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South Town Farm

100%

· Barnstaple, England

6 acres hosted by Danielle S.

1 lodging site · 10 tent sites

Private sites

100% of recent Hipcampers say the sites felt private.

South Town Camping opened for a month back in 2018 to see how guests would take to its private 10-pitch rural retreat; it still being here now should tell you everything you need to know. Tucked away in North Devon's Arlington estate, amid twenty-plus miles of footpaths and bridleways, this is a campsite designed by committed campers and it shows.

The grass pitches are spacious, with paths leading to them mown into the wildflower meadows, all set within six acres kept peaceful (and safe for the kiddies!) by the absence of cars—simply roll your belongings to your tent with the help of a super-sized wheelbarrow. At the centre of the camping fields, hay meadows are left to grow throughout the summer, providing an almost-wild aesthetic befitting of the sprawling surrounding woodland of which you'll enjoy uninterrupted views. Watch the sunset to the west right from your tent and, on clear nights, you'll have an enviable spot to take in the starry skies. If you don't fancy pitching a tent, a shepherd's hut is also available, a cosy option for couples with outdoor seating for those nights cooking by the fire.

Given that this is a campsite belonging to the environmentally-conscious South Town Farm, your time staying at the site will be as eco-friendly as possible. Your hosts take care of 200 acres of this estate, having National Trust tenancy of South Town and managing its grasslands, which remain unimproved to maintain the unique biodiversity of the region. In keeping with this ethos, your available amenities also won't impact the land—there are composting loos, a gas-powered warm shower and cold drinking water pumped directly from the mains to the sheltered washing-up hut.

Despite South Town Camping's position out in the sticks, it's within excellent reach of its neighbouring beaches, all a short drive away. Woolacombe beach will likely be the first port of call for sun-chasers, given its reputation as not only one of the best beaches in the West Country, but one of the best in the world — two miles of sloping sand facing the Atlantic Ocean, and a favourite for families and surfers with thousands descending upon it each year. Or, if you don't fancy feeling the sand between your toes, multiple marked walks await you directly from your tent — embark on a ramble through the ample woodland and emerge at the Pyne Arms, the nearest pub, where award-winning food awaits.

Natural features

Forest

Field

100%

7 ratings · 6 reviews

Deborah M.recommends

August 18, 2023

South Town Farm

Amazing camp site

The site is beautiful, very quiet, the only noise was the birds, including buzzards, sparrow hawks, swallows and stone chats. The sites is clean and the showers hot. The hosts are really helpful. If you want noise, play parks and an onsite pub, don't come here. If you want the peace and quiet and amazing sunsets, places for the children to run around safely and get close to nature, this is most definitely the place for you. I highly recommend this site, my grandchildren aged 4, 6, 9 and 10 loved it.

Jo T.recommends

August 14, 2023

South Town Farm

Great campsite, friendly owners, peaceful, beautiful views.

Hannah S.recommends

July 9, 2023

South Town Farm

South Town Farm was a lovely campsite! Beautiful views and wonderfully quiet. One shower, which was pleasantly warm (but did get a little cold if taps were used), and two compost toilets. Would definitely return!

Chloe ?.recommends

July 9, 2023

South Town Farm

Highly recommended!!

It is a lovely spot, so quiet, lovely camping circles spaced out from others spots so not disturbed at all by other campers. We camped in the lower field and had lovely sunsets. Would definitely recommend for quiet camping!

Jackieandrade ?.recommends

August 20, 2022

South Town Farm

Perfect campsite

My favourite campsite this summer! Very peaceful, generous pitches with firepits, and lovely hosts who even called to check we were okay when we were caught by torrential rain while cycling.

