Campers Comments
UK Campsites Review by: Ent751 UK Campsites Review by: Terry319 UK Campsites Review by: Thechef41uk 
(2) Date of Visit: August 2009 Unit used: Tent
Just returned from a fabulous few days at this site, we were met by the owner and kids were immediately introduced to Mr Crash the goat, followed by Holly and Star the dogs. We were shown to our pitch which was along a boarded pathway and in the woods absolutely fab location overlooking a clearing to spy the owls later on in the evening. Cars are not parked next to the tents so pack light and be prepared for a bit of to and fro with the wheelbarrows.
The site itself is small and very quiet (no music or tv's which was heaven), kids will enjoy the making of dens, tree climbing, walks in the wood and to the local pub. Campfires are provided and are great to relax by with copious amounts of marshamallows and wine. The pitches are all woodchipped so the tents are kept nice and clean and any rain that does come soaks through with hardly any mud coming back up.
The facilities include showers, toilets, washing up and recyling. The compost toilets take a little getting used to but they are cleaner than some of the standard toilets I have been in and the owners regularly check them and make sure they are all in order. There are also plans in the pipeline to improve the supply of hot water which was nice to see.
We went out on most of the days and found that most places were within 45 min drive i.E Bude, Dartmoor etc. The nearest supermarket was approx 4 miles away and the local pub could be walked to in 15-20minutes with nice reasonable food.
All in all we would recommend this site to anyone who wants a relaxing holiday and enjoy the wildlife - we will certainly be going again and I know the kids want to see Mr Crash again lol. (1) Date of Visit: August 2009 Unit used: Trailer Tent
A warm welcome and help to move onto our pitch was our introduction to Hole Station and to Greg. Nothing was too much trouble. Don't worry about the compost toilet it's practically odourless and a major improvement on most public toilets. Young children were having a great time, their parents relaxed with no on site traffic to worry about. Campfires were popular and excellent, the last time I sat with friends around one of these was in about 1954. Thanks Greg for a great experience. (2) Date of Visit: August 2009 Unit used: Tent
Just come back from a week at the Hole Station and I cannot praise this place enough. Great welcome, friendly owner who shows you around, large pitch that is covered with wood shavings to keep the area dry. It also has a fire pit with each tent, wood is bought from the owner who is slowly coppicing the woodland to help bring the whole area back to life as it hasnt been looked after for 80 years! Very quiet, very eco & very central for the whole area. The toilets took a little getting used to, but were far less smelly than a lot of site with ordinary loos!
He also has some fantastic Rent a Tent plots that seemed very popular. These had a cooking tent that on rainy day (yes we had a few of them) made us very jealous!
I would recommend this site to anyone.
By email from Louise Harper 5/8/09
Hi Greg
I just wanted to write and thank you for a great stay at Hole Station. The stay with you was our first ever camping adventure and was exactly what we expected it to be. We did not want to be camped on a site with lots of noise and clubs etc, but rather a back to basics camping approach; no electric, no noisy late night clubs etc and therefore Hole Station was perfect. Our pitch was ‘in the woods’ and quite private. Despite the fact it rained when we put the tent up and when we took it down, this has not deterred us at all. The ability to be able to have a camp fire each night made a real difference. On a rainy evening with nothing more to do than spend time with you family and talk (a rare thing in this busy technology filled age we live in) the warmth and peace that came from looking into a small fire which we were all huddled around was truly comforting and energizing. The kids loved going off into the woods and made a great shelter from pieces of wood and fern leaves – my husband even managed to make them a bow and arrow set out of twigs and a piece of spare washing line (they loved it). All in all a great break and would recommend Hole Station to anyone who wants to experience a truly refreshing back to nature camping experience.
Thanks again for your hospitality – we will be back.
Louise Harper
UK Campsites reviews July '09.
