The Cabin
Dyfed, United Kingdom
Nant yr Onnen
- Cabin for 2 from £94 per night (read our low price promise)
- 1 sml double
1 child can be accommodated on the bench seat
Overview
Deep in the lush Cambrian mountains you'll find a cabin with an interior inspired by Fiona's passion for colour and nature. The interior, full of beautiful fabrics, cushions and wood, feels rich and warm; the wood-burner makes it cosy all year round. The Cabin was made by local craftsmen who worked to Fiona's brief: to create an elegant, simple space, if an octagonal timber structure can be simple... to create somewhere where guests can relax, cook outside and in, sit under cover on a veranda when the weather is stormy – and when it gets cold, be snug inside.
The idea was to craft a light and airy space in the grounds of Fiona's house, made from sustainably sourced materials and powered by electricity from the stream above.The Cabin has a roomy but comfortable feel with the space cleverly used. The bed, a smallish double, swings down from the wall and a kitchen and bathroom are tucked into the corners. The large windows make you feel immersed in the glorious countryside all around and make The Cabin a wonderful den from which to explore this beautiful part of Wales.
The wood fired hot tub is the perfect place to stargaze! Tucked away in the Cabin's own 'secret garden'. Detailed instructions and plenty of wood are provided for firing it up.
Please note that the adult abseiling activity shown in the video is no longer available, but children can still abseil. Please enquire directly through the owners.
Essentials
The important stuff
- Check in: 3pm. Fiona will make contact with you prior to your stay – please ensure that you respond to her email.
- Check out: 10am.
- 2-person wood-fired hot tub in the 'secret garden' next to the Cabin for exclusive use of Cabin guests.
- Kids are welcome at The Cabin, but there is only a small (1.5 metre) childs bed, which doubles as seating in the day
- The double (4ft wide) bed swings down from the wall, which could prove problematic for some guests
- A basket of firewood is provided, additional firewood can be collected or chopped from supplies on-site
- The Cabin is fully equipped with electric power points
- Sleeping arrangements
- 1 sml double
Extra space available
Space for 1 child no charge. The bench seat is 1.2m long and converts to a small child's single
Space for 1 baby no charge.
Kids & Pets
1 child can be accommodated on the bench seat
Cooking
- 2 ring electric hob in the cabin
- Toaster
- Use of BBQ nearby
- Kettle with coffee and teas
- Fridge with ice compartment
- Pots, pans and accessories
- Crockery and cutlery for four
Washing
- Electric shower in The Cabin
- There is a flushing loo and basin in The Cabin
- Sink in the kitchen can also be used for washing clothes
Heating, lighting & bedding
- The wood-burner inside and the chiminea outside The Cabin are only for heating. Kindling and firewood provided. A basket of firewood is provided, additional firewood can be collected or chopped from supplies on-site
- Double and single duvets, pillows and covers provided
- Hand, bath and tea towels all provided
Entertainment
- Private wood fired hot tub fed by spring water
- Games and books
- No TV!
- 2.5 acre garden with trees, wildlife ponds, fire pit and seating area
- Guitar and djembe drum
Getting there
The Cabin, Nant yr Onnen, nr Llandovery, Dyfed SA20 0PE
You can arrive any time between 3pm and 10pm and don't need to advise Fiona of your arrival time as the Cabin will be ready and she will contact you with self check-in details.
By car
Follow the A40 through Llandovery, squeeze past the Castle Hotel and wind sharply to the right past Llandovery College on your right. Take the next turning to the right, just before the railway crossing, signposted 'A483 Builth Wells'. Follow that road for about 200 metres, then take the first road left, signposted for 'Rhandirmwyn'.
Follow that road for approximately 7 miles, to Rhandir-mwyn village. Continue past the Royal Oak pub and after a mile or so you’ll see SLOW/ARAF written on the road - take the left fork signposted 'Cilycwm, Cwrt-y-Cadno and Pumpsaint'.
Continue down the slope and across the bridge. Turn left past the Towy Bridge Inn, drive about 100 metres and you'll see the dotted lines across the entrance to the drive on the right. Go all the way up to the end of the drive, closing the gate behind you, then turn round so that you are facing downhill to unload. The Cabin has its own car parking space just downhill a bit.
