Efford Down Campsite

View prices & book 9.1 65 reviews
Visitor image of the site
Visitor image of the site
Visitor image of the sunset over the site
Spectacular cornish coastline
Bude
Surfing in the bude area
By night
Arrival
View of bude as it was getting dark
1/50
Visitor image of the sunset over the site
Spectacular cornish coastline
Bude

  • 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.

Campground type

Tent sites 10
RV sites 10
Rent a tent 2
Open now
Opens May 1
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • Group bookings of 4 or more units (e.g. tent, caravan, RV or accommodation hire) traveling together are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Group bookings of 6 or more adults are not permitted (couples and immediate family members excepted).
  • Single-sex bookings of 4 or more people (couples and immediate family members excepted) are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • No bachelor/bachelorette parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Twin axle vehicles are not permitted on site.
  • Minimum spacing of 2 metres between pitches.
  • If making a fire, the fuel, logs and coal have to be purchased on site.
  • Guests are advised to bring a good quality flashlight with them as parts of the park are unlit.
  • Bookings must not consist of more than 4 different households.
  • 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 Thu, May 1 2025 to

Campsite types & availability

Accommodation

Tent sitesCamper sitesRV sitesLodges, cabins, pods or hutsMobile homes for rentRent a tent
Choose your dates
2 adults
0 children

Reviews

9.1

Overall rating from 65 Pitchup.com customers

  • 64%
    10
  • 4%
    9
  • 21%
    8
  • 1%
    7
  • 4%
    6
  • 0%
    5
  • 3%
    4
  • 0%
    3
  • 0%
    2
  • 0%
    1
Location
 10
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 9
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 9
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 4
Peaceful

91% would recommend this campground to a friend

92% would stay here again

What customers say

Great location near Bude town & beach! Back-to-basics, clean facilities, peaceful vibe. Some sloped pitches. Showers & charging could improve. Good value, many would return.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 7
Arrival date (latest first)

Quiet, plenty of space to choose a pitch, good views, central to…

Overall

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

Primitive grass campervan, tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Quiet, plenty of space to choose a pitch, good views, central to town. Friendly owners. Clean toilets and showers and never a queue!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great site, good facilities and would highly recommend.

Overall

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

Primitive grass campervan, tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Good facilities, great location. Sort walk to coastal path and town centre. Very friendly staff on arrival. Overall excellent experience, would love to stay there again!!

Disliked Nothing really apart from site is on a slope which made a few things awkward. Being picky though!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Close to the centre, clean facilities and friendly staff

Overall

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

Primitive grass campervan, tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Location is excellent in terms of Bude, a few minutes walk. Clean toilets and shower. Responsive host.

Disliked The slope is quite steep, if you are sensitive to having a flat surface to sleep on this might not be the site for you.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent location for Bude. Good showers.

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 7
Accommodation
 8
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 6
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 8
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Primitive grass campervan, tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Quiet campsite and superb location, 5 mins walk into Bude, the beach and the cafes/restaurants. Good showers and flushing toilets. Outdoor shower also.
Pub literally at the entrance to the site and dog friendly.

Disliked Quite hilly so better if you have levelling blocks but still doable without. Nobody onsite while I was there to check in or ask anything (not a big issue but just to note).

Recommend to friends Visit again

Nice back to basics site.

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 5
Customer service
 5
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 No rating
Wifi
 No rating
Karen C.

Primitive grass campervan, tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Bet back to basics site, but as described. Views are fabulous. Great location for a stroll into Bude, it’s on your doorstep. Well kept field.

Disliked Nothing. As expected.

Recommend to friends Visit again

How close it was to the town…

Overall

7 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 6
Accommodation
 6
Facilities / Activities
 5
Customer service
 7
Child friendliness
 7
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 1
Laura M.

Primitive grass campervan, tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked How close it was to the town

Recommend to friends Visit again

Very good experience.

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 No rating
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Sue G.

Primitive grass campervan, tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Amazing facilities. Clean toilets, hot showers. Best we’ve had using pitch up. Walking distance to Bude beach and centre. Would definitely recommend.

Disliked Nothing.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Location, relaxed site, showers…

Overall

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

Primitive grass campervan, tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Location, relaxed site, showers

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Clean toilets and bathrooms and appreciated the option for an outdoor shower…

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 5
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 1
Anonymous

Bell tent

Liked Clean toilets and bathrooms and appreciated the option for an outdoor shower - great after a swim or surf. Also liked the clear guidelines around no noise after 10pm. Lovely quiet site.

Disliked Mattresses in the bell tents could do with an upgrade.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Simplicity. We loved the no frills basic amenities. Idea location…

Overall

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

Primitive grass campervan, tent or trailer tent campsite

Liked Simplicity. We loved the no frills basic amenities. Idea location for town and great view . Campsite and facilities were spotless.

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

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 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 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

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 Tiny (1-10 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

Bus
0.3 mi The Strand
20 mi Nelson Road
20.1 mi Bideford Quay
Rail
25.1 mi Okehampton Rail Station
25.9 mi Gunnislake Rail Station
26.4 mi Coombe Junction Halt (Rail Station)
Ferry
20.1 mi Bideford Ferry Landing
22.2 mi Appledore Ferry Landing
22.4 mi 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).

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Summerleaze 0.4 mi Sea N/AExcellentGoodGood
Crooklets 0.7 mi Sea N/AExcellentGoodGood
Northcott Mouth 1.6 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentN/A
Widemouth Sand 2.3 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Sandymouth 2.4 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Tintagel Castle 14.3 mi

RHS Garden Rosemoor 19.7 mi

Rock Beach 25.2 mi

Cornwall's Crealy Great Adventure Park 28.6 mi

National Trust

Tintagel Old Post Office 14.3 mi

Lawrence House 15.3 mi

Lydford Gorge 23.1 mi

Lundy 23.9 mi

Cotehele 26.9 mi

Cycle routes

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

Other

Bude - Canal and Nature Reserve 0.1 mi

Bude - Canal and Coast 0.1 mi

Bude to Sandymouth 0.4 mi

Poughill - Bude - Northcott Mouth 1.5 mi

Battle of Stratton, 1643 1.5 mi

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 campgrounds

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable campgrounds.

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? Yes 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
  • How much does it cost to stay at Efford Down Campsite? From $36.05 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.