My partner and I visited this site and found it so relaxing It was peaceful, and in a wooded area. They supply a camp fire kit with everything you need to have a good fire and at a good price. The prices for camping are very good and don't worry if you havn't got a tent because they have tents there you can rent.
The toilets and showers were very clean. They have a goat horse dogs chickens and a cat. Greg and Liz were very helpful and friendly. If you want somewhere out of the way then this is the place for you.
There are some lovely views and walks around the area. There is a small shop about half hour stroll along the old railway track. Bude is about hour away, has a small but lovely beach (water more for surfers though) but has lovely walks and views.
The only down side to camping here is the petrol stations are not very close so always make sure you got petrol. Will definitely be going back with a few friends.
(NOTE: The nearest petrol station is in Hatherleigh, 4 miles)
http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/reviews.asp?revid=7937
UK Campsites reviews July '09.
Really didn't want to write this review because I want to keep Hole Station Campsite a secret!
We have just returned from a fantastic weekend at Hole Station. 8 of us had the 'Super pitch' camping area of the site, our tents were pre-erected as was a cooking area, covered seating / table area, firepit with rustic home made benches, and we even had our own private 'eco loo' beside our pitch.
The site itself is set in very pretty woodland off the beaten track. We were met by the very friendly and relaxed owner who personally showed us to our pitch and even helped transport our luggage! The super pitch is a distance from the main car park area so would advise to pack light, there are wheelbarrows near the car park which are very handy for heavy items.
Showers/toilets are near the entrance, along with the washing up area, recycling and wood collection area (for your firepits), and the information caravan / library.
Despite the torrential rain that we had had in the previous 2 weeks to our stay the pitch was not muddy and all pitches are covered in wood shavings / chips. The walkways to the pitches have also been boarded out. The pre-erected tents are a great idea - on the super pitch there were 2 x 4 man tents, a 3 man tent and a 2 man tent. The tent porch areas had been boarded with wood and each porch had a couple of fold up chairs.
Camp site guests have the run of the forest so lots of lovely walks and paradise for dogs. We did walk the disused railway path to the Golden Inn at Highampton (friendly landlord and locals) with large beer garden, (would advise to take torches at night).
Composting toilets - absolutely fine (even with the fussy women in our party!) clean and very well made.
Overall opinion - Unspoilt, relaxed, natural campsite for lovers of the outdoors and nature, wake up to the sound of trees rustling and woodpeckers and pheasants. We cant wait to go back!
http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/reviews.asp?revid=7937
The Travel Guardian, July '09
There are 45 acres of meadow and woodlands at Hole Station but only twelve pitches, making it a little piece of heaven for those who agree with Sartre's maxim that hell is other people. Approached down a long private lane in a sumptuous, yet quiet, corner of Devon, it's little wonder that Hole railway station, from which the site takes its name, has long since given up the ghost. You can also rent a tent - very useful if you're travelling light on the Devon coast-to-coast route, for which Hole marks the halfway point.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2009/jul/10/wild-camping-uk-wales-holiday?page=3
Finally got round to submitting a review on our recent stay at Hole Station campsite. The first thing that we wanted to say was that this was an ideal setting for a "chill-out" break,away from noise and organised camping. What a lovely setting for a campsite and quiet 50th birthday celebration ...just one question...Why can't you supply good weather too! That has to be the only complaint. Our visit coinsided with some of the heaviest rainfall ever,but didn't get muddy thanks to your woodchips on each pitch.Saw a Red Deer,buzzard,green woodpecker and tree creeper all within the area of the site.Not to mention "Star" who seemed to adopt us at mealtimes.Great start to a fine campsite...Will be back soon. Martin and Sarah K. June '09.
