Looking For A Good Campsite In Devon or Cornwall

[ScottC]

Hope this is in the right place...

For those who have been to Cockingford Campsite in Dartmoor (I believe this is where the dartmoor meet was held?) is there any information on what it's like, whether they are bushcraft friendly, facilites, places of interest in the area. Also, how far to the coast is it?

Any info is much appreciated, cheers. Or if there are any other good campsites in the Cornwall/Devon area you can think of by all means let me know.

Cheers,
Scott.

 

[leon-1]

Hi Scott, Cockingford is approximately 2 Km South of Widecombe In The Moor so you are still a fair way from the coast, probably about an hours drive. It sits in a natural valley that is steep sided and due to the nature of Dartmoor the weather is changeable.

It borders on a managed forestry to the south which is mixed, but mainly larch and has a stream/river running down it's Western side. You are allowed fires next to the stream / river, the best place for this is right down the end as long as you haven't got a muppet that is trying to hog the site.

The nearest shops are in Widecombe itself and the only shop to buy food in is the post office / general store (they don't take electron cards), there are no cashpoints in Widecombe, about the closest would be Bovey Tracey which is on the outskirts of Dartmoor.

Be aware that there are virtually no places for setting up a hammock on the site itself (otherwise Johan would of been of the ground when he came over)

As far as being friendly to bushcraft is concerned, the owners are very nice people and they don't seem to mind axe wielding looneys down the bottom of the site, it's a good place to practice skills, but it is preferable to have transport to move around the moor itself so that you can get to some really good places.

Dartmoor is a good place for working on naviagtional skills (both static and mobile) this is partly due to the tor's, but it is preferable that you go with someone that knows the area to start with.

If you go to the site take a tick removal tool with you as they are getting more prevalent on Dartmoor nowadays.

As far as facilities go they are basic, it has a toilet block that also includes showers (showers are 20p for so many minutes) and you can buy eggs from the farm shop (also the same place that you pay for the site). That's about it mate

I like the place, but as falling rain has mentioned it is getting more popular and as such it is starting to attract some people that are not overly pleasant.
At the same time it's also attracting people that are nice and are trying to move into wild camping that find this a good place to start. Hope this helps,

Leon

 

[ScottC]

Thanks a lot Leon, given me a lot to think about. I see your down in devon, any other good campsites around your way you can reccomend?

 

[leon-1]

To be honest Scott I don't normally use camp sites.

When I originally started to work for Nortel down here, I was living in a campsite for so many days a week or wild camping (I did that for about 4 months), but I chose one for it's proximity to my old place of work. Having said that it was a good enough site, but not overly Bushcrafty (no open fires). It's called Holly Gruit and it's on the outskirts of Paignton, it has a shop, a bar showers and you are about half a mile from a large Sainsbury's which as most of them have nowadays a cashpoint.

Paignton is part of Torbay (The British Riviera), for me I have about a miles walk and I am in the Dart Valley, with otters, foxes and a load of wildlife that you barely ever see. Paignton is a seaside town, you are near the coast (normally within 20 minutes no problems) to be honest I don't like the town itself(from my way of thinking it's a dump), but the outskirts of it and the surrounding area are beautifull.

If you want I can look into some of the local ones for you, see what I can dredge up. It may also be worth asking tomtom as he is from down this end of the world as well

Or I could change the name of the thread to "Trying to find a decent campsite in Devon" and hopefully that will bring in all the guys from down here and give you more choice

 

[falling rain]

There are some beautiful walks around there too. When we had the first Cockingford meet-up, a friend of mine (Tom) took us all for a lovely walk along the Dart river and up over the moor on the way back. It was a lovely day out and we all had a swim in the dart river. I expect the others who were there will agree it was a good day.
There's also a good walk over the moors from Widecombe to a very nice pub called the Warren House Inn which stands all on it's own on the moor with a lovely view overlooking the moor. It's nice to sit outside on a summers day, and there are some nice old photos, and fascinating history of the place on this site of the pub http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/warren_house.htm
and the story of 'salted down feyther' http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/salted_down_father.htm

 

[ScottC]

Or I could change the name of the thread to "Trying to find a decent campsite in Devon" and hopefully that will bring in all the guys from down here and give you more choice

That's great thanks Leon, please do but can you put Devon or Cornwall as we're looking for somewhere in that whole sort of area. Beautiful part of the country.

