I’ve no idea whether Sugar Park Caravan and Campsite would ever get included in either the Cool Camping guide or Dixe Will’s tiny campsites, but it’s in an amazing spot within walking distance of Beesands Beach, nr. Kingsbridge in Devon. It seems to consist of little more than two small fields, a toilet and a sink with cold water only. One of the fields seemed to be reserved for a handful of caravans, and although there was a caravan in other other field I met a small group of campers staying there in tents who seemed to love the place. That’s not surprising as it has a stunning views of Beesands Beach and Start Bay, with a nature reserve in the field below. It’s also incredibly reasonable with the owner of the Bell Tent paying around 10 quid a night, and the couple in the 2 person expedition tent paying a whole lot less. I think it might be a bit of a secret as the only mention of it I could find online was on the Farming Discussions forum and only when I searched for the phone number I saw on a sign by the entrance. At least it has a name, unlike the other campsite I found nearby which seemed to be referred to as the one run by Beryl. I’ll blog about this site soon, along with some more information about the surrounding area as it’s incredibly unspoilt, but if the basic camping on offer at the Sugar Park site is up your alley then details are as follows:
Sugar Park Caravan and Campsite
Beeson, nr. Kingsbridge, Devon (Google Maps)
contact: Richard Rogers – 01548580696
Related posts:
Shhhh please keep quiet about this campsite. As you say it is so unspoilt. I started to camp here about 5 years ago, with my then partner and now wife. For her and her parents its a place that holds special memory’s. They spent most of their summers in beesands for as long as they can remember they have been visiting for the last 30 odd years, staying in the static caravans that used to be on the water front by the football pitches and then in the cottages along the front and laterly camping at Sugar park.
The views out of the field are stunning and a joy to wake up to even if its raining. We have stayed there twice this year once with two 12 men tents and a whole raft of family and at only £10 a night you could not ask for more. Our last vist over the last weekend wast only a two day vist our last of this year, we were previously in a large campsite in uplyme near lime regis (hook farm) even though it has a shop and showers etc it still does not have the appeal that sugar park does, quite unspoilt country side, the sound of the wind over your tent coming up from the sea makes it a perfect place. One i am sure myself and my family will retreat to for many years to come.
Keith
Keith … thanks for the comments, and think your secret is safe (at least for the moment) given our traffic
[...] grandmother and her 2 grandchildren. She also told me a few of her local secrets including the tiny Sugar Park site in nearby Beeson that I mentioned in my last post and a site referred to simply as the one run [...]
please note the telephone number has changed to 01548580165, thanks.
MIke … no worries and still think you site has the best view on that coast even if I couldn’t get you into this years Cool Camping Guide. Think you would be a candidate for Dixie Wills Tiny Campsites though, and if you want to run a promotion for a free holiday (not for me of course) at your site then let me know and I’ll help promote it. I can just about taste the seared scallops at Brittania@the beach by just thinking about your site although meat from the man in the van who drops by your site was pretty delicious on the BBQ too.
Please, please, dont promote this site. It will ruin something beautiful. we found, 20 years agao, a lovely spot in the Horner Valley, Exmoor. It was idylicc, with campfires, the river running through the middle and joy of joy, tents only. Now, its over run with big groups, cars more than tents, the live trees are cut down by ignorant campers and the whole thing is a disaster. The internet, web sites, word of mouth, all have contributed. So, shh. Silence will get you the best campers, those that care.
Sorry but guess damage has already been done.
Well done to the person who promoted this campsite, Its no longer a seacret little haven, where I’ve being going for at least 30 years,it was advertised by word of mouth but now thanks to you the whole world knows about it. I can not type anymore as it would be to rude.
Anthony … thanks for feedback, which we appreciate good or bad. It actually shows that someone is looking at our blog, because the traffic we get is unlikely to have had an effect on bookings at Sugar Park unless my wife’s booked us in there this summer without telling me. So it would have been miracle if we’ve managed to let the whole world know by mentioning it given our blog hasn’t really been active for a while and is hardly inundated with campers hanging on our every word about where they should camp. It’s far more likely that the word of mouth you talk about is responsible for any increases in bookings than anything we’ve done. In fact, I seem to remember Sugar Park and Beryl’s campsites were pretty visible from coastal walk, which gets thousands of people walking along it ever year. It was also the folks at Beesands fish shack that told me about camping spots near by, which means that ones I’ve mentioned are hardly a secret. I also think it’s a bit strange to be arguing that the selfishness of keeping a secret is a virtue whereas the generousity of helping people find decent places to camp is a vice. The problem as I see is that there are not enough sites like Sugar Park. The reason I mention them is that I’m hoping it will lead to more popping up rather than trying to deprive campers of their favourite spot. If the Camping & Caravan Club actually stuck to their original ethos of ‘leaving nothing but your thanks’, then maybe there would be more sites like Sugar Park. Instead, there’s too many gloried car parks masquerading as campsites, but that’s probably what happens when you have a conflict of interest by being both arbiter of campsites and profiting from them. All the best Justin
[...] managed to ruin your camping trip this summer by letting the whole world know about your favourite secret camp site. Apparently, the handful of people who visit this site have been inundating the tiny and secret [...]
[...] for the Cool Camping guides, and upset a few people by telling the world about their favourite secret camp sites. I also almost set-up a glamp site and become an agent for composting loo franchise. I even had a [...]
I would like somewhere like sugar hill to leave my caravan for the summer season May untill October is this something that Beryl would allow ? if so how much? We would probably visit a few days each month.
Rgards
David
David … I’m not sure they are really set-up for that, but you could call them and ask. What they might be able to do is point you to a farmer who might be able to help. A more likely bet is somewhere like Woodland View. You don’t get the sea view but it’s close by and has more facilities like power:
http://alifeoutthere.com/2010/08/10/slapton-sands-sea-and-woodland-view-sites/
Hope this helps.
Justin