Set on a working cider farm, North Down Orchard offers an idyllic rural retreat, only five minutes from Crewkerne. Tent campers can pitch up in the large hay meadow. For glampers, there are five bell tents with proper beds, soft furnishings, a fire pit/BBQ and more. For the real taste of Somerset, sample some of the site's own cider, and be sure to head to the onsite Cider Barn on Friday for delicious food and drink, with live music most weeks!
Peaceful, rural site on a working cider farm with spacious pitches and luxury bell tents
Just five minutes from Crewkerne, 35 minutes from Lyme Regis and Charmouth Beach
Onsite bar open every Friday with homemade cider, street food and music throughout the summer
About North Down Orchard
Expect peace and quiet with some Friday fun at this picturesque rural campsite. Located on a Somerset cider farm, the site represents all that this stunning county is about!
The site allows a total of 15 tents to set up camp in the spacious camping field with non electric, unallocated pitches. Up to six guests are welcome per tent, with plenty of space for you to enjoy the sun or find shelter under the shade of the ancient tress and hedgerows.
If glamping is more your style, the site has five charming bell tents on offer, each sleeping up to four guests. They come equipped with a double bed, two air beds, soft floor rugs, a table and chairs, electric lighting, plug sockets and tea-making facilities for your morning brew.
The three standard 5m bell tents are pet friendly, so you don't have to holiday without the dog. The two deluxe 6m bell tents are spacious and pet free with a king size bed and luxury furnishings. Outside each of the tents, there is also a table and chairs, along with a fire pit/BBQ for evenings in the open.
So, pitch up and be sure to head to The Cider Barn for food and drink on a Friday evening. During the summer months, there are live bands playing most Fridays on the Barn Stage, so you can get up close and have a dance or find a quieter spot in the bar or the yard to enjoy your drink.
Campers are also welcome to enjoy a BBQ, just please ensure it is raised from the ground. If you want a campfire, a firepit can be hired and logs are available for sale.
Dogs are welcome to join you for your stay in your own tent or in the standard bell tents.
North Down Orchard is open from 09/05 to 22/09.
Facilities and amenities
Site facilities include luxury showers and composting loos, along with a field kitchen with fridge/freezer, microwave, electric hob and kettle as well as washing up facilities. Tables and chairs are also provided or you can use the log seats in the woodland glade.
The onsite Cider Barn is open every Friday evening. The bar serves a full range of drinks including cider and apple juice from the farm, and there is food on offer from a local street food vendor. Live bands perform on the Barn Stage most Fridays in the summer months. Crewkerne is a five minute drive away with pubs and shops, including a Waitrose and Lidl.
Adult only
Allow commercial vans
Allow pets
Bike hire
Café / restaurant
Communal BBQ
Disabled facilities
Drinking water
Electric hookups
Entertainment
Family friendly
Fires allowed
Fishing
Games room
Glamping
Golf
Horse riding
Hot tub
Internet access
Kids club
Kids playground
Laundry
Near beach
Near pub
Open year round
Peaceful
RV pitches
Shop
Showers
Swimming pool
Toilets
TV room
Vineyard
Water hookups
Watersports
W.C. disposal
A note from the site themselves...
North Down Farm is owned and run by father and son team, David and Ross Mangles. David's father, Rob, bought the Farm back in 1966 after retiring from the army. He initially kept pigs and beef cattle, whilst also growing oats and barley. But, in 1973, he was offered a 30 year contract to grow cider apples for Taunton Cider, so 8000 trees of a dozen varieties were planted in six orchards over the following years.
As well as using the apples to make our own cider for The Cider Barn, we also supply craft cidermakers all over the UK. Our apples have gone into many award winning ciders, from traditional farmhouse to the finest of ciders.
The farm has always tried to work for the benefit of the environment and as well as adopting regenerative agriculture practices. We have been transitioning to energy self-reliance with a biomass boiler fed with our own prunings and hedgings and solar panels supplying most of our electricity.
The site uses solar power for the electricity and hot water, the composting toilets minimise water usage and pollution and the facilities have been constructed using recycled/upcycled materials wherever possible. Hundreds of trees have also been planted around the site, so you can enjoy a relaxing break without worrying about the impact on the environment.
Map and address
Park address
North Down Orchard,
North Down Farm, Haselbury Plucknett, Crewkerne, Somerset, TA18 7PL
My partner's stay was 15 nights in the end, thanks to the helpfulness of the owner, and he had all the facilities he needed for such a long stay under canvas. Thanks to the amazing location and situation of the site, a stay that had the purpose of looking after a relative stuck in a Somerset hospital made him feel as if he'd had a holiday, despite the serious reason for making the visit.
We cannot thank North Down Orchard Campsite enough for the amazing experience.
Girls trip
Featured
Recommends site
Angela E
1
0
Bell Tent - Deluxe Bell Tents (Pet Free)Aug 2023
Myself, my two sisters and a friend stayed in one of the Deluxe Bell Tents. We arrived on a Friday and there was music and food in the cider barn where the cider is amazing! And so cheap too!
The tent itself was stunning, spacious and hosted good facilities. The showers are like a normal power shower and the toilets are clean. The kitchen area is great too, with plenty of drinking water on hand. The view where the tents are is very calming and pretty, lots of trees so felt very out in the woods.
Hosts are great and greet upon on arrival but leave you to it after that, which we prefer. Would highly recommend and would definitely stay again.
Offers all you could ask for
Recommends site
Sophie B
0
0
Small Tent - Non Electric Grass PitchesSep 2023
Lovely stay, pretty views. Orchard on the drive was stunning.
The man who owns it was very helpful and showed us where to go.
Clean facilities, lovely warm showers.
Only stayed 1 night so didn't explore around the area, but what we did see was amazing and stunning.
Share your feedback
Did you stay at North Down Orchard? Tell us what you thought!
Yes, four-legged friends are welcome to join you on your stay but must be kept on a lead, there are plenty of dog walks nearby. Please note breed and crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act are not permitted.
Does North Down Orchard allow BBQs and campfires?
Raised BBQs and campfires are welcome, perfect for al fresco dining in the evenings. Electric BBQs are not allowed.
Can I park near my pitch at North Down Orchard?
No cars are to be parked by the pitch unit. All cars must be parked in the designated area.
Can I bring an awning, gazebo or pup tent with me to North Down Orchard?
Guests are welcome to bring one of each free of charge.
What time is check-in and check out at North Down Orchard?
Check-in is available from noon - 8pm for camping and from 3pm -8pm for glamping. Departure is due before noon on your last day of camping, or before 11am for glamping.
Things to do on site and in the Crewkerne area
The site provides the perfect spot to relax, unwind and enjoy the natural surroundings. There is a nature trail around the farm as well as both local and long distance footpaths crossing the farm, with three pubs within a mile's walk.
The market town of Crewkerne is only a five minute drive away with a range of shops, antiques and charity shops as well as pubs and eateries. There is also a leisure centre with a swimming pool and gym.
Yeovil is 15 minutes away and offers shopping centres as well as cinema, theatres, bowling and lots of great places to eat.
There are many attractions to visit within a 40 minute drive with a selection of excellent beaches along the Jurassic coast including Lyme Regis, West Bay, Charmouth and Burton Bradstock.
Other nearby attractions include:
National Trust - Barrington Court (20 minutes)
Dinosaurland Fossil Museum (35 minutes)
Lyme Regis Beach (40 minutes)
Sea Life Centre Weymouth (55 minutes)
The Tank Museum (1 hour)
The listing for North Down Orchard was last updated on May 13th, 2024 at 5:29 AM