Little Idyll
Monmouthshire, United Kingdom
Maybee Glamping
- Shepherd's hut for 2 from £90 per night (read our low price promise)
- One small double bed (6ft 7" x 4ft 2")
Suitable for children of all ages
Pets welcome
Overview
You don’t need to worry about wildlife spotting at Little Idyll, it’s right there on your doorstep. Alongside all the bird life and the fleeting glimpses of muntjac deer that you might expect to find in the Welsh countryside, there are alpacas and a lively and curious pony in the sloping field next door, which you’ll climb up to reach the hut itself. You’re also likely to be greeted by Sharon’s dogs, who are always excited to meet new people. You might meet her potbellied and kunekune pigs, which are less impressed until you give them a belly rub, and also encounter the assortment of ducks, chickens and turkeys, who probably won’t take any notice of you. When you’ve finished greeting everyone, you’ll find yourself curled up in a wonderfully crafted shepherd’s hut, softly decorated in subtle colours complementing the larch and oak panelling and worktops. Every comfort has been considered, from the bed occupying one whole end of the hut, to the modern setup in the kitchen and the en suite compost loo meaning you don’t need to leave the hut in the night.
While the hut itself is lovely, the breathtaking feature of Little Idyll is the view. Having retired from the Police Force, Sharon settled here to pursue her other dream of creating the perfect holiday spot and it’s easy to see why she chose it. The decking area with the firebowl is like a front row seat at a fabulous show, with the countryside stretching out across the Wye Valley and as far as the Cotswolds on a clear day. You can order a breakfast hamper and plan your enjoyment of the wealth of possibilities that the area holds as you eat. There’s anything from quiet days of scenic walks and historic castles, to canoeing, hiking and biking through the hills on offer. Just be sure to allow a few minutes in any schedule for greeting everyone with grunts, squawks, woofs and whatever noise alpacas make, as you come and go.
Essentials
The important stuff
- Check in: 4 pm
- Check out: 11 am
- Please note, the walk to the hut is on quite a steep incline and can get slightly muddy during winter. A cart can be supplied to carry your luggage or for heavy luggage, the owners can put it in their tractor and take it up for you
- Additional firewood for the woodburner and firebowl can be purchased for £5
- Bring wellies/walking shoes and a torch. A walking stick for the incline up to hut if needed
- Good 4G signal on most networks
- Up to two horses can be accommodated at Maybee Glamping for £15 per night, staying in the paddock. Hay and water provided
- Sleeping arrangements
- One small double bed (6ft 7" x 4ft 2")
Extra space available
Space for 1 baby no charge. please provide your own travel cot and equipment
Space for 1 pet from £20 per pet per stay one small dog welcome. Please keep on a lead until in the enclosed garden of the hut
Cooking
- Two ring induction hob
- Toaster
- Integrated fridge with small freezer
- BBQ
Washing
- En suite with composting toilet, shower and wash basin
- Belfast sink in kitchen
Heating, lighting & bedding
- Woodburner
- Thermostatic electric heating
- Heated towel rail
- Electric lighting and plug sockets
- Bed linen and towels provided
- Firebowl
Entertainment
- Books, cards and garden giant dominoes
- TV with integrated DVD player (on wall at end of bed)
Getting there
Maybee Glamping, Maybee Cottage, Usk Road, Shirenewton, Chepstow, Monmouthshire, Wales, NP16 6TZ
Front door of the building: ///dusts.lyricist.radio
By car
From the East and South
From M4 motorway take the M48, the old Severn crossing route. Take Junction 2 for Chepstow. Follow A466 for approx. 2 miles heading towards Chepstow Race Course. Approx. 200 yards before the racecourse roundabout you will see Budgeons Food Shop on your left. Turn left here onto the B4235 and head towards Usk. Do not turn off this road at Shirenewton but carry on towards Usk. You will see the Huntsman hotel on your right-hand side. Exactly 1 mile past the Huntsman the driveway is on the left, sign posted Maybee Cottage.
From the North
Take the A40 past Monmouth to Raglan, continue to the A449. Exit the A449 at Usk. Approximately 300 yards off the A449 take a right turn onto the B4325 towards Chepstow. Maybee Glamping is about 8 miles along this road. You will see a left-hand sign for Pennsylvania Farm, a left hand sign for Pant Y Cosyn. Carry on approximately 15 metres from this sign and they're on your right-hand side.
Drive up the drive way, bear right through the farm gate and park in the rear yard, approximately 200 metres from the shepherd’s hut.
Please note, the walk to the hut is on quite a steep incline and can get slightly muddy during winter. A cart can be supplied to carry your luggage or for heavy luggage, the owners can put it in their tractor and take it up for you.
By public transport
The nearest train stations are in Chepstow and Caldicot, each 6 miles away. There is also a bus station in Chepstow. The closest bus stop is 1 mile from Maybee Glamping. The owner is happy to arrange collecting guests from the bus stop or train station for £5. Please arrange this with the owner in advance of your stay.
Food & Drink
At Maybee Glamping
Tea, coffee, sugar, milk and a bottle of mineral water provided for guests.
A breakfast hamper can be purchased for £15 consisting of local ingredients for a cooked breakfast for guests to whip up at their leisure on the outside BBQ or in the kitchen. Please arrange with the owners upon booking, with payment made upon arrival. Vegetarian option available.
Local shops
There is a Budgen's store just over 4 miles away. Alternatively, Chepstow is approximately 5 miles' drive, with an array of local shops.
