Basecamp Wales

View prices & book 7.5 53 reviews
The view from Basecamp camping field
New
Motorhome pitches with/without an electric hook-up
Motorhome pitches
Picnic area next to the play park

  • Afan Forest Park site with bike hire and pretty Glamorgan views
  • Afan Bike Park 15 minutes’ drive; National Showcaves Centre 45 minutes
  • Licensed café and restaurant; bike wash and repair shop; playground
Seeking outdoor adventure in the Afan Valley? Basecamp Wales is calling you… tucked away in the 3,900-hectare Afan Forest Park, this campsite offers a winning combination of comfort and a back-to-nature vibe, with spectacular views overlooking the Glamorgan valleys. Cycling enthusiasts are in good company here, as Afan Forest Park is renowned for its biking experiences, with single tracks winding through the woods, exposed trails on the hills, and the thrilling jumps and short runs at Afan Bike Park (15 minutes’ drive). Bikers can relax knowing there’s also a bike-hire service, wash station and repair hub on site for their use. But this scenic forest spot isn’t just about the bikes. The park also has plenty of walking trails, a play area for the youngest guests, and the chance to learn more about local history at the South Wales Miners Museum (five minutes’ walk). And after a day of fun-filled activity or simply relaxing with a good book, you can refuel at Base Café, where good food and drinks are served, enjoy a barbecue or cosy up around your campfire under the stars – and with minimal light pollution in the area, clear nights will bring you dazzling starry skies. Easily accessible from the M4 and Port Talbot (15 minutes’ drive), the site has all essential amenities, from 24/7 showers (tokens are available from staff in the café) and accessible bathrooms to free parking.

Site type

Tent sites 10
RV sites 6
Open all year
Opens
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • The park does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Breed-specific legislation (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).
  • A charge of £1.50 ($2.72) applies for the use of the shower.
  • Continental touring caravans (caravans built with the passenger door on the right-hand side) are not permitted.
  • Reception is unmanned after 4 p.m.. Please inform the park while on your way there should you expect to arrive after this time, so that the team can provide information about your unit/pitch.
  • Guests are advised to bring a good quality flashlight with them as parts of the park are unlit.
  • Extra cars may be brought but must be parked off-site; council-managed pay-and-display parking is available nearby.

Languages spoken

English

Welsh

Pitch types & availability

Reviews

75%

would recommend this site to a friend

70%

would stay here again

  • 43%
    10
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    8
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    7
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    6
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    5
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    1

Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

Clean facilities. Good cafe.…

Overall 8/10
Location 10
Value for money 8
Accommodation 8
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 8
Child friendliness 6
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Glyn T. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered gravel RV campsite

Liked: Clean facilities. Good cafe.

Recommend to friends Visit again

First van trip, the surrounding area is stunning, staff were amazing!

Overall 10/10
Location 8
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 8
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Jamie M. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Primitive gravel RV campsite

Liked: Access to trails, staff, cleanliness and cafe

Disliked: Proximity to road for hardstand parking

Recommend to friends Visit again

AMAZING

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Primitive grass tent campsite

Liked: our favourite camp site! amazing views!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Terrible site with no access to facilities (locked)

Overall 2/10
Location 8
Value for money 2
Accommodation 2
Facilities / Activities 2
Customer service 6
Child friendliness 2
Cleanliness 2
Wifi 2
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Primitive gravel RV campsite

Liked: Nothing, there was nothing good about this 'camping site'. It isn't a camping site, it is a car park with gravel next to a main road that isn't even level. They allowed the caravan next to us to run a diesel generator. The bathroom and the shower blocked were locked so you couldn't even use them. We left after a few hours because it was so horrible. There's nothing to recommend this place and we would never stay here again.

Disliked: Everything. It was awful.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Id leave no stars if i could. Go somewhere else.

