At Top of the Wood campsite in Pembrokeshire Wales, our camping guests just can't get enough of paddleboarding. What better way to get outdoors, escape everyday stresses and go on an adventure with family and friends?
Here is the inside-view of our favourite top 3 paddleboarding spots close to the campsite. You can do this self-guided or take the hassle out of it all and book our Find Your Wild Weekends , an all-inclusive adventure weekends in Nature.
We offer a Wild SUP Safari on the river for beginners and a Wild Sea Sup Adventure, for those more experienced.
We organise everything: the expert guides; all the equipment hire; the accommodation; and georgous food for the weekend. All you have to do is just turn up with your buddies for your weekend staycation and start your paddleboard adventure!
With its stunning, unspoiled coastline, hidden magical caves, and beautiful historic rivers packed with wildlife, Pembrokeshire in Wales must be one of the best spots for SUP paddle boarders.
Here is the insiders guide to the best SUP spots in Pembrokeshire and Cardigan!
1. SUP paddleboarding down the River Teifi Gorge
A nature haven with castles and industrial history
What level of SUP paddleboarding? Perfect for paddleboarding beginners.
How to get there: Add SA43 2SL to your sat nav or Google maps
What does it cost?: Free
Things to note?: It can get busy in the summer.
Tide times: Find out more about Cardigan Town Tide Times.
Facilities: Free toilets, parking & a picnic area.
Food: Order a picnic from the best village shop in Wales, Siop y Pentre. (It’s at the top of the hill.) You can even scan your order by the riverside & then pick it up on your return. The shop is worth a visit, it has a great selection of local artisan food & inspiring eco products. Or, alternatively, pop into Adele’s café on the Cilgerran High Street, which serves good home-cooked food.
How to get into the water: From the car park, you can launch your paddleboard easily with steps to the waterside. The Teifi is a tidal river; if you go downstream towards Cardigan and the Teifi Nature reserve, some areas can be shallow & muddy if the tide is too low, whereas upstream of the car park to Llechryd Bridge, the river is less tidal.
What to expect on your SUP trip?
Timings > 1.5 - 2 hours (approx)
The Teifi river runs through a spectacular gorge for the last 3 miles from Ceredigion into Pembrokeshire, flowing past the industrial history of slate quarrying, the magnificent 13th Century fortress, Cilgerran Castle, through the Teifi Nature reserve, via Cardigan Town and on towards the Celtic Sea.
The Teifi is a tidal river with an ancient tradition of coracle fishing for sewin (sea trout). The river towards Cardigan has been classed as a Site of Specific Interest (SSSI) to protect its geology and natural habitat. Look out for kingfishers and herons, and if you’re lucky, you may even spot an otter.
Can I get an all-inclusive SUP holiday?
If you’d prefer to have it all planned out for you, this route has inspired our Find Your Wild River SUP Safari all-inclusive holiday, where you can choose to glamping or camping for your accommodation.
Perfect for beginners, before you even hit the water, you learn how to paddle on land to build your confidence. On the water, the qualified instructor will show you how to connect with the natural surroundings and control your standup paddleboard, before starting your SUP safari adventure.
You’ll be Instagramming your best SUP yoga poses before you know it. 🧘
2. Paddleboarding from St Dogmael village to Poppit sands and back
Paddle the river Teifi and see estuary wildlife, as you head out to the the Celtic Sea.
What level of paddleboarding? Perfect for those who wants to build up more experience on their paddleboard.
How to get there: SA43 3LF - the postcode is for the Ferry Inn at St Dogmael. From the pub go on for a further 50 metres until you see a floating pontoon and slipway with a mermaid sculpture.
Parking: There is some free parking here, but it gets busy during the summer.
Tide times: Find out more about the Cardigan Town Tide Times.
Facilities: The closest public toilets are at Poppit Sands Beach.
Food – The Ferry Inn at St Dogmael offers good pub food & great views of the estuary. Owned by one of the best bakers in Cardigan Town, CRWST Café at Poppit Sands Beach serves up amazing doughnuts with options for veggies & vegans too.
How to get into the water - Start at St Dogmael's village jetty for an easy launch point and follow the estuary downstream. This will take you to Poppit Sands Beach.
What to expect on your SUP trip?
Timings > 2 hours approx (1hr to Poppit Sands Beach & 1 hour back to St Dogmael).
This standup paddleboarding journey made my top 3 as it offers an amazing opportunity to enjoy a beautiful stretch of the River Teifi and its emergence into the Celtic Sea at Poppit Sands Beach. The broad, clear estuary waters provide more shelter on your paddleboard as you come towards the sea, giving you time to take in some estuary birdwatching. Look out for curlew, egrets & sandpipers.
