Beautiful Snowdonia
- Snowdonia is a National Park in Wales and Snowdon is its highest mountain.
- It’s probably one of the most amazing areas I’ve ever been to and I don’t mind admitting that I’m TOTALLY bias as it’s right in our neighbourhood and we go there often. Whether it’s hiking with the dogs, scrambling for the boys, charity walks or just amazing days out looking out on and across the valleys, the lakes and the mountains, Snowdonia has something to offer for everyone.
- If you’re ever in the UK make sure you take some time out to breathe and come to Wales [Welsh cream tea, bara brith or laverbread optional and highly recommended].
Bainbridge Ings Caravan & Camp site: Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales
All pitched up on the Bainbridge Ings camp site.
There are 3 fields altogether happily holding campers in their tents, motorhomers, caravanners and vanners like us alike. There were even some Dutch & German vans on site [something we don’t often see on our travels in the UK]. Facilities were excellent despite showers requiring tokens [which, to be honest, is a tad on the inconvenient side]. There’s a little trout fishery up the road [unfortunately closed by the time we stumbled upon it] and Hawes the village is literally only a 5 minute walk across the fields away. The owners are extremely nice & helpful [even @ very early o’clock in the morning ^-^] and we’d happily return.
I’d score it 4/ 5 [had it not been for the shower tokens that would have been 5/5]. Go check it out ^-^
Greencarts B&B, campsite & bunk house in the Tyne Valley; Hadrian’s Wall
Hadrian’s Wall was a defensive fort in Roman Britain. during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two forts built across the UK, the second being the Antonine Wall, which is not as famous as Hadrian’s Wall because its physical remains are less evident today. the wall was the most heavily fortified border in the Empire and although its primary role was to serve as a military fortification, it is thought that many of the gates through the wall would have served as customs posts to allow trade and levy taxation. a significant portion of the wall still exists, particularly the mid-section, and for much of its length the wall can be followed on foot along Hadrian’s Wall Path or by cycle on National Cycle Route 72. it is now the most popular tourist attraction in Northern England and was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. the English Heritage, a government organisation in charge of managing the historic environment of England, describes it as *the most important monument built by the Romans in Britain*.
We based ourselves at Greencarts B&B, campsite & bunk house in the Tyne Valley which is literally just around the corner from the Wall.
The camp site is basically a large field alongside a driveway leading up to a working farm and surrounded by stunning countryside. We stayed for 2 nights (before heading on to Yorkshire) and pitched up close to the farm for easy access to washing facilities etc. The field is mainly flat and has some sheltered areas at the back, as well as direct access to perfect dog walking terrain. Our dogs are well behaved so didn’t have to be kept on a lead which makes things so much more fun. There were only 2 or 3 other campers around and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay – even with the rain hammering down on us ALL day. I can’t remember exactly how much we paid [not much though] but we came away happy campers. If fields, country living, working farms, hiking, breathtaking scenery & the outdoors are your thing then this one’s definitely one for you; I’d score it 5/5 ^-^
Plas Uchaf Touring & Camping park on Anglesey
Anglesey (Welsh: Ynys Môn) is an island and a county off the north west coast of Wales. Two bridges connect it to the mainland: the original Menai Suspension bridge designed by Thomas Telford in 1826 and the more recently rebuilt Britannia Bridge which also carries the North Wales Coast Railway Line. The name *Anglesey* was later used in the English language as a country name which included Holy Island and other nearby small islands. About half the people who live on Anglesey can speak, read and write Welsh as well as English, and 70% have a knowledge of Welsh.With an area of 714 square kilometres (276 sq mi), Anglesey is the largest Welsh island, the 6th largest surrounding the island of Great Britain, and the largest island in the Irish Sea ahead of the Isle of Man.
We stayed not far from Benllech as we had arranged to meet up with a work colleague on the Sunday morning.
The Plas Uchaf Touring & Camping park is level & well sheltered. It’s spread across 20 acres and has Tarmacadam roads & street lights. Pitches for vans are hardstanding [good in winter, boring in summer] and the park is near a beach but as it’s a busy family oriented site dogs have to be kept on a lead. The 3 heated WC blocks feature hot showers, pot and pan rooms, family rooms, ample sinks and are well maintained and very clean. It’s a nice site but has not got that *wow* factor and is probably best suited for families and older couples.
I think we paid £15 and can’t remember if dogs & the hook-up were free or if we had to pay extra but it’s definitely a pleasant enough site and well worth the money. Would we come here again? Probably not.
Wolvercroft Garden Centre & certificated camp site, New Forest
Following the relocation of Mr. B’s brother to Dorset we decided to make the most of the visit with a trip to the New Forest.
We chose a little site in Alderholt that had room for 5 vans and some tents and was attached to a family-run garden centre. I think we paid £8 for our very first hook up and promptly set about setting up. Looking at the pictures now we clearly did not know how to do things properly but had fun with it nonetheless ^-^
The site has no wash facilities but 24 hour access to a toilet which is located at the entrance to the garden centre. There is also a nice little cafe [we went for breakfast] and if – like me – you like to rummage through a garden centre and fetch home new additions to your garden then this site is definitely for you.
It’s in a nice location and as there was only two other caravan on site while we were there we had the whole of the field for the dogs to play in, happy days!
We spent the day dog walking & horse spotting then had some food with Mr. B’s brother and his family and came away fans of the New Forest ^-^
Shell Island, Mid Wales
Shell Island, also known as Mochras, is a peninsula lying west of Llanbedr in Gwynedd, Wales. it was formed after the River Artro was diverted by the Earl of Winchelsey in 1819 from its previous course where it entered the sea to the south of Shell Island.
Shell Island has a popular camp site which offers the opportunity to practise *wild camping* with camp fires being allowed on the beach, and raised contained fires and barbecues across the site. It has stunning views of the unspoilt Welsh countryside – including Cardigan Bay & the Snowdonia National Park – and is one of Europe’s largest camp sites. Don’t let that put you off though, we arrived just before the August bank holiday and were lucky to pitch up in a simply stunning spot right by a cliff with fab views across the beach. Facilities are adequate but, depending on where you have chosen to pitch up, can be a little far to get to [the site has over 450 acres, of which 300 acres are available for camping]. A limited number of pitches is available to book online each day, once these are gone they then work on a first come first served basis and they do not allocate pitches, i.e. you find your own [and leave a 20m gap to your fellow campers]. Caravans are not allowed on site yet motorhomes and vans are. There are no hook-up facilities but if wild camping is your thing then it’s definitely worth a visit.
This was our first trip in the van [and it hadn’t even been converted so all we had was a single mattress on the floor and the awning….]. We paid £7.25 each (the dogs were free) and enjoyed it very much. Would we go back? Absolutely!
van plus 4 