Dartmoor offers amazing backdrops and brilliant adventure opportunities for every member of the family. There are plenty of campsites to choose from with all sorts of resources and facilities to meet every family’s needs. Whether you’re a Dartmoor resident, or a holidaymaker looking for a new experience, there’s so much in Dartmoor to see, discover and do.
While a lot of the joy of camping comes from finding new places for yourself, we’d like to give you a head-start and suggest several of our favourite campsites and days out in the Dartmoor area, to make sure that your visit to the area is as memorable as possible!
Campsites
River Dart County Park is a family campsite like no other. With the stunning surroundings of the River Dart, the park offers you and your family the chance to enjoy activities as diverse as canoeing, indoor climbing, kayaking, using water zorbs and much more! There are also loads of opportunities for your little ones to see animals up close, including hawks and owls, and go on pony rides through the area’s incredible scenery!
2. Harford Bridge Holiday Park
Harford Bridge Holiday Park offers a wonderful experience for holidaying families. Close to the River Tavy, it’s a large campsite that’s equipped with a range of entertainment areas for all the family, from tennis court to a children’s play area. There’s also indoor table tennis and table football, and Freeview TV in the reception building, too. Whatever the weather, you’ll be able to keep busy and enjoy your trip!
3. Camping and Caravanning Club – Tavistock
The Camping and Caravanning Club’s site in Tavistock is the perfect place for family stays in the Dartmoor area. It’s a brisk two and a half mile walk from Tavistock, an idyllic town with world heritage status, with wonderful independent shops, historic ruins and more! The site’s perfect for visitors seeking to enjoy cycling, walking or simply seeking to soak up the countryside ambience.
Click here to browse through some of Dartmoor’s other amazing campsites.
Days out with the family
Pennywell Farm is perfect for children of all ages, and offers plenty of activities to entertain the family throughout the entire day! A range of fun games and activities are available, including goat milking, bottle feeding, ferret racing, pig racing and more. Your kids can look forward to meeting a whole host of exciting animals, too, from miniature pigs to alpacas!
Haldon Forest Park offers adventurers 3,500 acres of exhilarating woodland and a wealth of activities. Try out the GoApe tree top adventure, take a Segway tour, or have a go at horse-riding! Alternatively, if you fancy a more leisurely experience, why not explore the park’s picturesque bike trails and walks?
Ever seen the film We Bought a Zoo? The Hollywood hit is actually based on Dartmoor Zoo and Benjamin Mee’s journey towards buying it!
The zoo offers a range of experiences to visitors, from daily talks to the chance to watch the animals be fed, including the bears and tigers!
Additional tips
If you’re still unsure of where to go, there are a whole host of guides online that can make all the difference, like Get Out With the Kids’ family camping guide, Halfords’ guide to camping with the kids, and The Guardian’s roundup of family campsites in the area.
Good luck, and we hope you and your family have a wonderful Dartmoor trip!