Overall 2/10
Location 2
Value for money 2
Accommodation 2
Facilities / Activities 2
Customer service 2
Child friendliness 2
Cleanliness 2
Wifi 2
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Primitive grass tent campsite

Liked: Nothing

Disliked: Everything. It was NOT as advertised!!!! We pulled into this sketchy looking tiny car park big enough for 3 cars. The field was tiny and on a very steep gradient. Your being very generous even calling it a campsite. The toulets and showers are really far from the actual site. Didn’t even bother getting out the car. We booked somewhere else. Dont book this waste of money. The photos are taken at angles that make it look good! £50 gone. Wont ever make that mistake again!!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Nothing to like I didn't stay…

Overall 2/10
Location 2
Value for money 2
Accommodation 2
Facilities / Activities 4
Customer service 2
Child friendliness 2
Cleanliness 2
Wifi 2
Andrew P. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Primitive gravel RV campsite

Liked: Nothing to like I didn't stay

Disliked: It was just a cat park right next to main road I didn't even stay, very disappointed the post for this site is very misleading and should be taken down

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great base for mountain biking, cycling along a cycle path or walking.

Overall 8/10
Location 8
Value for money 10
Accommodation 6
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Natalie A. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered gravel RV campsite

Liked: Great location for people that enjoy mountain biking, riding along cycle paths or walking.
Showers and toilets are kept lovely and clean. Staff have all been lovely and friendly.
Although initially shocked at it not being an actual 'campsite' but just spaces in a car park, we had booked 3 nights and thought we may leave after 2. We stayed for the 3 nights and enjoyed a lovely chilled family break. We did travel into Swansea for Crazy Climb as this is something we have been planning to book (not necessarily planned for this trip) and it helped break up a wet afternoon.

There is a shop to hire bikes for anyone wanting to give mountain biking a try without investing in a bike yourself.

Nearest shop is 2 miles away.

We didn't use the cafe but the food and cakes looked amazing.

I would recommend this site (especially for people that enjoy mountain biking). We will definitely return.

Disliked: I was shocked at first (as I didn't read the reviews) that the pitches are just 3 electric points in a car park. There is a camping field for tents further back from the road.
As mentioned in 'liked', we stayed for 3 nights and will return.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Camping area…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Primitive grass tent campsite

Liked: Camping area

Recommend to friends Visit again

Not a campsite, basically a car park with 3 hookups.

Overall 2/10
Location 4
Value for money 2
Accommodation 2
Facilities / Activities 6
Customer service 8
Child friendliness 2
Cleanliness 8
Wifi 2
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered gravel RV campsite

Liked: Cafe with good food, staff & clean facilities.

Disliked: This is a car park with three very cramped spaces with EHU and definitely not a camp site . Zero security , cars and vans pulling in and out all night , toilets locked overnight . We managed to get a key from the cafe at 4pm to access the toilets & shower . First night a campervan pulled in next to us at 11-30 pm . Set up with lots of noise then unplugged our neighbour from the EHU shutting down his fridge and plugged themselves in. They then left early. The next night we had a clown banging on our door at 8-45 pm demanding our key as the toilets were locked and he'd paid £18. We booked for four nights , left after two . Nice new owner who seems genuinely concerned to improve the place . In the 8 months we've been on the road this was definitely our worst experience , I hardly slept and the busy road 40m away with traffic all night didn't help . It needs a total rethink and much better signage and security. No discernable WiFi or TV signal on the pitch.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Was windy and exposed.. and steep gradient

Overall 4/10
Location 4
Value for money 4
Accommodation 2
Facilities / Activities 4
Customer service 6
Child friendliness 2
Cleanliness 2
Wifi 2
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Primitive grass tent campsite

Liked: Staf were friendly.

Disliked: The gradient of the site was quite steep. Made it difficult to set up the tent. Also, the restaurant closed quite early, and the only food available was from the site restaurant, but had to order on just eat.
Food was tasty but felt a little overpriced for what was received.

Recommend to friends Visit again


Features

Leisure on park

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Playground Recreation room/arcade TV room Takeout Tennis Watersports

Amenities on park

Bath available Car parking by site/unit Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Free wifi Grocery store Ice pack freezing Internet access Laundromat Parent & baby washroom Payphone Pick-up from public transport Picnic table Portable toilet Pub toilets Restrooms Shower available Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Scouts welcome Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue grills allowed Barbecue provided Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Camping 2.0

Jumbo tent sites

Themes

Budget/backpacker Forest Hikers’ paradise Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Wild camping Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Dump station Electric car charging point(s) Propane/gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Convenience store nearby Dog walk nearby Public transportation nearby

Type

Small (11-25 sites)

