Bowhayes Farm Camping

View prices & book 9.9 29 reviews
Relax at Bowhayes Farm whilst surrounded by beautiful cider orchards
Relax at bowhayes farm whilst surrounded by beautiful cider orchards
Relax in our bell tents surrounded by beautiful cider orchards
Blue skies
Springtime in the orchard
Tent in the orchard.
Seating deck - drinks and snacks
Golden sunrise
Farm shop and deck
1/102
Relax in our bell tents surrounded by beautiful cider orchards
Blue skies
Springtime in the orchard

  • Semi-wild camping on the grounds of a Devon cider orchard
  • Sidmouth 15 minutes’ drive; central Exeter half an hour
  • Farm shop selling teas, coffees and snacks; hampers available
Get away from your daily routine and appreciate the serenity of east Devon at Bowhayes Farm Camping, a semi-wild site in the scenic grounds of a cider orchard. Surrounded by footpaths and a tree nursery, the site sits in extensive farmland on the edge of the leafy hamlet of Venn Ottery. How you spend your time here is up to you – you might like to wander through the village, birdwatch on RSPB Aylesbeare Common (10 minutes’ drive) or head down to the Jurassic Coast at Sidmouth and Budleigh Salterton (15 and 20 minutes respectively). Whatever you get up to, aim to get back to the farm in time for sunset, as the sky often puts on a beguiling show just before dusk. This is also when the local wildlife comes out to say hello – you might spot roe deer, badgers, rabbits, foxes, pheasants and more. This secluded pocket of Devon also has very low levels of light pollution, so if there’s little cloud cover, you should be treated to a spectacular starry sky. Facilities at Bowhayes Farm are fairly simple and include a farm toilet, shower and fresh drinking water. A small farm shop sells teas, coffees, cold drinks, snacks and essentials. Special hampers can be made up to order too, provided you give the site enough advance notice.

Site type

Tent sites 8
Rent a tent 3
Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 1
Open now
Opens January 1
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • The campground/park does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Breed-specific legislation (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro) and/or any of the following: Staffordshire bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Rottweiler, any Mastiff or Tosa.
  • No bachelor/bachelorette parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Guests under the age of 13 are not allowed on site.
  • Reception is unmanned after 4:30 p.m.. Please inform the park while on your way there should you expect to arrive after this time, so that the team can provide information about your unit/pitch.
  • Please note that the toilet/shower facilities are unisex.

Languages spoken

English

French

Open from Wed, Jan 1 to

Open from Thu, Jan 1 to

No availability here for your search criteria

Pitch types & availability

Accommodation

Tent sitesTravel trailer sitesRV sitesLodges, cabins, pods or hutsMobile homes for rentRent a tent
Choose your dates
2 adults
0 children

Reviews

9.9

Overall rating from 29 Pitchup.com customers

  • 89%
    10
  • 6%
    9
  • 3%
    8
  • 0%
    7
  • 0%
    6
  • 0%
    5
  • 0%
    4
  • 0%
    3
  • 0%
    2
  • 0%
    1
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
Peaceful

100% would recommend this site to a friend

100% would stay here again

What customers say

Guests love the quiet, roomy orchard with private, widely spaced pitches. Hosts are often praised as friendly and helpful. Facilities like hot showers and a kitchen are noted as adequate and well-kept. The location is beautiful, perfect for exploring. While some found the welcome chat a bit long, reviews are very positive.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 3
Arrival date (latest first)

Amazing set up, very polite hosts,…

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
Hannah G.

Primitive grass tent campsite (small)

Liked Amazing set up, very polite hosts, great at informing me of the local spots to eat etc. extremely peaceful orchard with well set up amenities.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Hey Hannah!

It was our pleasure having you to stay. We’re so glad you enjoyed the set-up and found the orchard peaceful, and it’s great to know the local food tips came in handy too!

The orchard changes a lot through the seasons — spring blossom and autumn apples make it feel like a different place altogether — so you’d be very welcome back any time!

Thanks,

Howard

You camp in-between the orchard trees,…

Overall

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

Primitive grass tent campsite (small)

Liked You camp in-between the orchard trees, it's very beautiful. Shower was amazing, it was wild with the luxury of hot water. Plum and pear trees dotted around. We saw some deers and heard owls, a peaceful break from everyday life. So much to do in the surrounding area. We would love to come back. Thankyou!

Disliked We pitched up on a bit of a slope, not thinking it was as much of a slope initially . We noticed this a lot at night time. However I accept this was 100% our fault.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thanks so much, Jordan — we’re really pleased you enjoyed camping among the orchard trees and that the wildlife, peace, and hot shower all helped make it a proper break.

Good spot on the slope — there are some flatter pitches tucked in between the trees, so if you come back just give us a shout when you arrive and we’ll help you find the best spot.

We’d love to welcome you back whenever you’re ready for another orchard escape.