Once you get to Poppit Sands Beach, relax and have a picnic with your gang. Then you can paddleboard back up the river estuary to your original launch point at St Dogmael's village, or make it a one-way trip and finish at the beach.
The estuary waters are tidal and can be fast flowing through the narrower stretches when the tide is running. Ideally, your trip needs to be made an hour on either side of high tide. If the tide is against you - where the river passes through a narrower channel before opening out into the Poppit Sands Bay - it is easy to haul out onto the riverside and walk past this point along the shore.
Is there an organised SUP trip?
Yes, if you like the sound of paddleboarding in the celtic sea, then the Sea SUP Adventure Glamping Holiday is for you. This paddleboard adventure is designed for those with experience in SUP paddleboarding. Remember everything is included in your stay, an expert paddleboard guide. equipment hire, camping or glamping accomodation and your food for the weekend - so just turn up and have your paddleboard adventure with your besties!
3. Standup Paddleboarding at Ceibwr Bay, the Witches Cauldron & the Irish Sea
See dramatic coastlines, wildlife and legends
What level of paddleboarding? - For those experienced in stand up paddleboarding on the sea.
How to get there: Google Ceibwr Bay, Cardigan
Parking: Car parking is along a narrow road by the beach.
Tide times: Check out the Ceibwr Bay Bech Tide Times.
Facilities – No facilities. There is only a wild beach & dramatic coastline! 😊
Food: Bring a packed lunch or head to Newport (Pembrokeshire), where there are plenty of good foodie options before or after your paddleboarding. The Golden Lion on the High Street does great pub food and one of my favourite cafes is Blas at Fronlas.
How to get into the water: If you have parked your car on the road close by to the Ceibwr beach it’s less than a minute’s walk to the pebbly beach with your paddleboard and it’s easy to get into the water from the shore.
What to expect on your SUP trip?
Timings > 2 hours (approx)
Plan for no longer than 2 hours in total, as it can be tiring paddleboarding on the sea. Always keep safe on the water and don’t get overtired.
Part of the National Trust’s Pembrokeshire Coastal National Park, Ceibwr Bay is particularly spectacular with its folded rocks created by glacial erosion down to the bay and out into the Irish Sea.
Explore the myriad of sea caves on your paddleboard, including the famous Pwll-y-wrach, or Witches Caldron, a collapsed sea cave south of the beach. Depending on the light, the water looks greeny-blue creating a magical experience. According to folklore, this is where an old sea witch lives who will eat anyone brave enough to venture into her cave. You have been warned. 😉
This area of the Pembrokeshire coastline is rich in wildlife with cliffs providing breeding grounds for fulmars & choughs. Along the rocks is a good place to spot seals during breeding season or the Cardigan Bay dolphins, who roam the coast all year round.
(For a good SUP experience, just a note to always be respectful of nature and don’t disturb the wildlife. If a seal comes close to you, it might be protecting young pups so keep a safe distance.)
Which SUP holiday?
If you like the sound of this trip, then you’ll also love our Sea SUP Adventure Glamping Holiday, which includes a guided Sea SUP experience, glamping accommodation and delicious food during your weekend stay.
10 Stand-up Paddleboarding Safety Tips
All our standup paddleboarding holidays are guided by trained instructors to keep you safe. But if you’re heading off on a SUP paddleboarding trip on your own, follow our top 10 safety tips:
Check your equipment is in good condition and suitable for the paddleboard journey.
Wear appropriate clothing - dress with the assumption you will fall into the water.
Always wear a leash, a simple cord that attaches to the rear of your board and then connects to your ankle. If you fall off your SUP board, this ensures it cannot drift away from you.
Always wear a buoyancy aid or personal flotation device.
Take a phone and keep it in a dry pack.
Check the weather. If it’s windy on the sea, you can always try the river option upstream.
Paddle with a friend.
Check local knowledge.
Check the tide times for the three locations in Wales above, as all the journeys are impacted by the tide.
Always let someone know where you are going and your anticipated return time, so they can raise the alarm if you don’t arrive when expected.
Wild River Trek - Perfect for adventurers in the wild
Wild Gin Weekend - Perfect for gin lovers and foragers
Wild Coastal Foraging - Perfect for foodies and wild foraging
Wild Coasteering - Perfect for adrenalin lovers
Top of the Woods Provides the Best Eco Luxury Glamping & Camping Holidays in Pembrokeshire and Cardigan Bay in Wales, UK. Sustainable Staycations. Beaches. Nature. Woodlands. Dog Friendly.