Girlguiding Devon Camp Site

Taw Bottom is situated in the centre of Devon at South Tawton, near Okehampton. One of its boundaries is the River Taw and it is within walking distance of Dartmoor. The fourteen-acre site comprises extensive woodland with four main campsites, Longhouse building, a campfire circle and a quiet  area.

 

  • Each of the main campsites has its own solid wooden shelter, flush toilets, wash basins and hot showers.
  • Trees and bushes give privacy from the other sites. 
  • Beech and Hawthorn sites share two outdoor catering sinks with hot and cold water.
  • There is good accessibility for those with disabilities
  • Ideal location for Duke of Edinburgh and Ten Tors camp

On-site activities you will find a set of pioneering equipment which includes materials for making bridges, chariots, rafts and more. There is also a Taw Bottom Challenge (badges can be purchased for this). Additionally, there is an archery range and instuctors are available. Please contact archery@devonguides.org.uk who may be able to help.

​The Longhouse is a good-sized wooden building which has a fully equipped catering-style kitchen, an activity room and a covered dining/activity area outside. It can be booked separately from the camping sites. There are facilities for the disabled. The car park is large enough for coaches as well as a good number of cars and minibuses.

Taw Bottom is easily accessible from the A30 and the town of Okehampton is only seven miles away, with a good range of shops, supermarkets and other facilities.

Other local activities include:

Taw Bottom lends itself to camps and day visits by many groups including Guides, Scouts, schools and students. It is ideal for Forest School type activities and as a base for Ten Tors or Duke of Edinburgh training.

With the availability of the Longhouse/kitchen and adjoining toilet/shower block, tents are the only addition needed for a quick and easy residential.

In 2023 Taw Bottom celebrated its 40th birthday.  Whilst camping in the last 40 years has changed and evolved, the fun and friendship has not changed a bit.  Camping in the great outdoors is still as much fun as it was back in 1983 when Taw Bottom welcomed its first campers.  The site has changed enormously over that time as well with the addition of toilets, showers and huts on each of the 4 main sites to name but a few.  

The landscape itself has changed too.  With Ash die back many of the trees needed to be felled but instead of devastating the site it has, in fact, enhanced it by opening up the undergrowth and allowing new vegetation to grow.  New trees were planted in the Autumn of 2022 to replace some of those that had to be felled.

The site benefits from twice yearly visits from The Sticklepath and Okehampton Conservation (StOc) Group;  volunteers who come along and help with the maintenance and conservation of the site; digging ditches, building steps among the trees so that campers can safely move around the site, erecting fencing etc.  Their contribution to the upkeep of the site is hugely welcome.

Please follow us on Facebook "Taw Bottom Campsite" and we look forward to seeing you soon at our beautiful Devon County campsite.

We hope that all who visit  Taw Bottom will enjoy all that the site has to offer, including the peace and tranquility which can be found in this beautiful, secluded place.