A SUMMER ROAD TRIP
As avid campers, we are not good at staying still. We love to spend the weekends jumping in the van and heading out on a road trip. So when the world stopped during a pandemic, we found ourselves itching to be away more than ever. As the UK started to finally peel itself out of lockdown, we knew it was time to take to the road once more. As luck would have it, Wales opened its borders the weekend we were planning on road tripping and the weather forecast promised lots of sunshine- bliss!
ABERGAVENNY
On Friday evening after work we headed to one of our favourite camp spots in Abergavenny, high up in the mountains overlooking a lake. We arrived with enough time to cook dinner and catch the first sunset we have seen in the van in a very long time. In the morning we woke early to bright sunshine and to the sound of birds chirping. We had missed camper mornings. With coffee on our minds, we jumped up to put the kettle on and started on breakfast. We enjoyed pancakes with a view overlooking the lake as we welcomed in the morning.
HEADING TO THE COAST
With the weather forecast so good, we had eyes for the coast. The Ceredigion coast is absolutely gorgeous and having been there before, we couldn’t wait to return. Having not seen the seaside in months we were itching to be on the beach, dipping our toes in the sea. We drove toward the coast taking the slow scenic route through the Brecon beacons, passing sheep and tractors as we went. After a quick coffee stop in Cardigan town, we found an epic viewpoint overlooking the sea and Poppits Beach, before finally making it down to the water.
MWNT BEACH
After making lunch, we headed to Mwnt Beach, a dreamy little cove, to finally dip our toes in the sea. Bright blue skies and clear sparkling waters awaited us here. We trundled down the steep steps to get to the beach where we then found a quiet corner to set up our towels before going for a paddle. With the sunshine firmly on our side we even managed a nap on the beach. Heaven.
CWMTYDU COVE
Hidden away along the coves of the Ceredigion Coast is the beautiful cove of Cwmtydu. We parked overlooking the sea and then climbed up the cliff to embark on the coastal walk that leads round to the secluded bay. We had discovered this place a couple of years ago and were delighted to see it was just as quiet as it was the first time round. We climbed down the slippery steep rock face to reach the bay below, where we wandered along the shore and climbed the rocks watching the ebb and flow of the tide. We even spotted a seal.
YGLAS SAND DUNES
We drove northwards up the coastline through colourful towns and villages stopping briefly to take in the scenery. After a short stop in Aberystwyth, we spotted a beach car park at Yglas Sand Dunes. The perfect place to end the day. We pulled up, popped up the chairs, cracked open a couple of beers and watched the sun go down. It was the perfect place to spend the night. We woke early in the morning to more sunshine and an empty beach minus a few more campers. We crossed through the sand dunes to the shore, pulled our shoes off and paddled all the way along the beach. We headed back to the van for breakfast (pancake flipping competition a must) and spent a couple of hours relaxing in the sun.
BORTH-Y-GEST
Next up we headed toward the Llyn penisula through Snowdonia national park. Our first stop of the day was a the quaint village of Borth-y-gest. Feauturing a small marina and incredible nature walk, we enjoyed a few hours here exploring all the little coves along the trail. This was one of our favourite stops on our trip due to its really unique location. Surrounding the sandy beaches and bright blue coves are the mountains of Snowdonia, which makes for a stunning backdrop!
PORTH YSGO
We carried on through the Llyn penisula, stopping when we saw a National Trust sign for Porth Ysgo. We parked up, popped a pound in the honesty box and hiked down to the deserted beach. It seemed like there was not a soul for miles around, minus the many sheep walking along the cliffs. We walked along the rocks and discovered the beautiful waterfall that runs down the side of the cliff, before climbing back up. Wales is full of secluded beaches, perfect for a quiet getaway.
PORTH YSGADEN
Next up we discovered Porth Ysgaden, yet another secluded and beautiful cove. We walked along the coast path and explored the quirky abandoned fishing huts. Like most of the places we visited, we had the entire place to ourselves. This is why we love Wales!
ANGLESEY & PORTH WEN
After stopping in Aberdaron for chips, we decided to drive up into Anglesey to camp up for the night. We woke in the morning on another beach, albeit less sunny than the morning before! We spent the morning in Moelfre getting coffee and walking along the beach. As this was our last day and we had only a few hours before we needed to start heading home, we wanted our last spot to be a good one. We visited the abandoned Victorian Porth Wen brickworks, reached by walking down a sketchy trail, overgrown with brambles. When open, the bricks were exported by sea from the harbour. They closed down at the start of the first world war and the rusted remains still stand today. It was such a cool place to explore and all the more surreal because the bay it sits on is so picturesque. The water is some of the clearest we came across on the trip and we made sure to go for a paddle.
FAREWELL WALES!
Our first road trip since lockdown was perfect and was exactly what we had been craving. We love to be out on the road looking for beautiful spots to explore and Wales never fails to deliver. We drove back through lush green rolling hills and stopped one last time to say hello to the sheep before making our way home. Until next time!
