Gwynedd
Quiet four-acre site beside the River Seiont, two miles from Caernarfon
Riverside Camping occupies about four and a half acres beside the River Seiont at Pontrug, roughly two miles from Caernarfon on the road towards Llanberis. It is a smaller, quieter alternative to the big holiday parks, arranged as a series of sheltered grassy areas separated by mature planting, which makes it feel less exposed than most valley sites in the region.
The site has 36 electric hook-ups, two shower and toilet blocks with disabled and family facilities, a launderette with dryer, free Wi-Fi and phone charging. There is a children's play area in the middle of the site, plus a small football pitch, table tennis and volleyball and badminton courts. A garden centre and cafe operate on the same site, and staying guests get a discount on plants. Fishing permits for the river can be arranged. Handcrafted log cabins with hot tubs and en suite bathrooms provide the glamping option, sleeping up to five.
What you are buying is position and calm. Caernarfon is a ten-minute drive for the castle, the Maes market and the Welsh Highland Railway terminus, the Anglesey beaches are twenty minutes over the Menai bridges, and Llanberis and the Snowdon trailheads are fifteen minutes in the other direction. Being outside the mountain core means marginally better weather and much easier access than sites deep in the passes. It suits couples, families with young children and anyone touring north-west Wales rather than climbing every day. Standard pitches start from around £26, with the cabins considerably more; the site is closed over winter, so check opening dates.