This retired British Telecom canteen truck brings a vintage charm to its quiet Pembrokeshire glade

This tranquil spot is just right for a comfortable stay in the woodland - the retro feel of the converted truck, with its rustic, floral décor and homely touches, will take you back in time and the numerous little compartments and well equipped interior hark back to its functional past. The cosy glade has a picnic table, a spacious outdoor bathroom with hot shower, and it’s so private you can even leave the door open for a view out to the trees! Chickens and ducks wander around freely and Daisy and Scruff, the resident kune kune pigs always appreciate an apple from the orchard and maybe a scratch behind the ear...

Ffynnon Samson really is an experience in itself, with activities aplenty right on site. Bring the kids along in their own tent to play on the tyre swings and feed the animals. Rent a pet, collect your own eggs, splash around in the river, and then at the end of the day, watch the sunset from the top of a hay bale. Bring a pen knife and spend your evenings whittling away or toasting marshmallows by the open fire. Even the rain won't have a chance to spoil your day as there’s enough space inside the truck for the whole family to sit around the table for a game of scrabble. Matt and Emma have made sure that everything is perfect for your stay - they want you to love Matilda just as much as they do!

• Esentials
• Getting there
• Eating & Drinking
• Things to do
• Booking terms
• Meet your hosts

The essentials

The important stuff

• Check in is from 3pm
• Check out is before 10:30am
• Ducks and chickens roam free on the site and may well pop in!

Sleeping arrangements

Double bed. Up to 4 extra guests can rent the bell tent at a surcharge of £30 or bring your own tent for £15. Please call to enquire.

Kids & Pets

Children welcome. Sorry no pets.

Surcharges

There is a surcharge of £30 to rent the bell tent (including bedding) or a surcharge of £15 for your own tent.

Cooking

• 2 ring hob and oven in truck
• Heavy duty 2 ring hob outside
• Open fire
• Cool box with ice packs

Washing

• Washing up sink in truck
• Full size outside sink
• Bathroom hut with hot shower
• Compost loo

Heating, lighting & bedding

• Wood burner
• Electric lighting in truck from PV panel
• Candles and solar fairy lights for bathroom
• Double duvet and bedding included

Entertainment

• Boules, cards and scrabble in truck

Getting there

Ffynnon Samson, Llangolman, Pembrokeshire, SA66 7QL

By public transport

The nearest train station is Clynderwen (4 miles) and the nearest bus station is at Haverfordwest (13 miles). Pick-ups can be arranged free of charge.

By car

From the South

Approx 2 miles after driving through Llanddewi Velfrey on the A40 you reach a roundabout called Penblewin. Take the 3rd exit A478 towards Clunderwen & Cardigan (Aberteifi). Drive through Clunderwen and the next village of Llandissilio. Carry on for a further 2 miles until you reach Efailwen (this is signed but there isn't much evidence of any houses! Shortly after the sign take the left turn signposted Llangolman. Follow this road for two miles, it runs fairly straight downhill and then steepens and becomes more wiggly until you cross a bridge. Keep to the road as it climbs up the other side of the river and make sure you take the left fork signed Llangolman. Drive through the village and up a slight incline until you see some more houses (roughly 500 yards past the edge of the village). Immediately after the red tin cottage and the large white house (both on your left) turn left down a small country lane. Follow this for a further mile and a half down through a number of tight bends and back up a slight incline. You pass a house on your left called Iet Fawr and as you climb you will see a barn conversion on your right. Drive past this and Ffynnon Sampson is immediately afterwards on the right. Pull into the large drive - you have arrived!

