Riverside camping in Conwy
Conwy hoards a sandy campsite-dotted coast, mountains perfect for hiking, and inland surfing.
- Conwy
Popular camping styles for Conwy
Riverside camping in Conwy guide
Overview
Camping in Conwy ticks a lot of boxes. Want a relaxing seaside staycation? Check. Fancy an active outdoorsy holiday in a national park? Check. Need some time away from work, a cultural escape, or a digital detox? Check, check, check. The county of Conwy sits on the North Welsh Coast and includes the seaside resort of Llandudno, the Carneddau Mountains of Snowdonia, and the World Heritage-listed Conwy Castle among its treasures. This heady mix means Conwy has an all-round appeal, so however you like to spend your days camping, you’ll probably find it here. What constitutes the best campsite in Conwy will be down to individual taste, of course, but thanks to the variety of landscapes and camping options on offer, you should find something to suit. If you’re a back-to-basics camper who just needs somewhere to rest your head after a day’s climbing, hiking, or biking, there are plenty of traditional campsites, some near the peaks. But you don’t have to rough it if you’d prefer a spot where you can hire a fire pit to toast marshmallows and take advantage of sociable spaces.
Family camping in Conwy
North Wales is a great destination for a family camping holiday, and Conwy is an absolute winner. It doesn’t matter how old your kids are—there’s plenty to do for all ages. Swimming in the sea, climbing mountains, visiting castles, and riding on heritage railways are just some of the family-friendly activities on offer, and that’s before taking into account the joy of camping itself. Plenty of campsites cater specifically to families with play equipment and facilities to keep things simple for mum and dad—think family bathrooms and baby change facilities. If these are important to you, look out for them at the time of booking to make sure you know what to expect.
Where to go
Conwy Bay
Conwy Bay runs from the Great Orme headland above Llandudno, curving southwest via Conwy and Llanfairfechan, then northeast along the east coast of the Isle of Anglesey. It’s a seaboard of huge interest, with UNESCO-listed fortresses at Conwy and Beaumaris on Anglesey, vast sandy beaches such as at Penmaenmawr, and the important bird reserve of Lavan Sands. Llandudno’s pier and Victorian promenade offer plenty of traditional seaside fun, along with access to natural beauty at the Great Orme Country Park. Plus, the long-distance Wales Coast Path runs all along the shore, and there are several campsites along the Penmaenmawr and Llanfairfechan coast.
Dyffryn Conwy
Coiling south of Conwy is Dyffryn Conwy, the verdant valley cut by the River Conwy. This wood-carpeted area sports excellent campsites at pretty spots like Caerhun and Trefriw, while Snowdonia’s big peaks dominate to the west. Handsome Llanwrst and outdoors hub Betws-y-Coed are the major settlements along the river. Highlights for the active include scenic walking and Zip World’s woodland adrenaline rushes from ziplines to an alpine rollercoaster. You might think you’d need to head back to the coast to ride the waves, but you can also find the world’s only artificial lagoon surfing at Adventure Parc Snowdonia.
Northern Snowdonia
The mountains behind Conwy are even more dramatic than the town’s medieval architecture and striking coastal location, comprising the northern reaches of Snowdonia National Park. The epic cross-country Cambrian Way, traversing Wales’ mountainous spine down to Cardiff, leads right up into it from town, and almost half of Conwy county sits within the park. Its mountainous terrain makes it a fantastic place for walking, running, climbing, horse-riding, caving, mountain biking and more. Constituting all uplands north of the Betws-y-Coed-Bethesda A5 road, Northern Snowdonia’s big features are the peaks of the Carneddau range—a hillwalking heaven. Camp along the upland’s eastern edge, south from Conwy, at villages like Caerhun.
When to go
Conwy is great to visit year-round. Yet some campers opt to visit between April and September for the best chance of fair weather, and to find the greatest number of campsites open. Conwy gets very busy in July and August with the school holiday rush, while May is often best for hiking before summer’s crowds arrive. August and September see the warmest seawater temperatures.
