Dare Valley Country Park

View prices & book 8.9 587 reviews
Beautiful
Rainbow days
The big lake at dare valley country park
View of the lake

  • A scenic 500-acre site on an old colliery at the Brecon Beacons’ edge
  • A five-minute drive to Aberdare and 15 minutes to Penderyn Distillery
  • Playgrounds and cafeteria on site; walk to a family bike park
If you’re wanting a countryside Welsh holiday close to southern Wales’ mightiest mountain range, settle in for a few days or more at Dare Valley Country Park: this site in Mid Glamorgan sits on top of an old colliery a five-minute drive from the old mining town of Aberdare on the outskirts of the Brecon Beacons. The whopping 500 acres of space at the park means wanders (among lush valley views) are par for the course, with trails leading off into the countryside straight from the site too. Within the country park, make your way to the Dare Valley Gravity Family Bike Park, which has uplift services. You might also be hard-pressed luring kids away from the two playgrounds (the biggest has a sandpit, slides and swings) or partners from a cafeteria that opens daily for freshly prepped breakfast, lunch and snacks... If they’re really not keen to come away from this scenic place, bribe them with the mountain biking trails at BikePark Wales, about 20 minutes away. For grownups, golf at a parkland course with manicured meadow lawns and mature oaks is less than a 10-minute drive from the site. And if you really need to bring out the big guns (for the big folk, that is)? There’s always the lure of a tour and tasting session at Penderyn Distillery Visitor Centre (within 15 minutes)… This whisky making centre’s in the southern part of the Brecon Beacons; travelling a touch further (half an hour in all from the site) leads right into the middle of the national park for ambles around green hills.

Campground type

Camper sites 16
RV sites 16
Open all year
Opens

Tourist board rating

Please note
  • No bachelor/bachelorette parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Bookings must not be for more than 14 consecutive nights.
  • Commercial vehicles (vehicles used for work-related purposes, carrying goods or fare-paying passengers) and sign-written vehicles are not permitted on site.
  • Reception is unmanned after 5 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/site.
  • At least one of the party members must be aged 18 or over.
  • Swimming in the lake is not allowed.
  • If reception is closed on arrival: please contact the number provided on your booking confirmation.

Languages spoken

English

Campsite types & availability

Reviews

  • 62%
    10
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    9
  • 24%
    8
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    7
  • 8%
    6
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    5
  • 1%
    4
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91% would recommend this campground to a friend

89% would stay here again

Reviews page 1 of 59
Arrival date (latest first)

Outstanding clean friendly just perfect ..

Overall 10/10

Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
4
Michaela B. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered cement/asphalt and grass travel trailer campsite

Liked First time staying here and how beautiful it was , the little coffee shop was definitely a must and the pond was stunning ,
As a disabled person the shower room was a dream definitely stay again ..

Disliked One thing disabled toilet seat loose .

Recommend to friends Visit again

Toilet and shower blocks always kept spotless…

Overall 10/10

Location
8
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
9
Customer service
9
Child friendliness
9
Cleanliness
9
Wifi
1
Joshua B. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered cement/asphalt and grass travel trailer campsite

Liked Toilet and shower blocks always kept spotless

Recommend to friends Visit again

What an excellent site again. This is one we will return to many times

Overall 10/10

Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
9
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
9
Wifi
2
Leigh S. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered cement/asphalt and grass RV campsite

Liked Peace, tranquility, facilities, countryside, almost everything was great, as when previously staying here

Disliked Drains we're blocked in the toilet block. Unblocked by camper rather than staff

Recommend to friends Visit again

Attention to detail would bring this up to par.

Overall 5/10

Location
10
Value for money
6
Accommodation
6
Facilities / Activities
6
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
7
Cleanliness
2
Wifi
No rating
Kevin C. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered cement/asphalt and grass RV campsite

Liked Quiet site, secure area, nice toilet shower block with caveats. Communication about gate codes etc was positive

Disliked Toilet shower block could do with a deep clean, shower trap in gents and my wife say ladies clogged, personally I was stood in an inch of water and soap that ran back as soon as the water stopped flowing, black rings of soap scum on the shower soap holder, showed it hadn’t had a decent clean in so me time, another guest commented it had gone downhill and it was a pity as it was a favourite of theirs.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Cleanliness of the park, facilities were excellent and the setting was stunning…

Overall 10/10

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

Powered cement/asphalt and grass RV campsite

Liked Cleanliness of the park, facilities were excellent and the setting was stunning

Disliked na

Recommend to friends Visit again

Die Umgebung ist wunderschön, ruhig und lädt zu Wanderungen ein.…

Overall 6/10

Location
8
Value for money
8
Accommodation
3
Facilities / Activities
3
Customer service
3
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
1
Wifi
No rating
Birgit S. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered cement/asphalt and grass RV campsite

Liked Die Umgebung ist wunderschön, ruhig und lädt zu Wanderungen ein.

Disliked Die Sanitäreinrichtung waren unbeschreiblich dreckig.
Die Toiletten verschmiert.
Der Abfluss in den Duschen verstopft, so dass ich knöchelhoch im Wasser stand.
Wir waren 3 Tage dort, aber eine Reinigung hat es nicht gegeben.
So ein ungepflegtes Sanitärgebäude !!!

Das "Restaurant" hat sich als Cafe herausgestellt, welches bereits um 16 Ihr schliesst.

