“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” Henry David Thoreau
Last weekend I was lucky enough to spend another weekend staying with Holidays Wales in Rhayader, Mid Wales. I planned weekend of food, walks, hot tub dips and wine (of course). I even managed to convince a friend to come along for the break, it didn’t take much convincing. This was my second trip with Holidays Wales (was Mid Wales Breaks) both trips have been in the winter and I am desperate to visit in the warmer months, I really need to learn to plan my trips better. With what now seems the norm we arrived early Saturday evening in the middle of a storm, can you remember when we had weekends without storms!
We pulled up just as the sun was setting with enough wine to survive a week or sink a ship! Seconds after this picture was taken and carrying our bags the heavens opened, you know, for a change! So we shut the doors, pulled the curtains across, cooked some comfort food, opened a bottle of wine and got cosy for the night, what better way is there to survive a storm than with wine and burgers.
We woke up the first morning really refreshed and well rested which must have been due to the fresh air! We decided to spend the Sunday eating and walking. Is there a better way to spend a Sunday? We didn’t think so either! But first things first bacon butties!! I swear I gained a stone in the two and a half days we were there! Also not going to lie it was lovely having someone else cook for me which I took full advantage of, might explain why I returned home with a much rounder tummy.
Slightly full from one too many bacon butties we decided to head out to Elan Valley for the afternoon. I was pretty shocked about how busy it was for the time of year, if I was to visit in the Summer I would probably bring my bike and cycle from the huts to the dams because I can’t even imagine how busy it gets in the summer months. Although once you get past the visitors centre you barely see anyone, there is enough miles of walks for everyone to have their own little piece of heaven without the crowds.
The weather was a little crazy, the winds from the storm had died down but somehow spring, summer, autumn and winter all managed to make an appearance seconds after one another. We got hailed, rained and snowed on between bouts of glorious sunshine! At one point we were being hailed on while being blinded by the bright sunshine. Knowing the hail/rain wouldn’t last more than a minute we carried on walking. Every time Alex asked me how much further I simply replied with “not far, just a mile” not sure he found the response as cute as I did.
Naturally we stopped for cake, I mean it would be rude not too! OK so before the cake there were chips and sandwiches too, its safe to say I pretty much rolled back to the car! We stopped for cake and tea at Ponbont House FYI their chips are out of this world, worth driving the 2.5 hours from home for alone. I wish I had taken more pictures but I was enjoying the moment too much to think about it. We chatted, laughed and ate til we were close to bursting before heading back!
But not before we stopped for a chat with these guys! In total we walked 8 miles around the Elan Valley, I told Alex it was just a quick couple of miles round, don’t think he will ever come on a walk with me again! Legs felt stretched but tummy was still very full. However this didn’t stop us going back for another cosy night of wine and food.
We spent a very lazy Monday at our little hut enjoying the sunshine and hot tub! There is something a little special about spending Mondays in a hot tub when you normally would be at work and because I wasn’t driving I made it extra special with a couple of glasses of wine. After what has felt like a very long, cold and dark start to the year this was a perfect way to welcome the start of spring and what is hopefully going to be a year filled with fun and adventures.
The weekend was perfect, the weather could have been better but it was March in the UK so it could have been much worse! I am already excited about returning luckily winter is now over so fingers crossed for a spring break.
For more information about Holidays Wales they have a beautiful new website, go take a peek.
