Pithead Campsite

View prices & book 9.8 61 reviews
Pitches
Pitches
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Afternoon dappled sunlight on the hut
View from beside the hut
View from the hut
Communal area lit up with solar lights
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  • Small family-run site in the grounds of an old cider apple orchard
  • Jurassic Coast beaches and Exeter city centre within a half-hour drive
  • Pitches mown into a grass meadow; tennis court and games available
If you’re on the lookout for lovely surroundings and equally lovely views for your Devon camping break, take a look at Pithead Campsite, a small family-run site about half an hour’s drive from Exeter. Pitches here are in the grounds of an old cider apple orchard, and they’re mown into the wild grasses of a natural meadow to give you a fabulously private little corner of the countryside all to yourselves. This is a great place for family camping, as there’s plenty of safe space for kids to have a run around – but it’s just as great for a quiet couple’s break, as it’s got distant views over Dartmoor to look out at while you get a barbecue or campfire going for a chilled-out evening. There is a communal firepit or a couple of braziers/fire bowls to borrow which guests can ask to borrow, as well as firewood to buy on site. (Please note that you’ll need to keep all barbecues/fires off the ground to avoid damaging the grass.) Facilities on site include a couple of compost toilets (hand-decorated by the in-house artist, no less…), a splendid hot outdoor shower and a communal firepit and barbecue for those times when you’d like to be a bit more sociable. Alongside the field is a grass tennis court – it’s a little bumpy, so don’t go expecting Wimbledon-style standards, but it’s free to use. You can borrow racquets, balls and a croquet set, and you’re also welcome to use it for other games. There is also a communal solar-lit kitchen, which includes a sink, a small solar fridge, a gas cooker (with honesty box), cooking utensils and two USB power points. Visit the vintage marquee's tables and chairs for a covered communal area. Getting out and about is easy from here too, whether you plan to hike around Dartmoor, head down to the Jurassic Coast or explore the streets of Exeter.

Site type

Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 1
Rent a tent 3
Tent pitches 10
Open now
Opens 31 March
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • The site does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act (i.e. XL Bully, Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • No cars/motorbikes by the pitch/unit. All cars must be parked in the designated area.
  • Discount cards and gift vouchers cannot be applied to bookings made via Pitchup.com.
  • At least one of the party members must be aged 21 or over.
  • Units longer than 5 metres are not allowed.
  • Guests are advised to bring a good quality torch with them as parts of the site are unlit.
  • Please note that the toilet/shower facilities are unisex.
  • If reception is closed on arrival: please contact the number provided on your booking confirmation.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Mon, 31 Mar to

Reviews

9.8

Overall rating from 61 Pitchup.com customers

  • 91%
    10
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    9
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    8
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    7
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Location
 9
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 6
Peaceful

97% would recommend this site to a friend

97% would stay here again

What customers say

Pithead Campsite offers a beautiful, natural setting with well-spaced, car-free pitches. Visitors frequently praise the friendly and welcoming hosts, the excellent communal facilities including a well-equipped kitchen and covered dining area, and unique features like the grass tennis court. The eco-friendly approach and peaceful atmosphere are also highlighted. Minor drawbacks mentioned include occasional noise from A-roads and aircraft, and some found the compost toilets less appealing. Despite this, many express a desire to return.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 7
Arrival date (latest first)

This is a lovely, peaceful, car-free site with well-mown pitches and amazing…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 8
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 No rating
Child friendliness
 6
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked This is a lovely, peaceful, car-free site with well-mown pitches and amazing facilities. The compost toilets (Frida and Albert, love the artwork!) and the outdoor shower are spotlessly clean and functional. There is a great communal kitchen with big sink, solar-powered lights, USB chargers and fridge, plus a mighty gas hob with big enough kettle and mugs to make tea for a whole tribe!

Disliked Nothing really, though the very narrow lanes leading to the site might deter some who are unused to driving in the countryside, or not good at reversing! You can hear A30 traffic, but only as a gentle hum in the background. Low-flying planes from Exeter airport were a surprise at first, but it isn’t Heathrow and there aren’t many of them! Also there are only two toilets and one shower, which might be an issue when the site is busy.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great site, with unexpected kitchen facilities and marquee & fire pit for…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Robin T.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Great site, with unexpected kitchen facilities and marquee & fire pit for socialising.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great site but wasps need to be dealt with

Overall

7 out of 10
Location
 6
Value for money
 6
Accommodation
 6
Facilities / Activities
 6
Customer service
 4
Child friendliness
 7
Cleanliness
 4
Wifi
 1
Anonymous

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Pitches nicely spaced, great gazebo area with dining table for when it rains.

Disliked Wasps all around the toilet area, very unpleasant for toilet and shower experience. They swarm the willow which surrounds the area and you have to walk through the wasps to access the facilities. Toilets were also definitely overdue emptying, I've used compostable before and this was my worst compostable experience.
The location was down a narrow country road and we couldn't find any walkin paths nearby.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Pitches being far apart from each other meant no disturbances from snoozing…

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 7
Accommodation
 7
Facilities / Activities
 5
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 1
Dan H.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Pitches being far apart from each other meant no disturbances from snoozing or others in the night. Kitchen and dinning facilities. Selection of board games. Friendly staff. One of the cheapest site near Exeter.

Disliked Noise from the a road. Compost toilets.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Pithead is our new favourite campsite! We loved staying there. The toilets…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
Anonymous

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Pithead is our new favourite campsite! We loved staying there. The toilets were clean, the shower was one of the best we've ever seen while camping, and the public kitchen was clean, organized and very lovely. The pitches where really great as well.
We will definitely return!

