Passaford Meadow Campsite

Passaford Meadow offers a pretty place to pitch a tent not far off the Devon Coast to Coast cycle route. It’s an ideal place for cyclists and walkers to make a pit stop as though it has a setting in lovely countryside, it’s also just a short distance from the amenities of town. That town is Hatherleigh and it offers a couple of pubs and a cafe for refuelling, as well as a shop for stocking up at before your next adventure. The campsite itself is a sheltered haven for relaxed, back-to-basics camping with simple facilities in the field. 

It’s a summer-only site, part of a smallholding looked after by Vicki and Steve. In July and August, they open up an acre for the pitching of tents and have built the things you need for a night or two under canvas. There are a couple of compost loos, a shower, and a washing-up sink. It’s rustic but enough for most of those who venture this way into Devon’s Ruby County. This is the rural hinterland between the north and south coasts. It's typically peaceful and quiet with no noise from busy roads. You might hear a few doggy hellos from neighbours at the nearby kennels but the more frequent soundscape is one provided by birds and bees in the hedgerows that surround the site. 

While this place is ideal for campers arriving on foot or by bike, people with cars and small campervans are also welcome as long as they're happy off grid. In fact, if you’re on your way between coastlines or en route further west, the location is very handy. It’s not far off the A-road, which links Bideford on the north coast and Plymouth in the south, and close to another which leads straight to Bude, a half-hour drive away. That’s the obvious choice for a day at the beach but others on both north and south coasts can be reached within an hour. Much closer to site there are typical Devonshire pleasures of wild swimming in a nearby river, walking in countryside and, of course, excellent cycling.