Brecon Beacons, Wales

We stayed in the Wheat Sheaf Cottage (on the left). Originating in the 16th Century, the farmhouse and cottages are set amid the rolling hills of the County of Carmarthenshire.

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Wheatsheaf cottage was originally the miller's cottage and barn on theEstate. Reclaimed rustic flag-stone flooring with an under floor heating system throughout, central heating and a large wood-burner made the cottage very cosy.

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Vaulted oak beamed ceilings, thick welsh slate window sills and double french doors leading out onto a brick paved terrace with glorious far reaching countryside views towards the magnificent Brecon Beacons.

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The main lounge was an impressively large room with a high vaulted ceiling with green oak A-frames, natural finish oak panelling from the estate and incorporated some really beautiful ancient curved long oak beams. It also featured a unique antique wooden lifting wheel.

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A close-up of the oak A-frames and the antique wooden lifting wheel that was still actively in use until a few years ago.

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Magnificent far reaching countryside views from the terrace down the valley towards the Brecon Beacons.

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The eat-in Kitchen had a large scrubbed pine table and chairs, together with freestanding dressers topped with thick blue-gray Welsh slate worktops. The range style cooker was impressive!

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The lovely scrubbed pine furniture theme with these lovely rustic handles carried on throughout the cottage.

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The walls were adorned by a remarkable collection of paintings featuring countryside wildlife including badgers. These were painted on large thick slabs of Welsh slate that were rescued long ago from an old manor house. The slabs were over an inch thick and huge!

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A painting of an owl on another huge thick slate slab.

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This private en-suite bathroom had a cast iron claw foot roll top slipper bath. The superb quality Heritage porcelain fixtures include a traditional high cistern toilet, bidet and washbasin.

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Mirrors were in a rustic scrubbed pine frame with inset tiles.

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This bedroom had exposed oakbeams, cottage-style maple wood floor and a 5 foot wide antique pine bed.

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Plump pillows and 100% cotton sateen 400 thread count linens.

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An impressive full height mirror in antique pine frame.

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The second bathroom was oak panneled and had a traditional cast iron roll top bath tub, a neo-angle corner shower and quality traditionally styled Heritage porcelain fixtures including high cistern toilet and large washbasin.

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Heritage taps and fittings.

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All internal doors were rustic pine with these wonderful latches.

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The second bedroom had burnished wide plank oak floor and a 5 foot wide antique style pine bed.

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A supply of eggs was courtesy of the free range chickens.

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On the way to Pen-y-Fan. Conditions and visibility were still quite good at this stage.

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Approaching Corn Du, the second highest peak immediately to the southwest of Pen-y-Fan (highest peak). Conditions were getting treacherous with snow, ice, poor visibility and gale force winds. We made Corn Du, but unfortunately had to turn back so never reached Pen-y-fan.

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