Paul T.recommends

July 30, 2022

South Town Farm

Idylic back to nature camping

This is now my favourite north devon site. It's located in a beautiful and peaceful corner of exmoor with some lovely views. It's a nice size with only 12 pitches and lots of space between them. Pitches are very closely mown and fairly level with big swathes of widlfower grassland in between. The 4 other groups there were families and all were quiet. Facilities are simple but they're all you need. The compost loos and shower were very clean. Don't be put off by compost loos, they had no smell and were the cleanest I've seen. The shower was decent and hot with enough space to put your clothes and towel where they won't get splashed. The bags of logs are more generously sized than some I've seen too and they provide sturdy firepits. The farm is managed for conservation and there are some black boards in the washing up hut describing some of the wildlife on the farm which is a nice touch. There are also some useful large maps with notes on local attractions etc. A good point is the pitches being on the west side of big hedgerows, so you see the sun go all the way down but your tent doesn't get too hot in the early morning. All in all a wonderful spot for the coast or Exmoor.

Location

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

Hosted by Danielle S.

Joined in December 2021

From the host

South Town Camping opened for a month in 2018 to see how guests would take to its private 10-pitch site. Tucked away in North Devon's Arlington estate, amid twenty-plus miles of footpaths and bridleways, this is a campsite designed by committed campers and it shows. The grass pitches are spacious, with paths leading to them mown into the wildflower meadows, all set within six acres kept peaceful (and safe for the kids!) by the absence of cars — simply roll your belongings to your tent with the help of a super-sized wheelbarrow. At the centre of the camping fields hay meadows are left to grow throughout the summer, providing an almost-wild aesthetic befitting of the sprawling surrounding woodland of which you'll enjoy uninterrupted views. Watch the sunset to the west right from your tent and, on clear nights, you'll have an enviable spot to take in the starry skies. If you don't fancy pitching a tent a shepherd's hut is also available, a cosy option for couples with outdoor seating for those nights cooking by the fire. Given that this is a campsite belonging to the environmentally-conscious South Town Farm, your time staying at the site will be as eco-friendly as possible. Your hosts take care of 200 acres of this estate, having National Trust tenancy of South Town and managing its grasslands, which remain unimproved to maintain the unique biodiversity of the region. In keeping with this ethos, your available amenities also won't impact the land — there are composting loos, a gas-powered warm shower and cold drinking water pumped directly from the mains to the sheltered washing-up hut. Despite South Town Camping's position out in the sticks, it's within excellent reach of its neighbouring beaches, all a short drive away. Woolacombe beach will likely be the first port of call for sun-chasers, given its reputation as not only one of the best beaches in the West Country, but one of the best in the world — two miles of sloping sand facing the Atlantic Ocean, and a favourite for families and surfers with thousands descending upon it each year. Or, if you don't fancy feeling the sand between your toes, multiple marked walks await you directly from your tent — embark on a ramble through the ample woodland and emerge at the Pyne Arms, the nearest pub, where award-winning food awaits.

Nearby attractions

The site is located in the National Trust's Arlington Estate, meaning that you have miles of footpaths directly accessible from the site. Take a two-mile walk to Arlington Court (01271 850296), a neoclassical country house built in the early 19th century, with picturesque Victorian gardens to explore along with the National Trust Carriage Museum. Long walks with a backdrop of a dramatic coastline can be enjoyed at Exmoor National Park, a 10-minute drive away from the site and with a unique landscape of valleys, moorland and woodland to traverse, also enjoyed by the wild deer and ponies that call the park their home. For beach-goers, the site is positioned within a short driving distance of the North Devon Coast. Woolacombe Beach is an obvious port of call, voted one of the best beaches in the world by TripAdvisor travellers, and reachable in a little over a 30-minute drive. You can also get to the river-port town of Barnstaple in 15 minutes, which has a high street for perusing along with its traditional Pannier Market, or the village of Combe Martin in 20 minutes, a hidden gem with a small and secluded beach for sunbathing.

Food and drink

The closest pub is the Pyne Arms (01271 850055), which is a 10-minute drive away or, if you're feeling adventurous, an hour's walk through the woods. This country pub boasts award-winning food with a menu of local and fresh produce, though keep in mind it's closed on Mondays. The Black Venus (01598 763251) at Challacombe is a 20-minute drive, with a pleasant pub garden for afternoons with a drink in the sun, along with a pool and games room at its rear. You'll find pubs, restaurants and cafes in the nearby quaint village of Combe Martin, while you can purchase meat straight from the farm at the Bess Hill Farm Shop, only a couple of miles away from the site, along with essentials for your stay.

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