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Riverside glamping in North Wales guide
Where to go
Snowdonia National Park
National parks account for almost 20 percent of the land in Wales—and the biggest of its three parks is Snowdonia, the site of some of Wales’ tallest peaks, a number of mountain towns and villages (such as Llanberis, Bala, and Betws-y-Coed), and a network of well-marked hiking trails. Although the name implies snow, Snowdonia National Park is not really a skiing destination, but you can pitch your tent beneath the stars, rent a cosy caravan, or opt for a comfortable glamping pod experience here instead. Plus, there’s a convenient Snowdon Mountain Railway, which can take you to the very summit of Wales’ highest mountain.
You’ll see evidence of Welsh slate-mining heritage everywhere in Snowdonia, and you can learn about it in Blaenau Ffestiniog, once the centre of the industry and known as “the town that roofed the world.” Tour the former Llechwedd Slate Caverns and dip into a world of adventure with zip lines across the former quarry and unreal subterranean trampolines.
Anglesey and Holyhead
En-suite glamping pods, static caravan rentals, and sea view campsites abound on the Isle of Anglesey in North Wales, which has plenty of craggy cliffs, historic lighthouses, and outlying islands to explore. Walk the Anglesey Coastal Path, lounge on Blue Flag beaches, and look out for dolphins and seals on this charming isle, before visiting the town of Holyhead (situated on Holy Island), Beaumaris Castle, or nearby Caernarfon Castle on the Welsh mainland.
Llŷn Peninsula
With rustic campsites galore, as well as caravan parks and glamping pods that are comfortable even in the winter months, the Llŷn Peninsula—one of North Wales’ Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty—is an excellent destination for watersports and walking. Abersoch is perhaps the best known (and most popular) town, but Portmeirion, Pwllheli, Porthdinllaen, and Aberdaron aren’t to be sniffed at either. The 23 miles of coastline include a largely unspoiled coastline of sandy beaches backed by dunes, and although the seaside can feel a world away from the mountains, the top of Snowdon is just 10 miles from the sea. The Wales Coast Path traces a route around the entire Welsh coast for a massive 870 miles—and while you may not want to tackle the whole thing on a week’s camping holiday, the well-marked route is a good place to start if you fancy a stroll with sea views.
Llandudno and Colwyn Castle
One of the North Wales coast's best-known and most historic seaside resorts, Llandudno and its sandy beaches are still as charming as ever. Close to Conwy Castle, Colwyn Bay, Prestatyn, and Rhyl, there are a number of holiday and caravan parks in and around Llandudno, as well as motorhome hook-ups in and around the town. If you plan on pitching a tent at a camping site instead, opt to stay during the warmer summer months as this coast can get rather cold in winter.
Clwydian Range and Dee Valley
Although sometimes overlooked in favour of Snowdonia and the Isle of Anglesey to the west, the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley in Denbighshire, northeast Wales is a stellar hiking, biking, and camping destination. Tire yourself out by walking stretches of the Offa’s Dyke Path or biking through Coed Llandegla (Llandegla Forest) before laying your head at a campervan or caravan park, campsite, or in a glamping yurt.
Family Camping in North Wales
North Wales is a great destination for a family camping holiday. The adventure of camping alone is usually a hit with the kids, and even further, many North Wales campsites are set up with kids in mind—think play areas and game rooms. And in outdoorsy North Wales, campsites have a wilder edge, often with woodland or water for pond-dipping within walking distance.
When it comes to days out during a family-friendly camping holiday, you needn’t worry. North Wales has plenty of kid-friendly attractions, from working farm attractions to rides on heritage railways, and of course, all the fun of the seaside. Older kids can get involved in action-packed adventures like kayaking, coasteering, and climbing, and even the high peaks of Snowdonia are conquerable for children—giving them a sense of achievement that will last a lifetime.
Top Things to Do on a North Wales Camping Trip
So many campsites in North Wales are spectacularly situated, and we wouldn’t blame you if you just wanted to kick back and enjoy the view on your camping holiday. But do that, and you’ll miss out on some of the amazing places among the mountains, valleys, bays, and dunes. Here are our top recommendations.
- Climb to the top of Snowdon. Go on—you can do it! There are six different well-trodden paths to the top, each offering a roundtrip of about eight miles, which an average walker can complete in six hours. If that sounds like too much, hop aboard the Snowdon Mountain Railway for direct access to those spectacular views.
- Chill out on a Welsh beach. With 250 miles of coastline, there’s a bit of beach to suit most people, from the bucket-and-spade resorts of Llandudno to the wild beauty of parts of the Llŷn Peninsula.
- Explore a castle. There are more castles per square mile in Wales than anywhere else in the world—and some of the best ones are in North Wales. Hit Beaumaris, Caernarfon, or Conwy, just to name a few.
- Take a train. Thanks in part to its mining past but also to the booming tourist trade, Wales has its fair share of railways. Stepping aboard a heritage train is a great way to see the scenery, learn the history, and satisfy the appetites of any train-loving tots.
- Get adventurous. Wales is the outdoor capital of the UK with opportunities for rock climbing, abseiling, coasteering, caving, and ziplining.
- Go underground. Learn about the industry that shaped North Wales by going underground to the Llechwedd Slate Mine, the Sygun Copper Mine outside Beddgelert, or the coastal Great Orme, thought to be the world’s oldest copper mine.