Hire a camper van for the comfort of a hotel on wheels

Long golden stretches of sand, beautiful countryside and not a care in the world. A “no-tel” holiday around Devon in a VW camper van is the perfect escape.

We chose a 1972 model named Ordell, and spent a week with the wind in our hair.

We could go wherever, whenever and stay for as long as we wanted. It’s no surprise that celebs such as Kate Moss, right, are huge fans of hitting the open road and kicking back with nature.
 
We headed to seaside resort Woolacombe in north Devon and camped at Woolacombe Bay campsite  (01271 870 343; woolacombe.co.uk), with spectacular views across the bay.
The campsite is close to the beach and has an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, crazy golf, a restaurant, a pub and even a spa to get pampered in.
We then made our way down the picturesque coastline, trundling through narrow, hedge-lined lanes to the Hartland peninsula.

Off the beaten track we found Stoke Barton Farm (01237 441 238; westcountry-camping.co.uk), which is a working farm with 12 acres of field to camp in.
Situated on a spectacular coastal path near Hartland Quay the campsite is very tranquil and definitely worth a visit if you want a rustic, unique camping experience.

We finally made our way over to Dartmouth to stay at St Leonards Cove campsite (01803 770 206 leonardscove.co.uk), which lies in an area of outstanding natural beauty overlooking Start Bay. It’s the perfect location to explore south Devon, including gorgeous Blackpool Sands.
Our camping pitch, with electric hook-up, had breathtaking, panoramic sea views and the best showers we’ve ever experienced.


Each day we fell more in love with our camper van Ordell. We slept in her canvas pop-up roof every night and woke up feeling refreshed and happy.
The long sandy beach (2.5 miles) in Woolacombe was the perfect place to relax and unwind or learn to surf, as we did. Our most relaxing evening was at Stoke Barton Farm. We lit a roaring camp fire and spent hours toasting marshmallows and star gazing in the crystal clear sky.
There was nothing but farmland for 500 acres so this really is the place to truly enjoy nature and clear your mind.

We finished off our week by heading to The Shops at Dartington (dartington.org/shops) in Totnes for some much needed pampering – just like Kate Moss would. We went to The Haven Spa (havenspaandtherapy.co.uk) for an Elemis facial and Hawaiian hot stone massage.
We can’t recommend this quirky shopping centre enough – the cream teas are amazing.

As soon as we picked up our camper van in Okehampton we drove 10 miles to Cholwell Farm stables in Tavistock (01822 810 526). We kicked off the trip with an hour-long horse ride across Dartmoor national park. Within five minutes we were on our horses, riding across the moors surrounded by swallows.
We then learnt to surf in Woolacombe. The village is packed with places to have surf lessons or hire wetsuits and surfboards.

At sunset, local fish and chip shop The Woolacombe Fryer, on Barton Road, is the place to go; the queue spiralling down the street speaks volumes.
We couldn’t wait to drive along the coast to Croyde Bay, to explore the golden sand dunes and sample a highly recommended ice cream from the old cream shop. The stunning village is steeped in old-world charm with thatched cottages and clotted cream shops.
Croyde is full of surfers and walkers and it’s the perfect place to relax, buy gifts or treat yourself to lunch at famous pub The Thatch.

We soon realised there was a secret club for vintage VW van drivers, so we were constantly giving a high-spirited wave or horn toot to fellow V-dubbers.
If you fancy adding adrenaline-pumping activities to your trip check out Essential Adventure (essential-adventure.co.uk).

We went coasteering – scrambling along cliffs before jumping off them into the sea.
The guides also organise days out gorge walking, rock climbing, caving and kayaking.

Most nights we cooked dinner on a open fire or BBQ by the side of our camper van.
It’s worth taking a trip into Dartmouth town to potter around the craft shops, walk along the water front and sample seafood at its best in one of the numerous fine restaurants.

We had dinner in Mitch Tonk’s restaurant RockFish, which is the number one place to visit and definitely not your average fish and chip shop.
They cook the seafood over a charcoal fire, which gives it a unique and delicious Mediterranean flavour.
Our dinner was served in stylish boxes and the menu oozes with daily specials like Devon lobster and cracked crab.


We hired Ordell from O’Connors Campers in Okehampton (01837 659 599; oconnorscampers.co.uk).
They rent out two, four, five and six berth VW camper vans from £375 per week.
The van comes with insurance for the first driver, an awning, camp beds, table and chairs, cycle rack and unlimited mileage in Devon and Cornwall. Inside is fully kitted out with everything you need including cooker, grill, fridge, sink, CD player and iPod Aux.
All you need are the keys!