Mill Cottage

I have been meaning to review this delightful B&B since I visited last October. Set in the tranquil village of Abbey Cwmhir, this B&B with a deeply personal touch is the perfect complement to a village that still carries the faint air of golden-age detective novel, complete with village hall (open to visitors) and antiquated (usually closed) pub. The quiet also carries pathos, the dark pines shrouding a ruinous abbey which is the resting place of the last Prince Llewellyn of Wales. After absorbing this soft, numinous atmosphere Mill Cottage is the perfect retreat. I have stayed here five times, the first after being rescued by Nita and Brian while being over-ambitious with the distances on Glyndwr's way. The house (as the name suggests, part of the village's old mill) is in keeping with the old village. The garden, extending down to the mill stream is extensive and opened to visitors for charity during the summer. It is a work of art and also, luckily, the view out my bedroom window during my stay. I found this gem walking Glyndwr’s' Way, but I have also stayed here when not walking that route, for the unique stillness of the deep, tree lined valley which seems to absorb sound and shut out the world, and for the remarkable welcome this B&B always provides. It is one of the few places you can stay to be genuinely treated like a guest rather than a 'guest'. There was tea and cake served on my arrival, and the hosts are very receptive to the needs of the guests. If you need to sleep off a long days walk, you will be left undisturbed. If you want supper, Nita provides excellent home cooking and was able to cater for my veggie needs. After dinner there was a fire in the grate and warm conversation. The hosts also have good local knowledge and have passed on a good selection of tips and advice to walkers from other visitors. Although meals should be booked in advance, on my first surprise visit Nita could provide a packed lunch at short notice for which I was very grateful. Glyndwr walkers should be aware that they are unlikely to pass an open shop or eatery before Llanidloes, and given the delicious nature of the food provided, it is well worth adding an evening meal to your stay. Breakfast is a generous spread of fresh fruit, toast, cereals and - if you are lucky, some excellent homemade preserves, all in quantities to keep you going for the next ten miles. I was in a single room, where the bed was comfy and the view the remarkable garden. Walkers with aching bones will be pleased to find a bath, and everything was furnished to a high standard and spotlessly clean. I am probably not quite doing justice to a B&B, and a village, quite unlike anything else in Wales. It has charm and soul and the word I keep coming back to – personal. Like the village itself, it is a thing of beauty that we should cherish before time catches up.