Regards,

Howard

Excellent, peaceful, nature, camping amongst trees, friendly

Overall

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

Primitive grass tent campsite (small)

Liked Friendly, informative and welcoming. A perfect basis site. Clean.
The shower is bliss, hot, powerful and connected to the outdoors, you can almost pick plums whilst in the shower.
A very peaceful site, plenty of nature and bird song.
My dog enjoyed camping here, was happy and relaxed.
As a solo female camping, I felt relaxed and comfortable.

Disliked I liked everything about this site.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Hi Andi!

Thanks so much for your kind review — we’re really pleased to hear you (and your dog!) had a comfortable and relaxed stay. It was lovely meeting you both!

Glad the shower lived up to expectations — and yes, depending on the time of year, you really can grab a plum while you’re in there! It’s great to hear the site felt peaceful and safe, especially as a solo female camper — that means a lot to us.

If you fancy a return visit, autumn’s a lovely time here — quieter, a bit more colour in the trees, and we’re usually busy harvesting the cider apples - and if there's enough interest... I set up the apple mill and press and let guests start juicing apples from the orchard.

You’d be very welcome back any time.

Regards,


Howard

Peace and quiet, lovely location, great…

Overall

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

Primitive grass tent campsite (small)

Liked Peace and quiet, lovely location, great breakfast

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Hi Sarah,

Many thanks for your review - very much appreciated.

Good to hear you enjoyed yourselves.

Hope to see you both back here one day!

Regards,

Howard

Great hosts. Fab location So peaceful Great amenities including…

Overall

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

Primitive grass tent campsite (small)

Liked Great hosts.
Fab location
So peaceful
Great amenities including one of the best outdoor showers ever!

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thanks so much, Chris — really glad you enjoyed the peace and quiet, and that the outdoor shower hit the mark!

We appreciate you sharing your photos too — it’s always great to see the place through our guests’ eyes. You’d be very welcome back any time.

Thanks!

Howard

The hosts were lovely! They made…

Overall

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

Primitive grass tent campsite (small)

Liked The hosts were lovely! They made us feel very welcome, and were very accomodating. The site was lovely, and we camped surrounded by beautiful apple trees. It was very spacious, so you didn't feel like there were other campers on top of you! The coffee and croissants that we had for breakfast were great. We'd love to come back, and would encourage anyone to go.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Hi Ellie!

It was lovely meeting you both, great to hear you liked our place (especially the croissants!).

I hope you had a save drive home.

Hope to see you both here again soon!

Howard

Beautiful location, easy to find, really…

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 8
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Helena S.

Primitive grass tent campsite (small)

Liked Beautiful location, easy to find, really well spaced pitches meaning it is quiet (there is a walk from car parking, but was OK for me - wheelbarrow provided). Facilities sufficient.

Disliked The chat with the owner at the start was a bit OTT for me personally- the map of the site was enough.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Hello Helena,

Thank you so much for your kind comments — we're really glad you appreciated the peaceful setting, generous pitch spacing, and found the wheelbarrow handy for the short walk from the parking area.

We totally understand your feedback about the check-in chat. As a working farm, we’re not quite your average campsite — so that initial welcome is partly about helping guests settle in, but also about making sure everyone’s aware of a few important safety and practical bits that might not apply elsewhere (especially with tractors and tree nurseries in the mix!).

And with just 12 pitches in a 15 acre commercial cider orchard I wouldn't want anyone to feel lost... especially as there aren't 'formal' pitch signs and numbers like a 'normal' campsite!

That said, we always want to strike the right balance, so we appreciate your honesty and will keep refining how we do things. Thanks again for choosing Bowhayes Farm — we hope to welcome you back in the future.

Regards,

Howard

This is a perfect campsite for…

Overall

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

Primitive grass tent campsite (small)

Liked This is a perfect campsite for a bikepacking trip. The owners keep the number of pitches limited so it's not like a typical campsite, you won't find any massive tents with folks watching TV inside haha. You get to pitch literally between the apple trees, which is amazing. The shower facilities are basic but the water is hot and perfect for what is needed in such beautiful place. Owners are amazing and super helpful. Highly recommended!

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thanks so much, Marek — what a pleasure to read your review (and see your great photo too!). We're so glad Bowhayes hit the mark for your bike packing trip — peaceful, simple, and just the right side of off-grid.

Keeping things small and quiet is a big part of what we’re about, so it’s great to hear that pitching among the apple trees and enjoying the orchard vibes suited you perfectly. And yes — no TV tents here… unless you count bats doing loops at dusk!

Thanks again for your kind words and recommendation — we hope your two wheels bring you back this way again soon ;-)

Thanks!

Howard & Fiona

Would recommend staying here. Howard the owner is very helpful

Overall

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

Primitive grass tent campsite (small)

Liked We love the orchard and how spaced out the tents are. It is only a small campsite but it is lovely.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Hi Anna!

It was lovely to see you both back, with Bella, at Bowhayes again - always welcome! Thanks so much for your kind review.

I hope you had a good drive back home,

See you soon!

