Shell Island is truly a camping phenomenon. The whole place has been preserved in a wild and relatively undeveloped state and lucky campers can choose to pitch wherever they want over a whole 330 of its 460 acres. It’s not, strictly speaking, an island at all. However, its remoteness helps to retain an islandy sort of feel despite the huge sand dunes that now link it to the mainland.
The beauty of Shell Island is that it’s a remote, self-contained camping community, cut off from the rest of the world save for a two-mile causeway. Admittedly, the arrivals area can be a bit of a shock at peak times. You may find a seething mass of humanity spilling out from the reception, pub, shops and café, but once you’re through the barrier, the site opens up before you against a backdrop of clear blue seas, and it’s down to you to find your own special slice of peninsula paradise.
The trick is to successfully navigate the seething reception area as speedily as possible, then get the heck out of there and find your very own slice of peninsula paradise. Options include cliff-top spots with great views, sheltered fields near to the amenities or small enclaves hidden among the sand dunes. There are a few highly sought-after pitches called ‘the Hollows’ right on the edge of the sea, or for real seclusion explore the woods at the eastward edge of the peninsula, where you’ll find small, shady clearings among the trees.
Nowhere else in Wales gives you such freedom to camp wherever you like. The simple, golden rule promoted by the Shell Island team is not to pitch within 20 metres of another tent. Add to this our own Hipcamp rule - arrive as early as possible to find a good pitch, especially during holidays and summer weekends. If it’s really full, look for clues that people might be about to leave – a quick, polite chat is usually all that’s required to confirm it and reserve a prime spot. Just beyond the dunes, the beach stretches for more than six miles to the small seaside town of Barmouth (Abermaw), but do check the tide table first if you’re planning a stroll.
Given the beach, the remoteness and the spatial freedom that Shell Island gives you, it’s not surprising that many families bag a good spot and stay here all summer. All over the island during July/August, you’ll find mini-enclaves where families have set up village-like settlements, marked out by colourful wind-breakers. They’re hooked all right. Get past the madness that greets you at Shell Island’s entrance, and you might soon be, too.
