Perched on the Heritage Coast this four-star site is a sweet spot for anyone needing to unplug in nature.
Camp near unique beaches (Image: Portia Jones)
Salty sea breeze, the rhythmic crashing of waves, and alfresco dining as the sun sets over the ocean – what could be better than a coastal camping holiday in lovely Wales? With summer holidays finally here there are loads of lush campsites to choose from but one that caught our eye combines coast and countryside and has a proper pub just a short hop away. Heritage Coast Campsite offers peaceful adults-only camping in an idyllic countryside location near the secluded Monknash Beach.
In the heart of the Vale of Glamorgan the campsite owners have been welcoming guests to their peaceful patch of camping paradise for over 15 years. The quiet site is also dog-friendly, so you can get away with your pup this summer.
Perched on the Heritage Coast this four-star site is a sweet spot for anyone needing to unplug in nature. Fancy a wild weekend of coastal hikes with your bestie? Or just want to sit quietly with a brew and listen to the birds? This secluded campsite delivers a restful sleep while still being close to the coast for dips and hikes.
Tents and camper vans are spread out at Heritage Coast Campsite(Image: Portia Jones )
They have grassy pitches for tents and camper vans with a handful offering electric hook-ups. If you fancy a spot of glamping spacious glamping bell tents are available for hire.
Two lush paddocks provide plenty of space to spread out and enjoy the sweeping views across the Glamorgan Hills and out to the Bristol Channel.
Keen to camp but eager to avoid tent assembly hell? Try one of the site’s two Scandi-style lodges complete with hot tubs and cosy vibes. Ideal for romantic getaways or bunking down with your mates.
This low-key site is also all about keeping things calm and quiet so there are no kids under 16, stag or hen parties, or big group bookings. So you can be sure of a good snooze without being woken by raucous ‘lads on tour’ or thumping drum and bass at 4am.
There are plenty of amenities here(Image: Portia Jones)
There are plenty of amenities here including fire pits, toilets, showers, a wash-up area, and free wifi for all your social media snaps. #Camping pics or it didn’t happen right?
If you don’t fancy cooking your own food the on-site café bar offers breakfast and dinner options and has a toasty log fire. Open Friday to Sunday the restaurant serves delicious dishes made with locally-sourced produce where available.
It also offers a decent selection of hot drinks and coffee as well as a well-stocked bar and wine list for a cheeky glass of vino at sunset.
Make sure to take a stroll down to the nearby Monknash Beach, which has captivating coastal scenery and 300m-year-old fossils embedded in the rocks.
Monknash isn’t your usual beach. It’s a curious mixture of sea, golden sand, bedrock, and ancient cliffs with loads of rock pools teeming with marine life.
The extraordinary layered cliffs make this rocky bay stand out as a distinctive Welsh beach.(Image: Ewan Lo Turco)
In 2024 The Sunday Times listed Welsh beach Monknash as one of the UK’s 50 best beaches. Time journalist Chris Haslam described it as “somewhere between prehistory and another planet”.
Cwm Nash is also quieter than other Welsh beaches. There’s no car park at the beach and it’s only accessible from the campsite or by parking in a nearby field and then walking along a tree-lined path that follows Nash Brook down to the shore.
The path meanders through shady, lush woodland offering glimpses of local wildlife and the soothing sounds of the brook that spills out over the rock platforms when it meets the beach.
Upon reaching the beach you’ll see a dramatic vista: towering limestone cliffs, golden sands at low tide, and the ever-changing seascape of the Bristol Channel.
It’s a relatively undeveloped spot with no toilets, café, or deck chair hire. You’ll have to bring everything you need for a day at the beach and take all your rubbish home with you.
Hop on the coast path and you can traverse the rest of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast(Image: Portia Jones )
Hop on the coast path and you can traverse the rest of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast. A marked and numbered Vale Trails series will take you through coastal and countryside routes with the most scenic views and historical features.
The Vale has an abundance of short coastal walks thanks to its unique heritage coast with Jurassic features. Stretching from Aberthaw to Porthcawl the Glamorgan Heritage Coast offers walkers 14 miles of unspoilt coastline via waymarked trails that wind through small villages, rural farmland, and sprawling beaches.
Many of the short treks also include various heritage and maritime points of interest including the last manned lighthouse in Wales, the Neolithic Tinkinswood Burial Chamber, churches, and castles.
The Vale has an abundance of short coastal walks(Image: Portia Jones )
You can stomp down to Dunraven Bay, another one of Wales’ best beaches, which is ranked the best in the UK in The Times’ annual Best UK Beaches guide for 2025.
The Times described this secluded, fossil-rich beach in Southerndown as “otherworldly”. It is packed with rockpools and geological wonders and was designated a part of the Heritage Coast in 1972.
Dunraven Bay has a large car park and visitor facilities and is also designated a Seaside Award beach. The Seaside Award is the national standard for the best beaches across the UK.
After a day of exploring have a pint in the charming 14th-century pub Plough & Harrow that’s right by the campsite.
Steeped in history dating back to 1383 this Grade II-listed building offers everything you might want from a proper Welsh pub: great food, a big beer garden, an open fire, a wide selection of drinks, and guest ales. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs find out What’s On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here.
Have a pint in the charming 14th-century pub Plough & Harrow(Image: Portia Jones )
The pub’s name hints at its ecclesiastical roots as Monknash was originally a grange, an outlying farm managed by lay brothers for a monastery. Its historical connections are evident in its architecture with beamed ceilings, Tudor doors, and roaring open fires.
It has a fascinating but grisly past. Dating back to 1383 its backroom was used to store shipwrecked bodies who had been killed at the hands of the Wreckers of Wick and Dunraven – criminals who looted stricken vessels and lured sailors to their doom.
The rustic pub is said to be home to these ghostly victims and staff and customers have reported dozens of strange incidents including seeing a man in a cloak walking through the pub. Spooky happenings aside this is an excellent spot for a pint in historic surroundings.
The bar is open from 12pm until late and food is served from 12-4pm on weekdays and Sundays and from 12-8pm on Saturdays.
Typical dishes include Traditional lamb cawl, salmon, prawn, and dill fish cake, Plough and Harrow’s gourmet beef burger, and the chef’s homemade pie of the day.
You can book your camping stay here.