Welcome to Blaenau, our 16th Century Traditional Welsh Longhouse, where all of our horse riding holidays start and finish. Some lucky guests get to stay here too – our weekend and midweek breaks are based here, and the Trans-Wales Trail starts and finishes with a stay at Blaenau.
We love welcoming riding holiday guests to our traditional Welsh Longhouse, Blaenau (pronounced ‘Bly-nye’ to rhyme with fly). Built from stone from a quarry just upstream, at the best guess it has probably been a home to people for nearly 400 years, and everyone agrees there is something special about this long low house built on the rock next to the stream. We’ve kept the traditional character while renovating the guest annexe to the highest standard.
We have four rooms in the guest annexe, each with their own en-suite shower room, which can be made up as twins or as super-king doubles using the zip& link mattresses. The rooms have been sympathetically renovated from the old barns that were attached to the main house (the far end of the house) and have been recently awarded 4 stars by Visit Wales.
There’s plenty of hot water, Welsh blankets, fluffy pillows, 100% cotton linen and goosedown duvets to make sure you’ll sleep like a baby. The house is heated with a wood biomass boiler, so in the winter you’ll be cosy and warm.
A comfortable lounge provides space for guests to relax and socialise in the evening, and both breakfast and dinner are taken in our garden room overlooking the stream at the back of the house.
FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD!
Over the years we have earned a reputation for some of the finest food to be found anywhere on a horse riding holiday. Luckily you will have the chance to ride off the extra calories!
All meals are fully inclusive in your holiday here. We can cater for vegetarians and any special dietary requirements – just let us know when you book.
Paul makes a loaf of sourdough bread every morning, and our eggs are from our own chickens. It is really important to us that we use locally and ethically sourced produce wherever possible. We produce our own pork and lamb on a small scale, and when that’s not to hand we use the local butcher down in the village.
Our teenage son Nye is a vegan so we are happy cooking up plant-based feasts too.
You are welcome to bring along your own wine or beer to enjoy with your evening meal, and there is a Co-op store in Talgarth which is open until 10pm which sells a good range of drinks.
NIGHTLIFE
Okay, so there isn’t much!
After a long day riding, most guests are content with a glass of wine or two by the wood-burner in the lounge after dinner and a debrief on the day’s riding adventures, but it has been known for groups to head off through the fields down to the pub for a pre-dinner aperitif – we are always happy to pick you up to save the steep walk back!
Around the farm there are many lovely walks, and beautiful waterfalls very nearby.
We also have a DVD player with a range of films, plus Netflix, so you are very welcome to relax with a film, and we have plenty of books you are welcome to borrow.
