Hideaway Camping
UK England South West England Devon Okehampton
Higher Melbury, Northlew, Okehampton, Devon EX20 3PG
It takes an imaginative eye to create a place as special as Hideaway Camping, a remote, aptly named 24-acre campsite at the end of a private track in rural Devon. What to you and I may appear a rag-taggle of interwoven branches and overgrown trees, to them was the prime setting for a fairy glade, with tiny fairy doors, secret grottos and an enticing, natural entrance woven out of living willows. A tall cluster of young birch trees? Why that should become a hammock garden, of course. And those rocks? Well, roll them out, winch them up and we have our very own miniature Stonehenge, a ‘Hideaway Henge’ around the campfire.
It’s this synergy between the campsite owners’ creative ideas and the varied wilderness of the setting that makes Hideaway such a perfect spot. Great mature trees encircle the field, nature trails snake among the forest and the pond is left serene, untouched and wild. At its heart, of course, is the large, flat camping meadow itself, with heaps of space for pitching your tent and for little ones to run wild. A covered cabin offers plenty of facilities – showers, proper loos, a shared kitchen area – and there’s a rainy day space with books, board games and the like. Such things also inject an extra social element to the place. Children will have made friends for life here by the end of day one – even if some of them happen to be fairies.
The grass camping pitches are accompanied by a handful of quirky glamping options that continue the creative trend. There’s currently a romantic wooden shepherd’s hut and a gypsy caravan with an accompanying kitchen cabin and private compost loo. Coming soon are a classic American Airstream trailer that has been painstakingly restored over several years, and a pair of moulded 'calving igloos’; dome-shaped cocoons with a wood-burner, beds and soft furnishings inside. All have their own unique charm but share in the general vibe of the campsite – chilled out, carefree and campfire-friendly.
Should you make your way along the farm track and back to the outside world there’s ample opportunity to discover the rest of Devon. A convenient A-road whips you south to Dartmoor, which is less than 10 minute’s away by car, or, in the opposite direction, to Bude and the North Cornwall coast. And if the everyday hardships of ice-cream on the beach, walks in the moors and waterfall wandering in nearby Lydford Gorge leave you feeling run down, you can even return to massage therapies and herbal treatments back at camp. Who knew that the official home of relaxation was hidden down a half-mile lane in rural Devon?
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The Owner Says
A beautiful secluded campsite in Rural Devon on the edge of Dartmoor. Nestled within 24 aces of fields and woodland Hideaway offers camping and glamping, ideal for family holidays, group bookings and romantic geatawaysReviews
Add Your ReviewBeautiful, Relaxing, and Child Friendly
A beautiful setting
Excellent site, great hosts. A wonderful place to get away from it all.
Lovely place
A hidden beauty!
Amazing - camping at it's best
Great Friendly Camping
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Pitches
Tent camping across a grassy 24-acres, plus 1 shepherd's hut, 1 bowtop gypsy caravan, 1 Airstream trailer and 2 igloos (due for completion in late 2017).
Who's In
Campers, glampers, tents, families, couples – yes. Campervans, caravans, dogs – no.
Facilities
All tent pitches have their own firepit. Communal cabin space with sofas, log burner, books, board games, kids corner, local info and ablutions – 3 showers and 2 flushing loos. Extra, composting loos around the site. Shared kitchen with a cooker, microwave, fridge, pots and pans and basic utensils. Pond and wildlife area, nature trails, picnic benches and 'Hideaway Henge'. Recycling. Range of 1-hour therapies on offer (reflexology, reiki, massage, shamanic healing) costing £30 (half price for under-16s). All glamping accommodation is fully furnished (including bedding and linen), with log-burners, cooking facilities, real beds and more. See website for further individual furnishing details.
If it rains
Explore the three storeys of the Museum of Dartmoor Life (01837 52295) in nearby Okehampton. The museum tells the story of people on Dartmoor from prehistoric settlement to 20th-century mining and hill farming. Highlights include a reconstructed Bronze Age hut, Victorian kitchen, blacksmith's shop and farming exhibits.
Nearby
The top of the campsite's track meets a bridleway which runs through countryside from Okehampton to Holsworthy. It makes for a pleasant walk or cycling route directly from the site. The castle in Okehampton is a worthy destination too. It's the largest castle remains in Devon (03703 331181), set on a wooded spur above the rushing River Okement. It was originally a stone keep, built after the Norman conquest, but was transformed into a residence for the Earl of Devon in the 1300s. There is a riverside picnic area and beautiful woodland walks nearby. From Okehampton, it's easy to dive into Dartmoor National Park for walking, mountain biking and more. Visit Lydford Gorge (01822 820320), the deepest gorge in the South West with a spectacular 30m waterfall, or climb up the banks of impressive Meldon Reservoir. In the opposite direction it's an 35-minute drive to Bude and the beaches of the North Devon and Cornwall coast.
Food & Drink
The campsite is at the end of a long, private track, so it's a bit of a shlep to find the nearest pub. It's just under 4 miles to the excellent Clovelly Inn (01837 871447) in Bratton Clovelly but most things can be covered in Okehampton, including a superb fish and chippie (Kempley's Catch; 01837 52503). There are also 3 supermarkets, a butchers, grocers and newsagents, amongst other independent stores.
Open
All year round
The Damage
Camping £10 per night plus £4 per adult, £2 per child (5–16yrs), under-5s free. Gypsy caravan from £71–£80 per night (depending on length of stay). Shepherd's hut from £66–£75 per night (depending on length of stay).
Getting There
From the Exeter direction, follow the A30, go past the first Okehampton turning then come off at the Sourton Cross turn-off towards Holsworthy. Turn right at the junction onto A386. Go past the Shell garage on your left and keep going straight until you reach the roundabout. Turn left at the roundabout and keep going straight along the A3079 (for approx 5 miles). You will go through Thorndon Cross and a few minutes later will see The Railway Cottages on your right and a sign for Hideaway Camping. Turn here, go over the little bridge, bear left, then bear right and keep on going until you find the campsite car park.
From Launceston direction, follow the A30 and turn off at Sourton Cross. Turn left onto the A386 and keep going (past the Shell garage on your left) until you reach the roundabout. Turn left at the roundabout and keep going straight along the A3079 (for approx 5 miles). You will go through Thorndon Cross and a few minutes later will see The Railway Cottages on your right and a sign for Hideaway Camping. Turn here, go over the little bridge, bear left, then bear right and keep on going until you find the campsite car park.
Facilities
- Campfires permitted
- Children’s playground
- Exclusive Hire
- Good for kids
- Groups welcome
- Showers
Looking For...
- Beaches nearby
- Bicycle routes nearby
- Forests nearby
- Good walks nearby
- Nice Views from Site
- Remote location
- Romantic retreat
- Surfing nearby
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