Dornafield or Damage Barton?
We are looking at booking our main 2 week summer holiday in either Devon or Cornwall. We are 2 adults in a motorhome with a dog. We're currently thinking of either Damage Barton or Dornafield. We will be going early July so should miss the school hols. We like a site that is fairly quiet within walking distance to a pub & if poss a dog friendly beach.
Which site do you think is better? Thanks
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No competition....Damage Barton, decent walk to beach and nearer to local village pub. Think you may have a problem with taking a dog onto most beaches during July....plenty of decent coastal walks from site...
Dornafield for me is too risky...with a £28k van. Serious risk of scratches from hedges and confrontation with farm tractors...and I mean very large tractors with very large trailers...on a long single track road..sorry lane !!
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Haven't used either of those sites, but we have stayed at Ross Park, just up the road from Dornafield and, nice as it is, we found it difficult to find anywhere to walk direct from the site. Even the lanes around there are busy.
We have walked along the coastal path near Damage Barton and I agree that would be a better option for the things you're looking for. Site is a bit exposed though if the weather turns against you!
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I would research dog friendly beaches for both counties ( there are lots) before you commit to a site. We drove past Dornafield last Autumn doing a tour with our small MH, didn’t impress us as a site. The lanes are tight in places on Exmoor. Not used Damage Barton, so cannot comment, but I wouldn’t restrict your options to be honest. Both counties have lots of very nice sites, Club and private and some cracking CLs. Cornwall early July will be busy on the roads, and both counties have some wonderful traffic bottlenecks. I won’t mention specific locations to try, as no idea if you park up and leave, or like us, go off site most days.
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Damage Barton or Dornafield? Both are in Devon. I’m with Jonray57 and would opt for Godrevy in Cornwall. The beach is not easily accessible for the less able but the dunes and cliff top are fine.
Dornafield would be bottom of my list for anything other than a short break.
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Yep, Godrevy is a nice site, lots to do and see in area, dog friendly beaches as well. Some good transport links from not too far away as well, if you want to get out and about. Hayle/St Erth has mainline railway or St Ives branch line, plus access to buses. Some big car parks as well to get MH in.
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Thanks guys for the advise.
Taking into consideration what you've said we've booked 8 nights at Godrevy Club Site in July. We now need to decide on where to go for our 2nd week.
We've looked again at Damage Barton & Mrs FB is concerned that its a big open field (if you know what I mean). Any further advise gratefully received. If you've any other suggestions than DB or Dornafield then please let us know. Mrs FB still favours Dornafield.
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Why not try Dartmoor for a Devon site, FB? The AS club site at Lydford is in a good area for exploring with a pub in the village.
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If you're intent on going to that area, have a look at Ross Park in preference to Dornafield, FB. It's just about the most dog friendly site we've stayed on - the first thing they did when we checked in was to give us treats for our two - with a huge field for the dog to let off steam (and a dog shower to clean up afterwards!). Easier access than Dornafield, large serviced pitches, a bar/restaurant on site (didn't use it ourselves but seemed popular), large wet rooms, wifi etc etc.
Only downside is nowhere really to walk direct from site. It was baking hot the week we stayed there so we did the short drive to Bovey Tracey where there are a number of shaded riverside walks.
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We stayed at North Morte Farm, very good site up the road from DB and right on coast. Short walk into town with pubs etc and easy walk to Woolacombe or onto coast path.
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We live quite close to sites and our daughter lives in Woolacombe. We often walk her dog. Would just comment that most beaches around this area have a dog ban from April til November. If you are prepared to walk quite a way through the dunes then dogs are allowed at the very far end of Woolacombe beach.
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If you would like to stay in Cornwall for your second week I suggest Heligan Caravan and Camping Park - which has 25 hard standing pitches and 25 on grass - close to walking possibilities on the south coast where some beaches allow dogs, and close to the famous Lost Gardens of Heligan, where dogs are welcomed. Reviews of the site on UKCampsite.co.uk
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A short distance from Godrevy, on the south coast is Merrose Farm near St Mawes (there's also another independent site just up the road)
Merrose has a fantastic dog field on site, is surrounded by beautiful beaches in every direction (one you can walk to from the site)
There are some great pubs and restaurants close by and the ferry across to Falmouth drops you off virtually at the door of the best Chippy in Britain - the Harbour Lights (and Yes! It's very, very good)
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Hi Guys,
Well we started off looking at Dornafield or Damage Baton and we've ended up booking neither
We've now booked 8 nights at Godrevy Club Site and 7 nights at Trethem Mill which is a commercial that has very good reviews http://www.trethem.com
Nearer the time we will book a night or 2 at a CL to break up our journey.
