Pembrey Country Park

The distant rush of waves from an eight-mile golden beach mingles with the rustle of coastal pines, while sand dunes ripple towards the sea across this remarkable 500-acre country park. This is Pembrey, where Carmarthenshire's industrial past has been transformed into one of South Wales's most diverse outdoor playgrounds, positioned between the Gower Peninsula and Pembrokeshire's dramatic coastline.

Families and active types will thrive here, with a toboggan run providing squeals of excitement, forest trails for walking or cycling, and that glorious expanse of sandy beach perfect for dog walks and bracing swims. The year-round pitches welcome tents, campervans and caravans, with facilities including showers, toilets and electric hook-ups. Your four-legged friends are welcome, though charges apply.

The onsite shop covers essentials, while the surrounding country park offers everything from waymarked hiking routes through woodland to beach adventures. Campfires may be permitted but check current policies on arrival. It's a refreshingly unpretentious base with an anything-goes outdoor spirit, where the emphasis falls firmly on exploring rather than lounging.