If you follow me on instagram, you know that I have been wanting to visit Wild Meadow, hosted by my good friend and great flower photographer Andrea for a long time. You will also know that this post is one year overdue. But I get to share one of our best weekends away with the kids. I have also realised that my pictures are a bit light on the interiors side, mainly because the kids spent their time outdoors. I think it goes with the spirit of Wild Meadow.
Hand built by Jonathan and Andrea, Wild Meadow is a charming and cosy eco-retreat nestled amidst the Welsh rolling hills and stunning landscapes. Skilfully crafted from wood, and built with the ethos of living lightly on the land, the cottage is a unique and inviting space. The natural wood finish brings warmth, and the large windows let in plenty of light and showcase the sunning views outside. The outdoors is literally brought to the indoors.
As soon as we arrived, it was so easy to relax and finally meet Andrea in person (after many zoom conversations). The kids made full use of the naturally stunning meadow, finding the swings at the back of the garden, near the shepherd’s hut. I may have thought I lost them a few times. There may have been scary races down the hill (them not me). But overall happiness in nature was palpable. Wild Meadow is comfortably furnished with a large open plan area downstairs. Two large sofas sit a log burner with views through the large windows of the meadow and hills in the distance. There are 3 bedrooms (including one with a double and single bed – the kids chose to sleep in the double together); way too many for us – We did not try all the beds, but we got the feeling of breathing space for all of us, unlike a more traditional cottage with smaller rooms.
We did take time to explore the local area. You can walk directly from Wild Meadow to Presteigne the nearby village which has a quaint high street with independent shops, bakery, deli, book shop, library and more. We went a bit further to visit the Workhouse – yes I could have spent hours there, I managed 2 hours with the kids, including lunch and cake. And it was a little gem. We came back through the woods, only to find a football pitch – and immediate friends for the kids.
Looking through my pictures, it is all reminded me of the lightness we felt at Wild Meadow – easy living in the countryside. Easy to find, easy parking, a safe environment for the kids. I may not remember exactly what I cooked, how long I slept. But I remember how I felt we all had a real break in just a couple of nights. Of course I managed to add a river wild swim – in the clearest water I have been in a while (5 minutes down the road).
Was it worth the wait? Yes, and more. We should have gone to Wild Meadow much earlier on, and we should go again. I do not go often to the same places, so much to explore, so may things to do. It is like travel FOMO. I am glad we have all the pictures to remind us of how happy our long weekend in Presteigne was (and so many more not shared here). I hope you get inspired to take a real break at Wild Meadow, a time you deserve.
If you want to see other places we visited with the kids in the UK (usually), you can go to my Travel page on this website.
This is not a sponsored post, I am happy to share the great experience we have. But it might explain why I did not post straight away, as I did not have to.
