Beach barns near Cardigan
Check in for watersports, coastal and upland walks, wildlife-watching boat trips, and diverse camping.
- Cardigan
Popular camping styles for Cardigan
Beach barns near Cardigan guide
Overview
Pitching near Cardigan plonks you amid some of West Wales’ loveliest scenery. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path leads south and the Ceredigion Coast Path north, with no shortage of standout sandy bays along either route. You’re also close here to inland outdoor playgrounds like the Preseli Hills, and Cardigan’s position near the River Teifi’s mouth makes it a popular destination for watersports and boat trips to spot Cardigan Bay’s sealife. Campers should head along the 5-mile road north to Mwnt Beach to find several campsites.
Where to go
Cardigan Bay
This is where camping really took off in Wales. Cardigan lies about a third of the way along the nation’s biggest bay, curving north from North Pembrokeshire’s Strumble Head to Southern Gwynedd along the Ceredigion coast. Go bottlenose dolphin-watching or walk the Wales Coast Path along the entire shoreline. There is a greater density of campgrounds and caravan parks here than anywhere else in the country: both big multi-facility affairs and farm sites with a few pitches.
Aberporth to New Quay
This 15-mile stretch of hidden bays and ragged cliffs is part of the wider Cardigan Bay, and makes a particularly sterling pace to pitch up. Here are a dozen-odd camping and caravanning sites dotted along what is probably Ceredigion’s most mesmeric coastal scenery. It all kicks off at Aberporth, 6.5 miles northeast of Cardigan. And because the seaboard is linked by the long-distance Wales Coast Path, there is great sealife to be seen and gorgeous seaside villages to explore.
North Pembrokeshire Coast
Heading southeast from Cardigan through Pembrokeshire, Cardigan Bay ends at storm-tossed Strumble Head, but the magical coastline marches on through North Pembrokeshire, along the section of the Wales Coast Path known as the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Campers find the coast, running through tranquil harbours like Abercastle and Porthgain, far quieter than South Pembrokeshire.
Preseli Hills
The Preseli Hills are a little different to the coastal Pembrokeshire that most people are familiar with. This unkempt, barren range has scarcely any settlement, and is most notable for its staggering array of prehistoric monuments and adventurous hiking. Newport, 10 miles southwest of Cardigan, is the northern gateway to these rugged moors. Pitching near Mynachlog-ddu puts you close to the Golden Road, a hike traversing the Preseli’s main ridge via a number of ancient sites.
When to go
Wales winters are long, wet, and cold—and even summer can be cloudy and mild. However, the period of April through September generally guarantees the best weather around Cardigan, when most visitor attractions are open. Leave a clear day for exploring the Preseli Hills, where cloud cover gets notoriously thick. The Cardigan River and Food Festival, West Wales’ biggest, is a lively time each August.
