Why Camping Is the Best Thing You Can Do for Your Friendships
There is something that happens around a campfire at about 10pm on the first night of a group camping trip. The phones have run out of battery — or, more likely, there is no signal anyway. The wine is open. Someone has worked out how to balance a kettle on the grate. And suddenly, without anyone planning it, you are having the kind of conversation you have not had in months. Maybe years.
Camping strips away everything that normally gets in the way of genuine connection. There is no WiFi pulling you into your inbox. No Netflix to default to when the conversation hits a pause. No commute to rush home for. It is just you, your friends, and whatever the evening decides to become. And in Devon, where the campsites range from ancient Dartmoor farmland to clifftop fields with Atlantic sunsets, the setting does a lot of the heavy lifting.
If you have been trying to organise something with your group that goes beyond the usual pub or restaurant, a camping trip is worth considering seriously. It does not require much money. It does not require much planning beyond booking a pitch and packing a sleeping bag. And the memories it creates — the ones involving burnt sausages, rain at 3am, and someone's terrible ghost story — tend to last considerably longer than another meal out.
Here is where to pitch up in Devon in 2026.
Dartmoor Campsites
Cockingford Farm, Widecombe in the Moor
If you want the quintessential Dartmoor camping experience, Cockingford Farm delivers it without fuss. Set in Widecombe in the Moor — one of the most picturesque villages on the moor, famous for its annual fair and the cathedral-like Church of St Pancras — this small working farm campsite offers grass pitches on the edge of the national park with the kind of views that make you wonder why you bother with hotels.
The site is deliberately simple. Grass pitches, some with electric hook-up, a few hard standings, a clean toilet and shower block, a washing-up room, and a small farm shop selling local produce. There is a WiFi area if you absolutely must check something, but the whole point of being here is to not bother. There is also a self-catering pod on site — the Valley View Pod — if one couple in the group would rather not be under canvas.
Fires are allowed, but read the rule carefully before you pack: Cockingford permits fire bowls and raised barbecues only, nothing on the ground, and sells wood on site. Turn up with a bag of logs and no bowl and you will be having a cold evening. Bring the bowl and the fire becomes the centre of the evening: the thing everyone gathers around, the thing that keeps the conversation going long after anyone would normally have said goodnight.
The site is open from 15th March to 15th November, and dogs are welcome on leads. The village itself has a pub — The Rugglestone Inn — which is a short walk across the fields and serves proper ales and simple food in a setting that has not changed much in decades.
Cockingford Farm is one of the more affordable camping options on Dartmoor, and for a group sharing a couple of pitches it is a genuinely cheap weekend. Book ahead for weekends and school holidays — call 01364 621258 and confirm current rates while you are on the phone.
Facilities: Toilets, showers, washing-up room, farm shop, Valley View Pod. Campfires: Fire bowls and raised BBQs only (nothing on the ground) — wood available to buy on site. Nearest pub: The Rugglestone Inn, Widecombe in the Moor (short walk). Best for: Groups who want proper Dartmoor camping with minimal fuss. Open: 15th March to 15th November.
YHA Dartmoor, Bellever
For groups who want the outdoors experience without committing to full tent-and-sleeping-bag logistics, YHA Dartmoor at Bellever offers a good middle ground. Nestled within Bellever Forest in the heart of Dartmoor National Park, the hostel has camping in the field next to the building as well as indoor dormitory accommodation.
The real draw here is the exclusive hire option. Groups can book the entire hostel for themselves, which gives you a proper base with beds, a kitchen, communal spaces, and hot showers, while still being in the middle of one of the most beautiful landscapes in England. The surrounding area is superb for walking — Bellever Tor is a short climb from the hostel, and the forest itself is criss-crossed with trails.
This works particularly well for groups where some people are keen campers and others prefer a mattress. You can pitch tents outside and still use the hostel facilities, which keeps everyone happy. The site is dog-friendly, and there are pubs within driving distance in Postbridge and Princetown.
