There’s no need to sit on roads for hours on end for your summer getaway
The 12 best caravan sites that are a short drive from Cardiff
WHETHER you are looking for family adventure or somewhere to relax this summer, caravan holidays are perfect for getting away from it all.
The best thing is, setting off on your holiday doesn’t mean you have to travel hundreds of miles or spend hours in the car.
Some of the best caravan sites are a short distance away from Cardiff, meaning you can pack up your caravan in the morning and be sat in a field sipping a glass of chilled Pimms by lunchtime.
We’ve trawled the listings to find the top sites that are around an hour’s drive - some a little over and others a little under - from the Welsh capital (assuming there are no traffic jams, of course).
Here are our favourites, in no particular order...
1. THREE CLIFFS BAY HOLIDAY PARK
Gower, Swansea
Overlooking one of the finest beaches Wales has to offer, you can park up at this stunning five star caravan and touring site before heading out to explore the gorgeous Gower Peninsula.
The Wales Coast Path and the gleaming sandy beach of Three Cliffs Bay are both mere minutes away.
Back at the site, the sparkling toilet and shower block is free to use, there are newly updated electric hook-ups, free WiFi and a shop where you can fill up on freshly baked bread, home baked cakes and local meat.
Do: Rent one of their fire pits and settle down after a busy day toasting marshmallows while the sun sets over the beach.
2. RIVER VIEW TOURING PARK Llanedi, Pontarddulais, Carmarthenshire
This family-friendly site is spread out over three separate meadows so you can pick your own vibe.
Whether you are looking for an adult-only space or a child-friendly one with room to play there is a pitch to cater for all needs.
The timber-clad toilet block has a five-star rating in the Loo of the Year Awards and its underfloor heating is a luxurious touch.
Do: Cook up an extra special breakfast with freshly laid eggs from the onsite chickens before heading out for a woodland walk.
3. PEN Y FAN CARAVAN AND LEISURE PARK
Manmoel Road, Blackwood
Set across a whopping 42 acres, Pen y Fan Caravan Park is ideal for a family-friendly break in rural Wales.
It’s the perfect base to explore the south Wales Eastern valleys and is well-placed to try the breathtaking Pen y Fan horse shoe ridge walk, which takes in the peaks of Pen Y Fan, Corn Du and the Cribyn .
After a day out exploring, there’s no need to come back and cook you will receive a warm welcome at the Traveller’s Rest, the on-site pub.
It has a traditional bar and a range of quality home-cooked foods as well as a cracking Sunday lunch.
Do: Take the short drive to the Upper Neuadd Reservoir and tackle the Pen y Fan horseshoe ridge walk for breathtaking views of the Brecon Beacons.
4. OUR WELSH CARAVAN AND CAMPING Hendre Ifan Goch Farm, Near Blackmill, Bridgend
Just 18 miles from Cardiff, you will feel like you have got away from all the hustle and bustle of city life at this working sheep farm.
The surrounding scenery is outstanding and hikers and cyclists are spoilt for choice for places to go.
Just 300m away from the site is the mighty Celtic Trail – 377 miles of bike paths around south, west and mid Wales.
And there’s also a myriad of mountain trails over Mynydd Y Gaer and Ogmore Vale.
The level site is also located right on the river’s edge on Hendre Ifan Goch Farm, with toilet block, hot showers and disabled facilities.
Do: Trot along and meet all the farm animals.
5. MYRTLE FARM HOLIDAYS
Banwell, Somerset
If clean toilets and showers are a must, then this is the place for you. New for the 2019 season, Myrtle Farm has 10 spacious wet room showers and toilets complete with underfloor heating.
There is also a brand new kitchen area with all the facilities, including washing machine, freezer, toaster and kettles.
Set in the semi-rural location of Banwell, in Somerset, this small site is perfect for exploring the nearby Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The seaside resort of WestonSuper-Mare is a short drive away, as is Cheddar Gorge which is famous for its caves, cheese and strawberries. Do: Spend the day on the beach before enjoying a cone of chips on the Grand Pier at Weston-SuperMare.
6. DIAMOND FARM CARAVAN AND CAMPING Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset
Looking for a holiday destination is never easy – should it be in the country or should it be by the sea?
But at Diamond Farm you will find the best of both worlds. Situated on a 100 acre family farm, with cows and horses grazing in the fields and uninterrupted views over to Weston Super Mare and the Mendips, it is also less than a mile away from the eight miles of sandy beach at Brean.
It’s perfect for families, with a level and spacious play area with swings and slides as well as fishing on site in the River Axe which flows alongside.
The pitches are just a short saunter from the two separate blocks of washroom and spotless shower facilities. Do: Head to Brean Down, National Trust owned, for panoramic views of the Somerset coastline and a cream tea in the cafe.
