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