From the North

Pass through Crymych on the A478 from Cardigan (Aberteifi) to Narberth (Arberth). After 5 miles you start to descend off the Preseli hills. You will see a large garage to the left of the road (Glandy Cross) and a pub to the right (the Cross Inn). Immediately after the Cross Inn take the second right towards Llangolman (NOT Mynachlogddu). Drive half a mile to the end of this road and turn right, again towards Llangolman. Follow this road for a mile, downhill and increasingly wiggly until you cross a bridge. Keep to the road as it climbs up the other side of the river and make sure you take the left fork signed Llangolman. Drive through the village and up a slight incline until you see some more houses (roughly 500 yards past the edge of the village). Immediately after the red tin cottage and the large white house (both on your left) turn left down a small country lane. Follow this for a further mile and a half down through a number of tight bends and back up a slight incline. You pass a house on your left called Iet Fawr and as you climb you will see a barn conversion on your right. Drive past this and Ffynnon Sampson is immediately afterwards on the right. Pull into the large drive - you have arrived!

Eating & drinking

On site

On arrival, the basics (tea, coffee, milk) will be provided for you, as well as a complimentary organic vegetable box, and you can collect your own eggs straight from the chicken coop. There is a farm shop on the site with wholefoods, more organic veg and organic lamb available in Autumn. For everything else there is a shop 10 minutes' drive away - ask Matt and Emma for directions.

Pubs & Restaurants

The Old Post Office, Rosebush (5 miles) - often has live music. Audience participation is encouraged so a great place for a lively night out!

Tafarn Sinc, Rosebush (5 miles) - traditionally decorated pub with basic food

Range of good restaurants in Narberth (8 miles)

Things to do

At Ffynnon Samson

There’s absolutely loads to do on the farm and in Ffynnon Samson’s 6 acres of peaceful woodland. The estate is absolutely full of idyllic picnic spots, the woodland is the perfect place to get creative and do some writing or painting and there's plenty of wildlife to see. You can stroll through the woods, go for a cycle, go fishing and there's even an amazing pool just 10 minutes away that's perfect for wild swimming. On the farm itself, a helping hand with feeding the animals is always welcome, and the kids can even "rent a pet" for a few days, taking full responsibility for looking after and feeding it!

Rainy days

Manor Park Zoo (Tenby)

Folly Farm (Kilgetty) - adventure park and zoo

The Blue Lagoon – swimming pool with slides

Haverfordwest pool

Oceanarium (St Davids)

Places to visit

Narberth - art galleries, potteries, woollen mill

Tenby

Fishguard

Newport

Cardigan

There are lots of beautiful beaches 30-50 mins away – you can find helpful advice and annotated OS maps in the information pack provided.

Outdoors & Active

South Wales has plenty to offer for the adventurous, from walking, mountain biking and climbing to swimming, paddling, kayaking and surfing. There is a great network of footpaths from Ffynnon Samson itself, and the whole area in the Pembrokeshire Hills is real mountain biking heaven.

Meet your hosts

Ffynnon Samson is a 42 acre Soil Association certified small farm with a seemingly endless list of animals - cats, guinea pigs, chickens, ducks, turkeys, pigs, a flock of speckled face Beulah sheep... It is a mixture of pasture, woodland and 10 acres of conservation land bordering the river. Ffynnon Organics is the product of Matt & Emma's dream of creating a sustainable, organically managed smallholding growing vegetables and keeping livestock organically. After a few years in this idyllic spot, they fell in love with Matilda as soon as they saw her for sale, as a tired BT canteen van that had served a lifetime's worth of meals. They tidied her up and gave her a new home in a glade that seems absolutely made for the purpose.

Wildlife & Environment

At Ffynnon Samson the emphasis is on sustainable, low impact living, which is perfectly in fitting with its unspoilt countryside setting. Matilda is completely off grid, with a PV panel for electricity, water drawn from a borehole and firewood sourced from Ffynon Organic's own managed woodlands.

The estate borders Pembrokshire National Park, at the foot of the Preseli Hills. The peace and quiet, along with the complete avoidance of using chemicals on the farm make it the ideal home for abundant wildlife. The conservation area is host to rare butterflies and orchids, you can see red kites and buzzards, and if you're very lucky and patient you may even see an otter in the river. In the evenings, make the most of the clear starry skies, free from light pollution, to see badgers, bats and owls. And just 30 minutes' drive away, dolphins and seals can be seen off the Pembrokeshire coast.