By train
There is a regular direct service to Llandovery from Carmarthen. Pick-ups can be arranged with local taxi company.
By bus
There are bus services from Swansea to Llandovery. Pick-ups can be arranged with local taxi company.
Food & Drink
At Nant yr Onnen
Fiona provides the basics for The Cabin and can point you in the direction of some great local shops.
Towy Bridge Inn, Rhandirmwyn (5 minute walk). Full of friendly locals, it's a great place for a pint or two and some tasty home-cooked food, especially on a Friday night.
Neuadd Fawr Arms, Cilycwm (3 miles). The local gastropub - excellent Sunday lunch and evening meals.
West End Café, Llandovery (9 miles). The massive Sunday roasts are legendary and bring in bikers on the weekend from far and wide.
The Castle Hotel, Llandovery (9 miles). Newly refurbished with excellent food at lunch and dinner.
Activities
Outdoor & active
The Upper Towy Valley, surrounded by the Cambrian mountains and only 40 mins drive from the Brecon Beacons, has many opportunities for walkers, mountain bikers and those of an outdoors disposition. It all starts as soon as you step outside the Cabin, with some great walking possibilities. You can even canoe, kayak or fish on the river at the end of the drive.
Here are just a few of the many options, outdoors...
There are stunning walks in every direction from the Cabin - or drive to the Llyn Brianne reservoir and start from there.
There is a bike trail at Cwm Rhaeadr and also a pushchair and wheelchair friendly walk.
It's possible to go horse riding along the many bridle paths that are nearby.
The Dinas Nature Reserve has a lovely circular walk among the waterfalls of the upper Towy valley. Run by the RSPB, it's a fantastic place for bird watchers and it seems also Welsh fugitives. Legend has it that Twm Sion Cati, the Welsh outlaw, hid in the caves here. Also, just past Pwllpriddog Farm notice the heavily pollarded hollow oak tree on the side of the road. Reputed to have been planted in the 12th century, when much of the valley was owned by the Abbey Strata of Florida. If true, it would make this tree and two others like it on the Dinas reserve, over 700 years old.
Places to visit
Castles - the region has several castles that are open to the public.
The spectacular Carreg Cennen sits high on a rocky crag with magnificent views of the Black Mountain and Towy Valley. The dark cave beneath the castle is worth exploring too.
Dinefwr Castle, a 20 minute drive away, dates from the 9th century and is considered one of the most important castles in Wales. It's in the grounds of Dinefwr Park, also home to Newton House. The Park is a beautiful place for an afternoon stroll. Watch out for the many deer. There are events held within the park from March to November.
In the surrounding area there are many old lead and gold mines, drovers trails and ancient shelters waiting to be discovered on long walks.
Parks, gardens & nature reserves
There are a number of parks, gardens and nature reserves within easy reach of Nant yr Onnen.
The ancient gardens of Aberglasney are delightful. In a few hours you can discover its pools, cloister walk and ancient Yew tunnels as well as many rare plants.
The National Botanic Gardens of Wales boast numerous attractions including the world's largest single span greenhouse, a Mediterranean garden, and the Wallace garden honouring famous Welsh botanist Alfred Russell Wallace.
Dinefwr Park is an 18th-century landscaped park with nature reserve, bog wood and deer park surrounding the carefully restored Newton House. Home to the ancient herd of Dinefwr White Park cattle.
An RSPB nature reserve borders Nant yr Onnen and there's a Red Kite feeding station nearby.
Although it might feel like you're in the middle of nowhere, there are beautiful beaches 1 hour away, both to the West and South.
Local towns & villages
Llandovery is a good place to while away an afternoon. The town is bordered by the River Towy and the River Bran. In the Heritage Centre next to Llandovery Castle you can learn about Twm Sion Cati and William Williams, famous for being an outlaw and writing Welsh hymns respectively. You can also learn about the history and myths surrounding the Physicians of Myddfai. Other things to see in the town include Llanfair church, the site of the old drovers bank, Bank of the Black Ox, Llandovery College and the old printing works.
