Bay View Farm Campsite is a family-friendly campsite overlooking Croyde Bay in North Devon. We’ve been returning in our VW T25 since 2018 and it remains one of our favourite coastal campsites. Large pitches, excellent facilities, easy access to both the beach and village, and some memorable sunsets make it an ideal base for families, surfers and campervan travellers looking for a relaxed stay on the North Devon coast.
We, or rather I was happy to arrive not too tired, after a long drive and a trip to Tesco’s in Barnstaple. For everyone else who caught up with their sleep, or binge watched something on their phone – happy days!
We have been coming Bay View Farm for a number of years, and we always arrive with a smile, whatever the weather. For the first time ever, sunshine and usually warm weather was expected. Definitely was over prepared for a change.
Location & Setting
How to get there
Bay View Farm Camping is exactly as described on the website – overlooking Croyde Bay and on the right hand side as you head into the village, and you can view amazing sunsets, even I can take a good picture. There are a variety of pitches for everyone.
Pitch & Setup Experience
Pitch sizes and Facilities
Grass pitch sizes are good. Electric hook up and water stand pipe optional. Pitches big enough for caravan and campervan awnings as well. Remember to take some chocks and a mini spirit level to ensure a good night’s sleep in your van.
The grass is immaculate, well cut and groomed for want of a better expression.
A Proper Family Campsite
It really is. Owned by a family for a family. Noisy types are better off heading to other camping sites in the town. The campers here are usually very respectful. Also, there are regular patrols by the team who politely enforce the rules, and includes an on-site warden.
Facilities
Shower and Toilet Blocks
Are immaculate. Cleaned twice a day, and I’ve never seen any better. Rivalling many member only sites I have visited over the years.
Washing up Facilities
Plenty of space, no excuses for leaving it until tomorrow!
Electric Hook up and Waste Disposal – yes
Family Experience
Slow Mornings and Sea Views
Mornings were slower in a good way. Pitch had a great sea view, so it was easy to lounge around in the sunshine, which was a novel experience actually having six days of sunshine in a row. The only urgency was to get in the water before the crowds arrived later in the afternoon, creating a ‘human soup’ of body boarders in the controlled lifeguard zones.
Evening Sunsets
Evening for us were outside cooking food, and watching the sunset past Lundy Island. It’s a peaceful and quiet site during the evening sunset, and very quiet.
The Children’s Playground
My children are now too old for the kids’ playground, but had hours of fun with other children when younger. There is enough there for small children to be active, and it has a great view for the accompanying parents. We used it for lunch to hide from the sunshine under the trees – a very new experience.
Weather & Conditions
Atlantic Weather
You are not far from the beach, on the Devon North Coast, where the Atlantic, and associated weather systems hit the coast. This is where the weather system that creates the waves, that generates the fun on the boards.
Sea Breeze, Wind and Campervan Life
Even when sunny there can be lots of wind. My coastal Weather-Based Packing Framework now looks like overkill. Always best to take everything you may need, the forecast can always be wrong!
The south westerly winds will drive up over the beach and straight onto the campsite. Keep a weather eye on the Weather Apps. Easily done to go to sleep, and wake up with your previously drying, non-pegged clothes blown around the campsite. Some hard won experience to help you enjoy your stay.
What’s Nearby
Croyde Beach
Beach Access: It’s one km down to the beach, so depending on your stride length 10-20 mins. If the tide is out another 500m to the water’s edge. RNLI lifeguards are normally on duty between 10am and 6pm during the main season. There are controlled zones for bodyboarders and surfers. I recommend staying in the zones, especially if you’re not a strong swimmer. No car required, or need to pay for car parking for beach access.
Saunton Sands
The beach is a five-minute drive away. The waves are different here, and sometimes better. The compromise is a smaller car park and no RNLI Beach Lifeguards.
Walking into Croyde Village
It was easier to walk into Croyde than it first looked on the map. You can walk in, buy visit the Post Office queue up to pay and be back in the site with 20-minutes.
Baggy Point and Coastal Walks
Baggy Point is a favourite of mine. Easy to get to, and follows the South West Path. You can also take great pictures on the way back to Croyde Beach
Public Transport
The is a bus service, with a stop at the bottom of the site for Barnstaple and Braunton.
What Worked Well
- Space – good size pitches
- Relaxed family atmosphere, with respectful campers – not for party people – plenty of other campsites in Croyde if required
- Location – excellent. A one kilometre walk to the beach. Five-minutes into town
What Didn’t
We’ve been coming here for a long time. This campsite really works for my family.
The Great Chip Incident: My only niggle is the Fish & Chips Takeaway just before you go through the site entrance. For our home made burgers, we thought we’d speed up the process and order some takeaway chips.
Portion size for a large chips was small, and was told it was correct. We tried again later for more chips, or Glasgow salad as it’s known in our household, and it was a better size. Moral was restored!
Practical Notes for Camper Vans
Access and Arrival
Easy. B Road in. In fact, to visually demonstrate space, here is a picture of an Airstream. Also fits my criteria of that’s a ‘lotta of fun’!
So if an Airstream can camp, you definitely can!
Levelling the Van: Take chocks.
Electric Hook-up Placement
Easy, right by the pitch – no massive power lead extensions required as you sometimes do on French sites
Arrival and Departure Times
Arrivals: Bay View Farm (Croyde, Devon): Tents and touring pitches can arrive between 1:00 PM and 9:00 PM
Departures: 11am – But you can get a half-day rate if you want to leave early evening and avoid the holiday maker traffic exodus out of Devon, followed by the second coming of traffic from Cornwall.
Final Thoughts
Bay View Farm Caravan and Camping Park is one of my favourite coastal campsites
We’ve been returning to Bay View Farm since 2018, which probably answers the question. Over the years we’ve stayed in sunshine, wind and the occasional Devon downpour, but the reasons we keep coming back haven’t changed.
Easy beach access, a relaxed atmosphere, excellent facilities and some memorable sunsets make it one of the few campsites we happily return to year after year.
“Best for…”
- families
- quiet stays
- beach access
- sunsets