Cae Du Campsite

After spending one night wild camping in Anglesey we decided to visit Snowdonia National Park. We thought we might wild camp again but in the end elected to book a night at Cae Du campsite just outside Beddgelert. There is another campsite called Cae Du, also in North Wales in Tywyn so I wanted to make it clear which one we are reviewing.

Cae Du Campsite Beddgelert – Initial Impressions

The campsite is situated in a very scenic part of North Wales and close to the popular village of Beddgelert. I’ve always liked Beddgelert and I think this campsite is lucky to be located so close to such a popular place. If you visit Beddgelert you must try the ice cream at Glaslyn Ices! The main image at the top of this article was taken at Cae Du campsite so you get an idea of the views here. During our visit, a week day in May, the site was far from full. Indeed we only booked it an hour before arriving. I’m assuming it might be busier at weekends. I’ve heard that midges can be a problem at this campsite but that will largely depend on the season you are visiting.

Cae Du Campsite Beddgelert – Facilities

The motorhome pitches are hard standing with electric. There is a shower block but I never had the chance to use it. The showers and toilets are in different rooms and whilst the toilets are open during the night the shower block is locked. I had hoped for an early morning shower and ended up using the one in the Adria Twin instead. There is a dish washing area, laundry and chemical disposal point.

Unfortunately mobile data signal is virtually non existent at this campsite. I have two phones, one on EE (via BT Mobile) and one on O2 (via Giffgaff) and I could not connect to the internet on either. Internet access can be purchased at £5.00 for 24 hours which I feel is very expensive. Based on other reviews I’ve read the signal is not reliable which makes the cost even harder to bear. It should be noted that there is also a £10.00 security deposit for a card to operate the barrier outside opening hours. If you want to invite friends to visit you on site during your stay there is an additional charge, and the charge seems excessive.

There is also a sense that this campsite is slow to move with the times. Most of us use the internet these days to research and decide where to stay. At the time of writing Cae Du campsite only has a holding page for a website with no information about facilities, prices etc. It means you will need to call them to find out if it’s somewhere you might want to stay.

Cae Du Campsite Beddgelert – Summary

My overriding impression of Cae Du campsite is that it has great potential that it’s not fulfilling. I’ve read other reviews where a female staff member is described as rude. I certainly did not encounter any such issues but I was dealing with a male member of staff who seemed friendly and welcoming. I get the sense that the campsite relies on its proximity to Beddgelert and doesn’t really try too hard to wow the customer. In terms of value for money I feel club sites tend to offer more. Certainly the charge extras like wifi and visitors does seem expensive.

There is another option close to Beddgelert called Beddgelert campsite which is a forest holiday campsite. I’ve actually stayed there some years ago when it was booked via Camping and Caravanning Club under their arrangement with Camping in the Forest. Looking at their website facilities seem at least as good and basic wifi is included for free with premium wifi costing the same as Cae Du campsite.

What are your experiences of Cae Du campsite? Maybe you’ve spent longer here than our one night and can give our readers your honest opinion.