Llandeilo has a number of excellent pubs, cafes, restaurants and art galleries.
Rhandirmwyn and Cilycwm Village Shows in August are definitely worth a visit for a heady mix of eating, drinking and old-fashioned fun. The sheep dog trials are a highlight.
Meet your hosts
After a few years of city living, Fiona hankered for a more rural, sustainable lifestyle. She found Nant yr Onnen in 2000 after two years of looking at more than 200 places. She knew the moment she turned up the lane - even in the late October drizzle! - that it was the place she had been searching for. She made an offer the next morning without even seeing inside the buildings. The 200 year old stone cottage with its stream and little waterfalls, ancient oak, ash, birch and willow trees, and apple trees planted by families long ago was enough to convince her it would become her home and also eventually the home of The Cabin.
Design
The Cabin was one of Fiona's first projects. She worked out the design, inspired in part by the Roundhouse on the cliffs at Druidstone in Pembrokeshire, and supervised local carpenters to construct it. Fiona and her daughters decorated it, and it became a favourite place for visitors who wanted a bit of privacy and silence. The design with its large windows makes the most of the stunning views, while the interior is inspired by Fiona's love of India.
Environmental policy
Fiona has always tried to be careful about her environmental footprint. She explored several options for generating her own electricity and happily discovered that she was in an ideal location for a micro hydro generator, which generates a steady 3kW for about half the year. Fiona has shunned central heating with its noisy pumps in favour of wood burning stoves in all buildings, and is very fortunate to have a constant supply of wood from the management of trees within her own land. Their water comes from a spring in the hill above the cottage and is stored in an old milk tanker. The compost loo was inspired by one which was built by some friends.
Wildlife
Nant yr Onnen is a wonderful place for wildlife. From the Cabin itself it's possible to see redkites, cuckoos, woodpeckers, nuthatches, buzzards, henharriers, goshawks and sparrowhawks, while finches, tits and wrens are plentiful. The land surrounding Nant yr Onnen is a nature reserve with ancient oak forests as well as mountain streams and waterfalls all close by.
Our guests say...
we Absolutely loved it!
17/02/2020Siobhan
The Cabin is fantastic. We stayed during storm Dennis and it rained for 2.5 days solidly. It didn’t matter. We lit the fire (a lot - we city folks aren’t the best at getting fires going), played Uno, drank rose and watched Netflix (on the ipad). When it was light (and we were sober) we went on some beautiful drives and had the roads all to ourselves.
14/02/2020Helen
My boyfriend and I stayed in a cabin within the mountains, near Llandovery. It was amazing, we were completely switched off from the outside world with no service and WiFi. The views were gorgeous, the cabin was perfect. There was a little hot tub outside we went in under the stars- so peaceful!
10/02/2020Mollie
We had a really lovely, peaceful, restorative time at the cabin. Three days was not long enough - we both felt that we could have stayed a full week and were very sorry to be leaving! We had a blissful evening looking at the stars on a freezing night from the warmth of the hot tub - we spent three hours in there!
29/11/2019Victoria
We spent three nights at The Cabin, walking in the surrounding area, including a trip to the nearby dam and reservoir, and visited some nice pubs nearby, and spent an evening enjoying the hot tub. We had everything we could possibly need for our trip, including a map and a torch. Our host Fiona provided very comprehensive instructions and was very friendly!
22/11/2019Jennifer
Love this place? Tell everyone!
Booking Terms
Canopy & Stars low price promise
Book with us in confidence knowing you won’t find that place cheaper elsewhere. All of the prices we display are set and matched by our Owners. (In this world of foreign currency, we do have to say 'subject to exchange rates' for some of our European places.)
What does ‘from price’ mean?
Our ‘from price’ is based on a four night stay in low season and designed to help you to compare different prices across our collection. Some of our Owners vary their nightly rates and check in days throughout the year, so it may differ from the rate quoted below the calendar. It is quite common (although by no means universal) for places to charge a little more in peak season or for shorter stays, to cover changeover costs. Consider booking longer stays during the cooler months if you’re looking for the lowest nightly rates.