Facilities: Beds, kitchen, communal areas, showers; camping field available. Campfires: Check with YHA — this is not a campfire site as far as we can establish. Nearest pub: The East Dart Inn at Postbridge, or the Warren House Inn on the B3212 (both a short drive). Best for: Mixed groups where some want tents and others want beds — the diplomatic option.
Coastal Campsites
Stoke Barton Farm, Hartland
If you want your camping trip to come with Atlantic sunsets, Stoke Barton Farm on the North Devon coast is exceptional. This working livestock and arable farm sits on the Hartland Peninsula in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, right on the South West Coast Path, with flat camping fields that look out over the sea. Run by Brendan and Sarah Davey, it books through westcountry-camping.co.uk.
There is plenty of space between pitches — you will not be sardined against your neighbours — along with a number of electric hook-ups, a modern toilet block, a washing-up building with hot water, and an information shed with kettles, microwaves, a freezer, and power points. Tents, caravans, motorhomes, and campervans are all welcome, and dogs are allowed.
The one thing to settle before you book is fires. The farm sells firewood and braziers are the norm on sites like this, but we could not confirm the current rule from the farm's own pages — ring 01237 441238 and ask, because a campfire and an ocean sunset on the North Devon coast is the reason most groups come here.
The nearest pub is the Hart Inn in Hartland, about a mile and a half away, which serves decent food and local ales — the farm recommends it too. The coast path walking from the site is outstanding — you can head south towards Hartland Quay or north towards Clovelly, both of which are spectacular.
Open: early April to early October (check current dates). Facilities: Toilets, showers, washing-up area, information shed with kettles and microwaves, launderette, electric hook-ups. Campfires: Check with the farm when booking. Nearest pub: The Hart Inn, Hartland (about 1.5 miles). Best for: Groups who want coastal camping with space and sea views.
South Devon and the Dart Valley
Camp Dartington, near Totnes
For groups who want something a little more curated than a farmer's field, Camp Dartington on the Dartington Estate near Totnes offers camping on a beautiful country estate with access to the estate's wider facilities. Note that this is an inland site on the Dart above Totnes, not a coastal one — the sea is a drive away. There are around forty pitches for tents and campervans, plus camping pods; book through dartington.org/visit/stay/camp.
The estate setting is the draw here. Dartington has gardens, contemporary art galleries, a cinema, cafes, and regular events and performances. You can camp in a beautiful field and still have access to a proper coffee and a film screening if the weather turns. It is the kind of camping that works for groups where not everyone is a die-hard outdoors enthusiast.
The site has a communal area and is well maintained. Totnes itself is a short trip away, with plenty of pubs, restaurants, and independent shops to explore on a rest day.
Facilities: On-site facilities plus access to estate amenities; camping pods available. Campfires: Check with the campsite. Nearest pub: Multiple options in Totnes (short drive). Best for: Groups who want camping with cultural options and estate grounds — civilised outdoors.
Near Exeter
Webbers Park, Woodbury
If you want a campsite within easy reach of Exeter, Webbers Park on Castle Lane, Woodbury, EX5 1EA is a solid, well-run option a few miles southeast of the city. This family-run site sits in peaceful East Devon countryside with views across to Dartmoor and the River Exe, and it offers spacious touring pitches on three camping areas, all with electric hook-up. Reception is on 01395 232276.
The facilities are notably good: modern shower blocks, covered washing-up areas, a small shop and a play area. Check the current touring rates on the site's own prices page before you book.
This is not the wild, campfire-under-the-stars experience — it is more of a well-maintained touring park. But for groups who want an easy base near Exeter with reliable facilities, it works well. The Exe Estuary Trail is accessible from Woodbury, and you can cycle or walk along the estuary to Topsham for lunch — our guide to the best walking routes around Exeter covers some good options in this area.
Webbers Park works well as a base camp for exploring both Dartmoor and the coast. You are roughly equidistant from Exmouth Beach, the Exe Estuary, and the eastern edge of Dartmoor, so you can mix up your days between beach trips, estuary walks, and moor hikes without spending half the holiday driving.