Thanks so much for all the suggestions we've looked at each one & book marked them for future trips. North Morte in particular looks good and we will visit there in the future
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You'll be ok another time on North Morte with your dog, and it's much closer to the coast than Damage Barton. A lot of the Devon beaches in that area allow dogs or just have certain sections where they can't go. Devon beaches for dogs are on line and you can download the dog beaches for Cornwall HERE. When you're at Trethem you can get the King Harry ferry over to NT Trelissick, there are lots of dog walks on the estate, waterside and through the woods. There are some very nice beaches on the Roseland, lots to choose from! Hope you have a good time.
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Morning
Two good choices of site there fatbelly, I ran Godrevy for four years and it was by far the best site I've worked at.
Funny though that no one when talking about north Devon has mentioned Willingcott club site. It's about two miles before damage barton, has eighty hardstandings and backs onto the Tarka Trail which is a very pleasant walk to Ilfracombe.
JK
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I can give you one of the best dog friendly beaches in Cornwall, and you will be able to see it from Godrevy, although getting there requires driving! It’s called Porth Kidney Beach. It looks left to St Ives, and right to Godrevy Island and Lighthouse. Dog friendly all year, huge expanse of sand and dunes when tide is out, but still usable when tide is in. Never overly busy, even in August.
Then there is section of beach on Site side of Hayle River, might be close to outfall of Red River, that is dog friendly. Long Rock Beach between Marazion and Penzance has an all year dog friendly Beach, and if you get there early enough decent parking for MH. I think Prussia Cove is dog friendly as well, past Marazion.
Your best friend will be an OS map and look up information on dogs on beaches, we started going to far West with our three dogs a long time ago as it’s so much easier than North or South Cornwall. There are some stunning places to park MH up if you are careful, but some of the lanes require breathing in!
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This is area, Porth Kidney in foreground, Hayle River, then sands at other side, where Godrevy Site is located. You can just make out Godrevy Island and Lighthouse on the extreme left of picture.
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Sorry I forgot to add that when I booked Godrevy there were no awning pitches available so we had to take a non awning pitch. Mrs FB has reduced mobility so we wanted an awning pitch because they were closer to the shower block. There were no awning pitches available so I contacted the club who said I should contact the site direct when they reopen in March. Well I logged on this morning and just to check and there were awning pitches available so I have cancelled the non awning and revoked the awning pitches. Why do you think an awning pitch was not available on Friday but it was available on Saturday morning? A glitch in the system do you think.
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It’s a lovely area. Not as “touristy” as some parts of SW. You can get down to Lands End and Lizard by public transport, and the branch rail line into St Ives is one of the most scenic rides in UK. Hayle has supermarkets, a nice open air swimming pool, the best ice cream in Cornwall (Mr B’s) and there are some quite flat strolls around tidal pools and linear gardens. There’s also an M&S on outskirts of Hayle ( if it’s still there! A rarity in Cornwall) If your OH has limited mobility, there’s a bus that runs right along the Lands End coastline, with lots of on and off stops, open top last time we saw it, so a nice Summer treat. You can do the drive yourself, but it is tight in places, no idea on size of your MH. Penzance is nice as well. Has proper shops, not all catering to tourists.
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M&S is still in Hayle👍🏻
Don't forget Philps pasties in Hayle. Simply the best👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
The Asda car park is a good one for MHs.
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That’s good to know Tinny, although we are not big M&S shoppers......at least until OH does his own packing, then finds he’s short of a few crucial items🤣
How did I forget Philps........unforgivable.
Is it possible to feel homesick for somewhere that isn’t actually your home?🤔😂
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With due respect to TDA, I suspect I have more recent knowledge of the Godrevy site.
The facility block is fairly central and, therefore, many pitches are close to it. Check out the site plan and you'll see. There is a back gate leading to a narrow lane that is best used for foot access to the towans for dog walking as it avoids walking along the road. That gate is at the top of the site well away from the facility block.
You'll be better off keeping an open mind on pitches until you arrive and can then check location and the levelness of them.
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Tinny knows the site well FB, we only know the area, and sadly haven’t been able to get down in last couple of years, so Tinny has most upto date information. In truth, I confess we have never used the site, but have driven round it for a brief look and know the surrounding area very well. It’s a fantastic location, you won’t be disappointed.
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Hi Again
So, having been the warden of Godrevy for four years I'll make a couple of suggestions based on member feedback to me over that time. Pitches in the horseshoe area are the most popular (occupation stats.), the paddock is popular with dog owners as it's near the above mentioned back gate (which has a keypad lock), seaview area (there isn't a view) is also popular out of school hols. as it doesn't have a thoroughfare. The farthest pitch on site is only a five minute walk to the toilet block. The site access statement displays eleven pitches around the block suitable for those with a need. The least popular pitch (stats. again) is no. 20 because it is next to that back gate.
There is a bus service (no. 57) that stops outside the site between May and September, there were three buses a day last year. A taxi into Hayle is a fiver and to St.Ives is twenty five.
Any other info ask away
JK
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