Address : Shell Island, Llanbedr, Gwynedd, North Wales, LL45 2PJ
Phone : 01341 241 453
Website : www.shellisland.co.uk
No of pitches : No nominated pitches, camp where you like as long as you are no closer than 20 metres to the next family. Caters for approx 800+ families

Caravan quotient : Zero, no caravans allowed
Opening times : March to October
How to book : On Arrival only.  Cannot pre book
Typical prices : Adults £6.00 per night, Children £2.50 per night, changes during peak season, reductions for OAPs and students
Toilets etc : Large toilet block, large separate shower block, portaloos in peak season across site
Other facilities : Launderette, Pub with Sky TV and off license facilities, Restaurant, snack bar, games room, supermarket, camping accessories shop, gift shop, children’s outdoor play area, washing up facilities. Cash back from the reception office

Dogs allowed : Yes (no more than 2 per family), £1.50 per dog per night
Campfires allowed : Fires on the beaches only, BBQ’s must be raised off the ground

Midge rating (5 for midge hell, 0 if none at all) : 0

Best thing about this campsite

The clue’s in the title. How you can get some many different types of shells on one beach is way beyond me.  Then when the tide comes in and covers the main entrance road the name comes to fruition. Shell Island is a family run campsite with a friendly welcome. You are not restricted on the size of your pitch or the amount of tents you take, as long as you camp 20 metres away from the next family. Every tent is no more than a two minute walk away from the surrounding beaches with literally hundreds of different types of shells washed up on the North facing beach, and some of the highest sand dunes in Wales can be found here

Ambience

A family oriented campsite run by a family. The campsite is based on families simply having fun together and relaxing in the Snowdonia National Park, ranging from playing cricket in the field to playing on the beach, this is reflected throughout the amenities on site. The warden has a zero tolerance of noise after 11pm. Campers are openly invited to report any nuisance neighbours to the onsite security team

Activities

Crabbing on the causeway road or harbour wall can generate hours of fun. Wandering through the too numerous to count rock pools catching small shell fish such as shrimps and prawns and taking them back to the tent to cook. Take the kids down onto the beach and collect all the different types of shells. Try fishing in the estuary or from the beach. The Rhinog Mountains are less than 15 minutes drive away and provide excellent walking. Castles such as Harlech, Caernarfon, and Criccieth are easily accessed. During the week at peak season the management team run a set of entertainment programs in the holiday complex at night. The onsite sailing club also run a gala day once a year

Food and drink

There is a snack bar and restaurant on site with good quality food and prices. Food is served from breakfast time and therefore the snack bar can get very heavily overly subscribed at times.  The onsite supermarket also sells a large array of food along with locally caught fresh fish, lobsters and crabs. The onsite pub sells a wide range of beers, wines and spirits and also has an off license. The nearest pub is the Victoria in the local village Llanbedr 2 miles away Local villages and towns towards Harlech or Barmouth provide many more local pubs that are tourist friendly with family rooms

Kids' stuff
There’s a great outdoor play area for the kids with safe bark on the ground the is located at the centre of the Island and next to all the shops and amenities. Grab a bucket, a net and a packet of bacon and go crabbing on the causeway road or the harbour wall and try and catch bigger crabs than the kids next to you. On the south end of the Island are wonderful long sand dunes beaches for running down or sledging down. Local castles such as Harlech, Criccieth and Caernarfon are a great way to spend a day.  The water falls and reservoir towards Cwm NantCol provide excellent site seeing and walking.

Unexpected delight
On a warm summer night, grab a chair, a bottle of wine and sit on the beach listening to the tide and watch the sunset over the Lleyn Peninsula it  will bring you back year after year. Get up early on a calm summer morning and you can be lucky enough to watch the porpoises or the seals from the North beach.

 

Potential drawback
This campsite is the biggest campsite in Europe with over 300 acres of land to camp on so there are a lot of people that know about this part of the world. Get there early to ensure getting on and don’t get caught out by the tide. The tide times are listed on the website

If the heavens open

Put your wellies and coat on. The onsite holiday complex is open all day every day from 9am with a games room including a bar, snack bar and Sky TV. Most of North Wales is very easily accessible from Shell Island making Shell Island an excellent location to base your holiday around. 

Top tip

Watch the tide times. The tide covers the entrance road at least 2 weeks in every month. Get there early to book in at the weekends and during peak season as camping is based on a first come first served basis. Don’t camp on the high open areas just because the view looks better than you’ve seen before. When the winds come in your tent will be the first one flattened

How to get there

By car, from Barmouth follow the A496 to Llanbedr, turn left before the bridge following the sign to Shell Island or Mochras. By train, catch the Pwllheli train from Shrewsbury, requesting a stop at Llanbedr. If you phone Shell Island reception and let them know you are travelling by train they will collect you and your camping equipment from Llanbedr train station. By bus, the No 38 bus service Between Barmouth and Blaenau Ffestiniog calls at Llanbedr.  Shell Island is 2 miles from Llanbedr village