Elan 17th September 2021

We have thoroughly enjoyed our time at Elan cottage. Everything has been lovely. The cottage is cosy and comfortable. It is ideally day situated for exploring the local area.

We went to Gigrin to see the red kites being fed. We also went to the Elan Valley. On the last day we went to Brecon, then up in the National Park where we saw several more Red Kites, always an inspiring sight.

We shall return home with many happy memories, Maria to Plymouth and myself to the Staffordshire Moorlands.

By the way, we do have a very few red kites in the moorlands and hope they will increase in time.

Thank you for everything.

Mary and Maria.

Elan 11th September 2021

Such a lovely Cottage in lovely surroundings. Thoroughly enjoyed our week here!
Very welcome tea, coffee, cake & milk provided on arrival. Beautiful fresh eggs too which were a treat. Buddy loved his doggy pack treats too!

We visited Elan Valley – stunning + very close, Hafod Estate, Hafren Forest and Gilfach Nature reserve. All beautiful with amazing walks and views to behold.

We had takeaways from Raj Mahal & Evans Fish & Chips – both delicious & stayed hot. Drinks at the Mount Inn of an evening were good.

Overall a great time had – thank you so much! 🙂

Anna + Marc + Buddy.

Hafren 4th September 2021

What an awesome spot for a family holiday Wye View Cottages is! We three have thoroughly enjoyed our week here to round off the summer holiday. Montgomery Castle, Elan Valley Dams, Hafren Forest, Gilfach Nature Reserve, Devil’s Bridge & Aber and the Hafod Estate made our week and outside of food we have spent about £10!!

Huge thanks to Grace, Adrian & of course the gorgeous Ryan. We will be back!!

Clare, Reelzn & Ilze

Hafod Estate is an absolute must do! There are a number of prescribed walks but we combined sections of the blue, green and red walks and enjoyed the beautiful changing vistas. A shorter walk could easily be coupled with the Devil’s Bridge walk – the cheaper one is the best one to see the bridge – the drive to Hafod from Rhayader is gorgeous too – take the road to Cwmystwyth and enjoy!

Thanks for a great week Powys.

Elan 4th September 2021

We have had an absolutely fantastic stay at Elan Retreat & have fallen in love with the cottage. The cottage is lovely & clean and has everything you need.

We enjoyed exploring the local area & can recommend visiting Merlin Meirion Mill, Bryntail Lead Mine buildings, a highlight was visiting all of the Dams! Amazing views! Devil’s Budge & waterfalls is also stunning… not far on is Aberystwyth and is well worth a visit to see the Castle & have some lovely seafood.

Thank you so much Grace and Adrian for a lovely peaceful stay and we hope to see you again some time soon.

Jez and Rachael & Daisy 🐾

Wye 30th August 2021

Thank you for a comfortable stay. We have enjoyed our week in Wye Cottage. Callum and Aiden loved meeting the chickens, especially feeding them. Thank you Adrian. The eggs were delicious and enjoyed by us all. Perfect location for excursions. We had glorious weather so enjoyed Ynyslas & Aberdyfi beach. The boys had a fantastic day at Small Breeds Farm Park & Owl Centre plus exploring Hafren Forest walks. Thank you again Adrian & Grace.

Joanna, Matthew, Callum & Aiden.

Elan 28th August 2021

Thank you for a comfortable stay in Elan Cottage. We appreciated the lovely details and having the sheep & birds for company.

Places we explored were: Elan Valley, we will have to return in the winter to see dams overflowing. The open day was interesting, thanks for the tip, Adrian! Great biking and play area.

We loved the gardens at Powis Castle and the interiors are very impressive. The Yew Walk is amazing.

The Centre for Alternative Technologies near Machynlleth was an interesting diversion for half a day – great vege café and the kids loved the funicular. We stopped at the beach at Borth at low tide to explore the petrified forest.

Gilfach nature reserve was beautiful today with heather and harebells at their best.

Wye 22nd August 2021

Ditto the last comments, we want to come back if you will let us. Road from Llanidloes to the reservoir, fantastic views. Further afield Cadair Idris spectacular you may even see the RAF!

