Did you know that Devon has a thriving vineyard scene? Hidden down a winding dirt track, in the small village of Winkleigh in Devon, lies the picture-perfect Ten Acres Vineyard. Here you can unwind from the daily hustle and bustle, soak up the natural surroundings and drink in the rolling views (and their fine wines!). We spent a weekend camping in the van at Ten Acres Vineyard and fell in love with this hidden gem! Here’s our trip report, plus your go-to guide of everything you need to know if you want to visit.
About Ten Acres Vineyard
The vineyard is run and owned by husband and wife team, Toby and Esther. After living in Hungary for five years in a property which came with a vineyard, they brought their wine-making knowledge to the UK and set up life in sunny Devon in 2007. Fast-forward 17 years, Ten Acres Vineyard now has over 2,500 vines, the first of which were planted in 2008. The vineyard is small by comparison to the likes of Tinwood or Ashling Park in West Sussex, but this very much adds to its authentic, personal and rustic appeal.
Ten Acres is unique to any other vineyard we have visited before. Not only does it offer truly jaw-dropping views over Devon’s rolling hills and countryside, but you can also camp on-site and there’s even glamping available too! The site and facilities are all eco-friendly too – more about that below. Toby and Esther also offer vineyard tours and tastings, plus have a shop on-site where they sell their wines.
This place is rustic, honest and knows exactly what it wants to be. We had an amazing weekend camping at Ten Acres Vineyard. Here’s what we got up to and everything you need to know if you’re planning to visit.
Ten Acres Vineyard trip report
First of all, we were particularly excited for our weekend getaway because it would be our first time camping in our new van! We picked up a VW ID Buzz (which we call Benny) two months ago, and we have been itching to put it to good use since!
Leaving home, in Portsmouth, we made the 3 hour drive west. Check-in at the vineyard is at 2:30pm, but there are a few good places to eat in Winkleigh if you arrive in the area early. We stopped off at the local pub, The Kings Arms, situated in the cute village square and sat in their courtyard with a drink while we soaked up the sun. We both ordered a halloumi wrap and chips to share, before it was time to check-in.
Half a mile down a single lane bumpy dirt track lies Ten Acres Vineyard. As we drove up the path, Esther was already there with a big warm welcome. On arrival, to the right you will find the Wine Shack, which is the on-site shop and reception. We parked up and Esther gave us a walk through of the site and showed us where we could camp. The intimate one acre campsite, is uniquely located opposite the vineyard, making for a truly beautiful setting. We parked up on our chosen pitch and excitedly starting getting set up.
Camping & Facilities
There are no more than 10 pitches on-site, giving a small & friendly vibe. But more importantly, ensuring no-one feels on top of one another and everyone has enough space. The campsite is ideally suited to small campers, and we had a bit of everything parked up near us. From a converted Land Rover Defender and a classic VW Camper, through to major tents the size of small marquees! We pitched our bright orange awning and excitedly admired our home for the weekend.
The first thing we noticed about the campsite is how incredibly quiet it was! All we could hear was the faint breeze in the trees and lots and lots of birdsong. The site is very well protected and sheltered by trees and shrubs to one side. While on the other side are completely uninterrupted views of unspoilt countryside and rolling Devon hills. It felt like the perfect getaway and we’d only just sat down!
On-site there is a washing up station if you’re cooking on your pitch during your stay. There is also a bottle and cardboard recycling area, which we thought was a really nice touch. Near the entrance of the campsite, through a tree-filled archway lie the toilets and showers. There are 2-3 private compost toilets which also have sinks with running water. This may be eco-camping, but there is running water! There are also showers within this area of the campsite too.
Some other defining features which we really appreciated was the communal shelter where the tour began. There are a few benches here, perfect if you want somewhere to chill other than your tent with a nice drink. They also have a tethered bottle opener too – an overlooked necessity! We bought some of their wines from their shop after the tour only to realise we hadn’t packed a bottle opener! So the communal one under the shelter came in very handy. Within the communal area is also a pizza oven, and from the on-site shop you can buy pizza making kits for £5 – £10. So cute! There are also garden games available, perfect for those long summer evenings. Had we stayed an extra night we would definitely have made more use of these thoughtful touches.
Wine Tour & Tasting
Feeling well and truly settled into our surroundings, 4:30pm rolled round and it was time for the highlight of our visit! We were a small group on the tour, probably no more than 8 – 10 couples which felt like a really nice sized group. Even better – dogs are also allowed to join the tour! So those who were camping with their furry companions also brought them along too, which was very cute! We also met Toby and Esther’s resident sausage dog, who came over to explore the new campers.
We all met Toby under the communal shelter who then guided us through the vineyards. The tour lasted about 90 minutes, including the tasting. During the tour, Toby shared his background and experience, plus some general information about the winemaking process and the specific vines planted at Ten Acres Vineyard.
Unusual compared to other vineyards we have also visited, all the pressing, fermenting and bottling of the wines all takes place on-site at Ten Acres Vineyard inside their small wine-making cellar. The tour concludes here, before heading back to the communal area for the tasting.
Wine tasting
During the tasting we enjoyed five(!) of their wines. This included 2 still wines, plus 3 of their sparkling wines. We are by no means wine connoisseurs. We know what we like and what we don’t like. But Ten Acres Vineyard wines are bloody lovely! There was one still wine in particular called Green Finch which tasted like crisp green apples. Perfect for the hot afternoon in June we found ourselves in. We also loved their Skylark sparking wine and Rose Finch, a rosé sparkling wine.
After the tasting there’s the opportunity to buy wines from their on-site shop if you wish. Of course we couldn’t resist! We bought a bottle each of their Green Finch, Skylark and Rose Finch, sat outside the van and cracked open a bottle to share. This was the perfect setting to enjoy a bottle of wine, surrounded by vineyards, drinking in the endless views of the rolling Devon hills. As dusk set in, we also had the odd flutter of bats above us, which we absolutely loved too!
Ten Acres Vineyard proved to be a real hidden gem in Devon. We fell in love with the peaceful surroundings and the rustic charm. The added bonus for us also was being able to bring the van for camping! We honestly can’t wait to come back here and we would recommend this special place to anyone who appreciates a slower pace of life and a fine glass of wine.
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