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Begin beside the Kingsbridge Estuary This South Devon journey is one of our favourites, particularly for travellers who enjoy boats, coastal walks and very good food. Begin in Salcombe, where the town gathers around its harbour and the Kingsbridge Estuary opens towards the sea. Do not be in too much of a hurry to drive. Salcombe is best enjoyed from the water or on foot, with time for the ferry, waterside streets and views across towards East Portlemouth. Higher Rew Camping Park places you close to the estuary and gives you a relaxed base away from the busiest part of town. For a quieter coastal moment, walk to Soar Mill Cove or seek out Sunny Cove on the opposite side of the estuary. They require a little effort, which is precisely why they still feel like discoveries. Around Start Point When you are ready to move on, let the road take you around Start Bay. A detour to East Prawle brings you to Devon's most southerly village and the wonderfully characterful Pig's Nose Inn. Its food, local atmosphere and live-music heritage make it more than a convenient pub stop, so check what is on and give it the evening if you can. Nearby Hallsands tells a more sobering coastal story. Much of the original village was lost to the sea after a devastating storm, and the remaining view from the platform is a powerful reminder that this beautiful coastline is always changing. Slapton Blackpool Sands and Dartmouth Continue beside Slapton Ley, where freshwater lagoon, shingle beach and wartime history sit side by side. This is a lovely place to pause for a walk before following the coast towards Blackpool Sands. Despite the name, the beach is a sheltered sweep of fine shingle backed by trees, and its clear water can look almost Mediterranean on a calm day. The final destination is Dartmouth. Arrive with enough time to explore properly: watch the river traffic, walk the historic streets or take to the water again. Dartmouth Camping and Caravanning Club Site provides a practical base outside town, leaving you free to finish the journey without watching the clock. The roads around South Devon can be narrow and busy, especially in summer. Modest daily mileage and early campsite arrivals make the experience much more relaxed in a classic camper. Plan your Freebird journey Salcombe to Dartmouth is not a great distance on the map, but it can easily fill several memorable days. Follow the water, stop often and let the coves, villages and coastal views decide the pace. That is when the journey begins to feel properly Freebird. Choose your campervan and start planning your own South West adventure.
Crossing to the Roseland South Cornwall has a softer rhythm than the Atlantic coast. The water is often calmer, wooded estuaries reach inland and fishing villages appear around bends in the road. Begin in Falmouth, where boats fill the harbour and the town has more than enough cafés, galleries and waterfront walks for a leisurely first day. When it is time to move on, make the crossing part of the journey. The King Harry Ferry carries vehicles across the River Fal between Feock and the Roseland Peninsula, replacing a long drive around the estuary with a few peaceful minutes on the water. From there, follow the peninsula towards St Mawes, where the harbour and castle look back across Carrick Roads. Trewince Farm near Portscatho makes a relaxed base, with coast paths, beaches and Roseland villages close by. Walk from Portscatho to Porthcurnick Beach and reward yourself at the Hidden Hut, a wonderfully simple spot for freshly cooked food above the sand. Portloe and Mevagissey Continue east towards Portloe, one of those villages that seems to tumble down the hillside into its harbour. This is a place for wandering rather than ticking off sights. Find the water, watch the boats and enjoy the fact that the camper is carrying everything you need for the next chapter. Farther along the coast, Mevagissey brings a busier working harbour, narrow streets and plenty of opportunities for fish and chips beside the water. Heligan Caravan and Camping Park makes a handy base for this stretch, surrounded by countryside and close to both the village and the Lost Gardens of Heligan. Fowey Polruan and Looe The Fowey estuary deserves time. One lovely approach is to park on the Polruan side and take the passenger ferry across to Fowey, leaving the camper behind for a few hours of independent shops, waterside views and good food. The service runs daily, although times and landing points can change with the season, so check before travelling. Literary travellers may also be drawn towards Menabilly and the coast around Polridmouth, a landscape closely associated with Daphne du Maurier. Access is on foot and should be planned with the tide, weather and local guidance in mind. Before the final run to Looe, Polkerris makes a delicious detour. Sam's on the Beach occupies the old lifeboat house, with the sea only a few steps away. Bay View Farm above Looe then provides a fitting final base, looking across the bay towards St George's Island and placing the coast path within easy reach. Plan your Freebird journey This is a journey of ferries, harbours and small discoveries. Allow extra time for narrow lanes, check ferry and campsite information before travelling, and avoid planning so much that there is no room left for a swim, a coastal walk or an unexpectedly long lunch. Choose your campervan and start planning your own South West adventure.
From the coast into the wild Exmoor is not a route to rush. Roads rise and fall through deep valleys, views appear without warning and every few miles bring another reason to stop. Begin in Lynton and Lynmouth, with the harbour below and the wooded cliffs gathering around you, before making your way to the Valley of Rocks. The Valley of Rocks feels wonderfully theatrical: towering formations, open sea and a road that seems to have been placed there purely for the view. Take your time and then continue east towards Porlock. Some Exmoor roads are steep, narrow and demanding, particularly in a classic vehicle, so plan the day's route carefully and choose the roads that suit both you and your camper. Porlock to Dulverton Porlock is a natural pause, but do not overlook Porlock Weir, where cottages gather around the little harbour. Nearby Bossington leads towards a broad pebble beach and beautiful walking country. Burrowhayes Farm near West Luccombe is well placed for exploring this side of the moor, while the National Trust's Cloud Farm at Malmsmead gives you a deeply rural base beside Badgworthy Water. Turn south through Exmoor and the road carries you towards Dulverton. This small town beside the River Barle is made for an unhurried afternoon. Browse, walk beside the water and choose between a relaxed drink at the Bridge Inn or something special at Woods. Both are the kind of places that make staying for another evening feel entirely sensible. Rivers bridges and open moor From Dulverton, follow the River Barle back into the national park. Tarr Steps, an ancient clapper bridge beneath the trees, makes a memorable detour. Farther north, Landacre Bridge offers one of our favourite picnic settings: open grass, clear water and the feeling that the rest of the world is a very long way away. Continue through Withypool, Exford and Simonsbath, letting the villages mark the journey rather than dominate it. Westermill Farm near Exford offers camping in a secluded valley beside the River Exe and makes a lovely place to settle in for the night. The final road towards Challacombe brings you back towards North Devon, but by then Exmoor may have persuaded you not to leave just yet. Plan your Freebird journey Exmoor changes with the light and the seasons, and the journey is often more memorable than any single attraction. Keep the mileage modest, check road and weather conditions, and make space for riverside picnics, unexpected viewpoints and evenings beneath some of the darkest skies in the South West. Choose your campervan and start planning your own South West adventure.