# Britain's Last Rainforest Now Has Camping, and Conservation Comes First
One of Britain's rarest ecosystems just became accessible to overnight visitors. Wray Valley Camping, nestled on Dartmoor's eastern edge between Lustleigh and Moretonhampstead in Devon, opened its gates to campers seeking something far removed from manicured holiday parks. The site sits adjacent to a fragment of temperate rainforest, also called Atlantic woodland, representing one of the country's last surviving examples of this vanishing habitat.
The campsite operates on strict sustainability principles. Visitors pitch tents on "nearly wild" pitches scattered across a clearing ringed by native trees and shrubs. The setup deliberately minimizes impact on the surrounding forest. Picnic benches are positioned to face the rainforest itself, making the ecosystem the main attraction rather than an afterthought. This design reflects years of conservation work by the site's owners, who view the camping operation as a way to generate revenue while protecting rather than exploiting the woodland.
Temperate rainforests require specific conditions to flourish. High humidity, consistent moisture, and a particular combination of atmospheric factors create the mossy, lush environment these forests need. Britain's wet climate in places like Devon theoretically supports such ecosystems, yet development, agriculture, and land management have eliminated most of them. Dartmoor's preserved fragment survives precisely because conservation efforts have intensified in recent years. Opening Wray Valley Camping represents a calculated decision to fund that protection through eco-tourism rather than traditional land use.
The location sits at the intersection of practical travel and environmental education. Campers arriving from Manchester, Birmingham, or London can reach Lustleigh and Moretonhampstead within five to seven hours by car. Public transport options exist via National Express coaches to nearby towns, though accessing the campsite itself requires a vehicle or taxi from Moretonhampstead. Accommodation costs lean toward budget camping rather than luxury glamping, making multi-day forest immersion accessible to families and solo travelers without premium pricing.
Staying five days or longer allows visitors to genuinely engage with the landscape rather than snap photos and leave. Early morning mist rolling through the valley creates the atmospheric conditions that sustain rainforest growth. Visitors witness firsthand why this ecosystem matters. Bird calls, moss-covered trees, and the absence of conventional campsite amenities like hot tubs or entertainment venues reinforce that this is working conservation, not themed nature tourism.
The broader travel trend here reflects growing demand for purpose-driven accommodation. Travellers increasingly seek camps and lodges where their booking directly funds ecosystem protection. Rewilding projects across the UK, from the Cairngorms to the Cotswolds, are developing similar models. Wray Valley Camping joins properties like Ecosite in Cornwall and the Bothy Project in Scotland in proving that minimal-impact camping generates income while demonstrating conservation viability to landowners.
For travellers planning a trip to southwest England, Wray Valley Camping offers an alternative to Dartmoor's conventional guesthouses and caravan parks. The trade-off involves basic facilities in exchange for proximity to a genuinely rare natural resource. Booking through the campsite's direct channels ensures revenue goes toward forest management. Five days immersed in one of Britain's last rainforests costs less than a mid-range hotel stay while achieving measurably greater environmental return.