Camping and Glamping in Mid Devon

There’s something about sleeping under canvas (or, these days, in a yurt with underfloor heating and your own bathroom) that a hotel room simply can’t replicate. Mid Devon has a good spread of both, from working farms where camping means falling asleep to the sound of the river and waking up to cows being milked, to glamping sites that have quietly perfected the art of being outdoors without giving anything up. Here’s where to pitch up or check in this summer.

West Middlewick Farm, Nomansland

A proper farm camping experience, and one with more going on than most. West Middlewick is a traditional, family-run dairy farm where you can meet the grass-fed British Friesian cows, watch the daily milking, and get properly acquainted with the sheep, pigs, chickens and goats. The farm takes its wildflower meadows and hedgerows seriously, and the River Dalch running through the site is clean and wildlife-rich enough that paddling is very much encouraged, a genuine highlight for children staying here.

The farm has two more reasons to visit even if you’re not camping. The new Hayloft Café is open for breakfasts, lunches, coffees, cakes, and a proper Devon cream tea (cream first, as it should be), with stunning views across to Exmoor. Alongside it, the Farm Shop stocks the farm’s own award-winning raw and pasteurised milk, farm-reared meats, seasonal fruit and veg, artisan cheeses and other local goods, all making West Middlewick feel less like a campsite with a shop attached and more like a proper destination farm.

Dog friendly and family friendly.

Forest Glade Holiday Park, Kentisbeare

Set in a forest clearing on the edge of the Blackdown Hills, Forest Glade offers both camping pitches and self-catering caravans, which makes it a flexible option whether you’re bringing your own tent or want something a little more set up for you. On-site facilities run to a covered heated swimming pool, sauna, games room, and an indoor soft play area alongside outdoor children’s play areas, plenty to keep a family occupied without ever needing to leave the park. There’s also a self-guided nature trail around the grounds and forest walks straight from the site.

What sets Forest Glade apart, though, is what it deliberately doesn’t have. There’s no bar, clubhouse or evening entertainment, the philosophy here is quality family time instead, whether that’s a barbecue, gathering round a fire pit, or making the most of genuinely good stargazing once it gets dark. For families wanting a proper switch-off rather than a holiday park with a packed evening schedule, it’s a refreshing approach.

Refreshments available on site, parking, and dog friendly.

Little Harford Campsite and Airbnb

Little Harford describes itself as “wild woodland camping,” and that’s exactly the feeling it delivers, a small, peaceful campsite set within a six-acre property, with the campsite itself occupying three acres of woodland. A winding path through the Lower Woodland leads down to a water meadow and a meandering river, with farmland, narrow lanes, tall hedgerows and rolling hills all around. It’s the kind of place that genuinely lives up to “relax and unwind,” rather than just saying it. An Airbnb retreat is also available on the same property for anyone in your group who’d rather not camp.

Dog friendly, with parking on site.

Glamping

Blackdown Yurts, Blackdown Hills

Four authentic Mongolian yurts tucked into a hidden valley in the Blackdown Hills, Blackdown Yurts is an award-winning example of what glamping can be when it’s done properly. The site has been deliberately kept small, with the idea that people need real time and space to relax in such peaceful surroundings, children can roam free, build camps, play games and make new friends, while adults tend to gravitate towards the fire with a glass of wine, watching the moon and stars come out. If you do want to venture further, there’s no shortage of walks, cycle routes and nearby attractions to recommend.

Dog friendly, with parking on site.

Exe Valley Glamping

Set within 150 acres of working family farm in the Exe Valley, this is glamping with serious breathing room, the kind of scenery and scale that makes a weekend feel like much more than two days off. The tents are well equipped without losing the sense that you’re genuinely outdoors, and the farm setting means there’s plenty of walking and exploring right from your doorstep.

As the Exe Valley Glamping team themselves put it, Mid Devon has an old-world charm and a sense of a bygone era that makes it especially appealing for anyone after an authentic UK staycation, and Exe Valley Glamping, tucked into the working farmland here, captures exactly that.

Dog friendly, with parking on site.

Grey Willow Yurts

Nestled in the heart of the Blackdown Hills AONB, one of the best places in the UK for stargazing, Grey Willow Yurts offers a small, family-run, off-grid set-up with comforts most off-grid sites don’t bother with: each of the three cabins has its own bathroom and facilities, and they’re spaced a generous 25 metres apart for genuine privacy and tranquillity. Stunning countryside walks lead straight from the doorstep, with Dartmoor and Exmoor both within easy reach for a day trip. Equally suited to a romantic escape, a dog-friendly break, or a family adventure.

