Caerfai Campsite, Pembrokeshire, Wales

“People think I’m a bit of a crank – they have done for years”, Caerfai’s Wyn Evans told me as he pushed open the gate to the three fields he lets out to campers on his 140-acre organic farm. After I spent the morning inspecting some of Wyn’s innovative home-made technologies – listening to him quote kilowatt efficiency ratings by the dozen – I could see why he is thought of as a maverick...


One of a kind: Caerfai Campsite Photo: Richard Hammond Pride of place is his ‘biodigester’, which uses the gas produced from his agitated cow slurry to run an aga and provide half the energy for sterilising the cow’s milking machine. He’s installed a ground-source heat pump in the campsite shower block that’s powered by a rickety old wind turbine and the heat for the water is provided by solar panels. But campers don’t come to Caerfai campsite to hear about kilowatt hours and biodigesters. They come for the location. The campsite backs onto the Pembrokeshire coastal path overlooking St Brides Bay. Jump over a style in a corner of the site and it’s just 200yds to Caerfai Bay, a beautiful sandy beach, and the path continues for hours along this stunning coast. There were just a handful of campers when I visited in mid-September. Morgen and Rob from Ireland had picked the best spot at the far end of the site overlooking the sea. They told me that they’ve been camping together for 23 years “and not found a better site than Caerfai”. As well as the sea view, they said they really appreciate the absence of bright artificial lights “so you get a wonderful view of the night’s sky” and that caravans are banned so there are no electric hook ups, “so it’s much quieter than other campsites”. They’re also fans of the farm’s organic Cheddar and Caerfilly Cheese, which is sold in the small onsite shop as well as a selection of other mostly organic and locally produced food. But what I really like about Caerfai is that it is utterly understated. Unless you dig around on an inspection trip like I did, you’d hardly know about the site’s eco credentials - unlike so many other places that have jumped on the green bandwagon. But then Wyn doesn’t have to boast. The campsite’s natural grasslands, the glorious Pembrokeshire Footpath and the unspoilt sandy beach at Caerfai Bay say it all. Costs £6.50 per person per night or £4.50 if you arrive on foot. www.cawscaerfai.co.uk; tel: 01437 720548. Caerfai Campsite was a finalist in the 'Best Places to Stay' category in the Times Green Spaces Awards.

For the list of winners, see The Times Green Spaces Winners are....