Ty Hedfan

• Sleeps: 6
• Bedrooms: 4
• Bathrooms: 3
• Minimum stay: 3 nights

Hidden away in the Welsh hills, five miles from the magnificent Brecon Beacons National Park, is Ty Hedfan – a stunning family home surrounded by beautiful woodland. Its award-winning design uses contemporary architecture to complement this age-old setting, creating a heavenly retreat from modern life.

Designed for guests to experience the glory of the woodland from inside, Ty Hedfan has been sympathetically constructed to integrate the house’s design with the natural landscape, a feature that won it the Royal Institute of British Architects Award in 2011.

The unique experience begins in the spectacular entrance hall where floor-to-ceiling windows offer views over the garden and river beyond. Colourful timber and metal stairs, cantilevered out of the wall, lead to the upstairs bedrooms, while a second set leads to the beautiful garden. You’ll also notice the stunning flagstone floor is warmed by underfloor heating, a feature that continues throughout the whole house – perfect for when things get a little nippy in the Welsh countryside!

Ty Hedfan’s real boasting point is undoubtedly the living room, constructed to hover in the trees over the River Ysgir. Floor-to-ceiling windows on all sides provide a triple aspect of the surrounding woodland, while full-sized sliding doors take you to an idyllic sundeck to get even closer to nature.  Glorious in the summer thanks to stunning views and cosy in the winter thanks to the suspended open fire, an evening curled up here is like no other.

The modern, open-plan kitchen and dining area is fully equipped with high-specification conveniences and a laundry room to the side.  Sliding doors lead to the sundeck, complete with BBQ and dining set for al fresco meals among the trees, but if you need a break from cooking, that’s no problem.  An excellent gastro-pub – The Griffin at FelinFach – is only 10-15 minutes away, while The Hardwick and The Walnut Tree are within a 40-minute drive.

Above the kitchen are two of Ty Hedfan’s four bedrooms.  The large, comfortable master bedroom comes with its own bespoke en-suite bathroom and separate WC. Next door, a single bed is ideal for keeping young children close to their parents in this large home; the room also has its own en-suite shower.

The remaining two bedrooms – a double en-suite and a super-king – are found on the ground floor at the far end of the house.  They are truly magnificent, with light flooding through the sliding doors that lead out to the riverside sundeck.  Roof lights, carefully positioned above the beds, allow sleepy dreamers to gaze at the bright, starry sky as they drift off at night. 

If you can drag yourself away from the beauty and comfort of Ty Hedfan, you’ll find an extensive list of activities right on your doorstep.  In the Brecon Beacons, turn your hand to canoeing, potholing, fishing, horse riding and even golf.  Walkers will be in their element with a range of valleys and peaks to conquer (including Pen Y Fan, the highest peak in South Britain), while mountain bikers can rack up miles and miles of amazing trails throughout the national park.

We haven’t even begun to cover the shopping in Hay-on-Wye, the Welsh Botanic Gardens and the numerous castles to visit, or the fact that a little further afield is the beautiful Gower Peninsula, the Pembrokeshire coast, and – within a couple of hours – the mountains of Snowdonia.

In all, with the combination of this idyllic location and the truly inspired design of Ty Hedfan, there is no doubt that a visit here is an experience you’ll want to repeat again and again.

Things to note

Midweek and weekend bookings, mid-week breaks dependent on availability, Friday is changeover day, no pets permitted, parties of more than 6 people are generally not accepted, no hen/stag parties.  

At a glance

• Award-winning architect-designed house in wooded hills of PontFaen, five miles from Brecon and Brecon Beacons National Park
• Sleeps a maximum of 6 (including babies/children) in four rooms
• Unique living room designed to ‘hover’ among trees over River Ysgir, with floor-to-ceiling windows and triple-aspect views
• Ideally situated for a host of outdoor activities in the Brecon Beacons, including walking, mountain biking, horse riding and water sports
• 1 hour from Gower Peninsula and Pembrokeshire coast; 2 hours from Snowdonia National Park

Features

• Family Friendly