A Family Site with free hot water & showers, toilets, washing up facilities, laundry room, washing & drying machines, hairdryer and shaving points, fridge/freezer and public phone. A minute walk to the Village and its shops, pubs, cafes & restaurants. Fine sea & hill views. 20 minutes walk down to the sea. On South West Coast Path.

We were all set for a weekend camping at Porlock Caravan & Camping Park planning a route that would get us there the quickest. However even after allowing for delays we still managed to get stuck on the M25 after an accident occurred. I called to inform that we were running late and were told that we would not be admitted after ten. So unfortunately we were not able to review this campsite and also lost our deposit. We quickly called 118 118 and found that Sparkhayes was also in Porlock, as we were now ten minutes away after a five and half hour drive. Luckily they had space for us.

Review

As we were unable to stay at Porlock Caravan & Camping Park we called Sparkhayes on the hope of getting a last minute pitch. The phone went through to the owners mobile, we were told that there was plenty of space and to just pitch up anywhere in the first field and then to make our way to the local pub 100 yards from the site. As we’d been travelling for over five hours this was such a welcome relief we didn’t really care what the campsite would look like.

The site is really easy to find. As you drive through Porlock village on the A39 to your right there will be a pub called the Royal Oak, immediately after this pub is a turning on the right, 100 yards on the left from there is the campsite. Stumbling distance after a few pints of local real ale or Scrumpy.

As we pulled in to the site I was so pleased with what we saw. The campsite was made up of two main fields with views down to the sea. The first part of the campsite is given to campervans and caravans this then opens up to the tent pitches. There are no set pitches and the grass at this campsite is so soft and perfect for camping on. It’s no wonder that fires are not allowed at this site so the grass is protected. This is the perfect campsite for laying back and running your fingers through the grass as you soak up the suns rays. In the second field there was a large D of E group camping but there was no loud noise from the group and the whole atmosphere of the campsite was one of peace.

The facilities here are basic but very clean. There is a shower block, a washing up point, a fridge freezer that can be used, a kettle, and bricks to place your barbeques on. The owner comes round in the evening and in the morning to collect your fees but after that you are pretty much left to your own devices.

We quickly pitched our tent, chucked in a few bits and ran to the pub to make it before last orders. We were cheerily welcomed by some fellow campers and the owner of the campsite. Porlock village has always been a firm favourite of ours as it has kept all of its small village charm. This really becomes evident when you stay within the village as you are truly welcomed in. Tourism is a large part of Porlocks economy due to the two campsites and nearby Porlock Weir, but this has not tainted the village in anyway. It is a charm to meet the locals and feel a part of their village for however short your stay.

The beauty of Sparkhayes campsite is that it is so close to the village, being central to the highstreet, and still being so peaceful with views to the sea. It’s hard to beat. Many of the people staying at Sparkhayes are repeat visitors or have heard of the site by word of mouth. This alone stands testament to the charm of this site.

Sparkhayes is owned by Phil Weaver and has been in his family for years. Having seen generations of campers continuing to visit his site he is a good source of camping advice and stories, telling us how his mum used to call the campers at their site ‘Gin n tonics’ G n T being the preferred drink at the time.  He is also more than happy to see people returning to the village and give advice on places to visit nearby.

However if you are only visiting for the weekend you don’t really need to stray much further than Porlock itself. We were lucky enough to have arrived over Midsummers Night. The Village had all manner of festivities planned including a late night shopping where all the shop keepers were to dress up as fairies. There was also a performance of Midsummer Nights Dream on the Sunday at the recreational ground, where the audience could take picnics and watch Shakespears play in the open air.

One of the things that I love about Porlock is that the people here take so much time to talk to each other and there is such a real strong sense of community. We stopped at the tea rooms ‘The Home Cook Café’ for breakfast and enjoyed watching the turnaround of locals as they welcomed each other for tea, exchanging books, advice and news, I truly wish that our village still had such charm.

There are no large chain stores and there are plenty of places to buy local produce. I’d recommend a visit to the local butchers, Clive Downs, a traditional family butchers with a fantastic range of fresh meats and sausages, perfect for your barbeque back at the campsite. There is a cost cutter full of local produce as well as your usual basic supplies, and if you need any urgent camping equipment the local Hardware store is one of the best stocked hard ware stores, providing everything from pegs, gas canisters, air beds and enamelware.

Porlock Weir is just a short drive or a reasonable walk from Porlock itself. Porlock Weir is quaint and picturesque, make sure you remember your camera. The beach is rocky here and makes for some stunning pictures. There is an aquarium to visit as well as a couple of small shops. The Ship Inn is a wonderful place to spend a lazy afternoon drinking local ales and sampling their delicious homemade lasagne.

If you do want to travel further afield the delights of Exmoor are just a few minutes drive up Porlock Hill, but beware if you do, make sure your brakes are in good working order. The views from the top of Exmoor over Porlock Bay are stunning and well worth the drive. There are numerous places to visit in Exmoor and Lynmouth is only a short drive along through Exmoor. Dunster is also another place well worth a visit on your trip. This area has more than enough to provide enough distractions to wile away the hours.

I want to thank Phil for fitting us in at such short notice and for keeping the campsite within his family. I hope that it remains so in the future and I can’t wait to go back.