Mount Batten Centre

The wind carries salt spray up from Plymouth Sound, and at night you can hear the halyards chinking against the masts in the marina just below.

This is a practical waterside base for groups and anyone keen on getting afloat — kayakers, sailors, and Duke of Edinburgh teams make regular use of the Centre's hostel rooms and camping pods. It sits on the Mount Batten peninsula, a thumbprint of land jutting into the estuary with the city visible across the water. The location suits active visitors more than those after a quiet meadow pitch; Devon's coast path runs nearby, and the whole setup has the feel of an outdoor education centre rather than a traditional campsite.

Accommodation is either simple hostel bunks or camping pods, so you're under cover either way. Dogs are worth asking about in advance, and campfires need checking on arrival — this isn't a place where you can assume the usual camping freedoms. It's open year-round and has that functional, no-frills vibe of somewhere built for doing things rather than lounging about, which will suit some people perfectly.