Camping in Carmarthen

Carmarthenshire's countryside, all rolling hills, wooded river valleys and a quiet, unhurried stretch of coast, has become a popular base for campers and glampers looking for something a little less crowded than Pembrokeshire next door. Sites cluster along the Tywi Valley around Carmarthen itself and further out towards the coast at Llansteffan and Laugharne, where Dylan Thomas once lived and worked, offering everything from simple grass touring pitches to fully-equipped glamping pods, safari tents and shepherd's huts. As in the rest of Wales, wild camping without the landowner's permission is against the law here, so it is worth sticking to licensed campsites and farm-based sites, most of which are family-run and happy to point guests towards local walks, beaches and the region's handful of country pubs. The Tywi Valley's terrain is gently undulating rather than mountainous, which makes it forgiving for tents, caravans and motorhomes alike, though riverside sites can be prone to damp ground after heavy rain, so autumn and winter camping is best reserved for well-drained pitches or hardstanding. Late spring through to early autumn is the most reliable camping season, when the valley is at its greenest and long evenings make the most of sites near the coast at Llansteffan, where the beach and ruined castle draw a steady trickle of visitors without ever feeling overrun. Glamping has taken off strongly in the area over recent years, with converted barns, bell tents and wooden pods offering a warmer, more sheltered alternative for those who want the countryside setting without sleeping under canvas, and many of these sites are dog-friendly and geared towards families wanting an easy, low-key rural break within a short drive of Carmarthen's shops, market and castle.