Available only for the second time since the early 1970s, this is a very special property sited on an acre plot comprising a detached, traditional Welsh long house and converted barns situated on Llanllwni Mountain. At 1000 feet, it offers uninterrupted views over the stunning Carmarthenshire countryside. The property is thought to be 250+ years old and has some important historical significance with a dwelling on this very plot mentioned in the Dooms Day Book.
The current owners took Blaen Nant Gwyn on in 2009, having been featured on BBC1’s “Escape to the Country”, and have made major improvements to create a beautiful property and a very popular holiday cottage business “Brechfa Forest Barns” – so much so they were invited to appear in BBC1’s “I Escaped to the Country” in 2017 to showcase their success. Jules Hudson remains an enthusiastic advocate having brought his own family on holiday to enjoy this slice of Welsh paradise.
The property has been transformed into a wonderful home and, with a full renovation in 2017, the current owners have successfully married the best of traditional with modern to make the very most of this unique property whilst maintaining its heritage. This stone Welsh long house comprises three bedrooms, two of which are ensuite. The huge master ensuite includes a large shower and roll-top bath and a walk-in wardrobe. The guest ensuite has a walk-in shower, sink and toilet. There is an additional bedroom/office downstairs. From the hallway is an additional bathroom with a shower, sink, toilet and laundry area. The kitchen is tastefully presented with a hand-built shaker style kitchen.
The renovation included opening up the lounge to make an impressive galleried landing with an attractive spiral staircase, making for a pleasing open, light, and airy feel. The true gem of this property is the addition of a large conservatory adjoining the lounge and kitchen, flooding natural light and taking in the large, well-stocked garden while showcasing the scenery beyond. The conservatory is currently laid out as an additional lounge area and dining space. There is a wonderful feeling of bringing the inside and outside together and being at one with nature, of which there is an abundance.
The conservatory leads out onto an area with an outside dining table. Beyond is an impressive outdoor kitchen, dining and lounge on a large deck, protected by a roofed pergola. The outside kitchen comes complete with a large Kamado cooker, a pizza oven, and a dual BBQ. The hand-built dining table seats six, and the lounge houses comfortable garden furniture, a gas fire table, and a wood stove. The views from here are truly spectacular, making this a very special space.
The owners have installed a covered seven-seater hot tub in a position to enjoy the scenery. In a spot that seems made for it under the trees at the bottom of the garden, there is a fantastic hobbit house-style BBQ hut that can easily seat up to ten guests. This area is enclosed by picket fencing and also has its own outside seating, dining table, and chairs. There is a large, gravelled, fenced yard for the private parking of several cars, including a two-car car port, and a lovely oak-framed porch covering the entrance to the property. CCTV has been installed, and Starlink ensures excellent wifi for all of the properties on site.
There is ample separate parking for the cottages, and this area also houses a large detached building, completed in 2014, half of which is a double garage (currently used as a bike maintenance and storage area), including a utility room with a washing machine, a tumble dryer, and an additional freezer for guests to use. The other half has been partially converted into a “home pub” with a wood-burning stove and is currently used as storage.
The business, Brechfa Forest Barns, has been running successfully for over 14 years and is marketed as totally dog-friendly holiday accommodation. Lock-down provided time to create a project that has proved an important asset to the business. “Scentral Bark’ is a dog park with 6-deer fencing, providing a fantastic safe space for our guests’ dogs to run free and enjoy the many fun activities included within it: a splash pond, slide, swing, trampoline, ball pit and sand pit, to name a few.
THE POSITION
The property offers superb views in very peaceful surroundings, with stunning forest walks on the doorstep and fabulous beaches on two different coastlines a short drive away. It is perfectly placed to enjoy the three counties of Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire, with so many places for guests to visit.
The area is a Dark Skies site with incredible night skies and sunsets. Wildlife is all around with red kites, buzzards, owls and cuckoos in Spring.
Secluded but not isolated, it is just 1.8 miles from the main A485 running between Carmarthen and Lampeter. The nearest villages are a short drive away. Brechfa, Llanllwni and Pencader offer amenities such as petrol stations, pubs, etc. Slightly further afield are the attractive market towns of Llandeilo and Newcastle Emlyn. The nearest town is Carmarthen, approximately twelve miles away. Thought to be the oldest town in Wales, it is now home to an attractive centre with all the shops, supermarkets, and facilities you would expect.
Guests can enjoy fabulous walking and epic mountain biking in the 18,000 acres that is Brechfa Forest with peaceful walks and rides directly from the property. Furthermore, there are fantastic beaches a short drive away on both the Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion coastline.
This award-winning business has enjoyed considerable press coverage over the years and has had articles featured in many major newspapers and publications, as well as TV coverage on the BBC’s “Escape to the Country.”.
The current owners market the business themselves through their website and social media platforms, ensuring 100% direct bookings. They have over 30,000 followers on Facebook and Instagram and have amassed over 1200 5-star reviews. The business is open year round with many repeat customers. Since conception it has consistently anchieved impressive capacity of 85%+ and was 91% full in the 2023/24 financial year. The current financial year it is performing well with bookings already being taken for 2025.
OPPORTUNITIES
Business Wales, Carmarthenshire County Council and Discover Carmarthenshire continue to be very supportive and provide support in the form of marketing, loans and generous 50% match funding business development grants for the new owners to improve and/or expand the business. Further information is available on request. Whilst the cottages are fully equipped for self catering, for ten years the current owners offered optional home-made meals to guests and was very popular. This could be reintroduced if it is of interest to the new owners. Currently, the owners offer frozen meals and private hire of the BBQ Hut, which brings in additional income.
