Van Miles

In September 2024 we set off for a week in Wales in our self-contained campervan with our three dogs.

The plan was to start with a cheap overnight stop at Talacre, spend a few days in Llanberis and then finish the week on Anglesey. We had the paddleboards with us and, as usual, didn’t have every day planned. This trip ended up having a bit of everything – beaches, paddleboarding, Snowdon, an unexpected van repair and even a bit of filming for The Witcher.

First Night – Talacre

Our first stop was Talacre, where we stayed overnight on the car park near the lighthouse.

It cost us £10 for the night and I really liked this stop. It’s a large car park right next to the beach, so it was perfect with the dogs and really easy to get straight out for a walk.

There was also a cycle path from here towards Prestatyn. Unfortunately we hadn’t brought the bikes on this trip, but it’s something I’d definitely consider if we stayed again.

Talacre itself felt quite quirky, which I liked.

There were two pubs right by the car park and they had completely different vibes. One was more of a traditional pub and the other had more of an outdoor feel with wooden seating. We didn’t eat in either, but we did stop for drinks.

About five minutes away was a really old-fashioned amusement arcade. It reminded me of the sort of arcades you went to when you were a kid and just added to the slightly quirky feel of the place.

There was also a large caravan site across the road.

For £10 for the night, being right next to the beach and having a couple of pubs within walking distance, I thought Talacre was a great first stop.

Next Stop – Llanberis

On Sunday we left Talacre and headed towards Llanberis, where we were staying at Llanberis Caravan Park.

The site allowed all three dogs, which is always something we have to check when booking. We had a large pitch, received a really nice welcome and the facilities were spotless.

There was also a dog walk on site, which was handy.

The weather was good when we arrived and everything was going well – until we discovered an oil leak on the van.

Not exactly what you want at the beginning of a week away!

We called Green Flag out and managed to arrange for a garage in Llanberis to look at the van the following day.

The Joy of Owning an Older Van!

The next morning we took the van into the garage in Llanberis.

While it was being repaired, we walked towards the lake and found a small takeaway van where we stopped for breakfast.

This was one of those mornings where we didn’t really have a plan and just wandered around. There were sheep casually wandering around the roads, which definitely made us feel like we were in Wales!

Thankfully the van was fixed and the bill came to £130.

Not something we’d budgeted for, but it could have been much worse. Sometimes that’s just the joy of owning a van.

With the van sorted, we could get back to enjoying the trip.

Paddleboarding and the National Slate Museum

With the weather still on our side, we finally got the paddleboards out on the lake.

Llanberis is a fantastic place for paddleboarding and being able to have everything in the van makes days like this so much easier.

We also walked to the National Slate Museum.

The museum was free and much more interesting than I expected. You could easily spend one to two hours looking around.

Dogs were allowed in some areas but not everywhere, so we just took it in turns to go into the areas where they weren’t allowed.

For a free attraction I thought it was definitely worth visiting.

A Very Wet Tuesday

Tuesday was a complete washout.

It rained pretty much all day, so the paddleboards weren’t coming out.

Instead we wrapped up and walked around Llanberis, looked around the shops and headed towards the railway to find out where we needed to go and book our tickets for another day.

One thing I did notice about Llanberis was that it felt quite different to some of the other places we visited during the week.

There were places to eat, but we didn’t really come across the sort of restaurants we later found on Anglesey. Llanberis felt much more geared towards walking, outdoor activities and Snowdon.

There were also areas blocked off while we were there because they were filming The Witcher, which was something we hadn’t expected to see!

A Great Motorhome Stop We Discovered

On Wednesday we moved the van to a car park nearer to where we could access the lake with the paddleboards, around the Llanberis Lagoons area.

While we were there we noticed that the car park had dedicated motorhome spaces for around £16.50, along with a service point.

There was no camping behaviour allowed, so it was somewhere to park and stay rather than somewhere to get chairs, tables and awnings out.

