Efford Down Campsite

8.8 185 reviews
Visitor image of the site
Visitor image of the site
Visitor image of the sunset over the site
Bell tent exterior
Both of the bell tents
Exterior
Visitor image of the views
Outside eco toilets (chaps)
Sinks for teeth brushing and hand washing
1/68
Visitor image of the sunset over the site
Bell tent exterior
Both of the bell tents

  • Pick your own pitches at this back to basics camping field in Cornwall
  • A five-minute walk from Bude and the South West Coast Path
  • Spacious hillside pitches; barbecues and dogs permitted
No frills but in a splendid hillside setting on the north Cornwall coast… pitches at Efford Down Campsite are in a sloping farm field that's great for family breaks. Located five minutes' walk from Bude and its independent shops, cafés and pubs, it's also within easy strolling distance of supermarkets for picking up self-catering supplies. There’s plenty to do outdoors too: a five-minute walk will see you surfing off Summerleaze beach, or you can potter down to Bude Sea Pool for a swim in less than 10 minutes. There’s also direct access to the South West Coast Path from the campsite, for action-packed days hiking headlands, or gentler ambles along Bude Canal and around the fishing harbour. But that’s not all – there are canoe and mountain bike rentals, pony trekking and golf courses all within a few minutes' drive, and you can try your hand at coasteering, sea kayaking and surf kayaking from local activity centres too. There are no designated pitches here, so you'll be able to choose your own camping spot from what’s available when you arrive in the gently sloping field. Simple facilities at the site include running water, toilets, showers and plenty of space to park cars by your pitch.

Site type

Tent sites 21
Rent a tent 2
RV sites 21
Open now
Opens May 1
Please note

Occupancy

  • Bookings must not consist of more than 4 different households.
  • Group bookings of 4 or more units travelling together are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Group bookings of 6 or more adults are not permitted (couples and immediate family members excepted).
  • No bachelor/bachelorette parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Single-sex bookings of 4 or more people (couples and immediate family members excepted) are not permitted via Pitchup.com.

Safety

  • If making a fire, the fuel, logs and coal have to be purchased on site.

Admission

  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • Toilet rolls are not provided, please bring your own. Please note: your booking confirmation email should be printed and displayed on the driver's side of your vehicle's dashboard.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Fri, May 1 to

No availability here for your search criteria

Reviews

8.8

Overall rating from 185 Pitchup.com customers

  • 51%
    10
  • 13%
    9
  • 18%
    8
  • 7%
    7
  • 5%
    6
  • 2%
    5
  • 0%
    4
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    3
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    2
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    1
Location
 10
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 9
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 8
Child friendliness
 9
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 5
Peaceful

94% would recommend this site to a friend

92% would stay here again

What customers say

Superb spot near Bude town & beach, offering a chill, "back-to-basics" vibe. Clean facilities, hot showers get nods. Peaceful, spacious site loved by many. A few mention sloped pitches or rare hot water/toilet hiccups.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews. Last updated 2026-09-08

Filter by topic

Reviews page 1 of 19
Arrival date (latest first)

Great location

Overall

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

Primitive grass campervan, tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Perfect location and laidback atmosphere

Disliked Tepid showers

Recommend to friends Visit again

No thrills campsite, just pitch up and go Excellent will stay again

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 8
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 8
Wifi
 No rating
Daniel F. 1 review

Powered grass campervan, tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Lovely relaxed Camp site
Very close 5min walk into Beautiful Bude

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely time enabling us to attend the Jazz Festival with ease.

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 8
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Diana S. 1 review

Primitive grass campervan, tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Simplicity and central location.

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Site is close to the town…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 No rating
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Simone N. 4 reviews

Primitive grass campervan, tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Site is close to the town
It was clean and tidy

Recommend to friends Visit again

Best simple camping…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Neal M. 9 reviews

Primitive grass campervan, tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Best simple camping

Recommend to friends Visit again

Toilets and showers were basic but…

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 8
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
 Emma W. 1 review

Primitive grass campervan, tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Toilets and showers were basic but had everything we needed. Location is fab, so close to town which was great because the weather was horrendous 😀 very quiet everyone very friendly. Super easy... just turn up and pop confirmation info in window so no faff. Location was great for Internet signal.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Convenient for Bude Jazz Festival Easy…

Overall

7 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 6
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 6
Customer service
 8
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 7
Wifi
 No rating
David M. 2 reviews

Powered grass campervan, tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Convenient for Bude Jazz Festival
Easy going site

Disliked Very basic
No lighting in shower and minimal in toilets

Recommend to friends Visit again

One of the best places we camped

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 1
 Neal M. 9 reviews

Primitive grass campervan, tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Great easy going friendly campsite. In close range to the beach and walks on the cliffs

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great little site.

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 8
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 7
Customer service
 No rating
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 7
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Primitive grass campervan, tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Location was excellent. Nice hot showers.

Disliked Mens toilets were blocked during our stay which meant the womens were shared.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great location.

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 6
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 5
Customer service
 No rating
Child friendliness
 5
Cleanliness
 8
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Primitive grass campervan, tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Great location, easy reach to town. Best campsite for ease of Bude.
Showers were good.

