Smugglers Cove Boatyard

View prices & book 9.7 44 reviews
View from the foreshore in front of Dyfi, looking east towards the Dyfi Osprey Project
View from the foreshore in front of dyfi, looking east towards the dyfi osprey project
Last pitch along path, angell. a soft wood chip patch for tent and surrounded by grass and shrubs
The deck
Part of the pathway, alongside the camping pitches
The first pitch on path, dyfi. a soft wood chip patch for tent and surrounded by grass and shrubs
Angell pitch and coastline up river
Dyfi pitch and path towards other 2 pitches
Dyfi pitch
1/156
Last pitch along path, angell. a soft wood chip patch for tent and surrounded by grass and shrubs
The deck
Part of the pathway, alongside the camping pitches

  • Small peaceful site on the Dyfi estuary, seven miles from Machynlleth
  • A 10-minute drive from the beach at Aberdyfi
  • Riverside firepits, with wood available to buy on site
Evenings spent by the water’s edge, cosied up round the firepit and watching the sun set over the river? Simply blissful, and a regular happening for those who make their way to Smugglers Cove Boatyard, a properly peaceful place down on the Dyfi estuary three miles from Aberdyfi and seven from Machynlleth. The views by day from here are pretty special too, looking out over the river towards Ynys-Hir RSPB reserve and Borth Bog National Nature Reserve. When the tide’s out a little beach appears for paddling; when the water’s higher it’s possible to swim or launch canoes or boats from the slipway (bring them along to use the boatyard’s storage facilities if you wish). Adding to the chilled vibe is the lack of cars down by the river’s edge – wheelbarrows are provided to help you transport your kit along the 100-metre stretch between the parking area and pitches, which travels through the traditional working boatyard and along part of the coastal path. This path has uneven ground, as it's between the river and the tree-line, and beneath the embankment of a raised coastal road. If you can tear yourself away from gazing out over the water, there’s plenty of wholesome activity to be had nearby, including boating, beaches and birdwatching. The Cambrian railway line runs through the property along a raised embankment and disappears into a tunnel deep in the hill behind the foreshore and pitches, and the coastal A493 also runs above the property; most of the guests don't seem to mind this, but the owners want you to be aware. Smuggler's Cove is a working boatyard and therefore there will possibly be some noise such as clanking rigging and people working on their boats.

Site type

Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 2
Tent pitches 3
Open all year
Opens
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • The site does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).
  • Discount cards and gift vouchers cannot be applied to bookings made via Pitchup.com.
  • Please note that the toilet/shower facilities are unisex.
  • The pitches are 190 metres from the car park, accessed via a path through the working boatyard and a rugged coastal path, so please be aware of uneven ground along the route. Wheelbarrows are provided. The site is working boatyard and there may be some associated noise.

Languages spoken

English

No availability here for your search criteria

Pitch types & availability

Accommodation

Tent pitchesTouring caravan pitchesMotorhome pitchesLodges, cabins, pods or hutsCaravans for hireRent a tent
Choose your dates
2 adults
0 children

Reviews

9.7

Overall rating from 44 Pitchup.com customers

  • 84%
    10
  • 2%
    9
  • 11%
    8
  • 2%
    7
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    6
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    5
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    4
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    1
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 8
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 8
Spectacular sceneryPeaceful

100% would recommend this site to a friend

100% would stay here again

What customers say

Smugglers Cove Boatyard gets lekker reviews for amazing views, a quirky vibe, and a top spot. Clean loos and showers are a big plus, and the hosts, especially Sophie, are super friendly. Pitches are nice and private. A bit of road noise and a tricky drive in with gear are noted, but most folks loved it and want to go back. The boats like Hannah and Boy John are cool, kitted-out places to kip.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 5
Arrival date (latest first)

Loved the place, amazing scenary and outstanding value for money

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
James D.

