Hidden down country lanes, half a mile from a tiny vineyard and surrounded by tiny settlements with hard-to-pronounce names. Sound familiar? No, you're not camping in France. This is a secluded slice of Pembrokeshire, rural enough to feel like you’re escaping the rest of the world but still only half an hour’s drive from Tenby and the beach. The weather isn't always the same as in France, either, but when the sun shines and you're kicking back at Martletwy Campsite, it's hard to understand why you'd ever travel further than West Wales.
Set on a working farm that's home to horses, cows and pigs, Martletwy Campsite is named after the hamlet it's attached to via a narrow gravel track. Opened for the first time in 2020, there are fewer than 30 pitches in total, with one half at the higher end of the field set-aside for touring caravans and campervans (fully serviced with electricity and water) and, at the other end of the gently sloping meadow, a grassy space for traditional tent campers. Simple and spacious, the campsite has all the facilities you need, including washing up areas, a fridge/freezer and hot, powerful showers. And, though the campsite bills itself as a 'touring site', campfires are very much allowed, with firepits for hire and logs and kindling sold on site.
The most rewarding thing about Martletwy is the general, laid-back ambience of the place. Owners, Neil and Jess, are friendly and on hand to help in whatever way they can, from recommending local pubs to providing you with fresh eggs to brighten up your breakfasts, and the secluded setting of the campsite lends itself to lazy mornings spent enjoying the peace and quiet of not doing much at all.
When you do head out for the day, past the chickens in the farmyard and off down narrow Weston Lane, your well placed for exploring Pembrokeshire. Popular Oakwood theme park is a five-minute drive away if you are holidaying with kids, while Cwm Deri Vineyard is a 10-minute stroll from your tent (definitely best to visit them in that order). The nearest beach, meanwhile, is probably the vast bay at Saundersfoot, a 20-minute drive away, but that's only if you exclude the tidal waters around the nearby River Cleaddau and the Daugleddau Estuary, which are just a short hop in the car and offer the chance for good walking opportunities as well as, potentially, sea kayaking tours if you book in advance.