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Graig Wen - Wild Snowdonia Escapes

99%
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· Nr Dolgellau, Gwynedd, Wales
45 acres hosted by Sarah H.
8 glamping pitches · 6 motorhome pitches · 17 tent pitches
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Creature comforts
Enjoy the comforts of home at some sites—including flush toilets, showers, and a kitchen.
Best campervan spots: Finalist
Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2023.
Amazing views
Hipcampers say this spot has amazing views.
Best in North Wales: Finalist
Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2023.
Succumb to the tranquil hills of Graig Wen. Smart, sustainable and quite simply, lush.

Situated in the south-west corner of the Snowdonia National Park, there’s no doubt that Graig Wen enjoys one of the best campsite locations in the whole of Wales. Set among some 45 acres of its own wild woods and meadows, and with amazing views over the Mawddach Estuary curling down to Cardigan Bay below, this established spot plays host to happy campers and ample wildlife alike. It’s not surprising, then, that it has won the Green Snowdonia Award for ‘Most Sustainable Campsite’, along with a clutch of other gongs, including ‘The Best Camping and Glamping Site’ according to Go North Wales. Yet for all the awards, Graig Wen remains a wonderfully peaceful and unpretentious spot to stay.

At the heart of the campsite’s success is its owners’ paired passion to constantly improve the site while preserving its wild nature. To accompany their small collection of touring pitches, Sarah and John have hand-built two yurts from ash trees found on the land, kitting them out with quirky furniture and textiles, while two more pop-up yurts have been designed to move around the site depending on the season (closer to loos, showers and the comforts of electricity in winter). As recently as 2019 they added a cute new shepherd’s hut and there’s also a small holiday cottage.  Their newest additions are two quarry wagons. Cosy whatever the weather, the wagons are in a little less secluded than our yurts and shepherd’s hut, giving you easy access to a few more mod cons and parking close by.

For tent campers, however, the real highlight here is found down a short but steep track. Below the year-round touring site, several fields run right up to the edge of the estuary, available to pitch in from May to September. There’s a spacious family field, nearest to the parking, as well as more secluded spots with enticing names like Ash Corner, Mawddach View and Wild Cherry. Campfires are allowed and there’s ample space to go around, with enough choice for every camper to find the right amount of views, shelter, space or isolation, to suit their taste. In keeping with its award-winning status, Graig Wen’s well-maintained facilities are always spick and span, with hot showers and sparkling toilets. Viewing benches overlooking the Mawddach Estuary offer the best seat in the house come sunset o’clock – especially given Snowdonia’s ‘International Dark Sky Reserve’ status – and a simple camp shop stocks local ales and other essentials.

If you want to explore the campsite’s various streams and stretches of woodland, there’s an engaging geocache trail, which also subtly teaches you about the area’s slate-mining heritage along the way. More intrepid explorers, meanwhile, can tackle Cader Idris – the spectacular mountain at the back of Graig Wen. It’s the highest peak in southern Snowdonia but the crowds tend to be much smaller than on the summit of famous Snowdon in the north. According to legend, if you spend the night on the summit, you’ll come down a poet. Or a madman.

From a gate at the bottom of the campsite you can also cycle all the way to the beaches at Fairbourne or Barmouth without ever seeing a road, and virtually the entire route to Dolgellau in the other direction is road-free, too. It’s a fitting way to get around from the campsite; a place where cars belong safely in the car park and nature, in all its glory, takes centre stage.

