Meet the owners - South Wales Touring Park, Llwynifan Farm

A small 25-pitch, adults only touring park situated in Llangennech near Llanelli, Llwynifan Farm is ideal for exploring the Gower peninsula and Brecon Beacons. We spoke to the site’s owner Hywel Davies to find out more about the south Wales campsite…

How long have you been running your campsite for?
Myself and my sister Cathrin own and run the site. We took over in 2011 after our father passed away. The Davies family had originally bought the Llwynifan Farm smallholding in 1976, starting a small campsite in the mid-1980s.

Tell us a little about your site and how it first began?
We have developed the site into an award-winning 25-pitch caravan park with 10 fully serviced pitches. In 2020, South Wales Touring Park was named Regional Winner for Wales in the Top 100 Sites. Cathrin and her family now live in the main farmhouse and I have a converted cow shed. Some of the fields are rented out to a local farmer.

What did you do before becoming the owner of this site?
Before taking on the family business, I worked at Walt Disney World, Epcot Centre in Florida, as a Cultural Representative for Wales. I have an official ‘Duckterate’ in Management and Communications signed by Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse!

What do you like most about being a campsite owner/manager?
I really enjoy running the park. We try to make upgrades every year, based on the feedback we get from our guest questionnaires.

What are the challenges?
Lockdown has without question been the biggest challenge to date. It was absolutely horrendous. The hardest thing for me was phoning customers who had bookings and telling them they couldn’t come. It’s the opposite to what I usually say and it broke my heart.

What is a typical day like for you?
It’s been a bit different because of lockdown but I didn’t stop working during lockdown, however. I worked like a Trojan! I cleaned out our big shed and re-did the chemical emptying point, which you can’t do when you’re open and as we’re open all year round it’s been difficult to get the opportunity to upgrade it. I also worked on the boot wash, the new dog shower, painted everything in sight and got ready for reopening with markings on the floor, virtual welcome packs and a payment system. We now fog the toilets every day and want people to feel safe. When people leave we spray the bollards and picnic benches. Adapting to become Covid safe has been a challenge but we’ve achieved it!

What do feel makes your site special and appealing to the guests who return every year?
Our guests return year after year, as they enjoy the tranquillity of the park, and also its location, it is easy to get from here to any part of southwest Wales. We also always try and ensure that our guests have the most from their stay with us, and do what we can to make their stay as enjoyable and relaxing as possible.

What do you love about the region your site is based in? Do you have any favourite locations/attractions?
The park is centrally located to visit any attraction in south and west Wales, from Cardiff and the valleys to the east, all parts of Pembrokeshire to our west, the Towy Valley and the Brecon Beacons to our north and the Gower peninsula to the south. We have so many favourite places it is hard to list them. Hywel enjoys Llandeilo, partly because there is a shop there called Heavely, that sells chocolate! Cathrin enjoys going to the National Botanic Garden of Wales, and walking round the lakes as it is peaceful.

What do you like to do on a rare day off?
When I’m not running the touring park, I am into physical fitness. I typically go to the gym (when it’s open) at 5am each morning and I’m currently trying to do crossfit!