I thought it looked fantastic.

Being self-contained, this is exactly the type of stop that works well for us and I would definitely consider staying there instead if we returned to Llanberis.

It was also really convenient for getting the paddleboards onto the water.

Taking the Railway Up Snowdon

After tiring the dogs out, it was time to do something we’d wanted to do while we were in Llanberis – take the Snowdon Mountain Railway.

Dogs aren’t allowed on the train, which was a shame.

If they had been allowed, I would have loved to take the railway up and then walk back down. Instead, because we needed to get back to the dogs, we travelled both ways on the train.

For the two of us it cost around £80, so it’s not a particularly cheap day out and I would recommend booking in advance.

Unfortunately we didn’t pick the best day for it.

Visibility at the top was poor, so we didn’t get the amazing views you hope for when going up Snowdon. That’s Wales for you though – you can plan the day but you can’t plan the weather.

I’m still glad we did it.

Off to Anglesey

On Thursday we packed everything up again and headed over to Anglesey and Rhosneigr.

The weather had turned windy by this point.

Our campsite was very basic and cost around £30 a night. It was only about a ten-minute walk to the beach though, which was one of the main reasons we’d chosen it.

Another thing you quickly notice around Rhosneigr is the RAF aircraft.

Being close to RAF Valley meant planes were regularly flying overhead. It didn’t bother us and it could actually be a big plus if you’re interested in aircraft.

We noticed people gathering nearby specifically to watch the planes taking off and landing, so it’s obviously a popular area for plane spotters.

After settling in, we took the dogs down to the beach and later got fish and chips to take away.

A pretty good first evening on Anglesey.

The Anglesey Coastal Path

Friday was one of my favourite days of the trip.

We walked along the coastal path and the beaches around this part of Anglesey were gorgeous.

The dogs absolutely loved it.

It was also here that I really noticed the contrast between Rhosneigr and Llanberis.

For quite a small place, Rhosneigr seemed to have a surprising number of really nice places to eat.

That evening we decided to try Sandy Mount House, a beach-themed hotel and restaurant.

The meal was exceptional.

After several days of campsites, walking and eating fairly casually, it was lovely to get dressed and go somewhere a little nicer for the evening.

One Last Paddleboard Before Home

Saturday morning started with another walk on the beach with the dogs before we packed up to begin heading home.

But we weren’t quite finished with Wales.

We decided to go back to Llanberis.

The weather was much calmer than earlier in the week, which gave us another chance to get the paddleboards out on the lake.

It was a lovely way to finish the trip.

After one final paddleboard on the lake, we packed everything away and set off home later that day.

Talacre, Llanberis or Anglesey – Which Did We Prefer?

They were all completely different, which is probably why this route worked so well.

Talacre was quirky, cheap and brilliant for an overnight stop. For £10 we were right next to the beach, had pubs within walking distance and could have cycled to Prestatyn if we’d brought the bikes.

Llanberis was all about being outdoors. Paddleboarding, Snowdon, the Slate Museum and walking were the highlights for us. I also liked discovering the cheaper motorhome parking near the lake, which I would seriously consider using if we went back in the self-contained van.

Rhosneigr on Anglesey felt completely different again. Beautiful beaches and coastal walks, but also some surprisingly good places to eat. Sandy Mount House was probably our best meal of the week.

Would We Do This Wales Trip Again?

Definitely.

Even with an unexpected £130 garage bill, a full day of rain and hardly being able to see anything from the top of Snowdon, it was a really good week.

Having the self-contained van gave us plenty of flexibility. We could use cheaper overnight parking when it suited us but still book campsites when we wanted showers, facilities and somewhere to settle for a few days.

The three dogs came everywhere with us apart from the Snowdon Mountain Railway, and Wales was generally really easy for the type of trip we enjoy.

Beaches, paddleboarding, dog walks, a bit of sightseeing, a nice meal out and not too much planning.

Exactly our sort of week in the van.