Got lost on many small roads and the scenery was superb. Hafren Forest walks our favourite, what could be more peaceful after the last 18 months but a tranquil walk with the accompaniment of the source of the Severn.

Despite the weather, the cottage is so well equipped it’s a home from home! So rain or shine, indoors or outdoors a great stay.

Diolch yr Fawr.

Peter, Sharon, Bethany and Lola 🐾

Elan 7th August 2021

Two mad Marilyn baggers enjoyed a good holiday at this cottage. Thanks to Adrian and Grace for a comfortable and well equipped cottage to rest our weary legs. Some excellent walks in better than expected weather. A highlight being the ascent of Pumlumon Fawr from the Nant-Y-Moch reservoir. A recommended walk for moderate level hiking (small amount of navigational skill could be required in poorer conditions). The ill-advised extension to Banc Llechwedd-Mawr only recommended to those of stern disposition and a high threshold for pain! For those who enjoy a full body-taxing fight through waist-high bracken, tackling Carn Gefallt will tickle that particular urge. More sensibly an ascent of Garreg-Lwyd gives nice views of both the hills and valleys and for wind turbine enthusiasts (I joke not – it was quite interesting and a straight-forward road most of the way). Overall a very enjoyable holiday and unusually for Wales, no requirement for waterproof trousers!

Peter and Angharad.

Wales is now at Alert Level 0

From Saturday 7th August legal restrictions on the number of people who can meet indoors and holiday together have been removed.

All business premises can now open – there may still be additional procedures to help keep visitors and customers safe, for example table service or pre-booking of attraction tickets: always check before travelling.

Note that the rules on face coverings in Wales are different to those in England: you must wear a face covering (if you are able to) in all indoor public places, for example supermarkets and public transport, with the exception of hospitality premises (e.g. pubs and restaurants).

You can read a summary of the current restrictions on the Welsh Government website.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic we have changed our booking policy to give our guests peace of mind. Read more about Our Covid Promise.

Grace & Adrian.

Updated 7th August 2021.

Severn 6th August 2021

We have had the best time staying in Severn Retreat. Our stay has been very relaxing and credit for this must go to Grace & Adrian for the most perfect “home from home” we have stayed in. Their attention to detail is first class *****. The bed is extremely comfortable affording us both some great nights’ sleep.

A good location for trips out to Barmouth, a great seafront town. Aberystwyth, Newtown for a lovely riverside walk and supermarket shop. Clywedog reservoir & forest walk were worth the visit as was Hafren Forest.

Grace very kindly left us some fresh eggs from her chickens. A big bonus was how many places and beaches are dog friendly around and about.

Would highly recommend Wye View for a relaxing holiday in a perfect location.

Fran & Ian + Marshall (cocker)

Hafren 6th August 2021

A beautiful cottage set within the hills of Mid Wales. The cottage had everything we needed for the base of out holiday. The cottage was extremely clean when we arrived.

During our stay we visited the Vale of Rheidol railway form Aberystwyth to Devil’s Bridge which offered amazing views and a relaxing way to view Mid Wales. Whilst in Aberystwyth we also viewed the castle ruins.

We also visited Quackers indoor play centre in Newbridge on Wye to let the children burn off some energy.

On Wednesday we cycled around Elan Valley. It was an amazing place to visit and take in the stunning surroundings. After the cycle ride we drove to Craig Goch dam for more amazing scenery.

Finally, we plan to stop off at the small breeds farm park and owl centre so that the children can see different animals and break up the journey home.

Mid Wales has been wonderful!

Jen, Lee, Phoebe & Louie

We are open again!

We have now reopened to accommodate guests travelling from Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Note that under the Welsh regulations, up to six people can holiday together in self catering accommodation.

All outdoor visitor attractions were allowed to reopen from the 26th of April, and the majority of indoor attractions are now also open. There may be additional procedures to help keep visitors and customers safe, for example table service or pre-booking of attraction tickets: always check before travelling.

Note that the rules in Wales are different to those in England: you must wear a face covering (if you are able to) in all indoor public places, for example supermarkets and public transport.

You can read a summary of the current restrictions on the Welsh Government website.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic we have changed our booking policy to give our guests peace of mind. Read more about Our Covid Promise.

