Mid Wales First Trip in New Van

Just back from the first trip into Mid Wales in my newly converted Ducato.

 Heading north from Carmarthen I parked up for the first night overlooking a reservoir making sure that the solar panel would be in full sun. The last vehicle to park up in my chosen camp site was a family of Dutch tourists who left after a few minutes around 5 and the last vehicle of the day passed about an hour later. The sky around 1:00am was amazing, a clear night with no moon or light pollution revealed a jet black sky with millions of stars. 

Next morning, woken by the dawn chorus, breakfast was long over by the time I heard the first vehicle approaching around half seven, it was a few minutes before it finally passed by. The day saw just a handfull of cars, location was so idillic that there seemed little point in moving.

 Pretty much same routine for the next location for the next few days, then I headed towards the coast for a night on the beach but due to running a little late ended up stopping at a CL for the night, just right for me - no hook-up but with a long hot shower included in the £5 site fee, with a full tank of water I was refreshed ready to head back inland to a nice quiet location that I had in mind. 

 My chosen location was again overlooking a reservoir, however this time was located along a long dead end lane that wound its way along right next to the water. Setting up camp right next to a brook that tumbled down the mountainside and even with the aid of binoculars I was unable to see any evidence of activity by mankind, save the road that I arrived on. 

During the days that I spent there only one “lost” car came near reminding me just how far the sound of an engine carries in the quiet if the natural world, more common was the sound of walking boots crunching on the rough road surface interrupting the cries of soaring raptors. Eventually a well equipped, often solo, walker would come into view before passing by into wilder country.

 Next followed a night at a club site and a chance to brim the water tanks and max out on mains hook-up with the TV taking advantage of a signal at last and the chance to chat to other holiday makers. After another stay in open countryside I headed into the local village parking up at the central car park, right next to the wide crystal clear river. Company over lunch was provided by a handful of dippers and a kingfisher, also with lunch in mind. With overnight parking permitted in the free car park and after some encouragement from a local dog walker I spent my final night right there in the village.

 Home for one night the OS maps are already spread out on the floor planning the next trip…