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Elmar's Place

60%

· Bude, England

1 acre hosted by Ella P.

2 tent sites

Staff verified

Accuracy verified by Hipcamp's on-the-ground team.

Nearly wild camping on the border of Devon and Cornwall

One compost loo and one or two pitches in just under one acre—that’s about all there is at Elmar’s Place in Devon. There’s no electricity and mobile phone reception is a bit sketchy. But this is a nearly wild campsite and it shouldn’t be measured in standard campsite terms. It may have only the simplest of facilities but it has plenty of other things to recommend it. There are, for example, lots of briars and brambles. There are wildflowers, bees, butterflies, birds, and a babbling brook. And, on a cloudless night, you can look up and see more stars than you’re able to count. Those are the kind of things that make this place special.

This tiny, wild-ish site, occupies an irregular-shaped and slightly sloping piece of land in the far west of Devon, close to its border with Cornwall. It’s a peaceful place that’s hosted by Ella and Mark, hence the name: Elmar’s. They live nearby and manage their plot with a light touch even readying the pitches here with a scythe rather than a strimmer. Anyone who stays here is asked to give it the same care: that means bringing what you need—including your water—and taking everything away. Having said that, the quiet roads in this part of the West Country are popular with cyclists and if you come on two wheels, Ella and Mark will do what they can to help you. That might mean bringing you 20 litres of water, supplying logs for a campfire and taking care of your rubbish and recycling, but you’ll need to organise it all in advance.

Whether you’re on two wheels or on four, you’ll find the Devon town of Holsworthy is the closest place for picking up supplies. It’s about five miles away. For a day out, you’ll likely head 10 miles in the other direction, to Bude on the North Cornish coast. There, you can swim in the open-air tidal pool or surf on the beach. There are good places to eat and opportunities for adventure; walking on the South West Coast path or coasteering which basically means jumping off it. It’s an activity that might complement the camping at Elmar’s: in their own ways both are pretty wild.

Elmar’s place (letting nature be!) is in a rural location between Holsworthy and Bude (the nearest towns) right on the North Devon/North Cornwall border. The site is fairly remote, a few miles from the nearest village, 5 miles from Holsworthy and about 10 miles from Bude and the spectacular North cornish coast. The site has been set aside as a small nature refuge for a number of years, although paths and clear areas for pitching tents are maintained. There is also a parking space for one vehicle. The surrounding area is a great location for walkers and cyclists, with quiet roads and footpaths allowing easy exploration for the slightly adventurous traveller. A wide variety of wildlife and habitats are all nearby so bring some binoculars and you might be surprised what you see ! Elmar's Place is also located under some of the darkest skies in the country making it a good location for star gazing on a clear night.

Activities

Biking

Boating

Fishing

Hiking

Natural features

Beach

Forest

Lake

River, stream, or creek

60%

5 ratings · 4 reviews

Mark M.

July 21, 2024

Elmar's Place

St Swithuns Day deluge

Site was exactly as advertised and easy to find. Also, is on the new Tamara Coast to Coast Way. Unfortunately it poured most of the day and all night so the ground was a bit boggy. However in a short break in the rain we were visited by a Tawney Owl close up which was a treat.

Deborah S.

June 26, 2024

Elmar's Place

Private woodland glade

Excellent host, Ella contacted us before our stay to offer drinking water and give entry instructions. Compost loo well kept and firewood provided for campfire. On first impressions we wondered if the ground was suitable for a comfortable camp as quite a few roots sticking up, but once tents were pitched we had no problems at all. Very private.

Jamie R.recommends

April 28, 2024

Elmar's Place

Nice Spot

Really nice spot. Shame it was rainy as it got a bit muddy, but it’s nice and out of the way and was really relaxing. Cheers 👍

Felix C.

July 27, 2023

Elmar's Place

Great for basic camping!

If you truly love nature and very simple camping then I would recommend Elmar's Place for you, here you can escape the concrete and completely immerse yourself in lush green flora. Don’t expect any posh amenities as Elmar’s takes it right back to basics, with a composting toilet on site and that is it! So do come prepared with everything you’ll need for you stay. Sadly my visit was a bit of a wash out but with some insight I can tell this place would be magical in the dry and with a bit of sunshine. The ground is fairly uneven, so bring with you anything you might need for a comfy nights sleep, a camp bed with legs would probably be a good solution. Parking and access is really easy, the parking space is just off the road which does run past the site but it’s a quiet country lane and doesn’t have much traffic. The parking space isn’t huge and is on a slight angle so you would struggle to get anything bigger than your average VW camper on there. There is a quaint little stream that runs along the back of the property which would provide a lovely atmosphere on a quiet evening. The site hosts plenty of beautiful bird life, it would be a great spot to just pitch up and enjoy nature at it’s best. The surrounding area is picturesque farmland and lots of quiet country lanes to go walking on. It’s an easy self check in at Elmar’s so I didn’t get to meet Ella, but she was responsive and helpful throughout via message. Thank you for having me!

Location

Bude, England, United KingdomTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking

Hosted by Ella P.

Joined in April 2022

From the host

Elmar’s Place is in a rural location between Holsworthy and Bude (the nearest towns) right on the North Devon / North Cornwall border. The site is fairly remote, a few miles from the nearest village, 5 miles from Holsworthy and about 10 miles from Bude and the spectacular North cornish coast. The site has been set aside as a small nature refuge for a number of years, although paths and clear areas for pitching tents are maintained. There is also a parking space for one vehicle. The surrounding area is a great location for walkers and cyclists, with quiet roads and footpaths allowing easy exploration for the slightly adventurous traveller. A wide variety of wildlife and habitats are all nearby so bring some binoculars and you might be surprised what you see ! Elmar's Place is also located under some of the darkest skies in the country making it a good location for star gazing on a clear night.

Nearby attractions

Elmar’s Place is near the village of Pyworthy in the very west of Devon, close to its border with Cornwall. The single track lanes around the site are nice for walking and cycling and the closest town is the market town of Holsworthy (five miles). The site is about nine miles from the coast with Bude the closest place to access the beach. It has a semi-natural, tidal sea pool and surf schools and surf hire available. Other nearby beaches include Widemouth Bay, a couple of miles to the south, and Crackington Haven. Tintagel with its coastal castle is 24 miles to the south and the South West Coast Path provides a great walking route around all these coastal highlights. It’s 10 miles to Tamar Lakes where there are watersports available and just over 20 miles inland to Dartmoor National Park.

Food and drink

This is rural Devon and although the closest pub to site, The Molesworth Arms in the closest village Pyworthy, is only about a mile away, it is open infrequently. It’s advisable to ring ahead and check. Another option for a drink, if your stay coincides with it, is the Village Hall Social which happens every other week on a Friday or Saturday. Ask Ella or Mark for details. For food, perhaps try The Bridge Inn at Bridgerule (three miles). The village also has occasional visiting mobile food vans for takeaways. There are more options in Holsworthy (five miles) where you’ll find the closest shops too. Try The White Hart, The Kings Head or The Rydon Inn. If you’re headed towards the coast, there’s a supermarket towards Bude and plenty of places to eat there too.

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