Bath and Wales

[mummynumnum]

Planning a visit to a sick relative in Bath and was thinking of stepping ever so slightly over the border to Wales for camping trip-any recommendations? Have a 3yr old who really wants to go to the beach!!!

The beaches aren't all that good in East Wales. Have you considered nipping down the M5 a bit instead?

Down the M5? Pah!

OP, how far would you go in Wales for a beach? I'd say you're looking at an hour for the first decent ones just after Porthcawl. There's always Barry, near Cardiff, which has a much maligned beach, but you have to put up with the town.

There's no campsites in Barry!

Would Gower be too far for you?

You can camp at LLantwit Majors on the other side of Cardiff and go to Barry or Porthcawl for sandy beaches, although there is a beach at Llantwit Majors that is good for rockpooling.

Also, what about the Forest of Dean? No beach though but stunning none the less!

www.llantwit-major.net/2005/home.shtm

www.acorncamping.co.uk/index.html

forest of dean worth visit-camp in the forestry commission sites (christchurch), and you MUST visit puzzlewood.

think you want gower for beaches. barry beach fairly rubbish IMO-we go there a lot, but wouldn't travel for it. 3 cliffs is best campsite imo though there is another good one whose name escapes me, something farm iirc.

Ah, you are harsh, Fillyjonk, I think a 3year old would be happy with Barry beach (mine was!)

Gower is only just over an hour and a half past The Bridge and much nicer than Barry

Are you camping in Bath too? There's a weeny bit of choice.

I've heard friends rave about Cwmcarn Forest but not for beaches.

I would go to Gower or beyond for beaches. It's two to three hours from Bath though.

yeah but if you're driving all that way, I'd add an extra half hour and go to southerdown (dar ul whatever-bad wolf bay in dr who) or something.

problem with barry beach IME is it is oddly tiny and sand is riddled with dog crap and cigarette butts. Its kind of a proper old fashioned seafront, bit like hastings or blackpool but MUCH smaller.

don't get me wrong, its adequate, I'm glad its there but I wouldn't walk on the sand without shoes....

That is not good FJ!!!!! Gross! Don't they have a dog ban in season? It wasn't an issue for us but maybe we were lucky!!!!

There is a dog ban on the beach in Barry between May - October iirc. It is also raked twice a day (with a big tractor sand rake thing).

I find it very clean, just that the parking can be a pita and the rest of the sea front is very disappointing.

OP - If you can do a longer drive west, I would

oh god I am ALWAYS seeing dogs on barry beach. perhaps am unlucky, there were a couple of big alsations frolicking about off the lead the other week. It was raining though.

otoh have never struggled to park...

we do go to barry quite frequently, it is not THAT bad!

OP what are your requirements beach-wise?

hastings/amusement arcade=> barry
secluded and lovely => ogmore/southerndown
somewhere kind of between the two, but tending really towards secluded => llantwit

prob worth mentioning that southerdown has absurdly high tides and its possible to get cut off from entrance. which means scrambling up a huge heap of stones (have done it with 2 toddlers at 5 months pg so its not THAT bad, just to warn you)