Grace & Adrian.

Updated 17th July 2021.

Severn 17th July 2021

A great base away from home to explore Mid-Wales. Spotlessly clean accommodation and lovely hosts. The welsh cakes & milk on arrival were appreciated and Harley was very happy with his dog treats.

Red Kite feeding station at Bwlch Nany Yr Arian visitor centre is well worth a visit as is the Elan Valley Reservoirs. The weather was kind to us all week and we will be going home ‘recharged’. Will definitely be coming back again to explore further.

Phil & Liz (+Harley)

Elan 10th July 2021

What an amazing cottage! Well equipped and very cozy. Beautiful views framed from the windows.

Lots to see and do in the surrounding area. Really pretty countryside, even in the rain – so much better in the sunshine!

Elan Valley a must, and a great day in Aberystwyth.

Thanks to Grace & Adrian who are the perfect hosts.

Millie our border collie enjoyed her stay and thanks for the treats left.

Jenny & Allan, & Millie 🐾

Hafren 29th June 2021

We had a wonderful 3 days staying at your lovely cottage. We felt very welcome from the moment we arrived & felt at home. The cottage was thoughtfully prepared, spotlessly clean & very cosy.

Adrian & Grace are excellent hosts who always made us feel comfortable – we particularly enjoyed the eggs from their hens.

During our three days we were in awe of the breathtaking views of the Welsh countryside, especially Elan Valley, Hafod Estate & the Devils Bridge waterfalls. The third days was rainy but we still managed to drive to Aberystwyth to see the coastline and enjoy some delicious fish & chips. The Lamb & Flag restaurant in Rhayader was also lovely.

Thank you
XXX

Jennie, Georgy & Sheryl.

Wye 12th June 2021

Well, what can I say! Such a beautiful cottage and renovated keeping such character (latch doors). Lovely decoration & furnishing and well equipped with everything you need. The hosts Adrian & Grace have thought of everything you need, the cottage is outstandingly clean. We were greeted with such a warm welcome, and fresh eggs to to have for breakfast were gorgeous.

Waking up in such idyllic surroundings with the birds eating from the feeders, such varieties. They should be proud of themselves for taking so much pride in delivering such amazing accommodation to guests as no doubt it is hard work. I have had a great time, enjoying the Elan Valley, cycling, walking, BBQs, visiting Devils Bridge and the views are stunning, such a great place to be and will return. Not to mention an problems nothing was too much trouble, Bless you both, I rate this place ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kathy XX.

Elan 12th June 2021

Thank you for a great week at Elan Cottage – we felt very well looked after and really loved the eggs!

Beautiful surroundings ad amazing field to the side, and gorgeous flowers around the cottages.

We loved Rhayader – very nice pool, park and shops (and ice cream!) The kites were great.

Aberystwyth not far away with lots to do, and pony trekking was a highlight (Lion Royal Inn).

Thank you!

Nature News June 2021

A week of glorious weather at the end of May brought all of the trees and shrubs into full leaf and the rhododendrons are all in flower now. We currently have a wonderful display of bluebells around the top bench, and the woodlands have a blue carpet of them as you drive past Cwm Belan on the way to Llanidloes.

Sightings in and around Wye View in June:

  • Chiffchaff
  • Cuckoo
  • Great tits
  • Pied wagtails – a pair are nesting, we think that they have eggs.
  • Red kites
  • Tawny owl (heard, not seen)
  • Great spotted woodpecker

Elan 29th May 2021

A quiet relaxing break (and to celebrate a birthday) away from Birmingham. Weather has been mixed although oddly our best day was probably our first tour of Elan Valley when it was pretty miserable. We are very Covid conscious so brought all our food with us and didn’t eat out anywhere although we had an ice cream at Ynyslas (Borth) and got a delicious wholemeal loaf from the PO + shop at Llangurig.

We’ve had a lovely stay in a warm, comfy home from home with everything we could need. Thank you Grace & Adrian for the delicious eggs! I’m going to miss the clean air!

Laurence, Heather & Jo.

Elan 15th May 2021

Thank you Adrian & Grace for your warm welcome. The cottage is very well equipped and spotlessly clean with such attention to detail, we so enjoyed the welcome pack especially the bara brith – yum!

