Camping in Cardiff

Cardiff is unusual among British capitals in having a proper touring site inside the city. The council-run park at Pontcanna Fields sits in parkland beside the River Taff, roughly a mile and a half from the castle, so you can pitch a tent and still walk to the stadium. Beyond that, camping proper begins in the Vale of Glamorgan, a belt of farmland and limestone coast west of the city where most sites sit within twenty minutes of the Heritage Coast beaches.

The terrain is easy going. This is lowland Wales — flat to softly rolling fields, well-drained in most places, with none of the exposure you meet in Snowdonia or on the Beacons. That makes it forgiving for first-time campers and comfortable for larger outfits, and it means level hardstanding pitches are widely available. The catch is weather rather than ground: Cardiff sits at the head of the Bristol Channel and catches Atlantic fronts, averaging well over 1,100mm of rain a year. Bring a proper flysheet and something to do indoors.

The best months are May, June and September. May and June give you the longest days, the driest spell of the year and coastal paths at their best before the school holidays; September is warmer than May, quieter, and cheap. July and August are busiest and wettest of the summer months, and sites near the coast fill for weeks ahead. Several places open only from around February or March to October or November, so check dates before travelling out of season — the Pontcanna site is one of the few open all year.

Wild camping is not legal in Wales without the landowner's permission. There is no Scottish-style right to roam here, and that applies just as firmly on the coast path and in the Brecon Beacons as it does in the Vale. Ask a farmer, or use a formal site — with pitches from under twenty pounds a night in shoulder season, there is little incentive to chance it. Campervans should note that overnight parking is barred in most Vale coastal car parks.