Tarka Trail Camping

View prices & book 9.3 165 reviews
Nice and flat pitches (added by manager 18 Jan 2023)
Estuary view pitch
Grass pitches
Spacious pitches

  • 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 sites 20
RV sites 20
Travel trailer sites 5
Open now
Opens March 23
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).

Languages spoken

English

Open from Sat, Mar 23 to

Pitch types & availability

Reviews

95%

would recommend this site to a friend

93%

would stay here again

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Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

Great site, easy to find, fabulous views. A really enjoyable stay.

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

Powered grass RV campsite

Liked: The welcome was friendly & the pitch was a good size & pretty flat. The views were gorgeous even when we were watching the rain approaching to eventually batter us along with the wind for a short spell. The following days were lovely and we used the Tarka trail running along the edge of the site to cycle with bikes brought to the site by Olli from Instow cycles (details supplied on site). Easy bus trips to Barnstaple or Bideford with stops at the entrance to the site. The washroom/toilets & wash up facilities looked new and were kept immaculately, and the grey waste & chemical waste likewise. Highly recommended.

Disliked: The only possible thing negative was the showers were a little cool when out of the lovely warm water. Time of year I guess and not a big issue. Would I come back? yes. Would I recommend? Yes.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely, clean site. Toilets and showers seemed like brand new. The site…

Overall 10/10
Location 8
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
nisha B. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass RV campsite

Liked: Lovely, clean site. Toilets and showers seemed like brand new. The site was right on the tarka trail which also led to the coastal path, so definitely a good site for walkers or cyclists. There is also an on-site micro- brewery - an interesting experience of nothing else!

Disliked: More sun and less rain would be great for next time, please 😆

Recommend to friends Visit again

What a fantastic little campsite, I real find. Shower block is amazing,…

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

Powered grass RV campsite

Liked: What a fantastic little campsite, I real find. Shower block is amazing, while site spotlessly clean and direct access straight into tarka trail! What more could you ask for.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely site with stunning views, well looked after and access to the…

Overall 10/10
Location 8
Value for money 8
Accommodation No rating
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 4
Peter T. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass RV campsite

Liked: Lovely site with stunning views, well looked after and access to the Trail through a gate at the boundary of the site. We were given a pitch on the boundary with an uninterrupted view of the Tawe Estuary which was very much appreciated. Must bring some bikes next time. Owners were very friendly and helpful and the Toilet/Shower block is probably the best I have seen, warm, modern and spotlessly clean.

Disliked: Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Location is great for walking or cycling on the Tarka Trail The…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 8
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Steve F. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass and gravel travel trailer campsite

Liked: Location is great for walking or cycling on the Tarka Trail The shower and toilets are great very modern

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great clean site

Overall 10/10
Location 8
Value for money 6
Accommodation 8
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 8
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
STEPHEN R. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass RV campsite

Liked: Great clean site, easy access to Tarka Trail. Toilets/showers immaculate.

Recommend to friends Visit again

We would definitely recommend this campsite to others

Overall 8/10
Location 10
Value for money 8
Accommodation 8
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 8
Child friendliness 8
Cleanliness 8
Wifi No rating
Emma C. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass RV campsite

Liked: We really enjoyed our stay. A great location for cycling and facilities were very clean.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Location - right on the Tarka Trail location meant we could go…

Overall 8/10
Location 10
Value for money 6
Accommodation 8
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 8
Wifi 2
Alison R. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass RV campsite

Liked: Location - right on the Tarka Trail location meant we could go either way for a great cycle. Didn't use amenities so can't comment.

Disliked: The price for a grass pitch with electric we felt £44 a night overpriced.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Site is "Proper job"

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
david K. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered grass and gravel travel trailer campsite

Liked: Easy to find with good access. Very level pitches. Lovely shower block with phone charging outside. Well set out for servicing moterhomes. Lovely sunsets. A few feet from the Tarka trail and an easy walk or cycle to Instow its beach and great pubs. Bus service takes you easily around the area so you don't have to drive.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Impeccably maintained, excellent value for money and location

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 M. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Primitive grass campervan campsite

Liked: I recently stayed at the Tarka Trail Camping site, and it was a fantastic experience. The campsite was impeccably maintained, the staff were super friendly, the facilities were spotless, and having direct access to the Tarka Trail was a huge bonus. There was also a micro-brewery on site which was a nice touch which sold hot food but i didn't get a chance to eat/drink there. I highly recommend this campsite to anyone looking for a peaceful, well-serviced camping break.

Disliked: Not being able to stay longer! (my choice though)

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

Baby-changing facilities Bath available Car parking by site/unit 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 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 Wildlife haven

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 Medium (26-50 sites) Pub campground

Accessibility

Disabled facilities

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 2020 2019 2018 2017
Westward Ho! 6.5 km Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent
Saunton Sands 6.8 km Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent
Croyde Bay 8.8 km Sea N/A Good Excellent Good
Putsborough 9.4 km Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent
Woolacombe Village 11.7 km Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent

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.

Nearest sites

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

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?
    RV, travel trailer and tent sites
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  6:30 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Tarka Trail Camping? From $54.08 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.