We enjoyed exploring the local area , we loved the Elan Valley, Gilfach nature reserve, river walks to Rhayader and the beautiful gardens at Powis Castle. There’s loads more to explore and we would have to come again as the cottage is perfect, even having its own wildlife with birds feeding by the windows all day – fabulous!

Paul & Wendy.

P.S. Thanks for the eggs too!

Vale of Rheidol Railway Reopening

We are delighted to hear that the Vale of Rheidol narrow gauge steam railway will be reopening from the 24th of May 2021. Initially there will be two trains a day, with four trains on busier days. They have published a timetable for 2021, although the railway reserves the right to vary the published timetables with or without notice.

All trains start and finish at Aberystwyth, it isn’t possible to join the train elsewhere (not even Devil’s Bridge) and only return tickets are available.

Face coverings are required indoors, on platforms and on the trains (unless exempt), with a maximum group size of six from up to two households.

Tickets should be pre-booked using the link on the Vale of Rheidol Railway website.

Nature News May 2021

After nearly three weeks of mostly dry but cold weather we have had a couple of heavy rainstorms and the stream has filled up again. All of the trees are either budding or in leaf and flowers are beginning to open on the rhododendrons.

Our daffodils finished flowering at the beginning of the month and have been replaced with many self-set yellow primroses. Our bluebells are also starting to open along with a few tiny orchids.

On the subject of bluebells, there is now a good display of them at the RSPB Ynys-Hir Nature Reserve on the Dyfi valley. Check the website for opening times and recent sigtings. There are also osprey nesting at the near-by Dyfi Osprey Project, and there is a live stream of their nest.

Sightings in and around Wye View in May:

  • Chiffchaff
  • Cuckoo (heard, not seen 11/05/2021)
  • Great tits
  • Pied wagtail
  • A whole squadron of sparrows
  • Five red kites
  • Buzzard
  • A pair of thrushes
  • Male blackbird
  • Tawny owl (heard, not seen)

Severn 8th May 2021

Had another fantastic 2 weeks in Severn Retreat, lovely cottage everything we could wish for. Yummy eggs and Bara Brith from our hosts Grace & Adrian. Cottage spotlessly clean and lots of local and historical info from Grace & Adrian which added greatly to our stay making us feel welcome.

Going home feeling rested & relaxed. Beautiful sunny weather. Stunning scenery and great walking in Hafren Forest, Elan Valley and Hafod.

Many thanks.

Debbie & Dave.

PS Gilfach nature reserve is just up the road great walks and wildlife.

Wye 28th April 2021

Wonderful stay in this cosy, well-equipped cottage and very welcoming hosts.

Enjoyed cycling the Elan Valley Trail from Rhayader (Clive Powell Bikes were really helpful, and good quality bikes). Fortunate to have tea and cake at the Penbont House tea rooms on the way back – first day business allowed to open outside!!

Lots of great hiking within 15 minutes, and the Gilfach Nature Reserve was enjoyable on the day we arrived.

Thanks for a lovely stay,

Ed & Suzanne.

Wye 23rd April 2021

Couldn’t have asked for a better place to stay for our first trip back into Wales following lockdown. Grace & Adrian are the perfect hosts too. The welcome tray is such a welcome treat and Jackson absolutely loved his little biscuits. 🐾

The cottage has everything you could need and is in the perfect location for visiting some stunning places. Elan Valley, Bwlch Nant Y Arian forest, Hafrod Estate and also Borth Beach.

Thank you so much for your hospitality.

Cheryl, Mark & Jackson the Springer 🐾

Elan 10th April 2021

How fortunate I was, to discover Wye View and Elan Cottage was open to visitors after a long spell of going nowhere:- what a perfect place to spend some time away from ‘it’ all and in the most hospitable of circumstances.

Myself and my 2 grandchildren (10 & 5) have thoroughly enjoyed EVERYTHING that Adrian & Grace have to offer here. Thank-you both so much, for such a warm and heartfelt welcome.

I am fairly certain we will visit again.

Linda, Mackai & Aran.