Dyfi non-electric mixed tent pitch

Liked Beautiful scenery that gives you the sense of wild camping
Ease of access
Clean toilets and showers
Outstanding value for money

Disliked I honestly can't fault anything

Recommend to friends Visit again

Quirkiest place I've ever camped (in…

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 No rating
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 No rating
Wifi
 No rating
Paul D.

Dyfi non-electric mixed tent pitch

Liked Quirkiest place I've ever camped (in a good way). Lovely view while the weather was good but it rained heavily all night and the following day which spoiled the experience. I'd definitely use it again.

Disliked Nothing about the site

Recommend to friends Visit again

Absolutely beautiful camping pitch, thoroughly recommend.

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Natasha G.

Dulas non-electric mixed tent pitch

Liked Place, setting, views, facilities

Recommend to friends Visit again

Almost everything! Great spot…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 No rating
William O.

Dyfi non-electric mixed tent pitch

Liked Almost everything! Great spot

Recommend to friends Visit again

Overall, a lovely and peaceful place to camp.

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
Ernesta G.

Angell non-electric mixed tent pitch (XL)

Liked This campsite is truly beautiful, with stunning views all around. The pitches are a generous size and feel private, separated by bushes and trees so you don’t feel overlooked (though you may need to cross another pitch to reach the WC). The facilities are sparkling clean, which made the stay very comfortable.

Disliked The only downside for me was the road above the pitches — I could hear car noises at night, but I’m a light sleeper, so it may not bother others as much.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Situation and clean facilities…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Alison B.

Dyfi non-electric mixed tent pitch

Liked Situation and clean facilities

Recommend to friends Visit again

We’re just on our way home…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
katie t.

Hannah 2 bedroom marina berth, slip, mooring

Liked We’re just on our way home after a fabulous long weekend at Smugglers Cove Boatyard and we didn’t want to leave!

On arrival, we were met my Sophie who was very welcoming and helpful. She was usually around the boatyard during the day.

We stayed in Hannah and what a charming little boat it is! It literally has everything you need for a stay away from home, even down to there being camping chairs, washing up liquid and cooking oil. You could go with just your clothes, towels and bedding and wouldn’t need anything else. There’s even plates, cups and cutlery! And there is surprisingly lots of storage areas for everything to go!

I loved the layout of the boat and especially the log burner which I used one of the mornings when it was a bit chilly. There are free logs provided but you can always buy more.

We came as family with two 11 year olds and they loved their little bedroom and exploring around the boatyard. They found lots of little crabs too and liked the swing!

The toilet/shower/washing up block just steps away. The toilets in there are composting toilets but there are proper toilets and shower by the car park just up the path. I found all the facilities clean and tidy. I also liked that there are bins provided for food waste and recyclables!

The boatyard is just minutes away from Aberdobey and we loved the beach there, there’s lots of pubs and coffee shops. It’s also about 45 minutes from Aberystwyth so definitely worth a visit.

I think the best thing about the boatyard though has to be the scenery which just stunning! It’s such a quiet, peaceful and beautiful corner of the world.

We will be returning, next time I want to stay in The Boy John!

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

We really enjoyed our stay and because of the location would return.

Overall

7 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 5
Facilities / Activities
 5
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 5
Cleanliness
 6
Wifi
 No rating
Gemma S.

The Boy John 1 bedroom marina berth, slip, mooring

Liked Location was incredible. Beautiful views across the bay. The quirkiness of the boat and facilities were great.

Disliked The sleeping arrangements on this boat were not the best.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Amazing site and place to stay, clean facilities and lovely staff.

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Hannah 2 bedroom marina berth, slip, mooring

Liked We liked all the new add ons
The washing up area and toilets near to the boats instead of going back to the yard.
The Hannah boat for its size had everything you could think of on board.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Amazing place , highly recommend!

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
Anonymous

The Boy John 1 bedroom marina berth, slip, mooring

Liked All of it . Amazing place and boat . Sophie super helpful and such a lovely woman! Boat was clean and well equipped. Just bring your bedding, food and drinks if you like .Shower and toilet facilities are very clean . Loved all cleaning prices being eco friendly. We are definitely will be back for a longer stay !

