In the trees surrounding the site, a gentle whistle signals the dip and soar of red kites, nesting the branches and, come 4pm, the streaking shadows of their wingspan begins to drift across the grass. There’s something peaceful about the birds, gently circling above, steady, slowly, gracefully; their timely appearance is no coincidence, though. It’s just one of the fantastic new additions that owners Nick and Dina Downs have brought to the campsite, strange as it may sound, it’s feeding time.
Assembling on the grass with small wedges of meat, the owners scatter the goods as red kites swoop down to snatch their dinner and campers snatch their cameras for a quick picture. It all seems a rather easy way for them to get their dinner, especially as us camping folk slope back to our pitch to fire up the stove and wait the inevitable 20 minutes for the water to come to the boil. Thankfully an onsite shop slightly eases the pain – stocked with camping essentials and some cold drinks to sip while you cook.
Elsewhere the site has a wonderfully laid back feel. A new gravel surface leads you in to where a cluster of hard standings are available for caravans but otherwise the grassy spaces around the edge are dotted with tents, from 2-berth expedition types to tall camping tubes with families spilling out the open doors. Besides the birds it’s perhaps the most notable part of the campsite – the diverse spectrum of campers that mingle across the pitches.
From the doorstep you needn’t travel far. Though Aberystwyth is 12 miles away and the beaches of the west coast are closer still, you can set off on foot and still find plenty nearby. Footpaths delve into the surrounding countryside and down to the river Aeron, a quiet and undiscovered stretch of water the campsite overlooks. If the red kites have peaked your interest then Cors Caron Nature Reserve is also just a few miles away. It’s a great spot for bird watching but you can also look out for otters and rarer river life on the Tefi. Walk the boardwalks over the reeded wetlands, where long grasses shield frogs and amphibians, and hideout in the small wooden birdwatching huts to patiently watch the natural world go by.