Cheers.

 

[leon-b]

well i am going to a campsite in st ives cornwall in 3 weeks time its a great site and it even has its own lovely sandy beach about a 10 minute walk away, i wouldnt say it is a good site for bushcraft purposes as you cant light a fire and it also has a big lively club. but if you want to get away from all of that you can take a lovely walk in the sand dunes that is what i done last year and i plan to do it again this year
leon

 

[Ahjno]

Hi Scott, Cockingford is approximately 2 Km South of Widecombe In The Moor so you are still a fair way from the coast, probably about an hours drive. It sits in a natural valley that is steep sided and due to the nature of Dartmoor the weather is changeable.

Oh yes ... from a nice warm sunshine to a heavy downpoor in only minutes ...
Continuïng for only about 16 full hours non stop though, so it's not that bad really :aargh4:


Now, a few weeks later I can laugh at it, but never experienced something like that in my life before

It borders on a managed forestry to the south which is mixed, but mainly larch and has a stream/river running down it's Western side. You are allowed fires next to the stream / river, the best place for this is right down the end as long as you haven't got a muppet that is trying to hog the site.

X marks the spot. Neil1 (showing off in his BCUK t-shirt) & leon-1 are the guys in the pic. Leon was the die hard using the tent

Wasn't that bad, was it?
Leon made a new friend called Fraser. He was very interested in the Bushtucker Man, and smoked funny cigarettes

The nearest shops are in Widecombe itself and the only shop to buy food in is the post office / general store (they don't take electron cards), there are no cashpoints in Widecombe, about the closest would be Bovey Tracey which is on the outskirts of Dartmoor.

Use the foothpath to go through some fields, and the last few miles normal road. Beware for cars in all their forms ... Campervans ... blue cars who think they own the road, etc.

Be aware that there are virtually no places for setting up a hammock on the site itself (otherwise Johan would of been of the ground when he came over)

YES!
They nicked all trees!!
There are a lot of those wooden things in the forrest next to the campsite (climb the fence / gate. Look for small dead pine trees you can push over and drag to your site - don't cut green like those amateurs).

Found a nice alternative - had to share it with 2 mice though

As far as being friendly to bushcraft is concerned, the owners are very nice people and they don't seem to mind axe wielding looneys down the bottom of the site, it's a good place to practice skills, but it is preferable to have transport to move around the moor itself so that you can get to some really good places.

Dartmoor is a good place for working on naviagtional skills (both static and mobile) this is partly due to the tor's, but it is preferable that you go with someone that knows the area to start with.

Make sure though that knowledgeable person don't takes the mickey, when he let you to navigate

If you go to the site take a tick removal tool with you as they are getting more prevalent on Dartmoor nowadays.

Although I didn't encountered any ticks on me, it's good to have.

As far as facilities go they are basic, it has a toilet block that also includes showers (showers are 20p for so many minutes) and you can buy eggs from the farm shop (also the same place that you pay for the site). That's about it mate

Make sure your in the shower and stripped And put the coin in over the door / wall. This way you got more warm water time

They do have toilet paper But it's ... well ... what it's ment for .

I like the place, but as falling rain has mentioned it is getting more popular and as such it is starting to attract some people that are not overly pleasant.

Don't complain so much You made a new friend!!!

At the same time it's also attracting people that are nice and are trying to move into wild camping that find this a good place to start. Hope this helps,

Leon

The stream you take your water from.

Johan

EDIT: It's so cool as a dutchie to comment on a UK campsite