Glynmarch Camping

Glynmarch sits in a quiet valley outside Llansawel, two acres of wildflower meadow bordered by the River Marlais and twelve acres of farmland beyond. Simon, the owner, is hands-on: dropping off fire logs, handing out property maps, doing the rounds. The site has fifteen pitches, so it never gets crowded, and on most weeknights there are only a handful of tents in the field.

The facilities are modest and well-kept: composting and flushing toilets, heated showers, a washing-up shed. The covered barn is the social heart of the site in any weather, with a fire pit, table tennis, and room to gather. Walk down through the farm fields to reach the river, where there are pools shallow enough to paddle and deep enough for a proper dip if you're brave about temperature. The surrounding hills are genuinely dark at night, with a big sky visible from anywhere on the site.

The Angel pub is under a mile on foot. The Black Lion at Abergorlech is a three-mile drive. Brechfa Forest's mountain bike and walking trails start three miles away by road, and Dolaucothi gold mines are around five miles. Cardigan Bay coast and the Brecon Beacons are each reachable as day trips. This is a useful base for a long Carmarthenshire week as much as a weekend retreat.