Bales Ash Campsite

View prices & book 9.6 81 reviews
The pitch (added by manager 23 Aug 2022)
View over the grass pitches
Relaxed atmosphere
Cream teas including gluten-free and vegan options

  • Chilled camping as it used to be but with quality free hot showers
  • Within half an hour's drive of Exmoor, Dartmoor and the Tarka Trail
  • Firepits for hire on site; a 15-minute drive from RHS Garden Rosemoor
With a low carbon footprint, views to make your eyes water, homemade cakes and scones and a warm welcome for the pooch… it's no surprise that guests glow with warmth about the spacious Bales Ash Campsite near Umberleigh. Described by its amiable owners as 'a little green campsite in the heart of north Devon', Bales Ash sits up above the Taw Valley amid countryside of the beaut variety and fab views across to nearby Exmoor. The Tarka Trail is within easy driving distance and the (also fab) surfing beaches of north Devon are within 35 minutes' drive of the site. As you might expect from a site that endorses 'camping as it used to be', the vibe is relaxed and friendly. The amenities are kept to a spotless standard and include three hot showers, three eco-friendly compost loos, a shared portable toilet and outdoor Belfast sinks with hot and cold water. Wifi is available and guests can charge phones for free in the shower block. Water at Bales Ash comes from the site's borehole and is treated to provide pristinely clean fresh drinking water; tap water standpipes are also on each pitching field. All of the electric comes from 40 solar panels. There's also recycling collection. Teas and cakes can be baked on request (surely something to request as soon as you arrive) and the owners specialise in top-notch gluten-free baking. There's a shop selling cakes on site. And then settle down to stargaze or to sit by a firepit (for hire for a small charge): guests glow with warmth about the quiet of this place too.

Site type

Tent pitches 25
Motorhome pitches 25
Rent a tent 1
Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 2
Open all year
Opens
Please note
  • The site does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).
  • Twin axle vehicles are not permitted on site.
  • At least one of the party members must be aged 18 or over.

Languages spoken

English

French

German

Spanish

Pitch types & availability

Reviews

99%

would recommend this site to a friend

98%

would stay here again

  • 83%
    10
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    9
  • 12%
    8
  • 0%
    7
  • 3%
    6
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    1

Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

Just fabulous

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 N. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Shepherd's hut

Liked: We stayed in the shepherd's hut with our 2 dogs for one night. We loved everything. It was clean and the accommodation was beautiful with all the things you need. Debbie was a lovely host and we've already booked to go back again.

Disliked: Nothing to dislike

Recommend to friends Visit again

Clean and well ran estate

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Chris M. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Electric grass tent or motorhome pitch

Liked: Thanks to Debbie and the team we had a wonderful stay at Bales Ash Campsite, nothing was to much to ask we forgot out kettle and she even had one of those we could borrow. Lovely campsite and very knowledgeable about surrounding areas thanks Debbie see yous all next year.

Disliked: Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Level large pitches , clean facilities, fab host

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

Electric grass tent or motorhome pitch

Liked: We loved our stay at bales ash , Debbie was a fantastic host. Very welcoming. Very well kept , very clean . Lovely little shop for all your essentials . Fire pits to hire with logs etc for a proper camping experience . So much space for the family to play games. Our dog loved it and was made very welcome . I highly recommend trying Debbies cakes. She made one for our sons birthday all gluten free for our needs and it was fantastic . Debbie was very knowledgeable on places to eat in the area . There's some lovely walks for the dog . Love that it's all very eco friendly. We will 100% be returning to bales ash campsite .

Disliked: Absolutely nothing to dislike. It's fab

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great back to basics camping, with clean facilities & a laid back vibe

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

Electric grass tent or motorhome pitch

Liked: Debbie was very laid back about arrival times & putting a group of us (roller derby teammates) together. We had loads of space & paid extra for our own private portaloo. The main shower block, recycling & washing up facilities were a short walk away & clean & tidy & never busy. The campsite was friendly & peaceful & was close to the river where we swam at Umberleigh & played on paddle boards & kayaks (wasn’t deep enough for fins but ok for a play around). We enjoyed being able to have a camp fire each night & enjoy hanging out together. I had electric hookup for my van & it was well priced. I’d stay again, handy being half an hour from home but far enough into the countryside that it felt like a little holiday.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lots of space. Great host. Toilets and showers cleaned regularly. Great views…

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

Non-electric grass tent or motorhome pitch

Liked: Lots of space. Great host. Toilets and showers cleaned regularly. Great views and amazing sunsets

Disliked: Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely quiet chilled stay!

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
Jessica P. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Electric grass tent or motorhome pitch

Liked: Loved how quiet and relaxed it was here! Really chill vibe. The owners were so friendly and helpful! Lovely people! Our dog loved it!

Disliked: Nothing.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent site, friendly, clean, quiet and nice level pitches.