Recommend to friends Visit again

The facilities were really nice - good shower, clean compost toilets, covered…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Adam R.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked The facilities were really nice - good shower, clean compost toilets, covered marquee to use in bad weather, outdoor kitchen with gas hob. Kids enjoyed the tennis court - won a few points against me due to uneven bounce!

Disliked Just be aware that there's a fair amount of air and road traffic noise. We did see the red arrows though!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Beautiful site with lovely views. Communal kitchen and campfire were great. Brilliant…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
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Olivia H.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Beautiful site with lovely views. Communal kitchen and campfire were great. Brilliant to have car free site so the children were safe running around and playing.

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Simple, yet had kitchen and firepit extras and beautiful.

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Wonderful campsite, simple yet beautiful. With all we needed to feel comfortable and enjoy what we love most - being outside. It was a perfect site for all of us to be barefoot most of the time. The longer grass and meadow feel also added to the appeal instead of it being a boring mown lawn. We like wild!

We especially appreciated the firepit, picnic benches, kitchen hut was very useful. The woven willow making outdoor 'rooms'. The far reaching view and that there were no cars on the pitch site was also great for kids safety and makes for a more beautiful setting. The gate to keep kids in and safe also appreciated. We didn't really notice the traffic until in bed at night and our daughter loved the aeroplanes overhead.

Gorgeous early summer sunsets.

Recommend to friends Visit again

A hidden gem in East Devon. Peaceful camping in a lovely setting

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
Frankie F.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Stunning location, generous and well spaced pitches, lovely facilities that are well maintained and a friendly and peaceful atmosphere. A quick drive to several nice beaches and close to Exeter too. A very peaceful spot - I immediately rebooked!

Disliked Some might find the occasional airplane overhead from the airport annoying, however they are few and far between and my toddler loved them!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Small campsite with great communal bar and BBQ area…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 8
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 6
Anonymous

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Small campsite with great communal bar and BBQ area

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Dogs allowed

Campfires allowed

Leisure on site

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area Pétanque TV room Take away Tennis Watersports

Amenities on site

Bath available Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Launderette Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

D. of E. welcome Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Rallies welcome Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Themes

Remote location Wild camping Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Chemical disposal Communal fridge Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Public transport nearby

Type

Small (11-25 pitches)

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horse riding nearby Indoor pool nearby Leisure/theme park nearby Mountain biking nearby Outdoor pool nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Surf school nearby Tennis nearby Watersports nearby

Location

Pithead Campsite

Marsh Green

Exeter

Devon

England

EX5 2HE

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London BST (GMT+01:00)

GPS

50.73831°N
3.35382°W

Route directions

If you reach the Marsh Green village hall, head down towards Marsh Green and the site is the first gate in the left. The parking field is through the opposite gate on the right.

Nearest transport

Coach
5.2 mi The Barn Owl
5.2 mi Honiton Road Park and Ride
7.5 mi Bus Station
Rail
2.1 mi Whimple Rail Station
3 mi Cranbrook Rail Station
4.5 mi Feniton Rail Station
Ferry
6.3 mi Topsham Ferry Landing
6.3 mi Topsham (Turf Lock Ferry) Ferry Landing
6.4 mi Topsham Lock Ferry Landing
Airport
2.8 mi Exeter International Airport

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

If you’re heading here for a good bit of outdoor activity time, you may like to plot a course to Ottery St Mary (10 minutes’ drive) for a five-mile walk along the banks of the River Otter, or make your way down to the coast for sea swims and paddleboarding in Sidmouth or Budleigh Salterton (both 20 minutes). Kids in tow? Try days out taking in all the rides and attractions at Crealy Theme Park & Resort (10 minutes), the animals and adventure activities at Wildwood Escot (10 minutes) or a bit of time cooing over the cute residents of The Donkey Sanctuary (25 minutes). For a bit of urban time, head into Exeter (25 minutes) to visit the Royal Albert Memorial Museum and tour the city’s underground passages, or try Taunton (40 minutes) for all sorts of heritage and arts attractions.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Sidmouth Jacobs Ladder 6.4 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Ladram Bay 6.4 mi Sea N/AGoodN/AGood
Sidmouth Town 6.5 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Budleigh Salterton 7.7 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Sandy Bay 8.9 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Crealy Great Adventure Park 3.4 mi

The National Trust Killerton House & Gardens 5.8 mi

Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site 6.1 mi

Exeter Cathedral - Church of Saint Peter 7.8 mi

Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty 13.6 mi

National Trust

Killerton: Marker's Cottage 4.2 mi

Killerton: Clyston Mill 4.4 mi

Killerton: Budlake Old Post Office 5.4 mi

Killerton 5.7 mi

A la Ronde 7 mi

Cycle routes

Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.

Other

ROCKBEARE MANOR 1 mi

AYLESBEARE COMMON (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 15/07/2005) 2.7 mi

CADHAY 3.1 mi

Woodbury Common and Woodbury Castle 4.9 mi

BICTON 5.1 mi

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Nearest sites

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

Want to know more about camping in Devon?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Pithead Campsite have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Pithead Campsite dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Pithead Campsite? If you’re heading here for a good bit of outdoor activity time, you may like to plot a course to Ottery St Mary (10 minutes’ drive) for a five-mile walk along the … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Pithead Campsite?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  12 p.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Pithead Campsite? From £20 (for 1 night, 3 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.