Camping in Llandovery

Wild camping without a landowner permission is not legal in Wales, unlike in parts of Scotland, so anyone wanting to pitch a tent around Llandovery needs to use a proper campsite or seek permission directly from a farmer or landowner. Fortunately, the area is well served: sites such as the Rhandirmwyn Camping and Caravanning Club site sit right on the doorstep of the Cambrian Mountains, a few miles north of town, surrounded by steep wooded valleys and open hill farmland. Further campsites, from small farm pitches to a dedicated Dark Skies Camping site near Llyn Brianne, cater to visitors keen to make the most of some of the darkest, clearest night skies in Wales.

The terrain around Llandovery is a study in contrasts: gentle riverside pasture along the Towy gives way quickly to steep-sided, remote uplands as you head north towards Llyn Brianne and the wider Cambrian Mountains, an area sometimes nicknamed the green desert of Wales for its scale and emptiness. That makes it a rewarding base for campers who want serious hill walking, red kite watching, and genuine solitude within a short drive of their pitch, though it also means weather can change quickly on higher ground, and some access roads are narrow, single-track routes best driven with care.

Late spring to early autumn is the best window for camping here, when daylight is long, river levels are more predictable, and the hill roads towards Rhandirmwyn and Llyn Brianne are at their most manageable; the reservoir road can feel bleak and exposed outside the summer months. For those who prefer a roof over a groundsheet, glamping has taken off around Llandovery in recent years, with safari tents, shepherd huts, and wood-burner-equipped pods scattered across local farms, offering a comfortable way to experience the same dark skies and hill scenery without the packing list of traditional camping.