Pembrey Country Park

Three hundred acres of woodland, grassland and beach that feels genuinely wild for South Wales. Pembrey sprawls across dunes and pine forest near Burry Port, the kind of place where you can spend a full day without quite running out of things to do - or you can duck in for a couple of hours between other stops on a Carmarthenshire trip.

The beach itself is the main draw. A proper sandy stretch that gets busy in summer but never feels rammed, backed by dunes you can scramble up for views across Carmarthen Bay. Inland, there's a decent network of walking trails through the pines, some flat and easy, others with proper gradient if you fancy working for it. Mountain biking routes too, though you'll need to check current conditions.

It's free to access, which is why families camp in the area and use it as their daily haunt. The Caravan and Motorhome Club site sits right on the park boundary, with Shoreline and Parkdean just down the road if you want something more commercial. Kids will entertain themselves for hours on the beach and exploring the woodland paths; older walkers appreciate the quieter inland trails.

Pembrey works best as part of a wider Carmarthenshire push rather than a destination in itself. The beach is good without being spectacular, and the woodland is pleasant rather than dramatic. Pair it with the nearby attractions and you've got a solid day sorted. Go early or late to miss the school holidays crush.