Accessibility

Accessible parking at site Bathrooms: Large spacious shower Bathrooms: Large spacious toilet Bathrooms: Step-free access Bathrooms: Wheelchair accessible shower Bathrooms: Wheelchair accessible toilet Bathrooms: Wide doorways (over 32 inches) Smooth, hard roads e.g. tarmac

Nearby leisure

Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Indoor pool nearby Mountain biking nearby Restaurant nearby

Touring and motorhomes

Gray water hook-up for RVs/trailers Motorhome service point

Location

Basecamp Wales

Afan Forest Park

Cynonville

Port Talbot

Glamorgan

Wales

SA13 3HG

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London +0100 (GMT+01:00)

GPS

51.64164°N
-3.70462°W

Route directions

What3words for reception: novels.glee.stew.

Nearest transport

Coach
7.4 km Railway Station
7.6 km Bus Station
15.2 km Sarn Odeon
Rail
4.9 km Maesteg Rail Station
5.6 km Maesteg (Ewenny Road) Rail Station
6.7 km Garth (Bridgend) Rail Station
Ferry
15.7 km Swansea Queens Dock Ferry Terminal
40.1 km Cardiff Castle Waterbus Stop
40.2 km Barry Waterfront Ferry Terminal
Airport
25.6 km Swansea Airport
37.1 km Cardiff International Airport

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

Afan Forest Park (accessed from the site) has a diverse range of bike trails suitable for all skill levels, from a beginner-friendly short loop to a challenging black trail that can take several hours to complete. If you’re after even more thrills, you can launch yourself off an old colliery tower on a speeding zipwire at Zip World Top (half an hour’s drive). Hiking enthusiasts have plenty to explore in Afan Forest Park, with scenic trails winding through the forest landscape. For more adventurous treks, venture into the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park (40 minutes) to tackle the hike up to Four Falls waterfall. The Gower Peninsula (45 minutes) serves up spectacular coastal walks, and if it’s a beach day you’re after, the sandy coastline at Aberavon is 20 minutes by car. For rainy days or a change of pace, the South Wales Miners Museum (five minutes’ walk) gives a fascinating glimpse into the area’s rich industrial heritage. Other handy indoor options include the exotic habitats at Plantasia Tropical Zoo (half an hour’s drive), or you can delve deep into underground wonders at the National Showcaves Centre for Wales (45 minutes).

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Aberafan 9.5 km Estuary N/AGoodGoodGood
Rest Bay Porthcawl 17.1 km Sea ExcellentExcellentExcellentExcellent
Swansea Bay 18 km Estuary GoodGoodN/AGood
Sandy Bay Porthcawl 18.2 km Sea ExcellentExcellentExcellentExcellent
Trecco Bay Porthcawl 18.4 km Sea ExcellentExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Aberdulais Falls 6.6 km

National Waterfront Museum 16.5 km

Penderyn Distillery Visitor Centre 18.6 km

National Showcaves of Wales 20.9 km

Carreg Cennen Castle 28.8 km

National Trust

Aberdulais Falls 6.6 km

Aberdeunant 33.6 km

Rhossili Visitor Centre and Shop 41.3 km

Watersmeet 47.1 km

Dolaucothi Gold Mines 48 km

Cycle routes

Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.

Other

Abercregan - Glyncorrwg - Abercregan 3.2 km

Abercregan - Coed Morgannwg Way - Pontrhydyfen 3.2 km

Treherbert to Aberdare 12.1 km

Kenfig Pool - Kenfig Burrows - Sker Beach 14.1 km

Pontneddfechan - Scwd Einion Gam Waterfall 14.9 km

Local events

  • Green Man Festival (Thursday, August 14, 2025 – Thursday, August 14, 2025)

    Crickhowell, Wales 44.2 km

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Offers

Conditions apply - see pitch type section for details

Nearest sites

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

Want to know more about camping in Glamorgan?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Basecamp Wales have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Basecamp Wales dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Basecamp Wales? Afan Forest Park (accessed from the site) has a diverse range of bike trails suitable for all skill levels, from a beginner-friendly short loop to a challenging black trail that can take … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Basecamp Wales?
    RV, travel trailer and tent sites
    Arrive:  noon –  Anytime
    Depart by:  noon
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Basecamp Wales? From $22.13 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.