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Hadfer Campsite

Tremadog, Gwynedd, Wales
1 acre hosted by Gareth ?.
Between mountains and sea, with North Wales’ best climbing over the road, top beaches a few miles away and a legendary climbers’ café on site

Bed, breakfast and belaying go hand-in-hand at Hadfer Campsite which stands in the shadow of two legends. First is Bwlch y Moch, the huge rock opposite the campsite which is considered one of the finest trad climbing destinations in Wales and the second is Eric Jones. He’s the man who started a campsite here some 40 years ago and who, until quite recently, served tea at the self-named café on the site. Oh and, by the way, he was also the first Brit to complete a solo ascent of the north face of the Eiger and the first person to base jump from that same mountain. He has skydived at the North Pole, flown hot air balloons over Everest and is considered by many as Wales’ best mountaineer.

Eric may have handed over the reins to new owners, Gareth and Jo, but the campsite still attracts climbers and the little roadside café still bears his name and his photos on the walls. It’s the perfect place to fuel up ahead of the day’s adventures, whether that’s attempting a multi-pitch route on Bwlch y Moch, setting out on a walk in Snowdonia National Park or making a beeline for the beaches of the Llyn Peninsula. What’s more, the breakfast is included in the price of your pitch – and you can’t say that for many campsites.

It’s not just climbers who will love this location. Although we described Hadfer as being in the shadow of the rock, it technically stands outside it. The rock face is just over the road, on the site’s northern side. It shelters the campsite’s two south-facing grassy meadows which are bathed in sunshine when the Welsh weather allows. One meadow is reserved for tents and campervans with the other now neatly set up with five cocoon-like Lotus Belle Tents. Each is neatly set up and kitted out for two with beds, log burners and more besides. But campers are catered for too. There’s a barn with space for drying gear as well as undercover cooking and eating, with a picnic table assigned for each pitch. And as dusk descends, Hadfer's communal campfire brings together campers, glampers and climbers alike to relax in its warming glow with a cold beer and a good natter.

If you’re not watching the climbing or wildlife from site (barn owls, buzzards, bats and kingfishers among it), you can stroll 10 minutes to Tremadog for a drink or dinner in one of two local pubs. It’s not too much further to Porthmadog, a bustling harbour town where you can hop aboard either a boat to sea or a steam train for Snowdonia’s hills. The Glaslyn Osprey Centre is just up the road and it’s only three miles to Portmeirion and some of the area’s best beaches. In fact, everything that makes North Wales such a tempting destination is within reach of Hadfer. But, tucked up on a peaceful pitch between the mountains and the sea, in the sunny shadow of legends, you’d never even know it.

Activities
Biking
Fishing
Hiking
Surfing
Natural features
Beach
Forest
Mountainous
Field
Not currently accepting bookings on Hipcamp
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Location
Tremadog, 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
Hosted by Gareth ?.Joined in May 2019
From the host
Croeso – Welcome... We are a small family run campsite on the edge of Snowdonia National Park in North Wales. We offer glamping tents and pods along with camping and campervan pitches. We are just 10 minutes from the beach and, with local attractions on the doorstep, such as Portmeirion and Beddgelert, our campsite is also conveniently located for Snowdon and the Llyn Peninsula – Caernarfon and Angelsey are just a short drive away too. Arguably one of the best climbing locations in Wales is just opposite the campsite, along with WiFi and a cafe for breakfast, lunch, tea or snacks/packlunches to set you up for the day! Disabled persons have access to accessible parking, wetroom and toilet facilities on the site, along with card/contactless payment facilities available too. Let us know if you have any special requests and we can work with you to make for an enjoyable and hopefully memorable stay! Thanks for looking – Jo & Gareth
Nearby attractions

The site’s barn is the perfect area for socialising with the communal campfire the perfect setting to swap stories from the slopes. It’s just 200 metres to an oak woodland that’s been designated as a Site of Scientific Special Interest (SSSI) where you can see bats and woodland birds. The campsite is on the edge of Snowdonia National Park and opposite Bwlch Y Moch, considered one of the best places in Wales for trad climbing. A noticeboard on site displays names of local climbing and adventure sports instructors. The national park offers almost endless opportunities for climbing and walking with Pen-y-Pas, a starting point for walks to the top of Snowdon, just 10 miles and a drive of around 30 minutes away. Hadfer is just over a mile from the harbour town of Porthmadog where there are shops, eateries and railway stations for 3 heritage railways: the linked Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways and the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway – which has a museum in the town too. Chartered boat trips for sea fishing or wildlife watching are available from Porthmadog as well. Other sites within easy reach are the Italianate village of Portmeirion (less than 3 miles away) and the Glaswyn Wildlife Osprey Centre. The closest recommended beaches are 3 miles away at Black Rock Sands, Borth Y Gest and Criccieth. The latter is a Victorian seaside resort with shops and restaurants and the medieval Criccieth Castle. There’s also trout and salmon fishing on the Afon/Glaslyn Estuary and coarse fishing at Esiteddfa Fisheries (01766 522148). Further afield the pretty village of Beddgelert, Sygun Copper Mine, Zip World at the Llechwedd Slate Caverns and the town of Pwllheli on the Llyn Peninsula are within a 30-minute drive.

Food and drink

The on-site Eric Jones Café uses local produce for breakfast, lunches and snacks. Breakfast (or vouchers if preferred) is included for campers and glampers and packed lunches are also available. It’s a 10-minute walk or 2-minute drive to Tremadog where there are 2 pubs The Union Inn (01766 512748), for traditional, hearty pub grub, and The Golden Fleece (01766 512421) which serves modern-style pub food. There’s also a fine-dining restaurant Y Sgwar (01766 515451). There’s a wide range of eateries as well as shops for supplies in Porthmadog, a mile down the road. For a locally-brewed pint, try The Australia (01766 515957) which is the brewery tap for Porthamdog’s own brewery, The Purple Moose.

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