Top Of The Woods The Greener Camping Club
UK Wales South Wales Pembrokeshire Crymych
It’s easy to get lost at Top of the Woods. Not literally, thank goodness – owners Soo and Jon give you a map on arrival – but in a who-cares, do-as-you-please kind of way. The atmosphere is so laid-back it’s almost horizontal – nature domes, safari lodges and pioneer camps spread over 27 rolling acres, soothed and charmed by the sights and sounds of myriad bird- and wildlife and the white-grey wisps of campfire smoke. In the adjoining Ffynone Wood – a vast 325 acres of forest – you might be lucky enough to spot a resident or two of the largest badger population in West Wales. You'll definitely see rabbits, and maybe even an otter or two slipping into Afon Dulas, a peaceful stream that runs along the southern edge of the site.
Top of the Woods is part of Penralt Farm, a quaint 18th-century farmstead with chickens scratching around outside and three pet Kunekune pigs, plus farm sheds that are home to housemartins and a rare breed of bat (the farm hosts seven of the UK's 17 bat species). They have won sustainable tourism awards for the past two years running, and are a thoroughly eco-friendly place to stay, with a variety of glamping styles to choose from – four fully furnished geodesic domes (complete with log burners), four luxury safari lodges and nine spacious pioneer camps. It's all pretty high-spec, but the feeling and style is very definitely back to nature – star-gazing and guitars around the campfire fine, gadgets and noise not so much.
Every tent has proper beds, with good quality linen provided, cooking facilities, their own BBQ, dining equipment, cool box, lantern, rugs and cushions. The safari lodges also have a fully equipped kitchen, dining tables and benches, plus a welcome pack containing things like coffee, bread, milk, candles and a basket of logs. The safari lodges & nature domes both have running water, Pioneer camp meadow has two water stations.
A Dutch Barn serves as a covered picnic and meeting area for the whole site (which also has regular camping), with tables, hammocks, phone-charging points and a stash of games for anyone to use. It's a handy place to mull over the mapped-out walking route that leads you to the enchantingly named ‘secret waterfall’. There is also freezer and a microwave, while the main courtyard area has hot showers and flushing toilets, washing-up sinks and free (if limited) wifi, The pioneer lodge and safari lodge meadows also have their own hot showers and compost toilets.
Soo and Jon offer hot farmhouse breakfasts at weekends and hosted dinners in the evenings, with campfire stews on Fridays and BBQ nights on Saturdays. A mobile fishmonger visits twice weekly. There are usually any number of activities going on, from a weekend yoga breakfast club to bushcraft sessions, storytelling and other events – including their excellent 'Woof Weekend', held in May, when dogs and their owners get even more pampered than usual.
Finally Top of the Woods enjoys an undeniably great location, right in the heart of Pembrokeshire, and handy for the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Pembrokeshire Coast Path and Preseli Hills. The nearby Teifi Gorge is great for kayaking and canoeing, while other attractions in the vicinity include Cardigan Castle and the Welsh Wildlife Centre in the Teifi Marshes Nature Reserve. Even with all these attractions on your doorstep, you may find you spend more time on the site than you meant to, delving into the woods in search of adventure, playing cricket in the meadows and picnicking in the sun. There's a lot to explore, and a lot of space to get lost in – why would you want to leave?
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Details
Facilities
A stand out feature is the 1950s Dutch Barn communal area, a large covered space with picnic benches, phone charging, lighting, games and hammocks. There is freezer for ice bricks and a microwave for baby food.Suitable For
Tents, dogs, groups (prior arrangement), gazebos (with a small extra charge) – yes. Caravans, campervans, motorhomes, trailer tents – no.Nearby
The campsite sometimes lays on special events, like guided wildlife walks, through the adjoining 325-acre Ffynone Wood and maps are also provided on your arrival with local routes, including Soo’s Secret Waterfall Trail. The site is directly traversed by a bridleway that leads immediately into the woods. Further afield, nearby attractions include fantastic Cardigan Castle (01239 615131), opened to the public in April 2015 after a massive 12 year restoration project, and The Welsh Wildlife Centre, in the Teifi Marsh Nature Reserve. There's also very easy access to the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the Preseli Hills and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park with a particular highlight being the Teifi gorge, fabulous for kayaking and canoeing.Food & Drink
Pub-wise there are two locals. The Nags Head at Abercych offers seasonal menus, all cooked by their chef using the best Welsh ingredients. The Fynnone Arms in Newchapel does excellent Sunday lunches and specialises in dairy free, gluten free, vegetarian and vegan menu options.
Open
Open May Bank holiday until September.
Pricing
Pioneer Lodges £80-£105 a night. Nature Domes £90 - £120 a night. Safari Lodges £110–£135 a night. Dogs £5 a night (maximum 2) – 2-night minimum stay.
The Owner Says
Places like Penrallt Farm are a rare and special thing in today's world. Penrallt loosely translates from the Welsh as "top of the woods", and is our 27 acre Georgian farm in the stunning unspoilt Teifi Valley in Pembrokeshire, West Wales.
Our mission is to inspire through nature and to be the best loved eco-holiday business in Wales! Everything we do is inspired by creating something which is sustainable, enriching and unique.
Video Tour
Social Distancing Measures
We are a low-density camping & glamping site with pitches at least 15 metres apart and a very high cleaning standards – check our guest reviews! Here are our new covid 19 measures in places to help keep each other safe on site and when visiting Pembrokeshire
*Low- density camping * New check in time & process to manage social distancing when guests arrive * extra hand sanitizers across the site & accommodation * Increased cleaning of communal facilities * Changes to our communal activities and food service * Contactless payment
Accommodation
4 cosy nature domes sleeping or 4; 4 luxurious safari lodges sleeping up to 6 (in 2 bedrooms and 2 sofa beds); and 9 pioneer lodges sleeping 4 in 2 bedrooms.
Grass Pitch
Birch Safari Lodge
1 - Pioneer Lodge
Bluebell Dome
Exclusive Campervan Pitch
Location
Contact Website 01239 842 208 Top Of The Woods, Penrallt, Capel Coleman, Boncath, Pembrokeshire SA37 0EP
Getting There
Top of the Woods is more accessible than you might think, with the A48 (from the M4) and A40 running to Carmarthen, from where it's around 40 minutes by car on a series of country roads – follow the signs to Boncath. By public transport, there are good regular train services to Carmarthen or Aberystwyth, which connect with buses to Cardigan and Boncath, about a mile away.
There are good regular train services to Carmarthen or Aberystwyth, which connect with buses to Cardigan or Boncath village. There’s also an excellent local taxi company, who can collect from any of the nearby towns or stations, and who have minibuses available.Related Guides
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