Tything Barn: The Naturist Escape That’s Been Hiding in Pembrokeshire

Sometimes I spend hours looking at flights to Spain, Portugal or Croatia and then discover somewhere that makes me wonder why I was looking at an airport at all. Tything Barn Naturist Retreat is tucked away in Pembrokeshire, surrounded by 23 acres of its own private nature reserve beside the Carew River. Meadows, old limestone quarries, salt marsh, tidal water and winding paths replace swimming-pool rows and resort entertainment.

This isn’t naturism added to a campsite as an attraction — the whole place feels built around the rather lovely idea of simply slowing down and living closer to nature.

And I think that’s what would get me. I could wake up, wander outside without immediately thinking about clothes, take my coffee towards the water and decide that the day’s urgent itinerary consists of absolutely nothing. Or I could launch a kayak or paddleboard from the foreshore at high tide, explore the estuary, follow the paths looking for wildlife, swim, play badminton, croquet or boules, and eventually end up around the communal campfire. Tything Barn even keeps artificial lighting low at night because of the area’s dark skies — on a clear night you can see the Milky Way. That sounds suspiciously like my sort of evening.

You don’t even have to be committed to sleeping under canvas. There are pitches for tents, caravans and motorhomes, with electric hook-up available, but also two self-contained wooden cabins beside the marsh and two cottages within the historic farmstead. And when curiosity eventually persuades you to put some clothes on, Pembrokeshire is waiting outside: coastal walks, sandy beaches, castles, wildlife and places such as Carew are close enough to turn a few quiet naturist days into a proper Welsh escape. Tything Barn describes itself as family-friendly, pet-friendly and clothing optional, so it feels much more like somewhere to settle into than somewhere you’re expected to perform naturism in a particular way.

Perhaps that is the real attraction. We sometimes imagine a naturist holiday needs an aircraft, blazing Mediterranean sunshine and a foreign postcode to feel like an adventure. Yet here is a naturist retreat in one of the most beautiful corners of Wales, welcoming people since 1979, where the tide determines part of your day, curlews provide the soundtrack and apparently even the stars are allowed to show off. I think I’d arrive planning a weekend and immediately regret not booking longer.

Could Tything Barn tempt you to swap the airport queue for a Pembrokeshire naturist escape?