Wake up, walk 12 minutes for a dip in the sea, then head back up the lane for a hot shower while looking out at the trees beyond. After sneaking a peek at the birdlife from the on-site hide, how about cooking your breakfast in your own kitchen shelter then washing up while watching butterflies? Sound like campsite life as you know it? Perhaps not. But that can change by booking a stay at The Hide. This small camping and glamping site, on the Pembrokeshire coast, offers a healthy dose of nature and the kind of facilities you may have wished for on previous camping holidays.
There’s a bird hide overlooking feeders in the car park and a butterfly feeder close to the washing-up sink as well as a wildlife pond. This off-grid site is proud to be members of the Greener Camping Club, which only certifies sites that can prove their eco-friendly credentials. But thankfully these days, being green does not mean you have to go without and, here, at The Hide that point is happily proven.
There are five camping pitches in one shrub and tree-lined field, two glamping bell tents in the one next door and in an adjacent field we have two pitches available for campervans. Each premium pitch and bell tent has its own private composting toilet, hot Alfresco shower, kitchen shelter, picnic bench and campfire with BBQ grill. Our standard camping and campervan pitches are provided with their own picnic bench and private campfire with BBQ grill and are only a short walk away from our shared facilities. The bell tents, named after native bats which are seen in the area, are kitted out with made-up beds, soft furnishings, cooking kit – and just about everything you’ll need, except for the towels you’ll want for your morning swims.
The camping fields are sheltered by greenery and, while there’s a sea glimpse here and there, the best views are from a picnic area in a neighbouring field. The closest place to actually reach the beach is just down the road. Continue along the coast and you’ll soon reach the next beach at Pwllgwaelod, where The Old Sailors pub offers a tempting place to refuel on coastal walks. The site lies between Fishguard and Newport on the north Pembrokeshire coast, within the national park. It’s a handy spot for exploring the many things that recommend holidays here. There are the scenic walks, beautiful beaches, family-friendly attractions and adventurous activities but there’s one type of attraction that your hosts will steer you towards more than most; the wildlife. Beyond their own hide, where you can see jays, woodpeckers and even visiting badgers, they’ll tell you about nearby Llangloffan Fen, the Cilgerran Welsh Wildlife Centre and Skomer Island. It’s a 30-mile drive to the launch point for the boat that takes you there – but worth it for the wildlife-loving families and couples who’ll enjoy this site the most.