10 of the best luxury coastal campsites in Britain
CWTCH WOODLAND CAMP, Pembrokeshire
Three wooden cabins – two for couples and one for a family of four – are tucked away in this spruce woodland neighbouring Westfield Pill Nature Reserve. Insulated and furnished with in-built beds and woollen rugs, they are accompanied by toilets, a shower and a well-equipped communal kitchen – surprising given the off-grid setting. Aside from the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, there are plenty of other excellent trails nearby, including the Lansker Borderlands route, following the eastern bank of the Daugleddau Estuary, two miles from the campsite.
From £90 per night for two people.
Cwtch Woodland Camp, Barn Lane, Rosemarket, Pembrokeshire (01646 672139; cwtchcamping.co.uk).
KOA TREE CAMP, Devon
Named after a Hawaiian tree used for crafting long-boards, this surf-centric site in North Devon marries luxury with adventure. Yurts, log cabins and bell tents provide plenty of choice, while extra facilities include a "surf shack" kitchen, private, underfloor-heated bathrooms and a snug rainy day room with games, books and Wi-Fi. There’s is a packed schedule of activities, from cookery courses to outdoor cinema evenings, and the site’s own surf school takes new and experienced boarders out to nearby Sandymouth Beach.
Short breaks (Mon–Fri or Fri–Mon) from £240 for three people.
Koa Tree Camp, Hollacombe Farm, Welcombe, Bideford (01288 331009; koatreecamp.com).
WILD LUXURY, Norfolk
In the meadows of a popular North Norfolk farm shop, this off-grid site at Thornham Bay is within easy walking distance of the beach. Safari tents – sleeping six in a double, bunkroom and quaint two-child "cupboard bed" come complete with a grand kitchen to match that of any coastal cottage. Holme Dunes Nature Reserve and Titchwell Marshes (home to an array of grey seals) are on the doorstep and, when you’re all beached out, the farm has a playground and animals to occupy the children.
Two-night weekend stays from £269 for up to six people.
Wild Luxury, Thornham Bay, Hunstanton, Norfolk (01485 750850; wildluxury.co.uk).
DRY ISLAND, Ross-shire
Reached via a 50-metre footbridge, Dry Island sits in sheltered Badchro Bay where, along with the sole family house, three wooden cabins enjoy views across the dinghy-dotted waters. All are fully-furnished: Badachro Bothy, with sofa-beds, heating and a private bathroom is the most basic, while Otter Cabin has a fitted, modern kitchen, double bedroom and French window access to a private beach. Dolphins, porpoises, seals and otters all frequent the bay and shellfish safaris with the local creel fisherman are highly recommended.
From £50 per night for two people.
Dry Island, Badachro, Gairloch, Ross-shire (01445 741 263; dryisland.co.uk).
COTNA ECO RETREAT, Cornwall
Streams running through this 10-acre smallholding – home to hens, horses and vegetable-filled poly-tunnels – all trickle towards the quaint harbour village of Mevagissey, two miles away. The beaches of Gorran Haven, Hemmick, and Vault are closer still and an easy half hour walk from your yurt. Furnished with a double bed, wood-burner and cooking facilities, the two Mongolian-style structures are also joined by an atmospheric straw bale studio, with rough, honey-coloured interior walls housing a kitchen, brass-bedded bedroom and an en-suite bathroom.
From £75 per night for up to four people.
Cotna Eco Retreat, Cotna Barton, Gorran Churchtown, Cornwall (01726 844867; cotna.co.uk).
THE BELLS OF HEMSCOTT, Northumberland
At the foot of the dunes behind the seven mile sands of Druridge Bay, Hemscott Hill Farm hosts a scattering of wild camping pitches alongside 12 glamping bell tents and a shepherd’s hut. Facilities are relatively basic – compost toilets, shower shacks and dishwashing sinks – and tent furnishings range from large comfy beds with bedside tables to a simple mattresses and little else. Campfires are permitted and, though the site moves from meadow to meadow for grazing purposes, you’re never more than 15-minutes’ walk from the beach.
From £70 per night for two people.
The Bells of Hemscott, Hemscott Hill Farm, Widdrington, Morpeth, Northumberland (07876 344509; thebellsofhemscott.com).
LOVELAND FARM, Devon
Bright, modern and luxurious, the five geodesic domes at Loveland Farm offer an array of 21st-century comforts (including plush private bathrooms and a film projector opposite your bed) amid charming 19th-century farm buildings. Still a working smallholding (if a rather unusual one) the farm hosts pigs, alpacas and a pair of Asian water buffaloes, grazing beyond the six-acres of camping space. It’s little more than a mile to the nearest beach and the South West Coast Path and a 15-minute drive to historic Clovelly harbour.
Two-night stays from £230 for two people.
Loveland Farm, Hartland, Bideford, Devon (01237 441894; lovelandfarmcamping.co.uk).
WHEEMS ORGANIC FARM, Orkney Isles
An hours’ ferry from mainland Scotland, Wheems Farm on South Ronaldsay Island is a rugged, hilltop site with excellent views. Two sparsely furnished wooden pods were the first foray away from regular camping but it’s the new Mongolian-style yurt that really stands out. Inside there are throws, pillows and cushions in abundance, along with a double bed, wood-burner and gas hobs (if you don’t want to share the communal kitchen). It’s an easy wander down the slope to a pristine sandy beach, the starting point of a 10-mile coastal hike.
Yurt prices start from £45 per night for up to four people.
Wheems Organic Farm, South Ronaldsay, Orkney (01856 831556; wheemsorganic.co.uk).
STANLEY VILLA FARM, Lancashire
Lakeside Stanley Villa Farm has a decidedly rural feel despite its location, just 15 minutes from Blackpool. There are 24 purpose-built camping "bugs" – fully insulated wooden pods with double glazed windows, two single beds and a campfire pit outside – while a lakeside lodge houses a communal kitchen and bathrooms. Anglers of all level are welcome, with rods for hire and fishing lessons available. Morecambe Bay, the Forest of Bowland and the Ribble Estuary Nature Reserve are all within a half-hour drive.
From £47 per night for two people.
Stanley Villa Farm, Back Lane, Weeton, Preston, Lancashire (01253 804588; campingbugs.co.uk).
GRAIG WEN, Gwynedd
Between sandy Barmouth Bay and the mountains of Snowdonia, Graig Wen campsite boasts a fantastic estuary-side location. Two yurts and an octagonal wooden "caban" are tucked among a copse of birch trees, providing privacy and tranquillity, even if it is at the cost of the best Mawddach River views. Inside, cosy beds, wood-burners and sheepskin rugs are all included. Various events are hosted throughout summer, including fire-making workshops, foraging weekends and bush craft courses. Hike Cader Idris or bring bikes to cycle to Fairbourne beach.
Yurts (sleep 2 and 5) and caban (sleeps 2) from £160 for a 2-night break.
Graig Wen, Arthog, near Dolgellau, Gwynedd (01341 250482; graigwen.co.uk).
All campsites mentioned can be booked at www.coolcamping.co.uk and feature in Cool Camping’s new Glamping Getaways book (2nd Edition, Punk Publishing, £16.95).
