Camping in Welshpool

The country around Welshpool — rolling, green, criss-crossed by the Severn, the Montgomery Canal and dozens of small lanes — is well suited to camping, with a scatter of small independent sites in the villages around the town rather than large commercial holiday parks. Sites like Rhos y Gallt, set on a couple of acres in the Montgomeryshire hills, and Camp Plas near Dolanog offer a mix of grass pitches, hardstanding with electric hook-up, and increasingly, glamping pods or yurts for those who want the setting without sleeping on the ground. Expect small, family-run operations rather than big resort-style campsites — most take bookings directly and fill up for the light railway's gala weekends and the Welshpool livestock and agricultural show weeks, so it's worth booking ahead for July and August.

The terrain is gentle rather than dramatic — river valley, farmland and rounded hills rather than mountains — which makes it comfortable walking and cycling country. National Cycle Network Route 81 and the Severn Way long-distance path both pass close to the town, and the flat, well-surfaced Montgomery Canal towpath is an easy stretch to walk or cycle straight from a campsite near town. For anyone wanting bigger hills, the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is a short drive east, and the higher Berwyn range lies to the west.

As with anywhere in Wales, wild camping without the landowner's permission is against the law — the right to roam that applies to some open country in England doesn't extend to overnight camping in Wales, and Powys's land is almost entirely farmed or privately owned, so pitching up on a hillside or riverbank without asking first risks a difficult conversation. Stick to a proper site or ask permission directly and you'll have no trouble; several farms around Welshpool are happy to host small, quiet groups for a modest fee if approached in advance.

Weather-wise, the Severn valley's inland position means less of the driving rain that hits the Welsh coast, but also sharper overnight temperature drops, particularly in spring and autumn — a decent sleeping bag matters more here than a waterproof tent. May to September is the reliable camping window, with June and September often the best combination of settled weather and quieter sites. Glamping availability has grown steadily in the villages around Welshpool in recent years, giving a comfortable middle option for anyone put off by a tent but still keen on a rural, off-the-beaten-track stay.