Wales is one of the most accessible and diverse areas of the UK and is certainly worth visiting more than once to get the full Welsh experience. Given that Wales has so much to offer in a relatively small space - mountains, beaches, forests, dragons, waterfalls, cheese, singing, rugby (and much more), it is perfect for a camping holiday whether you are just going for the weekend, or a bit longer. Our top tip would be to spend a week or 2 touring around Wales to experience all it has to offer. Best of all, Campingninja has some
great campsites you can book in Wales.
Most popular places to visit in Wales
South Wales
Neath Waterfalls©geographyalltheway.com - a group of hills / mountains on the borders; the Offa's Dyke path runs right through them; tonnes of activities and quirky towns to explore.
The Valleys - the "Heart and Soul" of Wales?; great views; a lot of green; waterfalls; mines; wonderful singing; spirited people - thevalleys.co.uk
The Wye Valley - on the border - beautiful limestone cliff lined valley - castles galore; rafting, canoeing, walking.
Rhoselli Bay, Gower - some of the most stunning beaches in the UK (and the world), rich in wildlife and ancient legends.
Cardiff - capital; cultured; Millenium Stadium; National Opera House; Dr Who filmed here
Pembrokeshire - Coastal National Park, surfing, island hopping, Preseli Mountains (where Stone Henge stones come from), pretty coastal villages, smallest city in the UK - St Davids (magnificent cathedral)
Mid Wales
Brecon Beacons - mountainous National Park; breath-taking scenery; great for walking and cycling.
The Elan Valley - space and quiet, huge reservoirs and dams, rolling green hills
Llanwrtyd Wells - "mad" town hosting unconventional events: the Mari Lwyd, the Saturnalia Wobble, the Real Ales Wobble and Ramble, the Man and Horse Marathon, the World Bog Snorkelling Championships.
The West Coast - beaches, cliffs and coves backed by the grand Cambrian Mountains; dolphins and seals.
North Wales
Snowdonia - walkers and outdoor enthusiasts paradise, highest mountain in Wales - Mt Snowdon, majestic scenery of mountains, valleys, rivers and lakes; steam railways
North Wales Coast - castles, beaches, ice-cream, sailing and surfing
Anglesey - its an island with spectacular views and coastline; a place to get away from it all; gateway to Ireland - 99 mins to Dublin.
The Borders - beautiful green and heather strewn rolling hills; Llangollen - picturesque valley town
Top Outdoor Activities in Wales
Walking - with so many mountains, so much coast and lots of National Parks, Wales is the perfect place to get out walking whether your doing a long distance walk (Offa's Dyke, Pembrokeshire Coastal path), pushing yourself to the limit (15 peaks of Snowdonia), doing a day walk or going for a leisurely family stroll - opportunities abound everywhere you go in Wales - all you need is a map, the right kit and a bit of local advice and you're good to go. We like the
BBC Wales walking pages which has great info and advice about walks to do all over Wales.
Click here to find and book a campsite in Wales with access to great walking, with Campingninja.
Mountain Biking - For the same reasons as above, Wales is a real mecca for mountain bikers. There are many specific mountain bike centres with trails, training and advice for all levels (Coed Y Brenin, Cwm Carn, Afan Forest Park, Coed Llandelga, Nant yr Arian and Gwydyr Forest); as well as plenty of routes in the Black Mountains, Brecon Beacons, Snowdonia, around the coats and many other beautiful areas. Wales has everything a mountain biker could want. To find out specific information try
MBWales or
Route2Ride.
Click here to find and book a campsite in Wales near a mountain bike centre or mountain bike trail, with Campingninja.
Watersports - with so much coastline, and lots of lakes and rivers Wales is a great place to swim, surf, white water raft, kayak, canoe, windsurf, kite surf, dive, coasteer and sail. Whatever your level there is something for everyone whether you are just having a go or an expert. To find out more and the best places to do any watersports go to
Wales Watersports.
Click to find campsites in Wales good for sailing, kayaking / canoeing, windsurfing, and surfing.
Horse-riding / Pony trekking - beautiful riding in magnificent countryside. Wales has everything for riders of all ages and abilities. Ride along a beach, ride in the mountains and forest. You can't fail to always find somewhere nearby your campsite to go horse-riding - hardly surprising in the country which apparently invented pony trekking! To find riding centres near where you are camping we like
Riding Wales.
Click here to find and book a campsite in Wales close to horse-riding centres.
Getting there
- Trains: to Cardiff and Swansea from London Paddington, Reading, Bristol and Bath. From the rest of the UK change at Crewe for North Wales destinations; and access Mid-Wales via Birmingham or Shrewsbury.
- National Express Buses: London to Milford Haven, Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham, Aberystwyth. Birmingham to Holyhead/Pwliheli, Swansea, Cardiff, Haverfordwest. Chester to Llandudno, Bagor, Holyhead.
- By Road: South Wales main entry is via the M4. To get to North Wales take the M54 and A5 from The Midlands, or M56 via Chester from the North. Mid-Wales is accessed by a series of A roads depending on which direction you are coming from.
Some things you may not know about Wales
When camping in Wales why not.....- Catch a Male Voice Choir in concert - choirs are regularly singing in the Valleys, and well, everywhere - a not-to-be-missed spine tingling experience.
- Eat some welsh cakes - gorgeous, surprising and super-tasty morsels
- Get to know some locals - down the pub, in a shop, on the street - Welsh people love to have a chat and tell you a story and with their lyrical, sing-song accent and wicked humour you'll be captivated - word or warning: you may get caught for hours without realising!
- Visit one of the many incredible castles all over Wales and delve into their colourful history.
- Watch a game of rugby - the national sport. The best is to watch Wales play at the Millennium, but any club rugby match will do.