Agency Terms & Conditions
Except where otherwise specified, we Sawday’s Canopy & Stars Ltd Company No 09088366 of Merchants House, Wapping Road, Bristol, BS1 4RW act only as an Agent in respect of all bookings we take and/or make on your behalf. Sawday’s Canopy & Stars is part of the Alastair Sawday’s Group of Companies. We accept no liability in relation to any contract you enter into or for any services or arrangements you purchase (“Booking(s)”) or for the acts or omissions of any supplier(s) or other person(s) or party(ies) connected with any Booking. For all Bookings, your contract will be with the supplier of the Booking in question, and in most cases this will be the owner of the property you’ll be staying at (“Owner(s)”). When making your Booking we will arrange for you to enter into a contract with the Owner of the Booking. Your Booking with us is subject to these Agency Terms & Conditions and any specific booking conditions of the relevant Owner(s) you contract with. The Owner’s booking conditions may limit and/or exclude the Owner’s liability to you.
You may decide to make more than one Booking with us at the same time. The price charged in total for more than one Booking will always equal the prices charged separately for each individual Booking. All Bookings are available to be purchased separately at the same price as they are when more than one Booking is made. This means that any multiple Bookings do not constitute a package as defined in the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992.
By making a booking, you agree that:-
- you have read these Agency Terms & Conditions and agree to be bound by them;
- you consent to our use of your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy;
and
- you are over 18 years of age and where there may be age restrictions in place, you declare that you and all members of your party are of the appropriate age.
The Canopy & Stars online booking system enables Guests to make Bookings 24 hours a day. A Booking is confirmed on receipt of a 25% non-refundable deposit for all Bookings with check in dates of more than 10 weeks away. For all Bookings that have a check in date of less than 10 weeks before check in, payment for the Booking will be required in full and the entire Booking will be non-refundable. The Canopy & Stars telephone booking line is open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm. When using the online enquiry form, for those Properties without online booking, please allow 24 working hours for us to contact you by telephone to confirm the Booking. If we are unable to reach you by phone we will attempt to contact you by email. We will contact you during Canopy & Stars working hours (Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm). Online or email enquiries will be dealt with in the order they are received, but please be aware that we cannot guarantee reservation of your selected dates until the receipt of suitable payment. Therefore, if possible, we do recommend that you book on the Canopy & Stars website using the online booking system.
1. Booking and payments
1.1 In order to confirm your chosen Booking, you must pay a non-refundable deposit as required by the Owner of the Booking in question (or full payment if booking within 10 weeks of the date of your check-in).
1.2 Your Booking is confirmed and a contract between you and the Owner will exist when we receive payment of the deposit and send you a booking confirmation on the Owner’s behalf. This booking confirmation will normally be sent out within 24 hours in the case of email and seven working days in the case of post, and will contain the details of your Booking and of payments made and due. If you have not received your booking confirmation within the specified time, please notify us as soon as possible by email (bookings@canopyandstars.co.uk). Please check your confirmation carefully and report any incorrect or incomplete information to us immediately. As we act only as booking Agent, we have no responsibility for any errors in any documentation except where an error is made by us.
1.3 Where a deposit has been paid, full balance payment will be due 10 weeks in advance of your check in date and a reminder will be sent to you two weeks prior to this date, where applicable, by email. We automatically take the balance payment using the same card as used to make the deposit payment. It is your reponsibility to advise us if we should use a different card and to contact us by telephone (0117 204 7830) to arrange for alternative payment method. If the balance payment does not successfully go through as there is a problem with your card, such as it expiring, then we will contact you to try and take alternative payment. If we have been unable to take payment after two weeks of the balance due date, then with regret, we will notify the Owner who may cancel your Booking.
1.4 Except where otherwise advised or stated in the booking conditions of the Owner concerned, all monies you pay to us for a Booking will be held on behalf of the Owner(s) concerned.
1.5 Credit Card payments are processed via Alastair Sawday’s Publishing Co. Ltd who provide merchants services facilities to Sawday’s Canopy & Stars Ltd.
