South Hoggs Hideaway

Around the place where North Devon becomes North Cornwall, there are a lot of worthy places. There’s Woolfardisworthy, Bradworthy and Holsworthy, to name just a few. But, if you’re into back-to-nature camping, it’s this place, South Hoggs Hideaway, that we think is most worthy of the lot. It’s a five-acre campsite that’s shared by just seven pitches and a single bell tent. It’s dog-friendly, eco-friendly, campfire-friendly and just ten miles from seaside Bude.

This new-in-2022 site is part of a 27-acre plot owned by Devon couple Michaela and Mark. The five-acre field that’s given over to campers in the summer is neighboured by a similarly-sized wood with a lake that you’re welcome to wander. The rest is grazing land. It’s a quiet place that lives up to its name but 'hideaway' though it is, it’s not too far from anything your holiday heart might desire. There are shops and eateries in Holsworthy, about five minutes’ drive away. And, from there, you’ll find exploring on foot or by bike is easy on footpaths and marked cycle routes. The Cornish coast at Bude is ten miles due west and Devon’s Bideford is 18 miles north of here.

While it’s the location that most will head here for, there’s much to recommend the hideaway itself. Camping pitches are spacious and grassy in a field that slopes towards the trees of the neighbouring wood, behind which the sun goes down and in which deer can sometimes be spotted. Once the sun has set behind the trees and the temperature drops, it’s time to light the campfire. Those are welcome, with an off-ground fire pit at each pitch provided, along with a picnic bench or other outdoor seating.

The bell tent, which is let furnished with a log-burning stove, offers greater camping comfort but it’s all off grid and kept relatively simple. The site is part of the Greener Camping Club and you can expect everything that goes with that. There’s a commitment to recycling and eco-friendly practices with a choice of composting and flushing loos. Facilities, which include hot showers and washing-up sinks, have been hand-built with reclaimed materials wherever possible. All things considered, it’s a place that’s worthy of your attention.