Dan posted an update
a year ago (edited)
A hill In Devon: Nortent Skjul Bivvi Camp
Early April 2025
I spotted this raised strip of forest and heathland on Google Maps and decided to check it out.
It sits a couple of hundred metres above sea level and offers some great views. It’s within walking distance of town, which has public transport links and plenty of free on-street parking. The area also has two trig points I was keen to bag.
Different sections of the strip have their own names. There are areas of heathland at the southern end which overlooks the coastline, with flat grassy viewpoints, benches and well-marked paths. The heath itself is fairly small, bordered by woodland and contains one of the trig points.
I only explored about half the woodland strip heading north, stopping when I found the second trig point. I’d planned to camp nearby, but I’d walked quite far and didn’t fancy making the same trip back in the morning. So I returned south to look for a spot closer to where I’d parked.
A road runs along about two-thirds of the strip’s length, making access easy with several laybys, picnic areas, car parks and viewpoints. On the eastern side, there are signs warning against entering private land.
That’s also the case with the woodland next to the heathland and where I entered from. It was the first area I explored and I thought it would offer a great view of the sunrise. However, the southern part and the end is clearly marked as private land with no public access.
There’s a good mix of dense woodland here, along with a smooth, sandy valley, which I think is well compacted, so I think it is a popular mountain biking spot. The woodland tracks are well worn. I followed one down towards the farmland at the bottom, but the ground turned boggy. It was the same story in the lower areas of the woodland , where I also searched (unsuccessfully) for a camping spot.
Eventually, I headed back to the hill. I searched for a while for a clear, thorn-free patch in the dark and away from the main viewpoints. In the end, I settled on a small, and not perfect dirt clearing with open views over the town and the sea.
It was a windy night, but peaceful. I didn’t see another person until I was almost back in Sidmouth.
Good mobile phone and internet connection.
#wildcamp #devon #hilltop #bivvicamp #nortentskjul
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A few of the car parks.
