e. XL Bully, Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).

Languages spoken

English

Open from Sat 28 Mar to

No availability here for your search criteria

Pitch types & availability

Reviews

  • 77%
    10
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    9
  • 13%
    8
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Location
10
Value for money
9
Accommodation
9
Facilities / Activities
9
Customer service
9
Child friendliness
8
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
9

97% would recommend this site to a friend

95% would stay here again

What customers say

This well-maintained campsite boasts a superb location directly on the Tarka Trail, offering beautiful estuary views. Visitors consistently praise the immaculate, modern toilet and shower facilities. Pitches are described as spacious and level. The site is noted for its peaceful atmosphere, with many returning due to the excellent access for cycling and walking. The nearby microbrewery is also frequently mentioned as a positive addition.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews. Last updated 04/08/2026

Filter by topic

Reviews page 1 of 18
Arrival date (latest first)

Excellent place to stay near the…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
9
Value for money
9
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10

Electric grass and gravel touring caravan pitch

Liked Excellent place to stay near the trail.great toilet facilities, clean and tidy site. Will definitely be back. The price we paid on Pitch up however was incorrect, we had to pay extra on arrival.

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

We had a fantastic stay at…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
9
Child friendliness
9
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10
Rob M. 2 reviews

Non-electric grass tent or trailer tent pitch

Liked We had a fantastic stay at Tarka Trail Campsite. The location is perfect—it's right next to the Tarka Trail, making it incredibly easy to head out for a walk or cycle straight from the campsite without needing to drive anywhere.

One of the best things about our stay was how peaceful and quiet the site was. It had a really relaxing atmosphere, making it the perfect place to unwind and enjoy the countryside. The campsite was well maintained, and everything was clean and tidy.

If you're looking for a quiet, well-located campsite with direct access to the beautiful Tarka Trail, I would definitely recommend staying here. We'll certainly be back!

Recommend to friends Visit again

A real find for touring or longer stay camper, campervan or motorhome

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10

Non-electric grass campervan pitch

Liked Perfect location for access to the Tarka Trail with fabulous views across the estuary to the hills beyond. Large grass or crushed stone pitches. Modern and super clean and warm shower toilet block. Warm welcome. Immaculate across the whole site. Super fast 90mbps stable WiFi. Peaceful. Great opportunity for pizza and beer at the microbrewery next door. Great options for tent campers as family or couples or solo. A shelter for backpackers/cycle tourers.

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Nice big pitches, washrooms very…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
No rating

Electric grass motorhome pitch

Liked Nice big pitches, washrooms very clean, lovely walks and a great little brewery bar next door with great pizzas . A lovely site to stay would definitely recommend

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Quiet. Well laid out. Great location.…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10
Anonymous

Electric grass motorhome pitch

Liked Quiet. Well laid out. Great location. Will be going again.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Perfect

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
9
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10

Electric grass motorhome pitch

Liked Pitches lovely and level also big... toilet block always clean...
Hot water anytime of day.
Being right on the trail is perfect.
Second time visiting.

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Small site, clean, quiet, spacious, good…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10

Electric grass motorhome pitch

Liked Small site, clean, quiet, spacious, good size pitches, flat, great toilet/shower block, right on Tarka Trail.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Quiet with large pitches and clean,…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
No rating

Electric grass motorhome pitch

Liked Quiet with large pitches and clean, nee, facilities. Right on the bike trail, easy to find and good roads to get in. They also have a drive over grey water, which we found hard to find at some places.

Disliked Honestly nothing at all!

Recommend to friends Visit again

A perfect North Devon holiday

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
8
Facilities / Activities
8
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10

Electric grass motorhome pitch

Liked This was a return visit to our favourite campsite. Everything was wonderful, from the cheerful welcome, to the ultra-clean toilets and the view across the estuary. We choose this site for its access to the Tarka trail where we can cycle traffic-free into nearby places like Barnstable, Bideford, Instow and Appledore. But the site is excellent in its own right.

Disliked No laundry facilities?

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great all rounder camp sight will definitely be back

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10

Electric grass motorhome pitch

Liked Great location good transport links, great for walking or if you have a bike

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Fab photo - we do love our sunsets. Thank you for your kind review, hope to see you again soon, Tarka Trail Camping


Features

Leisure on site

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis Watersports

Amenities on site

Baby-changing facilities Bath available Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Launderette Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

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

Rules

Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed

Themes

Budget/backpacker Peaceful Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise Wild camping Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Chemical disposal Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Nearby farmers' market Public transport nearby Shop nearby

Type

Farm Medium (26-50 pitches) Pub campsite

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Leisure/theme park nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Surf school nearby Tennis nearby Watersports nearby

Touring and motorhomes

Motorhome service point

Location

Tarka Trail Camping

Lower Yelland Farm

Yelland

Devon

England

EX31 3EN

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London BST (GMT+01:00)

GPS

51.07206°N
4.15486°W

Nearest transport

Coach
0.3 mi Post Office
1.3 mi New Inn
1.4 mi New Inn
Rail
4 mi Barnstaple Rail Station
6.8 mi Chapelton (Devon) Rail Station
9.1 mi Umberleigh Rail Station
Ferry
1.9 mi Instow Ferry Landing
2 mi Appledore Ferry Landing
4.3 mi Bideford Ferry Landing

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

The traffic-free Tarka Trail is a top pick for walks and bike rides around here. The 30-mile section that runs adjacent to the site follows the route of an old railway, so it's fairly flat (excellent news for occasional walkers/cyclists). Bike hire is available at the old station by Fremington Quay (three miles away by road/a mile and a half's walk along the trail), where there's also a café and heritage centre. Wildlife spotters should check out RSPB Isley Marsh (under a mile by foot), where waders galore are drawn to a peaceful saltmarsh. Serious birdwatchers can head out for the day to to Lundy Island: the ferry leaves Bideford (10 minutes' drive) several times a week and takes around two hours. For a day at the beach, head to Instow (a five-minute drive), a sandy riverside spot with sweeping views over the estuary that's popular with sailors and windsurfers. If you fancy taking to the waves, catch the Instow to Appledore Ferry across the Taw. Westward Ho! (15 minutes) is home to another fine beach and is a hub for surfers, kayakers and paddleboarders (with kit for hire) as well as go-karting.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Westward Ho! 4 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Saunton Sands 4.2 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Croyde Bay 5.5 mi Sea N/AGoodExcellentGood
Putsborough 5.8 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Woolacombe Village 7.3 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

RHS Garden Rosemoor 8.9 mi

Castle Drogo 30 mi

National Trust

Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum 9 mi

Heddon Valley 14 mi

Watersmeet 18.6 mi

Lundy 22.9 mi

Finch Foundry 25.7 mi

Cycle routes

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

Other

ISLEY MARSH (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 05/04/1990) 0.2 mi

TAPELEY PARK 2.4 mi

Northam Burrows - Coast Path - Appledore - Diddywell - Northam Burrows 3.5 mi

SAUNTON COURT 3.9 mi

Saunton - Croyde - Putsborough - Fruit and Nut Trail 4.2 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.

Want to know more about camping in Devon?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Tarka Trail Camping have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Tarka Trail Camping dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Tarka Trail Camping? The traffic-free Tarka Trail is a top pick for walks and bike rides around here. The 30-mile section that runs adjacent to the site follows the route of an old railway, so … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Tarka Trail Camping?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  6 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Tarka Trail Camping? From £30 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.