Into The Sticks

A patchwork of gorse, thicket, woodland, meadow and marsh, stitched along the banks of the Western Cleddau River, make Into the Sticks the most aptly named campsites in West Wales. It's a place lost to the outside world in all the right ways. Down a narrow country lane overgrown on either side, this semi-wild 22-acre smallholding is a wonderfully hidden spot where only tent campers are allowed – save for the lucky pair who nab a few nights in the 'Tiny Home', an off-grid wooden cabin with a double bed, kitchen and stove. On most days campers play second fiddle to wildlife, with much of the campsite a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Area of Conservation. Otters have been spotted on forays from the river, wildflowers and orchids grow and tiny, native birds flitter between the bright yellow flowers of the thicket.

Despite the thoroughly natural scene though – aided by the primal smoke of campfires and rustic, handmade table and log benches provided at each pitch – the campsite is never too far from civilisation. It’s a short stroll to a farm barn that has been converted into a warm communal space with sofas and games, while a covered ‘camp kitchen’ and washing up space adds further convenience. Hot showers are provided, a super-swanky eco-toilet too and, when the weather turns bad, there's the wherewithal to organise impromptu wet weather workshops for all ages – build a bird box or craft an artistic masterpiece out of flotsam, jetsam and drift wood from the Pembrokeshire beaches six miles away.

Yet while the village pub and playground are within walking distance and the coastal attractions of Pembrokeshire and the Preseli Mountains are just a short drive away, this campsite is so adept at getting you back to nature, you may well choose simply to stay put. The modern world is lost here to the sound of the stream and the crackle of the campsite. With nature trails to explore and dens to build in the adjacent ancient woodland, why would you go anywhere else?