BARLINGS BARN

The spacious Barn will happily accommodate all the gang - the centrally heated accommodation sleeps 14 to 16 (plus babies or toddlers) and is the perfect setting for your family holiday or celebration and for friends to get together.

The Barn has exclusive use of the HEATED INDOOR SWIMMING POOL,as well as the SQUASH COURT / TABLE TENNIS TABLE, SAUNA AND POOL TABLE.

Ground floor

'Clematis' bedroom - twin beds with ensuite bath, washbasin & w.c.

'Rose' bedroom - twin beds with ensuite shower, washbasin & w.c.

The Kitchen

The Barn has a fitted kitchen, range cooker - 6 ring gas hob (including a large wok burner) with two electric ovens and warming drawer , large microwave, 2 X fridge freezers, washing machine, and 2 x dishwashers , pine table and chairs, French doors to East facing patio with clematis smothered pergola - lovely for al fresco breakfasts.

To help further with the catering you have a hostess trolley (plus, of course the barbecue on the patio - perfect for all those male bonding sessions over the steaming steaks and a chilled lager). We have installed 2 x large fridge/freezers which combined with the larder and cupboard space (and the spare large fridge/freezer & veggie storage in the Garden shed) means that storing the shopping for the family should be a piece of cake!

Caring for the family should be no problem either as there is a washing machine, tumble dryer and 2 x dishwashers. They should be squeaky clean too as there are also five baths and two showers within the barn and there should never be a queue for any of the seven loos!

The Garden Room(adjacent to the lounge) houses the pool table and PS2 and is built in the same rustic brick as the swimming pool interior. This is a lovely light, bright room. Lots of windows and plants and at the southern end French doors open onto a patio. This is a lovely spot for basking in the golden late afternoon/ early evening sun with the stream tripping over rocks and plunging down a small waterfall just feet from where you sit.

The Barn's ‘ L’ shaped lounge/dining room stretches 27 feet from the French doors opening onto the Garden Room on the East side of the Barn to the verandah door leading to the swimming pool in the West . The verandah is a perfect spot to idle away your time sitting in your rocking chair and catching the afternoon sun.

24 people can be accommodated for dining. There are 2 Welsh dressers stuffed with crockery, dishes and glasses.

Wood burning stove in stone fireplace with oak beam.

There is also a comfy sofa bed (if there really still aren't enough bedrooms for everyone!).

Sky + TV (including sports & movie packages) / DVD / VCR/IPOD Dock.

There is another ground floor shower room next to the lounge with wash basin and w.c. for the convenience of our less able guests.

First floor

'Hydrangea' bedroom - double bed with lacy canopy, ensuite bathroom, washbasin & w.c.

'Jasmine' bedroom –King size bed with lacy canopy, ensuite bath, washbasin & w.c.

'Honeysuckle' bedroom –2 x 3’ single beds with adjacent bathroom, washbasin & w.c.

'Sycamore' bedroom –2 x 3’ single beds with adjacent bathroom, washbasin & w.c.

'Celandine' bedroom - Kingsize bed with ensuite bath washbasin & w.c.

Loft room (play room with mural, single bed, toys, TV/DVD etc.)

Full central heating. All fuel (and logs for fire) power and linen included in the price.

Garden, East facing patio with Garden Room and barbecue, South facing patio and access to wildlife meadow and grounds.

There is a large gazebo (hereafter known as 'Felicity's Folly') on the patio that leads up into our paddock. We used some of the remaining ancient oak beams from the old barn as support struts and for the roof local 'wainey edge' timber that was so ‘green’ it curled cutely like Turkish slippers as the temperature soared and then uncurled in the rain. Fascinating to watch!

This lovely spot situated next to the tinkling waterfall enjoys full sun all day long - perfect for enjoying the scenery whilst the kids play with a ball or paddle in the stream. Soon we hope it will be as smothered in honeysuckle and clematis as the house for your olfactory enjoyment.

We have given you a barbeque under the sheltering canopy of the 'folly' so that even if we are enjoying some of the soft Welsh rain it needn't spoil your plans. See the photo on our website of our intrepid guests determined to go ahead and enjoying their 'barbie', in spite of the horizontal rain, in true British spirit!!

We’ve also given you a ‘fire pit’ in this very cute paddock garden so you can toast your toes in the evening whilst gazing at the gazillions of stars above you.

‘Buttercup Cottage’ which is adjacent to the BBQ has been provided for our younger guests as a cute Wendy House. Kids and adults alike love it (I’ve never quite grown out of making dens either!)

