River, stream, or creek campsites near Rhayader with fishing

Known for its stellar setting on the doorstep of the Elan Valley, this is where the moorland gets splashed with long lakes and outdoor adventure.

99% (352 reviews)
99% (352 reviews)

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12 top river, stream, or creek campsites near Rhayader with fishing

96%
(41)

Gwersyllt Rhos y Gallt Campsite

10 units · Tents12 acres · Powys, Mid Wales
Guests to Rhos y Gallt describe the campsite as a little gem of a site - small, quite and tranquil with wonderful sunsets. The site can accommodate up to 5 caravans and 10 tents situated ​on a level 2 acre site within the beautiful rolling hills of Montgomeryshire in Mid Wales. There are hard standing pitches with electric hook-up as well as grass pitches with and without electric hook-up. There is also a field bordering a river which is used for wild camping - but you'll have to share it with the sheep! The toilet block has a family wet room with shower, toilet, wash hand basin and baby changing unit, a separate toilet, shower and kitchen area with freezer. The site borders a river meadow where visitors can wonder down and take a walk down with the river bank, relax by the water edge, throw a few skimmers, do a spot of fishing or even go wild water swimming (at your own risk!). ​Well behaved dogs are welcome (maximum 2 per unit). ​We were delighted to receive a nomination for The Camping and Caravanning Club Best Hideaway Site in 2021 and grateful to our wonderful guests for the nomination. ​
Pets
Potable water
Campfires
Showers
Trash
from 
£30
 / night

Dog-friendly getaways

Under £50

Value Prop
Value Prop
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

River, stream, or creek campsites near Rhayader with fishing guide

Overview

Rhayader has long been a fine place to pause on a trip across the Welsh moors—once for monks travelling between the area's abbeys, later for outlaws, and today for adventure-loving campers. The snaking Elan Valley Lakes west of town are main attractions, but Rhayader also sits alongside Britain's greatest wilderness south of Highland Scotland. In this area, you'll find Teifi Pools and the high point of the Cambrian Mountains, Pen Pumlumon Fawr. Both have spots to pitch up amid rugged scenery. Or stay lower down, enjoying the sinuous beauty of the River Wye and its hiking trail, the Wye Valley Path.

Where to go

Elan Village area

Elan Village is at the beginning of the Elan Valley as you ascend from Rhayader and reach Caban Coch, the first of six dams creating the five vast reservoirs stretching away from here. One of the area's best campsites is just before the visitor centre, where deep valleys and lakes divide the bald hills. Fantastic hiking and biking trails thread it all together.

Teifi Pools and Teifi Forest

This rarely trodden upland west of Elan Valley is a series of small, spectacular natural lakes—together they form the source of the Teifi, the longest river in Wales. Below in the valley is one of Wales' loveliest ruined abbeys, Strata Florida, alongside the extensive Teifi Forest. In this remote country, you can camp in a bothy, a rudimentary shelter accessible only on foot, or on its grounds.

Pen Pumlumon Fawr

The highest point of the Cambrian Mountains (the spine of all Mid Wales) is at Pen Pumlumon Fawr. Many of the region's wildest hills and moors can be found here, where the nearest campsites are around Ponterwyd. Even still, tenters often wild camp high on the lonely slopes.

Along the River Wye

Rhayader is the first town on the winsome River Wye and near the start of the 136-mile Wye Valley Path, which traces the river from source to near the mouth. Campsites tend to occupy some of the flattest, greenest, and most sheltered ground around.

When to go

Easter through September is the busiest time for Rhayader camping. Outside of this season, many campsites and tourist facilities are closed due to the brunt of the year's bad weather. For the best weather and the fewest visitors, try pitching a tent in early spring or late summer. Even the warmest days rarely pass 20°C (68°F), while rain, strong winds, and below-freezing temperatures can arrive any time.

Know before you go

  • On public transport, Rhayader is only accessible by bus, mainly from Llandrindod Wells and Aberystwyth.
  • Rhayader is the only town with camping supply stores for a long way.
  • Wales' official take on wild camping is that you must ask for landowner permission first. In practice, finding the landowner to ask can be tough. If you do camp, stay on moorland and out of cultivated land. Many areas, including Elan Valley Lakes, strictly prohibit wild camping.
  • Shelter in the moorland around Rhayader is scant—come prepared with full, wet-weather gear.

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