The Bus on the Hill: An Off-Grid Double-Decker Bus Stay in the Devon Countryside

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through one of our links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

The Bus on the Hill is a green double-decker bus turned into a cozy, off-grid getaway on a hillside in Devon, England. It sits in the countryside between the villages of Bampton, Dulverton, and Tiverton, about 20 minutes from the wild moorland of Exmoor, with sweeping views from both decks. Downstairs there’s a kitchen with a vintage gas cooker and a wood stove, and upstairs there’s a bed tucked into the front windows of the bus.

Green double-decker bus with patio chairs and a closed green umbrella — The green double-decker, with the patio out front.
Photo: The Bus on the Hill / thebusonthehill.co.uk

A Patio With a View

The bus sits behind a picket fence with a gravel patio, outdoor seating, and a barbecue. From there you look out over rolling fields toward Sidmouth Gap in the distance. A separate bathroom with a good-size shower and a toilet is just off the patio. The bus is completely off-grid, running on solar panels on the roof with a backup generator.

Green double-decker bus behind a wooden picket fence with a gravel patio and green umbrella under blue sky — The bus and its fenced patio. Photo: The Bus on the Hill / thebusonthehill.co.uk

Side of a green double-decker bus with a flue, patio table, and a green umbrella — The side of the bus, patio, and the flue.
Photo: The Bus on the Hill / thebusonthehill.co.uk

Round wooden patio table and chairs looking out over green fields and hills — The patio looks out over the Devon countryside. Photo: The Bus on the Hill / thebusonthehill.co.uk

The Kitchen Deck

The door opens straight into the kitchen, which has a vintage gas cooker with a four-burner hob, plus a coffee maker, microwave, and air fryer. A wood burner keeps things warm on chilly days, and a breakfast bar faces the window so you can eat while looking out over the hills.

Long galley kitchen inside the lower deck of a bus with a sink, plate rack, and wood counters — The lower-deck kitchen. Photo: The Bus on the Hill / thebusonthehill.co.uk

Red gas cooker with four burners set in patterned tile — The gas cooker in the kitchen.
Photo: The Bus on the Hill / thebusonthehill.co.uk

Wood kitchen cabinets under the bus windows with green hills outside — Kitchen cabinets under the bus windows. Photo: The Bus on the Hill / thebusonthehill.co.uk

View from the breakfast bar through the bus window to the patio and rolling fields — The view from the breakfast bar. Photo: The Bus on the Hill / thebusonthehill.co.uk

The Snug

At the back of the lower deck is the snug, lined with cushioned benches for reading or relaxing. It can also be an extra sleeping spot for children, with sleeping bags provided if you ask when you book.

Snug with blue daybeds along both sides and a window at the end — The snug at the back, with daybeds along both sides.
Photo: The Bus on the Hill / thebusonthehill.co.uk

Upstairs: Beds and a Lounge

Climb the stairs and you’ll find a big bed over the front of the bus, surrounded by windows. It’s the kind of spot where you wake up to quiet countryside and, if you’re lucky, deer grazing nearby. The middle of the top deck is a sitting room with armchairs and a TV, and a double bedroom sits at the back.

Upstairs bed at the front of the bus — The upstairs bed over the front.
Photo: The Bus on the Hill / thebusonthehill.co.uk

Upstairs sitting room in the centre of the bus — The upstairs sitting room.
Photo: The Bus on the Hill / thebusonthehill.co.uk

Upstairs sitting room with floral armchairs, a sofa, a TV stand, and a bed visible at the front — The upstairs sitting room, with the front bed beyond. Photo: The Bus on the Hill / thebusonthehill.co.uk

A Separate Bathroom

The tiled bathroom is in its own small building beside the patio, with a shower, toilet, and sink.

Tiled bathroom with a towel radiator, small sink, and toilet — The separate bathroom beside the patio. Photo: The Bus on the Hill / thebusonthehill.co.uk

Exploring the Area

Exmoor, with its wild ponies, Tarr Steps, and walking trails, is about a 20-minute drive away. Dartmoor is a little over an hour, and Devon’s north and south coasts are each about an hour in either direction. The nearby villages have pubs, cafes, and food shops.

Stay Details

Type: converted double-decker bus rental
Location: near Bampton, Devon, England (Bampton 4 miles, Tiverton 9 miles, Dulverton 10 miles)
Sleeping: front bed upstairs, double bedroom upstairs, plus the snug for children on request
Kitchen: vintage gas cooker with 4-burner hob, coffee maker, microwave, air fryer, breakfast bar
Heat: wood burner
Bathroom: separate building with shower and toilet
Power: solar panels with backup generator, fully off-grid
Outdoors: fenced patio with seating and a barbecue

What Makes This Stay Special

Sleeping in a bed in the front windows of a double-decker bus.
Off-grid solar power in quiet countryside.
Big views from the patio, the breakfast bar, and the top deck.
An easy base for exploring Exmoor and the Devon coasts.

For more double-decker conversions, see the Royal Scott with an upper-deck bedroom and a family of eight’s double-decker coffee shop and Airbnb. Or browse our list of quirky tiny house rentals.

Learn More

The Bus on the Hill
Website: thebusonthehill.co.uk
Book: Airbnb listing
info@thebusonthehill.co.uk · 07912 674 177
Photos: The Bus on the Hill.

Highlights

Off-grid double-decker bus in the Devon countryside
Bed in the front windows of the top deck
Vintage gas cooker and wood burner
Patio with barbecue and countryside views
20 minutes from Exmoor

Explore More

What do you think?

Would you sleep in the bed over the front windows or in the back bedroom?

If you enjoyed this you’ll LOVE our Free Daily Tiny House Newsletter with even more!
You can also join our Small House Newsletter!
Also, try our Tiny Houses For Sale Newsletter! Thank you!
More Like This: Tiny Houses | Off Grid | Bus Conversions

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through one of our links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Bio
Latest Posts

Alex

Alex Pino is the founder of Tiny House Talk, a leading resource on tiny homes and simple living since 2009. He helps readers discover unique homes, connect with builders, and explore alternative living.