Campgrounds for backpackers in South West England

Fire Beacon Camping

• Peaceful wild campsite with views of Devon countryside near Sidmouth
• A 20-minute drive to Branscombe beach; 25 minutes from Exmouth
• Just off the East Devon Way and close to the South West Coast Path

Firebeacon Farm

• Quiet Devon pop-up site on a family farm with lovely Exe Valley views
• Tiverton 10 minutes' drive away; 20 minutes to the edge of Exmoor
• Farm beef available to buy; footpath access to Knightshayes Court

Mawla Wild Camping

• Beautiful quiet field with views and nature all around.

Meadow Brook Camping

• Family-friendly pop-up site on the Devon coast one mile from the beach
• A 15-minute drive from Saunton Sands and Woolacombe beach
• Hose for wetsuits and wellies; a short walk from pubs and farm shops

Stoke Fleming Rough Camping

• Frill-free coastal site 20 minutes' walk from Blackpool Sands beach
• On the edge of Stoke Fleming village; 10 minutes' drive from Dartmouth
• Spectacular views across Start Bay; a few minutes' walk from a pub

Mendip Camp

• Spacious back-to-basics rural site in the Mendip Hills
• A 10-minute drive from Cheddar Gorge and 25 minutes from Wookey Hole
• Dog-friendly site with wood available for campfires

Fosters Farm

• Unfussy motorhome stop on grass pitches, just off the M5 in Somerset
• A 15-minute drive to Burnham-on-Sea, and 30 minutes to Cheddar Gorge
• Simple, dog-friendly field site close to a cider pub and supermarkets

Mendip View Camping

• Repurposed tour bus a 10-minute drive from the Mendip Hills, Somerset
• Cheddar Gorge 25 minutes’ drive; Weston-super-Mare half an hour
• Fully equipped kitchen; private wetroom; woodfired hot tub

Monkey Chop Farm

• Dog-friendly site on a farm surrounded by the Dorset countryside
• A 25-minute drive to the Jurassic Coast; 45 minutes to Chesil Beach
• Pubs, farmers market within easy reach; fishing and kayaking nearby

Sunset View Camping

• Relaxed family campsite on the western edge of Exmoor National Park
• Five minutes' drive to Ilfracombe; Woolacombe 10 minutes
• Kids' play area and small-on site shop for essentials

Swallows Meadow

• Small, scenic rural site 10 minutes' drive from Camelford
• Within 20 minutes' drive of beaches and Bodmin Moor
• Tintagel Castle, Port Isaac and coast path within 25 minutes' drive

North Cornwall Campsite @Pool Cottage

• Simple off-grid Cornwall site on a smallholding near Camelford
• Port Isaac, Tintagel and Polzeath beach within 20 minutes' drive
• Dog-friendly site with private bathrooms; easy access from A39

Moving Mountains Basecamp

• Group-oriented activity-focused site a mile from Westerleigh
• A 20-minute drive from Bristol and half an hour from Bath
• Lots of on-site activities including archery, bushcraft and footgolf

Perranporth Youth Hostel

Tamar View

• Peaceful, rural paddock site with far-reaching views over Tamar Lakes
• Watersports at Tamar Lakes Activity Centre under 10 minutes’ drive
• A 15-minute drive from Sandymouth beach and the coastline around Bude

Glebe Farm Camping

• Peaceful South Hams farm site in Stoke Fleming, with sea views
• A five-minute drive from Dartmouth; half an hour from Salcombe
• Blackpool Sands beach and South West Coast Path a short walk away

The Cider Vat

• Peaceful pitches in a Devon cider orchard near Exbourne
• A 15-minute drive to Okehampton and Dartmoor National Park
• Cider tours and sampling on site, plus well-stocked farm shop

The Field of Stars

• Spacious, natural site on an organic beef farm in Cornwall's far west
• A 20-minute drive from Penzance and 35 minutes from St Ives
• Livestock, far-reaching rural views and archeological remains on site