Disliked Low ceilings. Just remember, low ceilings 🙈 otherwise you will be back with few bumps on your head 🤣

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Dogs allowed

Campfires allowed

Leisure on site

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis Watersports

Amenities on site

Bath available Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Launderette Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

D. of E. welcome Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

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

Themes

Budget/backpacker Spectacular scenery Wild camping Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Chemical disposal Communal freezer Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Public transport nearby

Type

Tiny (1-10 pitches)

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horse riding nearby Indoor pool nearby Mountain biking nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Watersports nearby

Location

Smugglers Cove Boatyard

Fron Goch

Aberdovey

Gwynedd

Wales

LL35 0RG

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London GMT (GMT+00:00)

GPS

52.55674°N
3.97305°W

Route directions

Using the postcode on satnav may redirect to Aberdovey Luxury Lodges. When you're close, ignore the directions and stay on the A493 until you see the entrance to the boatyard, on the river side of the road (left if coming from Machynlleth, right from Aberdyfi). Park up and walk up the path to the right of the curved building and under the railway bridge. The Boy John is on your right, Hannah just beyond. For the pitches, go down the slipway, turning left along the path below the sea wall.

Nearest transport

Coach
16.7 km University Campus Penglais
16.9 km Penllwyn PO
17 km Penllwyn PO
Rail
3.4 km Dovey Junction Rail Station
4.4 km Penhelig Rail Station
5.9 km Aberdovey Rail Station
Ferry
18.3 km Porth Penrhyn Ferry Landing
18.8 km Barmouth Ferry Landing

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

Bring your binoculars if you’re into birdwatching, for there’s much twitching activity nearby – geese and wading birds fish just by the site, and there are nesting ospreys along the river at the Dyfi Osprey Project. More spotting, along with super views towards Snowdonia, can be had from Ynys-Hir RSPB reserve (home to the BBC's Springwatch programme for several seasons), which is around a 20-minute drive away. If it’s beaches you seek, your nearest is the wide sandy stretch in Aberdyfi, 10 minutes away – also a good spot for a round of golf, a bit of fishing or watersports including sailing, canoeing and kitesurfing. For a bit of town time, head into Machynlleth, 10 minutes’ drive away, for independent shops, a leisure centre and concerts or exhibitions at the MOMA Machynlleth performing arts centre. Cultured types might also like to pay a visit to the renovated 1920s Magic Lantern Cinema 15 minutes away in Tywyn.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Aberdyfi 5.8 km Estuary ExcellentGoodGoodGood
Aberdyfi Rural 7.3 km Sea ExcellentExcellentGoodGood
Tywyn 9.2 km Sea GoodGoodGoodExcellent
Borth 9.2 km Sea ExcellentExcellentExcellentExcellent
Clarach South 15.5 km Sea GoodGoodGoodGood

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Rheilffordd Talyllyn Railway 8.4 km

MOMA Wales - Y Tabernacl 8.9 km

Vale of Rheidol Railway (Aberystwyth) 17.8 km

CADW - Harlech Castle 34.8 km

Portmeirion Gardens 40.6 km

Cycle routes

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

Other

YNYS-HIR (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 20/04/2000) 2.6 km

Abergynolwyn - Foel Y Geifr - Abergynolwyn 9.8 km

Esgair Fochnant - Glaslyn - Bugeilyn 14.7 km

Fairbourne to Barmouth 16.3 km

Cadair Idris 18.3 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.

Want to know more about camping in Gwynedd?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Smugglers Cove Boatyard have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Smugglers Cove Boatyard dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Smugglers Cove Boatyard? Bring your binoculars if you’re into birdwatching, for there’s much twitching activity nearby – geese and wading birds fish just by the site, and there are nesting ospreys along the river at … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Smugglers Cove Boatyard?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  noon –  Anytime
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  3 p.m. –  Anytime
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Smugglers Cove Boatyard? From R458,50 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.