Barlings Barn is easily accessible. It is only 2 hours drive from Manchester, Liverpool or the West Midlands (approximately 4 hours from London) but is a truly peaceful, secluded, private setting for the perfect getaway

Barlings Barn is only ten minutes by car from Snowdonia National Park, 35 minutes picturesque drive to fabulous sandy beaches, one hour Shrewsbury. Magnificent sunsets over unspoilt hills - Fantastically fresh air! Barlings stands at the end of a private tree lined drive, two miles from the village. Plenty of parking outside your door .

Barlings Barn nestles in the tranquil Mid Wales hills above Llanbrynmair, commanding glorious views down the valley. (Ordinance Map ref. 125 909 053) As you leave the main road and approach Barlings Barn, wild flowers surround you in Spring and Summer and the air is redolent with the heady scent of wild honeysuckle in the hedgerows. In Autumn and Winter our valley is quite beautiful as the trees change colour then stand stark and bare against a backdrop of rolling green hills and stunning purple and gold sunset- streaked skies. Here you can relax in peace and tranquillity, far from the hustle and bustle of town life.

History of Barlings Barn

When we moved here in 1982 our 18th C stone farmhouse and barn (Caeaugleision) hadn't been lived in for sixteen years, the windows were so over-grown it was like Sleeping Beauty's castle! We lived in a caravan and survived on nettle soup but over the years we are happy to say a wonderful transformation has taken place and our dream has become a reality. The barn was sadly too dilapidated for renovation so a purpose built building now provides the spacious and comfy accommodation, Squash Court, and Sauna. The old barn lives on in the surrounding stone walls where clambering roses and honeysuckle entwine with various varieties of clematis.

The 'courtyard' between the Wanws and barn is a flower-filled, sun trap where the INDOOR HEATED SWIMMING POOL is situated. The pool is fed from our own water supply deep inside the hill and guests have remarked that it is truly idyllic floating along caressed by our soft spring water whilst being soothed by soft lights and the gentle tinkle of the fountain. When the French doors are opened on a warm afternoon it is simply blissful dangling toes and fingers into the pool whilst sunbathing. A real stress-busting experience! The sun-warmed stones on the verandah wall make this sheltered area a perfect spot for summer and winter contemplation whilst rocking in your chair.

The squash court, table tennis and sauna are accessed via the swimming pool building.

The Wanws

The Wanws is the cosy characterful wing of the 18th C stone cottage just a few strides away across the courtyard from the front door of the Barn. There are a further four bedrooms here which many guests now book to give them lots of extra space for friends and family.

‘Daisy’ is a ground floor bedroom with 2 x 3 foot wide single beds. French doors access the patio.

We have an upright piano in the Wanws which you are welcome to play.

‘Forget-me-not is a pretty room with double bed and ensuite shower, washbasin and W.C.

‘Oak’ bedroom overlooks the garden, fields and hills beyond. There are 2 x 3 foot wide single beds and this room has a shower.

‘Cornflower’ is a cute bedroom which overlooks the garden towards the bluebell wood. There are 2 x 3 foot wide single beds and this room has a shower.

W.C. and washbasin on landing.

Informal gardens filled with herbs, vegetables and flowers have been created from a 'jungle'. A damson and apple orchard and a wonderful selection of native trees provide homes for nesting pied fly catchers, tree creepers, nut hatches and wagtails. Red kites have been spotted at Barlings and buzzards glide and circle lazily overhead. On balmy summer evenings, after a hot day, there's nothing nicer than relaxing outside, sipping a drink, and breathing in the wonderfully cool scent of pine trees. Mmmmm!

We are situated at the end of our own lane, two miles from the village, far from the noise of any traffic. The only sounds you are likely to hear at night are the soft hooting of owls, the bubbling stream or the gentle chomping of sheep. After a day of activities in the clean Welsh air, with perhaps a sauna to follow, our guests tend to sleep like babes, even the babies!

Telephones - We have deliberately not fitted telephones in The Barn to give you some peace and quiet but in these days of mobiles many of you are welded to the outside world anyway. We thought you would therefore like to know that Vodafone and Orange are beautifully received at Barlings but, according to one of our guests, to achieve a good signal with O2 you will need to stand in a particular spot in the garden!!!

There are many 'nooks and crannies' within our grounds. One of our guests has a favourite mossy tree trunk in the 'secret garden' that he always retires to when admiring the view. The ‘secret garden’ is reached by a rustic bridge over the stream’s singing stones. Our one acre paddock is a haven for wildlife and great for the children. Vividly blue wild forget-me-nots and brash buttercups, carpet the paddock in spring and early summer. There’s a mown area for ball games where the "ashes" are fought over in the summer to loud cries of 'howzat'. Parents can relax outside the summer house, which has stunning views down the valley. Tadpoles inhabit our wildlife pond and one little chap had a glorious time - making sixteen dams in our shallow stream!

