Some of the Best Campsites Wales has to offer.
Trellyn Woodland
Trellyn is a magical place. It’s calm and remote. Across 16 acres of beautiful Pembrokeshire woodland, Trellyn stretches to five camping pitches, a tipi, a couple of yurts and two geodomes. These pockets of solitude are furnished with a picnic table, campfire area and full field kitchen. Extras include an outdoor pizza oven and a wood-fired sauna. Trellyn Woodland, Abercastle, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire SA62 5HJ (01348 837762); Open late May – early September; Camping and Caravanning Club members only (you can join onsite for £40).
Rynys Farm
Nestled in a cleft of soft, green hill above the town of Betws-y-Coed to the west of the mighty Snowdon, Rnynys Farm is the perfect base for exploring Wales’ most iconic mountain range. This working sheep farm offers room to spread out and relax in. Adjoining fields catch the morning rays, bask in the warmth in the day and, as evening sets in, are raked by the sun setting. Rynys Farm, Nr Betwys-y-Coed, Snowdonia LL26 0RU (01690 710218); tents all year; caravans and campervans Easter and October only; Adults are £7 and children are £2.50 a night.
Carreglwyd Camping and Caravan Park
Carreglwyd is the perfect antidote to the static caravan parks which dominate parts of the Gower. This tent-friendly site has sweeping coastal views and easy access to the beach. The coastal path to Worm’s Head and Rhossili is a spectacular five-mile walk, showcasing the most dramatic stretch of Gower coastline and possibly the best sunset in the UK – proof alone of why Gower was selected as Britain’s first official Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Carreglwyd Camping and Caravan Park, Port Eynon, Swansea SA3 1NN (01792 390795); Open all year; £20 for two people, a car and tent.
Fforest Fields Caravan Park
Scan around from the middle of this Builth Wells campsite and the natural scenery that greets the eye full circle is breathtaking – rolling hills in every direction, forests thick with pine trees, grass, ferns, heather and crystal-clear streams… all the finest organic ingredients of a countryside idyll. The best bit is that you’re free to wander off in any one of these directions, because the land (all 550 acres of it) belongs to Fforest Fields. Fforest Fields Caravan Park, Hundred House, Builth Wells, Powys LD1 5RT (01982 570406); Easter – October; pitches £4.50, adults £3.50, children (under 16) £2.50.
Tyllwyd
Tyllwyd is the kind of tranquil campsite that dreams are made of. Nestled within a verdant valley beside the burbling waters of the River Ystwyth, on the map it looks like the back of beyond. But though Tyllwyd is isolated, it doesn’t feel so. Aberystwyth, Cardigan Bay and Devil’s Bridge are all just a short scenic drive away. There are also mountain-biking routes aplenty in the forest immediately to the north of Cwmystwyth. Tyllwyd, Cwmystwyth, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 4AG (01974 282216); March–October; tent and car/campervan plus two people £12.
Pencelli Castle Caravan and Camping Park
Though the eponymous Pencelli castle is long gone, the campsite gardens of today still retain a regal splendour. Not for nothing have Pencelli Castle’s owners, the Rees family, won the Wales in Bloom campsite category five times. The Meadow, the largest field reserved exclusively for tent campers, boasts a stupendous backdrop of heather-clad mountains and sheep-strewn, rolling hills. Pencelli Castle Caravan and Camping Park, Pencelli, Brecon, Powys LD3 7LX (01874 665451); open February – November; £8–£10 per person, depending on season.
Graig Wen
Graig Wen has some of the most enviable views in Snowdonia. Overlooking the Mawddach Estuary, the sunsets from this award-winning site are unparalleled. The pitches offer something for everyone: two yurts, a boutique-style B&B, plus space for 12 tourers or tents. Our pick though is the ‘caban’ – an innovative, locally developed timber and glass structure. Graig Wen, Arthog, Nr Dolgellau, Gwynedd LL39 1BQ (01341 250482); top field all year, lower camping fields open summer bank holidays and high season; tent camping field from £8 per night.
Penrallt Coastal Camping
The Lleyn Peninsula has no shortage of breathtaking settings so it takes something special indeed to stand out. Something like Penrallt Coastal Camping. This family-friendly site is carpeted with vibrant wildflowers leading over craggy cliffs to the crashing waves below. The small harbour at Porth Ysgaden and the lovely beach at Porth Towyn are great for spotting seals. Penrallt Coastal Camping, Tudweiliog, Pwllheli, Gwynedd LL53 8PB (01758 770654); Easter – September; tent, campervan, caravan and two adults £10–£12.
Faerie Thyme
Invoke your inner hippy at quirky Crwbin campsite, Faerie Thyme. Among the stone circles, vintage caravan and pirate ship, lies an accommodating site. Tracing the leylines of wizard heritage, nearby Mynydd Llangyndeyrn is rumoured to be the birthplace of Merlin. A bit “far out, man”? Well it was also one of only two Welsh sites to receive a ‘member’s recommended best site’ award from the UK Camping and Caravanning Club. Faerie Thyme, Crwbin, Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire SA17 5DR (01269 871774); open all year; tent plus two people from £18-£21.
Porthclais Farm
Porthclais Farm is a veritable Pembrokeshire institution. This small family-run campsite is hugged by St Brides Bay to the south and Porthclais Harbour to the west – as you can imagine, the views are breathtaking. A stay here is all about making the most of the stunning coastal location – from rockpooling and sailing to traversing the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. The Blue Flag awarded beach at nearby Whitesands is also a haven for surfers. Porthclais Farm Campsite, Porthclais, St Davids, Pembrokeshire SA62 6RR (01437 720616); Easter – October; tents – adults and over-13s £7, 5-12s £3, under-5s free, dogs £2.
For more information visit www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/camping-wales-off-scale-ten-5151208