Dog friendly, with parking on site.

Holly Water Holidays

Holly Water Holidays describes itself as an off-grid glamping escape, and the focus is entirely on The Beehive, a treehouse with its own wood-fired hot tub and a sauna with a view, the kind of combination that earns the description “a slice of heaven.” The farm is mainly dairy, but wander nearby and you’ll meet the rest of the resident livestock: a small flock of Dorset sheep, a herd of olde worlde English Longhorn cattle, pet Kune Kune pigs, a collection of “pesky” goats, and a few alpacas for good measure. A genuinely characterful spot for a couple’s escape or a milestone weekend away.

Refreshments available, with parking on site.

Leafy Fields Glamping

Luxury boutique glamping on a two-acre smallholding, Ingleton Farm, designed with a particular philosophy: give children the freedom to roam and explore while parents actually get to relax. It’s a thoughtful balance, and one that comes through in how the site is laid out, plenty of space, a real sense of safety, and accommodation that doesn’t compromise on comfort to get there.

Leafy Fields is also genuinely autism friendly, built by a neurodivergent family who understand what that actually means in practice. Rather than a token gesture, the whole site has been designed as a low-arousal, gentle environment, robust furniture, wooden doors, secure gates, and a calming sensory play room available to any family who needs it, no diagnosis required and no judgement. It’s the kind of thoughtful, lived-experience approach that makes a genuine difference to families for whom a “normal” holiday often isn’t restful at all.

Dog friendly, autism friendly, with parking on site.

Nymetwood Treehouses

Tucked into 20 acres of Devon countryside, Nymetwood is a family-run hideaway built for slow mornings and wide skies, with views across Dartmoor and only birdsong for company. The two luxury treehouses each have their own character: Starling Spa Treehouse comes with a private spa deck, hot tub, sauna and outdoor shower included, while Blackcap Treehouse sits higher on the hillside, with big skies and proper stargazing on tap. Both are built from sustainable timber, with deer wandering the surrounding meadow and woodland and owls calling after dark. Proper peace, and the kind that tends to stay with you.

Parking on site.

Valleyside Escapes

Tucked into the Exe Valley in the village of Bickleigh, right beside the River Exe, Valleyside Escapes is a Gold award winner at both the Devon Tourism Awards and the South West Tourism Excellence Awards, recognition that reflects a genuinely high standard of glamping in a genuinely special setting. Close to nature but well placed for exploring both north and south Devon, it’s the kind of hidden gem that feels like a proper escape without being in the middle of nowhere. Whether you’re coming with family, friends or as a couple, the valley location and the river on the doorstep make for a really special break.

Dog friendly, with parking on site.

Wootten Deer Park & Safari Lodges

Wake up to deer grazing outside your lodge, birdsong, and the soft rustle of leaves… and then hop in your own private golf buggy to explore the park at your own pace. That’s the Wootten experience in a nutshell, and it’s pretty unique. The wood and canvas Safari Lodges sit within the deer park itself, with private decks extending out into the grounds for an immersive wildlife experience. When you’re ready to slow down further, there’s a jacuzzi for stargazing, a fire to curl up by, and a sunken communal firepit a short stroll away for marshmallow toasting under the open sky. Equally suited to a romantic escape or a family adventure.

Dog friendly, with parking and EV charging on site.

Fairwater Lodges, Blackdown Hills

Two lodges set in the Blackdown Hills AONB, each with its own private wood-fired hot tub, but what sets Fairwater apart from other luxury glamping options is the personal touch. This is a family-run business, and it shows: you’re greeted on arrival, no request is too small, and if you’re celebrating a special occasion the team are happy to arrange something extra beforehand. As locals themselves, they’re also well placed to point you towards the best walks, attractions and places to eat nearby.
On the grounds there are two ponds, one for fishing, one a wildlife pond home to dragonflies, frogs, ducks and a yearly visit from Canadian Geese, plus sheep in the field outside the lodges. The Blackdown Hills on the doorstep offer wonderful walking, and both the north and south Devon coastlines are within easy reach for a day trip.

Dog friendly, with parking on site.

Plan Your Stay

For the full range of accommodation across Mid Devon, including more camping, glamping, and everything in between, visit visitmiddevon.co.uk/stay.