Hafren 10th April 2021

A much needed break in this magnificent part of Wales that we have driven through on countless occasions to and from Snowdonia on the A470 but after this week we have fallen in love with. Easter Day on the summit of Pen Pumlumon which Nick has been waiting to climb for years; a bitingly cold day on Esgair Penygarreg with Cadair to the north and the Black Mountains to the south seeming to be within touching distance; dodging snow showers at Strata Florida Abbey; cycle rides along the Elan Trail and around the Hafren Forest and every journey accompanied by the majestic beauty of red kites soaring effortlessly overhead. This delightful, cosy and well equipped cottage was the perfect base.

Thank you!

Emma, Nick, Milly.

PS – The stars were incredible! Milly.

Reopening after the Alert Level 4 Closure

Wales entered alert level 4 on the 20th of December 2020 to control the spread of coronavirus.

The Welsh Government has announced that provided that Covid-19 rates do not increase, on Saturday the 27th of March stay local restrictions will be lifted to allow people to travel within Wales.  Self-contained holiday accommodation will re-open for one household for guests travelling within Wales. 

We will now accept bookings for arrivals from the 27th of April, but only for guests travelling within Wales.

We hope that from the 12th April guests from England will be able to travel to Wales. It is not yet clear what the rules will be with regards to household restrictions, and we will update this page when we have more information.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic we have changed our booking policy to give our guests peace of mind. Read more about Our Covid Promise.

You can read the reopening announcement on the Welsh Government website.

Grace & Adrian.

Updated 13th March 2021.

Alert Level 4 Closure

Wales entered alert level 4 on the 20th of December 2020 to control the spread of coronavirus.

All accommodation businesses are required to close for the duration of the alert. We have contacted the guests we had booked for the alert level 4 period and made arrangements to re-schedule their stays or refund.

We hope to re-open and welcome guests in April 2021. There may still be restrictions on travel to and from Wales when we re-open; we will discuss this with our booked guests as and when announcements are made.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic we have changed our booking policy to give our guests peace of mind. Read more about Our Covid Promise.

You can read the most recent statement from the First Minister on the Welsh Government website.

We look forward to welcoming guests, old and new, to Wye View as soon as permitted.

Grace & Adrian.

Updated 24th February 2021.

Reopening After The Firebreak

We are delighted to announce that on the 9th of November 2020 we reopened Wye View following Wales’ firebreak lockdown.

We are now able to welcome guests from across Wales to stay in our self catering cottages. There are no travel restrictions within Wales.

From Friday December the 4th our English guests are permitted to travel between Tier 1 and Tier 2 locations in England and Wales, but travel from Tier 3 locations is not still allowed.

Travel between the whole of Northern Ireland and Scotland’s Tier 3 and Tier 4 locations is not permitted.

All travel restrictions within the UK will be suspended between 23 and 27 December to allow people to meet members of their Christmas bubble. People travelling to and from Northern Ireland will be able to travel the day before this period starts and the day after.

You can find answers to frequently asked questions about the new rules on the Welsh Government website.

We look forward to welcoming returning and new guests – book now for Christmas and the New Year!

Coronavirus Firebreak

A short, sharp firebreak will be introduced across Wales to help regain control of coronavirus. This means that a series of restrictive measures will be in place from 6pm Friday 23 October until 12:01am Monday 9 November 2020.

All accommodation businesses are required to close for the duration of the firebreak. We have contacted the guests we had booked for the firebreak period and made arrangements to re-schedule their stays or refund.

We plan to re-open and welcome guests from Monday 9th November. There may still be restrictions on travel to and from Wales when we re-open; we will discuss this with our booked guests as and when announcements are made.

You can read more about the firebreak on the Welsh Government’s Coronavirus firebreak: frequently asked questions page.

Wye 9th October 2020

Wow! A home from home only smaller, but feeling spacious too.

A cosy cottage, clean, fresh, tastefully decorated and well equipped to the smallest detail. The perfect antidote for staying at home. We were incredibly impressed by our stay here and will absolutely recommend it to all our friends and family. We have Wye View earmarked for future visits. Thankyou Grace & Adrian for all the work you’ve put into making us feel welcome.

Michele & Chris.