2. Cancellation and Amendment by You
2.1 Any cancellation or amendment request must be sent to us by email (bookings@canopyandstars.co.uk) and will be considered and responded to within one working day of receipt. You are also advised to confirm all changes to our Customer Services Department by calling 0117 204 7830. Please ensure that you have received written confirmation of any changes to your Booking prior to travel. Whilst we will always try to help, we cannot guarantee that such requests will be met.
2.2 Amendments and cancellations can only be accepted in accordance with the booking conditions of the Owner of your Arrangements. The Owner may charge the cancellation or amendment charges shown in their booking conditions (which may be as much as 100% of the cost of the Arrangements and will normally increase closer to the date of departure). The Owner may charge cancellation or amendment charges in accordance with its own booking conditions, however for the sake of convenience only, we have outlined the Owner’s charges at clause 2.3 and 2.4 below. Please note that these are the Owner’s own cancellation and amendments charges, not Canopy & Stars’, and therefore the Owner may vary their charges as they wish, without notice to us. The correct charges will be notified to you at the time of your cancellation or amendments.
2.3 Owner’s General Cancellation Charges:
2.3.1 Cancellation by you at any time will result in your deposit being forfeited, as all deposits are non-refundable.
2.3.2 All monies paid for a holiday (deposit and balance) are non-refundable within 10 weeks before check in date.
2.3.3 Cancellation of any holiday after it has been paid in full and at a date 10 weeks or more in advance of your check in date, will result in forfeiture of your deposit (or an amount equivalent where one was not paid as the holiday was paid in full) and the balance being returned to you.
2.3.4 Cancellation insurance is available but will be a third party arrangement and not involve Canopy & Stars or the Owner in any way.
2.4 Owner’s General Amendment Charges:
2.4.1 Alterations to your Booking can only be made more than 10 weeks prior to the check in date, after which time alterations will be treated as cancellation. All alterations are subject to availability and may incur a £30 adminstration fee.
2.4.2 Differences in the total amount payable resulting from alterations will be refunded to you in the case of a decrease in price and paid by you in the case of increases in price.
Special note: Generally Owners will charge the above cancellation and amendment charges, however we must stress that these are a guide only and charges may differ from those shown here depending on the Owner. The exact charges will be notified to you by the Owner at the time of cancellation and/or can be found in the Owner’s own booking conditions which are available from the Owner on request.
3. Changes and Cancellations by the Owner
We will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if the Owner needs to make a significant change to your confirmed Arrangements or to cancel them. We will also liaise between you and the Owner in relation to any alternative Booking offered by the Owner but we will have no further liability to you.
4. Complaints
Because the contract for your Booking is between you and the Owner, any queries or concerns should be addressed to them. In the event that you have any complaint about your stay, please notify the Owner as soon as possible. If you don’t follow this procedure there will be less opportunity for the Owner to investigate and resolve your complaint and so make your stay as enjoyable as possible. Delays may also mean that amount of compensation you may be entitled to may be reduced. Whether or not your complaint is dealt with satisfactorily, please also contact us as we appreciate all feedback. It’s important to us and the Owner to know that you’ve enjoyed your stay or if anything could have been improved.
5. Pricing
Canopy & Stars reserve the right to amend advertised prices at any time on behalf of the Owner. We also reserve the right to correct errors in both advertised and confirmed prices.Special note: changes and errors sometimes occur.
6. Information & Accuracy
The information and prices shown on this website are varied from time to time and may change between the time you first view a property and make a Booking. You should check that all the details are as you expect prior to making a Booking. It is always possible that, despite our best efforts, some of the properties (including the features and extras available) may be incorrectly described and/or priced. If we discover this is the case after you have made a Booking, we reserve the right to contact you with details of the correct information and/or pricing and will give you the option to:
(1) proceed with the Booking based on the correct information and/or pricing, which may require the payment of an additional amount by you;
OR
(2) subject to availability, change your booking dates to dates when the pricing can be honoured ad so no additional charge to you. In the event that a lower price can be offered for alternative dates then the difference would be refunded;
OR
(3) cancel the Booking. If we do not receive your instructions within 5 days of contacting you, we reserve the right to cancel your Booking without liability to you.
