How to plan a South West camping or campervan trip across North Cornwall surf beaches, the South Hams, Exmoor, and Dartmoor.
Choosing Between North Coast Surf Pitches & Sheltered South Coast Estuaries
Cornwall and Devon remain Britain’s most sought-after summer camping destinations, offering two completely distinct microclimates. The Atlantic-facing North Coast—stretching from Woolacombe and Croyde down through Bude, Polzeath, Newquay, Perranporth, and St Ives—delivers dramatic clifftop pitches, consistent swell for surfers, and unforgettable sunset views, but demands sturdy wind-resistant tent poles.
By contrast, the sheltered South Coast around Salcombe, Dartmouth, Fowey, Mevagissey, and the Helford River offers wooded valley campsites, calm paddleboarding coves, and warmer evening temperatures.
- North Cornwall & North Devon: Book 3–5 months ahead for July/August school holidays; pack heavy-duty rock pegs and storm guy lines for exposed coastal fields.
- Dartmoor & Exmoor National Parks: Ideal for quieter wildflower farm campsites, dark-sky stargazing, and direct footpath access onto open moorland.
- Campervan Lane Etiquette: High-hedged Devon and Cornwall lanes can be single-track—check campsite arrival directions carefully and avoid following consumer sat-nav shortcuts in motorhomes over 6.5m.