Places to eat
Tredegar Arms - set in the heart of the beautiful village of Shirenewton, the Tredegar Arms (or known to locals as the TA’s) is an established bar and restaurant serving real ales and fine wines. All food is locally sourced and served in the relaxed restaurant area. Dog friendly.
Huntsman Hotel - over 200 hundred years old and run by three generations of the same family. Offers local beers and uses local produce wherever possible. A large and varied menu consisting of home prepared and cooked meals. Four course Sunday lunch is a specialty consisting of a variety of traditional roasts.
Coach & Horses - recently refurbished offering real ales to fine wine with quality food made from the heart. Offering breakfast, lunch and fine dining. Dog friendly.
Activities
At Maybee Glamping
Walk around the fields at Maybee Glamping and forage in the hedgerows. There are numerous public foot paths leading from the hut with interesting walks and scenery.
Mingle with the resident alpacas and pony and walk down to piggy paddock and give the very friendly pigs Alfi and Doris a treat, belly rub or cwtch. There are also chickens, ducks and turkeys. Guests can help at feeding time at 3 pm if they want to learn about keeping farm pets. All animals are friendly and used to people and treats such as carrots and apples are never refused! If guests would like to meet the owners' dogs, they are more than happy to oblige.
Places to visit
The market towns of Chepstow, Caldicot and Usk are close by which have wonderful coffee and gift shops. The larger towns of Monmouth and Abergavenny are a 20-minute drive away.
Visit nearby Chepstow with local attractions Chepstow Museum and Chepstow Castle. Caldicot Castle and Usk Castle are also nearby.
Chepstow Race Course is a short drive away. Why not have a day at the races or attend one of their many events.
Outdoor & Active
Take a drive through the Wye Valley, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. With stunning landscapes, walk the local foot paths, canoe along the river or visit Tintern Abbey and the many other attractions along the way.
The stunning Forest of Dean is a half hour drive away. Discover a host of activities and for adventure seekers there is mountain biking, climbing, zip wire fun, kayaking and also the National Diving Centre. For relaxing there is a beautiful sculpture trail and many cafés selling local produce.
There are many nearby cycle routes, all very popular with professional and novice cyclists.
The start of Wales Coastal Path is in Chepstow.
Symonds Yat – a stunning location for walking and canoeing.
For those golfing enthusiasts there is St Pierre Golf Club, Raglan and the Celtic Manor Resort.
Meet your hosts
Meet Sharon
Following retirement from the Police, Sharon decided that she wanted to follow her next dream of running a holiday let. As a result, Sharon and her husband Lee, moved to their property in 2016 and planning permission for a shepherd’s hut was granted in December of that year. In June 2017, the hut arrived and they welcomed their first guests at the end of this month.
The hut has been designed for comfort but also to cater for guests' every need. Sharon likes to treat guests how she would like to be treated should she go on holiday, offering them a wonderfully relaxing stay amidst nature. A homely welcome and feel is a must for guests and nothing is too much trouble should guests need assistance or just have a question.
Wildlife & Environment
Little Idyll shepherd’s hut is situated on the owners' 6-acre small hobby farm, with panoramic views from the hut over the Wye Valley and beyond. On most days, you can see the Severn Estuary and beyond over towards the Cotswolds. The fields are used for grazing by the owners' friendly animals, alpacas, pigs and an inquisitive pony, from April to September with two fields left alone for a wild flower meadow to grow. The owners are members of Monmouthshire Wild Flower Meadow Association and their meadows have a mixture of striking wild flowers such as the wild spotted orchid and yellow rattle. During spring the hedgerows are full of bluebells and snowdrops and the gardens around the owners' old stone cottage are filled with flowers and shrubs all year around. There are also plenty of bushes and hedgerows for foraging.
The shepherd's hut is in its own garden hedged with wild pear trees and a mixture of young fruit trees with lavender, herbs and flowers planted within. A small wildlife haven has been made near the hut to house local nature and planting is encouraged for the use of wildlife particularly bees and butterflies. Wildlife is in abundance and at night the owls can be heard hooting under the starry, undisturbed sky. Watch the large variety of birds, including buzzards, soaring high above the hut. If guests are lucky they may see the local muntjac deer racing through the meadow or even finding a place to rest.
The hut houses a modern composting toilet and all grey water is recycled into a soak away for fertilising the ground. Recycling is encouraged by guests with the owners being as eco-friendly as possible.
Our guests say...
Absolutley loved it.
31/08/2018Y
Very private and peaceful. Lots of thought put into little details to make the stay as comfortable as possible. The view was amazing and the alpacas brilliant. Definetely will be going back.
01/08/2018Jake
The hut was gorgeous and the view stunning. All the animals on the farm were really lovely and Sharon made us feel very welcome throughout. It's a well equipped hut which led us to both lovely hikes and some great meals in the evening. We were looking for somewhere to have an active nature close get-away with some chilled evenings of cooking in and didn't miss anything!
02/07/2018Charlotte
The hut was brilliant, had all the essentials and has been finished to a high quality! The location was also perfect and the views were stunning. The weekend away was a wedding gift and both me and my husband could have not asked or wishes for anything better. I will defiantly be returning for another adventure!!
29/06/2018Kailey
We had the best weekend away in one of the best Shepard’s huts we’ve stayed in
25/05/2018Sasha
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.
Absolutley loved it.
31/08/2018