Tarka Trail Camping

View prices & book 9.5 144 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.

Campground type

Tent sites 20
RV & Motorhome sites 20
Caravan sites 5
Open now
Opens 28 March
Please note
  • The campground/park does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dog Act (i.e. 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

Site types & availability

Reviews

  • 73%
    10
  • 6%
    9
  • 15%
    8
  • 0%
    7
  • 2%
    6
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    5
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    1
Location
10
Value for money
9
Accommodation
9
Facilities / Activities
9
Customer service
9
Child friendliness
8
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
8

97% would recommend this campground to a friend

94% would stay here again

What customers say

Top-notch, clean facilities and spacious spots. Lovely estuary views, right on the Tarka Trail. Handy bus to town. Microbrewery's a bonus. Some thought it a bit pricey, wished for laundry.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews. Last updated 09/06/2026

Reviews page 1 of 15
Arrival date (latest first)

Perfect spot to explore by bike or on foot.

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

Powered grass motorhome site

Liked Turning into the driveway you follow the arrows passing ageing farm buildings and old vehicles - hmmm.. but when you turn into the camping field it's just WOW! Well spaced pitches and a fabulous view across the estuary. The amenities are top notch and immaculate. A gate takes you straight on to the Tarka trail. We enjoyed several bike rides and walks with Bideford in one direction and Barnstaple in the other.
I highly recommend this site and we will come again.

Disliked Apart from our initial thoughts on the entry there is nothing to dislike.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Facilities are very good.…

Overall

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

Unpowered grass tent or trailer tent site

Liked Facilities are very good.

Disliked Pitch we were given was in the middle of the field. We had no protection from high winds which changed direction and caused extra problems. Timer sensor on lights in showers are too short if having a shower later in evening, when there is no other users going in and out! No obvious area for ordinary waste for disposal. Everything appears to be recycling but bins are not clearly labelled e.g. food waste?

Recommend to friends Visit again

vear good

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
No rating
Value for money
7
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
No rating
Anonymous

Powered grass motorhome site

Liked nice clean site , no hassel , just turn up and pitch up

Disliked scruff on way in ?

Recommend to friends Visit again

Highly Recommended and excellent facilities

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
Shane P. 2 reviews

Unpowered grass campervan site

Liked Site was well looked after and the toilet facilities was extremely clean and well presented.

Disliked Nothing to dislike

Recommend to friends Visit again

Fantastic site and brilliant 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
Gemma T. 1 review

Unpowered grass campervan site

Liked Fantastic site and brilliant location

Recommend to friends Visit again

Good site we recommend it

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
8
Facilities / Activities
6
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10

Powered grass motorhome site

Liked Great location. Ideal for the lower Tarka Trail. View over the estuary. Good wi Fi.
Toilets new and very clean. All in all very much as expected if not better.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Good pitch size. Great having direct…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
9
Facilities / Activities
8
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10

Unpowered grass motorhome site

Liked Good pitch size. Great having direct access to the Tarka Trail. We walked with our dog to Instow beach in around half an hour, then got a bus back from Instow to bus stop about 5 mins walk to campsite.

It was an incredibly hot couple of days when we were at the site so we were glad of the shady areas with picnic benches where we could sit with our dog.

Shower and toilets are modern and very clean.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Everything…

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
Anonymous

Unpowered grass campervan site

Liked Everything

Recommend to friends Visit again

The site, was quiet and we…

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

Unpowered grass campervan site

Liked The site, was quiet and we had lovely views over the estuary. The showers and toilets were immaculate. The site is on the Tarka trail, so it is easy to get around and there is plenty to do in the area, including a micro brewery!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely little campsite straight onto the…

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

Powered grass and gravel caravan site

Liked Lovely little campsite straight onto the cycle path. Very welcoming owners.
Beautiful clean toilets and showers.
Very querky brewery next door. Very querky owners. Lovely smooth beer, worth a visit. Tastes pizza as well.
Definitely will return.

Disliked None

Recommend to friends Visit again


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 Laundry 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 Dump point Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Convenience store nearby Dog walk nearby Nearby farmers' market Public transport nearby

Type

Farm Medium (26-50 sites) Pub campground

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 +0100 (GMT+01:00)

GPS

51.07206°N
4.15486°W

Nearest transport

Coach
0.5 km Post Office
2.2 km New Inn
2.3 km New Inn
Rail
6.4 km Barnstaple Rail Station
11 km Chapelton (Devon) Rail Station
14.7 km Umberleigh Rail Station
Ferry
3 km Instow Ferry Landing
3.2 km Appledore Ferry Landing
6.9 km 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! 6.5 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Saunton Sands 6.8 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Croyde Bay 8.8 km Sea N/AGoodExcellentGood
Putsborough 9.4 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Woolacombe Village 11.7 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

RHS Garden Rosemoor 14.4 km

Castle Drogo 48.3 km

National Trust

Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum 14.6 km

Heddon Valley 22.5 km

Watersmeet 29.9 km

Lundy 36.9 km

Finch Foundry 41.3 km

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) 0.3 km

TAPELEY PARK 3.8 km

Northam Burrows - Coast Path - Appledore - Diddywell - Northam Burrows 5.7 km

SAUNTON COURT 6.2 km

Saunton - Croyde - Putsborough - Fruit and Nut Trail 6.8 km

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 caravan
    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 $57.10 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.