Hafren 1st October 2020

Had such a lovely time here and although we were only here for 2 days we loved Hafren Forest (although the drive up to it isn’t for the faint hearted). We also went to a Nature Reserve + saw the Red Kites – good walks too.

The cottage itself is spotlessly clean with lovely touches such as drink sachets + biscuits. Very nice utensils, crockery etc. It’s cosy, welcoming + ideally located to explore the area.

I’d certainly return here when I’m in the area again.

Thank you so much.

Jo, Sophie + Daisy.

Hafren 20th September 2020

Brilliant cottage, everything we’d hoped for and backup up by brilliant sunny weather the whole week.

Been out quite a bit. Nice day at New Quay being hot & sunny.

Super walks around Elan Valley and reservoir, Hafren Forest, Gilfach Nature Reserve, Hafod.

Devil’s Bridge is well worth a visit but not if you have a heart condition!

Although Powis Castle itself was closed under present conditions, gardens were brilliant.

Last but not least a visit to Rhayader to see the feeding of the Red Kites is well worth it.

Eating Out

We ate at Mariner’s Café, New Quay (very good); The Crown, Rhayader (average); Hafod Hotel, Devils Bridge (lovely trout); Red Lion, Llanidloes (average); Blue Bell (OK).

Nigel & Stella.

Elan 16th September 2020

Thank you very much for a wonderful cottage to enjoy our stay in Mid Wales. Walk to the source of the Severn, Gentleman’s Walk and a long walk around one of the reservoirs made the stay memorable. The fantastic weather helped. But returning to a cottage was the icing on the cake.

It was the small things in the cottage like the torch which made it extra special.

John & Karen

And Izzy (I loved the garden and field and the biscuits you put out for me. XX)

Elan 12th September 2020

Thank you for all you have done to make our stay so enjoyable. Arriving at a spotlessly clean cottage immediately made us feel at ease. Everything you could need is here and extras like milk, biscuits, cake etc. were a lovely surprise and so tempting we ate them all!

We will definitely recommend Wye View Cottages to anyone who asks about accommodation in Mid Wales. Thank you for housing our bikes in a safe place too.

John and Veronica.

Elan 5th September 2020

Thank you both for a wonderful stay at Elan Retreat. The cottage is lovely, clean and comfortable with everything you could need. A nice touch is to have a few basics on arrival like milk, tea, coffee, biscuits etc.

We have not been to visit Mid Wales before but we have had a fabulous time exploring Elan Valley, Aberystwyth.

Our dog Ralphy has also had a great time exploring Wales. We would definitely recommend Wye View to our friends. A great choice for all!

Thank you once again!

Louise, Iain, Elanor & Ralphy – cockerpoo!

Severn 2nd September 2020

Wow!! From the moment we arrived – met by our lovely host Adrian who gave us such a warm welcome and helpful info on places to visit, he also brought us some freshly laid eggs – when we opened the door to our cottage we were so impressed by the cleanliness and all the lovely extras – such thoughtful gestures . We really enjoyed the bara brith cake and have bought some to take home.

Thankyou Grace and Adrian for making our stay so special – you are both such lovely people.

We have been so luck with the weather which enhanced the stunning scenery of this beautiful part of the country. We visited many fantastic places with unforgettable views – so many pictures taken!

So sorry to be leaving, will miss the beautiful views from the window and watching so many different birds feeding from the feeders.

So peaceful and relaxing. Hopefully will be back again someday.

Many thanks yet again.

Eric and Pauline X.

We loved the Elan Valley and did a couple of lovely walks and Hafren forest was also stunning.

Elan 22nd August 2020

We all fell in love with the cottage, well-equipped and absolutely spotless.

Enjoyed The Devil’s Bridge and Gilfach nature reserve – the dog trotted up the hills and steps like a mountain goat!

Our favourite day out was the Aberdyfi beach; a real unspoilt gem and we even had some sunshine whilst watching a storm at sea.

Good meal at the Crown Inn Rhayader and also a tasty takeaway from Mirchi (but huge portions!)

Had a windy kayaking tour at Elan Valley, hard work but well worth it to get so close to the dam.

We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Wye View.

Rebecca, Neil, Isabella & Noah (and Nettles the dog)