If you drive a short way in your car a wealth of wonderful walks for any standard are available. Glyndwr's Way' meanders across the southern end of the valley. Glas Llyn (BlueLake) is a glacial lake with unrivalled views across the DoveyValley towards the spiky dragons tail of the mountain Cader Idris silhouetted against the sky. A six mile trek will take you to the source of the River Severn or, from the same site, there is a delightful stroll of 500 yards along the 'cascade walk' where the shallow river sparkles over small waterfalls past a picnic area with a distinctly alpine feel. Just a stroll down our lane can reward you with; sweet wild strawberries which explode on your tongue, blackberries, sloes, hazelnuts, and fat, orange hips and haws from the dog roses. You may even see the shy heron paddling in the stream.

This is a lovely area - situated just south of Snowdonia National Park - lots of places to explore and many activities available locally; riding, walking, fishing (trout and salmon), golf (stunning courses - much cheaper than many parts of the UK), sailing, fabulous beaches, steam trains, mountain bikes to hire and places of natural beauty and historic interest to visit. All in all, this is an idyllic spot to visit for superb leisure facilities in a glorious setting.

"The Enchanted Woodland"

In July 2004 we were excited to complete the purchase of the 20 acre wood just behind Barlings. So now this bluebell wood is available for our pleasure, and yours of course. Walks through the forest take you high onto the hill with stunning glimpses of the view down the valley through ‘windows’ framed by the trees, past tinkly streams and bluebell strewn paths. Looking westward unseen hilly vistas unfold.

Pine needles, inches thick, muffle your footsteps when you venture further into the cool dense planting in the centre, an undisturbed stillness broken only by the rustle of wings or the scurry of a startled tufty squirrel. Recently we took dogs, thick gloves, and clippers and got cracking on clearing some of the brambles that obstruct the paths (chomping the ripe harvest as went!). All volunteers welcomed!

There are informal paths that lead you through some delightful shady glades. One of these took my breath away when we stumbled upon it. It is deep in the heart of the forest - a truly ‘magical’ glen. An old oak tree rises from the centre thrusting its woody fingers towards the light. Dappled shade dances through the leaves and soft sunlight illuminates the forest floor. There are loggy seats scattered around for gentle contemplation. A very ‘Enid Blyton’ spot.

We have installed bird and bat boxes in the woodland to encourage as many wild visitors as possible.

Badgers

Ssh!! We have badgers living in the wood. There are lots and lots of setts. We all live in peace here though. They don’t bother us and we don’t bother them. In fact for 23 years we didn’t even know they were there! However, we love them and if you are lucky you may catch them at play or washing each other or just generally pottering around at dusk. We have provided a ‘hide’ in the forest in the vicinity of the setts and you can relax here in comfort and watch and wait.

Also somewhere deep in the tranquil greenwood is a colony of bees. Many years ago a large swarm took off from my beehive in the garden and headed for the forest via our tallest tree and they’d gone before we could get the ladders out. I thought it was lost but each time a harsh winter claims a hive of ours it is re-occupied in the spring by a swarm arriving and hiving itself. They can only be coming from the woodland as bees only fly for two miles and there are no other beekeepers within that radius. It is an amazing sight – awesome and somehow humbling.

Our youngest son Harry had the privilege of being in the garden when the ‘scouts’ led the rest of a swarm to their new home one summer - very exciting. Lots of humming and a mini whirlwind of bees hovering before they tucked themselves into the hive and proceeded to go about their business as though they’d always lived there! The first few days were spent in industrious housekeeping and a small pile of debris appeared on the front board as they cleaned and swept and tidied. Quite fascinating to watch. Anyway, somewhere in that forest is a honey soaked tree which we shall have to protect when we find it as clearly it has been a refuge for these gentle creatures for the last fifteen years. Honey from these bees smells like the most beautiful bouquet so keep your hooters alert.

In the spring the bees love nothing more than spending a happy morning visiting one of the sunny banks of wild violets that grow in the wood. I have had the joy of sitting in the middle of them all as they just hummily pootled around me dipping in and out of the fragrant flowers. Heaven!

We are also pleased that this offers more space for our canine guests to run around in – they love all the delicious scents in there (many hairy visitors have given it the doggy seal of approval).

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Security deposit

A £ 200 security deposit is payable on arrival which will be returned within one week of departure, assuming all is well .

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Cancellation Insurance

Due to our small size we regret that once full payment is received, all monies paid are non-refundable and if you have to cancel your holiday we will be looking for full payment (unless of course we are able to re-let the dates in question).

We therefore strongly suggest that guests take out Cancellation Insurance at the time of booking, and we recommend this is obtained online at where the rates are extremely reasonable. Please forward the insurance reference number once this is available.