Unique Brecon Beacons Retreat- VanAnn

If you love camping and wish to be away from the crowds but want more than canvas overhead and the luxury of a proper bed then you’ll enjoy this space. Overlooking farmland and the Carmarthenshire Fans within the Brecon Beacons National Park VanAnn sits at the back of my garden; a peaceful and beautiful place to gaze at kites flying overhead or stars at night. My vintage caravan was restyled and made over between stormy gales in 2019 and 2020 and featured on TV in “Cash in the Spare Room” with Max McMurdo. It’s winter right now and am closed for the season but looking forward to greeting you in Spring 2022 as the first snowdrops appear. I greeted my first ever guests in May last year (2021) - after being double vaccinated - and the sun came out to welcome them and I hope it does for you too so that you can enjoy this beautiful landscape and escape to the greenest of spaces. The van has an adjoining decking area, fire pit and barbecue, separate access drive with use of a utility/wet room and loo 20 yards from the van adjoining the main house. Guests can also make use of a fridge in an old, earth floored shed - very rustic! A Portable radiator and fan are on standby should you need them if the weather is too cold or too warm. The WiFi works brilliantly (if you want to use it) and the speed is good enough to allow you to watch films and live sport even from your garden hammock. This is an ideal area if you are a lover of being out in the countryside away from it all. Red kites swirl overhead and sheep and often cattle graze in the adjoining fields. You can hear the birds and often a nearby stream babbling away. Great opportunities for walking, hiking, cycling and exploring the area. Castles and beaches are close by as are The National Botanic Gardens of Wales and Aberglasney Gardens. Right in the middle of our village is our community hall which has a cafe and craft shop. Newly added (but still a fun work in progress for me) is the adjacent “Green Shed”. This is an extra space for guests to use and houses a small sofa, dining table and extras that you might need especially if you haven’t brought your own camping accessories - eg extra pots, pans, mugs,cutlery, glasses, picnic ware, picnic mat, a single and double electric hot plate, a camping gas cooker and extension cable. There are also local interest books, maps, novels and some board games. Bikes can be left under the attached lean to. VanAnn is named after the lady who first owned and loved her and is also a play on where it lives now in the Carmarthenshire Fans (Peaks). nb In Welsh an F is pronounced as a V. @yr_ardd_gefn Which means in Welsh - “the back garden” Guests have access to the utility room which contains a wet room (flushing toilet, shower and Belfast sink) and laundry facilities I respect a guest’s need for quiet and solitude but will be on hand to help point you in the right direction with advice and help about the local area. I have been a National Parks Ambassador in the past and was a volunteer director of Brecon Beacons Tourism for nearly five years. This is a rural area with a small village population of about 40 people. Some would say it is remote! It is an agricultural area - mainly sheep but with some dairy. It is mainly welsh speaking and although I am a learner I can help with the basics and pronunciation! Ideally you need a car to visit Myddfai and the surrounding area. Although, of course, it is possible to cycle. My nephew and friend cycled to and from Bristol for a weekend. The main A40 links Llandovery (our closest town 3 miles away) with Fishguard and Abergavenny and historically London. The Heart of Wales Line that runs between Shrewsbury and Swansea (four trains either way currently each day) has stops in Llandovery and Llangadog (6 miles away). There are taxi services available but no Uber and you would certainly have to book ahead. There is a bus service between Llandovery and Carmarthen which includes stops in Llangadog and Llandeilo. A continental breakfast pack is included but you also have an option to buy a breakfast pack (£3.50) which includes locally sourced bacon, sausage, black pudding and egg so that you can cook your own breakfast/brunch whenever you feel like it. A barbecue pack (£6) is also available to buy . This includes a burger, sausage, a lamb kofta and chinese style marinaded chicken. You need to bring your own drinks, snacks and food supplies. Basics such as salt, pepper, oil, vinegar and matches are supplied. I suggest you bring flip flops for walking around the garden; easy and quick to slip on and off. Myddfai Hall is the closest cafe which is open during the day (Tuesday to Sunday 11am - 4pm during the summer) otherwise Llandovery is the closest town 3 miles away; Llangadog is 6 miles away, Llandeilo 12 miles away. There are numerous cafes, bars and pubs in these villages/towns as well as a mixture of independent shops. Mathews Butchers is highly recommended as a source for local meat but please note it is closed on a Monday. The closest big shopping centres are in Brecon, Carmarthen or Lampeter. The nearest petrol stations are in Llandovery next to the railway station and at Manordeilo. Neither offer a 24 hour service.