When we started camping it was as a means of enjoying cheap family holidays. At the time I didn't anticipate that it would also give us a lot more holidays! We have just returned from our 4th 'holiday' so far this year (OK, some have only been a couple of nights, but that is still a break isn't it?) And we have at least 3 more breaks planned, no doubt we will find a few more through the summer as well!
Anyway, this time we had a whole eight days in Wales, and for once the weather was wonderfully kind to us. We have now sold Connie the Conway (she took too long to put up for short breaks and I needed a trailer to get all our gear into. No room on the drive for trailer and trailer tent!). We have bought a bigger canvas tent (more of that later) but for Wales, it had to be our favourite tent, the canvas pyramid.
We camped at Nantcol Waterfalls - a stunning site, near Llanbedr, with the Nantcol river running through it. The day we arrived was wet, and the roaring waterfall was a bit of a pain initially!
But the damp didn't stop the boys doing what boys do best - getting wet and building dams.
They spent hours in that river. And we could see them from the tent, so very relaxing for us.
When they weren't in the river, we were on the beach. Harlech and Barmouth have stunning beaches, and we had the perfect beach weather.
There was a lovely walk up from the campsite alongside the falls.
And stunning views from the top.
We did the obligatory train ride up Snowdon only to find the peak in the clouds!
We did lots of relaxing round the campfire.
Met some adorable baby pygmy goats. The boys even managed to catch one for a cuddle.
We really wanted to visit Shell Island, but were reluctant to pay £5 just to have a quick look round. Then we got talking to a local lady who told us that the beach at Llandanwg, which was opposite Shell Island, was even better, and free! She was right - it was beautiful! Lots of rock pools, very quiet, lovely soft warm sand and lots of shells!
We used the proceeds from the sale of the trailer tent to extend our normal tent equipment. A pop up tent from decathlon made a very useful kitchen area and removed clutter from the front of the tent.
At the end of the week we were joined by some friends from the UKCampsite forum. Cue lots of sitting around the fire and nattering.
Watching the sun go down and drinking wine. It was bliss.
There was no rush to leave the site on the last day so we went for a walk, following the river downstream this time. I came across this tiny cave and mushroom. It reminded me of Iggle Piggle's cave - from the children's programme 'In the Night Garden'
It was a glorious week and an area of Wales I would love to go back to - there was so much more to be seen!
Onto my 'new' tent! It's an old Cabanon frame tent that needs a bit of TLC - it needs new mesh windows and springs and rubbers replacing. May also need some patching. But for £35, it will be worth it!
It has these lovely, migraine inducing, curtains and roof trim. Quite by chance I spotted an advert on preloved for a set of inners and curtains in more modern colours, for the same tent. Hm, although the more I look at these retro curtains, the more they start to grow on me! Watch this space, it is to be my summer project!
