Camping in Plymouth

Plymouth is a working city rather than a rural retreat, so there is no camping within the built-up area itself, but the countryside opens up quickly on every side, from the wooded Plym Valley just north of the city to the coastal villages of the South Hams and the wilder ground of Dartmoor a short drive further out. That variety means visitors can choose a site to suit the kind of holiday they want, whether that is a base close enough to walk into the city or a quieter spot nearer the coast path and the moor.

The sites within easiest reach of Plymouth tend to sit just a few miles out, along the Plym Valley or around the coastal villages to the south-east, and range from simple touring parks geared towards caravans and motorhomes to family holiday parks with pools and static accommodation as well as pitches. A little further out, towards Dartmoor and the South Hams, sites take on a quieter, more rural character, better suited to visitors planning walking or cycling days away from the city rather than using camping purely as a base for sightseeing.

Devon's coastal and moorland weather can turn quickly, so a well-pitched tent and warm layers are worth having even in summer, particularly at sites nearer the coast or the exposed edges of Dartmoor. The most reliable camping season around Plymouth runs from April through to September, when most sites are fully open and the surrounding coast path and beaches are at their best; several of the smaller touring parks reduce their opening hours or close altogether over the winter months, so it is worth checking ahead before planning a visit outside the main season.