7. BLOSSOM TOURING PARK MOTORHOME AND CAMP SITE Tredilion Llantilio Pertholey, Abergavenny
For peace and tranquility, you would be hard-pressed to beat Blossom Park.
It’s not for nothing that this park is called Blossom…it’s set in a pear and plum orchard and each pitch is outlined with pear trees.
And there’s a pick your own fruit farm practically on the doorstep
With views towards Sugar Loaf Mountain and the surrounding hills, the sunsets are pretty special too.
There’s a well-maintained toilet and shower block, laundry facilities and wifi available at day rates.
The pretty market town of Abergavenny is just over a mile away.
Do: Head into Abergavenny for the farmers’ market, held on the fourth Thursday of every month, and stock up on homemade and local produce
8. HENDRE FARMHOUSE ORCHARD Hendre, Wonostow, Monmouthshire
Wales? England? Mosey along to this Monmouthshire site for both. Hendre Farmhouse Orchard Campsite is on the border of England and Wales, within easy reach of days out of all sorts in both countries.
It’s no more than half an hour’s drive to famed attractions in both lands: the Brecon Beacons, Chep
stow, the Wye valley and Raglan Castle on the Welsh side, and the Forest of Dean, Tintern Abbey and Hereford on the English.
Even closer to home, the farm is on Offa’s Dyke Path for those who fancy part – or all – of its 177-mile route along the Welsh/English border; canoeing on the River Wye is within a couple of miles, and the championship course of the Rolls of Monmouth Golf Club borders the site.
Do: Try your hand at canoeing on the River Wye, which can be canoed throughout the year from the tiny village of Glasbury above historic Hay down to the castle town of Chepstow where the river flows into the Bristol Channel, a total of 100 miles in all.
9. THE STABLES
It’s only small, with space for just five caravans and 20 tents and quite basic facilities, but The Stables is the perfect place to park up for a long weekend of familyfriendly cycling.
Located on the 13-mile Bristol and Bath Railway Path, it’s the perfect base from which to pack up a picnic and head towards Bath on two wheels.
The pan-flat car-free cycle route is a great place for kids, with promises of ice-cream reward at Bristol Harbour, or maybe a cream tea in Bath.
In the evenings, take a stroll along the banks of the River Avon to one of many local pubs serving traditional pub grub.
Do: Go and say hello to the alpacas who live on site too
10. BRYNDU CARAVAN AND CAMPING
Bryndu Farm, Llyswen, Brecon
If you want to be pampered while caravanning, Bryndu offers massages, beauty treatments and a hot tub for total relaxation.
Spread out on a working farm in the mid-Wales countryside and 10 minutes from the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park, Bryndu is a top spot for outdoorsy hols: two long-distance walking paths are within 20 minutes of base, and hiking, biking and riding trails through the Beacons are close to hand.
There’s fishing on the Wye too where it passes through Llyswen, and canoeing and kayaking along the Wye from the nearby village of Glasbury.
That’s a whole lot of activities, so retreat to the site for a little reward… When muscles start to ache, and keeping busy has led to general dishevelment, trip along to the main farmhouse where there’s a holistic and beauty salon. Soothe aching limbs with a massage, unwind with a facial or mani-pedi, then float at leisure in the outdoor hot tub...
Do: Treat yourself to a massage with Emma, the onsite holistic therapist who won ‘Masseuse of the Year’ 2019 for the whole of Wales, second year running.
11. QUARRY LODGE CAMPING
Quarry Lodge Camping, Carmarthen, Whitemill, Carmarthenshire
Located in the heart of the Towy valley, this tiny family-friendly site in south Wales is the place to come to get away from it all.
Choose escapades through the Welsh countryside and adventures in the great wide open for a truly active getaway.
Or simply sit back in the rural location and listen to the gentle sounds of cows mooing and sheep baaing on the surrounding farmland. Do: Wander over to the wild hedgerows and herb boxes, where you can forage for a little something to liven up your barbecue
12. LLANDYFAN CAMPING AND FISHING Coel Bren, Llandyfan, Ammanford
A quiet corner of Carmarthenshire, with fishing on site and a golf course and pub within easy ambling distance – land yourself a spot at Llandyfan Camping and Fishing and all this can be yours.
This peaceful place is mighty scenic, with the Brecon Beacons within spitting distance and the pretty town of Llandeilo (for artsy shops and an excellent deli) just 10 minutes away.
Naturally (this being Wales) there are castles nearby – both Dinefwr and Carreg Cennen are within a 10-minute drive.
Out and about in this area has much to recommend it but so does sticking about on site for a bit, especially if you’re into fishing.
Bring along your rods and a licence and for a small charge you can use the site’s coarse fishing lake.
This is an eco-friendly site, which generates its own power from wind and solar energy and backup generators and has its own water supply.
Do: Make sure you stay up late to watch the starry shows in the country’s first International Dark Sky Reserve.