Where: Castle Lane, Woodbury, EX5 1EA. Facilities: Modern shower blocks, covered washing-up areas, shop, play area, laundry. Campfires: No. Nearest pub: Options in Woodbury village (a short drive or a walk down the lane). Best for: Groups who want a reliable, well-facilitated base near Exeter.
Glamping Options for Groups
Longlands, Combe Martin
If your group includes people who are enthusiastic about the idea of camping but less enthusiastic about sleeping on the ground, Longlands near Combe Martin in North Devon offers luxury group accommodation on a private estate on the edge of Exmoor National Park.
Longlands combines a farmhouse with safari-lodge treehouses and can be taken over entirely for up to 50 guests, with the lodges and farmhouse also bookable separately on selected dates.
This is not cheap camping — it is a private countryside retreat, and the business now pitches itself squarely at whole-estate hire for retreats, offsites, milestone birthdays and micro-weddings — but for significant occasions the combination of comfortable accommodation and a secluded valley setting is hard to match.
Facilities: Fully furnished lodges and farmhouse with kitchens and bathrooms. Campfires: Check with venue. Nearest pub: Options in Combe Martin (short drive). Best for: Groups who want the great outdoors without the discomfort — glamping for grown-ups.
Pithead Campsite, East Devon
For a more rustic glamping option, Pithead pitches in an old cider-apple orchard in East Devon, within easy reach of Exeter, and offers a communal rustic bar with a fire pit, a barbecue, an industrial cooker, showers and eco-toilets, plus a shepherd's hut and bell tents. Groups can book early for exclusive use of the entire venue, which works brilliantly for a dedicated friends' weekend. The communal setup — shared cooking, shared fire pit, shared space — naturally creates the kind of group dynamic that makes camping trips memorable.
Where: an old cider orchard in East Devon, within easy reach of Exeter (pitheadcampsite.com, 07719 108138). Group size: exclusive use for up to 40. Facilities: Communal fire pit and bar, barbecue, industrial cooker, showers, eco-toilets, shepherd's hut and bell tents. Campfires: Yes. Best for: Groups who want exclusive use of a small, communal campsite.
The Social Case for Camping
There is a reason that some of the strongest friendships are forged on camping trips, and it is not just nostalgia for Scouts or Duke of Edinburgh weekends. Camping fundamentally changes the way you interact with people.
In everyday life, socialising tends to happen in gaps — the hour between finishing work and starting dinner, the Saturday afternoon before other plans kick in. Camping removes the gaps entirely. You are together from the moment you wake up (usually too early, thanks to the sun on the tent) until you finally crawl into your sleeping bag. And because there is very little else to do — no television, no errands, no separate rooms to retreat to — you end up talking properly. Not about logistics. Not about work. About the things that actually matter.
The campfire accelerates this. There is something about sitting around a fire in the dark that makes honesty easier. Maybe it is the fact that you are not making direct eye contact. Maybe it is the wine. Maybe it is just the primal comfort of warmth and light in the darkness. Whatever it is, the conversations that happen around a campfire at midnight tend to be different from the ones you have in a restaurant at 8pm.
If you are looking for other ways to spend time outdoors with friends in Devon, our guides to exploring Dartmoor and wild swimming spots are worth reading. And if the budget is a consideration, camping is one of the most affordable ways to spend quality time with your group — our piece on socialising through the cost of living crisis has more ideas.
The secret to a great group camping trip is keeping the planning simple. Agree on a date, book the pitches, create a shared list for food and firewood, and assign one person to bring a decent cool box. Everything else — the games, the walks, the late-night conversations — will happen on its own. Overplanning a camping trip is the surest way to kill the magic.
Wild Camping on Dartmoor: What You Need to Know
Dartmoor is one of the very few places in England where wild camping is legal, and for experienced campers, it offers something no commercial site can match: total freedom. Pitch where you like (within the permitted areas), fall asleep listening to nothing but the wind and the occasional sheep, and wake up to a sunrise over the tors with nobody else in sight.
