A cosy cottage in a stormy Wales

The best made plans ...

We planned a walking weekend in Wales. But the weather had other ideas. Luckily, the place we stayed in was fantastic, and made up for the lack of walking. 

I don't normally show where we stop, but this place, Plas Uchaf, was exceptional. We booked it through the Landmark Trust (click for more info). 

The house was built about 1400, and was once a baronial hall.

This table was about 13 feet long! We could have had a real feast, but we had fish and chips!

It was lit by lamps, rather than ceiling lights, and the main hall is open to the roof, as you can see.

This was when the rain eased a bit: it was torrential for almost the whole day.

The stove kept the place very warm and snug, even though the hall was massive. (The underfloor heating helped)

The window sills were big enough to sit on

Difficult to give some idea of the scale, but I stood against the end wall: the roof was probably about 20-25 feet up. The windows you can see are in the bedroom, from where you can look down at the hall.

Sitting area by the fire

Looking into the kitchen

Looking into the hall. We spent time reading: there was no television (I know!) 

The low door: even I had to stoop

For a moment, the rain stopped, just as the light was going

Night time: from the outside, the house looks quite ordinary: it isn't! 

The Landmark Trust rescues historic buildings and renovates them for holiday lets. You can stay in farms, castles, water towers, follies (including a pineapple), thatched cottages and many others, all over the country, including remote cottages on the Island of Lundy. Some get very busy, and are booked years in advance. They are also often quite expensive, but the winter rates are cheaper - and what better than to stay in a place with a stove or open fire when the nights are cold? 
Channel 4 recently showed a few programmes on the Landmark trust and its work