Campervan Adventures in Wales: Coast, Mountains and Campsites

Wales squeezes three very different landscapes into a small country: the mountains of Snowdonia, the Pembrokeshire coast and the Brecon Beacons. It is a superb campervan destination because nothing is more than a few hours from anywhere else — and because the campsites are among the best value in Britain.

Three regions, three trips

• Snowdonia, in the north-west, is the big-hitter: the road through the Ogwen Valley and around the Llyn Peninsula rewards a slow circuit. Camp around Betws-y-Coed and Beddgelert for walkers' bases.
• Pembrokeshire, in the south-west, has 186 miles of coast path, with small sites perched on the cliffs near St Davids, Fishguard and Freshwater West.
• The Brecon Beacons and the border country offer a quieter, greener trip with market towns like Hay-on-Wye and Crickhowell.

Sites and prices

Welsh campsites are consistently cheaper than their English equivalents — expect £22 to £35 a night with electric in peak season, and far less for basic farm pitches. The coastal parks near Nefyn and the sites around the Gower peninsula fill fastest, so book ahead for August. For a wilder feel, the Forestry Commission sites in the Cambrian mountains are a hidden gem, with pitches among the pines for around £15.

Practicalities

Wales has no right to wild camp in the way Scotland does — overnighting off-site is only legal with the landowner's permission — so use campsites and official parking. The roads are steep and narrow in Snowdonia; the A487, A5 and A470 corridors are fine for full-size motorhomes, but the pass roads above Capel Curig are best left to smaller vans.

Many Welsh sites operate on an honesty system in the shoulder season — call ahead and you will often be told to pitch up wherever you like.

Combining regions

If you have a fortnight, loop the whole country: enter via the north coast, work down the Llyn and through mid-Wales, then round Pembrokeshire and out via the Severn. At roughly 700 miles for the full loop, it is an easy two-week trip without a single rushed day. Find a van for the trip on our search, or compare layouts across motorhomes for sale.