(And this is the infamous Star)
http://www.thebestof.co.uk/local/okehampton/business-guide/feature/hole-station-campsite-camping-holidays/63325/review#R-75251 Thanks for your hospitality when I stayed at Hole Station recently. I came for a quiet birthday celebration with a few friends, we all had a great time. We stayed on the Rentatent superpitch and I am so glad we did! Everything we could possibly have needed was there on the pitch, and the privacy was very much appreciated, as were the campfires. An unexpected bonus was seeing a greater spotted woodpecker in an oak tree next to our pitch, I was brewing coffee and there it was! Your conservation efforts in the woods and meadows are commendable and very worthwhile - well done all and I very much look forward to returning to Hole Station.
Review by: Illumeo Date of Visit: June 2009 Unit used: Tent
Carlsberg don't do camp sites (as far as I'm aware) but if they did . Probably the best camp site in the world!
Greg and family were fabulously welcoming and helpful. The setting is beautiful - we had a pitch amongst the trees which was perfect although we were kept awake by the wildlife. We did all of our cooking over the fire and found the wood boxes to be very generous. The toilets take a little getting used to but we enjoyed the eco friendly ethos of the site - recycling, etc. The whole set up has been well thought out and little things like supplying washing up bowls and having a wheelbarrow to cart your kit to your pitch make the stay all the easier. It was our first camping trip with dog and baby and a great time was had by all!
http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/reviews.asp?revid=7937
Review by: Sharonwest Date of Visit: June 2009 Unit used: Tent
We stayed in a rent a tent at Hole station, as we wanted to try out camping with our daughter before updating our small tent.
The site is situated down a small lane next to woodland.The eco toilets and shower are great.
The pitches were huge, with the bonus of the paths and pitches covered with shredded pine, which meant despite the two very rainy days whilst there, we and the tent did not get muddy!Both the dining shelter and communal tent area were boarded as well.
The dining shelter had all the equipment we've been meaning to buy but not got round to( a decent cooker that didn't take 5 hours to make a cup of tea on like our one). It was good to have a separate area to sit in for food.
We had a campfire every night, which I would thoroughly recommend. Greg the owner could not have been more helpful, and we're glad we took his suggestion of going to the Hatherleigh market on Tuesday - not to be missed!
There are chickens, a goat, two horses, two dogs and a cat on site who our little girl was enthralled with.
I would heartily recommend this campsite as one of the best ways to camp closer to the outdoors with minimal impact on the surrounding environment!
http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/reviews.asp?revid=7937
Hi Greg
Now i have a minute to myself i thought i would write a quick review of your great site, you can add it to your website if you wish along with any photos you might wish to use...First off if you don't like the wild side of camping but like swimming pools, onsite shops and all mod-cons don't even think of camping at Hole Station as you will not like it. I came across the site by checking out http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/ and doing a search for sites in Devon. Right now a short review of the site, its as it says on the tin, a small site with eco loo`s an electric shower(soon to be replaced with a solar one), washing up area and a tap for drinking water, that's it no more and no less. The pitches are of quite a good size and now the rent-a-tent pitches(lower site) have wooden floors, Greg was busy putting these in whilst we were there because of the amount of rain we had and to help keep everyone dry, remember its a meadow so holds lots of water.We were lucky as we were the first (guinea pigs) to use the super pitch which is set right up in the woods, and what a great pitch it is, total peace and quiet, apart from the birds singing (magic).The Pitch consisted of 3 tents, a large table which was covered by a full length canvas, gas cooker and gas, water container, all the chairs you will need, airbeds, a cool bag and all the cooking/eating equipment you will ever need. You might want to take a tea pot if needed and the cups were on the small size but Greg has said he will hope to supply mugs soon. Now as i have stated we had a wet and chilly long weekend there(cant remember the last dry camping trip we`ve had) and the path up to the pitch got a bit boggy, so make sure you pack your wellies. The pitch itself was dry and very sheltered from the wind and rain so no wellies needed until you wanted to pop down to the loo. The tents were more then adequate for sleeping and getting changed in, we didn't need much more room then that as all our daylight time was spent under the canvas tarp sitting around the wooden table eating, drinking and playing cards etc as it was very dry and in the evenings we would sit around the camp fire reading and chatting. Now i could go on and on about the site but that might spoil it for you so will leave it at that. One great memory to say about is the 5am wake-up call you get from all the birds singing, no traffic and no radios you could quite easily forget the world and all your worries. Thanks Greg and family for the best camping location i have been to since the New Forest way back 30+ years ago.. Graham, Karen and girls. Graham G. May '09. Source: E-mail direct to Hole Station. Hi Greg, 
We really enjoyed our stay.