7. Our Responsibility for your Booking
Your contract is with the Owner and its booking conditions apply. As Agent, we accept no responsibility for the actual provision of the Booking. Our responsibilities are limited to making the Booking in accordance with your instructions and acting properly in accordance with our legal duties as an Agent. We accept no responsibility for any information about the Booking that we pass on to you in good faith. However, in the event that we are found liable to you on any basis whatsoever, our maximum liability to you is limited to twice the cost of your Booking (or the appropriate proportion of this if not everyone on the Booking is affected). We do not exclude or limit any liability for death or personal injury that arises as a result of our negligence or that of any of our employees whilst acting in the course of their employment.
8. Pets
Not all properties accept pets. If you wish to take your pet on holiday, please advise us before booking and we can check whether pets are accepted at the property. You must obtain the prior consent of the Owner before taking any pets to the property. A nightly charge may be made by the Owner for each pet and additional terms may apply.
9. VAT
Many of the Owners of properties in the Canopy & Stars portfolio are not registered for VAT in which case no tax is payable. Where VAT is payable, the tax is included in the advertised holiday rental price.
10. Visa, passport and health requirements.
Unless you tell us otherwise, we assume that all members of your party are British citizens who hold or will hold full British passports valid for the entire duration of the Arrangements you chose to purchase. Information on visa, passport and health requirements, where given and applicable, is so given on this basis. Requirements may change and you are therefore strongly recommended to check the up to date position with the Owner of the Booking, Passport Office, appropriate embassy or consulate or your doctor as applicable in good time before the commencement of your holiday.
11. Insurance
You are strongly recommended to take out personal travel insurance for all members of your party. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance you purchase is adequate and appropriate for your particular needs. Please read your policy details and take them with you on holiday.
12. Special requests
If you have any special requests (for example dietary requirements, cots or room location), please let us know at the time of booking. We will pass on all such requests to the Owner, but unfortunately, we can't guarantee that they will be met and we will have no liability to you if they are not.
13. Group Bookings
Not all Owners accept Bookings for a single sex group (for example, a stag or hen party). Guests wanting to make such a Booking should check with us beforehand to enable us to check whether the Owner is prepared to accept the Booking. We will then advise you accordingly. In event that an Owner does not accept this type of Booking then it is with regret, that the Booking may be cancelled and cancellation fees may apply. It is the Guest’s responsibility to enquire with Canopy & Stars and/or check on our website beforehand to make sure that this type of booking is permitted.
14. Maximum Numbers
Please note that except by prior arrangement confirmed in writing, only the number of persons specified on a booking confirmation may occupy a property. Most owners reserve the right to refuse admittance or revoke a booking if this condition is not observed and you are unlikely to receive any refund.
15. Your Responsibilities
Please note that you have a contract with the Owner of the property. As such you are under a responsibility to behave in a proper, appropriate and legal manner whilst staying at the property with due respect to the Owner, the Property and other guests and their property. You are responsible for informing the Owner of any losses or damage to the property as soon as possible. Please note that you will be liable to pay the Owner for any losses or damage to the property caused by you or a member of your party (except reasonable wear and tear). Some Owners will also require damage deposits. You must also leave the property by the check-out time specified on your booking. If any guest behaves inappropriately or improperly (of which the Owner will be the final judge on their Property), or illegally, the Owner reserves the right to ask the guest and their party (at their discretion) to leave the Property before the end of the holiday period and/or refuse any future bookings from you. Any refund for so doing will be at the entire discretion of the Owner. In addition, the Owner reserves the right to sue the guest for any loss, damage or injury caused to the Owner, the Property or to other guests and/or their property. As agent, we will have no liability to you in these circumstances.
16. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These terms and conditions have been drafted in accordance with and are governed by English law and the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction in relation to any and all disputes arising out of these Agency Terms & Conditions.
17. Discrepancies
In case of a discrepancy between these Agency Terms & Conditions and any other Canopy & Stars literature, these Agency Terms & Conditions shall prevail.
18. Validity clause
In the event that a court finds that a condition in these Agency Terms & Conditions is illegal or void, the illegal or void provision will be severed from the remainder of the Agency Terms & Conditions, which will continue to be valid and have full force and effect.
we Absolutely loved it!
17/02/2020