Ranch campsites in Fernworthy Forest

Woodland walks, lakeside picnics, and Bronze Age ruins are the highlights of this Dartmoor forest.

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United Kingdom
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England
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Fernworthy Forest

100% (1 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Fernworthy Forest

2 top ranch campsites in Fernworthy Forest

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West Holme Glamping, Dorset

6 units · Glamping20 acres · Wareham, Dorset, South West England

West Holme Glamping is a micro-site with pre-erected bell tents in the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Just the job for romantic mini-breaks or holidays for small families, it's set in 20 acres, so there’s plenty of privacy and lots of space to roam around. The bell tents here come equipped with a double bed, rugs, picnic tables, lanterns, a gazebo and a gas barbecue. The three showers and three toilets are shared between six tents.. You'll just need to bring your own bed linen and towels or add them to your booking. You can explore the area by car – medieval castles, beaches, National Trust sites and the Jurassic Coast are all less than half an hour’s drive away. Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove are 20 minutes' drive away. Pretty market towns like Dorchester (also 30 minutes) or seaside resorts like Swanage (20 minutes) are all worth a mosey, while historic Wareham has Saxon town walls and riverside churches to explore. The sandy beaches of Studland and Swanage are also within half an hour's drive of the site. If you’re feeling energetic, the Isle of Purbeck has plenty of walks and bike rides on the rocky peninsula overlooking the English Channel, as well as parts of the South West Coast Path. The local farm shop is a five-minute walk and sells the very best of local Dorset produce if you fancy cooking on the barbecue. And if you don’t, there’s a cosy tea shop attached, and there are plenty of gastropubs serving real ales and great grub in less than a 15-minute drive too.

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Rosebud Ranch

1 unit · Glamping13 acres · Umberleigh, England

A single bell tent in the Devon countryside – with alpacas for neighbours

Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Ranch campsites in Fernworthy Forest guide

Overview

Set on the banks of the Fernworthy Reservoir at the heart of the Dartmoor National Park, Fernworthy Forest has some of the NP’s most rewarding short walks. Follow the lakeside trail, enjoy bird-watching or fish for brown trout around the lake, then stop for a picnic by the lakeside. Hikers can choose from a variety of forest trails. Explore Bronze Age stone circles, follow scenic woodland walks, and spot herds of native Dartmoor ponies grazing the moors. There are no campsites at Fernworthy Forest, but wild camping is permitted—pitch your tent beneath the trees for a real back-to-nature experience.

When to go

July and August are the peak season in Dartmoor National Park, and popular spots such as Fernworthy Forest can get crowded—parking is limited, so get there early. Forest walks can be enjoyed year-round, but it’s most magical in autumn, with its canopy of fall foliage. Dartmoor weather is notoriously changeable, so pack a sweater and raincoat even in summer.

Know before you go

Fernworthy Forest is located north of Dartmoor National Park, about a 15-minute drive southwest of Chagford. There is a pay and display car park by the entrance to the forest.
Restrooms are located at the forest car park, but there are no other facilities, so bring everything you need with you. The closest village is Chagford, which has a few pubs and small shops.
Trout fishing is possible on the lake between March and October, and fishing permits can be purchased on-site.
Parts of the lakeside trail are accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
Dartmoor National Park is one of the few places in the UK where wild camping is permitted. Tents must be pitched away from roads and attractions, and large group camping is not allowed.
Dartmoor has free-roaming ponies, sheep, and cattle, and these animals have the right of way on moorland roads. There is a strict speed limit of 40 mph throughout. It is a fineable offense to feed any of the animals in the park, and visitors are also advised to keep a distance for their own safety—these are feral animals and may kick or bite.