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Milly H. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Electric grass tent or motorhome pitch

Liked: The campsite was perfect! Not too busy and everyone was so friendly, facilities were clean. Perfect for a weekend get away.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Everything you need. Peaceful, clean and friendly and helpful staff

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Sam F. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

The Horse Box cabin

Liked: Amazing views Peaceful

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely site, so much space! Great location to travel to lots…

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

Electric grass tent or motorhome pitch

Liked: Lovely site, so much space! Great location to travel to lots of lovely beaches & other days out. Showers & shop were great. Loved the honesty box/tab - so convenient and loved the trusting attitude! Very dog friendly 🐶 Amazing sky-scape for stargazing 💫 Owners - Debbie & co…were wonderful, super friendly, helpful, seriously relaxed attitude!! Loved it ❤️

Disliked: Not so keen on the separator toilets, a bit of a struggle for little people…but this was overcome by booking our own portaloo next to our pitch. Lovely site, so much space! Great location to travel to lots of lovely beaches & other days out. Showers & shop were great. Loved the honesty box/tab - so convenient and loved the trusting attitude! Very dog friendly 🐶 Amazing sky-scape for stargazing 💫 Owners - Debbie & co…were wonderful, super friendly, helpful, seriously relaxed attitude!! Loved it ❤️ 👍

Recommend to friends Visit again

Amazing site, with a friendly atmosphere and great pitches

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Non-electric grass tent or motorhome pitch

Liked: Super friendly atmosphere, honesty boxes for the shop and plenty of fire wood for your campfire

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

Bath available Car parking by pitch/unit Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Launderette Local produce Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

D. of E. welcome Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Rallies welcome Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Themes

Budget/backpacker Peaceful Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise Wild camping

Utilities

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

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Public transport nearby Shop nearby

Type

Medium (26-50 pitches)

Accessibility

Disabled facilities

Nearby leisure

Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horse riding nearby Leisure/theme park nearby Restaurant nearby Surf school nearby Watersports nearby

Location

Bales Ash Campsite

High Bickington

Umberleigh

Devon

England

EX37 9BL

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

50.95563°N
-3.98211°W

Nearest transport

Coach
12.4 km The Square
12.4 km The Square
14.7 km Bus Station
Rail
2.2 km Portsmouth Arms Rail Station
4.6 km Umberleigh Rail Station
5.8 km Kings Nympton Rail Station
Ferry
17.1 km Bideford Ferry Landing
17.6 km Instow Ferry Landing
18.3 km Appledore Ferry Landing
Airport
47 km Exeter International Airport

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

A number of scenic strolls are directly accessible from the site, such as the easy one-hour round walk to two local pubs, or the hike to Woodland Trust land on Kingford Hill. The north Devon stretch of the South West Coast Path is a little further away. Within easy reach by car, the scenic beaches of Croyde, Woolacombe, Saunton, Putsborough and Westward Ho! will give days upon days of sunbathing, surf lessons, swimming, rockpools, kitesurfing and coasteering. The Tarka Trail, a series of footpaths and cycle paths through north Devon, is a short drive away; alternatively, cycle to one of the stations along the Tarka Line train route running for 39 miles between Exeter and Barnstaple. Also in the region, you could get green at the RHS Rosemoor Gardens or Broomhill Sculpture Garden; try National Trust attractions like Arlington Court; hike the Heddon Valley or visit the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon to see what's been what in the area throughout the ages. And if you have kids, they'll be glowing with happiness after days out at Devon family-based attractions like The Big Sheep, Exmoor Zoo, Watermouth Castle and Family Theme Park and Atlantis Adventure Park.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020 2019 2018 2017
Westward Ho! 20.3 km Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent
Saunton Sands 24.5 km Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent
Croyde Bay 26.5 km Sea N/A Good Excellent Good
Putsborough 26.9 km Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent
Combe Martin 28.3 km Sea Poor Poor Poor Poor

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

RHS Garden Rosemoor 11 km

Castle Drogo 31.3 km

Exeter Cathedral - Church of Saint Peter 40.9 km

The National Trust Killerton House & Gardens 41.1 km

National Trust

Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum 21.2 km

Finch Foundry 25.4 km

Heddon Valley 29.2 km

Castle Drogo 31.3 km

Watersmeet 32.3 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

KING'S NYMPTON PARK 5.9 km

Eggesford Station - Eggesford Barton - Nethercott - Eggesford Station 10.7 km

CASTLE HILL 11.5 km

GREAT TORRINGTON CEMETERY 12.1 km

TAPELEY PARK 16.3 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 Bales Ash Campsite have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Bales Ash Campsite dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Bales Ash Campsite? A number of scenic strolls are directly accessible from the site, such as the easy one-hour round walk to two local pubs, or the hike to Woodland Trust land on Kingford Hill. … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Bales Ash Campsite?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  noon –  10 p.m.
    Depart by:  11:30 a.m.
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  10 p.m.
    Depart by:  10:30 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Bales Ash Campsite? From €71.53 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.