Camping - From Norfolk to Devon
August 2018
Last August 2018 we took our very first long distance camping trip from Norfolk to Devon!
A few years ago we were the ultimate noobs at camping with just a 4 man tent and nothing much else... now we have the complete set up with a cooker, fridge and a heater!
Our friends, The Sheridans, joined us this time with their 3 kids, making the early 5-o-clock set off rather exciting!
A slightly uncomfortable 5 hour drive, squashed in our Audi A3, packed to the brim with everything we could think of, prepared for the apocalypse...for 6 days. A few leg-stretch stops and we arrived at Cofton Holiday Park in delightful Dawlish.
A beautiful spot in the middle of the 80 acres of rolling hills...and we pitched our tents at the top of it.
Pitches were a decent size and we opted for the Electric pitches as we do like to have a little bit of luxury! We paid £345 for 5 nights including swim passes for the indoor pool.
After setting up Fort SheriJar we decided to explore the site and get to know our whereabouts before night fell.
The park has fantastic leisure facilities to suit all ages including an outdoor pool open till 6pm every evening during the summer, plus an indoor pool with sauna and steam room.
With a cosy restaurant and a pub, both with plenty of food options, plus a cafe with an outdoor viewing area, perfect for watching the children in the outdoor pool. There is also a fish and chip shop on-site plus a little shop for all those forgotten essentials. After considering strapping the children to the car roof, we decided not to take a load of food shopping with us, to save the little space we did have in the car and to find a supermarket nearby to do a shop the next day. Luckily, there was an Sainsburys 10 minutes down the road!
After a good night sleep the view we woke up to the next morning was just glorious. Sunshine, warmth and the sound of sheep in the fields nearby.
A quick freshen up in the very well kept shower blocks and we were ready for the day ahead.
We headed through the pathed woodland, up and down some very steep hills, catching a glimpse of the beautiful view peeking through the trees, until 20 minutes later we reached Dawlish Warren, a beautiful blue flagged beach with amusements, shops and a fairground on the green.
From there we took a stroll along the sea wall and the coastal railway, taking in the views of the red rock cliffs. The South Devon Railway Line runs through Dawlish, this is considered one of the most scenic railway lines in Britain, literally right next to the shoreline. Along here is Langstone Rock, an abandoned cliff. If you're brave enough, you can take the steep steps up to the very point of the cliff for some even more fascinating views.
A 30 minute walk and we arrived in Dawlish Town. A quaint little seaside town with lots going on. It was festival week when we were there so there were many stalls and rides on The Lawn and Brook, which is famous for its black swans. The Lawn is a great open space to play games and have a picnic. There are a range of Amusement arcades, interesting shops and eateries dotted around the town. We stopped off at Gays Creamery, one of Dawlish oldest running family businesses, full of sweet and savoury delights. We bought a takeaway cream tea to have later on back at the camp and it really was the best Cream Tea i've ever had!
The evenings we would spend by the homemade campfire, snuggled up, roasting marshmallows and playing games of Uno. Occasionally, the children would take themselves off to the amusement arcade or have a game of pool leaving us adults to have one or two glasses of wine!
Day 2 we headed to River Dart Country Park which was about 40 minutes drive. River Dart is set in 90 acres of Dartmoor National Park and with over 25 activities included in the entry charge there is fun for all the family. From the Adventure playground, snake slides, climbing pods, assault courses and so much more. Make sure you check out the pirate ship! The kids thought this was 'awesome'. Only accessible by swimming to, (dont panic, its safe, clean and filtered water) although a bit chilly so you may need a wetsuit! There are also other activities like high ropes, zorbing and a zipwire at an extra charge.
The entry was £12 per person but included a free return on any day within 7 days so we also made the most of this and returned on our last day.
Check out the River Dart youtube video below or have a browse on their website here - http://riverdart.co.uk/family-park-attractions
10 minutes drive down the road from River Dart was Spitchwick Common ,,,if you blinked you would miss it..or..if you blinked when your driving round the hair- raising bends you would end up over the edge!
£2 car parking was all it took for a lovely few hours in such a quiet, beautiful area and the kids loved it... After a bit of a hike we emerged onto a green, open space surrounded by the Dartmoor river, red cliffs and even a few Dartmoor ponies.
The kids (and the dads) braved the water in their wetsuits and took to jumping off the small cliffs, whilst us mums sat watching in fear whilst soaking up a few rays of sunshine that peeped through the clouds every now and then!
We took a disposable bbq and cooked up some hot dogs and burgers which was a perfect end to the day before heading back to camp.
The next day we headed out on our own to Brixham, a 45 minute drive away and left the Sheridans to relax at camp.
Brixham is a small fishing town with a stunning, picturesq harbourside with lots of quaint shops and excellent local food. We took a walk around and stopped at Old Market House for some very pleasing lunch. A welcoming atmosphere and a mouth- watering menu with lots of choice and catered well for the children. Check out their website here -https://www.oldmarkethousebrixham.co.uk/
My husband had done his research on Brixham before we came, so he had a little something tucked nicely up his sleeve! After lunch he took us for a drive round the corner to a little place called Fishcombe Cove and i can honestly say i thought i had landed in a different country... pictures don't do it justice, it was dazzling with beauty. Take a look for yourself...
In the Cove was a cute beach-hut style cafe which served hot & cold food & drinks also hired out paddle boats, snorkels and even buckets and spades all at a reasonable price. The young lady who owns the cafe was very friendly and i couldn't help feel a slight bit of envy at what such a hidden gem she had as her daily job!
Go ahead an check out the facebook page here - https://www.facebook.com/fishcombecovecafe/
I could have stayed there all day but as the clouds started to come over it was once again time to head back to the Ranch.
The final day we spent the afternoon packing up the main bits ready for the drive home. The dads kindly let us mums pop off to the indoor pool, sauna and steam room for an hour to relax which was muchly needed.
We spent the rest of the evening in the Cofton Bar joining in with the entertainment team with their fun and games, before an Elton John tribute came on and sent us giggling back to the tents!
For more information on Cofton Holiday park and prices click here - https://www.coftonholidays.co.uk
We had a fabulous time the few days we had in Devon and can't wait to return again!
Have you been camping in Devon? Any recommendations of where we should visit next? Drop me a line in the comments below. I'd love to hear from you!