Just to confirm that we would like to book again for 23rd and 24th of May for 4 adults and 4 children leaving on B/H Monday
Jon W. May '09.
My friends and I had been looking forward to this camping trip a lot as this site is set in a fantastic area. As we are experienced bush campers, we had requested a woodland site and we were not let down.
Not only was it very spacious, but we had ideal spots to put up our hammocks and bashers. As far as bush craft activity goes, even we were amazed by the range of activities we could do around the area. Our stay was made by the owners of the camp site who are extremely friendly, and I could not be more grateful for their generosity because they made our stay without doubt the best camping trip we have been on to date. As we go camping nearly every month and in the most remote and challenging conditions, this is no mean feat!
Rest assured we will now become regulars at this camp site, and I cannot recommend a site more highly than this one. For those who like to be a bit more extreme, you can see pictures of our hammock set up on their website!
Ian T. 10/5/09
A review by Perfect Pitch Magazine April 2009, click below: http://www.perfectpitchmagazine.co.uk/field-tested/pitches/99-hole-station-review
Arrived after a short notice booking for one nights camping and were warmly met by Greg, the site owner. From the start was very friendly and helpful and after pointing out the woodland walk, which is part of the 43 acre site, and while we were away,proceded to put up our tent, as we had chosen to rent-a-tent, although we are experienced campers. This is a great idea that Iʼve only seen abroad before- everything you could possibly need except for food and a toothbrush! The site is beautifully quiet and peaceful, is well laid out with well defined good sized pitches off a main path and cars are not allowed onto the camping ground, but a wheelbarrow is provided for humping your stuff to the tent from the car.Unusually, a fire pit and /or barbeque along with wood and firelighters is available for a small fee and this really made the atmosphere later on, after we got back from the pub. The pub, and there is more than one, is reached by an easy 15 minute ,flat and very pleasant walk away along a cycle path which used to be a railway track, hence ʼHole StationʼGood pub too,The Golden Inn. Great food, friendly service and a good pint.'
R. Smith. 3/9/08
'Arrived at the site after 50 miles cycling on the Tarka Trail in pouring rain. They could not have been more helpful and friendly and despite the fact that many people had cancelled because of the weather and the grass was waterlogged, they sorted me out by pointing me in the direction of a hot shower and offering me somewhere to dry my clothes, and I was made to feel very welcome. I didnʼt get the chance to explore the woodland much because of the weather, but thatʼs ok - Iʼll definitely be going back to do that another time :-)'
David S. 11/8/08
'My husband and I have camped in many places over the years but this was our first trip with our 5 month old daughter. This is the sort of campsite that we have been trying to find for years! The site is quiet, beautiful and unspoilt as there aren’t that many pitches. The woodlands are beautiful and we got to feed the chickens our leftovers and get to know the family dog and cat. The family were so kind and helpful and they have such a wonderful outlook it certainly made our holiday. The rent a tent idea is fantastic, especially as we had so much extra baby stuff this time and we were so glad we didn’t have to put the tents down in the rain. Unfortunately it rained most days but we were in an all weather pitch (woodchip around tent area) so we didn’t get muddy. There are plenty of places to visit if it does rain, the otter sanctuary is lovely and we managed to sniff out lots of lovely cream teas. If you are looking for a quiet get away in a lovely part of the country this is the one for you. We shall definitely be back again, and look forward to watching our daughter explore the woodlands more when her little legs can carry her.'
Nancy Everson. 26/8/08.
