If you ever want to test your patience, resilience, and bladder control, go camping. Every year a group of our neighbours do an annual trip to Bala Lake, and last year we somehow got ourselves invited into the madness. (Check out our YouTube for last years trip to Pen Y Bont). This year we returned as “regulars” (does that make us seasoned campers now?) and pitched up at Pen y Bont again, with seven tents, one campervan, about forty humans, and enough marshmallows to fuel a small army.
For our camping essentials see post: https://lifeofrileigh.com/family-camping-essentials-bala-lake-wales/
From the start, it was equal parts stunning weather, hilarious, and unforgettable. The nights though? Absolute baltic. I’m still figuring out how to not wake up with icicles on an airbed. The days? Packed with adventures; from riverside walks and campfire games, to discovering the finest snack of the century (toasted Babybels with pepperoni and biscuits… don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it). We even threw in a spot of plane-spotting in the Mach Loop, canoeing on Bala Lake, and a waterfall swim that felt like something out of a movie.
Of course, no camping trip is complete without a bit of drama: I fell 8ft off a fence trying to “help” rescue David (who was 30ft up a tree chasing a £4.99 foam plane), the kids killed our car battery playing ‘drivers’, and David’s mum and dad ended up bundled in our tent for a couple of nights. Absolute chaos. But honestly? It was bloody brilliant.
Here’s how it all went down…
Day 1 – The Set-Up & The Firepit
We rocked up to Pen y Bont on Bala Lake ready for our annual dose of chaos. Matt and Suzie (the OG organisers and professional party-hosters) had already been there for a couple of nights, tent perfectly pitched like something out of a camping magazine. Then there was us. Cue the bickering that always comes with trying to get tent, poles, pegs, and sanity to all line up at once.
Once the tent was up, we settled in with the first firepit of the trip. Kids ran feral between the pitches, adults cracked open the first cans, and I thought to myself: Here we go!
Day 2 – Games, Walks & Toasted Babybels
Day two started with outdoor games and laughter, the kids happily occupied for hours with a Styrofoam plane and a whistle rocket that might genuinely be the best ten quid ever spent. Who needs iPads when you’ve got foam and a bit of physics!
Later I wandered alone along the River Dee up to Bala town, trying and failing to get Dominic to nap. How is he supposed to sleep with all that water to throw stones in. I swear this kid was a fish in a past life!
That night we discovered the ultimate campfire snack: toasted Babybels with pepperoni sandwiched between biscuits. Honestly, forget Michelin stars, this is five-star camping cuisine. (Wanna see Matt make them, click here!)
AND Let’s not forgot the story tellings of our famous DJ Anto (inside joke😆😉).
Day 3 – Planes, Parks & The Fence Incident
We packed up the gang and drove to the Mach Loop (Cad West) to see jets flying low through the gorge. Sat on a hillside watching fighter planes roar past? Pretty epic tbh, definitely recommend doing this. Pack a lunch, picnic blanket and find out the plane times and chill for a couple of hours on the hills.
Then it all descended into classic chaos. At the park afterwards, David decided to channel his inner squirrel and climb 30ft up a tree to rescue the foam plane. I, like the responsible adult I am, tried to help by climbing an 8ft fence. Spoiler: the fence snapped. Down I went, straight onto my tailbone. Let’s just say I spent the rest of the trip walking like a penguin. Still, we laughed about it round the campfire later that night.
Day 4 – Canoes & Cold Dips
Canoeing on Bala Lake was a highlight. We hired a four-person canoe for £40 an hour (life jackets included), and nearly the whole camp ended up out on the water. It was calm, stunning, and one of those “yep, this is what life’s about” moments.
Of course, campers couldn’t resist a water fight followed by Matt, David and Evelyn jumping into the lake in the last five minutes. Let’s just say Evelyn’s face when she hit the icy water is now immortalised on TikTok instant regret 😂. Afterwards, we wandered up to a hotel on the hill, where the kids ran wild in the park and the adults finally got their hands on a proper pint (or wine, in my case).
Day 5 – Waterfalls & Fish and Chips
We headed out to Rhiwargor Waterfall, just a 20-minute walk to reach the bottom pool. It was stunning, water tumbling down into a natural swimming spot. Some of us climbed higher up the staggered fall side to find more pools every 20ft or so. It felt like we’d stumbled onto a film set.
Afterwards we picked up the best fish and chips with curry sauce on the way back to camp, then rounded off the trip with a big firepit night: beer pong for the adults, pop pong for the kids. Pure chaos. Pure joy. Utter Knacked-ness!
Day 6 – Packing Up & The Scenic Route Home
The final day was all about packing up. It was actually going pretty smoothly… until the kids decided to play ‘drivers’ in the car and flattened the battery by pressing every button in sight. Off we went to buy jump leads (always add them to the camping kit list).
Once we finally got moving, I took us on the most scenic drive through the Welsh countryside, rolling hills, winding lanes, and a pit stop at Aled Isaf Reservoir. Absolutely gorgeous landscape. Of course, I later realised we’d missed another nearby waterfall. Typical. But hey, gives us a reason to go back, doesn’t it!
Camping is never easy. It’s freezing at night, messy, and there’s always a minor disaster (or three). But with almost 40 of us, endless laughs, and kids making memories they’ll talk about for years, I wouldn’t change a thing. We came home tired, bruised (me especially), but with our hearts full. And that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?
Bring on camping trip 2026! 🏕🍻
What summer travel did you all have? Any UK holiday destinations you would recommend? 🏖📌