All about Grove Farm

About your hosts

Rob and Amber have lived at Grove farm with their two young children since May 2010. Rob is a producer director at the BBC Natural History Unit in Bristol, specialising in films about wildlife and tribal peoples. Amber runs her own cut flower business from home, growing beautiful flowers for weddings and for sale locally.

The farm has a fascinating history dating back over five centuries. The main farmhouse was built around 1580, and is surrounded by a range of stone barns built around 1707. Rob and Amber are planning to gradually restore the land and the buildings to their former glory. They have already started repairing some of the buildings and will be replanting orchards and hedges over the next few years.

Wildlife & environment

Grove farm has a flock of 40 sheep, six ponies, two friendly geese, and about twenty bantams. It also has a beautiful cuttings garden brimming with unusual varieties of old English flowers.

The wider land of the farm is a haven for wildlife, particularly on the river. There are otters, kingfishers, various ducks, dippers, and of course wild brown trout. The Escley is one of the tributaries of the Monnow where 200 highly rare and endangered water voles have recently been released to establish a new population, and Grove Farm takes part in the ongoing monitoring project. There is an impressive variety of birds in the area, from curlews to red kites and three species of owls. This year a tawny owl raised her young in the oak tree at the end of the drive.

Situated on the edge of Brecon Beacons National Park, the surrounding countryside is among the most beautiful and well-conserved in Britain. The campsite itself is totally off-grid, and is powered by solar, gas and wood.

In the area

Grove Farm is in classic walking country. It is two miles from Offa’s Dyke footpath, on the edge of Brecon Beacons National Park and a perfect starting point for long or short forays into the Black Mountains. Hay on Wye, for example, is eight miles away across the hills, and Llanthony Priory is about five miles (Collections can be arranged) There is also a good network of public footpaths on the surrounding farmland and through the various brooks and rivers that flow down from the hills.

Five minutes walk down the lane or across the fields is the village of Longtown, which has a 12th century castle, an award-winning shop that sells everything you could possibly need, and an old-fashioned country pub called the Crown that does good honest pub food.

Getting there

Grove Farm, Longtown, Herefordshire, HR2 0LU

By public transport

The nearest train and bus stations are Abergavenny (8 miles) and Hereford (13 miles). Rob and Amber can pick you up for £15, given a good bit of notice

By car

From Abergavenny follow the A465 towards Hereford. After approx. 5 miles turn left at the Old Pandy Inn, signposted to Longtown (4 miles). As you enter the village take the first right hand turn signposted towards Hay on Wye and Michaelchurch. Go past the Crown pub on the left, then the post office/shop on the right, continue straight ahead out of the village over a small bridge and up the lane. After three hundred yards you come to farm track on the right with a large oak tree on the corner and a small table selling flowers and you have arrived.

You can park in the farmyard or perhaps in the field by the camp, depending on the recent weather

Things to do

At Kingfisher Camp

Fly-fishing on the farm

Wild Swimming

Pick Your Own Flowers from the cuttings garden (please ask first, some of them are for the business!)

You can always help out on the farm in all sorts of ways

On rainy days, just light the woodburners, read books and play the board games

Places to visit

Longtown Castle

Llanthony Priory

Hay on Wye (home to world-famous literary festival in May)

Abergavenny (food festival in early September)

Crickhowell

Hereford Cathedral

Three Castles tour between Skenfrith, Grosmont and White Castle

A large number of local churches dating back to 12th Century.

Two local art galleries within a few miles

Outdoor & Active

Offers Dyke footpath / Brecon Beacons National Park

Beautiful surrounding farmland with good network of public footpaths

Fishing for trout and salmon on Rivers Monnow, Wye and Usk.

Pony rides are available for all levels of experience from nearby riding schools

Eating & drinking

At Kingfisher Camp

You'll have to bring all your own food to the camp, but there is an excellent village shop/post office about 300m / 5 min walk away.

Pubs & restaurants

The Crown in Longtown is a five minute walk. It’s a friendly family-run pub with good and very reasonably priced pub grub.

The Cornewall Arms in Clodock is a fifteen minute walk. Beer is served through a hatch in the wall, and it feels like someone’s front room. There is no food, but always a friendly welcome and it has a lovely beer garden next to the River Monnow.

The Carpenters Arms and the Pandy Inn are both about a 15 minute drive.

The Crown at Pantigelli is becoming well-known for very good food (20 mins)

Beyond the local pubs, the area around Abergavenny has gained an outstanding reputation for fine dining: there is the Walnut Tree and the Hardwick in Abergavenny , both award-winning restaurants (20 mins away). There is also the Bell at Skenfrith (30 mins) the Foxhunters (40 mins) and the Felinfach Griffin near Brecon (50mins).

All about Grove Farm

About your hosts

Rob and Amber have lived at Grove farm with their two young children since May 2010. Rob is a producer director at the BBC Natural History Unit in Bristol, specialising in films about wildlife and tribal peoples. Amber runs her own cut flower business from home, growing beautiful flowers for weddings and for sale locally.

The farm has a fascinating history dating back over five centuries. The main farmhouse was built around 1580, and is surrounded by a range of stone barns built around 1707. Rob and Amber are planning to gradually restore the land and the buildings to their former glory. They have already started repairing some of the buildings and will be replanting orchards and hedges over the next few years.

Wildlife & environment

Grove farm has a flock of 40 sheep, six ponies, two friendly geese, and about twenty bantams. It also has a beautiful cuttings garden brimming with unusual varieties of old English flowers.

The wider land of the farm is a haven for wildlife, particularly on the river. There are otters, kingfishers, various ducks, dippers, and of course wild brown trout. The Escley is one of the tributaries of the Monnow where 200 highly rare and endangered water voles have recently been released to establish a new population, and Grove Farm takes part in the ongoing monitoring project. There is an impressive variety of birds in the area, from curlews to red kites and three species of owls. This year a tawny owl raised her young in the oak tree at the end of the drive.

Situated on the edge of Brecon Beacons National Park, the surrounding countryside is among the most beautiful and well-conserved in Britain. The campsite itself is totally off-grid, and is powered by solar, gas and wood.

In the area

Grove Farm is in classic walking country. It is two miles from Offa’s Dyke footpath, on the edge of Brecon Beacons National Park and a perfect starting point for long or short forays into the Black Mountains. Hay on Wye, for example, is eight miles away across the hills, and Llanthony Priory is about five miles (Collections can be arranged) There is also a good network of public footpaths on the surrounding farmland and through the various brooks and rivers that flow down from the hills.

Five minutes walk down the lane or across the fields is the village of Longtown, which has a 12th century castle, an award-winning shop that sells everything you could possibly need, and an old-fashioned country pub called the Crown that does good honest pub food.