However, the rules are important. Wild camping on Dartmoor is only permitted in designated areas of open moorland, away from roads, farmland, and archaeological sites. You must arrive late and leave early, take all rubbish with you, light no fires (fire is the key difference — wild camping yes, campfires no), and leave no trace. The Dartmoor National Park Authority publishes detailed maps of where wild camping is permitted, and it is worth checking their website before you go, as the rules were updated following a legal challenge in recent years.
Wild camping works best for small groups of two to four with proper lightweight kit. For larger groups, or for anyone who wants the security of facilities and the joy of a campfire, the commercial sites listed above are genuinely the better choice. If you want the Dartmoor experience without the full wild-camping commitment, our guide to exploring Dartmoor covers pubs, walks, and swimming spots that give you the moor's magic with a roof over your head afterwards.
Combining Camping with Devon's Food Scene
One of the great advantages of camping in Devon is that you are never far from excellent food. Even the most remote Dartmoor campsite is within driving distance of a farm shop, a country pub, or a village with a decent fish and chip shop.
For Cockingford Farm, the Rugglestone Inn is a short walk away, and Widecombe village has a community-run shop. For Stoke Barton Farm on the North Devon coast, the Hart Inn in Hartland serves local ales and decent food. And for Webbers Park near Exeter, you are within easy reach of Darts Farm at Clyst St George, just across the river from Topsham, which means you can stock up on proper sausages, artisan cheese, and fresh bread before heading to your pitch.
If you are camping on Dartmoor and want to eat well without cooking every meal, combine your trip with a pub lunch. The best gastropubs in Devon include several on or near the moor, and there is something deeply satisfying about walking for three hours, sitting down to a proper meal in a warm pub, and then walking back to your tent for a campfire evening.
For group camping trips, the Hipcamp and Pitchup websites are excellent for finding Devon sites with campfire permission, group suitability, and real-time availability. Filter by "campfires allowed" and "groups welcome" to narrow your search quickly. Book early for summer weekends — the best campfire-friendly sites fill up months in advance.
What to Pack for a Group Camping Trip in Devon
Devon weather is Devon weather, which means you need to be ready for everything. A few essentials for group trips:
For the campfire: A fire bowl or brazier (many sites require one), firelighters, a long lighter, marshmallows, and a kettle that works on an open flame. A couple of camp chairs per person — sitting on the ground gets old quickly after thirty.
For the rain: A decent tarp to rig over your cooking area. Devon can deliver four seasons in a single afternoon, and cooking in the rain without shelter is miserable. A few metres of paracord and a tarp transforms a soggy evening into a cosy one.
For the group: A portable speaker (used sparingly), a pack of cards, a couple of bottles of something decent, and a willingness to put your phone away. The less you bring to distract yourselves, the more you will actually enjoy each other's company.
For the food: Keep it simple. Sausages, burgers, and halloumi on the first night. Something more ambitious in a Dutch oven on the second night if someone is keen. Good bread, good cheese, and good coffee for the mornings. Nobody has ever complained about a camping trip because the food was too straightforward.
Devon has enough campsites to suit every kind of group, from the back-to-basics Dartmoor experience at Cockingford Farm to the luxury lodges at Longlands. The important thing is not where you go — it is that you go. Pick a weekend, message the group chat, book the pitches, and let the campfire do the rest.
If camping is not quite your style but you love the idea of sleeping somewhere unusual, our glamping and unusual stays guide covers shepherd's huts, treehouses, and safari lodges across Devon. For groups who prefer a roof and a proper bed, our guide to the best pubs with rooms in Devon is the indoor alternative — same group-bonding magic, considerably more comfort. And for a broader view of Devon weekends, our staycation ideas guide covers beach breaks, foodie circuits, and wellness retreats alongside the outdoor options.
For booking campsites, Pitchup.com and Hipcamp both offer real-time availability and honest reviews for Devon sites.