Activities
Biking
Hiking
Horseback riding
Climbing
Natural features
Beach
Forest
River, stream, or creek
Waterfall
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99%
230 Ratings · 287 reviews
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Scott R.recommends
August 21, 2023
Super Secluded tent pitches
A Wild Experience!
What a fantastic place to stay, can’t rate it highly enough! Sarah made us feel so welcome from helping bring our gear down to our pitch in their ATV to stopping by our pitch the morning after a storm to check we were alright and had survived the night! The campsite is absolutely stunning and it almost feels like you are wild camping with the way the pitches are spread out. The area that grounds cover is huge but it still has an intimate feel with the limited number of pitches and everyone being so friendly. If you're staying here I'd highly recommend exploring the camp grounds, an adventure in itself. The landscape around is so beautifully varied, with everything from thick oak and mixed woodland to the Mawddach Estuary below, pine forest above the site and mountains dominating the background view. The facilities are wonderful, a special shoutout to the shower next to Monk's Corner! They also do great coffee in the mornings which is worth the hike up the track to the reception along with the stunning views. We honestly can't say enough good things about this place and the team there. We will definitely be returning at some point in the future!
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Vincent S.recommends
August 11, 2023
Estuary Field Grass Tent Pitch
Great campsite. Super spacious sites in lovely scenery. Hooting Tawny Owl all night, campfire pitch, great coffee, great hosts. Great walk or bike ride to Barmouth and waterfall and hill sides are an easy walk away.
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Caroline D.recommends
July 29, 2023
Estuary Field Grass Tent Pitch
Stunning scenery
Fabulous campsite with unbelievable views. Pitches well spaced and facilities good. Hillside setting so need to be reasonably fit. Hosts Sara, John and staff all very friendly and helpful
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Sarah G.recommends
June 25, 2023
Estuary Field Grass Tent Pitch
Perfect!
A gorgeous campsite. Incredible views from the estuary view campsite, really peaceful place. Sarah and John were lovely and do a great coffee.
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Saskia M.recommends
June 14, 2023
Orchard Field Grass Tent Pitch
Amazing!
We loved the camping site graig wen! The owners were superfriendly and had good recommendations about what to do in the area. The view from our pitch was amazing! The pitches are spacious. The camping site is near a cyclingroute to barmouth, fairbourne and dolgellau. Every morning we had fresh bread! We were sad to leave this little paradise in south Snowdonia.
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H T.recommends
June 13, 2023
Grass tent Pitch & Park
Lovely, relaxed campsite
Lovely, relaxed campsite with an eco-friendly ethos. We camped with toddlers in Lower Valley View, one of the three 'park and pitch' spaces. There was plenty of space around pitches so the kids could roam. The field itself was mostly left natural, with long grass, and lots of wildlife to be seen. Each pitch has its own campfire and you can buy logs and kindling at reception. A short walk away down the field, the 'tree bog wc' composting loo was really clean and the little cabin it's housed in is very 'comfy', it even has a light fitting. The shower was nice and warm, (and free). There's also an outdoor washing up sink with a little gas stove and kettle to boil water for warm water. There are other amenities at the top of the site where the touring pitches are, but we preferred the walk to the camping amenities. There were hammocks en route which were very popular with the kids! There's a new drinking water tap by the car park right next to the park and pitch field, which was super useful. The site is well positioned for a visit to Abermaw / Barmouth and Fairbourne, and so many other places. The digital welcome guide was really useful, such a good idea. Sarah and everyone were super friendly and helpful too. Thank you for a lovely stay :)
Location
Nr Dolgellau, Gwynedd, Wales, United KingdomTraditional, ancestral territory of various First Nations according to To respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
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Hosted by Sarah H.Joined in October 2012
From the host
Our holiday accommodation in Snowdonia National Park, near Barmouth and Dolgellau, North Wales is in an exceptional location. Overlooking the Mawddach Estuary, one of the most beautiful in Wales, the views are breathtaking. Step straight onto the scenic Mawddach cycle Trail from our camping field. The mountains are all around, with sandy beaches, castles, steam trains, zip lines and bike trails close by. Whether you prefer a cottage, cosy wagon or yurt or sleeping under the stars, Graig Wen offers you a range of quality accommodation. Our small, tranquil campsite has direct access to the beautiful Mawddach Estuary. There’s a sheltered area with electric hook ups for a handful of camper vans close to our washing facilities, yurts and cottages. If you really want to get away from it all, go wild and pitch your tent down near the estuary to star gaze around a camp fire. Dogs on leads welcome. Pitches in our our car-free tent fields are well spaced out with loads of breathing space for everyone. For family glamping adventures and romantic retreats you can also hideaway in one of our four pet-friendly yurts, Jones the shepherd's hut or new quarry wagons. You’ll be blown away by the views, scenery and seclusion…but have a bit of comfort too! In recent years we are proud to have won the Go North Wales Camping and Glamping Site of the year 2021 and featured in The Guardian’s 10 Best Glamp sites, The Times' Coolest Places to Camp, The Independent’s 10 Best Luxury Coast Camp sites, as well as Country Living Magazine and many more.
Nearby attractions

Cadair Idris (892 metres) - clambering up the mountain is a great local option and the Pony Path makes is family friendly.  Alternatively walk straight off the camp site along the stunning (and flat) waterside Mawddach Trail to the seaside treats of Barmouth. Go crabbing or visit Knickerbockers ice-cream parlour. As well as the cycle track along the estuary to the Fairbounre beach, there’s mountain-bike routes for all abilities, at nearby Coed-y-Brenin (01341 440747), around 5 miles north of Dolgellau. Head north to Llechwedd Slate Caverns where Zip World (01248 601444) is hugely popular. Over 8km of wires are strung throughout the mountains providing a truly unique areal experience. Slightly more theme park-like, King Arthur’s Labyrinth, on the A487 between Dolgellau and Machynlleth (01654 761584) is an attraction themed around ancient myths and legends. Castell y Bere is an atmospheric ruined castle which is great for exploring. Graig Wen is in one of the darkest parts of the Snowdonia Dark Skies Reserve so the star gazing can be awesome. Walk from the site to Arthog waterfalls and up to the stunning Cregennan Lakes.

Food and drink

Good pub grub at The George III Hotel (01341 422525) 5 minutes drive or an hour' and half's delightful walk along the estuary cycle trail. Locally produced lamb, beef and fish can be enjoyed outside in view of the estuary. Down at Fairbourne, the unassuming Indiana Cuisine (01341250891) is a pleasant surprise. South Indian specialities are created with colour and flourish from fresh ingredients and traditional home recipes. Plenty of non-spicy and vegan options available.  Mawddach Neapolitan Pizzas are now serving up the best pizzas this side of Naples to enjoy over fabulous views of Cader Idris. Head to the Celtic Cabin on Barmouth Prom for the most amazing street food. Graig Wen's new guest app gives you the inside track on the latest pop-up places to eat and drink as well as locals' favourites.

Video
https://www.youtube.com/embed/YdsYqgx6OiA
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