Campsites near Rhayader

Known for its stellar setting on the doorstep of the Elan Valley, this is where the moorland gets splashed with long lakes and outdoor adventure.

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98% (1538 reviews)

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Riverside Restful Relaxing Campsite

12 units · Motorhomes, Tents4 acres · England
A very warm welcome to our guests at Little Eden, a restful and relaxing, riverside campsite for tents and campervans with grass pitches. We’re in a great spot if you love fishing, kayaking, gorge walking, cycling, seasides, fossil hunting, wild swimming, fell running, bird watching, archaeology or even Viking history! We are 9 miles from the mystical Glastonbury Abbey and Tor and directly on a Sustrans 33 cycle path route. The River Brue runs alongside the campsite with damsel flies fluttering by and kingfishers darting back and forth. We are on the Somerset levels so the sunsets are amazing as well as night time stargazing. We have a private, wooden jetty where you can launch your own paddle board. It’s a perfect get away for campers and nature lovers. Bring your own raised BBQs and logs or buy firewood on site. A family run campsite around 30 miles south of Bristol on the banks of the River Brue, it has a relaxed vibe and we try to keep things simple and straight forward. It’s ideal for doing some day trips nearby, then lighting the BBQ and playing Frisbee (games box you are most welcome to use). Shower and toilet, drinking water, washing-up sink in garden kitchenette. Our big sister site is just 4 miles away, and the café bar at 'Wall Eden Farm' serves fantastic coffee, cake, and family-made Somerset cider. If looking for classic countryside pub meal The Duck at Burtle and The Bird at Westhay are local favourites, be sure to book! Burnham on Sea close by has great fish and chips, a sandy beach, a pier and promenade if you like salty fingers and sandy toes. *DIRECTIONS* Little Eden Adventures is on Goole Maps Postcode takes you within 200 meters of campsite, look for white house with flagpole on stone bridge over river. What3words master.musical.titles. Our grandmother and her 5 sisters grew up milking cattle on the land. It’s steeped in history and archaeology. Bring your fishing rod as there are bream and roach in the River Brue. The site is a dream for cyclists. Electric vehicle charging at Wall Eden Farm with a Farmshop stocked with essential supplies, Moonshine and sweet treats. Sorry no pets as livestock in neighbouring fields. Big Adventures and Little Moments Warmest Wishes, Team Little Eden
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from 
£11.50
 / night

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Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Campsites near Rhayader guide

Overview

Rhayader has long been a fine place to pause on a trip across the Welsh moors—once for monks travelling between the area's abbeys, later for outlaws, and today for adventure-loving campers. The snaking Elan Valley Lakes west of town are main attractions, but Rhayader also sits alongside Britain's greatest wilderness south of Highland Scotland. In this area, you'll find Teifi Pools and the high point of the Cambrian Mountains, Pen Pumlumon Fawr. Both have spots to pitch up amid rugged scenery. Or stay lower down, enjoying the sinuous beauty of the River Wye and its hiking trail, the Wye Valley Path.

Where to go

Elan Village area

Elan Village is at the beginning of the Elan Valley as you ascend from Rhayader and reach Caban Coch, the first of six dams creating the five vast reservoirs stretching away from here. One of the area's best campsites is just before the visitor centre, where deep valleys and lakes divide the bald hills. Fantastic hiking and biking trails thread it all together.

Teifi Pools and Teifi Forest

This rarely trodden upland west of Elan Valley is a series of small, spectacular natural lakes—together they form the source of the Teifi, the longest river in Wales. Below in the valley is one of Wales' loveliest ruined abbeys, Strata Florida, alongside the extensive Teifi Forest. In this remote country, you can camp in a bothy, a rudimentary shelter accessible only on foot, or on its grounds.

Pen Pumlumon Fawr

The highest point of the Cambrian Mountains (the spine of all Mid Wales) is at Pen Pumlumon Fawr. Many of the region's wildest hills and moors can be found here, where the nearest campsites are around Ponterwyd. Even still, tenters often wild camp high on the lonely slopes.

Along the River Wye

Rhayader is the first town on the winsome River Wye and near the start of the 136-mile Wye Valley Path, which traces the river from source to near the mouth. Campsites tend to occupy some of the flattest, greenest, and most sheltered ground around.

When to go

Easter through September is the busiest time for Rhayader camping. Outside of this season, many campsites and tourist facilities are closed due to the brunt of the year's bad weather. For the best weather and the fewest visitors, try pitching a tent in early spring or late summer. Even the warmest days rarely pass 20°C (68°F), while rain, strong winds, and below-freezing temperatures can arrive any time.

Know before you go

  • On public transport, Rhayader is only accessible by bus, mainly from Llandrindod Wells and Aberystwyth.
  • Rhayader is the only town with camping supply stores for a long way.
  • Wales' official take on wild camping is that you must ask for landowner permission first. In practice, finding the landowner to ask can be tough. If you do camp, stay on moorland and out of cultivated land. Many areas, including Elan Valley Lakes, strictly prohibit wild camping.
  • Shelter in the moorland around Rhayader is scant—come prepared with full, wet-weather gear.