Wir kommen nicht wieder!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely people, lovely place

Overall 10/10

Location
10
Value for money
7
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
No rating
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
2
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Powered cement/asphalt and grass travel trailer campsite

Liked Site facilities, space between pitches, cafe walks everything was excellent

Disliked Having to lock unlock a chain link when coming and going,
There must be an easier way to secure an entrance.
Have a look at the caravan site in the Licky hills outside Birmingham

Recommend to friends Visit again

Everything was perfect nice walks nice food very clean defo stay again…

Overall 10/10

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

Powered cement/asphalt and grass travel trailer campsite

Liked Everything was perfect nice walks nice food very clean defo stay again

Recommend to friends Visit again

Clean and beautiful campsite lots of space and the walks are incredible.…

Overall 10/10

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

Powered cement/asphalt and grass RV campsite

Liked Clean and beautiful campsite lots of space and the walks are incredible. Cafe on site was spotless and lots of variety. Lots to do for kids bike trails and a wonderful park. Definitely be coming back soon.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Such a great campsite in a nice quiet location. Pitches are well…

Overall 10/10

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

Powered cement/asphalt and grass RV campsite

Liked Such a great campsite in a nice quiet location. Pitches are well spaced, level and decent sized. The site toilets were spotlessly clean. Great walks around the park and a good cafe with a good choice of food, great prices too..

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

Baby-changing facilities 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 Portable toilet Pub toilets Restrooms Shower available Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Rallies welcome 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

Themes

Budget/backpacker Forest Hikers’ paradise Lake and/or mountain Peaceful Spectacular scenery

Utilities

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

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby

Type

Medium (26-50 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 Level campground, no steep slopes Site close to accessible bathrooms

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horseback riding nearby Mountain biking nearby Restaurant nearby

Touring and motorhomes

Water hook-up points for caravans

Location

Dare Valley Country Park

Aberdare

Glamorgan

Wales

CF44 7RG

Directions

Timezone

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

GPS

51.71267°N
3.46943°W

Route directions

If you are using a satnav, please use the postcode CF44 7PS.

Nearest transport

Bus
1.2 mi Bus Station
4.5 mi Bus Station
10.5 mi Lidl
Rail
1.1 mi Aberdare Rail Station
2.5 mi Cwmbach Rail Station
3.6 mi Fernhill Rail Station
Ferry
20.1 mi Cardiff Castle Waterbus Stop
20.6 mi Taffs Mead Waterbus Stop
20.8 mi Swansea Queens Dock Ferry Terminal
Airport
22.4 mi Cardiff International Airport
26.8 mi Swansea 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

Head about half an hour west of the site into the Brecon Beacons and get to the national park’s waterfall country, home to falls with nicely tongue-tripping names like Sgwd Gwladys (30 minutes’ drive) and Sgwd Yr Eira (35 minutes). The former’s just the place for wild swimming in a deep plunge pool surrounded by woodland... Drier times are to be had at stately piles about 35 minutes south of the park, including Caerphilly Castle with its massive moat and towers or smaller Castell Coch reconstructed in a fairytale style in the Victorian era by well-known architect William Burgess. Cardiff (40 minutes away) also has its own castle with renovations by Burgess – head to this swish city for cool concerts and sports events at the Principality Stadium or just check out the boutiques in the Victorian shopping arcades. For another architecturally intriguing manor home from a different era, the Tudor-style Tredegar House is 45 minutes away from the park.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Aberafan 17.1 mi Estuary N/AGoodGoodGood
Trecco Bay Porthcawl 18.7 mi Sea ExcellentExcellentExcellentExcellent
Sandy Bay Porthcawl 18.8 mi Sea ExcellentExcellentExcellentExcellent
Rest Bay Porthcawl 18.9 mi Sea ExcellentExcellentExcellentExcellent
Southerndown 19.3 mi Sea ExcellentExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Penderyn Distillery Visitor Centre 4.2 mi

Brecon Mountain Railway 7.4 mi

National Showcaves of Wales 12.2 mi

Aberdulais Falls 13.4 mi

Caerphilly Castle 14.2 mi

National Trust

Aberdulais Falls 13.5 mi

Aberdeunant 25.5 mi

Cycle routes

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

Other

Treherbert to Aberdare 4 mi

Pontneddfechan - Hepste Waterfalls - Pontneddfechan 5.7 mi

Pontneddfechan - Scwd Einion Gam Waterfall 6.2 mi

Porth-yr-ogof, Nedd and Mellte Waterfalls 7.1 mi

Waterfall Circuit 7.1 mi

Local events

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

    Crickhowell, Wales 16.5 mi

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 campsite type section for details

Nearest campgrounds

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable campgrounds.

Want to know more about camping in Glamorgan?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Dare Valley Country Park have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Dare Valley Country Park dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Dare Valley Country Park? Head about half an hour west of the site into the Brecon Beacons and get to the national park’s waterfall country, home to falls with nicely tongue-tripping names like Sgwd Gwladys (30 … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Dare Valley Country Park?
    RV, travel trailer and tent sites
    Arrive:  1 p.m. –  6:30 p.m.
    Depart by:  noon
    On-park accommodation
    Arrive:  3 p.m. –  6:30 p.m.
    Depart by:  noon
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Dare Valley Country Park? From $38.48 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.