Howard

Peaceful campsite, with all the facilities…

Overall

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

Primitive grass tent or trailer tent campsite (large)

Liked Peaceful campsite, with all the facilities you needed. Very friendly and helpful host :)

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thanks so much, Katie — we really appreciate your kind words - sorry about the delayed response!

Great to hear you found the campsite peaceful and the facilities worked well for you.

It was a pleasure having you here, and you’d be very welcome back anytime — perhaps for another summer stay or even to see the orchard in a different season.

Thanks,

Howard

Features

Dogs allowed

Adults only

Campfires allowed

Leisure on park

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Playground Recreation room/arcade TV room Takeout Tennis Watersports

Amenities on park

Bath available Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Free wifi Grocery store Ice pack freezing Internet access Laundromat Local produce Parent & baby washroom Payphone Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Restrooms Shower available Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Scouts welcome Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Adults only Barbecue grills allowed Barbecue provided Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Themes

Budget/backpacker Forest Hikers’ paradise Leave the car at home Peaceful Spectacular scenery Wild camping Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Communal freezer Communal fridge Dump station Electric car charging point(s) Propane/gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Convenience store nearby Dog walk nearby Nearby farmers' market Public transportation nearby

Type

Farm Small (11-25 sites)

Nearby leisure

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

Location

Bowhayes Farm Camping

Venn Ottery

Ottery St Mary

Devon

England

EX11 1RY

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London +0100 (GMT+01:00)

GPS

50.71352°N
3.30371°W

Route directions

Drive to Venn Ottery; the brick entranceway is next to the village noticeboard and post box, opposite Barton Mews. Drive into the entrance and park in front of the barns. Please call when you are around 30 minutes away.

Nearest transport

Coach
11.9 km Honiton Road Park and Ride
11.9 km The Barn Owl
14 km Rail Station
Rail
7 km Whimple Rail Station
8.2 km Feniton Rail Station
9.2 km Cranbrook Rail Station
Ferry
12 km Topsham (Turf Lock Ferry) Ferry Landing
12.1 km Topsham Ferry Landing
12.2 km Topsham Lock Ferry Landing
Airport
8.2 km 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 detect similarities between the formal Italian garden at Bicton Park Botanical Gardens (15 minutes’ drive) and the gardens of the Palace of Versailles (the terraces, fountains, the long perspective…), it’s because both were designed by the same person. Bicton is also home to a splendid domed Palm House from the 1820s and an arboretum. The South West Coast Path runs through Sidmouth (15 minutes), taking you up tall cliffs from where you can admire far-reaching views of the English Channel. If stargazing at Bowhayes Farm has tickled your interest in astronomy, the Norman Lockyer Observatory in nearby Salcombe Regis runs public tours and viewing events. A lively university city, Exeter (half an hour) is dotted with green areas, including leafy Northernhay Gardens, the riverside Belle Isle Park and the Cathedral Green. The cathedral itself is a remarkable building. Built in the 1300s, it incorporates two earlier Norman towers, and it features a spectacular vaulted ceiling (the world’s longest).

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Sidmouth Jacobs Ladder 5.8 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Sidmouth Town 6 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Ladram Bay 6.3 km Sea N/AGoodN/AGood
Budleigh Salterton 9.4 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Sandy Bay 12.4 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site 5.3 km

Crealy Great Adventure Park 7.9 km

The National Trust Killerton House & Gardens 13.9 km

Exeter Cathedral - Church of Saint Peter 16 km

Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty 23.4 km

National Trust

A la Ronde 10.7 km

Killerton: Marker's Cottage 11.2 km

Killerton: Clyston Mill 11.5 km

Branscombe: the Old Bakery, Manor Mill and Forge 11.9 km

Killerton: Budlake Old Post Office 13.1 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

AYLESBEARE COMMON (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 15/07/2005) 2.4 km

CADHAY 5.1 km

BICTON 5.1 km

ROCKBEARE MANOR 5.7 km

CONNAUGHT GARDENS 6 km

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.

Offers

Tent pitch
Primitive grass tent campsite (small)
  • 5% off 5% Three Nights –
Tipi, yurt, wigwam, dome, bell tent
Bramley bell tent
  • 5% off 5% Three Nights –
Tipi, yurt, wigwam, dome, bell tent
Dabinet bell tent
  • 5% off 5% Three Nights –
Tipi, yurt, wigwam, dome, bell tent
Michelin bell tent
  • 5% off 5% Three Nights –
Lodge, cabin, pod or hut
Pippin shepherd's hut
  • 5% off 5% Three Nights –

Conditions apply - see pitch type section for details

Want to know more about camping in Devon?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Bowhayes Farm Camping have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Bowhayes Farm Camping dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Bowhayes Farm Camping? If you detect similarities between the formal Italian garden at Bicton Park Botanical Gardens (15 minutes’ drive) and the gardens of the Palace of Versailles (the terraces, fountains, the long perspective…), it’s … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Bowhayes Farm Camping?
    RV, travel trailer and tent sites
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  7 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    On-park accommodation
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  7 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Bowhayes Farm Camping? From $37.14 (for 3 nights, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.