Disliked Toilets are small
Noisy birds
Had a coffee van but wasn’t open.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

No dogs allowed

Campfires allowed

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 Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Free wifi Grocery store Ice pack freezing Internet access Laundromat 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 No dogs allowed

Themes

Budget/backpacker Hikers’ paradise Peaceful 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 Nearby farmers' market Public transportation nearby

Type

Farm Small (11-25 sites)

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horseback riding nearby Indoor pool nearby Leisure/theme park nearby Mountain biking nearby Outdoor pool nearby Restaurant nearby Surf school nearby Tennis nearby Watersports nearby

Location

Efford Down Campsite

Vicarage Road

Bude

Cornwall

England

EX23 8LJ

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London +0100 (GMT+01:00)

GPS

50.82588°N
4.54941°W

Route directions

As you travel from Bude towards Widemouth Bay, you will pass the Brendon Pub on your right-hand side. Immediately after the row of houses that are to the left of the Bendon Pub, there is a secret entrance lane. While driving down the leafy entrance lane, please drive very carefully and slowly. Please do not drive through the stone pillar driveway next to the property.

Nearest transport

Coach
0.5 km The Strand
32.2 km Nelson Road
32.4 km Bideford Quay
Rail
40.4 km Okehampton Rail Station
41.6 km Gunnislake Rail Station
42.5 km Coombe Junction Halt (Rail Station)
Ferry
32.4 km Bideford Ferry Landing
35.8 km Appledore Ferry Landing
36 km Instow 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

Around Bude, there are plenty of things to keep you busy. This pleasant resort has half a dozen different beaches to explore, with sandy spots, secluded coves, rockpools and the saltwater Bude Sea Pool to try out. Just out of town, you can escape the hustle and bustle at Widemouth Bay (five minutes' drive), or for a peaceful few hours of sport you could make a day of it at Bude and North Cornwall Golf Club (five minutes), where visitors are welcome. The South West Coast Path (five minutes' walk from base) has ample hiking opportunities for serious walkers (and less serious ones who fancy a shorter jaunt to some of north Cornwall's less accessible beaches). Good public transport services run along much of the route, making it possible to loop back to base in Bude by bus rather than walking the long way home. For families, this part of Cornwall has Tintagel Castle (35 minutes) with its connections to King Arthur; the village of Tintagel also has caves and a toy museum to keep the kids occupied. Alternatively, take them for a go on the rides, slides and flumes at Camel Creek Family Theme Park (50 minutes).
(within 10 km)
Castle, Aquarium, Theme park and Zoo (within 16.1 km)

Food and drink

  • The Brendon Arms Pub 0.1 km
  • Brendon Arms Pub 0.1 km
  • Olive Tree Restaurant 0.2 km
  • The Castle Restaurant 0.4 km
  • Bencoolen Inn Pub 0.4 km
  • La Bocca Restaurant 0.5 km
  • Silver River Chinese takeaway Restaurant 0.5 km
  • Tian Di Restaurant 0.5 km
  • The Carriers Inn Pub 0.5 km
  • The Globe Pub 0.5 km

Groceries

  • North Coast Wine Off-licence 0.6 km
  • Landsdowne Supermarket 0.6 km
  • Sainsbury's Supermarket 0.7 km
  • The Co-operative Food Supermarket 0.7 km
  • Lidl Supermarket 1.5 km
  • Morrisons Supermarket 1.5 km

Parks and play

  • The Triangle 0.5 km
  • Berries Avenue Field 1.1 km
  • Kings Hill Woods 1.3 km
  • Goldsworthy Field 1.7 km

Family days out

  • The Old Forge 0.3 km
  • Bude Tunnel 0.7 km
  • The Venue 1.4 km

Public transport

  • Valley View 0.4 km
  • The Strand 0.5 km
  • Barclays Bank 0.5 km
  • Bencoolen Road 0.5 km
  • Berries Avenue 0.6 km
  • Killerton Road 0.6 km
  • The Garage 0.6 km
  • Co Operative 0.7 km
  • Post Office 0.7 km
  • Co-op 0.7 km

Beaches

  • Summerleaze Beach 0.5 km
  • Compass Cove 0.6 km
  • Middle Beach 1 km
  • Crooklets Beach 1.2 km
  • First Cove 1.3 km
  • Maer Low Cliff beach 1.5 km
  • Maer High Cliff Beach 1.7 km
  • Furzy Cove 1.9 km
  • Pearce's Cove 2 km
  • Vinegar Cove 2.1 km

Other nearby

  • The Strand Shopping Centre 0.5 km
  • Bude Pitch & Putt Golf course 0.8 km
  • Bude & North Cornwall Golf Course 0.9 km
  • Ivyleaf Golf Course 4.1 km

Local services

  • Neetside Doctors 0.4 km
  • TSB Cashpoint 0.5 km
  • Shell Fuel station 0.6 km
  • Boots Pharmacy 0.6 km
  • J Hyman Pharmacy 0.6 km
  • Post Office Cashpoint 0.7 km
  • Stratton Hospital 2.3 km
  • Stratton Medical Centre Doctors 2.3 km

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Must see

Tintagel Castle 23 km

RHS Garden Rosemoor 31.7 km

Rock Beach 40.6 km

Cornwall's Crealy Great Adventure Park 46 km

National Trust

Tintagel Old Post Office 23.1 km

Lawrence House 24.7 km

Lydford Gorge 37.1 km

Lundy 38.4 km

Cotehele 43.4 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

Bude - Canal and Nature Reserve 0.2 km

Bude - Canal and Coast 0.2 km

Bude to Sandymouth 0.7 km

Poughill - Bude - Northcott Mouth 2.4 km

Battle of Stratton, 1643 2.4 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 Cornwall?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Efford Down Campsite have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Efford Down Campsite dog friendly? No View all features
  • What attractions are near Efford Down Campsite? Around Bude, there are plenty of things to keep you busy. This pleasant resort has half a dozen different beaches to explore, with sandy spots, secluded coves, rockpools and the saltwater Bude … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Efford Down Campsite?
    RV, travel trailer and tent sites
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  9 p.m.
    Depart by:  noon
    On-park accommodation
    Arrive:  4 p.m. –  9 p.m.
    Depart by:  noon
    Read more