Catering for Film & TV Shoots on Dartmoor and Across Devon

Devon does not get the same press as Cornwall when it comes to filming locations, but anyone in the industry knows it punches above its weight. Dartmoor's wild granite tors, the rolling green of the South Hams, the dramatic cliffs around Hartland, and the historic port towns of north Devon — they have all been on screen, repeatedly. War Horse, Sense and Sensibility, and a long list of ITV dramas have all shot here.

The catering challenge in Devon is the same as Cornwall but bigger geographically. Salt Wind Catering covers Devon from our Redruth base with a small travel supplement, and we have set up everywhere from Dartmoor's exposed moorland to coastal locations near Salcombe. Here is what film catering in Devon actually involves.

Devon's Filming Credentials

Devon is a regular shoot location for both feature film and broadcast television. War Horse used the South Hams and Dartmoor extensively. Sense and Sensibility filmed at Saltram House and around the Devon coast. ITV dramas including Doc Martin, Sanditon, and various Agatha Christie adaptations have used Devon locations.

Documentary and natural history work is constant — the South West coast and Dartmoor are reliably photogenic in any weather. Commercial productions, music videos, and shorter-form content shoot regularly across Devon. The terrain is varied enough that one location can stand in for half a dozen different settings.

Where Devon Productions Actually Film

Dartmoor. The 954 square kilometres of moorland are filming gold. Granite tors, ancient woodland, Bronze Age remains, and views that change with the weather. Productions shoot at locations like Haytor, Bellever, Wistman's Wood, and the upland areas around Princetown. Access varies wildly — some locations are short walks from car parks. Others are 20 minutes' hike across uneven terrain in conditions that turn from clear to fog in 10 minutes.

North Devon coast. Hartland Quay, Bideford, Clovelly, and the cliffs around Hartland Point. Genuinely dramatic coastal terrain that is harder to access than Cornwall's south coast and rewards the productions that make the effort.

South Hams and Salcombe. Softer landscape — rolling fields, hidden creeks, picture-postcard villages. Shooting here is logistically easier than Dartmoor but still rural enough to need self-contained catering.

Exeter and surrounds. The county town and surrounding countryside. Includes period properties like Powderham Castle that work for drama production. Easier access, near-motorway logistics.

Exmoor. Devon's other national park, less famous than Dartmoor but equally photogenic. Used for Lorna Doone adaptations and various heritage dramas. Open moorland, ancient woodland, and the beautiful Doone Valley.

Remote Access Challenges

Devon's filming locations are often remote in a different way to Cornwall's. Cornwall is small and densely networked — anywhere on the peninsula is reachable within 90 minutes. Devon is bigger, with longer distances between A-roads, and Dartmoor specifically can be a 30 to 45-minute drive from the nearest petrol station once you are properly on the moor.

For catering this means: planning fuel and supplies for the day before leaving base, no possibility of nipping out for a forgotten ingredient, and careful attention to weather forecasts because moorland conditions can close roads.

Our self-contained kitchen design handles this. We carry everything we need for the shoot day before we set off. No mains power, no mains water, no last-minute supply runs. The kitchen is a closed system that lasts the day.

Cold-Weather Catering on Dartmoor

Dartmoor weather is harsher than coastal Cornwall. Wind chill on the high moor can drop temperatures 10 degrees below the surrounding lowlands. Fog, hail, and horizontal rain are normal in any season. Snow is realistic from October through April.

Catering on Dartmoor in winter means: heavy-duty gazebo cover with reinforced poles for wind, hot soup available from breakfast onwards, hot drinks in proper insulated cups not single-wall paper, and heated standby provisions so crew can warm up between takes.

We have done shoots where the weather closed in mid-afternoon and crew worked the rest of the day in conditions you would not normally allow your dog out in. The catering needs to keep going regardless. Hot food and hot drinks are not luxuries on a moorland shoot — they are safety-critical.

Devon Coverage from Cornwall

We are based in Redruth and cover Devon with a travel supplement that is calculated on actual distance, not a percentage uplift. For shoots in west Devon — Plymouth, Tavistock, the western edge of Dartmoor — the travel supplement is minimal. For shoots in mid Devon and the South Hams, it is moderate. For Exmoor, north Devon coast, and the Bideford/Hartland area, the supplement reflects the longer drive.

For productions running multi-day shoots in Devon we typically stage closer to location to avoid daily round trips from Redruth. This is factored into the quote up front and discussed with the production coordinator at booking.

The Salt Wind Approach in Devon

Same operating model as Cornwall: self-contained kitchen, no mains required, full breakfast/lunch/standby service, dietary requirements as standard, no surprises in the quote. We work with location managers and production coordinators to plan access, parking, kitchen positioning, and service flow before the shoot.

For Dartmoor specifically we will scout the location before the shoot day if it is the first time we have worked there — a 30-minute site visit saves a 30-minute fix on the morning. We carry full public liability and product liability insurance, hold a 5-star food hygiene rating, and are NCASS registered. Production accountants get the paperwork they need without chasing.

Frequently Asked Questions — Film Catering in Devon and Dartmoor

Do you charge a travel supplement for Devon?

Yes — calculated on actual distance from our Redruth base, not a flat percentage. For west Devon it is minimal. For Exmoor, north Devon coast, and Hartland it reflects the longer drive. We are transparent about it up front.

Can you cater on Dartmoor itself, including remote moorland locations?

Yes. Our kitchen is fully self-contained and we have set up at remote moorland locations with no facilities. We will scout the location before the shoot day if it is unfamiliar, to confirm access and positioning.

How do you handle multi-day shoots in Devon?

For multi-day Devon shoots we typically stage closer to location rather than running daily back-and-forth from Redruth. This is built into the quote and discussed with the production coordinator.

What about Dartmoor weather? Will you still serve in storms?

Yes. We winterise the kitchen for moorland conditions — reinforced gazebo, hot soup, hot drinks, proper insulated service. We have served in conditions that have shut other operations down. Hot food on a Dartmoor shoot is safety-critical, not optional.

Get a Quote for Devon and Dartmoor Film Catering

Send the call sheet, postcode, and crew numbers and we will quote travel-inclusive. Call 01209 206255 or email [email protected]. Based in Redruth, covering Cornwall and Devon as standard.