There’s a mighty big clue in the name as to what you’ll find here – a series of foaming cataracts tumbling into clear shallow waters beside the campsite where kids of any age can splash around or whiz above the River Nantcol on a rope swing; it’s little wonder people have been pitching tents here since at least the 1920s. Nantcol Waterfalls is essentially Snowdonia in miniature – follow the walk from the campsite along the river and you’ll pass up from open meadows through riverside woodlands, past the lower and upper falls and on to heather moorland, above which rise the craggy Rhinogs, one of the region’s least explored mountain ranges. The views here are sensational, taking in not just the mountains but all of Tremadog Bay and out to the Llêyn Peninsula – and all within an easy five-minute stroll of your tent. The site has seen much upgrading in the last few years and has won a whole clutch of awards, so it’s always popular, which means booking ahead is advisable. The narrow woodland road that brings you here is a bit of a mission in a campervan – but it’s worth the effort for the happy mix of a buzzing, cheerful campsite set amongst glorious, unspoiled scenery. On a sunny summer day it’s quite easy to stroll all of thirty or forty metres from your tent to the banks of the river and set up shop for the day as the kids cavort in the waters (in between begging for ice creams from the small campsite shop which acts as a bit of a gathering point for all and sundry). Which is what camping is all about, really…
